Happily Never After Read online

  “You were lucky,” Jason said as he squeezed my hand.

  “Being here, I feel closer to them or if not them, at least closer to the memories of our family. What about your parents?”

  He stared straight ahead. “I’ve had two sets of parents. The ones I had before Dylan died were amazing. Mom was involved in everything, drove us to every practice and game, baked cookies when we had friends over. My dad was the kind of father who’d take you out back and teach you how to throw a football or how to punch. We did a lot of camping and hiking and skiing. Our family was a unit. My friends joked about how we were one of those tight TV sitcom families. It made me feel good.

  “After Dylan died, it all changed. They started disappearing. Their forgiveness never felt complete and they looked right through me, like I wasn’t there. Dylan died that day but so did our family. I knew I needed to get out of there as soon as I could so, I did. We still don’t talk much.”

  I leaned my head on his shoulder and said, “I guess I’m not the only one who has had to live with ghosts.”

  “I never thought of it that way but you’re right. Ghosts or zombies, my parents acted like the living dead. Neither one of them recovered. I miss having them in my life, but at the same time, I’m thankful I do have some wonderful memories. Maybe it will change someday. I keep telling myself that time heals but the longer it goes by, the more I consider myself an orphan.”

  “Have you told them this?”

  He sighed heavily. “No, but I should. I love them with all my heart and want them to be there for me. I’ll think about going to see them soon. If anything, I’ll know I gave it my all.”

  We walked more in silence. It amazed me how similar we were. There probably weren’t many people in Jason’s life that he could really talk to.

  Jason drew me down beside him as he sat in the sand and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

  It felt so right, sitting with him, watching the sun kiss the ocean and turn the sky a kaleidoscope of pinks, purples and oranges. I raised my camera and took a bunch of pictures as the fiery globe sank further and further into the horizon.

  Finally, it disappeared and I sent out a little wish that the peace of this day would stick with me through what was to come.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Something felt off in the house tonight.

  I should have known the high of spending my day with Jason wouldn’t last. The minute I stepped in the house I felt suffocated. Reminding myself it would all be over soon usually helped, but it didn’t. Now I was worried about the house being too still and quiet.

  As I walked up the huge staircase I couldn’t help but be nervous. Catherine seemed to come at me when I least expected it or had my guard down. The closer my birthday got, the more time I spent looking over my shoulder.

  Near Marietta’s room I heard voices.

  The door was partly closed but no light came from inside. I paused to listen. Cold air drifted out of the room so I knew Catherine was in there as well. Standing as still as I could, I strained to hear what they were saying.

  “Why can’t you leave me alone?”

  It was Marietta. Her voice sounded hoarse and pleading, beaten down. It pulled at something inside of me. I wanted to rush in and help. I imagined her huddled in the dark talking to shadows, sort of like Gollum in Lord of the Rings.

  I never imagined the shadows would talk back to her.

  “We’re not done yet.”

  Catherine. I knew her voice as if it was my own. It was dainty, feminine, and accented strongly. The echo beneath it chilled me every time she spoke. It was dark and sinister, a complete contrast to the soft Southern voice. It gave the voice depth, making it come alive.

  Marietta whimpered and said, “I’ve done everything you asked of me.”

  I leaned closer. How Marietta ended up with Catherine inside her and controlling her was one mystery I needed to solve.

  “Yes, you have.” The voice drawled out, as if contemplating the answer. “I’ve been pleased with your cooperation. I can feel myself getting stronger every day. Soon I’ll be able to complete my plan.”

  “Then, please, let me go. You promised...”

  Catherine snarled, “I’m well aware of what I promised but you’re stuck with me until I’ve taken care of that sad little stepdaughter of yours. She has something I want.”

  Marietta started crying in earnest now, loud sobs that made me want to cover my ears. I forced myself to stay still though. I needed to find out what Catherine had in store for me. What could I possibly have? Absently, my hand reached for the necklace I still wore. No, she wanted me dead long before Margaret gave it to me.

  “I never wanted to hurt Quinn. Everything you do to her, I feel it. You make me feel it.”

  One of my earliest memories of Marietta swam to the surface of my thoughts. Not long after marrying Daddy and moving into the house, she took me shopping for back-to-school clothes. I remember being excited and nervous. Marietta was such a well put-together woman and I was an awkward teenager. I wanted some of her poise to rub off on me.

  We had lunch, shopped and talked. It was like having a mama again. I was a flower starved for the sun. At the time, I saw it as a bright beginning and it was.

  At least it was for a while.

  The voice laughed. “You will do as I say until I’m through with you. Don’t worry. It won’t be much longer. I’ll have my revenge and the life I deserve and you’ll be free of me.”

  I listened as Marietta continued to sob while the air grew colder. If I’d been paying attention it would have clued me in to the fact that Catherine was coming closer.

  Suddenly, the door slammed open and I was face to face with a dark, towering mass. I braced for pain but all I felt was her presence in my head.

  Eavesdropping is not very ladylike.

  I backed up to the other side of the hall until I couldn’t go any farther. The shadow pressed close, enfolding me and I gagged on the smell.

  Don’t have anything to say now?

  Wanting to show her I was strong, I spoke instead of thinking my words. “I have plenty to say to you. Go away and leave me and my family alone.”

  Your family? That’s an interesting choice of words. They don’t want you, they never did. I’ve been inside Marietta’s head long enough to know she can’t stand the sight of you.

  “Marietta treats me bad because you force her to. I heard you just now. She wasn’t like that until you possessed her. Why can’t you move on and get over it?”

  You think I want to be stuck here? In this horrible period? I would love to be somewhere else, some place where memories of the past won't assault me. Do you think I enjoy being stuck in this house with Jackson? He’s a constant reminder of everything I lost, my dreams, my future, my soul.

  “All you have to do is let go, Catherine. Let go and all of your pain will be gone. You don’t have to hurt me the way you were hurt.”

  I will never let go of my dreams. You’re an important part of that, Quinn.

  All the fear and uncertainty welled up at that moment and I brought myself to a new low.

  “Do you want me to beg, Catherine?” Even to myself I sounded hysterical. “I will. If you want me to get on my knees and beg you to let me live, I will. Please, don’t do this. Don’t do to me what William did to you. I’ve never done anything to you! Please, leave me alone.”

  The shadow stilled momentarily and I wondered if my words penetrated into any humane part of Catherine that still existed. As the seconds dragged on and on I began to hope.

  But the hope was shattered when Catherine advanced on me with renewed force. Again, I expected pain but got none.

  When I first realized I was dead, the need for revenge filled me up until I wasn’t myself anymore. It feeds me and gives me power. Year by year that need for revenge grows. It consumes me and licks at my skin every hour of the day. I can’t let it go because without it, I won’t exist. Imagine being in excruciating pain every sec
ond. Exacting my revenge is the only thing that will make it go away. If I do this, the darkness goes away.

  Her words terrified me. They were so malicious and focused. That crazy voice in my head craved revenge, like it was a drug. Getting Catherine to give up the power her quest for revenge fueled would not be easy.

  Some part of me still thought I could reason with her.

  “You do realize, don’t you, that once you get rid of me, your vengeance will be over? When I’m gone, who will you focus those feelings on? Everything that you’ve been obsessing about for years will be over. What will you do then, Catherine?”

  She leaned forward and a tendril of shadow reached out in the shape of a hand. I tracked it as it came closer but had nowhere to run; I was trapped. The hand reached up and stroked the side of my face, tracing down the jawbone to my chin. The touch was light and extremely cold almost numbing my entire face.

  Then, to my shock the hand grew solid. I felt the fingers clamp onto my chin and turn my head from side to side as if assessing me. My entire body shook in fear.

  When you’re gone, I’ll have everything I ever wanted.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  I wasn’t even sure why I was going to Baubles today to work. Yesterday resembled a dream and the quickest way to lose that light carefree feeling was to be around my family so I knew I should avoid them.

  The thing was, any extended period of time I spent out of touch with them made me worry, especially about Marietta. I didn’t want to lose sight of the light at the end of the tunnel.

  When you’re gone, I’ll have everything I ever wanted.

  Those were Catherine’s words and they both confused and scared the crap out of me. What could she possibly mean? I had no possible idea what she really wanted from me.

  Walking in, I waved to the other hairdressers as I went to the back of the salon. As usual these days, Marietta was nowhere around. The bathrooms were probably dirty. If I didn’t clean them, they wouldn't get done. Before I could grab the mop and bucket of cleaning supplies, my gaze drew to the ‘pageant’ room. The door stood halfway open but something wasn’t right.

  I reached in to flip on the light. When it came on all I could do was stare in horror.

  “Oh no,” I said in a breathless voice.

  Every dress was shredded into hundreds of pieces. Satin and tulle were flung across the room. Ragged pieces of lace and other materials littered the floor. I’d never seen such destruction. It was like a wild animal had been let loose in here. Nothing was left untouched. Even Marietta’s industrial sewing machine was in pieces.

  I was torn. I wanted to go inside the room and try to figure out what happened. On the other hand, if I were in that room when someone else came in, I’d look guilty.

  And that’s exactly what happened.

  Marietta, Anna and Suzie picked that exact moment to walk in the back door. I turned towards them and watched the various reactions play across their faces.

  Anna looked relieved. I remembered her telling me about how she did the pageants only to please her mom and sister. I had the fleeting thought she did it until I looked at her mama.

  Marietta’s reaction didn’t surprise me. In fact it made a sick kind of sense. Smug satisfaction settled into her features before she caught me looking. In the blink of an eye, she changed her look to one of outrage.

  It was Suzie’s reaction I had no time to prepare for.

  “You witch!” She yelled and came at me with everything she had. I felt her hands grab onto my hair and her nails scratch down my cheek and neck. All of her strength went into her fists as they pummeled me. I tried to cover myself as best I could but I felt a few connect. “Why do you always ruin things?”

  Deep down, I knew this was exactly the reaction Catherine was looking for. In her eyes it was one more way to beat me down.

  I tried pushing Suzie away from me but she had a death grip on my hair. Finally, I felt someone tugging her away from me as a tearing sensation prickled my scalp.

  When I was able to straighten up and open my eyes, I saw Anna holding her back. Suzie clutched a clump of dark brown hair. I held my hand up to my head where it throbbed like crazy.

  I was ticked off. “I didn’t do this Suzie! I just got here.”

  She didn’t believe me and kept struggling against Anna. “You expect me to believe that? You disappear yesterday and here you are, caught in the act. Mom, do something!”

  Marietta was standing off to the side watching but at her daughter’s words she stepped forward and slapped me across the cheek—hard.

  It completely stunned me.

  I think it stunned the girls, too, because Suzie froze and Anna gasped. Once I had a chance to get over the shock, I gathered myself up and pointed at Marietta.

  “She’s the one who did it. She did it knowing I would be blamed.” Even as I said the words I knew how stupid they sounded. It wouldn’t mean anything without proof.

  “Don’t you dare try to pin this on my mom. You’re a sick freak!”

  Marietta’s bizarre behavior continued as she calmly said, “Just get it cleaned up.”

  Her voice was calm. Nothing like I’d imagine the real Marietta would react. A pageant mom would have freaked out. She turned and walked into the front of the salon.

  Suzie stared after her spellbound, as if she didn’t even recognize her. I wondered if she would finally see that her mom wasn’t acting normal. She turned back to me with hate in her eyes.

  “Of all the things you’ve ever done, this is the worst. I’m going to make sure you are ruined. I’ll never forget what you’ve done.”

  “What if it isn’t Quinn’s fault, Suzie?” Anna whispered almost too quietly to hear. I understood why, too. It wasn’t often she went up against her twin. “What if she’s right and mom did it? You saw how she acted just now. She didn’t even care.”

  Suzie spun, causing Anna to flinch.

  “You’re starting to sound as crazy as her,” she pointed back at me. “If I didn’t know better I’d think you were taking her side. Our pageant dresses are ruined.”

  Anna was a deer caught in headlights. Her huge eyes filled with fear and sadness. “I’m not taking anyone’s side. Mom has been acting weird.”

  “I think you’re seeing things. Maybe you’re seeing things the witch wants you to see. She wants us all destroyed. She’s jealous.”

  I knew the best thing I could do was keep my mouth shut. I didn’t want to. The way Suzie was laying into Anna bothered me. Why couldn't she see what was going right in front of her? She must be more self-absorbed than I thought.

  Suzie flipped her hair and flounced off in the direction her mama had gone. She turned back to Anna. “Coming?”

  Anna nodded and followed her out. Just before she was out of sight, Anna turned back and gave me a sad smile. Then she mouthed the words, ‘I know it wasn’t you.’

  I wasn’t sure whether to feel relief or surprise that she believed me. Considering she came to me about Marietta’s behavior, I wanted to hold her words close. The fact she knew it wasn’t me meant the world.

  Suddenly, the events of the past few minutes came crashing down, mostly from the pain on my scalp and my face. Suzie fought like a girl, but it still hurt. I rubbed my stinging cheek where Marietta had slapped it.

  I had to get out of there.

  I darted to the back door, taking one last look over my shoulder at the destroyed dresses. Most of them had been ridiculously cheesy but still beautiful. A lot of time and care went into making them. The mess reminded me of what my life felt like lately.

  Chasing the thought away, I left the salon in search of the light, careless feeling I knew I would lose if I was around my family.

  I hoped I could find it again.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  The day dragged on endlessly. Jason and Abby were both working so I wandered around town with no destination in mind. I put off going home until the last possible minute. The less time I spent with Catheri
ne, the better.

  I wanted to take some time tonight to try to speak to Margaret. Since the ball I’d felt her presence, but had not spoken with her again. Finding out about my family, and if anyone else had been harassed by Catherine through the years, was a priority. It would give us a better idea of her motivations.

  At least that’s what Travis said. And I wanted to have something to tell him tomorrow.

  I turned off all the lights in the attic except one and sat in the middle of the bed. Taking a deep breath I asked, “Margaret? Are you here?”

  Silence stretched as I listened. Nothing.

  “Please, I need your help. You’ve been there for me all this time. I have more questions.”

  The longer I waited the more I thought nothing would happen. The house was still. I faintly sensed Jackson downstairs but that was it.

  I wasn’t sure how long I sat there but eventually I grew tired. Just as I was turning to lie down, I felt her materialize in the room.

  Same as before, she appeared startlingly solid and real.

  “Hello Quinn,” she greeted as she sat beside me. “What can I help you with, dear?”

  Now that she was here, I had no clue where to start and was suddenly nervous talking to her about Catherine in the house. I heard Marietta come home earlier so I didn’t want to do anything to get her attention.

  “Can we talk about Catherine? I mean, can she hear us?”

  Margaret cocked her head to the side, listening or concentrating. For a moment an irrational fear hit me that maybe it was another one of Catherine’s mind games. Maybe she was pretending to be her mother. Then, the feeling I normally developed around Margaret settled over me and chased the thought away.

  “I think we’re safe for now. She doesn’t seem to be aware of my presence up here.”

  “So you can all sense each other, you and Catherine and Jackson? Isn’t that awkward?” Ever since the incident in the dining room, I’d been curious as to how Catherine and Jackson could exist in the same house all these years and not have any resolution.