Chapter 3...
The rest of the day went smoothly and Meckenzie rushed home after the final bell to meet with the party planner her father had hired for their eighteenth birthday party. Kellan was working out with her Basketball coach and Taggart had decided to put in an extra hour in the lab. So it would be up to Meckenzie to make the basic decisions about the party.
As she turned the corner she saw Ty hanging out in the park. He was talking with a guy and a girl who looked similar to him. All three stopped and turned to look at Meckenzie at the same time. Then like a wave of nausea, the buzzing started. She hurried along to her front door and rushed in.
After locking the door behind her, she went to the front window to look across the street to where Ty had been with his companions. No one was there but a dog walker and about six mixed dogs ranging in all shapes and sizes.
Just then the doorbell rang and startled Meckenzie. She was unsure of answering the door, as no one else was home. As she looked through the window, she could make out one of the assistants to Doreen the party planner.
Doreen McDonald party planner extraordinaire traveled with a posse. Two assistants trailed in behind her as well as a man in his late twenties who gasped as he entered the entry way. The unknown man mumbled, "Fabulous," and brushed past the two assistants.
Doreen began introductions, "This is Adam Smith, he will be designing the flowers and other table pieces for the party. You remember Jen and James my assistants."
Meckenzie nodded, "Let's go down to the parlor and ballroom so you can see the space Adam."
Meckenzie led the group down the spiral stair case, pointing out all the fine architectural detail for Adam's amusement. "The home was built in 1887 by my great grandparents. My great grandmother designed the home with the architect, specifying room layout. She hand-picked many of the art pieces you will see in the home. She lived to be 106. She was 20 when the house was built and never lived anywhere else for the last 86 years of her life. She especially loved this floor. The ballroom has been used to hold weddings, birthday parties, and even her funeral. As you can see by the design, it will easily hold 100 guests and will fit our needs for the dinner and dancing portion of our evening. The parlor will be able to hold the gift bags and function as a sitting area for the after dinner festivities. Now to my great grandmother's favorite part of the house, the garden."
There were many agreeable noises coming from Doreen and her assistants. Adam giggled and followed close behind Meckenzie. Just as she was showing the group the garden, Taggart strolled into the room. "I'm not too late am I? Meckenzie hasn't decided to use streamers and balloons for our decorations."
As Adam turned to see Taggart come in, Meckenzie was aware of the sharp intake of air. Adam had found himself a new object for his admiration in the form of Taggart.
Taggart had always commanded the attention of everyone when he walked in a room. His boyish charm was hidden behind the body of a man. He's lean muscular build was draped upon a 6'3" frame and his blue eyes could make you dream of the ocean. Topped with stylish trusses of blond hair that resembled in every way Meckenzie's own hair except for the length.
In every way, Taggart should be dripping with girlfriends. Yet, Taggart had chosen to throw himself into his studies instead. He was pre-accepted in to Harvard and he had every intention of going to medical school after. Meckenzie had no doubt that Taggart would succeed. He was driven.
Adam stepped forward, "I have not, nor will I ever use streamers and balloons for decorations. Now let's talk theme."
"Masquerade," said Taggart and Meckenzie simultaneously.
Adam about wet his pants with excitement. "So colors?"
"Gold, white and navy," Taggart was taking control of the decisions. Meckenzie was relieved; she had not really wanted to make all these decision anyway. Her head still hurt and she was as tired as she could possibly imagine being.
Adam squealed aloud when Taggart described decorating the garden with white silk and pillows and couches. Dorian and Meckenzie used this opportunity to discuss menu while her assistants began measuring every square inch of the ballroom and garden. After an hour of discussion, Kellan came bounding down the stairs.
They all decided on the final menu options from choices Meckenzie had made and the meeting was over. The triplets escorted the group to the front door and made plans for another meeting in a week. With a short four week time frame, things had to move fast.
"I'm going to get a shower." Kellan said as she bounded up the stairs.
As Taggart turned from the front door, he reached out to touch Meckenzie’s shoulder. "So you want to talk?"
Meckenzie was confused, "About what?"
"I love you like a sister you know." Taggart laughed at his own joke
Meckenzie giggled, "I hope so, since we did share a womb."
"I know something is going on with you. You seem distant and moody."
“You mean because of what happened in Humanities today. I’m not sure what’s going on. The new kid was just weird." Meckenzie didn’t want to sound crazy because she thought Ty was causing a buzzing sound inside her head.
"He freaks me out too."
Meckenzie paused for a moment and decided to give her brother the whole story.
“I don’t know what is going on right now. I have these dreams where I am this woman running in a forest. It’s as if someone is chasing me, but I turn and no one is there. Then I toss something in my mouth chew a couple of times and then just disappear. I don’t know if it is invisible chewing gum, I don’t know who’s chasing me. I just know I wake up tired and with a headache. Every night the dream comes and every night it’s the same thing. And every night, the woman is mom.”
Taggart looked worried. He opened his mouth to speak, but Meckenzie held up her hand.
“Then today, when that Tynan guy came into class, my head started buzzing. I know it sounds crazy. It was like there was electricity humming in the back of my head. You touched me and it stopped. Then he came to our table and it started again. I don't know if it is real, but I touched you again and it stopped...again. Later I saw him across the street and the buzzing started again. He actually seemed to know it was happening because he laughed out loud, but when I got around the corner it stopped. On my way home he was in the park in front of our house with some friends, he just stared at me, but the buzzing came back. The guy freaks me out.”
Anger flashed on Taggart’s face. He seemed to be breathing faster. “I knew something was off with that guy. He just seemed weird. Do you think he’s stalking you?”
Meckenzie paused, why would the new guy stalk her. He had only been at the school for a day. It seemed impossible that he would have really taken that much interest in her in one morning.
“I don’t think so. But maybe you can run with us in the morning. Kellan never waits for me to keep up.”
“I guess it is probably time for me to take up running again. I won’t always be able to keep my boyish figure without some kind of work out.”
Meckenzie giggled, knowing full well that Taggart worked out every evening in the house’s built in gym that resided in the basement. They made their way into the kitchen where they were greeted by their housekeeper and cook Isabel. She stood over the sink washing fruit and singing to herself. Isabel was like part of the family, having started working for their family right before their mother's vanishing. She had functioned as a nanny of sorts for the trips.
As best as Meckenzie could tell, Isabel was in her mid to late forties, though there was no way to know for sure, because Isabel didn’t talk about her age. Isabel’s wavy brunette hair was usually tied back with a ribbon or clip, which showed off her soft feminine features. Her eyes were a chocolaty brown that had always made Meckenzie feel comfortably safe. Meckenzie and Isabel were about the same height, which made them the shortest people in the house. Though in most situat
ions, Isabel’s personality made her seem taller than she actually was.
After their mother disappeared, their father had been adamant about Isabel walking the kids to and from school. Since they had turned fifteen he had let them walk themselves, being that the walk was only a few blocks from their house. Isabel had always been here when they got home, with snacks and homework help. Though Kellan was really the only one that needed homework help.
"You guys want some fruit?"
Taggart hopped up on one of the bar stools that sat around the island in the kitchen. "Sure. What's for dinner tonight? I may need to skip it to go to the library."
Isabel made a negative clicking sound with her tongue and shook her head. "I'm making pot roast with mini potatoes and carrots. I also baked fresh rolls. You surely can't miss your favorite dinner for the library?"
Taggart smiled knowing that he would stay for dinner. As Isabel had definitely made his favorite dinner. She tossed him an apple and smiled knowing her trap was laid.
Meckenzie grabbed a pear and headed up to her room. She wanted to get her homework done before dinner so she could watch some TV tonight. Maybe some mindless humor from Monday night sitcoms would relax her. Meckenzie considered running to the store and getting something to help her sleep, but she didn't know the first thing about medicine and definitely didn't want to start some kind of dependency on pills to get her to sleep. Maybe an evening work out would allow for some much needed sleep to come.
Everyone settled down for dinner at six, as was the custom in the Desmond house. Their father had made sure to always be home for dinner. He often would leave after dinner to go handle business or meet clients for drinks, but he was almost always home for dinner at six.
"How was the meeting with the party planner?" Lawrence Desmond asked.
"I think we have everything set. They will be sending out the invitations as soon as you give me a list of people you would like to invite. I will email all the addresses to Doreen and her assistants will take care of it. We have the menu selected. Taggart and the designer Adam have tightened up the plans for decorations and table settings." Meckenzie laid out all the plans that had been made that afternoon so her father could feel like he was a part of the planning.
Their father turned to Kellan, "And what input do you have?"
Kellan laughed, "I helped with the menu. I was working with Coach Swanson for most of the meeting. I think Meckenzie likes being in charge anyway. I will just show up and look pretty."
Their father laughed one of his whole body laughs. He loved his children. You could see by the smile on his face that nothing they could say would change that. For a moment his face flashed with a sudden darkness.
"Well, I guess this is as good a time as any to have this conversation." Lawrence paused, "Your mother left instructions for you on your eighteenth birthday."
All three of the trips dropped their silverware and stared dumbfounded at their father.
"Your mother left letters for all three of you and a key to a safety deposit box to be given to you on your eighteenth birthday. I have been keeping them in the safe in my office. After dinner, we'll go get them and we can decide what to do."
Kellan was the first to react, "So for eight years you've been sitting on a letter from mom and never thought we might want to know?"
Their father’s eyes flashed with a sadness that had lived there for the past eight years. He had truly loved their mother. Still to this day as far as the trips knew, he had never dated or shown interest in another woman. "I did as she instructed me to do in my letter."
Kellan stood up from her the table, "We should just do it now. I know I'm not in the mood to eat anymore.'
"Kellan, it'll still be there after we finish dinner." Taggart stated.
Meckenzie looked at her father and thought she saw the beginning of tears in his eyes. "Come on Kellan, let’s finish dinner."
So everyone ate in silence not knowing what the next hour would hold for them.