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mind, she pictured the incident over and over. She felt shamed for herself
and what she had done to Larry.
She moved to the end of the bed and tried to stand. No way. She slid
down to the floor and crawled like a baby to the bathroom. Managing the
toilet was not too hard. She leaned over the bathtub to retrieve the washcloth
and drew water to wash her swollen face. She gathered up her wet clothes
and dragged them down the hall, bouncing on her butt, to the dumbwaiter
and sent them down to the basement.
Okay, kid, she told herself, you are going to have to manage by yourself.
So first are clothes. Her things were in her own closet, not here in the spare
room where she had been sleeping, but she did have some underwear and
sweats in the chest. Fortunately, the chest was small, so she could reach
them.
Caroline pulled the sleeping bag and pillow out of a closet. With them
on her lap, she butt-bounced down the hall and down the front stairs to the
living room. Once there, she managed to get behind the steps to make
herself a bed on the floor again.
She crawled to the kitchen. Using a chair and the table, she managed to
pull herself to an upright position. Voila, she thought. I can now move
freely, using the chair as a crutch. Pick it up, swing it forward, and jump to
it. Repeat and repeat and repeat. Builds the arm muscles at the same time.
Soon she had it down so well that she could make something to eat for the
critters as well as her rumbling stomach.
Caroline s House 65
Dishes in the sink, she called Georgia, hoping they weren t still at the
restaurant. Doc answered, and they chatted a few minutes before Georgia
came on. Hi, honey chile, what s happening?
Well, drawled Caroline in a Southern accent, imitating Georgia, I
have a small problem. I have twisted my ankle and am at the mercy of a
kitchen chair for a crutch. Can I impose greatly? Is there a drugstore around
that sells crutches? And if so, could I beg, beg, beg you to bring me a pair? I
am 5 foot, 7 inches, if they want to know for measurement purposes.
My God, girl, why didn t you call earlier? Yes, there is, and yes, I will.
Be there in a few minutes. Then I am going to give you royal hell for not
calling sooner. How did you twist it? Oh, never mind, tell me later. With
that, Georgia was gone, only to appear 45 minutes later, banging up the
front on crutches.
When Caroline opened the door, she continued in with the crutches.
Hey, crutchin hurts under the arms. Well, it does me, but I have all this
extra weight no...beauty, in the form of pounds that you, my slim friend,
do not carry. Did that make any sense? Now, tell me, how did you do it?
Caroline had known this question was coming and had been formulating
lies to tell her friend, because the truth was too painful, and who would
believe it anyway? For several moments, she simply could not answer.
Georgia watched her friend carefully. Okay, Pal, spill it! I will not tell
a soul anything you tell me, if that s what s bothering you. Did I ever tell
anyone that you peeked at Bobby Dowell s spelling list in the sixth grade to
get the correct test answer of Formaldehyde? Or that you were madly in
love with pimply faced Herbert Davis in the eighth grade? No accounting
for tastes, there. Anyway, girlfriend, you can trust me. She took Caroline s
hand as they stood in the middle of the living room.
Caroline still hesitated. She decided the best thing would be to leave out
the ghosts in the clearing but how to explain Malcolm? Okay, here
goes& but if you laugh, I promise to bean you with one of these crutches.
But first, how about a cup of coffee, or a beer? Georgia nodded, so they
moved to the kitchen, Caroline on her new crutches and Georgia carrying
the chair. Georgia opened a couple beers and sat them on the table. Once
seated, she simply looked at Caroline and waited.
This is going to sound crazy, even coming from me. Okay, remember
the strange feelings we talked about when we were in the attic room where
66 Beverly Sims
Malcolm Hanson held Susan? That night, I had a dream that he came to me
and we had sex. Georgia, it was so real that my breasts hurt, and I felt that
contented feeling I always get after a good session of lovemaking. It the
same thing the next night.
Yesterday, I was walking in the field behind the house. I tripped and
twisted my ankle. About that time, Larry Gardiner drove up. My trusty
companion Gilligan raced across to him, acting like Lassie to the rescue. To
make a long story short, he helped me clean up and stuff. He is so damn
attractive, I found myself ready to make love when the entire house started
rattling and banging. I yelled, sure it was Malcolm, telling him to stop. Larry
wanted an explanation. How could I tell him that my dream lover was
jealous? Now, get real. Anyway, he left, very angry. Even you don t believe
it, right?
Caroline, I think there is more than you are telling me. Honey, was it a
dream? Are you sure or was it real, at least to you? People who lived here
in later years reported seeing his ghost, and a couple women even admitted,
as they were moving out, that he had been in their beds. Is that what really
happened, Caroline?
Caroline lifted her head, looking into Georgia s eyes. Yes, what you
heard is what happened. He came to me first in the bathroom the same way
any horny man would, then the next night to my bed like a real lover. The
critters just ignored it all completely, leaving the bed as if annoyed they
were inconvenienced. Honestly, Georgia, it had to be a dream. How can a
ghost make love?
You tell me. Was he a good lover? Be truthful to yourself did you
enjoy him?
As if ashamed, Caroline answered. I enjoyed every minute of it and
wished he had not left me so soon. He was tender and thoughtful, and I
wanted more. God, I can t believe any of this!
Georgia replied, I can certainly understand Larry s reaction. I ll bet,
knowing his temper, that he had some choice words to say.
Yes, he did, and I really can t blame him. But the fact remains that I
wanted Larry, and he wanted me, until Malcolm interfered. Now I doubt I
will ever see him again.
I think that is a moot point at this time. First thing, Georgia suggested,
is that you have to get rid of your midnight caller.
Caroline s House 67
The words were hardly out of her mouth, when there came a loud
knocking from the basement. They stared at each other.
Georgia was amazed but not frightened. Hey, Malcolm, come up here
and communicate like a man instead of a spoiled brat. She opened the door
to the basement and flipped on the light. Come on. Come up here!
The knocking stopped. Caroline was astonished at Georgia s reaction.
She finally spoke. Malcolm, my friend wants you to show yourself. Why
aren t you doing it? Come up here, please.
Caroline s eyes grew large as she felt the cool presence move toward
her. The shape was barely there, but it was definitely a man. A warm hand
smoothed her hair back from her neck. Georgia sat, staring at the movement.
Is he doing that, Caroline?
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