Chapter Three

The next thing I remember is my mother screaming.

"Susannah, are you alright? Darling, answer me!"

Then a voice that was surprisingly close answered for me. It was a male voice. Whoever he was said, "She's alright. She was upset and ended up crying herself to sleep. She just needs some rest and she'll be fine."

"Thank you for bringing her home, Mr. de Silva," I heard Andrew say.

Mr. de Silva? So the mystery man was really Jesse. By why was his voice so close?

I decided to open an eye to see. That's when I noticed I was still outside and was sort of floating. It took me a moment to realize I was in Jesse's arms and he was carrying me.

I looked in his face and he smiled at me. We were going inside. Then as if I had just woken up that second when really it had been a few minutes Jesse said, "So you are awake, Susannah? How are you feeling?"

As I answered I could feel myself being lowered. "I'm fine."

That's when I realized what I was being lowered on to was the couch. I was so confused. Last thing I remembered I was curled up by a tree. Had Jesse carried me home? That would explain why I was in his arms.

"Well that being the case, I should probably leave you to rest," Jesse said.

Suddenly I had a tight feeling in my chest. I didn't want him to leave. I didn't know why but I wanted him to stay with me.

Jesse must have seen something along that line in my face because he said, "I must return to Father Dominic but if I have the permission I would like to call on you tomorrow, Susannah, to see how you are doing."

I could feel my mother smiling. "If Susannah wishes it then of course you may Mr. de Silva," she said.

"Well then Susannah do you wish it?" Jesse asked me.

"Please come," It was all I could say and still stay proper.

And then Jesse was gone. Before he left he said but one word to me, "Rest."

So with Jesse gone for the day I did as he ordered. I slept.

When I awoke all was dark. I didn't want to be alone. If I was alone right now I would think back to earlier when Heather made me cry. She would pay for the humiliation that put me through.

Well everyone in my house was asleep but I could not stay there and let myself think too much. So I went outside and took a walk.

I don't know how long I had been walking when I heard someone. Against my nature I was scared. I think I feared that it was Slater.

Then I heard whoever it was say, "Father Dominic something has to be done about this Heather girl."

The mystery person was Jesse and Father Dominic was with him. I stopped walking not ready to see them.

"Jesse I know you are upset but really I'm not sure anything needs to be done yet. The young girl just died and she's alone and confused."

"Nombre de Dios Padre, how can say that. After what she said to Susannah we must do something."

I smiled. Jesse was looking out for me.

"Jesse I know you love Susannah but you can't let your feelings cloud your judgment. Remember this Susannah doesn't know you like you know her," Father Dominic said.

"I know Padre. Sometimes it's hard to remember but still I can't forget. This Susannah has none of the memories I have. The way she acts around me is so different from how my Susannah acted. This Susannah treats me as the stranger she thinks I am. Still we have the connection that my Susannah and I had from the start. What do I do Father Dom? I want to pull her to me and kiss her like I use to but I can't."

What was he talking about? Now I was scared again. What do I do?

Suddenly I had no time to answer because Jesse and Father Dominic were upon me. The second Jesse looked at me, my fear overtook me. I turned around and took off running.

I heard Jesse running behind me. I ran as fast as I could but as my speed increased I began to trip over my petticoats.

I felt a hand go around my arm at the same time I heard Jesse say, "Susannah, please! Wait! Let me explain."

I was near tears, I was so scared. I pulled against Jesse's hand that was holding me but I went nowhere.

"Please let go of me," I begged. You could detect in my voice that I was close to tears.

"Susannah, please. Just let me explain. I beg you. Don't leave without knowing the truth. Just let me explain," Jesse begged me his own voice suggesting that he himself was close to tears.

Hearing that made me stop my struggling and turn around to face him. That's when I saw there really were tears in his eyes.

"Then explain Jesse," I told him.

"Where do I start?" He seemed to ask himself.

"Why don't you start at the beginning?" I suggested.

"You might want to sit down then, it's a long story," he said as he gestured to a log that would make a perfect place to sit down on.

I sat and looked at him to begin. He took a deep breath and began.

"Susannah you know by now that we share a gift, the one where we can see spirits."

"Yes," I replied.

"Well our gift goes a little farther than just seeing spirits."

"What do you mean, Jesse?"

"Well among many other things we have the ability to travel through time."

I nearly laughed but Jesse stopped me by continuing his story. He went on to tell me how he was from the future and how in the future he had met my ghost. When he finished his story I still had many questions. My biggest one was just what was our relationship in the future?

"Do you believe me Susannah?" Jesse asked so softly.

Truthfully I still didn't. I wanted to, no doubt. But still I couldn't.

"I'm sorry Jesse," I said, "but I don't. Not because I don't want to but because it's just so farfetched."

Jesse looked defeated then. I was going to walk away and leave him be but his voice stopped me.

"What if I could tell you your two biggest fears and how one would lead into another?"

I simply nodded to tell him to go on.

"Your two biggest fears," he said, "are having to marry Paul Slater and being hung as a witch. One would lead to the other because if you chose not to marry Slater then he will reveal your secret."

I was amazed. "How do you know this?" I asked him.

He smiled at me and said, "You told me. You told me when we met in the future."

I believed him. I had to. The only one that knew my fears was Paul and I knew, until it became clear that I would never marry him, that Paul would never reveal my fears to anyone. Knowing that what Jesse had said was the truth I had one thing to ask.

"Why did you come back to this time?"

There was a long silence. Then Jesse said, "To save you from your fears."