Chapter 3

Freaky Thoughts

Debbie always woke first, and she went to get the early morning coffee as usual. She hummed to herself, listening to the cheerful nothingness of the radio. She raised her left hand to adjust the antenna of the cheap radio. The darn thing was getting all staticky. As her hand neared the antenna it got a lot worse. She frowned. It certainly hadn't done that yesterday. Electronics and radio waves confused her, just as much as Spanish confused James.

James joined her before she had really started on the coffee.

"What's up, querida?" He said. She raised her eyebrows.

"Spanish accent needs work, it's not helpful if you put a silly voice on while doing it," she said, with a slight frown.

"Here, let me," James said, setting up for coffee. "Hope instant is ok."

"Hmm," Debbie replied, sitting at the small kitchen table. She watched James fill the kettle with hot water, and turn the electric switch on to boil it. He brought two of their wedding present mugs out of the cupboard, and put a teaspoon of instant coffee into each. Two teaspoons of sugar went in next.

"Are we out of milk?"

"Wha..?"

"Never mind, sweetie," James said, going to the fridge to find out the answer to his question. He put a dash of milk into each cup and leant against the bench, watching his wife.

"Are you feeling ok?" James asked with a little bit of concern.

She shook herself with an obvious effort, and made herself smile. "Just tired. I've had dreams again," Debbie said with a small yawn.

"Want to talk about it?"

"I can't remember them. Must be something about the little portraits Grandma Vicki gave us. They are a bit freaky."

"Family resemblance is really strong, that's all."

"Diego de la Vega is your exact double, James. Don't you find that incredible?"

"His eyes are wrong for one, Deb. And that happens in families. My best friend's dad looked just like a photograph of his great grandfather."

"We are in his home, Diego's hacienda. We've been in his secret cave; I'm wearing his wife's ring. Don't you think it's creepy? And then the radio went all funny too…"

James laughed. "The radio has bad reception, you know that. We can stay out of the cave, we can transport all those historical things to the museum, you can take the silly ring off. We could even sell up and move if that's what will make you happy."

James wrapped his very strong arms around her, and hugged her. She loved the feeling of being completely protected, and she relaxed, as he kissed her gently on the lips. His mouth travelled to her cheeks and forehead, and as she felt the little tingles of fire starting to spread all over her body, and the flush of excitement wherever his lips had touched, she sighed and gently pushed him away slightly.

"First day back at work, James. Don't be naughty," she murmured, reluctantly. "Let's have that coffee," she added, as the kettle whistled and shut itself off.

"So?" He said as he finished stirring the coffees and putting them down on the table.

"What?"

"So, do you want to sell the ring? Do you want to move?"

"Don't be silly. What's a few dreams? The place isn't haunted, is it?"

"I haven't seen any ghosts yet, have you?"

She giggled a little nervously. "What would we do if we did?"

"You could ask Senor de la Vega all your history questions, and I will ask him about his science lab?"

"Don Diego, let's remember our manners," Debbie said, joining the joke. "Seriously, though, didn't Diego die quite young, under mysterious circumstances? Isn't that what sparks all those sorts of things – like Buckingham Palace ghosts and all that?"

"No such thing. Will you be alright? Are you sure you don't want to go back to the university earlier than planned?"

"I'm not a baby, James. I need to keep getting this place organised. What if the great Richard Vega wants to visit?"

"I will say 'over my dead body'. That man is hardly welcome anywhere near me, let alone you. We don't have to pander to the great man's expectations. His behaviour in the past was completely inexcusable. The only ones we have to please if you and me, and no one else."

"I'm sorry…"

He kissed her again. "The only room I care about is our own room. We don't need anyone else."

"Of course not," she said, a little doubtfully. "My family might want to visit though…."

"Well, then we will both race around like crazy and sort it out on the day. Are you hoarding chocolate wrappers already?"

She grinned and punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"Remember that beautiful bedside manner, dear," she said, as they breathed in the coffee vapours and sighed. Today would be long and lonely, for both of them.

After James had had a quick shower and shave, and brushed his hair, and changed into his smart suit and tie, she felt like taking him back to bed for a cuddle. She shook herself, and smiled. Dr James Vega, aka Mr Irresistible. He grinned back at her, seemingly reading her thoughts. Beautiful chocolate brown eyes glowed with love and passion. He kept his hand on the doorknob as they kissed at the door, and when he drove off in the hatchback, Debbie watched as long as possible as the car disappeared into the distance and joined traffic.

She was still in her cat pyjamas and pink fluffy robe. Such a proper housewife. She almost laughed at herself. After a rushed shower, she changed into her work clothes: jeans and a cotton top. She tied her medium length hair with a hair thingy and went into the secret cave.

The rattle drove her crazy and leaving the door open, she went and fetched some oil to grease the pullies that seemed to work the mechanism. Oiling the pullies was easy enough, and she ran a dust rag around the things as well. It could be their little secret cave too, Debbie thought to herself. It definitely seemed sound proof, and she discovered little eye holes all around the room, making her wonder why they were there. It would be a great hiding place, or a secret lair. Bumping a candle holder in the wall, she managed to close the fireplace door. She smiled. Another secret stumbled upon.

She remembered going through the portraits and photos in Grandma Vicki's collection. Little Richard and little Robert sat reluctantly in a professional photo, even then not very happy to be together. Richard and Sarah's wedding, and then the couple with little James and Elena. Daniel Vega and Vicki's wedding, which had seemed such a joyous occasion. The resemblance of Richard and Daniel to James wasn't as striking as the first portrait of Diego de la Vega that Vicki had taken great delight in showing her. It had been a copy of an original, apparently now hanging in Richard Vega's grand mansion.

Her husband's ancestor was strikingly handsome, and his brilliant blue eyes seemed to be watching her intently from the portrait. He stood in the picture, and his wife Victoria held his twins, a boy and a girl. They were infants. All their clothes had been of the finest quality money could buy at the time, and the babies were wrapped in lacy shawls. Victoria and Diego seemed very aware of each other, Diego's hand sat protectively on Victoria's shoulder, and as the twins rested in their mother's lap, she had held that hand securely, while her other hand supported the babies. The love in their eyes was obvious even after 200 years of history.

She wasn't paying attention to dates and events, for maybe the first time in her life. She was vaguely aware of Diego's early death; the twins had grown up not knowing the father that had helped bring them into the world. The details were sketchy, but some sort of accident was involved. She really would have to look into it.

She opened the first drawer in the large desk, and peered into it. It seemed empty, but it wasn't. Something was tacked down with old fashioned pins to the back of the drawer. The drawer was sticking and refusing to open all the way, but with a determined and educated pull she managed to dislodge the drawer. The effort sent her flying backwards into the wall. She struck her head very hard and lost consciousness.