Anywhere But Here (Conclusion)

Writer's Note: This is the final chapter and epilogue of a book I plan to write in 2010. Please feel free to rate and review, and I hope you'll return to read the rest of the story as it unfolds. I've posted this for entry in: "Ending First" 

Jana shivered on the front porch as she rang the doorbell. It was January 4th, and she was reporting for her first day at work with Keith and Kaytlin at Palmetto Accounting. Despite the informality of the start up establishment, she was still nervous. The first day on a new job is always nerve-racking – even if you’re working for a brother and sister starting a business in their great aunt’s old house. Her fears dissipated when Kaytlin opened the door. She was wearing a bright pink sweater, jeans, and had a gold and orange parrot on her shoulder.

“Come in!” she said, ushering Jana in the door as the parrot cackled. Kaytlin opened a desk drawer and handed Jana a key. “First thing’s first. Here’s a key to the house. The alarm code is 73928.”

Jana nodded stiffly, staring at the parrot. Kaytlin pointed to her shoulder. “I’m sorry, this is Zack.” She stuck out her finger and the parrot stepped on it. “Zack this is Jana, our new auditor.”

“Hey!” Zack said.

Jana jumped. “Hi Zack, how are you?”

Kaitlyn laughed. “I’m sorry, he doesn’t know proper English. My bird is a southern boy with poor grammar.” She put Zack in a gold cage on her desk and plopped in a chair. “Please, sit down.”

Jana sat. “I see it’s not very busy.”

Kaytlin shook her head. “Tax season is beginning. We’ll see business pick up in the next few weeks. Of course we’ll do other things throughout the year, but from now until mid April it’s going to be mostly taxes.”

“I’m looking forward to learning that. I’d really like to take the CPA exam when I qualify so I can help out with that in the future.”

Kaytlin smiled. “That’s our goal for you. We’d like you to become one of our primary accountants in this office. I’m also going to train you on the bookkeeping so you can fill in when I’m out of the office. I’m not out much and will avoid the busy seasons, of course, but we all have to be out from time to time, right?”

Jana nodded.

Kaytlin sighed. “Jana, try to relax. I know you just got out of a bad situation, but things are getting better. Keith is a good boss. He’s not as much fun as I am, but he’s good,” she paused as Zack squawked. “Even when he comes in the back door.” She turned her head. “Good morning, Keith!”

“Do I hear Zack?”

“Yes,” Kaytlin shook her head. “Trust me; you’ll get used to Keith. No office politics here; just do your best and you’ll be fine.”

“Right,” Jana nodded.

“How are you doing? I hear you got out of the hospital in time for the holidays.”

Jana rubbed the side of her head. The wound was still tender. She still didn’t like to talk about it, but she knew she had to face it. “I’m better. It’s a process, you know. My parents came here for Christmas and my doctor says I’m doing fine.” She looked at the floor. “I have to see a psychiatrist once a week, so I might have to rearrange my work schedule every now and then.” She laughed nervously. “Once they’re convinced that I won’t try to kill myself again, they might lighten up and let me come in once a month but until then, you know …” she trailed off and swiped away a tear with her sleeve. “I’m sorry.”

Kaytlin leaned across the desk. “Don’t be. Look, we understand.” She jerked her head toward Keith’s office. “His wife has battled it, so your struggle is well understood. Rest assured that we understand and want to do everything possible to help you get your life back together.” She leaned back. “I’m glad Galen told Keith about you. You’re just what we need to get this office off the ground.” Kaytlin studied Jana. “Did he give you those beautiful diamond earrings for Christmas?”

Jana’s face flushed. ”He did. We just started dating so this is probably pretty extravagant.”

Kaitlyn smiled. “Galen has class. He’s a lot better than that nut job that was screaming at the hospital!”

Jana shook her head. “I was hoping that was a delusion from the medication. Was Darren really screaming?”

“He was agitated. Anyway, congratulations on the boyfriend upgrade. I believe things are looking up for you.”

Keith walked in the room. He was also dressed informally in a sweatshirt and jeans. He and Kaytlin might have opposite personalities, but they looked alike. He grunted something indecipherable as he poured a cup of coffee.

“Hey!” Zack said.

“Good morning,” Kaytlin said. “Jana’s here.”

“I see that.”

Kaytlin sighed. “Her computer is scheduled for a morning delivery. Do you want to start her on the tax prep stuff, or should I show her the bookkeeping?”

“Let’s do the tax prep stuff. That’s the more immediate need and you aren’t going on vacation until the spring, are you?”

“No,” Zack said.

Jana laughed as Keith stared at Zack. “Is he here all day?”

“No,” Zack said again.

Kaytlin laughed. “He’s right. I’m not on vacation until the spring and Zack will go home at lunchtime.”

Keith looked at Jana. “By the way, you don’t need to dress formally now. Jeans are ok until tax season picks up, then we’ll go a bit more formal. Maybe pants and nice shirts, but skip the heels,” he pointed at Kaytlin. “Brainiac broke her toe at our cousins wedding a few years ago in heels, so I’d recommend staying out of them.”

“Thanks,” Kaytlin mumbled. “I’ll get your office set up once your computer arrives. In the meantime, why don’t you work in Keith’s office and I’ll set up our filing system for the new year.”

“Alright,” Jana said.

Keith studied Jana a moment. “Are you doing alright these days?”

Jana smiled. She hadn’t felt Samael’s presence since she broke the music box. Her mind was at peace for the first time in a long time, and that felt good. Kaytlin was right. Samael couldn’t curse her anymore. She had defeated him, and the future looked bright again. “Never better.”

“Very good. Let’s get to work.”

Epilogue

Macy pulled the mail from the mailbox and rushed toward the house, bracing herself against the cold. Once upon a time she looked forward to Christmas break, but this year she was relieved to go back to school. Everybody gushed about the holidays, but returning to school released the bondage of a cursed home. Things hadn’t been the same since Mom died last summer.

She let herself in the house and pulled off her coat and hat, revealing long, blonde hair and sad blue eyes. Between the bracing winter wind and her frequent crying spells, her face stayed red and her eyes were often swollen. She gripped her bookbag a moment, considering if she should do her homework now or later. Waiting until tonight would give her an excuse to go to her room after supper, so she tossed it in the corner of the den.

Macy didn’t know if she could put up with Dad tonight. She had two weeks of being immersed in his grief, and she couldn’t take any more. Macy caught the brunt of his mood swings since her sister, Meg, stormed out of the house the day after Thanksgiving and moved in with her boyfriend. If Dad wasn’t regretting that he let Mom get on that flight, he was crying over missing her, fuming over the pilot that “obviously” didn’t do his pre-flight checks (or he would have noticed that an engine wasn’t working properly), or raging over Meg getting pregnant and “shacking up with that loser.”

Macy thought middle school was supposed to be fun, but her life had been a nightmare for five months and she couldn’t find help anywhere she turned. Her friends didn’t want to talk about it. They wouldn’t understand anyway. A few of her friends had divorced parents, but that’s different. At least they saw their parents from time to time. Macy would never see her mother again. If she talked to a teacher or guidance councilor, they’d call Dad and he’d get angry. Macy was lost and didn’t know what to do.

She was fixing to toss the mail on the kitchen table when she noticed a small box with her name on it. She grabbed a knife from the kitchen drawer and cut the box open to reveal a beautiful music box of a ballerina and a note. The note read:

Dear Macy:

I’m sorry I didn’t see you for Christmas. I missed you terribly, but I can’t deal with Dad right now. I had an abortion and I knew he’d have a fit. I can’t deal with that now. I’m sorry you’re stuck in the middle of this.

I bought you a Christmas gift. I’m sorry it’s late, but I just got my first paycheck from my new job on December 31st. I saw it in the window of an antique store, and it made me think of you. I know how you enjoyed hearing Mom play this song on the piano. I hope it brings back happy memories.

I do miss you and hope we can see each other soon.

Love always,

Meg

Macy wiped a tear from her eye and wound up the music box. The ballerina twirled around to the tune of “Music Box Dancer.” Mom often played this song on the piano. As a kid, she would twirl around the living room as Mom played, pretending to dance to the tune. Macy stuck the note in her bottom desk drawer, and set the music box on her bedside table. Before she knew it, she was lying on her bed with the haunting tune lingering in the air.

Macy opened her eyes to see green fields and a castle in the distance. The light around her was very bright. Suddenly, she was aware of a person standing next to her. The person was reaching for her hand.

“Macy,” a gentle voice called.

Macy looked up at the woman beside her. “Mom? Is it really you?”

Mom nodded, her blonde curls bouncing. “Hi baby, it’s good to see you.”

Tears spilled down Macy’s cheeks. “Where have you been? They said you were dead! The plane crashed.”

Mom’s blue eyes sparkled as she knelt to look Macy in the eye. “I’m sorry. I know it’s been hard for you and Daddy and Meg, but I was given a wonderful opportunity to build a new life for us here.”

Macy looked around. “Where are we?”

Mom stood up. “We’re in a wonderful place where bad things can't happen. We’ll live in a castle and be royalty, just like those fairy tales you loved as a child. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Macy shook her head. “What was wrong with the life we had? Why did you go away?”

“Dad and I had to work, and you and Meg had to go to school. Sometimes we were so busy that we didn’t get to spend time together at all. I hated that. I want us to be together forever and to not have to worry about money, or bills, or school, or work, or any of those other things. I had to come here first to get things ready for us.” She stood and held out her hand. “Why don’t you come with me and see what I’ve done?”

Macy wiped her tears away. Was this a dream? Did it matter? Mom was here and she was happy. That’s all she had wanted for a long time. She took Mom’s hand, but jumped when she noticed Mom’s eyes glow red for a moment. She tried to pull back but Mom gripped her hand tight.

“What’s wrong?”

Macy shook her head. “It’s nothing. I just thought I saw something.”

Mom smiled as Samael locked in her form. A husband regret over letting his wife get on a plain that crashed, an eighteen year old daughter that had an abortion, and a twelve year old daughter that felt helpless and powerless? The souls of this family would feed him for centuries. He could feel it the minute Meg picked up that music box in the antique store. The music box was a gift, but Meg was clearly longing for the innocence of her own childhood when she bought it. It didn’t matter that she gave it away - her time would come. Losing Jana didn’t sting so badly now that a feast was set before him. He laughed in Mom’s form as he led Macy up the castle steps. This was the place that would lock in the fantasy and give him a foothold on the whole family. Macy was the perfect target. By the time they figured out what was happening, she would be drained and the rest of the family would be powerless to stop him.

Macy stopped at the door. “What are you laughing at?”

“Nothing dear, I’m just happy we’re together,” Samael said as he escorted her inside. “It’s going to be wonderful when the family is united here forever.”

The demon of depression never dies - it finds another victim.

Word Count: 2,210