In The Space of Time

Chapter 2

Chapter 2
Joan could tell from her aunt's manner, she was deeply troubled by Sally Ann Wright's disappearance. The twenty-year span of time had not dimmed her recollection or emotions regarding the episode. As they pulled up to the house her aunt turned off the car and turned to her, "listen, my wee little sprout I've a lot to tell ya, some will be hard fer ya to believe, so I'll need all yer' trust, for once said nothing will ever be the same, ' are ya' sure yer' want to know?"
"Yes, Auntie Em, I'm sure."
"Sprout, first let me ask' ya' about yer parent's accident. I didna want to' ask ya about it before, but I need ya to tell me, before I be speakin about light seekers." Joan hesitated for a moment afraid her aunt would think like the others, when she told them about her mother. Emily could see from Joan's reaction she felt uncomfortable.
"Don't worry, I'll believe anything' ya' tell me."
It took Joan a second to muster up her courage, she took a deep breath and told her aunt how her mother had kept her warm, and told her she was loved. Her voice quivered as she choked back tears, "I always thought momma didn't love me" she said quietly.
"Saint's preserve us, why would ya' be thinkin such a thing?"
Twisting the end of her hair, "I don't know, I guess because my mom was so beautiful, and I'm so ugly."
"Well me wee sprout, for' yer' information, ya' be lookin just like her when she yer young. I can even remember the day yer' mum asked me why she were not beautiful, I told her caterpillars be fuzzy en cute, til they'd be grown into a beautiful butterflies.
"Right now ya are fuzzy en cute, but soon yer goin too be a beautiful butterfly too," then Em wrapped her arms around Joan and gave her a hug before they went into the house.

Back at Jordan's office he fought to control his emotions, his mind was reeling. Why would Joan Reynolds be looking up information on Sally Ann Wright? He opened a folder on his desk and searched for Joan Reynolds room number and name of her teacher: Jo Beth Turner. Damn! He uttered when he found she was married to Kyle Turner, the town's sheriff. Kyle and Jordan had never gotten along very well, they weren't enemies but neither where they friends. Kyle had always rubbed Jordan the wrong way. Unsure if he should call Jo Beth, what if that arrogant ass Kyle answers the phone? Continuing his train of thought 'I don't need to take any crap from him, I'm still his wife's boss' Unable to stand it any longer Jordan picked up the phone and dialed exerting all his willpower to calm his voice. He felt just the slightest bit of relief after he heard Jo Beth's voice answer the phone.
"Hello."
"Jo Beth, it's Jordan North."
"Jordan," she said with surprise in her voice, "is there anything the matter?" When Kyle heard his wife mention Jordan's name he put down the paper he was reading and looked to his wife. She returned his look, shrugged and then turned back to the phone.

"Jo Beth...the reason for my call...Um," he hesitated. Then he went on, his voice taking on an almost demanding tone. When he asked why she would give her student's an assignment on something in such bad taste, as Sally Ann Wright's disappearance. Even though he tried to keep his voice calm, he could feel his tone rise. Apparently Jo Beth had noticed it also.
"Jordan, I have no idea what you're talking about. But seeing as how I am the teacher, I would appreciate it if you would allow me to pick the subjects for my class. Regarding Sally Ann Wright, I have not assigned any such subject to my students."
Jordan then mentioned how he heard Joan Reynolds was doing a school assignment, about Sally Ann's disappearance. There was no mistaking Jo Beth's forceful answer.
"Like I said, I did not give any such assignment. Now, if you will excuse me I'm very busy." With that Jo Beth hung up the phone. Kyle could see she was visibly irritated.
"Oh that man!"
"What was that all about?"
"That man is such an insufferable egomaniac!" Kyle's interest now peeked.
"Where does he get off trying to tell me how, or what to assign to my class? And to believe I would give an assignment on little Sally Ann Wright is the most," before she could finish her statement, Kyle interrupted.
"Why would Jordan North be calling you regarding something that happened twenty years ago?" Kyle now extremely interested, asking the question out loud as much to himself as to Jo Beth.
"Jo, calm down. Now tell me what Jordan had to say." With a small sigh, Jo related what Jordan had said. After a moment Kyle's police training kicked in.
"Well what about it? Did you require Joan Reynolds to do any research on the Wright girl?" Unfortunately his words came out a lot more forceful than he'd planned.
Jo Beth's demeanor changed quickly, placing her hands on her hips and puckering her lips, she gave him one of those, who do you think you are kind of looks.
"Kyle Martin Turner, you may be sheriff, but don't try using that tone with me!"
"Sorry Hon, You're saying you didn't tell the Reynolds girls to do the assignment?"
"Don't be ridiculous! Joan is a sweet and sensitive child who has been through a lot.
Even if it were a school assignment, I wouldn't have Joan delve into anything to do with death, after losing both of her parents." Her voice softened a bit. As Kyle sat thinking about how strange it was for Jordan to call, he rubbed his chin, a habit he had when something bothered him. Familiar with his tell tale trait, Jo Beth asked.
"Alright what's on your mind?"
"What?"
"Don't give me that, I know that look." Kyle paused for a moment,
"Can you remember back to that day?" He asked her.
"Yes, but who'd want to?"
"Just bear with me, remember how the entire school and town set out to search?"
"Well Jim Davis and I decided to go check out the woods behind the Wright property." We had barely gotten started when none other than Jordan North came running out of the woods, with a fearful daze glossing over his expression.
"Jim and I ran up and asked, what was the matter?" Jordan became very defensive. He wanted to know why we thought something was the matter. "I told him he looked frightened. That's when he threw a fit and started screaming, and where did I get off saying he looked scared. Next thing I knew he shoved me. I was just about to cold cock him, when some of the other kids from school came along. They were getting ready to go back into the woods to search some more, I can remember how Jordan tried to stop them saying he had already checked. Well everyone agreed he couldn't have been able to check everywhere alone. So we broke off into teams. Jordan grabbed Milt and said they would head in the direction of Walton's bluff. So everyone disbursed and searched. But from that day to this," Kyle paused, speaking with a strange expression, "We've never gotten along." Kyle got up from the table.
"Hey Hun, you got anything planned for the next hour or two?" Jo squinted as she thought for a moment, "Not really, why?"
"I thought I'd take a run into the office. I want to check on something." He inquired.
"Go ahead, there's plenty to keep me busy around here." She finished, dismissing him. Kyle gave Jo a kiss on the cheek at the same time he gave her a pat on the ass.
Jo acted like he was a pesky fly and she swatted at him, he smiled and gave her a wink before he left. He didn't know why, but something kept nagging at him. Why after so many years would it stick in his mind about Jordan's appearance that day twenty years ago? He closed his eyes he tried to conjure up the image of Jordan as he came out of the woods. He felt there was something around the edges of his memory that was present that day, something he somehow never allowed himself to connect to the missing girl.

Back at the O'Hara home Emily went to her favorite rocker, and asked Joan to pull a stool next to her near the window. "Well sprout, this here be a story that's been passed down through generations." She paused.
"It started hundreds of years ago in Ireland. It happened in the town of Dunegal. Patrick Shae Dooley was in love with Mary Elizabeth McGwire, her being the love of his life he were plannin' on asking Mary's father, Dennis for her hand in marriage. But Patrick's father Duncan and Dennis had a falling out over Mary's dowry. So Mary's father, Dennis said there'd be no weddin'. Patrick went to Mary's father beggin' him to reconsider, but he would'not.
Ya' see Dennis were a stubborn and greedy man, who wanted to find someone who'd be willin' to take a smaller part of Mary's dowry, leavin' him a sizable portion for himself. Even though Patrick said he'd take none of Mary's dowry, her father still said no. In those days a young girl couldna marry who she loved, only who her father picked. So Mary's father Dennis chose to marry her off to Nicholby O'Riley a nasty slovenly man, twice her age. Who was happy to agree to less in order to get his hands on her money, plus he'd be havin a young girl fer his wife who'd also do his cookin' and cleanin'. Everyone in town knew him to be of mean nature, to humans and animals alike, Mary's future was lookin' bleak. When Patrick found he couldn't marry his true love, and that she were to marry Nicholby he almost went insane. So Patrick sent a message to Mary to meet him in their secret spot once her family where in bed. That night after her family went to bed Mary crept out and met Patrick on the high bluff above the river where they went to watch the ships sail by. When Mary arrived Patrick were already waitin' fer her. He pulled her into his arms holdin her tight, knowing this wer' probably the last time fer them to be together, if he couldna convince her to leave with him. Patrick knew he couldn't stand for Mary to marry anyone else, especially Nicholby O'Riley. Mary's heart were torn, for she knew if she left, her father would make her younger sister Katie take her place. Desperately she pleaded with Patrick not to go, but she understood why he couldna stay. Heartbroken Patrick left to make a life for himself on the sea. Everyone in town knew what Dennis McGwire done.
They also knew why Patrick left. On Mary's wedding day she prayed for God to watch over Patrick, and to forgive her for not leavin' with him. At the wedding reception Nicholby got drunk, and started complaining to everyone how he'd been cheated by Mary's father. When the weddin' was over, Mary Elizabeth's nightmare began. Her wedding night turned into a nightmare when she were brutalized and beaten by her drunken husband. In the days and weeks that followed the whole town knew of Nicholby's treatment of Mary.
Nicholby enjoyed having someone to mistreat, but after several weeks of seeing Mary mistreated, several of the town's folks went to Mary's father and threatened him, to do something about Mary's mistreatment. So Dennis went straightaway to Nicholby, when his eyes fell upon his daughter thin and battered, a bit of shame made him speak up and demand she be treated better. But instead of it helpin, it made Nicholby laugh and throw Dennis out. That very night Mary Elizabeth snuck out of the house and made her way to place that she and Patrick's used to go, overlooking the sea. Her sorrow was so great she begged for God to forgive her, and to let Patrick know that she loved him, she then jumped to her death."
"Aunt Em, that is so sad, but I still don't know what light seekers are."
"I'm not quite done my wee sprout. Let me see now, where was I?" Joan piped up.
"Mary Elizabeth jumped off the cliff."
"Surin yer right."