“For God's sake, please don’t encourage her, Henry. It will only lead to tears!”
Henry Whyte turned in exasperation to his wife and lowered his voice. “Look Margaret, you can’t go on ignoring that this is happening. I believe there is a perfectly logical and natural explanation for it, even if your flaming religion wants to convince you it’s got something to do with devil worship!” Henry knew his wife's world was crumbling around her and she was losing control; being in control was the only way she knew how to live.
“I don’t want either of you talking about it outside of our house, nor to anyone else do you hear me? I’ll wait for you both in the car,” she turned in a huff and walked away.
Henry Whyte sighed. He loved his wife above all others. Anything she wanted, if it was within his power to give, was hers. He understood about the scandal in her childhood, how hard her earlier life had been and that the scars had never healed. He was careful never to say anything cruel that might rub salt in her wounds nor would he ever permit anyone else to do so. He was not prepared to fail his daughter though.
“Don’t worry about Mummy, Elizabeth,” he said crouching down to her level and smiling. You’re not scared are you?”
Elizabeth shook her head. "I'm not scared, Daddy."
“Good! So... tell me what you see.”
“People, Daddy. People like us but wearing clothes from the olden days,” she whispered with wide excited eyes.
“What are the people doing, Elizabeth?”
“Talking and dancing sometimes too,” she paused, and Henry could see that she was seeking further reassurance.
“Yes?”
“I... don’t think they can see me or you, Daddy.”
“Why do you think that, Elizabeth?” Henry asked casually, standing up and taking her hand in his own. They walked on slowly.
“They don’t talk to me when I talk to them and…”
“Go on, Elizabeth.” He smiled encouragingly.
“... they walk through us.”
Henry calmly considered what his daughter had just said. He did not believe in ghosts or the supernatural; the world he lived in was black and white. He did think it quite feasible, however, that buildings could retain residual images of people who had lived in them. He chose his words carefully, “Do you know when you go to Grandma's and you play with that old record player of hers?”
Elizabeth nodded.
“Although the people on those records died a long time ago you can still hear their voices because they were saved onto the records. Sometimes, even some buildings and places can save voices and pictures but only special people can see and hear what they have saved. The special people are like the record player and they can play back what happened a long time ago. You’re one of those special people, Elizabeth. Do you understand what Daddy is telling you?”
Elizabeth was even more excited than before. She let go of her father’s hand and skipped down the long, wooden panelled gallery of the stately home they were visiting, her skirt bouncing with each hop.
“I’m special!” she sang, and then raced back towards her father whose own laughter joined hers in an echo.
“Yes, you are special, sweetheart, and don’t ever forget it! Not everyone is special, though, and some people can get a little bit jealous of those who are. How about we keep this just to ourselves for now?”
“Like a secret, Daddy?”
“Yes, Elizabeth, it will be our secret for as long as you want it to be. Now, let’s go and find Mummy and have an ice cream.”
Elizabeth patted the Springer Spaniel that had just run up and placed a ball at her feet. Henry watched on as his daughter patted thin air.
“This doggy can see us daddy,” she said innocently.
"This isn't going to be easy," Henry thought as they made their way down the stately home's grand staircase and to the waiting car beyond.
Trée posted at 5:26 PM Henry sounds like a very special father. Wonderful exchange between father and daughter Miladysa. Very heartfelt, endearing, touching, tear inducing. Elizabeth was a very lucky girl. :-)
Autumn Storm posted at 5:36 PM Heart-warming chapter, Miladysa, as our friend above said, Henry sounds like a wonderful man, husband and father, so loving and careful, and I must admit a thrill went through me at the possibilities within this chapter. A wonderful read.
Melissa posted at 7:16 PM Milady, I cannot wait to hold this book in my hands so I can read it again and again. I got goosebumps when Elizabeth said "they walk through us ..." And I love that she isn't scared ... and the dog at the end made me laugh. Especially when her dad thought how this wasn't going to be so easy. LOL! Wonderful scene!! I told everyone to "give Mommy a minute" when I saw you posted more. :)
Miladysa posted at 8:15 PM Trée - As your writing shows, you are a very sensitive man :]
Autumn - "A wonderful read" *squeal* Thanks :]
Melissa - I love it when you get the goosebumps! lol I think I would have to send this somewhere before it would ever become a book - I don't think a publisher is going to drop in and discover me although I admit to dreaming of it happening ;]
Trée posted at 8:44 PM Miladysa, sometimes I wish I were a little less sensitive, that I didn't feel the texture of each and every nuance of a relationship, good and bad. I wish I could be more happily dumb so to speak. We all have our crosses to bear and mine is much lighter than most and for that I remain eternally grateful.
I sense too, from your writing, you appreciate the sensibilities of body and soul. How else could you write about them without being a charlatan. :-D
More please. ;-)
Anonymous posted at 8:54 PM I laughed at the end also! A perfect Dad, reminds me of my own ;)
SzélsőFa posted at 9:28 PM Starting with part 27 of January 3, I've read all the chapters. I'm drawn into this complex story. I like it very much. It feels almost unbelieavable to hold that large a number of threads in head...I wonder where all those lines lead to... I will surely be here to read whatever chapters come next, whenever they come :)
Miladysa posted at 10:09 PM Tree - If you were any different you would not be the person and great writer that you are today :)
Anon - That is such a lovely thing to read! I was a Daddy's girl too :)
SzélsőFa - Thank you for taking the time to read all the posts and leave the comment at the end. I am so happy that the story has you thinking and I hope to see your return here ;)
Deb posted at 11:09 PM Dealing with ghosts is not something a parent usually has to explain to a child. Eerie, isn't it? Great dialog Milady, I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Charles Gramlich posted at 11:16 PM Very nice. I like the touch with the Spaniel. You know I haven't seen too many other folks who liked "Dog Soldiers" but I thought that was one of the best werewolf films I've seen in a long time.
Anonymous posted at 11:17 PM You have won a 'You Make My Day' Award Miladysa :)
Melissa posted at 11:22 PM hee hee ... I'm hopeful that you'll send this somewhere and have it published! :)
Miladysa posted at 12:08 AM Deb - I shouldn't imagine it's a conversation one would have every day! hehe Thank you for the compliment with regard to the dialogue - it means a lot to me :)
Charles - Thank you! I love Dog Soldiers - fantastic characters :)
Anon - *chirps like a myna bird* (well a pathetic myna bird I'm no good at bird impressions lol)
Really? Awesome! hehe
Melissa - Sir H has just finished reading it tonight and thinks I should too... I wouldn't know where to start though...
Julie posted at 10:21 AM Intruiging...especially 'they walk through us'!
This story has just received its first review over at the WFG. It was strongly suggested that it is in need of a good edit re grammar/spelling and waffling. LOL
If you do continue to read the story I would very much appreciate your continued feedback.
I enjoy reading A Change in the Weather and am looking forward to later this evening when I can continue where I left off yesterday :-D
Buildings and places can record voices and pictures but only special people can see and hear what they have saved. The special people are like the record player and play back what happened a long time ago.
I like this idea very, very much.
Elizabeth patted the Springer Spaniel that had just run up and placed a ball at her feet. Henry watched as his daughter patted thin air.
“This doggy can see us daddy,” she said innocently.
This 'chapter' was written once I had found my stride with the story.
In comparison the next couple of chapters may be a little slow but please bear with them. I intend to come back and rewrite them some day but for the moment I have been concentrating on continuing the story.
I do not know what happened to my earlier comment but it appears to have drifted off into the blog ether!!!
Hope you enjoy the story - as I have said in other comments - this is a first attempt and the first few chapter need a rewrite - I am going to get to it as soon as I can :D
Checked out your story after you left me a post. I'm glad I stopped by. I was going to say that the chapter orders were a bit confusing but I found the chapter links helpful. Congrats on your good review. Booya! Sorry, it had to be said.
WOW. I'm brand new to this world; this was hauntingly well-drawn (meaning I understood who was who within the first paragraph). I also have to commend Henry because so far, this doesn't seem to be affecting him too deeply, but I haven't gotten deep into this yet. Is he 'special' too? Wait, don't tell me. I'll just go to the next one.
Trée posted at 5:26 PM
Henry sounds like a very special father. Wonderful exchange between father and daughter Miladysa. Very heartfelt, endearing, touching, tear inducing. Elizabeth was a very lucky girl. :-)
Autumn Storm posted at 5:36 PM
Heart-warming chapter, Miladysa, as our friend above said, Henry sounds like a wonderful man, husband and father, so loving and careful, and I must admit a thrill went through me at the possibilities within this chapter. A wonderful read.
Melissa posted at 7:16 PM
Milady, I cannot wait to hold this book in my hands so I can read it again and again. I got goosebumps when Elizabeth said "they walk through us ..." And I love that she isn't scared ... and the dog at the end made me laugh. Especially when her dad thought how this wasn't going to be so easy. LOL! Wonderful scene!! I told everyone to "give Mommy a minute" when I saw you posted more. :)
Miladysa posted at 8:15 PM
Trée - As your writing shows, you are a very sensitive man :]
Autumn - "A wonderful read" *squeal* Thanks :]
Melissa - I love it when you get the goosebumps! lol I think I would have to send this somewhere before it would ever become a book - I don't think a publisher is going to drop in and discover me although I admit to dreaming of it happening ;]
Trée posted at 8:44 PM
Miladysa, sometimes I wish I were a little less sensitive, that I didn't feel the texture of each and every nuance of a relationship, good and bad. I wish I could be more happily dumb so to speak. We all have our crosses to bear and mine is much lighter than most and for that I remain eternally grateful.
I sense too, from your writing, you appreciate the sensibilities of body and soul. How else could you write about them without being a charlatan. :-D
More please. ;-)
Anonymous posted at 8:54 PM
I laughed at the end also! A perfect Dad, reminds me of my own ;)
SzélsőFa posted at 9:28 PM
Starting with part 27 of January 3, I've read all the chapters.
I'm drawn into this complex story. I like it very much.
It feels almost unbelieavable to hold that large a number of threads in head...I wonder where all those lines lead to...
I will surely be here to read whatever chapters come next, whenever they come :)
Miladysa posted at 10:09 PM
Tree - If you were any different you would not be the person and great writer that you are today :)
Anon - That is such a lovely thing to read! I was a Daddy's girl too :)
SzélsőFa - Thank you for taking the time to read all the posts and leave the comment at the end. I am so happy that the story has you thinking and I hope to see your return here ;)
Deb posted at 11:09 PM
Dealing with ghosts is not something a parent usually has to explain to a child. Eerie, isn't it? Great dialog Milady, I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Charles Gramlich posted at 11:16 PM
Very nice. I like the touch with the Spaniel. You know I haven't seen too many other folks who liked "Dog Soldiers" but I thought that was one of the best werewolf films I've seen in a long time.
Anonymous posted at 11:17 PM
You have won a 'You Make My Day' Award Miladysa :)
Melissa posted at 11:22 PM
hee hee ... I'm hopeful that you'll send this somewhere and have it published! :)
Miladysa posted at 12:08 AM
Deb - I shouldn't imagine it's a conversation one would have every day! hehe Thank you for the compliment with regard to the dialogue - it means a lot to me :)
Charles - Thank you! I love Dog Soldiers - fantastic characters :)
Anon - *chirps like a myna bird* (well a pathetic myna bird I'm no good at bird impressions lol)
Really? Awesome! hehe
Melissa - Sir H has just finished reading it tonight and thinks I should too... I wouldn't know where to start though...
Julie posted at 10:21 AM
Intruiging...especially 'they walk through us'!