About PEARL
LUSTER
(Please enjoy the full
first chapter of PEARL LUSTER below.)
The short story, PEARL LUSTER is linked by a fascination with artifacts and our delicate sense of touch.
Never underestimate
the power of touch. Add in a beautiful family heirloom and you’ve got the
makings of powerful and magical time travel.
In this story world, 21st century time travelers
do exist. They are everywhere; the grocery store, movie theater, and even the
typical (or mundane) place of work.
They are hidden in plain sight. Many of these
travelers may appear as a free spirit passing through a life, and then they are
gone, leaving only a whispered memory behind.
The characters in these stories are the Daughters of Athena.
A hidden bloodline, they have been among us since before the beginnings of
written history.
It's their mission as warrior women to give aid to those in
need, heal others when necessary, and lead women into greatness. (Think in
terms of creative inventions like writing or great strides in women’s history
like the right to vote.)
The independent women in this series are gifted with
wanderlust and they know how to use it. There may be boyfriends or husbands in
the picture, but they are grounded in time and do not travel with their women.
This can frequently add to the conflict of the story.
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[
1 ] Happy Birthday
Present
Day
East
Stowe, Florida
Aunt Maggie’s earrings
arrived on my twenty-fifth birthday. The gift was completely unexpected because
she died when I was two years old. It turned out she left specific instructions
the pearl earrings should be held until ‘Barbara is of the proper age.’
Those were her words, not mine.
The doorbell rang just after I arrived home from a long day
working at the woman’s shelter.
It was rather late for a delivery. But when I pushed the
curtain aside and peered out, the delivery man looked respectable enough.
Handsome, clean shaven, and dressed in the casual Friday
style, he didn’t set off any predator alarms within my head. So I opened the
door.
“Good evening,” he said. “Are you Barbara Gibbins?”
“Yes.”
Broad shoulders relaxed noticeably beneath his shirt.
“Finally!” he said. “Did you know there are three addresses
listed for your current home? I’m from the law firm Meyers & Lake. I have a
special delivery for you. The instructions clearly state this package must be
delivered today. Frankly, I worried after you weren’t at the Ridgemont
address.”
“I moved four months ago,” I said, slightly impressed he had
searched two different towns for me. “What kind of package?”
He placed a black briefcase on the chair next to the door.
“I’ll need you to sign for it,” he said, while spinning the small combination
dials.
The latches snapped and he opened the black case. “The first
document is just standard when receiving your inheritance. That one is for the
probate court. The second is for a family member who insisted the handover be
done by a qualified person to serve as a witness.”
“Inheritance?” The word made me shiver with a sense of
dread. “Who died?”
“Oh, forgive me.” He spoke quickly and tried to reassure
with a wave of his hand. “I should’ve mentioned this isn’t due to a recent
death. It’s from your great Aunt Margaret. I believe she died twenty-three
years ago.”
“She left me something in her will? No one ever said
anything. In fact, growing up I only heard whispers about her. You know the
kind I mean. Those soft muted words that were silenced when we kids came into
the room. Aunt Maggie was definitely a woman of mystery.”
He laughed. “I have an aunt like that.”
The fact that he answered so openly increased my curiosity.
“But why now? I mean after all these years. And what’s your name?”
“I’m James Markum. The answer to your question is easy. You
haven’t received your inheritance because of her specific instructions.” He
shuffled some folders in the briefcase, straightened, and held a dark green
file with the papers that needed signatures on top.
“Don’t worry. I’m an attorney. That’s the reason Mr. Meyers
sent me. I’m here as witness, too.”
“That’s comforting. I mean that you aren’t some evil doer.
Instead, you’ve been sent by a reputable law office, but I’m still surprised.”
“Ah, you’ve heard of Meyers & Lake?”
“The law firm in Tampa that handles the difficult family and
probate cases? Of course I’ve heard of them.” I glanced toward the street and
finally stepped outside. Nearly twilight, I did not invite him into my home.
The balmy breeze felt great and there was plenty of foot
traffic along the street to give a sense of security. The scent of summer
flowers and the friendly passers-by along Virginia Street reminded me of two
reasons I moved to this small town in Florida.
Mr. Shinn, an elderly neighbor, paused while walking his dog
Sootie. “Evening,” he said from the sidewalk and waved. Sootie, a rambunctious
Scottish terrier, tugged eagerly at her leash. She loved evening walks, but if
there wasn’t someone to pet her, she always wanted to move onward.
I approached the porch rail. “How’s Ethel?”
Mr. Shinn tipped his head at James Markum and gripped
Sootie’s leash firmly. “Ethel’s fine. She had a good afternoon. The doctor said
she’s spry and will regain her mobility with physical therapy.” He fixed his
attention on the stranger standing on my porch and motioned toward his house.
“My wife fell and broke her hip.”
“That’s too bad,” Markum said. “Hope her therapy is
successful.”
“Thank you,” Mr. Shinn replied. Sootie pulled toward a
drifting butterfly. “I best be off. You folks have a good evening,” he said,
and sent me an inquiring glance.
I gave him a reassuring nod.
Satisfied, he allowed Sootie to guide him down the street.
Two more neighbors jogged past and waved, but didn’t stop.
“You’re in a close knit community,” Markum said. “Are they
satisfied you’re safe now?”
His question made me laugh. “Did you expect anything less in
East Stowe with its tree lined streets? We’ve got an excellent neighborhood
watch. Yes, they know I’m fine.”
He clicked a pen and handed it to me. “Well then, let’s sign
these papers and you can get back to the business of celebrating your
birthday.”
The porch swing was a convenient place to get comfortable. I
sat and placed the folder on my lap while I read. The first paper had the
formal letterhead for probate court. Reading through the legalese, I saw the
original date of execution at the Blount County Court of Alabama, and toward
the bottom of the page the listed bequeath. “Pearl earrings?”
Markum pulled a small red box from the briefcase, and held
it so that I could see. Everything was tied neatly with an antique satin
ribbon. A yellowed envelope beneath the box was probably a birthday card or
private note. “This has been in the firm’s vault all these years.”
He motioned toward the papers, waiting for my signature.
“This second page is a proof of delivery for an Uncle Bob?”
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
“I don’t know an Uncle Bob.”
“It’s my understanding he’s from an estranged branch of your
family. He didn’t protest your bequeath; just wanted legal proof you received
everything. If you’ll sign, I’ll witness, and then you’ll be finished. I
realize you probably have plans.”
Refocused on the pages, there was something that held my
hand motionless over the signature line. It would be a simple action writing my
name, but I hesitated.
A deep honesty blossomed in my heart and kept my hand
motionless. I had to admit that my hesitation had nothing to do with the
unexpected earrings. Yes, I was also curious about what may be written on the
card.
But the true cause of my stillness was a sudden urge to know
James Markum. “I don’t have special birthday plans. There was a party at work
and I expected to go out with friends, but they were called to a crime scene.
You know the life of police officers.”
“That’s unfortunate,” he said. “Especially since it’s Friday
night. You know… There’s a concert at Pier 66 tonight. A walk along the beach
and some music would be relaxing and fun. If you’re interested.”
With a flourish, I signed the second paper. “It’s an
excellent idea.” I tucked the papers into the file folder and handed them back.
“Give me a few minutes to freshen up?”
“Sure thing. Wear these,” he said, and gave me the package.
“I bet they’ll look awesome.”
A soft warmth lingered where his fingers had held the small
gift. The energy transferred through my skin in a rush of adrenalin. More at
ease with him, I said, “Will do. Would you like to come inside while you wait?”
“Not necessary,” he replied, cocked his head toward the
street, and winked. “I can pass the time out here. Keep an eye on your
neighbors.”
The adrenalin rush from the warm velvet box carried me up
the stairs to my room where I suddenly froze. A quick glance at the bedroom clock,
it’s eight-thirty. Downstairs, the grandfather clock confirmed the time with
its resonant declaration.
The concert, which is a weekly event during summer, usually
lasted until eleven. It’s casual with people coming and going as they pleased,
but at past events the music always grew livelier as the evening progressed. We
wouldn’t miss anything getting there after nine.
Okay, what to wear? I kicked off my heels and changed
quickly into comfortable capris, a soft blue printed tee shirt, and then pulled
my favorite strappy sandals from the closet. They slipped on easily and
enhanced my fresh pedicure.
As dusk deepened outside, I turned on the lamp.
The red box on the dresser drew me to its special contents.
I paused before untying the bow. The satin was slightly stiff from age and the
ribbon ends frayed.
It was strange that at this moment my mom rushed into my
thoughts. She has been gone since I was thirteen. Vanished, leaving behind only
the occasional hushed whispers of her name.
I shook the memories away, pulled the bow and set the ribbon
aside.
The hinge on the red velvet box creaked softly when I lifted
the lid.
Pearl luster glowed in the lamplight.
My fingers trembled slightly as I touched the smooth
surface. The earring posts went into my ear lobes easily.
An unexpected sensation of tingling began at the top of my
head. The feeling grew, and then traveled down my body as though I was being
painted with faery glimmer.
A physical consciousness deepened the faery glimmer feeling
as if a supernatural power touched the bone marrow within me. There was nothing
different in my mirror reflection.
Everything still looked the same.
I stared at the luminescent pearls with their soft pink
tint. The simple beauty drew my fingers upward, and I touched them again.
The room, dresser and mirror blurred into a combination of
mist and darkened color that gradually became black.
The air in my bedroom spun as though a tornado burst through
the solid oak door.
A blackness grew deeper than a starless night sky and
engulfed my whole world. The only relief from darkness was an occasional bright
light of color that flashed with the power of Fourth of July fireworks. The air
sizzled with magic.
During those moments, I flew above what my mind perceived
was the floor. As the motion intensified, it became difficult to discern which
way was up, and even if there was a down anymore.
* * * * * * * * *
Thanks to all Blog Readers for stopping by. Enjoy your day & happy reading!
Magically Entising: Is Your Shapeshifter Sexy today?
Mother, Daughter & Plot Bunny Tracks, Oh My! #amwriting
* * * * * * * * *
Amazon Kindle: Pearl Luster (Touch Time & Soar Mini-series) ~ Short Story
Amazon Kindle: Enchanted Ravensong: Charmed Evermore (Fantasy Novelette)
Amazon Kindle: Samhain Spirit: Charmed Evermore #2 (Fantasy Novelette) "...original and fun." Amazon Reviewer, Abouchard
Amazon Kindle: Concentric Circles (Shayla's story)
Amazon Kindle & Print: Claire: the Lost Fae
* * * * * * * * *
Peace & Love be with you always.
Mother, Daughter & Plot Bunny Tracks, Oh My! #amwriting
* * * * * * * * *
Amazon Kindle: Pearl Luster (Touch Time & Soar Mini-series) ~ Short Story
Amazon Kindle: Enchanted Ravensong: Charmed Evermore (Fantasy Novelette)
Amazon Kindle: Samhain Spirit: Charmed Evermore #2 (Fantasy Novelette) "...original and fun." Amazon Reviewer, Abouchard
Amazon Kindle: Concentric Circles (Shayla's story)
Amazon Kindle & Print: Claire: the Lost Fae
* * * * * * * * *
Peace & Love be with you always.
~ Aithne Jarretta
