Beginning of novel here….

Part One

Which Makes the Ghost Seem Nigh Me….
Of A Something That Came and Went

CHAPTER ONE CONTINUED (third section)

Daniel was on his way and Lindsay was smiling as she restacked the freezer. When Sam came in the mudroom door, she followed to the living room. Pretty Susanna eased down by Garth and he gave her a long kiss.

“Was an elderly lady outside?” she asked Sam, and he shook his head. “A spy then?”

“No spy either. Daniel call?”

Lindsay peered outside, checking for the spy. “Just after you left. He’s coming by after work.”

“Yeah, last night he told me. Just wondered if he called again.”

“You didn’t tell me he was coming.”

“You know he’s always coming over. What’s to tell, when he’s always going to be here.” Sam spoke about his best friend without judgment, malice or frustration. Just the way it was. But she still wanted to know because knowing he was on his way was a balm to pacify this endless longing.

“I go back to work tomorrow,” Sam told her. “If you need to go anywhere I’ll have the car.”

“No. I’ll just be here.”

“Cause if you do need something, then I thought Daniel would stay over tonight and help you out tomorrow. Since he’s off.”

“Stay over?” Why was Sam always suggesting this?

“Stay upstairs. Or on the sofa.” He shrugged, patting the seat.

“Why stay over? If I need something–”

“–it’s a long drive. We moved.”

“We did.” Irritated, Lindsay patted the plump ruby-colored cushions. “We didn’t move that far.”

“Far enough with gas prices.”

“But I don’t need anything, so Daniel wouldn’t need to stay.”

“All right, if you’re sure.”

An erotic pulse ebbed through her as she recalled nine years ago when Daniel had stayed over. The girls were visiting Sam’s parents. Sam left for work before dawn and she went into the room where Daniel slept to remove Haidee’s yowling cat. Daniel sleepily regarded her from the bed then held out his arm for her to come to him. No words. Just his need.

She had passed by him, cat in her arms. “I can’t, we can’t,” she whispered.

Her wish. One lifetime where she would be able to go back to every chance when one of them had reached out to the other. And in that long lifetime they would be able to say yes.

Her yearning for innocence.

So far they had managed to deny their needs, one being strong for the other. She had known him twenty-four years. The years that passed since he reached out from the bed represented their strength. Holding hands or arms barely touching in a crowded auto were all they allowed.

One of them had to stay strong in those moments when the other needed just one touch. The silent agreement between them for always.

Lindsay sat on the cushioned bench at the harvest table and scribbled ideas in her theme book. The most important book in the world today.

She sketched signs with tall wooden legs, listed placement corners for maximum exposure. She drew a lofty pine and a rustic gate. A long-legged moose looking over the gate, kind of a goofy face. Next markers and behold. The letters are red, the gate is red, edges on the sign are holly berry red. The business name is The Vintage Gate.
This is insanity. She was powerless over her insanity. She was powerless over a business plan.

She studiously kept working when Daniel’s silvery-blue Chevy pickup eased past the cottage, turned the corner to park alongside the north fence. She had the impression through her eyelashes, the truck that matched his eyes. But she obviously couldn’t care so much that he was here and get up to greet him.

She tried hard to ignore her impression of Uncle Herron standing by the tree swing. What was with him? Curious about her new home? Or had he passed on and no one knew.

Stay in the moment. This moose looked pretty good but her sister would do a more professional sign, if she asked.

Sam was watching over her shoulder, while with her head down she was watching Daniel. “Did Daniel say he was bringing anyone along?” Sam asked.

“No.” Did Sam see Uncle Herron too? But Lindsay could only see Daniel now, the rich sheen of his auburn-brown hair in the late sun. Plaid flannel jacket loose around narrow hips in faded jeans. “Why, Sam?”

“Because there’s someone along, Clara Rose,” he said gently, placing a big hand on her shoulder. She tensed. Sam only called her that when he felt protective.

The metal gate clanked shut. Through the living room French doors, aligned with French doors that went outside, Lindsay saw Daniel pass by. Then a woman with brown hair who was an inch short of Daniel’s six foot. She was built like a feminine, leggy, short-waisted moose with no neck. Lindsay meant that in the nicest way.

The storm door opened with great creaking. Both dogs woofed deeply then were silent.
Daniel’s sure double knock hit the wooden door then he cracked it a few inches. “Hey,” he called from habit. “Brought company!”

He pushed the door with the toe of his tan hiker. Wide freckles held onto his cheeks. His winter beard shone deep brown. His eyes met Lindsay’s and he just grinned.

He met the dogs who stood in his way to enter. “Hey– look who was waiting for me when went I went home to pick up the chair.”

“Who’d you find?” Sam asked enthusiastically.

Daniel moved aside and the smiling woman stood closer to him. A plain woman, but Lindsay was not relieved, unless she was a long lost cousin. Instead, Daniel introduced Margaret.

“She knew I got home around three. She’s never been to Koontz Lake so, hey, she convinced me to bring her over.”

“Well, good,” Sam said, shaking Margaret’s hand. “Only been here three times myself, before we bought this place.”

Daniel grinned, youthful, oval face flustered as he gestured to Sam and Lindsay. “Lindsay thinks Sam needs to fish–”

“–hello you two. You told me about them last week at the livestock auction, Danny.” Margaret said, as Lindsay decided, plain, sweet, confident, always Daniel’s type.

Lindsay was sitting on the bench, red marker suspended stupidly from her fingertips, first impression, zero stars. Worse, she was giving away her private thoughts, and only Gooee stole those.

Why was Gooee thinking about her anyway? She had her mind today.

And how dismayed and angry did she look right this moment? Lindsay half stood to lean across the table and shake hands, nodding absurdly as Sam repeated, “Glad you came over.”

“I want to check out the lake since it’s almost dark,” Margaret said, beaming. “Danny can visit like I know he always does.”

“We’ll catch up with you later then,” Daniel said, opening the door and closing it after her. “Hi,” he said to them again.

“Just a new house, buddy,” Sam invited. “Stop standing like you don’t know what to do.”

Lindsay knew exactly why Daniel was grinning like a boy who just stabbed the last steak away from several adult males.

“Look at this,” Sam said, bracing against the table. “Lindsay got this idea she might open that corner antique mall as a country store and furniture shop.”

“We noticed closed signs just yesterday,” Lindsay told him. “It was open Saturday.”

“She’s already named it,” Sam said.

“You’re serious?” Daniel asked, looking earnestly at Lindsay.

“Goodness, I think I am,” she admitted.

“Come on,” Daniel said to Sam. “I’m going to move the chair in then we’ll walk down, take a look, if you feel up to a walk.”

Lindsay sat there. Margaret, huh.

The highback chair was doe-colored leather. They faced it to the stone fireplace and she plopped on English floral and sage pillows, layered on a heathered throw. There, no one would know what the new recliner represented. Not until Sam was wasting away.

There must be a way to stop this, Lindsay thought.

“Are you dressed warm enough for a walk down the way, Clara Rose?” Sam asked.

Lindsay grabbed her quilted jacket and the three headed out with the Newfs. Just as many times on evenings the guys were both off work on the same day. Except when Daniel was married to Terri for five years. Lindsay kicked a stone with her leather mule. And now, Margaret.

Daniel paced his stride slower for them, his limp from a pin in his foot barely apparent. “Best way to spend an evening.”

“What do you need a livestock auction for?” Sam asked.

“I’m not buying, it’s practical auctioneer training. Hey, I figure the more I know the better for when I go.” Daniel had been talking about auctioneer training for a few years. Something to kick into when he got kicked out of the next mill. “I’ll train in Nashville, Indiana.”

“When do you go?” Sam asked.

“Not for a long time yet,” Daniel said. They knew he wouldn’t leave for one day when it was possible Sam would need anything.

“There’s plenty of room for auctions here too,” she said as the building came in sight.

“Auctions? No kidding?” Daniel grinned. “Hey, need an auctioneer?” and they laughed, inspected the buildings and wandered home, talking about business, steelmills, the elderly spy, Gooee’s calls, and Uncle Herron’s first mystical visit.

The old woman with floppy hair was by the cottage. She stepped into the shadows before Lindsay could point. Goodness, she was nosey.

They found Margaret in Daniel’s pickup reading. She waved goodbye with the interior light on so Lindsay could see details of Daniel driving away with another woman while Brookstone sang Shenandoah from the stereo.

Margaret was oblivious.

Sam was oblivious.

Lindsay was not. What was Daniel doing? Why now?

They went into the toasty cottage and Sam heaved the door shut in a fury, the slam shying Lindsay around. The dogs ducked too, protectively curling their tails.

Sam strode through a billow of miniature light bubbles toward the kitchen. “Samhell, just what the samhell was that about?” he growled too loudly for under his breath.
“What?” she asked, frozen, staring into Uncle Herron’s eyes as he stood at the bedroom’s glass doors. The skunks on the other side were stomping him. Her Newfoundlands sat politely before him. She was not insane. “What’s all of what about, Sam?”

Sam turned and looked right at her, not the old man in the room. “What Daniel is pulling, Clara Rose.”

There it was again today, Sam’s protective name. Just why was he so angry with Daniel? She was afraid to ask.

At least she understood the aching turmoil of her offended, worried body. What she needed to understand was why Daniel was with that woman.
And goodness, what did Uncle Herron need from her?

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Tags: love story, Reincarnation, REINCARNATION BOOKS, reincarnation fiction, Soul Mates