“Yea, okay.” She turned on the Frank’s box and walked to the edge of Patrick’s grave. Ciara wandered up and flopped down at her feet, hassling happily. “Patrick, Darling, I love you. Did you send me an email? Are you here?”
Static from the box caused them to both jump. Then silence. They waited a few more minutes until, finally – a one word response broke through the silence like an explosion. “Stephanie!”
Stephanie?
“Dang!” Harley grabbed her arm. “I almost jumped out of my skin!” Her friend bent over at the waist and tried to breathe. “Who’s Stephanie? Should you be jealous?”
Before she could react or comment, a whole phrase sounded out, one that shook Savannah to her very core. “There is no Patrick here.”
“O, my God, Savannah!” Harley clutched her arm. “I didn’t know if this would work or not, but I’m convinced now. What does it mean?”
“I don’t know,” tears were welling in Savannah’s eyes. “Let’s get out of here. I’m not in the right frame of mind to continue this.” But before she left, Savannah didn’t ignore her protocol. “Thank you for telling me. If your name is Stephanie, it’s nice to meet you. I will come back and talk to you again, I promise.” Turning off the box, she put it back in her bag.
Harley handed her a flashliht. For just a moment they stood and looked at Patrick’s grave. “What about Patrick? Does this mean he’s alive?”
Savannah had to give Harley credit, she didn’t hold back. She forced Savannah to think. “Maybe – I’ve also considered that his spirit stayed where he died. There’s so much we don’t know about life after death and what’s possible. Actually, it’s just a guessing game. Let’s go.”
Carefully they made their way through the cemetery, letting the narrow beams of light illuminate the way. Abruptly Harley stopped walking, “Damn, look at that.” She aimed her light at the name plate on a grave just two down from Patrick’s. The name on it read Stephanie Corley and she had only been dead for a few months.
Savannah walked up and placed her hand on the side of the mausoleum. “Stephanie, I’ll be back and if there’s a message you need to give someone, I’ll help you, I promise.”
*****
“Come on, I’ll feed you.” Savannah put her bag down and headed for the kitchen. “We both need to eat.” Ciara stood next to her as she doled out a good portion of gourmet, organic dog food. A grilled cheese sandwich sounded good. She would add some ham for the baby. Protein was important. Going through the motions almost automatically, she fixed herself a plate of food and sat down to eat. What had happened tonight? And what did it mean? Forcing down the food, she realized how tired she was. Perhaps everything would make sense in the morning.
Making her way to the bedroom, she shed her clothes and went to take a shower.
“Grrumph,” Ciara rumbled as she fell over on the bath mat.
“Are you tired?” She adjusted the shower spray and shed her clothes. A tiny baby bump reminded her that soon it wouldn’t be just the two of them – it would be three. “I’ve got to get a handle on this and make plans.” For three years she had dwelt on her loss of Patrick and trying to come to terms with the grief. She had also sought to fulfill her promise to him and to make their child a reality. Now, she had to build a life for her and her child. There was a nursery to furnish and decisions to make on child care. Thinking about it all made her a bit scared. Single parenthood was going to be a daunting task.
Routines had been a comfort to her. At times she could get lost in them and forget how lonely she was. “Gracious, I need a new hair style, Ciara. What do you think?” Her hair was too long. It hung past her waist and took forever to dry. Patrick had loved it, though. He used to say that it was a good handle. God, she could still remember how he would wrap it around his fist and hold her steady as he took her from behind. What that man didn’t know about sex wasn’t worth knowing.
Putting her hair on top of her head, she proceeded to clean her face, brush her teeth and put on moisturizer. Funny, she didn’t look any different. Plain old Savannah Doucet still stared back at her. Who would have ever known that she had been loved by such a man as Patrick? Sometimes, she didn’t believe it herself. That magical time of her life seemed like a faraway dream. Stepping over the dog, she walked into the shower and shut the glass door behind her. Oh yeah, this shower had seen some erotic action. Holding her face up to the spray, she enjoyed the slight sting. It made her feel alive. What she wouldn’t give to be held again, to be touched – to be loved and possessed by her lover. Closing her eyes, she pretended. Patrick was standing behind her and he was running his hands up and down her arms. She leaned back into him as he kissed her neck. “God, Baby, I’ve missed you, so.”
Her dream lover was perfect. She laid her head back on his shoulder as he fondled and lifted her tits, rubbing the nipples, making them hard between his fingers. “Oh, that feels so good. More, please more,” she demanded. Spreading her legs in anticipation, she waited – ah, there it was – just what she needed. His hand parted her folds and began to caress. Savannah stood on tiptoe and rode his hand. “Please Patrick – I need you.” Fingers swirled around her clit while others pulled at her nipple. “Baby!” she cried as pleasure coursed through her. “Patrick!” The orgasm was good, but not what she
