Nella Waits by Marlys Millhiser

Author:Marlys Millhiser
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781504010191
Publisher: Open Road Media

20

Nella paused in the sunroom before the wall of glass panes.

How long since she had flown with the dove to the little schoolhouse sitting gray now, on black earth? Or to the farmhouse at the bottom of the hill? What had drawn her there once? She could no longer remember. Time meant only to confuse her.

The housekeeper, strands of hair flying about her face, polished the table in the dining room with swift, sweeping strokes. There was strength there. Strength for the taking.

Nella considered the housekeeper.

But no. She needed a more lasting source that would bring color and fun to her drab world, perhaps even freedom from the dove. And she needed it soon.

Nella left the sunroom to prowl through familiar rooms, slightly out of focus. Upstairs and down, everything was shades of gray and the shadows were black and were flat. The house was empty of light and color and warmth.

Her son was not home.

She wandered restlessly about the master bedroom, into the bathroom where his toothbrush lay beside his shaving mug.

When Clay had lived, the strength of her hatred had brought color and form, revenge and the planning of mischief had brought fun. Now all was boredom, boredom and agony.

Where was Jay?

Nella whirled into the hall, hovered above the staircase. She’d had to fight boredom all her life. It was not fair that she should have to fight it in death. Her anger formed a hiss on the air that only she could hear.

The housekeeper was dusting in the entry hall now. Nella moved back to the sunroom, to stare again at the schoolhouse far away. Why did it have meaning for her? She had vague memories of attending it as a child, yes. But there was more. She must go there again soon, to discover what it was.

Something moved on the road by the school, moved toward her.

It focused into the Bentley.

The Bentley … she’d had it made especially and then had it and herself shipped home to Clay—C.O.D. clear from England. He’d been gloriously horrified.

A bright blue chair emerged from a flat shadow.

He was coming home!

The figured wallpaper in the hallway had once again become the yellow of memory as she moved toward the front door to wait for Jay.

The housekeeper was still in the entry hall, but Nella barely noticed her as she passed to the front step so quickly that remnants of dead ivy rustled.

Jay. She would have named him Joy, so delighted an unwed mother was she. But she had named him Jay because it was the closest to Joy she dared name a boy. At least Clay had not changed the name.

How she had laughed at Clay when she announced that he was to become an uncle. Why could she remember some things so vividly while others were only hazy hints of things forgotten?

The Bentley was turning off the highway into the lane.

She must give Jay time, must not be impatient. But whenever she tried to reach him, he would pull away.

The Bentley passed the gatehouse.

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