Uncertain Future

PROLOGUE

The dance instructor watched in frustration as two of her young students ran, jumped and twirled completely ignoring her instructions on how to do the routine she was currently teaching the class.

The two eight year old girls were twin sisters named Summer and Autumn. The teacher would love to tell the girl’s mother that they were unsuitable for dance class; but she needed their tuition money; money that Mrs. Kyle paid promptly the first of each month.

To call Summer and Autumn hyperactive was an understatement. The dance instructor as well as the girl’s school teacher had suggested to Mrs. Kyle that she should take the girls to a doctor but she refused to have them put on medication.

The dance instructor glanced at the clock and noted with relief that it was only a few more minutes until her Level 1 beginner’s class be over. She clapped her hands and told the girls they were dismissed. The little girls, including the twins, hurried to change into their street clothes. The instructor mentally groaned realizing it was only a few more weeks until the spring dance recital and the class had barely learned the basic moves.

The mothers came to pick up their daughters and the classroom emptied, but Mrs. Kyle didn’t show up. When only Summer and Autumn were left, the instructor looked at the clock and noted it was half past. Mrs. Kyle was never prompt, but she wasn’t usually this late either. The instructor looked at the two girls who were playing rambunctiously and pulled out her cell phone to call Mrs. Kyle.

She sighed in frustration when the number she dialed went directly to voice mail.

She must be driving and isn’t able to answer the phone, the instructor thought as she waited impatiently for a mother that would not be coming.

Chapter 1.The Phone Call

It was an unusually warm day in May and Leona Clark was sitting on her back porch in a rocking chair keeping the chair in motion with one bare toe. A slight breeze ruffled her frizzy iron gray curls. Since she’d retired she’d gotten into the habit of eating pancakes for breakfast instead of the hard boiled eggs she used to eat. She’d made and eaten the pancakes and even done the dishes but she just couldn’t muster up the energy to do anything else. She rested her head against the back of the rocker and let her eyes close. Her stomach felt queasy and her head ached.

She reminisced about her recent retirement party. A co-worker had planned it in secret and tricked Leona into going to the restaurant. She’d thought it was just going to be the two of them. When she walked in the place it was decorated with balloons and in the center was a small tent with lace sides. Inside the tent was a table with a crystal ball. Standing next to Mr. Woods, the school principal, was a tall man wearing a white turban and flowing robe of white covered in silver stars and crescent moons. His face was old and wrinkled and he sported a white beard and mustache.

Her friend led her over to where the men stood talking.

Our gift to you is to have your fortune told, she explained quickly. Actually he is going to do a reading for everyone. He is our entertainment so to speak.

This should be fun, Leona said, trying to be a good sport.

She nearly laughed out loud when they introduced the man as ‘Merlin’.

He’d led her over to the tent and after they stepped inside he’d closed the lace curtain behind them. He’d motioned for her to take a seat at the table and when he’d lit the two white candles near the crystal ball it seemed to glow.

He’d taken the seat opposite to her and he’d placed his hands on either side of the crystal ball. He’d closed his eyes and made circular motions over the top. Leona watched him intently but wasn’t impressed by his theatrics.

Opening his eyes he’d gazed into her eyes for a moment. He’d given her a knowing look before he’d leaned over the ball, gazing intently into its depths. He’d kept his eyes on the ball as he told her future.

I foresee you taking a voyage on a ship. You will travel to a foreign land and spend time on the ship there. I also see a new romantic interest in your future. There is a handsome man with you. You are standing at the ship’s rail and he has his arm around you waist.

That was all he had told her. She’d thanked him and left the tent to go sample the buffet table. She remembered that she’d told several of her co-workers that she planned on doing a Rhine River Boat cruise. So obviously, someone had told him what to predict.

She came back to the present. She opened her eyes and looked out disconsolately at her vegetable garden that needed weeding and watering.

So much for predictions of the future, she thought. He didn’t foresee that I’d be too sick to travel.

When I retired I’d had so many plans, she reflected, I’m only 65. I really thought I’d travel. I even got a passport. I ordered all those travel brochures for river cruises on the Rhine. They all looked so good I couldn’t decide which one to sign up for. It’s a good thing I didn’t make a deposit on any of them.

Growing my own vegetables in this garden was going to be so much fun. And I was finally going to learn to quilt too. Why did I have to get sick?

She’d barely gotten the garden area dug up and the seeds planted before her health began giving her problems. Stomach aches, diarrhea, headaches, and a strange rash that itched and burned.

All I do is waste time and money on going to doctors who give me prescriptions ‘to try’ because they don’t really know what the problem is, she thought. I’m just a guinea pig. If there is a handsome man in my future as the physic predicted, he must be a doctor I haven’t met yet! I’m sure not interested in any of them I’ve met so far.

She lifted her head when her phone in the kitchen rang and slowly slipping her feet into her house slippers. Sighing she hauled herself up out of the rocker to go answer it. The screen door slammed behind her as she picked the phone from its wall cradle just in time to keep it from going to the answering machine.

Hello, she said.

Is this Mrs. Clark? a voice with a strange accent inquired. I’m looking for Sheila Kyle’s mother.

Maybe, Leona answered cautiously, hating to give away personal information over the phone to a stranger. After all someone could be trying to steal Sheila’s identity and wanted to verify her maiden name.

Leona was a widow and lived alone in her three bedroom home. Her husband had passed away many years ago. Their only daughter, Sheila, had married Andrew Kyle right out of high school and the young couple had moved to Chicago. Somehow mother and daughter had lost touch. Leona didn’t know if her daughter was still living in Chicago or not.

Mrs. Clark, this is child protective services. I'm calling to find out if you are Sheila Kyle’s mother, the stranger’s voice continued when she didn’t respond.

Child protective services? Leona repeated uncertainly.

Yes m’am, the voice continued. If you are Sheila’s mother, I have some very bad news for you. She passed away a week ago and we’ve been searching for someone to notify.

Sheila’s dead? Leona asked numbly. She hadn’t heard from her daughter in years but it was still hard to learn that she would never see her again. One of the things she’d meant to do when she retired was to find Sheila and go visit.

You are her mother then? the voice asked. We are looking for a relative to take Sheila’s daughters.