A haunting past

13.6 Linda West

Summer 1997, West residence

This Saturday morning the sun shone warm in the garden, so Linda and Mae decided to breakfast outside.

"What's wrong?", Linda asked.

She had watched Mae picking uncomfortably in her buttered toast for a while now.

Linda almost wanted to apologize that she hadn't made pancakes today, when her sister finally talked.

"I had a bad dream...", Mae started. "Remember last week when we went to that fortune teller?"

Linda did. How could she forget that hilarious woman?

"I dreamt I was marrying Herbert... and in the middle of the ceremony, she appeared between us, and spit fire...", Mae continued.

Now this sounded funny, Linda thought.

"...and then she was laughing madly, and saying that he's not my love fate!"

Oh my.

"... you're still worried about that nonsense?", Linda asked her.

"I am!", Mae confirmed, visibly agitated.

Linda took a deep breath.

When her sister had a fixation on something, it was hard to get her out of it.

"Don't be!", Linda said calmly. "You said it yourself, he's the only man you ever wanted to marry, no?"

"Yes, you're right!", Mae confirmed. She seemed to have found her confidence back.

That was easier than Linda expected.

"Linda?", Mae started again.

"Yes?"

Linda just hoped it wasn't about fire spitting fortune tellers anymore.

"I know, you're my older sister so... I'm not mad if you don't want it, but... ", Mae started hesitantly.

"Can I wear grandma's wedding dress? It would be like a lucky charm... ", Mae asked, having an almost guilty look on her face.

This was better. This still contained weird nonsense, but it still was better.

"Of course you can...", Linda said.

If it would help Mae get over her worries, she could have worn Linda's lab coat.

"Thank you! You're the best!", Mae said.

She definitely seemed calmer now.