The Adventures of Anna of Waverly Manor Page 2

  Anna was aghast when the Milfoils ran into town that morning and placed an ad on the town bulletin board for a medium to exorcise the evil out of the manor.

  When the Milfoils returned home, Anna went into a huff. She said to Tomfoolery, "I can't believe they didn't keep running away. What's the matter with the living lately? Aren't they scared anymore of a good old fashioned spook's trick?"

  "This couple wants to destroy the manor regardless of ghosts," Boo worried.

  "It's a downright shame. We'll be out on the streets if we don't act on a new plan right away," Tomfoolery said, tugging on the hem of his vest. "Anna!"

  "I'm thinking one up, boys. Hold on, all right?"

  "No need to worry," Tomfoolery said to Boo. "Anna will have a plan soon."

  "Finding someone capable of talking to ghosts will be hard," Anna said. "We have time, but if we don't work on the skills that we need, it will be a disaster. We need to nip the idea in the bud before it gets to that point."

  Anna thought for a minute. "Most of the living don't want to see, hear or feel a ghost's presence! It would be rather unnerving, if not terrifying, to show yourself for a few seconds during the night and have some blank-eyed human staring back at you, mouthing something like eeek!"

  "Visions of ghosts will become all too real at that point and they won't want to mess with this old place anymore," Boo said.

  "They need a good spooking," Tomfoolery agreed.

  "Right, boys," Anna replied.

  ***

  The next morning Anna, Tomfoolery and little Boo went right to work. The old man went mad when he tried to wash up in the morning and Tomfoolery obliged him by turning the tap on for him, making sure it was scalding hot.

  The steam rose to the bathroom mirror and Tomfoolery wrote, GOOD MORNING on it.

  When that didn't work, Boo sharpened his razor, which was three inches long with a steel blade edge, on the leather strap. This made it sharper than a knife. In the meantime, Tomfoolery lathered up the old man's face, holding his nose out of the way so it would not be cut off. With the floating shaver's mug and brush, this was all too much for the man and made his hair stand on end and his eyes widen in sheer fright.

  Tomfoolery wrote on the mirror a second time, WHAT FRIGHTENS YOU MAY JUST AS WELL EAT YOU UP. Then he grabbed the man by the collar and said, "What's a ghost's favorite fruit? Give up? A boo-berry. Wait, don't run away just yet. What do I call my ghost's mother and father when I call collect? Transparent!" Tomfoolery laughed out loud.

  Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Anna had the old woman's clothes nicely laid out neat as a pin on her bed for her to be properly dressed for the day — in a straight jacket complete with glistening silver handcuffs and a glossy black coffin next to the bed all ready to go. Anna even had the old woman's false teeth in her night cup wired shut. She couldn't speak when she tried saying The Lord's Prayer when she saw Anna for the first time.

  "The straight jacket is too tight," the old lady mumbled as Anna wrapped it around her body twice.

  Anna gave her a wink and smirked while she placed her into a coffin filled with mice and a few fat rats. Anna closed the lid tight and sat on top of it. She dangled her foot over the coffin and said, "Another job well done."

  The old man and women left the manor the next day, sold it to the Manchester Corporation, and never returned.

  CHAPTER 2

  ONE YEAR LATER…

  The rich aroma of coffee wafted through the small apartment, making Steve's nose twitch. He hurried to get dressed so he could get his first cup.

  “Amanda, where are my black socks?" Steve yelled down the long hallway to the kitchen.

  His wife yelled back, "In your third dresser drawer."

  "Thanks." Steve opened the drawer. "Found them."

  "Hurry," Amanda chided, "You're going to be late for work again." She took the oatmeal off the stove and spooned some into her daughter's cereal bowl. "Check on Jackie, ok? She's been in the bathroom all morning."

  Steve headed to the bathroom door while knotting his tie. He turned the doorknob, but it wouldn't open.

  "Jackie, you locked the bathroom door again. You know that's a no-no. Mommy and I talked to you about that before. You can't lock this door."

  The special needs girl only hummed, sending her worried father into a frown.

  "Birthday angel, are you in there?" he asked in a soft voice.

  La da la da boo-dea

  "Happy birthday, Jackie." He knocked. "Honey?"

  "Yes?"

  "It's Daddy. Let me in."

  "In a minute…please!"

  Steve grinned at how grown up she sounded just then. Her seventh birthday brought back memories of her birth. Steve and his wife, Amanda, had wanted a family from the day they married. At Jackie's birth, their joy was countered with the doctor's pronouncement. "Special needs child. Mentally challenged."

  Steve had to swallow the lump in his throat and all his dreams for his first born, his daughter, crashed to his feet. But, her sweet smile and beautiful face brought the joy back and now, he stood outside the door, anxious to give her a birthday hug.

  Amanda called through the kitchen door, "Hurry, you two. Breakfast is ready!"

  "Did you hear that? Breakfast is ready." When he got no response, he jiggled the doorknob. "Daughter, let me in!"

  "In a minute…please!" He heard her giggle, then say, "Trick or treat!"

  "What? Jackie, let me in!"

  "Trick or treat! It's Halloween, Daddy. When can we go out trick-or-treating?"

  "Later, sweetie."

  "Can we go after breakfast?"

  "No, dear, later tonight. Open the door."

  "In a minute, please."

  "But it's somebody's birthday."

  "Whose birthday, Daddy?"

  "Sweetie, it's your birthday."

  "Aw, outdoodles!"

  "What's the matter?"

  "Can we go trick-or-treating, Daddy?"

  "After your birthday party. All right…Jackie?"

  "Oh, rat farts!"

  "Well, happy birthday."

  "Thank you, Daddy."

  Hickup pop!

  "And besides your birthday, it's also Halloween," Steve said.

  "Yes, candy plus cake — score!"

  "Yes, you scored big time, sweetie," Steve said, then added, frustrated by the locked door, "It's the day I have my heart attack."

  "Can I tell you want I want for my birthday?"

  "Sure, daughter, go right ahead and I'll bring it home right after work. Jackie?"

  "Yes…I don't want Daddy to have a heart attack."

  "Aww, thank you, sweetie."

  "Daddy?"

  "Yes, Jackie."

  "Call Mommy, I'm done in the bathroom."

  "Honey," Steve shouted.

  "What?"

  "Your daughter needs you."

  "Oh, my daughter now, huh?"

  "Yes, of course. Hey, before you go in, I have to tell you something," Steve said.

  "Mommy, help. Mommy, help me, Mommy!"

  "Dear," Amanda said to the door, "I'm kinda busy right now." She turned to Steve. "Can your news wait until you get home with Jackie's birthday cake?"

  "Oh, the cake. Thanks for reminding me. I just wanted to say I'll have a surprise when I come home."

  "Okay."

  "Mommy, help. Mommy. M-O-M-M-Y!"

  "What is it?"

  "Daddy is going to have a heart attack."

  "What are you filling her head with anyways, Steve?" Amanda asked.

  "Look, I was just ranting and she overheard me."

  "Yeah, I bet."

  "Are you trick-or-treating?" Jackie asked through the door.

  "No, dear. Mommy will be right there. I'm talking to Daddy."

  "Daddy is having a heart attack. Can I have a heart attack, too?"

  "No," her father answered.

  "Why not?"

  "You're too young, that's why."

  "I want to go along to make sure." br />
  Steve and Amanda looked at each other, puzzled.

  "Go along to make sure of what?"

  "That you make it to heaven."

  "Aww, isn't that the sweetest thing you've ever heard?" Amanda touched her husband's chest.

  "I guess. Hey, I'll be home a tad late, okay?"

  "Try not to," Amanda said. "I have friends coming over to help celebrate Jackie's birthday and then we'll go out trick-or-treating.”

  "Are there any real goblins hanging around?" Jackie asked.

  "No, dear. Please flush."

  "I did, Mommy. The water just flows over the seat."

  "Oh brother, that's just great. You have the number to the plumber?" Steve asked Amanda.

  "Yes. No worries."

  Jackie opened the door to the bathroom and came out.

  "Hello, Daddy and Mommy. Is breakfast ready?"

  "Hey, here's our big girl," Steve said. "Happy birthday, sweetie."

  "Are you going to give me some candy for breakfast?"

  "No. No candy until tonight and then only one piece before bedtime, all right? You'll be full from your birthday cake."

  Amanda led her daughter by the hand to the kitchen, where her brown sugar and oatmeal waited for her.

  With all the delay, Steve managed one gulp of his cooling coffee, then dashed out the door to work.

  CHAPTER 3

  In his office, Steve looked up when a man walked in.

  "I've seen you around before, haven't I?" Steve asked.

  "I'm Jeff. I just transferred here. I mean, my girlfriend, Natasha, and I have just joined Tristan Corporation."

  "Oh, hello. Welcome to the company." The two men shook hands over the desk.

  "Thanks. I wanted to let you know that I'm all packed."

  "Packed? I don't understand. For what?" Steve asked, one eyebrow lifting in confusion.

  "You mean no one's said anything?"

  "No." Steve crossed his arms. "What's going on?"

  "The manager, Mike Travers, should have notified you by now, but as you know, the company is growing fast, so maybe the old boy had no time," Jeff said. "He's asked Natasha and me to take your place. That's what the office party today is for."

  Just like that, I'm finished, Steve thought to himself.

  "I can't believe this," Steve said, glancing out the door toward the manager's office. "This is all I need now during a downturn in the stock market, and my bills are piling up. Life is bad enough…"

  "Wait, friend, you have it all wrong. Let me explain. You've been moved up. You're taking over the Stammered Family job from Manchester Corporation."

  "Oh, really?" The pressure in Steve's chest eased and his shoulders relaxed. "That's great!" his phone rang on his desk. "Hang on a minute, Jeff. I need to answer this. Someone from my house is calling."

  Steve picked up the phone. "Hello? Hi, honey, what are you doing?... You had a bath? Wow, what a good girl…and now coloring. That's nice…What's on the kitchen wall?...No, dear, call Mommy." After a pause Steve said, "Honey, are you there?"

  "One minute please."

  "Honey, Daddy's at work. I don't have the time. What, dear?...No, ask Mommy for that…She's what?...Busy at the front door with whom, sweetie?...You don't know?"

  Jackie held the phone out and shouted, "Mommy! Daddy wants to know who you are busy with at the front door?" A minute later she said, "Daddy, Mommy says wait!"

  "Honey, I'm at work. Have Mommy call me back…hello, Jackie? Are you still there?" Steve heard a giggle on the other end of the line. "Jackie?" Another giggle. "Jackie, Daddy has to hang up. He's at work, okay? Bye-bye."

  "Daddy, Daddy wait!"

  "Yes?"

  "Can I be a scary monster tonight?"

  "Yes, dear. You can be dressed up like a scary monster for Halloween. You already picked out your costume with Mommy last week, remember? It was a Frankenstein monster or something."

  Steve's wife took the phone. "Hi, honey," Amanda said.

  "Who was at the door?"

  "The mailman. Okay, dear? I'm too busy with Jackie right now, but…hello?"

  "Hello?…hello?" Steve said. "Hmmm, lost connection." He looked at Jeff. "Sorry about that. My wife and daughter are at home alone all day, and I worry."

  "Understandable."

  "How come my boss never told me about the change, or didn't send a memo?"

  Jeff shrugged. "I'm not sure, but you also have to move to the old company-owned house right away."

  "Good grief, really?" Steve's mind spun at the news. "I think it's the old farmland none of us wanted to go to when we visited Manchester Falls."

  Jeff smiled and said, "You'll get used to it, ol' boy!"

  "Why the promotion?" Steve asked.

  "Be happy. I wish I would have been so lucky, but I'm not married. They needed a family man for the new position."

  "You came over from England, right?" Steve asked.

  Jeff nodded. "Right."

  "And they don't celebrate Halloween in England?"

  "No."

  "It's a big day here," Steve said, "and happens to be my daughter's birthday so I'll be skipping the office party to get home early. I have to buy a cake and something special for my daughter."

  "Halloween?"

  "It's when all the kids get dressed up in costumes and masks," Steve said.

  Jeff snapped his fingers. "Yeah. The kids shout trick-or-treat and you're supposed to act scared. If you don't give them a treat, they pull some dirty trick on you."

  "That's right."

  "What does your daughter want to be tonight?"

  "A Frankenstein monster," Steve said. "She likes the bolts that come out of her neck and the forehead scar. Don't ask me why, but that's what she picked."

  "Really? I know what a trick is, but what's considered a treat?"

  "Candy, popcorn, gum—anything like that. Anything that kids today will eat. Well, I have to get back to work," Steve said. "On second thought, I better pack up my office."

  "Good luck with the new job and the company house that comes along with it."

  ***

  Steve walked in the door from work, bearing a bakery box. He ducked the twirled red crepe paper draped from the ceiling to the corners and smiled at the colored balloons hanging from string.

  "Honey, I'm home. Hey, the place looks great, and the party decorations are fantastic…Where is everyone? Where's the birthday girl? I bought her a teddy bear. And I didn't forget the cake."

  "What a funny cake," Amanda said, taking the box from Steve and opening the lid. "Happy birthday, Marcia? Nice one, honey. You picked up the wrong cake."

  "It's all they had left. I am so tired of the lack of caring this big city brings, along with its overpricing."

  "And you!"

  "Me?” Steve drew his head back. "What have I done?"

  "You and your work. There's never any time for your daughter."

  "I didn't come home to be lectured, and besides, I have some news that will let all those worries go," Steve said. “Where is our birthday girl?"

  "She's out playing in the patio with the Henderson kids. Well, she's watching them play anyway. Jackie doesn't seem interested in interacting with the kids who live in the apartment complex. Tell me about your big news."

  “My big news was going to be that my office loan came through and now we can send Jackie to that special school. But I’ve got even bigger news, something more permanent than a loan."

  Amanda raised her eyebrows. "What?"

  "I was given a promotion, which means we'll be moving to a great new place and a huge old home."

  "What!" Her hand flew to her throat and she stared wide-eyed at her husband. "When?"

  "It seems like you're the one who's going to have a heart attack now." Steve tweaked her nose and grinned. "We need to start packing right away. I've already got my last check and picked up a road map. I also spoke with a realtor we'll be meeting when we get there."

  "Where to, honey?"

  "Man
chester Falls, and we'll be living in a place owned by the company called Waverly Manor."

  "It's in the country? Oh brother. Well, give me a week and we'll be packed and ready."

  "Wow, I’m married to such a great wife."

  "My mother told you so, remember?" Amanda said and laughed.

  CHAPTER 4

  At 7:30 in the morning, a red 1978 Ford car pulled into the main street of Manchester Falls. Steve, Amanda and their daughter, Jackie, parked in front of the café where they were to meet the realtor, Sal. They needed to get the key and to finalize the paperwork to the old house.

  Steve got out of the car and walked up to a man. "Hello. Are you Sal?" The man nodded. "I'm Steve McCaulou, and this," he turned to the woman who exited the car, "is my lovely wife, Amanda, and there is my daughter, Jackie."

  "Look." Jackie pointed to a new discovery, a hopscotch course freshly laid out in chalk on the sidewalk by some kids.

  "Hopscotch? Oh boy," Steve laughed. "This has made her whole day."

  "I'm the first player, Mommy," Jackie said. "I need to find something to toss. Do you have a coin?"

  "Yes, dear." Amanda dug through her purse for change. "Here you go."

  Jackie tossed the penny into the first square and turned to Amanda. "The penny has to stay in the square without bouncing out, Mommy."

  "Yes, Jackie, I used to play when I was your age. It's fun."

  "Now watch, Mommy. I'm pretty good."

  "Yes, dear, I'm watching."

  Jackie hopped out of the square and bumped into Sal. "Whoops, sorry."

  "Hello, little one," Sal said. He turned to Steve and Amanda. "In this town there are a lot of small children. Your daughter should fit right in."

  Jackie did a single hop and skip and then she was safe. "I'm close to home square now, Mommy."

  "Very good, Jackie," Amanda commented with a smile.

  "I need to toss the coin one more time."

  "Wait until later, dear. We need to go in and talk with Sal."

  "Here's your coin back."

  "Thanks. A whole penny. I'm rich."

  "Rich as in money, Mommy? What does that mean?"

  "I have lots of money. It's a joke."

  "I have a penny. Am I rich?"

  "Save your pennies, daughter. One day you, too, will be rich."

  "Okay, Mommy."

  "Funny," Steve said. "Good one!"

  Sal gestured toward the café. "Are you folks hungry?"

  In the town-and-country kitchen, local diners were joking about the new folks moving into the haunted house and wondering how long they'd last. When Steve and his family walked in, the chattering ceased. With Sal being the only realtor in town, the locals knew it had to be them.