M.O.E.. Linda Blum
Читать онлайн книгу.
Judy drove Jay to school. It was a snowy day, so the drive was slow. Along the way, they picked up Jay’s friend Dillon. Judy dropped the boys off at the door just before the bell rang then carried on to the restaurant.
The restaurant was bustling when she arrived. Judy always felt a sense of pride when she stepped through the doors of one the most successful restaurants in town. It’s success was due to the locale, it was situated long the picturesque Grande River, the menu was to die for, it was filled with variety of dishes to please many, her uncle set up a playroom for children that gave parents a chance to have a quiet dinner with their kids close by, and it catered to Kitshener’s German heritage, by serving cultural dishes. Another drawing card was the décor. Two stone fireplaces flanked the dining room, the walls were painted in earthy tones, and plants were scattered throughout the restaurant giving the place a homey ambiance. The tables were made of wood, the tablecloths were lace, and the one could sit either overlooking the river or reserve a quiet table to enjoy their meal.
Her uncle had worked hard to create a place where people could come and relax. As Judy looked around she noticed that many were doing just that, as there wasn’t an empty table in the place. She knew she was going to have to help her staff, but she had paperwork to do first. So, she advised her staff that she’d assist them as soon as she could.
When she stepped inside the office her heart caught. She could still envision Uncle Will sitting behind the desk. Oh how life can change so dramatically in the blink of an eye. Why, it seemed like yesterday that Judy was sitting in this very chair talking to him about her dreams and those damn symbols, hoping they would lead to her mother’s murderer. Well, lead them to the killer they did. Unfortunately it also led to his death, as well as the death of Aunt Vera. Who would have thought Aunt Vera had killed her mother in a jealous tirade over her father, than years later turn around and kill her brother because he found out, then herself.
Guilt washed over Judy as she thought back to all the times she felt something terrible was going to happen to someone close to her. Why could she never figure out that it was her uncle who was that someone? If only she did, then maybe he would still be alive.
As she contemplated her actions, a tingly feeling came over her. She searched the room until her eyes stopped on the ethereal figure sitting behind the desk. Judy smiled as she looked at her uncle.
She was never able to see spirits before her uncle died.
“Would you stop this?” Uncle Will pleaded.
“Stop what?”
“Thinking that you could have saved me,” he answered. “Like I told you before, it was my time to go so nothing would have stopped the inevitable.”
Judy held back the tears that were forming in her eyes. “I know, but it still bothers me.”
“Well don’t let it. What’s done is done,” he said. “Besides, I may have left this earthly plane, but I’m still here in spirit to keep you in line.”
“That you are,” Judy muttered.
“I’m proud of you,” Uncle Will said changing the subject.
His comment startled Judy. “Why?” she asked.
“You are doing an awesome job at running my restaurant.”
“I can’t take all the credit, Ren helps out a lot.”
“I knew that man was good for something,” Will joked.
“That he is,” Judy agreed.
“Besides Ren’s assistance, you’ve have been doing well,” her uncle said. “I knew you would be. That’s why I had been bugging you to come back to the restaurant.”
Another round of guilt washed over Judy at his comment. Her uncle had been trying for years to get her to work with him, but she always turned him down. Now she felt like a heel for being so reluctant to do so. She was always afraid that they would fight, until her uncle had pointed out that most of their squabbles happened when Judy was a teenager, and an unruly one at that. Judy realized he was right and decided to work for him again, only it was too late coming. Her uncle died the day she was slated to start.
“Now Judy,” her uncle warned. “You have to work on stopping that guilt trip of yours. It will do you no good. What happened in the past is done and over with. oncentrate on the here and now.”
“Easy for you to say,” Judy mumbled. “You’re dead, so you’re not wrapped up in all this emotional stuff anymore.”
“That’s not exactly true,” he countered. “Seeing you beating yourself up like this worries me.” “I know you say that nothing could have stopped your death, but a part of me doesn’t believe you.”
Will sighed. “You have to accept the fact that I am dead and move on. Holding onto the “what ifs” will only eat you up inside.”
Judy could feel the tears in her eyes. She understood what he was saying, but part of her guilt came from the fact that she couldn’t let her uncle go. She knew that she should, but found it hard to think of her life without him. Sure she still talked to him in spirit, but it wasn’t the same. There were no more hugs, kisses or physical contact of any kind. That was the problem. She was still physical and he wasn’t.
Somehow she had to get over this and be grateful for what she had with him now.
“I’m trying to move on,” Judy sniffed. “It’s just hard.”
“I’m still here, maybe not in the form you want me to be in, but I’m not gone,” Will said softly.
“I know,” Judy said sadly.
“We tend not to appreciate what we have,” Will commented. “I was guilty of that myself when I was alive. That’s why it’s important to be grateful for all the good in your life, especially when things are bad. This helps get you through the rough times.”
“I hate to say it, but right now I don’t feel very grateful.”
“Well then work on it. Every day make a list of what you are grateful for, even if it’s just the small things like the food you eat, or the air you breathe. Say this every day and eventually you will start to feel better and the cloud of sadness will disappear. Mind work is like a physical workout. When you start to work your body it doesn’t feel too good, but as time goes on you start to feel better and even enjoy the workout. Your mind tends to retaliate at first, but if you keep doing it eventually you will feel more control of your life and things will be better.”
Judy started to feel better after the talk with Uncle Will. It carried on all day until she got a distress call from Hope.
Chapter 3
“Help!” Hope bellowed over the phone.
“What’s wrong?” Judy asked in concern.
“Jonathan is here at the library.”
“How did he find out where you worked?”
“He probably asked around last night and one of my relatives told him,” Hope sighed.
“What are you going to do?”
“Hide.”
Judy laughed. “Do you want me to come over?”
“No, I guess I’ll be alright. I just panicked,” Hope said.
“Call if you need me.”
After Hope hung up with Judy, she planned to go out there and see what Jonathan wanted. Her courage soon plummeted when she opened the door to find him standing on the other side.
“Hi Hope,” Jonathan said as he entered her office.
“Jonathan what are you doing here?”
“I came to get some books,” he replied innocently.
“Really, so why are you standing by my office