Love's Sight

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Book excerpt

Chapter 1

Marissa Embers knocked on the door of Laura Sands’ bedroom. When she did not get an answer, she opened the door and peeked inside. She saw Laura, with earphones in her ears, listening to music and sitting in a chair by the window.

Marissa entered the room and tapped Laura on the shoulder. Laura jumped and turned toward Marissa. “Who’s there?” she asked.

“It’s just me,” said Marissa. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just wanted to let you know I was here.”

Laura’s sightless eyes stared at where Marissa’s voice was coming from. Laura smiled. Marissa had been her best friend for a long time. She might fuss at others for bothering her, but never Marissa. “What are you doing here? Don’t you have to work?” asked Laura.

“Today is my day off,” said Marissa. “I came by to see if you would go to Danny’s with me,” said Marissa.

Laura started shaking her head. She had been very reclusive since she lost her sight in a tumble down the stairs a month before. She tripped over a toy on a stair step and tumbled all the way down the stairs, hitting her head on the banister at the bottom. Unconscious, she was rushed to the hospital. After she regained consciousness, she was unable to see. Dr. Holly Smith, her specialist, said she might get her sight back. They would just have to wait and see. Laura was losing hope. She was beginning to think she was going to be permanently blind.

“Please, say you will go with me. I want to look in the mirror, but I don’t want to go by myself,” begged Marissa. “You can hold onto my arm. No one will notice a thing.”

“Why do you keep looking in the mirror? You have not seen anyone, yet,” said Laura.

“I can’t give up. I know my true love is out there,” said Marissa.

“Okay, I would not do this for anyone else. Do my clothes and hair look alright?” asked Laura.

“Your clothes are fine. Sit still, and I’ll fix your hair,” said Marissa. She took the hair brush and proceeded to style Laura’s hair.

“You know,” said Laura. “You need to go to beautician school. You are really good at fixing hair.”

“I am thinking about it,” said Marissa. “As soon as I save enough money, I will go.” Giving Laura’s hair one last pat, she handed Laura her cane and, taking her arm, led her out of her room, down the stairs, and out to her car.

Marissa drove to Danny’s Bar and Grill. It was a popular place to eat in town and had been even more popular since Marsha Dane brought a magic mirror to Sharpville. It was past dinner time, so the place was not crowded. There were only a few stragglers around. They were leaving as Laura and Marissa entered.

Marissa led Laura over to the table with the mirror and helped her be seated in the chair in front of it.

“I have to run to the restroom. You sit here and hold my place for me. I’ll be right back,” promised Marissa.

Laura did not say anything. Silently willing Marissa to hurry, she turned toward the mirror as if she could see it. She had the strangest feeling someone was watching her.

* * *

In Kansas City, Joseph Hillard was leaving the men’s room on the way back to work, when he glanced in the mirror and saw a girl looking back at him. He looked around, but no-one was there. He looked back at the mirror, and she was still sitting there, looking straight at him. He looked at her background. It was familiar, but he couldn’t place it. The girl started to fade, and he was looking at his own reflection again. He sighed. He did not have time for this. He had work to do. The type was not going to set itself. He had a newspaper to get printed. His ghost girl would just have to haunt someone else. Joseph went back to work, and even though he tried, he could not quite get the ghost girl out of his mind. She kept intruding into his thoughts.

* * *

Marissa returned and sat down in a chair next to Laura. She looked in the mirror, but she only saw herself and Laura. She sighed.

“Is anyone else here besides us?” asked Laura.

Marissa looked around. There was no one there. She knew the workers were in the kitchen cleaning up from lunch. “No, everyone is in the kitchen,  why?” she asked.

“I got the strangest feeling. It felt like someone was staring at me,” said Laura with a shiver.

“Maybe the waitress came in to clear a table,” said Marissa.

“Maybe,” responded Laura. “I did not hear any dishes being loaded. It was very quiet.”

Marissa looked around again. She looked out the window.

“Maybe someone was passing the window outside,” she suggested.

“Maybe,” agreed Laura.

“Do you want to get something to eat while we are here?” asked Marissa.

“No, I am not hungry,” said Laura. She was still nervous about eating in public.

Brian Dane came in from the back. He looked surprised to see Laura sitting at the table with the mirror. He headed over to say hello.

“Hello, Laura, Marissa,  how are you ladies doing today?” he asked.

“We are okay, Brian,” said Marissa.

“Could I get you something to eat or drink?” he asked.

Laura shook her head.

“I am glad to see you out, Laura. I know Mary and Gary have been worried about you. Your parents were very upset after your accident,” he said.

“I know, but there is nothing to do but wait. The doctor says I might get my sight back,” said Laura.

“It is always possible,” agreed Brian. “I had lost my memory for years, and the doctor told me I might get it back. I had given up hope until my wife found me. It came back in a rush. There is always hope. Don’t give up.”

“I won’t,” said Laura, with a smile. “I just have to use some of my very non-existent patience.”

Brian laughed along with her and Marissa. “Let me get you both a glass of iced tea,” suggested Brian. “There is no one else here. You can practice drinking in public. It is on the house”

“Okay,” agreed Laura.

Brian left to get two iced teas and bring them over to them. “Enjoy,  ladies. Laura, don’t be a stranger. Cindy misses seeing you.” Brian returned to the back. Laura and Marissa settled back to enjoy their iced tea.

Cindy Rhea, his and Marsha’s four-year-old daughter, and the light of their lives, was named after their friend from Rolling Fork, who helped them get back together by  lending Marsha the magic mirror. The mirror showed Brian alive, when Marsha had been told he was dead. They would forever be grateful to Cindy and the magic mirror.

When Cindy told Marsha to keep the mirror, Marsha wanted to display it in Danny’s Bar and Grill. She wanted to give other ladies a chance to find their true loves. It was a main attraction for ladies in Sharpville and the surrounding towns. Word of it spread. A lot of ladies made special trips just to gaze in the mirror. Some saw their guys in the mirror. Some did not, but they kept hoping and looking.

While they were enjoying their tea, Marsha came in. She had Cindy with her. When Marsha saw Laura and Marissa sitting at the table, she came over. “Laura, I am so glad to see you out and about. I just saw your mom at the nursery, when I picked up Cindy,” said Marsha. She picked Cindy up from the Little Tots nursery when she finished her shift at work at the police department. “Hello, Marissa, I’m glad to see you managed to get Laura to visit us.”

“Hello, Mrs. Dane,” said Marissa.

“Hello, Mrs. Dane, I’m glad to get a chance to say hello to Cindy,” said Laura.

Cindy was leaning against Laura’s leg, waiting to be noticed.

“Hi, Cindy.” said Laura. She rubbed her hand over the top of the little girl's head and leaned down to give her a hug.

“Hi,” said Cindy, shyly.

Brian came into the room, and Cindy abandoned Laura and ran to her dad.

“Daddy!” she squealed and threw herself into his arms to be picked up. Brian obliged her and swung her up in his arms.

Marsha followed her over and raised her face for a kiss. Brian was happy to kiss both of his girls, but he lingered a bit with Marsha.

“We  were on our way home, but Little Miss wanted to stop and see Daddy first,” said Marsha. “I’m always happy for an excuse to stop and see Daddy.” Marsha raised her face for another kiss. Brian smiled down at her while kissing her.

Marsha came back over to Laura and Marissa’s table. She smiled at Marissa.

“Have you had any luck with the mirror?” she asked.

Marissa shook her head. “No,” she said on a sigh.

Well, don’t give up. It is possible your true love is not near a mirror. He may be working in a job without reflective surfaces around. You can only see him if he can be reflected back at you,” she smiled at Marissa.

Marissa looked thoughtful. “Maybe I need to look in the mirror at night,” she said.

Marsha shrugged. “It could not hurt to try,” she agreed.