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  My mind swirled from everything she’d told me. Was it possible that David wasn’t my dad after all? That my dad was someone named Wesley? Someone who was dead and trying to reach me? And if so, did he rape my mom? If so, what happened to David? Why had he suddenly disappeared? I wished Mom would just tell me the truth, but I knew she never would. She was the queen of secrets and she’d been keeping this one for a very long time. No, right now my only hope was Wesley. He held the key to unlocking this mystery.

  I woke up early the next morning and headed straight over to Rhiannon’s. As I rapped on her door, anxiety swept over me. What would I find out today? After several minutes of knocking, Rhiannon still hadn’t appeared. I glanced around and spotted her car parked on the street. Puzzled, I walked around to her bedroom window, attempted to peek inside but the curtains were shut. Maybe she was sleeping. It was pretty early, after all.

  Behind me a car pulled up. I shielded my eyes against the glare of the sun and peeked out from under my hand as a Hispanic woman emerged from the vehicle. In her hand she carried a basket of cleaning supplies. Glancing behind her I read the housecleaners sign splashed across the passenger side door.

  “Hi,” I said as I approached her.

  “Hello,” she answered looking down warily.

  I guess I did look suspicious, peeking in the windows. “I’m Kenzie. I live next door. I’m a friend of Rhiannon’s.”

  “Hello,” she repeated, stepping around me. As she walked to the front door I followed her. Before she stuck her key in the lock she turned around. “Can I help you?”

  “I’m just here to hang out with Rhiannon. She’s not answering but her car’s out front and so I know she’s home. She’s probably just sleeping in. So, I thought I’d just slip in with you.” I realized I sounded like a lunatic but I needed to get to that Ouija board.

  The housecleaner shook her head. “No, they’re not home. They’re on vacation.”

  “Vacation?”

  She nodded.

  “But…I don’t understand.” My mind whizzed through all my prior conversations with Rhiannon. Never once did she mention anything about a vacation. “Did they say how long they’d be gone?”

  “Two weeks.”

  “Two weeks?”

  Again she nodded. “I’m sorry. “ She unlocked the front door. Before I could ask any more questions she slipped inside. I heard the click of the deadbolt locking. I had probably scared her to death.

  Defeated, I headed back to Grandma’s front porch and collapsed on the swing. How was I going to get the answers about my dad? I needed that board. But it’s not like I could break into her house and steal it. But I also couldn’t wait a whole two weeks to find out the answers.

  Maybe I’d have to buy my own board. I knew I could buy one at any toy store. But I wondered if Wesley could find me on any board. Was Rhiannon’s board the only one Wesley would appear on?

  I’d never know if I didn’t try. Decision was made. I would borrow Grandma’s car when she came home from work and head to the store to buy my very own Ouija board. Now all I had to do was wait.

  10

  By the time Grandma arrived home it was almost time for my date with Isaac. I tried not to let my disappointment at not getting the Ouija board ruin my evening. I put on a black skirt, sparkly top and ballet flats. For the first time in months I actually wore short sleeves and it felt good. The salve that Rhiannon gave me worked and my cuts were healing nicely, but I did swipe some foundation over them just to be safe. After flat ironing my hair and applying some makeup I emerged from the bathroom.

  “Wow, Kenzie. Isaac’s not going to know what hit him.”

  I blushed, swatting away her words. Just then there was a knock on the door. I opened it to find Isaac standing on the porch, his face hidden behind a huge bouquet of fragrant flowers. I took them in my hand and thanked him. When our eyes locked, he grinned showing his dimples. He wore khaki pants, a white collared shirt and brown dress shoes. His hair was combed down, his face clean-shaven and he smelled like aftershave and cologne.

  “You look gorgeous,” he said.

  Grandma offered to put the flowers in water and we took off. As we walked toward Isaac’s car he took my hand in his, sending chills up my arm. The heat of the afternoon still lingered in the evening air and I was grateful my arms were bare. The scent of honeysuckle swirled around me, and birds chirped faintly in the distance.

  “Where are we going?” I asked as we pulled out of the court.

  “’Fat’s.”

  “What an odd name for a restaurant.”

  “It’s not at all like it sounds. It’s the best. You’ll see.”

  He wasn’t kidding. Fat’s was nothing like its name implied. The restaurant was beautiful with its shimmering pool of water and giant gold statue as the centerpiece, its glossy floors and dim lighting throughout. The scent of fried Chinese food and sauces permeated the air, causing my stomach to rumble.

  “What do you like?” I asked as I held the lengthy menu in my hand.

  “The honey walnut prawns are the bomb.”

  My mouth watered as I read the description.

  “Also, the chow mein is really good.”

  I nodded, setting down the menu. “I’m sold.”

  After Isaac ordered and the waiter brought our sodas, we settled back in our chairs.

  “So, what did you do today?”

  “Nothing much.” I spoke loudly to be heard over the party at the table behind us. Chattering echoed off the high ceilings.

  “You didn’t hang out with Rhiannon?”

  I shook my head. “Apparently she went on vacation.”

  “Where to?”

  “No idea. I didn’t even know she left. Her housecleaner told me.”

  “Huh. That’s odd.”

  “Yeah,” I agreed.

  “So, what do you guys do together?”

  “Girl stuff.” A woman fluttered past our table, leaving a trail of strong floral perfume in her wake. Her stiletto heels clicked on the slick floor.

  “Like what?”

  “If I told you I’d have to kill you.” I winked and flashed him a smile so he’d know I was kidding.

  He laughed and changed the subject which is exactly what I’d hoped would happen. “Hey, you ever water-ski?”

  “No. Why?” A baby wailed from a nearby table, catching our attention.

  “A friend of mine invited me out on his boat on Saturday. I wondered if you wanted to join me.”

  The thought of being on a boat with Isaac sounded amazing. “I’d love to, but I don’t know how good of a skier I’ll be. I’ve never even snow skied before.”

  “Water skiing is pretty easy. I can show you.”

  “Do you go often?”

  “Yeah, I love it. My Aunt and Uncle own a boat and we go all the time. I learned to ski when I was a little kid. My Uncle gets a kick out of taking crazy turns and trying to knock me over when he’s pulling me.”

  “Isn’t that dangerous?”

  “Nah, he knows what he’s doing. He’d never let me get hurt. Although I have had water go up my nose a lot of times and that’s pretty painful.”

  “Is it hard for you to go out in the water after what happened to your brother?”

  “It was at first, but my parents made me. They didn’t want my fears to run my life.”

  “You’re lucky to have them. They seem like amazing parents.” Ones I wish I had.

  “Yeah, they’re pretty cool. What about you? You don’t talk much about your family. What’s it like being an only child?”

  I pictured quiet nights alone in front of the TV, coming home everyday to an empty house.

  “Lonely,” I finally answered.

  He reached across the table, covered my hand with his. “I’m sorry.”

  I shrugged. “It’s fine.”

  Just then our food arrived and our conversation halted as we tucked into the prawns and chow mein noodles. By the time I finished I understood why t
he restaurant was called Fat’s I ate so much I thought Isaac would have to roll me out of the place.

  Rubbing my stomach I said, “I feel like I gained ten pounds. You better be careful. If you keep taking me out like this I’m gonna get fat.”

  Isaac chuckled. “It wouldn’t matter what size you were. You’d still be beautiful.”

  “So how was your date?” Grandma asked me over coffee and toast the next morning.

  “Good,” I answered.

  “Just good?”

  “Okay, it was amazing.” I smiled, sipped my hot coffee.

  “Where’d he take you?”

  “Fat’s.”

  “Oooh, I love Fat’s. I hope you got the honey walnut prawns.”

  “Totally. They were incredible.”

  Grandma got up from the table, and put her dish in the sink. “What are you plans for today?”

  “Well, I was hoping to borrow your car this morning and run some errands.”

  “Or I could go with you.”

  “Uh, no that’s okay. You don’t have to do that. It’s just boring stuff anyway. Deodorant and things, you know. I won’t be very long.”

  “Yeah, okay. That’s fine.” Grandma eyed me suspiciously.

  I smiled innocently as I set my mug in the sink. After getting the board I’d have to stop at the drug store and pick up some deodorant now. I wondered how I would sneak the board in the house without her noticing. As I got ready, I formulated a plan.

  It didn’t take long to find the Ouija boards. In fact I was surprised that they were located right on the shelf with Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders. It was embarrassing though when I plucked it off the shelf. A woman with two little kids shot me a disgusted look. The clerk also gave me a funny look as he rang me up. You’d swear that no one had ever bought a Ouija board before.

  On the way home I stopped at Rite Aid to pick up some deodorant and a dark towel to wrap around the game in an attempt to camouflage it.

  Luckily when I did arrive at the house, Grandma was too busy gardening to take an interest in what I’d purchased. I raced inside and hid the game under my mattress. As anxious as I was to get on the board I couldn’t risk Grandma walking in, so I decided to be patient and wait until she’d gone to bed for the night. To pass the time I called Haley.

  “I’m so glad you called,” Haley said when she picked up. “We haven’t talked in like forever.”

  It was true and I felt bad. I hadn’t returned her last couple of calls because I’d been so busy.

  “So, you and the hot neighbor boy must’ve made up.”

  “Yeah, we did.” I sat on the edge of my bed, staring out the window. Isaac’s house was still and quiet, blinds closed. I wondered where he was.

  “Well he must be keeping you pretty busy for you to just blow off your best friend.” She added a lighthearted laugh but I could tell she was hurt.

  “I’m sorry, Hales. I didn’t mean to blow you off.”

  “I know. Anyway, spill. Tell me all about…what’s his name again…Isaiah?”

  “Isaac,” I said. “He’s amazing. I’ve never met anyone like him before. I think I might be falling in love.”

  “Oh my gosh, you’re totally sleeping with him.”

  “No, I’m not! We haven’t even kissed.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Seriously. He’s a total gentleman. The most he’s done is hold my hand once.”

  “Are you sure he’s, you know, straight?”

  “Haley! What’s gotten into you?”

  “Me? What’s gotten into you?”

  “I guess I’ve changed. I want a real relationship like the one you have with Derek. By the way how are things going there? Did you ever find out why he was acting so strange?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Oh good. So you worked things out?”

  “Not exactly. We broke up.”

  “What? Why?”

  “He started seeing Chelsea.”

  “Chelsea? You’ve gotta be kidding.”

  “I wish I was.”

  “Oh, Haley, I’m so sorry.”

  “Yeah, well, boys are scum. What are you gonna do? Speaking of which, I saw your mom out with some guy.”

  “I’m not surprised. She was definitely talking to someone before I left.”

  “I don’t know. This was different.”

  My stomach clenched. I stood up, paced my room. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, they were having coffee but something seemed off about it. It didn’t exactly look like a date.”

  “What did it look like?”

  “Sort of intense.”

  “Haley, I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

  “I don’t know how to describe it. The guy looked sort of strung out or something and they were deep in what looked like a heated conversation.”

  “You don’t think my mom’s doing drugs, do you?” My chest tightened with fear.

  “I don’t think so.”

  After hanging up, I immediately dialed my mom. I had to know what she was involved in. Of course I got her voice mail. She never answered when I called. As I left a message, I pictured her out with some druggie and it brought back memories of Trent. I shivered when I thought of Mom’s ex-boyfriend’s bloodshot eyes and roving hands. It definitely wasn’t one of Mom’s shining parental moments. I really thought she learned her lesson back then.

  At around ten o’clock, Grandma went to bed. I lit a couple of candles in my room and pulled the Ouija board out from under my mattress. After peeling away the glossy cellophane, I discarded it and opened the box. I pulled the board out and set it on the floor and then placed the planchette on top. Crossing my legs, I took a deep breath and placed my fingers on the pointer.

  “Hello,” I whispered into the room.

  I felt a tingling under my fingers like a vibration as the planchette began to move.

  H-I.

  The air around me turned ice cold. My heart beat like a drum.

  “Wesley? Is that you?”

  Y-E-S.

  It worked. I was able to conjure him on my own board. Now that I had him here I needed to ask some key questions. I knew how quickly he could vanish.

  “Wesley, what’s my full name?”

  M-A-C-K-E-N-Z-I-E-S-M-I-T-H.

  “When’s my birthday?”

  I-S-T-H-I-S-A-Q-U-I-Z?

  I chuckled. Evidently, spirits had a sense of humor.

  O-C-T-O-B-E-R-T-W-O.

  I shivered.

  “How old was my mom when she had me?”

  E-I-G-H-T-E-E-N.

  “Are you my dad?”

  W-H-A-T-DO-Y-O-U-T-H-I-N-K?

  “I don’t know. You tell me.”

  The candles flickered. A breeze blew through the room causing a paper on my dresser to flutter to the ground. I glanced over at my window, which was securely closed. My pulse quickened. Sweat broke out on my forehead. Both candles simultaneously went out blanketing my room in utter darkness.

  I clutched my chest and held my breath. Puffs of cold air shot at my neck and down my arms. I hugged myself as terror filled my veins. For several minutes I sat without moving. The air around me seemed to shift and it was warm again. Feeling like it was safe, I stood on wobbly legs. The hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention as I imagined someone behind me. I scolded the thought and flicked on the wall switch. Yellow light illuminated the room and I gulped in air, steadying my nerves. The room was empty, the pointer still. I packed the board away and tucked it securely under the mattress.

  11

  Ringing awakened me. Without opening my eyes, I reached over and pushed the button on my alarm clock. The piercing sound persisted. I opened my eyes and listened. It was the phone. Judging by the amount of times it rang it was obvious that Grandma was either outside gardening or not home. I fumbled for the phone on my nightstand and answered it.

  “Hello.” My voice was thick and groggy.

  “Hi Kenzie,” Mom responded. “Did I wake
you?”

  “Yeah,” I mumbled.

  “Wow. Must’ve been a late night.”

  I glanced at the clock. It was almost ten. Isaac would be here to pick me up in an hour for the lake.

  “So,” Mom continued. “I got your message. You wanted to talk with me about something?”

  There were a million things we needed to talk about but I didn’t have time to get into all of them right then. So I chose one question. “Do you know where Dad is?”

  “Grandma said you’d been asking a lot of questions about him. Why?”

  “Because he’s my dad. I have a right to know about him.”

  “Yes, but why now? Is Grandma encouraging this?”

  “This has nothing to do with Grandma, okay. It has to do with me. I want to know the truth. Is he dead?”

  “No. Gosh, why would you think that?”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Kenzie, what’s gotten into you?”

  “Well, that would certainly explain why he’s never gotten in contact with me.”

  “Believe me, he’s not dead.”

  “Well, then where is he? Why hasn’t he contacted me?”

  “I don’t know, Kenzie.”

  “It’s because of you, isn’t it? You pushed him away. You didn’t want him in my life.”

  “That’s not true. You don’t know anything about it.”

  “Whose fault is that?”

  Silence.

  “Mom? You still there?”

  “I don’t want to fight with you, Kenzie. I’ll talk to you later.” The line went dead.

  I slammed the phone down so hard my fingers stung. Tears pricked my eyes and I blinked them back. It was always the same with her. She was never going to tell me the truth. All the more reason I had to find out on my own. Putting all thoughts of Mom aside, I hopped out of bed and raced to the bathroom to take a shower.

  “You didn’t tell me that the friends we were going boating with was your youth pastor and his wife,” I whispered to Isaac once we’d settled on the boat.

  Isaac smiled, a gleam in his eye. “Would it have made a difference?”

  I shook my head.

  “Don and Sandy are cool. You’ll see.”

  The boat idled out into the water. The warm sun beat down on my back, the scent of fish wafted under my nose. Waves lapped against the side of the boat, which rocked gently. My gaze swept the vast expanse of dark water, the clear blue sky. Isaac’s arm came around my shoulder and hovered like a butterfly before landing tentatively. My heart flipped in my chest and my face warmed. Sandy leaned over Don’s shoulder speaking in his ear as he drove, her short brown hair fanning out behind her head. I found myself fantasizing about Isaac and me like that, and was glad Isaac couldn’t read my thoughts like Rhiannon could. Usually I never let my mind wander down that path in a relationship. I was too jaded to believe in everlasting love. Something about Isaac made me think differently.