Weeping Willows

Chapter 10

Phantom Tears

                Everyone sat around the living room eating, sharing stories of Mikey, and laughing together.  Elizabeth was listening intently as each story seemed more outlandish then the last.  Unable to stop she found herself chortling along with everyone else.  From what she could tell the infamous Mikey, was just like the infamous Courtney.  Yet another person she would have to make sure her impish friend never met.

                “I honestly find myself leery every time he comes home and visits me at the church.”

                “Why is that?”  Elizabeth asked around another bite of steak so tender it practically melted in her mouth.  Mason sighed in exasperation.

                “He only comes to the church to unburdened himself and confess all his latest sins.”

                “I didn’t know you were a Catholic priest.”

                “I’m not.”  He deadpanned back in response causing her to chuckle.

                “I don’t know if he thinks I’m his personal get out of Hell free card he can use whenever so he doesn’t have to stop having fun, or if he’s trying to scandalize me only to be disappointed when it doesn’t.”

                “He does remember you grew up together doesn’t he?”  Jan asked moaning in satisfaction after a bite of meat.  “Forgive me father for I find I’m having impure thoughts about my dinner.”  Everyone burst out laughing including Mason at her joke.

                “Well that’s one way Court and Mikey differ.  Courtney doesn’t really care what most people think about her or anything she does.  She also doesn’t believe in conformed religion so she would never use anyone as a way to cleanse her of any sins.”

                “Was she not brought up with religion?  Just curious.”  Elizabeth snickered at Elliot’s inquiry, it’s not the first time someone has asked one of Courtney’s friends that.

                “Actually, her Father is a preacher.  She was practically raised within the church.”

                “That really doesn’t surprise me.”  Was Mason’s reply while Elliot looked thoughtful for a moment.

                “You know I’ve heard you have to be careful of preacher’s kids.  They turn out to be the biggest troublemakers.”  No sooner had the words left Elliot’s lips then Addison smacked him upside the head.  He playfully glared at his wife while rubbing the spot she slapped.  Addison raised her hand threatening to do it again, but he just smiled and kept mouthing I love you while blowing kisses at her.  She rolled her eyes at him but seemed to be momentarily appeased.  Everyone around the table smiled at the couple.  This was definitely not the first time any of them had seen them act like that. 

                Throughout dinner Elizabeth kept glancing at Dan.  All the rest of the group conversed happily, each one adding something.  Dan however, had barely said a few sentences all night.  He looked more content with watching everyone enjoy his steaks then participating in the idle chatter going on around him.  He must be one of those strong silent types Elizabeth concluded.  A man of little words unless it was of import.  She realized she was injecting her own perceptions onto him without getting to know him.  After all, hadn’t she also been rather quiet this evening choosing instead to enjoy watching the people around her as well.  She needed to remind herself to withhold any observations she made as more then just what she sees until she gets to know them a little better.  It’s not like she was acting like her normal self either.  She was a bit of a shy person by nature and found it easier to fade into the background until she got to know people, especially in a group setting.  She did handle one on one meetings a bit better than this.  With that thought she vowed to at least give this group a chance after all they did reach out to her before anyone else here had.  Which allowed her to form connections to someone in a new place helping her feel tethered to the ground instead of floating adrift.

                Not long after clearing the dishes and cleaning everything up everyone started to trickle back out her door.  Each one bid her good night with hopes to see her again on Saturday.  Elliot let her know they were going to leave the grill there for the time being as Dan had deemed it still too hot to pick it back up to place in the truck.  They moved it close to her porch with a promise to stop by to retrieve it another day.  Elizabeth comfortably leaned over her front railing as she waved goodbye while they drove off down the dirt road.  She walked back into the house as the quiet enveloped her.  It was a nice reprieve after the noisy chaos that had been in her home minutes before.  With the stillness settling in around her though the evening felt more like hours ago instead.  As a loud yawn burst from her, she flicked out the lights one by one intent on heading to bed for the night.

                 She walked into her room flicking on the overhead light.  The over-sized package sat next to her closet door where it had been moved earlier.  She chuckled at the audacity of her friend once again but was grateful she had someone like Courtney in her life tossing in a little spice and color here and there.  Elizabeth shuffled over to the bed to grab her night clothes stifling another yawn with her hand.  She had been yawning so hard since everyone left that tears were starting to trickle from her eyes.  Wiping them away with one hand and reaching for her clothing with the other she froze in place.  Laying right on top of her covers nearly dead center on her blanket sat the letter she had meant to read earlier.  She stood there staring at it trying to remember if she had put it away or just lain it on the bed that afternoon.  Elizabeth had been in such a hurry at the time she couldn’t quite recall.  Foregoing the clothing and picking up the letter instead she gently sat down on the edge of the bed.  Turning it over she carefully opened the flap reaching in to retrieve the letter inside.  With bated breath she unfolded the old parchment finally revealing the words within.

                                                                                                                                                June 9,1917

Dearest loved ones,

                I hope this letter finds you all in good health.  It has been a month now since I have been in France.  To set all your minds at ease I am well too.  My days, while busy, are rather tedious indeed.  It is not what I had imagined at all.  Please do not worry yourselves overly as to my well-being.  As the days pass on I find I worry more about all of you then anything else.  I hope you have heard from Henry.  I have not seen him since we left camp and I came to the front lines.  I have not received word that he has met an ill end though.  Ruth do not fret yourself sick he will one day come home to you I am sure of this. 

                How are things around the homestead?  I know it cannot be easy for all of you since father passed and Henry and I had to serve the country.  My only hope is that the three of you stay strong for each other as you always have.  Annabel please behave and care for mother in my stead.  Make sure Ruth takes care of herself as well as her son needs her.  How is little George?  I am sure he is growing big and strong.  I see you all in my dreams when I am able to find the time to sleep.  I miss you all more and more with each passing day.  I await the day when we will all be together again.  Until then stay well and keep hope our family will be whole.  I love you all with all my might give a hug to George from me.

Sincerely,

William Bennett

                Elizabeth reread the letter a half dozen times soaking in the words of a solider far from home.  She thought he might brag over heroics or tell of his life, but she found his concern over his family touching.  His words were sweet and full of care.  As she lay down on her side on top of her covers, she stared at his letter still in her hand.  She wondered what he must have been like in life and thought about the women who had read his words so long ago.  Had they found comfort from them as he had clearly intended.  What were they all like?  With thoughts of people she never met swimming in her head Elizabeth drifted off into a restless sleep.

                Sometime later she was startled awake by the distant clash of thunder.  Lurching upright the light blanket over her shoulders fell to Elizabeth’s waist as she adjusted to the darkness of the room.  The lacey curtains on her bedroom window floated around the window in the breeze.  A streak of bright light briefly lit up the room and she noted the small puddle of water on the floor beneath the open window.  Bounding out of bed she retrieved a towel from the bathroom moping up the small mess before it warped the hardwood floor.  The scent of rainfall was fresh in the air that drifted in through the opening.  Tossing the wet towel into the sink and grabbing the light blanket off the bed she padded her way barefoot to the front door.

                With the throw secure around her shoulders she stood on the wet boards of the front porch watching the receding storm in the distance.  Time passed on as she stood there listening to the distant rumble and watching the streaks of lightening fork across the cloudy dark sky.  A shiver overtook her as the chill of the late-night creeped in.  Elizabeth blinked her eyes rapidly trying to get rid of the momentary spots of light she saw.  The distant sound of a woman calling out her name from somewhere in the inky darkness made her gasp sharply taking in a large gulp of cold air.  A shiver shook her as she blinked and rubbed at her eyes seeking out movement from somewhere in the dimness.  She haphazardly searched the yard, her gaze shooting in every direction as the voice called out again.  The woman sounded distressed and it made Elizabeth anxious thinking one of the new friends she had made tonight was searching for her. 

                A vein of light blazed in the night sky briefly illuminating her property.  She could just make out the shape of someone in the willow tree copse before the night took over once again.  No thought to her own safety Elizabeth rushed out into the shadows desperate to reach whomever was out there.  She called out again and again hoping they could hear her.  She was met by no one however as she stumbled her way across the uneven ground splashing through puddles and stepping on twigs in haste.  Each time the sky lit up she would seek out the figure that was taking the sharper form of a woman with every step closer they became.  The voice still beseeched her on the wind egging her on faster and faster.  The woman’s voice was coated in anguish.  The figure stumbled and fell over and over as she moved steadily away from Elizabeth.  With renewed purpose she picked up her pace desperate to get to the woman before losing her.

                 Reaching the grove Elizabeth slammed herself into the trunk of one of the trees unable to stop the forward momentum.  Taking uneven gulps of air, she held her side where a sharp pain had begun to burn.  Frantically searching through the shadows with her eyes Elizabeth’s heart hammered away like a bird trying to escape its cage.  Her legs seared with the ache of exertion, but she pressed on into the vegetation frantic to find the person lost within.  Pushing herself away from the tree she was leaning on she moved off into the night pushing aside the long branches blocking her path.  Water dripped from above stinging the palms of her hands as she went.  The scent of salt now heavy in the air almost blocking out the aroma of the rain.  Halting briefly in her search she rubbed the substance between two fingers.  Bringing it closer to her nose she inhaled filling herself with confusion.  Looking at her hand more droplets fell on it trailing a path across the small wounds from the tattered bark.  The liquid singed a path in the fresh cuts making her inhale sharply at the sting.  Elizabeth glanced up and watched as tiny tear like drops continued to fall around her.  One landed lightly in the corner of her eye causing Elizabeth to look down sharply.  As it trailed down her cold alabaster cheek another bolt of light cut through the shadows.  Elizabeth caught movement just up ahead slipping further away from her.  Taking off at a dead run she went to follow forgetting about her momentary distraction.  Pain and fear cocooned her body as she disappeared among the obscurities.