All the tension Ramona had felt building, and only partially released by her earlier crying session in the car, flooded out with her laughs. It was a catharsis she needed badly and, even though she was afraid she'd fall out of her chair she was ecstatic at the feel of all that unwanted tightness flowing out of her body. Then she thought of what she'd look like falling over, lying on the floor, tea running out of her nose, and she laughed even harder. Her brother ... her dear sweet brother was there. He was going to be here next door for a long time ... maybe forever ... and that thought made her feel even better. She drew in a racking deep breath and finally got control of her diaphragm. Now all she had to do was pull in more air and she'd be fine.
Smith stood up, staring down at the woman. "All the women in this family have these breathing problems, yes?"
That made Ramona laugh too, but this time it was a short, normal laugh. She wiped her eyes and cheeks with her palms and, then grabbed the napkin to rub under her nose. With her cleared vision saw that Debbie had returned to the bottom of the stairs and was staring curiously at the scene in the dining room.
Ramona pointed at her. "You!" she said. "If you've found your manners you may return to the table." Then, a few more giggles chuckled out of her mouth.
Debbie turned and went back up the stairs.
Ramona felt sad at that, but waved Mister Smith back to his chair.
"Ghosts," she said, and giggled again.
"I'm thinking there are no ghosts," said Smith, beginning to eat again.
Robby, flushed with shame and anger at his mother's laughter, just sat. His appetite was gone too.
"Lots of people think there are ghosts," said Robby sullenly.
His mother heard the anger in his voice, and she calmed. "Robby, I wasn't laughing at you. Not really. I think I was just laughing because I needed to laugh. I don't think you’re silly or anything like that," she said. "But I also don't believe in ghosts."
Robby, his heart sinking, knew beyond his years that nothing he could say would undo what was going on.
"I'm not really hungry," he said. "Can I go?"
Ramona's first instinct was to say "No," but she heard the sadness in his voice and nodded instead. He got up and walked heavily to the stairs.
When his footfalls were gone, Robert Nettleton, looking ridiculous in his sauce-smeared false moustache and beard, looked helplessly at his sister.
"What was that all about?" he asked.
"I don't know," she answered truthfully. "They shouldn't care so much about what happens over there. Nobody else does. I don't understand it." she said.
"Are you sure they don't know?" he asked. "About who you really are I mean?"
"Bobby, I've never told them anything. Just that our parents were gone. I avoided talking about it, not wanting them to be affected by ... our past."
There was more meaning in her voice than that associated with the house and grounds of the Nettleton Mansion. Robert wanted to tell her about their mother's jewelry box, that he'd found in the wrong room of the mansion, with things in it that had been put there by someone other than their mother, including a watch that had to have been their father's. He was distracted by the pain in her voice. It reminded him of his own pain.
"I missed you so much," said Robert.
"I wanted to die at first," said Ramona. "But then I met Richard and it wasn't so bad. And then when the twins were born I was happy Bobby ... really happy."
She looked at the strange apparition at her table and then looked away. As long as all she did was hear his voice she had a picture of 18 year old Bobby Nettleton in her mind.
"Didn't you ever find a girl? To love?" she asked.
"Oh, there were girls, I suppose, but none to claim my heart," he said. "My work was such that there was no time or place for romance anyway."
"That's so sad," said Ramona, her heart going out to him.
"I'm young," he said. "And I'm rich. I won't be alone for long. Not in the good old U.S. of A."
"I'll have a talk with the kids," said Ramona. "I'll try to find out what's really going on." She stole a peek at him. "I'm glad you're back Bobby. I missed you too."
He grinned. "Come over and see me sometime. Bring some more of this delicious food. I won't have electricity for two more weeks, and then I can get some appliances in there and begin cooking for myself. Man, I've missed food like this."
"When do you think you'll go ... public?" she asked.
"There are six liens filed against the place, from contractors who say they have been doing upkeep. That's preposterous and I don't want them to know they're dealing with me. All they are doing is grubbing for money. More will probably come out as soon as the word gets out that I'm back. I have several court appearances to make as Mister Smith and then I should be able to throw away this horrible hair.
Ramona giggled. "It is horrible. Couldn't you have gotten something nicer?"
"I thought it gave me a colorful appearance," he said, wounded.
"Yes, but the color is so ... " she was searching for the right word.
He finished the sentence for her. "Crazy?"
She blushed. "I didn't say that. you said that."
"Well, I won't wear it when you come to call." He dug in the pocket of the coat he was still wearing and handed her a shiny brass key. "This goes to the padlock on the gate. I oiled the hinges and it now works flawlessly. I don't lock the house. Haven't gotten around to finding the right locksmith. The ghosts will keep everybody else away," he said grinning.
"What will I tell the kids?" she asked, a flutter in her stomach at the idea of going back to the house she'd stayed away from for so long.
"Bring them along," he said. "I have a feeling the disguise idea was a bad one ... at least with them. Who knows? I probably didn't need a disguise at all. Who around here would recognize me anyway? I think I only used it because it was such an exotic idea."
He stood up. "Now, I'd better go. You have two unruly children to deal with. If they give you too much trouble come get me and I'll come back and scare them half to death." He grinned again.
"I'd kiss you goodbye, but I'm not going near that mess you have on your face. I hope you have water over there," said Ramona.
"Water I have in plenty. The old well is still good and the pump worked fine once I replaced the leather gasket. It's cold, but I can always warm up some for a whore's bath on the wood stove. As for the kiss ... I'll save it for you..."
Ramona blushed. "That was a long time ago Bobby," she said.
"I know," he said back. "I really missed you Rami."
Then he went to the door and let himself out with a wave over his shoulder. Ramona stood and just tried to decide how she felt.
It took quite a while, as she turned the shiny brass key over and over in her fingers. Finally she went upstairs to talk to her children.
She found them together. They were in Robby's room. Robby was lying on the bed, while Debbie paced back and forth. She stopped when Ramona stepped into the room. Her eyes were puffy and her cheeks tear-stained.
"Why is that old place so important to you two?" asked their mother.
Debbie slumped. Like Robby, she just couldn't confess to what they'd done for so many years. It was their secret. It wasn't their sexual play that was uppermost in Debbie's mind. It was the length of time the secret had been kept from her mother. She knew her mother would be hurt by the truth.
As they say, the best defense is a good offense.
TBC