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  A New Start

  Morris Fenris

  A New Start Copyright © 2013 Morris Fenris Changing Culture Publications All rights reserved.

  ISBN: 1493656929

  ISBN-13: 978-1493656929

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from the author.

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Table of Contents

  Story 1: Christmas in King’s Gap

  Story 2: Home for Christmas

  Bonus Stories

  Thank You

  Christmas in King’s Gap

  Jessica slowly walked through each room of the Victorian house located at the end of Main Street in the small New Hampshire town of King’s Gap. It was the first time she had stepped foot in the house since she had moved away nearly ten years ago, and over a year since her mother had passed away. Upon arriving in town the day before, she was not particularly surprised that the more things seemed to have changed, the more they had actually stayed the same.

  Thanksgiving had come and gone, but Main Street was still decorated with a few bundles of dried corn, pumpkins, and the traditional brown, gold, and orange bunting hanging from posts along the street. The bunting, dried corn, and pumpkins would soon be replaced with Christmas decorations in storefront windows displaying scenes of childish glee. By the look of the clouds hovering overhead, a blanket of snow would likely soon cover everything in a fresh, white, frosting-like glaze.

  She wasn't sure how she felt returning to her hometown, but the moment she turned down Main Street, it was as if she had never left at all -- a thought that made her frown with displeasure. She had chomped at the bit to escape this rustic, isolated, and as far as she was concerned, backward and old-fashioned town for the excitement of New York City. Still, she had to admit that it was quiet and more peaceful here, but her reappearance after so long elicited a myriad of emotions that she wasn't quite ready to confront.

  She had returned to King’s Gap for many reasons, the most important of which was to escape. She could have gone anywhere but had felt compelled to return, drawn to the town by invisible forces. Her marriage had fallen apart; she had just lost her job and had very little money in her savings account. It was too expensive to continue living in New York, hence the decision to return.

  The small house her mother owned was the first thing that came to mind. It was ideal for the holiday season, and maybe she would stay until the spring. She could use the time to figure out what she wanted to do and what her next move would be.

  The memories that confronted her the moment she stepped through the front door were very strong. The smell of the house, a bit musty, reminded her of the many years she had spent growing up here. She remembered the smell of her mother's cookies baking in the oven, the sound of the creaking stairs, and the call of the loons on the pond a short distance behind the house. Everything was as she remembered except for the thick layer of dust that coated the furniture. A friend of her mother’s had come by every few months to make sure that everything was okay at the house. The pipes were wrapped for the winter, and the windows were in good condition, having been opened occasionally during the summer to ventilate the place.

  The house and property had been left to Jessica by her mother who had passed away. She had done nothing with the property since except to pay the taxes, since she had no reason to return and had not expected to do so until now. With a marriage that had ended in disaster, she felt quite lost and needed somewhere to find herself again.

  As she meandered through each room, she avoided one in particular that she knew would evoke painful emotions and regret. She was wracked with guilt for having left her mother alone all those years ago. Jessica and her mother had always enjoyed a close relationship, but small-town life wasn't what Jessica wanted, or so she had thought. After she left town, dumping her boyfriend and turning her back on everything, she hadn't looked back until now.

  Not wanting to deal with the emotions, the challenges, and the guilt of leaving, she had refused to return for holidays. Her mother, however, had visited her twice in New York, adding to the guilt Jessica now felt. Her mother had not traveled in the past few years, due to failing health, frailty, and a desire to stay in her own home, and Jessica hadn't seen her for three years leading up to her death.

  Jessica sat down on the sheet-covered loveseat in the parlor and stared idly out the window, watching golden leaves flutter to the ground. It was funny how things that didn't bother you when you were younger could return with a devastating impact when you got older. She didn't know if she could ever forgive herself for leaving her mother the way she had, thinking her mother could manage on her own. She had thought that maybe her mother's friends and neighbors would keep an eye out for her.

  Jessica hadn’t known that her mother had been dealing with breast cancer or that she had undergone a double mastectomy two years ago. Had she known, she would've been at her mother’s side in an instant. When she had spoken to her mother on the phone, her mother had sounded upbeat and cheerful. Unfortunately, the surgery had come too late and the cancer had spread. It was only after she received a letter from her mother's best friend, Eloise, who lived on the other side of town, that Jessica discovered that her mother’s diagnosis was terminal.

  Jessica, in the throes of a nasty divorce at the time, was dealing with court dates and lawyers, and because of the obligations of her job as the acquisitions manager at a large department store, did not make it on time. She’d scheduled a visit with her mother for two weeks after she had received the letter from Eloise and thought she had plenty of time, but she had been wrong. Her mother passed away the week after she received the letter.

  Tears slid down Jessica's cheeks, blurring her vision. She felt such a heavy burden of grief, regret, and shame. She chided herself for being so self-centered and selfish.

  A noise upstairs startled her, and she looked up at the ceiling, knowing that the room above the parlor had belonged to her mother. She frowned, wondering if an animal had come through an open window or was trapped inside. Jessica stood and made her way upstairs, looking inside her old bedroom first. It had remained the way she had left it, so she continued to the second door on the right of the hallway that opened into a guest bedroom. The furniture was covered with sheets. The door immediately to her left, on the other side of the hallway, had belonged to her mother.

  She slowly approached the door and placed her hand on the knob but was shocked at how icy cold it was and quickly withdrew. She’d just come from the guest room and did not remember the knob being so cold, so she checked it again; it was warm. She also checked her own room, and that knob was warm as well. She returned to her mother’s room, touched the knob again, and felt its coldness beneath her fingers. It was a bit unsettling, but she thought that maybe the room’s close proximity to the window at the end of the hall had something to do with it. With a deep sigh, she turned the knob and gently pushed the door open.

  It was as she remembered it. Everything was in its place -- the dresser, the bed, the nightstand, and the mirror in the corner of the room. No sheets covered the furniture. She felt a new burst of heartache as she walked around the room. She shivered as she felt an extreme chill race through her body. Her gaze went immediately to the bedroom window, which was locked securely.

  Why is this room so cold? She wondered.

  On impulse
, she checked the air register above the doorway and found the vent closed. Next, she checked the window for drafts, but all was still and quiet.

  There were several photographs on her mother’s dresser, one which showed her parents on their wedding day. Beside that stood a photo of Jessica as a young girl hugging a goat. She smiled at the memory. The goat had belonged to her neighbor, but it had frequently wandered into their yard. Jessica had more or less adopted it, returning it to its owner several times a day. Next was her graduation photo and another of her and Darren taken only a few years ago, before all the troubles between them had begun. She and her husband were smiling into the camera, the epitome of a young, happily married couple. She frowned. If she had only known then what she knew now…

  Jessica turned to leave the room, but the sight of her mother's clothes still hanging in the closet startled her. Feeling drawn to them, she stepped into the closet to gather a handful of the clothes in her arms, burying her face in them. The scent of her mother brought tears, and she sobbed into the pile in her hands.

  What kind of an awful daughter am I? She cried.

  For what seemed like a very long time, she stood there, grief-stricken. She was about to leave when her gaze passed over the dresser; she stopped short.

  The photograph of her and Darren was now lying face down on the dresser. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, so she glanced around the room again. She knew nobody was there but had to make sure by also looking under the bed.

  What is going on? Am I losing my mind? She wondered.

  Her nerves were more frazzled than she had realized. She’d had a very rough time of being stalked by her ex-husband who just couldn't stand the thought of letting go. Jessica shivered trying not to think of him. She didn't know what had happened to him, and she didn't really care. All she knew was that she had needed to get away from New York, as far away as possible where it would be difficult for him to find her. While he knew that she had grown up in this area, she didn't think she'd ever mentioned the specific town. She’d figured it would be safe enough here while trying to figure out what she wanted to do.

  Another shiver shook her, and she rubbed her arms, feeling distinctly uncomfortable. She left the room, closing the door softly behind her. Quickly she made her way down the hallway, down the stairs, and into the kitchen, where she opened and closed cupboards while looking for a box of tea. That's what she needed -- a hot cup of tea and perhaps even a sandwich or something to bolster her spirits and give her strength.

  The next day she went shopping and decided to do a few minor repairs, which were needed. Several boards in the flooring had come loose, the drywall in the bathroom needed spackling, and several locks needed replacing. The town had only one hardware store, and that’s where she would hire someone to help her, so she headed there before going to the supermarket.

  The supermarket was pretty small, just the way it had been when she was growing up, but she was confident that she would be able find whatever she needed there without having to go to the next town.

  She parked her car along the curb down the street from the hardware store and got out, enjoying the brisk autumn breeze. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed the country air, and it surprised her. The smell of pine and the earthy scent of drying leaves welcomed her nostrils -- unlike the car exhaust, subway vapor, and trash smells from cluttered alleyways in the city. She glanced in a couple of store windows as she headed toward the hardware store, thinking that she could spend the following day just browsing Main Street and reacquainting herself with the town.

  She entered the hardware store, smiling to herself as she heard the jingle of the bell above the doorway. Nope, nothing had changed at all.

  "Be with you in just a minute!" came a male voice from the back of the store.

  "No hurry," she replied. She had just begun browsing the shelves when she sensed a presence behind her and turned with a smile. Her heart pounded as her eyes widened in surprise. "Jake?"

  The man stared at her a moment then lifted one eyebrow. "Is that you, Jessica?" he asked.

  "What are you doing here?" they both asked at the same time.

  Jessica's heart fluttered nervously. Standing before her was a more mature and decidedly more handsome version of the old boyfriend that she had dumped so many years ago. Of all the people in King's Gap that she had to run into, why did it have to be him?

  "I own the store now," Jake shrugged.

  "You do?" she asked. "What happened to old man Druthers?”

  "He died nearly eight years ago," Jake replied. "As you may recall, or maybe not, I worked for him for years. About the time you left town, he promoted me to assistant manager, and then I took over the place for him when he wanted to retire. A year before he died, he offered to sell the place to me, and I accepted."

  The flame of embarrassment heated her face and neck. Yes, she had dumped Jake with hardly a “fare thee well.” She had been so desperate to get out of town that she had not stopped once to consider his feelings. "Jake, I…," she began.

  "What can I help you with?" he asked.

  "I-I'm staying at my old… at Mom's old house," she explained. "I'm not sure how long I’ll stay, maybe a few weeks, maybe the entire winter, but there are some things that need fixing. I came in for some supplies and to find out if there was anyone I could hire to make the repairs for me."

  "Sure," Jake said. "I can do the repairs or have one of my employees help you out."

  He said nothing more, and Jessica nodded, feeling the awkward silence. She didn't know if she should say anything or not about her present circumstances. She had made a mess out of things and felt bad for what she had done to Jake so many years ago, though he seemed okay now. "Okay then; I guess I'll be going."

  Jake nodded and then frowned. "You okay out there all by yourself?" he asked with concern in his voice.

  She glanced up at him in surprise. "Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

  He stared at her a moment and then shrugged. "It's nothing," he said. “Just that a couple of people out that way have noticed a stranger in the area, and one of the summer homes was broken into a few days ago. You keep your eyes open out there."

  Jessica was startled. Breakins? That was the first. She’d never heard of such things happening in this town before, and it came as quite a surprise to her. Of course things change, and having been away so long, she had to agree that maybe things weren’t as she expected them to be.

  "I will, thank you," she said, leaving the store before saying something she might regret.

  She made her way back to her car, wondering if she should have apologized to him. Though it was ancient history, she felt bad about the way she’d treated him. He seemed to have gotten over it, and based on his reaction to her, didn't harbor hard feelings. After all, he could've ignored her, turned his back on her, or insisted that another employee deal with her.

  Jessica drove back to the house, paying close attention to neighboring houses as she made the way down the winding, tree-lined road that led to her property. In the past, it had seemed as if her house was separated from the neighbors by miles, but now, she had to laugh. Houses out here were only separated by an acre or two. Why had it seemed like such a big deal as a child? She had no idea who lived in these houses now or what kind of people they were. For all she knew, they could be harboring meth labs in the sheds used to store seeds and grain in the past.

  She shook her head, ridding herself of her wild thoughts. As she drove up towards the house, she realized there were too many bushes and shrubs next to the windows on the first floor. Perfect hiding places for people who were up to no good, including her ex. She made a decision to have them trimmed as soon as possible.

  With a sigh, Jessica parked her car along the side of the old storage shed. As she climbed out, she paused for several moments, listening to the silence around her. The tops of birch trees and pines swayed gently in a breeze that carried with it the scent of late fall. She saw a squirrel scampering ne
arby, and a smile played on her lips. A movement behind the house caught her attention, and she saw it was a deer. This was exactly what she had needed, a place to rejuvenate her sense of self and a place to recover from the traumatic divorce she had just endured.

  As she placed the key in the keyhole, she noticed that the door was not locked. This alarmed her, and she tried to remember exactly how she had left it earlier. Her heart began to race at the prospects of a breakin, but she shrugged it off and pushed her head inside. "Is anybody in there?" she called out, but no answer came.

  She remembered securing the door tightly behind her before heading into town. Just to make sure the lock wasn’t broken, she tested it again; it worked. So, why was it open now? For the first time, she wished she had a weapon of some sort. She was out here all alone, and Jake had cautioned her to be careful. Did he know something that she didn't?

  Fighting the fear that threatened to grip her, she stepped inside the living room. She didn't want to have to worry about anything and was looking forward to a peaceful holiday. The last thing she wanted was to be scared of every little thing that appeared or of every noise she heard. She didn’t want to spend her time staring into bushes or imagining her ex-husband's shadow skulking around.

  She decided that when Jake or one of his employees came to help her, she'd insist on new locks as well. She’d make sure everything was tight and secure, and maybe she'd even see about buying a gun at the local pawnshop. She abhorred the thought, but it might be the logical thing to do.

  Jessica made up her bed in the room she had occupied before leaving. She wasn’t quite ready to take over the larger bedroom that had belonged to her mother just yet. She snuggled under the covers and was just about to drop off to sleep when she smelled tobacco. Her brain processed the odor, and she jerked fully awake, startled. She sniffed and smelled the odor again, which brought her to her full senses. The tobacco smelled like the horrid cigars Darren used to smoke. Alarmed, her heart started racing, so she bolted out of bed and pulled on her jeans. Could her ex have found her? But how?