The next morning, they climbed into Tristan’s work truck and headed north to St. Francisville. After they were out of Baton Rouge, Claire paid more attention to the landscape. It was similar to Texas with all the pine trees that lined Highway 61. Just before they got into the city limits of St. Francisville, she noticed that the 102
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land became a little hillier. Old live oak trees lined the roadside. It seemed as though they were in a different world entirely.
Being with Tristan made her fears of the stalker fade into the background, but occasionally, those thoughts would break through the joyous haze she had been wrapped up in and smack her in the face. Often when they were in public places, she would feel the hair rise up on her neck, as though someone was watching her every move. The panic would rise in her until she would find Tristan in the crowd watching over her.
Lighting a cigarette, she inhaled the smoke, waiting for it to calm her nerves. So far, she had not received any more unwanted envelopes. The appearance of the menacing packages had always been sporadic, and she was certain a new one would arrive soon.
She longed to confide in Tristan about the nightmare that had pursued her from Houston, but she was afraid of divulging her problem so early in their relationship. She was forced to admit to herself that she was simply in denial, hoping that one day it would all just go away, but each time she thought that happened, a new envelope would arrive.
Tristan broke Claire from her thoughts when she spoke.
“Normally, the port managers do this kind of stuff, but I love taking short road trips. It gets me out of the office for a while and gives me a chance to just think about things and enjoy being outside.”
Claire looked at her for a moment. “What kind of things do you think about when you make these trips?”
“I don’t know, really. It’s just nice to let my mind roam free for a while. I purposely don’t think about anything concerning work until I get to where I’m going. It’s kind of refreshing,” Tristan said with a grin.
“Can I ask you something off the subject?” Claire glanced at her nervously.
“Sure. What’s on your mind?”
“I know you told me that you wanted a relationship, but I am just curious about whether you intend to date anyone else or just me exclusively.”
Tristan steered the truck down the steep ferry landing. Once she had the vehicle in park, she turned to look at Claire. “I want to be very honest with you.”
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Claire felt her stomach tighten. She was afraid of the ominous tone in Tristan’s voice. Up until that moment, she thought she and Tristan were on the same page. Now, she was not so sure.
“I’ve never really been in a serious relationship. I have dated a few girls but only for a short time. I’ve never really committed myself to anyone ... until now,” Tristan said. “I hope you feel the same way about this, but I am not interested in seeing anyone else.
For the first time in my life, I have found in you someone I’d like to share my life with.”
Claire hugged Tristan and held her close for a moment. “I am so glad you feel that way. I was so afraid you were going to tell me that you still wanted to date other people. Once I find someone I really like, I have no desire to see anyone else, and I really like you. I grow fonder of you each minute I spend in your presence, and I would love to commit myself to you and this relationship.”
Tristan drew back from Claire to kiss her, but just as their lips brushed together, a loud horn startled them both. The Taylor Nichole made its presence known. Tristan growled low in her throat at the captain for interrupting them.
Tristan made a call to the boat on her cell phone. She and the captain talked a moment and decided it would be unsafe for her and Claire to try getting out to the vessel since fog had settled over the water. Tristan didn’t want to take a chance with Claire in the small launch boat called a skiff.
They both stood on the landing and watched as the craft was lowered into the water. The towboat itself was too large to come any closer to shore. Claire and Tristan walked to the water’s edge to meet the deckhand who brought the tiny boat on shore. Tristan introduced Claire and gave him the needed paperwork. They watched the skiff make its way back to the boat before being hoisted onto the deck.
“Now, the day is ours.” Tristan grinned and led Claire back to the truck. “It’s still a little early for the first tour. Why don’t we take a drive around town? Should you see anywhere you want to stop and look around, just let me know.”
As they drove, Claire noticed a small graveyard next to an old church. It gave her the creeps the way it was surrounded by trees whose moss hung down over the old stone crypts. “Tristan, why do they have all those crypts above ground? It looks so creepy.”
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“When I was a little girl, my dad told me it was because of the water table. Most of the graveyards in New Orleans have aboveground crypts because the city itself is below sea level.
Whenever there is a flood, the water table rises and pushes the soggy coffins up and out of the dirt. So, they just started to put them on top of the ground in crypts.
“This graveyard here was thought to be high enough above the water table. There is an old tale that one year we had real high waters on the Mississippi, and the water table rose high enough to push the coffins buried here out of the ground. According to the stories I have heard, the townsfolk did not take too well to seeing the long dead back above ground.”
Claire shuddered. “Can you imagine waking up and seeing something like that, or worse, seeing it actually happen? It gives me the creeps just thinking about it. I can tell you right now, if I had seen something like that, I would have shit a kitten. Hell, maybe a whole litter!”
Tristan burst out laughing at Claire’s colorful banter. Claire cast her a sideways glance. “What are you laughing at?”
“Shit a kitten? Sheesh, you Texans can come up with some stuff!” Tristan continued to laugh.
Claire looked at her mockingly. “Texans, huh? I learned the
‘shitting a kitten’ thingy from one of your crew coordinators, and I happen to know for a fact that he is a native of Louisiana.”
They drove around admiring the town and bickering over which state was best. Neither really cared but enjoyed ribbing the other about what her state did and did not have. The playful banter came to a halt when they pulled through the iron gates of the Myrtles Plantation.
The day had become overcast and added to the eerie appeal of the Myrtles. Claire instantly began scanning the windows of the old house trying to catch a glimpse of ghostly activity. From just the brief history Tristan had given her on the ride up, she already had a good case of the creeps.
They decided to have lunch since the next tour would not start for an hour or so. Tristan refused to have wine with her meal, reminding Claire that she was a lightweight and would not be able to drive home. In addition, she wanted her mental faculties about 105
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her in case they encountered anything strange. They both settled on iced tea.
“Do you believe in ghosts, Tristan?” Claire asked with a smirk.
Tristan returned the smirk. “I’ve never seen a ghost myself, but I suppose that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Frankly, I don’t know what to make of all the things people have claimed to see. Maybe they want to see something so badly that their mind plays tricks on them.” Tristan shrugged her shoulders.
“What would you do right now if you looked out that window and saw a ghost?” Claire widened her eyes, attempting to appear dramatic.