Part 20 (2/2)

”Yes, Mom,” I said.

She put her head on Mac's shoulder. Watching them, and seeing how much they loved each other, made me realize how I missed having someone in my life. However, it had been four years since... G.o.d, I still couldn't say her name. I vowed- never again, I'm too old. When this mess is finished, I'm going to my log cabin in the north woods and hide myself for a while.

Maggie came back with a photo alb.u.m, and sat next to Hannah, who apparently recognized it and sighed happily.

”I put that together ten years ago. I can't remember when I looked at it last,” she said with tears in her eyes.

Poor Mac was fading fast. Teri kissed his head. ”Honey, why don't you go to bed? We're gonna look at pictures for a while.”

He agreed, said his goodnights, and was gone.

That left the four of us. Before Maggie opened the book, Teri explained to Hannah what she thought. Hannah sat there, wide-eyed, listening.

”You think the woman in the woods is Miranda?” Hannah asked.

I laughed inwardly at her incredulous tone. My sentiments exactly.

Teri thought for a moment before she spoke. ”I don't think that is too far fetched at all. However, since I arrived, and heard about what has happened, I admit I've had a feeling of some presence around me. When our mother died, Kate and I felt the same thing. It is a strange feeling. You don't know if it's happening, or your mind and heart are wis.h.i.+ng so hard, and missing them so terribly that you think they're there. I will tell you, whether it happens or not, it is a comforting feeling. I truly believe the deceased are allowed to hang around for whatever reason,” Teri finished.

Maggie and Hannah looked at me. I shrugged. ”I believe anything is possible. The whole idea spooks me, though.”

”Now, Kate and Maggie, what exactly did this woman look like, please tell me again,” Teri said.

”Well, I didn't see much of her, but she was in a white summer dress and she had long dark hair. I never saw her face-she was hidden by the trees and vanished when we started after her,” Maggie said and looked at me.

”I saw pretty much the same, though I remember her hair. The dress was white and sleeveless, like a summer dress, and her hair was long and ...”

I looked at Maggie for a moment.

”Like yours: beautiful, long and wavy,” I said and continued to look at Maggie, who smiled and gave me a raised eyebrow. I blinked a couple times. ”B-But darker,” I said.

Hannah's face was ashen. She took the alb.u.m from Maggie.

”What's wrong?” I asked, panicking just a little.

Hannah leafed through a couple of pages, and stopped at one page. She looked at Maggie and put the alb.u.m in front of me.

There was a picture of the woman. She was wearing a white summer dress. Her auburn hair looked like it was blowing in the wind. Her arms were folded in front of her as she stared off at nothing. With the woods behind her, she stood by a huge oak tree. She appeared to be in her mid thirties and a looked great deal like Maggie. I stared at the picture and looked up at Maggie. Both she and Hannah had tears in their eyes. I showed the picture to Teri, who didn't seem at all surprised.

”This is the woman in the woods. Is this your mother?” I asked.

Maggie nodded, but Hannah spoke. ”It was taken a few days before her death. We all walked around to the other side of the lake that day and had an end-of-the-summer picnic, Miranda's idea. We took that picture when we were down at the lake. I've always loved it. She looks so far away, but happy.” Hannah smiled as she looked at the picture.

Suddenly, a light fragrance wafted my way. I sniffed and turned to Teri.

”Do you smell it?”

Teri nodded. ”It's the same scent as in the library.”

Hannah s.h.i.+vered. ”What happened in the library? What is that?” She hesitantly sniffed the air.

I briefly explained what had happened. ”It is the same.” I looked at Maggie who agreed.

The fragrance was getting a little stronger. We all sat there, stupidly smelling the air.

”I think it's lilacs or something,” Teri said.

I nodded. ”Like honeysuckle, sort of sweet.”

Maggie shook her head, ”No, it's not that sweet. G.o.d, what is it and where in the world is it coming from?” She looked around the kitchen.

Hannah looked at me. ”Kate, please tell me that this is not the scent on the intruder.” She looked ashen. Maggie put her hand on Hannah's arm.

”Aunt Hannah, what is it?”

I closed my eyes and sniffed again, trying to remember. I shook my head confidently. ”No. No, this is not the smell. That perfume was heavy, the kind that makes you sneeze. I believe Sarah was wearing it tonight, but I don't think she was the only one.” I remembered the small group of women at the party. I sniffed and smiled. ”This is almost a clean...”

Teri interrupted me. ”A spring-time smell. I'm telling you it is lilacs,” she insisted.

Hannah looked at Maggie. ”Hyacinth,” was all she said.

Maggie now lost all color in her face.

I looked at Teri who was studying both faces. She appeared to understand. I'm glad someone did.

”Okay, what is it?” I asked impatiently, the fragrance filling the room now. I was getting the creeps. Where was this coming from?

”When Maggie was a little girl, about six or so, Miranda and she planted purple and white hyacinths around the house. They spent the weekend laughing and planting.”

”I barely remember, but I was happy and I remember my mother laughing as we planted. When we were finished, she said, aThey'll come up every spring and we'll watch them together.' I remember now.” She stared at the picture. ”We watched them come up, every spring. We would sit at this table with the window opened and the smell of hyacinth filling the kitchen. I remember sitting here, as a little girl, watching Mom make breakfast, humming and laughing.”

Hannah smiled and took Maggie's hand, saying nothing.

”Well, we're not imagining this. We all smell the hyacinth.” Teri smiled affectionately at Maggie and Hannah. Teri was so calm. I was so... not.

Maggie took out my overworked hanky, dried her eyes, and looked at the picture again. ”I have felt several times in my life that my mother was near. I feel that now. I know it sounds stupid, but I do.”

”Maggie, it's not stupid. I have several friends who have experienced the same thing that we are right now. I don't know why it happens, but I believe Miranda is here,” Teri said softly.

”This is almost too much for me.” Hannah sighed.

”Me too, Hannah,” I said as I s.h.i.+vered.

”I do remember when dad took this picture, though,” Maggie said.

<script>