Twenty-Four Shadows. Tanya J. Peterson

remained where she was. Isaac remained seated on the bed. He kept watching her, worrying and wondering what was going through her head. The fact that she didn’t seem to understand what he was talking about scared him. He was sick of feeling scared today. He jumped slightly when she finally spoke. “I actually don’t know anything about voices. I’ve never heard voices. Or music.”

      Isaac sat up straight. He felt his eyes widen in surprise. “You haven’t?”

      Reese returned to her spot beside him on the edge of the bed. “I think the real question,” she said quietly, “is ‘you have?’”

      “Well…yeah.”

      “Since when?”

      Isaac shrugged. “I don’t know.” He paused as he thought. “Since forever, I suppose. I don’t remember not hearing them. I’ve never really thought about them, I guess, because they’ve always been there. I don’t ever fully pick up what they’re saying; I just hear chattering or arguing or laughing or crying or other stuff in the background sometimes. But sometimes they’re quiet. Other times I hear music, but like the voices, it’s vague.” He shrugged again. “I assumed it was just part of the human mind. I thought everyone heard voices and music like that.”

      Reese shook her head slowly. “Honey, I don’t hear those things, and I don’t know what any of this has been about. Frankly, I’m more than a little concerned. But I don’t think that right now is the time to explore everything. I really have to get back out to Dominic and his party. What do you want to do?”

      “I want to join you.”

      “Good. Let’s go.” She studied him, then took his hand in hers. “People are going to wonder what we’re doing in here with the shades drawn.” When she kissed him and said, “I’d like to give them something to speculate about, but I suppose we’d better wait for tonight,” Isaac finally relaxed. Hand intertwined with Reese’s, he headed back out to his son’s birthday party.

      Chapter 2

      “How do you do it, Reese?” Reese and Gretchen sat on Reese’s sunny patio enjoying the lazy Sunday afternoon while Isaac and Max, only half-heartedly cleaning up the mess in the wake of yesterday’s party, played T-ball with Dominic.

      Reese turned her attention away from the grinning, drooling baby on her lap to look at Gretchen. “Do what?”

      Gretchen nodded toward Elise and frowned. “Do that. You look so natural with her. And you get her to smile like that so easily. That baby loves you. She loves you more than she loves me, her own mother.”

      Elise laughed. “Gretchen, that’s not true and you know it. Elise is just used to me. We’ve spent a lot of time together. Just like Dominic adores you and Max. We’re all practically one family. You’re Elise’s mom, and she loves you.” Reese studied Gretchen’s pinched features before turning to the baby. She blew on Elise’s belly and, in an exaggerated, adult-turned-baby voice, she babbled, “Who loves Mommy? Elise loves Mommy! Giggle if you love Mommy!” When Elise emitted a squeal, Reese looked triumphantly at Gretchen and stated firmly, “There. See? I told you.”

      Gretchen rolled her eyes. “Reese. Please. She’s too young to understand English. She has no idea what the hell you just said and is simply playing with you. Watch this.” Gretchen leaned over and scooped up her baby. She held her out in front of her, her elbows locked, arms, shoulders, neck, and back stiff and ramrod straight. Mother and baby studied each other. Baby reached out and grabbed a fist full of her mother’s long hair, chubby fingers wound around dark pieces and blonde highlights alike. Gretchen was the first one to make a noise, her yelp followed closely by Elise’s wail. With one well-manicured hand, Gretchen attempted to extract Elise’s fingers from her hair. When she was unsuccessful, Reese stepped in and assisted. Because Gretchen concerned herself with smoothing her hair, Reese soothed Elise. Elise’s good mood returned before Gretchen’s.

      “Ugh. See? That’s what I mean. She adores you, and I don’t blame her. She hates me. I swear she grabs my hair like that on purpose.”

      Reese couldn’t help but laugh. “Come on. You really think she has the motivation to bug you and make you mad? This is unintentional. Just wait until she’s a teenager.” Reese grinned. “And if you don’t like her grabbing your hair, wear it back. Why do you think my hair doesn’t fall much past my jawline? It’s easier.”

      The left corner of Gretchen’s upper lip lifted slightly in a show of mild disgust. “That’s you. Personally, I am not changing who I am because of a child. I like my hair the way it is, thank you. And as for her being a teenager, that’s a moot point. I’m not going to be here to deal with it and by then she’s not even going to remember who I am. She’ll be someone else’s problem.”

      Reese felt her blood go cold. “Gretchen,” she rasped. She cleared her throat. “Gretchen,” she repeated more strongly, “what do you mean?”

      Gretchen sighed audibly and crossed her arms across her chest. She held Reese’s gaze as she talked. “Look. Reese. You know I’ve been unhappy for a long time. We’ve talked about it. Just a few days ago you observed that I was anxious and agitated and you were concerned about me.”

      “Yes. I was. You were. But you seemed so much better yesterday. I thought…What are you saying?”

      Gretchen didn’t waver. She sat straight and still with her hands folded peacefully on her lap. She continued to look her friend in the eye. “Reese. I can’t do this anymore.”

      “Do what?” Reese could hear the tension in her own voice. She wanted to stay calm and have a rational conversation with her dear friend, but she didn’t like the way this conversation was going.

      “All of this.” Gretchen took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, and gestured. With a sweep of her arm, she indicated Elise, the swing set and sandbox in the backyard, Max and Isaac, and Dominic. “I’ve tried, Reese, I really have. Especially after Elise was born. I wanted to give her a happy family like you and Isaac do for Dominic. But my staying around and being miserable isn’t going to give her a happy home. Quite the opposite, actually. You saw how she and I reacted to each other just now. And it’s only going to get worse. I just don’t feel loving or closeness to her or to Max or to this life. The only thing I can do to make them happy is leave so I can be happy, too. I’m not trying to be selfish.”

      Reese couldn’t believe what her friend was saying. She just shook her head. She wanted to say something, so she began, “Gretchen, no—”

      “Reese, yes,” Gretchen interrupted. “I’ve made up my mind, so please don’t try to change it. I actually have a job lined up. That’s why I was so agitated the other day. When I said weeks ago that I was on a business trip, I was really interviewing. The offer came in a few days ago, and it forced me to make a decision: stay or go. I chose to accept, and it was the right choice. I felt peaceful and calm after I accepted. The job is my dream job in my dream place.” Reese felt her eyes widen. “At Howard K. Banks, one of the top architecture firms on the East Coast. I’ll be in their Boston office.”

      “Boston? Have you lost your mind?”

      “No. I have finally found my mind and listened to my heart.” She smiled now, and her eyes, sparkling and gazing over Reese’s shoulder, were eyes that could clearly see a yearned-for dream manifesting itself. “Reese, you know I’ve always wanted to live on the East Coast. Everyone always talked me out of it. Then I met Max. I thought I could be happy staying here in Oregon with him, but I was so wrong. You also know that I didn’t want Elise. But accidents happen and here she is. She deserves a good life, but I’m not the one to give it to her.”

      “Gretchen!” Reese’s voice reflected her sorrow and anger. “You are abandoning your family! Have you talked to Max? Have you asked him to go with you? He’s crazy about you, and I’m pretty damn sure he would move to the moon with you if that’s what you wanted to do.”

      Gretchen turned her head away, but only briefly. “No. I haven’t told Max. He doesn’t