First Chapter of Belle Manor Haunting by Cheryl Bradshaw
Addison Lockhart was holding a jar of tomato sauce in her hand when her water broke. She’d been shopping at the local grocery store when her unborn child decided she’d grown a bit tired of sitting inside of a stuffy womb for so many months. She was ready to make her grand entrance into the world, even if it was nine days ahead of schedule.
Shocked and unprepared, Addison stood for a moment, frozen, staring down at the combination of tomato sauce, glass, and amniotic fluid that had splattered all over the supermarket floor.
A young male employee stepped into the aisle, glancing at the mess as if confused about what to do next.
He looked at Addison and said, “Ma’am, are you all right?”
She stared at him and then tipped her head toward the wet patch on her dress. “I don’t think so. It seems my baby’s coming.”
The employee’s eyes widened, and he held his hands in front of him. “I … ahh … you just wait here. I’ll get someone to help.”
He scampered off, and moments later, a voice came over the store’s intercom requesting a cleanup on aisle three. Addison reached down, attempting and failing to grab her purse at the bottom of the shopping cart before a sharp pain ripped across her abdomen. She gripped the cart’s handle in her trembling hands, trying her best to breathe through it.
I can do this. It’s just a contraction. All I need to do is breathe through it, and everything will be all right.
If only she believed it.
A bit farther down the aisle, an elderly woman rushed to Addison’s side. The woman leaned over the cart, lifting the purse like it weighed nothing. She handed the bag to Addison and said, “Here you go, hun.”
Addison forced a smile. “Thanks for your help.” Then she unzipped the top of her purse, fumbled around for her cell phone, pressed the first number on her speed dial, and waited for the call to go through.
Seconds later, Luke answered, saying, “I was just getting ready to call you. Want to grab lunch somewhere?”
“I think I’m in labor. My water just broke.”
“Already? Where are you?”
“I’m at Fresh Pantry, the one by our place.”
“I’m on my way. I’ll be there in five minutes.”
Addison ended the call, slid the phone back inside her purse, and slung the purse over her shoulder. She glanced over to see the elderly woman still standing by her side, smiling.
“Is this your first baby?” the woman asked.
“It is.”
The woman reached out, patting Addison’s hand. “Now, don’t you worry. Everything is going to work out. How about I walk you to the front door and wait with you until your ride gets here?”
“I appreciate your help. I think I can make it.”
Addison abandoned the cart and started walking toward the end of the aisle. Several steps in, another wave of contractions began. Addison bent down and reached out, clutching the shelf next to her.
The woman wrapped an arm around her and said, “Let’s get you through this one, and I’ll help you get where you need to be. Okay?”
Addison nodded.
The woman remained by Addison’s side, humming a soothing tune as they made their way to the door. The tune seemed familiar. Addison was sure she’d heard it before—somewhere. She glanced over, giving the woman a closer look. She estimated the woman to be in her eighties, and she had short, gray hair styled into a messy pixie cut. The woman was thin but much stronger than she appeared.
They walked outside, and the woman guided her to a bench. They both sat down. Addison turned toward the woman. “I didn’t think my baby was coming yet or I wouldn’t have gone to the store today.”
“Hard to know with babies, isn’t it? They’re unpredictable little bundles. You have a name picked out yet?”
Addison nodded. “Amara Jane.”
“It’s lovely. How did you choose it?”
“It may sound strange, but her name just came to me one day.”
Addison thought back to the day of her grandmother’s funeral. As she left the graveyard, a breeze had kicked up out of nowhere, and with it, Addison swore she’d heard someone whisper “Amara.” As her pregnancy progressed, Addison and Luke considered several names, but no matter which ones they liked, she always came back to Amara.
“Do you have any children?” Addison asked.
“A daughter, a son, and one granddaughter.”
“I’m Addison, by the way. What’s your name?”
“Josephine. You can call me Jo.”
“Do you live around here?”
“Not far. I always thought I’d move on from this place one day, take a journey, see the world, but I’ve always found it hard to be away from my children for long.”
“My father feels the same way. He just bought the house next door to ours.”
“Do you mind him being so close?”
Addison shook her head. “Not at all. I love my husband, but my dad is the only family I have left.”
A car raced into the parking lot, not bothering to brake when it hit the speed bump near the store’s entrance.
“I’m guessing your ride’s here,” the woman said.
Addison stood. “It is. Thanks again for looking out for me today. I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t there.”
“You would have been just fine, but I was happy to help. Maybe one day we’ll meet again, and you can return the favor.”
Luke jerked the car to a stop next to Addison, hopped out, and rushed around the side. He jerked the passenger-side door open and eyed Addison. Then he placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed. “How are you doing? Are you okay? I mean, are you all right? Are you in pain? What can I do? I’m here. Just tell me. Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”
Addison grinned. “For starters, you can ease up on your grip a bit and calm down.”
“Calm down. Right. Sorry.”
He helped her into the car, buckled her into the seat belt, and raced to the driver’s seat.
“I know how much you want to hurry,” Addison said, “but let’s just concentrate on getting there safely, okay?”
Luke had always been the calm, collected type, while Addison had always considered herself to be a bit unsure about things and scattered. Seeing his cork come undone shouldn’t have been satisfying, but somehow, it was.
“How are you feeling?” Luke asked.
“I’ve had a couple of contractions since my water broke. I honestly didn’t know what to do, and then this sweet woman offered to help me. She walked me outside and stayed with me until you got here.”
“Too bad I didn’t get the chance to thank her.”
“I’m sorry. I was concentrating so much on getting out of there, I didn’t give it much thought. I should have. She was sitting right next to me.”
“When?”
“Just now. On the bench when you pulled up.”
He shook his head, confused. “Sweetie, I saw you as soon as I drove in. You were alone on the bench. There was no one else with you.”