But before she knew it, she was moving through the rose-colored light toward the living room. In the corner of the room, the Christmas tree, surrounded by paper-wrapped packages, seemed to be floating on a layer of Stardust and light. The dozens of candles that Tess had blown out an hour ago were burning brightly, sending plumes of smoke into the air.
The holiday scents of brandy and candied orange peels and evergreen were still thick in the house, but now there was another smell as well. Something Tess couldn't identify. A haunting, heady smell like burning roses.
"Is someone here?" she asked quietly.
A breeze caressed her face. On the tree, the homemade paper ornaments rustled softly together. A bell tinkled gaily.
Tess brought a shaking hand to her throat and moved toward the tree. She'd made every ornament for that tree, and there hadn't been a bell.
"Hi, Tess."
Tess gasped and spun around. There was no one in the room. "Wh-Who is it?"
A throaty barroom laugh filled the small room. "Don't tell me you forgot your old friend, Carol."
Relief rushed through Tess. "Carol," she said with a smile. "I should have known it was you."
"Of course you should have. Sex must be corroding your brain."
Tess grinned. "But what a way to go."
397
"Which brings us to our point. It's time to choose."
"Choose what?"
"Whether you want to stick with this life or move on."
"Are you kidding? I'm staying."
"Your decision is permanent. You won't be Tess anymore. Your soul will remain the same, of course, but your memories of the twentieth century will be gone. Your new memories will start from when you first woke up in this house."
Tess laughed wryly. "Afraid I'll invent tampons and rubber baby pants before their time?"
Carol's throaty chuckle filled the darkness. "Something like that. So, what do you say?"
Tess glanced down the darkened hallway, where her babies slept and her husband waited. At the thought of them, an aching tenderness unfolded in her chest, wrapping tightly around her heart. "All the memories I need are right here, Carol. I'll spend a lifetime making them."
A warm breeze, almost like a breath, touched Tess's cheek. The rosy light faded, became a glowing haze of gold. Then the candles extinguished themselves, leaving behind a heavy scent of smoke. "You've made the right decision," Carol whispered. "Good-bye."
"Merry Christmas, Carol," Tess said softly.
"Who are you talking to?"
Lissa looked up, surprised. Jack was standing at the corner of the room, staring at her. She blinked until he was in focus.
"Was I talking?" she asked distractedly.
"You said something about Christmas carols."
She frowned, wondering why her legs felt numb and her throat was so dry. "That's odd."
He came toward her, moving in that lithe, graceful way that always mesmerized her, and pulled her into a passionate embrace. She curled her arms around him and rested
398
her face in the crook of his neck. The warm, familiar scent of him saturated her senses, reminded her once again how much she loved this man.
"Dance with me," he whispered against her ear.
Lissa smiled up at him. She placed her hand in his and closed her eyes. Outside the storm played on, the wind beating a gentle cadence on the window pane.
Together they began to move, slowly and in perfect time to each other and nature's music. There, in a room that smelled of smoke and Christmas and magic, Jack and Lissa danced.
It was a good day for miracles.
Authors Note
ONCE IN EVERY LIFE is based on an actual series of incidents that took place on San Juan Island in 1873. For the purposes of storytelling, I have changed some of the character names and played slightly with the timing and sequence of events. My account of the events is based in large part on the memoirs of Delilah "Lila" Hannah, my husband's great-aunt.
In the spring of 1873, Henry and Selina Dwyer were murdered in cold blood as they worked their farm. For many weeks, apprehensive settlers reacted nervously to the realization that a killer was among them. They suspected the worst of everyone.
During this time, while the islanders were trying to get a vigilante group together, Minerva Hannah was quietly adding up her suspicions about Joe and Kie Nuanna, who had borrowed a shotgun from the Hannahs only a few days before the murder. Joe and Kie had returned the gun? which did have human blood on the stock?but had not returned the shot pouch. Unbeknownst to Minerva, Justice of the Peace Ed Warbass had found the buckskin pouch in the Dwyers' root cellar.
Ed Warbass telegraphed this information to a special officer in Victoria, and the police arrested Joe and Kie Nuanna and a third young man, called Indian Charlie.
A hearing was promptly held; however, the magistrate 399
400
determined that the evidence was not strong enough to convict. The court allowed Special Officer MacMillian to hold Joe for another week only, pending gathering of evidence. It was at this time that Charlie MacKay (or MacCoy) had a fatherly chat with Joe Nuanna.
Joe eagerly pinned the crime on his friend Indian Charlie, who had already been released. He told about the crime in an incriminating level of detail. Later, when Charlie was arrested and could easily account for his whereabouts during the murder, Joe confessed to the heinous crime.
Joe was extradited to the Washington Territory in late October. He was tried for the Dwyers' murder. Most of the citizens of San Juan Island showed up for the trial, and evidence given by Minerva and Lila Hannah was conclusive.
Joe Nuanna was hanged on a cold day the following March. Most of the town turned out for the event, and the young man's last words were reportedly as follows: "People, I am very sorry for what I have done. Now I have to go. All hands?good-bye."
Kristin Hannah, Once in Every Life
(Series: # )
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends