Children of the House of Four Seasons: Discovery
By Atonia
Part 1
Jacky Thorne
They were very similar in looks but then they would be. Jacky Thorne was twenty three well educated and well traveled for one so young.
His blond hair had darkened some with age but it still would bleach out blond in the summer when he spent time on the beaches. He and Maxi had grown up as brothers with the same mother but while Maxi had enjoyed her all his life, Jacky had not. He’d been shuffled back and forth between his parents until he went away to school at the age of nine. He’d been a quiet boy, studious and highly intelligent. He had an older half brother fourteen years his senior but he hardly knew him, they traveled in different circles, Henry made the RAF his life and Jacky hadn’t made much of his yet. He’d been at odds with his father for years wanting to join the army, wanting to be an SAS officer, looking for that edge that his father had when he was younger but being denied it. His father strictly forbade it.
He came into a fortune when he turned twenty one and his Uncle Max had invested it for him, he hadn’t any money worries he just didn’t know what to do with his life. He had his own flat in London and worked a variety of jobs just to have something to do. Right now he was working for Securities International, his father’s company, monitoring negotiations. He found the job boring and only got interested if rescue was involved. There he’d heard the tales of his father, Terry’s daring rescues but that only fueled the fire that was in him
His best childhood memories were the times when he was at La Siroque with Maxi and Rose, sometimes their cousin Claire would be there too. They knew early on that something was different about them, they could communicate with each other without talking, none of their school friends had that ability. They spent summers swimming, playing tennis and roaming the countryside. Once Jacky was old enough to drive they would take off to the beaches. Jacky learned to surf with Rose who had no fear of water and Jacky hadn’t any fear of anything.
Jacky and Maxi had a complicated relationship. He loved him like a brother but also held resentment against him from an early age. He thought Maxi had taken his mother away from him. The divorce had been explained to him when he was eight years old but he’d never gotten over the feeling Maxi had something to do with it. They spent much of their youth fighting. As for his mother he loved her but he’d become more reserved toward her the older he got especially when he found out about Papa.
His mother owned a farm in Virginia that would be his one day, he’d been told that and he went over to the states at least for a month each year, sometimes Claire would come down from Maine and stay with him. There were only two months difference in their ages but where Jacky seemed to be drifting along, she had her feet firmly planted…in ice.
Claire Biebe
Unlike her cousins, Claire had grown up in an American household with two older brothers. Being the youngest and a girl she was indulged by her father, John, she was by his own admission the apple of his eye. He taught her to skate at an early age, she’d taken dances and every kind of thing that was available but skating was her passion, she’d made it to the Olympics and won a bronze medal. When she wasn’t on ice she had her face in a book, a good student and she was still studying law.
She’d seen her cousins infrequently growing up only during holidays until she reached her teens and was allowed to go to France for a month each summer. Those were special times with Rose, Jacky and Maxi. They shared that special ability of communication but there was something else they shared too, she’d never quite figured out how they were related but she knew they had to be because they all favored one another. They all had the same eyes except for Rose, Rose had her mother’s eyes and her father’s blond hair. Claire’s hair was long and wavy, chestnut brown in color and she mostly wore it up in a high ponytail.
She was closer to Jacky whether it was age or a special feeling she had for him, he was a troubled young man and the earth mother that was in her wanted to make things better for him. They spent a lot of time on the phone just talking, finishing each other’s sentences, laughing. There had been times in their earlier years when she’d wished he wasn’t her first cousin, she’d had a big crush on him.
Right now she was trying to arrange a get together for all of them, two weeks somewhere, it was her turn. Last year they’d gone to Paris, Maxi’s turn and stayed in his aunt and uncle’s Paris apartment.
Maxi Skinner a native Frenchman was bilingual, he spoke English at home with his parents and cousins when they were around and French everywhere else. He had inherited his grandfather’s estate, vineyards and winery at the age of twenty one but his father, Max didn’t let him have full control of his fortune. He knew wine like the back of his hand and had a superior palate. He’d moved himself over to Chambord feeling quite the lad at the age of 21, but had come home for dinner.
He found out when he was seven that Toni wasn’t his mother, Jacky had told him and he’d gone and asked his father if it were true. Max set him down and told him about his mother and that she’d died in an accident. It had been a shock to him but as he’d never known a mother except the one he had, nothing changed for him. He grew up a happy go lucky sort, getting by in school by the seat of his pants for he hardly ever studied.
Maxi was loaded with charm and that saw him through most of his youthful scrapes. He could be devious and planned and carried out many pranks while in school, himself coming out unscathed while his friends got into trouble. He was handsome, witty and fun to be around and was soon forgiven.
His future had been decided before he was born he was to be a wine maker and he never balked at that preplanned future. But it was only the last two years at university that he buckled down and passed with honors. He could do anything when he wanted to…he just had to want to. Life had been easy for Maxi he’d never in his life known anything but love except for Jacky. He loved him and could never understand why Jacky would purposely say things to hurt him and pick a fight at a drop of a hat. Maxi mostly floated along light as air but he had a temper and once sparked he could be dangerous.
His sister Rose was special to him, he’d been her champion all through their growing up years and defended her against Jacky when he needed to. He thought Jacky was jealous because she had a Papa and he and Jacky didn’t. It was only when he was eleven that he found out that her Papa was really her father. That made him wonder about his mother’s early life but he loved her and forgave her whatever he thought he might need to forgive her for. He never asked her anything about Rose’s Papa. It was along about that same time he figured out he and Rose weren’t really brother and sister they were cousins.
Rose Aubrey
She was a child of water and her Papa taught her to respect it and to understand it’s power. She didn’t see him very often but when he came she knew she was in for an adventure. Her blond braids and wiry limbs had climbed the rigging on several of Jack’s ships. He never put her in danger allowing her to accompany him to war but a sail off the shores of England was part of her upbringing. She loved him with all her heart, he was something special in her life. Something no one else had and other than her brothers she’d never told anyone about him.
She called Max, Dad as did Maxi, Jacky called him Uncle Max but Toni was Mummy to all of them. Like Maxi she was bilingual as well and often communicated with him in French mentally. They’d done this since they were old enough to talk, Jacky and Claire were the same, something extra added she thought like her Papa. She was ten years old when she found out her Papa was her father she and Maxi had talked about it and decided it was okay…Mummy and Papa, they’d looked at each other. Maxi shrugged it off and so had she.
She learned to swim before Maxi did in the pool at the chateau, her Papa had taught her at the tender age of three. She didn’t remember it but her Dad had told her about it and how Maxi had sat on the side of the pool and cried because he was afraid to go under water. Only a year and a few months separated them in age and they’d grown up close having no one else to play with until they started school. Jacky would spend a month and then have to go back to London with his father. She always felt bad for him, the look on his face before he’d shrug his shoulders and follow his father to the car. Like he didn’t care but she knew he did, he didn’t want to leave them.
Unlike Claire and her dance lessons, Rose was a tomboy and liked nothing better than running through the vineyards with Maxi and their dog, they taunted Duflot and he acted he took offense but he loved them both, rascals that they were. They’d both been given watered wine as was the custom for children but by the time they were ten and eleven they’d found out how to get into grandpa Aubrey’s tasting room. He’d found them there one time asleep on the stone floor with one of the barrels dripping.
She was fearless in the water and there she found a companion in Jacky. They dove and surfed the beaches, climbing a cliff and jumping into the waves. If their Mummy had know what they were doing she’d have stopped them from going to the beach alone…she just never knew what chances they took because none of them ever told her or Max.
She’d been the envy of her brothers at times when her Papa would come and take her away, she always had such interesting tales to tell when she came home. They half believed her. Maxi called her Jacqueline Cousteau. She was still in school studying to be an oceanographer.
They were a close knit family of cousins and all were looking forward to the yearly get together.
Part 2
It sounded wonderful something for everybody a country house on the ocean, cliffs to climb, a pond, horseback riding all inclusive. Claire pulled out her credit card and leased the house for two weeks with an option to stay longer if they wished. It was summer and she and Rose were out of school for awhile, Maxi was at leisure to go and come as he pleased and she wasn’t sure about Jacky’s current job, but he would come she knew that. After completing her transaction she sent them each an email following the instructions given online they were all to meet up in Salem, MA.
Jacky walked into his father’s office and flopped into a chair waiting to be acknowledged.
"What’s up, Jacky?" Terry looked up from his laptop.
"I’m taking two weeks off."
"Oh yeah, just like that you haven’t been here long enough to have any time off."
"Doesn’t matter, it’s the yearly gathering of the cousins, I have to go."
Terry looked across his desk at his son, he knew this was important to him and he fully supported their yearly gatherings but it really ticked him off, the nonchalant attitude he had toward working.
"When were you planning on leaving?"
"Friday."
"Have you checked with your co-workers to make sure you’re covered while you’re gone, make sure no one else has that same time off?"
"No."
Terry sighed and sat back in his chair, "Okay take the two weeks and when you get back…look for another job."
Jacky met his eyes for a moment, "Cool." He got up and left Terry’s office. He wasn’t coming back anyway.
Terry ran his hand through his hair, where had he gone wrong with Jacky? He’d given him everything, his love, direction, he was set up financially for life. He’d tried to give him a good home when he was there and they’d been close when he was a boy but the older he got…it was the attitude he couldn’t crack.
Maxi was home for dinner as he was most nights he was in the area. Rose had come home too and they were passing around salad and bread.
"Claire’s found this really great place for our gathering."
"Really," Max broke off a piece of bread, "Where is it?"
"Somewhere on the east coast of America," Maxi answered.
"You must know where you’re going…" Toni looked across the table at him.
"We’re flying into Boston and are supposed to meet the rest of the cousins nearby, she’d rented a house on the beach, sounds yummy." Rose dipped her bread in the dressing.
"Boston?" Toni looked over at Max.
"You say it’s a beach house?" Max asked, "summer rental?"
"Um hm and there’s a sailboat."
"I really worry about you two, please tell me you will look out for one another."
"Oh Mum, we always look out for each other."
"When are you leaving?" she asked.
"Friday, trying to synchronize our flights so we can all get there about the same time; easier for Claire she’s waiting to see when we can get in so she can drive down."
"Have you talked to Jacky?" Toni asked.
"Yeah, he’s going…huh…quit his job." Maxi spoke through a mouthful of salad.
"Oh dear," Toni sighed.
"Hi Daddy, I just wanted to call and let you know the cousins will be here Friday, I’m meeting them in Salem."
"Hey princess, Salem as in Massachusetts?"
"That would be the one, I found a house on the beach Rose is excited about that."
"Yeah I bet she is…Salem eh? I’ve been around there before." John pushed his hair back with a little smile.
"Really when was this?"
"Oh um, a long time ago long before you were born. Boys coming too?"
"Yes we’ll all be there, I can’t wait."
"What’s the weather like in Portland?"
"Raining right now I sure hope that clears up before Friday. How’s Mama?"
"She’s fine, yeah if the weather clears up we’re going over to Bar Harbor tomorrow and mess around."
"You better watch about messing around at your age."
"Hey watch it kid."
Claire laughed she loved to tease him, "We’ll take lots of pictures."
"Good I’d like to see them, email them to me and tell them I said hello."
"I will Daddy, love you."
"You too princess and enjoy yourself."
"What do we need a fucking guide for?" Jacky asked.
"So we don’t get lost I guess." Maxi answered
"You know…I have the strangest feeling I’ve been here before." Rose said to Claire
"That’s impossible, you must have been somewhere like it."
"What time is the guide supposed to show up?" Jacky asked.
"Actually I’m here," Andy came out of the coffee shop, it had to be them.
"Bloody hell….he looks like you Maxi," Jacky looked from one to the other.
"There might be a reason for that," Andy smiled. "Are we all ready to go…who’s got the car?"
"I’ve got it," Jacky looked him over again and shook his head. "You haven’t ever been to England or France have ya?"
"No, I’m Australian," Andy stuck his hands in his pockets while Jacky unlocked the doors to the SUV.
"AH HAH, Jacky…" Rose laughed, "It was Uncle Terry."
Andy smiled keeping silent while they bantered about.
They peppered him with questions about the House and most of them he answered on the way up the highway. He directed them to the turn off and up the winding road to the gates. As he looked each of them over he wondered at the House’s decision to have them here, this was a house of love and these kids were all related. But then they hadn’t come for a season only a holiday. He guessed the House had its reasons for answering Claire Biebe’s inquiry.
The gates opened when Jacky pulled up to them, "What’s this have you got a remote with ya?"
"No, only if you are invited do the gates open and the invitation has been extended."
"That’s crazy how do we get in and out if we want to go somewhere?" Claire asked.
"The gates will open for you…its magic." He smiled at her.
Rose had been quiet for some time and when they went through the gates she had an audible intake of breath. "I’ve been here before."
"You said that in Salem, a little case of Déjà vu?" Claire asked.
"Weird, Rose." Maxi looked over at her feeling the same thing she was, she’d opened her mind and they all could experience what she was feeling.
They piled out of the vehicle claiming their assorted luggage, Rose had a backpack and a small case in her hand, khaki shorts and a tee shirt, her blond hair pulled up in a French braid that hung half way down her back, well worn trainers. She stood near the garage taking it all in, the lovely old house and gardens in full bloom.
Maxi in black well fitting jeans with an oversized knit shirt, sunglasses pushed up in his hair pulled his duffle bag out, he took an instant liking to the place without having seen it all, "Great place, Claire."
"Thanks, Maxi…yeah…" she did a 180 looking around, "I bet it’s beautiful in winter with snow." Claire wore white shorts and a red and white stripped tank top with flip flops.
"Snow, where did that come from?" Jacky asked shouldering his backpack and picking up his canvas duffle. He had on jeans and a white knit shirt, worn trainers.
She turned and smiled, "I dunno just popped into my head." Claire pulled her leather monogrammed suitcase from the vehicle, part of a matched set she’d received from her parents.
Rose made her way to the front door which opened when she stepped on the porch. She turned wide eyed to Jacky who’d come up behind her, "It opened by itself."
"Ah, that guy’s got some kind of a remote control device in his pocket; he’s just having us on."
Jacky led the way inside and stopped in the large living room turning slightly to Rose, "Reminds me of home, kind of like the cottage and chateau rolled into one."
"Reminds me of Mum…doesn’t it?"
"Yeah, it does."
"Mum…Mum’s been here I can tell look at that sofa," Maxi laughed a little but it was almost identical to the one at the chateau.
"Listen…" Claire said putting her case down."
"To what?" Jacky asked.
"I don’t know…just something."
"I feel it too…Claire we’re not alone here." Rose said
"HA you’ve gone and rented a haunted house, Claire this should be interesting." Maxi said walking into the dining room
Andy closed the front door, "Your rooms are upstairs, I don’t think you’ll have a problem finding the right one, I’ll meet you back down here in say about ten minutes." Andy stepped into the kitchen
The House was decorated as it was when Toni left it nearly twenty five years ago, the same flowers in the vases, same food in the pantry. The bedrooms were the same also, Terry’s room with its cool blues and vibrant reds opened for Jacky. Maxi’s opened to a collection of English and French antiques he was at home in the chateau he mused, Claire’s reminded her of her father, comfortable pine furniture, quilts and leather chairs.
Rose walked into what had been her mother’s room. She walked over to the balcony and opened the French doors and thought of her Papa. You could see the ocean from here. The room smelled of her mother, roses and something else spicy.
"This is eerie do you have the feeling you’ve walked into your parent’s bedroom?" Claire asked walking to the balcony.
"Yes, my mothers. Look at the view."
"The sea, I thought you’d like this, Rose. I guess we’d better go down and see what the guide has to say about the place, I’d like to know its history."
Once they’d all assembled around the kitchen table with sub sandwiches, fruit and assorted drinks Andy sat down on a stool by the kitchen island.
"I’ll tell ya about this house and let me finish before you start in because I know it’s going sound fantastic. This house is magic, it’s very old but the spot it’s built on is ancient, magic and you’re going to hear a lot about that. It’s the magic of love that’s what this place is. It’s called the House of Four Seasons and there’s a reason for that. Four seasons of the year, for elements to maintain life and each of you have an element that makes you who you are; Fire, Water, Air, Earth.
"Like I said this is a house of love but only for a season. You can call anyone you wish as a companion but only for a season, if you stay for a year you will have four seasons, for different loves. Now I don’t know who started all this but it’s been this way forever. You’ve rented it for two weeks with an option and I know your situation is different from most people who come here for one thing there are four of you and for another, you’re all related by birth, even more so than you know.
"But back to the magic, anything you want will be provided for you all you have to do is ask and as you all have the ability…you can just think of it and it will appear like say an apple." Andy held out his hand and an apple appeared. "No I’m not a magician. Would you rather have a beer Jacky?" Jacky’s glass changed from coke to beer.
"Fuck this." Jacky pushed back from the table.
"No now wait a minute Jacky, you’ve stepped over into a different realm, reality doesn’t come into play here. Just accept it for what it is…magic. You’ll be protected here no harm can come to you while you are at the House."
"How do you know we’re related by birth?" Claire asked, "I didn’t say anything about that when I rented this place."
"The House knows who you are and where you came from."
"The House knows?" Maxi raised a brow.
"It’s like a living thing, Maxi, you’ll find that out. It will love you and care for you while you’re here, provide meals you don’t have to cook if you don’t want to, just enjoy the place and what it has to offer.
"How does it know us and where we came from?" Rose asked.
"You don’t know it but you all began here and you will find out over the course of your stay all about who you are. Don’t be afraid you are loved here."
"We didn’t begin here, I was born in France and Jacky was born in Virginia, Claire in Maine, Rose in England. I don’t know what you’re on but it sounds like some good stuff." Maxi eyed Andy.
Andy grinned, "I’m high on magic and so will you be. It doesn’t matter where you were born it’s who your parents were and where they came from."
"I knew it was something to do with them I feel like I’m bunking in Daddy’s room." Claire nodded her head.
"Yeah me too I almost walked out." Jacky said.
"You all should have an interesting stay here and find out much about yourself; any questions?"
"Yeah loads but I don’t think we’re going to get an answer that makes any sense." Jacky said.
Andy smiled, "you’re all a good lot of kids, you love each other let this be a time of discovery and accept what you find. Well if there’s nothing else I think I’ll be going, normally I’d stay around for a couple of days but this is a different situation."
"How are you going to get back to town, need a lift?" Maxi asked.
"No, I’ll walk through the gates and somehow by magic I’ll arrive at my destination which is the restaurant I work in…in Australia." Andy slid of the stool checked his pockets for anything he might have accidently picked up and gave them all a little wave.
It was like going with Papa, Rose thought, stepping through to the other side into his world…magic. The others had never experienced that although she’d told them about it. Maybe they would believe her now.
"It’s all a load of rubbish," Jacky leaned on the table and sipped the beer, "heh, it is beer."
"Yeah right, he’s got his act down pretty good," Maxi toyed with his coke and took a sip making a face he got up and dumped it in the sink.
"You don’t believe him?" Claire asked.
"Are you kidding?" Jacky said.
"What about you, Rose?" Claire turned to her cousin.
Part 3
"Let’s go see what we’ve got here," Jacky moved to the back door and stepped out onto the terrace.
Rose relieved he’d stopped the question she couldn’t answer got up and followed him out, Maxi and Claire started to clear the table.
"Wait a minute isn’t this supposed to be a magical house tell it to clean up," Maxi wiped his hand, "I want to explore."
"Well if it’s still here when we get back you have to help."
Maxi smiled, "You know I will."
"Rose has found the ocean," Claire said when they came out onto the terrace. Jacky and Rose were standing on the cliff edge.
"This is beautiful," Rose said
"Anything with water is beautiful to you, I see the tip of the sailboat…look there to your right there’s a dock of some kind."
"We’ll go sailing." She smiled broadly no way for her to know of course that the sailboat had once brought her father to the beach below…and to her mother. She wrapped her arms around herself, "I love this place."
"You haven’t even seen it yet," Jacky turned toward the house, "I like it too." He wouldn’t say anything to anybody about what he’d experienced when he walked in, almost like a warm embrace. But there was no one there to embrace him…a house of love? The wind tossed his longish hair about and he smiled a little, "guess we’d better get on with it they’ve walked that way."
Maxi was exploring the boat house exclaiming over what he’d found but Claire was standing by the pond and for a moment, just a brief moment, swish…the sound of skates on ice, she imagined it frozen over. Maxi broke her train of thought.
"There’s a boat, Claire we could take it out on the pond one day."
"Oh yeah, she made her way over…ok look there’s a pole in the water. I bet it was used to move the boat around."
"Yeah probably, I’ll see if I can get it out without going in." Maxi pushed his sleeves up and fished the pole out of the water, as soon as he touched it he felt it leave his hand but it didn’t he still had it and pulled it out onto the bank. It was as thought he’d tossed it in the water in the first place. He wiped his hands on his jeans and looked up, "What?"
"You had one too didn’t you?"
"Had what?"
Claire smiled.
"Yeah…weird." He saw Jacky and Rose coming down the path, Rose split off to walk around to the other side, there was a gazebo or something over there he could see the roof.
"What have you found here a boat house?" Jacky walked over and peeked inside, "nice."
Rose was still haunted by that feeling she’d been here before everything seemed familiar to her, she touched the side of the gazebo and it felt hot and she pulled her hand back quickly, strange that she thought and went inside touching the seats carefully to make sure they weren’t hot. She sat down, what a peaceful place.
Maxi made his way to the other side of the pond and entered the gazebo, "how cool," he said and sat down. There is something crazy going on here."
"What do you mean?"
"I don’t know yet but something is," he looked up at the boards above him, "I think I’ve been in one of these before."
"I feel like I’ve been here before. You can’t dream of a place you’ve never been to and then find it one day…can you?"
"I wouldn’t think so, Rose but if I was going to dream of a place this would be on the list. They’re going in the forest, wanna walk?"
"Oui."
As soon as Jacky entered the forest path he had the urge to run he could even hear footfalls, shaking his head a little, "Good place to run."
"Yes it would be do you still run every day with your Dad?"
"Not often anymore, I still run but…not with him."
"Jacky what’s wrong between you and your dad?"
"I don’t know," he sighed, "everything…I respect him enough not to go against his wishes about some things but I’m getting to the point where I’m going to have to break away."
"Is this about the military again?"
"No…I’ve got to find something to do with myself, I’m not going to work for him because he won’t let me do what I want, he wants to keep me behind a desk I can’t do that Claire. I need to…get out there and do something worthwhile something alive and moving something…"
"Edgy, that’s you Jacky you like living dangerously."
"Well it’s not just living dangerously it has to have a purpose ya know, I don’t have a purpose right now."
"You’re a lot like him oh yeah I know you don’t want to hear that but you are. Why didn’t you ever do something with your photography?"
"I got bored with it."
"I told Daddy we’d take lots of pictures did you bring your camera?"
"I always travel with a camera."
"You’ve traveled a lot and sent me some really neat pictures, were they published?"
"Some were."
"Are you still going with that stewardess?"
"Off and on."
"Is it serious do you think?"
"Off and on," he looked at her sideways and grinned."
"Tired of being interrogated?"
"You’re going to make a good barrister one day."
Part 4
"I don’t have to listen to this," Maxi was headed for the stairs.
"Maxi," Rose stopped him, "I think we need to talk this all out, she’s my mum too. Jacky don’t say things like that."
"It’s true; she was still with my Dad."
"Maybe they lied to you; maybe Uncle Terry is your father." Claire said.
"No, he isn’t Mum told me and so did Papa."
"You’re the reason they broke up." Jacky looked at Rose.
"It wasn’t me," Maxi turned, "I know you’ve been blaming me all my life for something that happened between Mum and Uncle Terry because she lives with my Dad."
"No…I haven’t." Jacky ran his hand through his hair, "it was just that…you were there and I wasn’t. My life was fucked from the time I was two years old. I didn’t have what you did any of you. None of you know what it’s like…you think I wanted to leave my mother?"
"I know you didn’t I used to feel sorry for you, Jacky. I don’t anymore you’re horrible to Mum, it breaks her heart…you don’t know how she hangs onto every bit of information she gets about you. You were seventeen the last time you came over to stay that’s six years, Jacky. That’s long enough." Rose turned around and sat in a chair.
"That was the year you closed up your mind, none of us could get to you what happened to you at seventeen?" Maxi asked.
"I had to grow up that’s all, it wasn’t easy I wasn’t ready. Dad retired Anna that year so there was no one but me and him and Wiggins who only came twice a week because she was getting too old she said," Jacky sat on the sofa and looked at his feet. "It upset me about Anna she’d been there for me since I was born. I went around to see her and found out she was upset too, she said she loved me like I was her own…and then she…I know she didn’t mean to let it slip but she said he’d given her the boot just like he did my Mum. So I started asking her some questions and it all came out. Dad had gone off on a mission and while he was gone Mum went off with Uncle Jack and came back pregnant with Rose. Dad couldn’t take it so he gave her…gave her mind you…to Uncle Max. This all happened at Connie’s funeral, your real Mum, Maxi."
"Did you ever ask your Dad about that?" Claire asked.
"No, I guess if he’d wanted me to know he would have told me. We don’t…talk much haven’t in a long time."
"But he still loved her he does to this day we see him from time to time he comes over. He never stopped loving Mum so why have you?" Maxi asked.
"I haven’t stopped I just don’t know what to think about it all."
"You think that makes her a bad person, Jacky because I sure don’t she’s my Mum and I love her and my Papa and Dad."
"I don’t think any of you know exactly what happened between them all, you’ve grown up making up stories about it. If you want to know something ask somebody for the truth. We’re all adults now and Jacky you’re still crying over something that happened twenty years ago. Get over it you’re a man now and you’ve got to get a hold on your life. Stop blaming your parents for your own problems." Claire said.
"You sound like Dad." Jacky looked up at Claire.
"I sound like my Daddy."
"How did he escape all this crap?"
"I don’t know, he lived in the states he wasn’t around my uncles that much."
"Lucky me, I don’t have any problems." Maxi sat back in a chair arms behind his back.
"Yeah, the sun always shined on you didn’t it?"
"I was just a kid, Jacky growing up without any control on which way the sun was shining. I know it was different for me and Rose and I’m sorry about that. Mum didn’t love you any less I can remember her crying after your Dad would come for you."
"Look, we came here to be together, let’s let the past go while we’re here and just be."
"You’re right Claire I don’t know what got us started on this tonight. Maybe it’s this house it seems like so much of our parents are here for some reason. Let’s go sailing tomorrow, get away for the day."
"If the weather holds Rose, that’s a good idea."
They went up to their bedrooms having spent a day exploring the property and eating the meals the house had prepared for them. They had accepted the magic with some skepticism but with no other explanation available they were beginning to believe something was happening here. The House was well pleased with the children, it hoped to heal the ones that needed healing and find a purpose in life for the ones that needed direction.
It was about to throw something into the works that would change each of them forever.
Rose had her bath and in her pajamas decided to watch TV for awhile before she went to bed. She noticed a row of DVDs on the shelf and went over to have a look, a lot were by the same actor, must have been a favorite she thought. One DVD was on a shelf above and she had to pull a footstool over to reach it, she could read the spine, Master and Commander Far Side of the World, sounded like a sea adventure.
She caught her breath and backed to the sofa and sat down, it was Papa…but it couldn’t be Papa. She stared at the cover picture and the back cover…it was Papa. She didn’t know what to think but she opened the DVD case with shaking fingers and placed it in the player.
Across the hall Claire had just finished emailing her Daddy copies of the pictures they’d taken that day and a little blurb about how good it was to be with her cousins and how much fun they were having. She thought about adding the bit about it being a magical house and chuckled to herself, he’d never believe it anyway and so she didn’t. Being a practical minded girl she wasn’t sure what to think about that herself, it was unnerving and a little frightening. She couldn’t deny it was happening but she didn’t like things for which there was no logical explanation.
The next room down was Maxi’s, he’d had a shower and slipped on a pair of boxers, he looked through the books on the shelf, reminded him of his father’s library. There was a TV but he wasn’t really into TV but the CD player he turned on and did a double take, French jazz. He sat down on the side of his bed and again wondered what was going on here. Everything about his room made him think of his father it even smelled like him. Was there some kind of subliminal message being sent to him about his Dad? He thought about calling and checked his watch; he’d be asleep now and probably wouldn’t like to be called out of bed at four in the morning. He looked at the front of the wardrobe and thought about unpacking his bag. He opened it and took a step back…"Mon Dieu"
Across the hall from Maxi’s room Jacky also had a shower and pulled on a pair of track pants from his bag. He lit a cigarette, nobody had said anything about it being a non-smoking place, wandering over to a bookshelf he pulled out a few books and leafed through them checking the covers, he thought he’d read them before…maybe…sometime ago couldn’t remember when…oh well. He placed them back and went over and opened his window leaning on the window sill he could hear a movie playing next door, Rose must have the doors open to her balcony. He glanced to his right there was another set of windows down there. He finished his smoke and decided to have a look in the other room. The door opened for him and he walked in and stopped, it was the scent that stopped him…Uncle Jack.
Rose should see this, he thought wandering around in the room picking up a book and putting it down touching a candle stick, he turned to the door.
"Jacky…you gotta see this…what the fuck?" Maxi walked in the room.
"Yeah, Uncle Jack."
"I think maybe we should get out of here, first thing in the morning."
"It’s a haunted house but why is it haunted by our fathers?"
"I don’t know, Jacky but I swear to you, Dad’s clothes are in my wardrobe. Have you checked yours?"
"No…" Jacky stared at Maxi a moment and moistened his lips, "I’ll go look."
Maxi followed him into his room, "Smells like your Dad, did you notice?"
"I’m used to it," Jacky opened the wardrobe "trakkies…Dad’s stuff."
"They’ve been here in this house." Maxi’s eyes were wide.
"You aren’t gonna go girlie on me are ya?"
Maxi frowned, "No…you think Claire might have set this up, she’s not past doing something like that?"
"I don’t know, let’s go ask her…ah Maxi put on a pair of shorts, ya dick’s coming out."
Jacky had a look around Maxi’s room while he found a pair of shorts. "Hey I like this," he pulled out a pale blue linen shirt."
"Don’t touch it, Jacky," Maxi’s eyes were dark blue and uneasy.
They went into Claire’s room and confronted her with their suspicions; she was sitting cross legged on her bed in her sweats. "I’m not that devious guys, Maxi I would suspect but how you would think I could pull this off…"
"I haven’t done anything I didn’t even know where we were going."
Jacky opened the wardrobe in her room, "think you’ll be needing a parka?"
"Wha…what?" Claire got off the bed and had a look. "Daddy."
Part 5
Rose watched the movie mesmerized by what she was seeing. There was no explanation for it. Magic like her Papa for she believed he was magical, she always had how else could he do the things he did. She’d fought many battles of her own with her brothers over him. They knew him as Uncle Jack who came to visit and took her away for a week or more now and again. She used to tell them where she’d been and the thing she’d done…that’s when the fights would begin. After awhile she kept it to herself, her Papa became her secret. He always took her to England and once there he would take her hand look down at her and smile and they would step from one world to another.
She’d always known he was something special and now this; it was him on the screen. She looked down at the cover of the DVD again, Russell Crowe. An actor created this character…she threw the DVD case down on the sofa…but he was real…he was her father.
"Has anybody seen Rose since we came up?"
"I think she’s watching a movie, Claire I heard it from my window."
"Well…we’d better talk to her and check out her room; honestly I don’t know what’s going on here." Claire opened her bedroom door and followed by Maxi and Jacky she knocked on Rose’s door.
"No answer, let’s go in." Claire opened the door her eyes went straight to Rose’s head bent over behind the sofa but the boys looked up at the screen.
"What the…" Jacky came into the room and walked over to the sofa and looked down at Rose, "Rose, what?"
"You tell me?" she looked up. They all gathered around her staring at the TV screen.
"That’s Uncle Jack…" Maxi slid over the arm of the sofa.
"It can’t be…is this some kind of documentary?" Claire asked.
"He’s a movie star?" Jacky asked.
"No…he’s a character…this man is the movie star." Rose handed him the DVD cover.
"He’s been here…there’s a room at the end of the hall, Rose…you should see it."
"Maxi…just cool it for a minute," Jacky got up off the sofa and started walking around. Something was beginning to form in his mind…something so fantastic he couldn’t believe it.
Claire was beginning to be frightened, "Jacky you’re the computer expert do you think we’ve been set up…I mean I did all this online and you never know…you know?"
"I don’t know, Claire…I just…"
"Can you still bring up the site?" Maxi asked, "I’ll take a look at it."
"Yeah I think so I book marked it will you come and look at it now?"
Maxi left with Claire and Jacky turned back to Rose. "Rose what was it that guy said, the Andy guy about companions?"
"Companions? Um that you could call anyone…but Jacky he couldn’t…he wasn’t …real. He’s a character in a movie if we’re to believe this…how can it be?"
"You know him better than any of us, come with me I want to show you the room."
Rose walked in the room, "Papa,"
"That’s what Maxi and I said…smells like him…looks like him."
"He has these brushes I’ve seen them on his ship, silver backed brushes." She picked one up and ran her fingers through the soft bristles."
"The bookmark’s gone and we can’t bring up the site…" Maxi came in with Claire behind him. "I think we’ve been set up. I vote we get the hell out of here right now."
"Andy said we would be protected here, no harm could come to us…"
"He’s probably in on it Rose we could be murdered in our sleep tonight."
"Not me, I doubt I get any sleep at all. I vote we stay," Claire looked around at the others.
"Stay for what? Wait for the next prank…this is sick."
"I vote we stay." Jacky said quietly.
"Rose?"
"Stay…I want to get to the bottom of this and if it is a prank, some sicko then we join forces and confront him."
"You’re out voted Maxi, so you’re in too."
Maxi threw up his hands, "I’m in."
"I think we should stick together, Rose has the biggest room you guys can toss for the sofa." Claire decided.
They were back in Rose’s room going over everything they could find for hidden microphones and camera eyes.
"Thing is, they make them so small now they could be in anything, a dot on the wall." Jacky ran his hands over the wallpaper."
"I don’t know what anyone would want to film here anyway four cousins on holiday…wow how exciting…really get your kicks off that." Maxi was going through the bookshelves.
"There used to be a picture hanging here, the nail’s still in the wall." Claire looked at the nail closely, "looks like a nail to me."
"Rose did you tell anybody where you were going, any of your friends?"
"No, I didn’t Jacky and nobody I know…knows anything about Papa only you three and Mum and Dad and our uncles."
"Well they wouldn’t do it besides I didn’t tell Dad where I was going anyway." Jacky gave up on the wallpaper. "What is it Maxi?"
"We’re all fucked…look at these I just found on the shelf." He handed out DVD’s.
"Mystery Alaska…Dad’s from Alaska."
They all looked at their DVD’s turning them over looking inside…"Could be fakes." Maxi said at last.
"One way to find out," Jacky popped his out and put it in the DVD player handing Rose’s back to her and meeting her eyes, "I don’t know, Rose."
They spent the rest of the night watching movies. Dawn found them sprawled on the sofa and in the bed asleep.
John was on his second cup of coffee when he sat down in front of his computer and checked his email. He smiled seeing Claire had sent him something. Ah pictures, he sat looking at the pictures of his nephews and niece thinking about how they’d changed and just thinking about them, looked like they’d all taken a turn with the camera, there was Claire and…what!
He went back over them again paying close attention to the backgrounds, he ran his hand over his face…how the hell…where the fuck were they…they couldn’t be at the House…ah Jesus…he looked at his watch, call somebody…call Max…call Terry.
"Max uh what are you doing are you at your computer?"
"No, what’s up John?"
"Just…just get to it and get online…like now I got something to send to you." John blew out a breath and forwarded the email to Max and to Terry. He picked up Donna’s phone that was recharging on his desk and called Terry.
"What’s going on John?" Max had made it to his desk and was waiting.
"It’s on its way…you ain’t gonna believe this shit…Hey Terry are you online?"
"Yeah, I’m at the office, John."
"Well open your email you got something coming that’s gonna blow your socks off."
"You’re talking to Terry?" Max asked opening his mail.
"Got you both," he waited breathing deeply.
"Where did you get this?" Terry asked
"Claire sent it to me last night I just opened it up see where they are?"
"Yeah, I see."
"Bollocks, they didn’t say they were going to the House,"
"Yeah I know, Max, Claire didn’t tell me either just said it was a beach house."
"That’s what Rose said."
"Jacky didn’t say but yeah they are there I recognize it…Okay um I need a flight out…um…" he began talking to someone else about flight schedules.
"I can drive there faster than you bastards can fly."
"Yeah John get on it, It will take me longer to get there. How the bloody hell did they find that place?"
"You know how it works…it found them…fucking magic fuck."
"John, go ahead and drive it will be tomorrow morning before I can get there…ask Terry when he’s getting out?"
"Red eye tonight, tomorrow morning for me too. John do whatever damage control you can…and if it’s too late…"
"I’ll tell them the damn truth see ya tomorrow I’m outta here." John closed it all down and went to find Donna. Within thirty minutes he was on the road south.
Jack was trying to write a letter to Sophie when it hit him one, two, three in quick succession he was summoned to the House of Four Seasons. He pondered on this a moment…why the House? Then he got a mental picture of Rose…oh dear God something had happened to Rose! He was in Portsmouth and if Killick would get him ready he’d go ashore and at the first opportunity step through and get himself to an airport.
TBC