The Haunting (14 page)

     There had been plenty of days he wished he had never left in the first place. But, he wanted to be a man his mother could be proud of, and joining the Army was the only way he knew how. Quitting was never an option for him because his father was a quitter. His father left his mother when he and Travis were still babies. He saw how hard his mother worked to keep a roof over their heads, feed them, and buy them everyday necessities.     

     Travis had been angry growing up and had some trouble with drugs but he soon realized that suppressing his feelings was doing more harm than good. Travis cleaned up, went back to school and now owned his own business, an auto repair shop not too far from their mother's house. He had been so proud of his older brother for turning his life around and taking care of their mother.     

     Billy folded the letter from Savannah and stuffed it back into his pocket. He rolled up his jacket, put it behind his head, and closed his eyes. As he drifted off to sleep his last thoughts were of Savannah. Maybe she would be up looking at the same sky he was, wishing on the same star, and in some way they were together like they used to be.

Chapter One

(
Two years late
r
)     

     The loud boom of fireworks were all Savannah St. Claire could hear.  If there was one day she hated, it had to be the Fourth of July. That was the day Billy broke up with her and left home to join the Army. Four years had passed and the pain in her heart was still as fresh as the day he walked out of her life. She not only lost her boyfriend, but she had lost her best friend as well.  There wasn't a day that went by where she hadn't thought of him at least once.      

     Her parents had worried about her constantly, but she had learned to hide her pain behind a fake smile. She didn’t want anyone to know how distraught she really was. Why she still lived with her parents, she didn't know. She had let them talk her into staying with them until she finished college. Now that she had a college degree, she worked and was saving most of money, so it wouldn't be much longer until she moved out.     

     Twenty-four years living under the same roof with her mother and father was enough. It wasn’t really her father who annoyed her, but her mother was the real pain in the ass. Always telling her what to do and how to feel. When Billy left, the very next day her mother insisted she find another boyfriend. She never understood Savannah’s feelings for Billy.     

     Hopefully, her parents would soon be leaving for the picnic soon and then she could sit and wallow in her self-pity without being pestered.  Savannah got up out of her bed, walked over to the window and slammed it shut. She waited for a few seconds thinking she had quieted the sound. After hearing another loud blast, she knew there would be no way to ignore it.
Well, that was no use
. She banged her head against the wall and grumbled loudly. Not only could she still hear the festivities going on, but it was starting to get hot in the room. There was no way in hell she was going to open the window again. At least the fireworks weren't as loud as they were when the window was open.     

     She made her way across the soft plush pink carpet, her bare toes squishing the fabric. She reached for the dial on the air conditioner and turned it on. Placing her face near the vent she allowed the soft humming and the cool breeze to relax her.  She looked out the window and saw her father loading up the car with food and some chairs, her mother following behind him.     

     Her mother looked up at her window and she tried to dart behind the counter but it was too late. She was caught. She could hear her mother screaming her name from the driveway. She was so loud not even the closed window or the noise from the air conditioner could drown out that screeching. Savannah closed her eyes and bowed her head already feeling defeated before the day had even begun.     

     Savannah walked over to the closet and threw on a pair of running shoes. She slowly made her way down the hardwood stairs and stood on the porch. She was intent on staying in the house all day, and even being a couple of steps from the front door was too much.     

     “Ma, why are you yelling? What do you want?”     

     Isabel St. Claire gave her daughter an angry look and demanded she give them a hand. “Don’t talk to me like that, help your father with the chairs before he throws his back out again.”     

      Savannah smirked and really wanted to laugh out loud because her mother’s Spanish accent became more prominent when she was mad. “Fine, where are the rest of the chairs?”    

     “They're in the garage, and don't roll your eyes at me.”     

     As she walked to the garage she heard her father’s quiet voice chime in. “Isabel, give the kid a break. You know today is going to be hard for her. Don’t upset her more than she already is.”     

     “She doesn't respect me John.”     

     “Yes, she does. She’s a good girl and you should cut her a little slack.”     

     “You are too easy on her. She’s too spoiled and I’ve had just about enough of her sulking. Four years is too long for a young beautiful girl to be wasting her time in a man who doesn’t love her.”     

      “Isabel, you know that’s not true. Billy loved her very much.”     

      “If he loved her so much, why leave her, and why has he sent back every letter she has written to him?”     

     “Look, I don’t know. Nor do I care. The only thing I know is that our little girl is hurting, and we should be doing everything in our power to make her feel better. She will come around, but it will have to be on her terms. We can’t force her not to love someone.”     

     Savannah made her way back to the driveway carrying a folding chair under each arm. John walked over to his daughter and took one of them from her and gave her smile. He always knew how to make her feel better. She walked past her mother and put the chair in the trunk. She then took the chair out of her father’s hands and put it with the others. Before she had a chance to close the trunk, her mother came around the car and proceeded with the questioning.     

     “Why don’t you come to the picnic with us? There will be plenty of eligible bachelor’s attending.”     

     “Mother, if you mean the same eligible bachelors that attend every year, the same people who were so mean to me in school. Then no thanks.”     

     “The kids weren’t mean to you, you’re just over exaggerating.”     

     “What planet do you live on mother?”     

     “Savannah!” John yelled. “Mind your mother.”     

     “Dad, I’m sorry, but she is delusional. I was picked on constantly at school. I used to come home crying almost every day until Billy and Travis became my friends. I never fit in. They all have light skin, or blue eyes or beautiful silky hair. I was just a little too ethnic to fit in with them. My skin is too dark, my hair is too course and curly. I will never fit in here with these people.”     

      “Why are you so ashamed of who you are? You have everything I never had growing up in Puerto Rico. My family had nothing and we lived in a two room apartment. All seven of us. I had to work from the time I was 13 so I could help your grandparents out. We give you everything you want."     

     “Ma, I don’t need things, I never did. All I ever wanted was a little understanding, but you never give me that. I’m done talking about this with you.” Savannah turned, got into her car and started to drive toward the lake. When she pulled into a parking space she could see plenty of people there. There was never anyone on this side of the lake, which was one of the reasons why it was one of her favorite places to go. It was always peaceful and quiet. Many times in the past few years she had come at night and sat on the dew filled grass. She hoped that when she wished on a star that Billy would be doing the same thing, wherever he was and they were wishing on the same star together.
What a stupid thought to have
!     

     Savannah could not be bothered with all these people, so she put the car in reverse to leave. As she put her foot on the gas pedal and stepped on it. She looked up in her rearview mirror just in time to slam the breaks. She then put the car in park and she jumped out of the driver’s seat. “Are you insane? I could have killed you!”     

     “Yeah, but you didn't. Why the rush Savvy?” Travis asked with a look of confusion on his face.     

     “I came here to try and relax. What is everyone doing here? And stop calling me that, you know I hate it.”     

     “We are having the picnic here.”     

     “Why here? It’s always held at the other side of the lake.”     

     “Didn't your mom tell you, I saw her the other day when she brought her car for a tune up?”     

     “No, she didn’t. Tell me what?”     

      “The picnic is being held here for a special welcoming home for Billy. Billy is coming home today.”     

     “What?” How could her mother not tell her Billy was coming home, especially today of all days? She felt sick to her stomach, and wanted to get out of there as fast as she could. She opened the car door and attempted to get in, but Travis slammed the door shut.     

     Savannah angrily looked up at Travis and yelled. “What is the matter with you? Let me go.”     

     Travis stepped in front of her and leaned in front of the car. “No, you can’t keep running away from your feelings.”     

    “The hell I can’t! Now move Travis.”     

     “Look, I can't make you stay but I'm asking you as a friend to stay. At least for a few minutes. Billy won't be here until later this afternoon. Why don’t we take a walk?”     

      Savannah lowered her head to think of what she should do. She need to sit and wrap her head around what was going on. She'd had no warning at all that Billy was coming home. None.     

     “Savannah?”    

     “I’m sorry. Okay. I need to go sit somewhere.”     

     “C’mon, let’s go sit down by the edge of the lake.”     

     “Okay”     

      Travis took her hand as they strolled along the edge of the lake until they came to a spot to sit on the grass. Of course, everyone was looking at them holding hands, but she didn’t care. They were only friends and she didn't give a shit what they thought. Savannah could just hear all the whispers.
Look at her. Tramp. First she had one brother and now the other. She didn’t waste any time did she?
The looks of disdain from them all was enough to infuriate her.     

     “Savannah, you’re hurting my hand.”     

     She let go and apologized. “Oh, I'm sorry.”    

     Travis shook his hand and whistled. “Wow, I forgot what a grip you had. You were always one of the boys.”     

     Savannah elbowed him in the rib. “That’s because I only had you and Billy to hang out with. I was never a girly girl anyway. You know that.”     

     Travis stopped and leaned back to look at Savannah's ass. The tight denim shorts she was wearing didn’t leave too much for the imagination and he smiled slyly. “You sure do look like a girly girl to me.”     

     Savannah punched him in the arm. “Shut up Travis!”     

     Travis rubbed his arm. “Ow, that one really hurt.”     

     “Don’t be such a baby.”     

     They sat down on the grass and looked out at the lake. Savannah squinted her eyes against the sun's bright rays. “I hate this damn sun.”     

     Travis took the sunglasses he was wearing on top of his head and handed them to her. “Here”     

     “Thanks”     

     “It looks like the whole town is showing up.”     

       Savannah turned and looked behind her. “Yeah. Hey, where’s your mom. Did you bring her?”     

      Travis' face turned somber. “No, she was having one of her episodes this morning so I had the nurse come and stay with her for the day.”     

     Savannah took off the sunglasses so she could look into Travis’ hazel eyes. His eyes identical to his brother’s, which was one of the reasons she always had a hard time looking at him since Billy left. It was like she was looking at Billy and it killed her inside that he wasn't there with her. “Travis, she’ll be okay. You know after she had the stroke she sometimes forgets things, even people.”      

     “Yeah, but her own son. I can't handle it sometimes. I’ve been with her every day for the past 22 years and she barely remembers me most of the time. Billy has been home all of three times in four years and she remembered him every time. I guess my brother has all the luck doesn’t he?”