Impervious (City of Eldrich Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

“Hi, sweetheart.” She remained standing on the lawn.
    “You’re dead,” Meaghan replied.
    “Well, yes. Have been for a while.” She gave a small nervous laugh.
    “What do you want? How are you here?” In the dream, Meaghan could feel her heart pound.
    “You’re dreaming, Meggy. That’s how I’m here.” The dream Mom sighed. “Why I’m here . . . this is kind of complicated. Mind if I sit down?”
    With a trembling hand, Meaghan pointed at the chair beside her.
    Her dead mother ascended the porch steps and sat down, on the edge of the seat, back straight, smoothing her skirt with her hands. Meaghan recognized the skirt. Blue and green cotton madras plaid, faded, sensible. It had been one of her mother’s favorites. Far more ladylike than her daughter, Elizabeth Keele always wore skirts, even to work in the yard and mow the lawn.
    “This is a dream,” Meaghan said.
    “Well, yes, sweetheart it is. How’s your foot?”
    This was too much, even for this dream. “You aren’t real. You’re a . . . I don’t know. A sign that my brain’s starting to melt like Matthew’s.”
    Elizabeth frowned. “I wish you wouldn’t call him by his first name. It hurts him so when you do that.”
    “You. Aren’t. Real.” Meaghan’s voice shook now, along with her hands.
    “Well, I may not be real, but I’m still your mother.” Elizabeth reached over to pluck a strand of hair from Meaghan’s forehead. “This haircut is adorable, by the way.”
    Meaghan pulled away. She wasn’t sure how to accept a compliment from her own subconscious, which was what this had to be.
    “Fine, I’m your subconscious,” Elizabeth said, reading her mind. “Your brain isn’t melting. You’ve merely had a very busy few weeks.” The smile vanished and she leaned forward. “Real or not, I don’t have a lot of time and there are things I need to tell you. Stop analyzing and listen, okay?”
    “You aren’t real. I’m dreaming.”
    Elizabeth rolled her eyes, like Russ always did. “Exactly like your father. I’m not real, we’ve established that. I’m simply a manifestation of your subconscious mind. Please. Hush and listen to what you’re trying to tell yourself, okay?”
    Elizabeth commenced her skirt smoothing, a nervous habit of hers, Meaghan recalled.
    “The thing is, sweetie,” Elizabeth said, “your dad needs you now in more ways than you know.” She grabbed Meaghan’s hand in both of hers before Meaghan could pull away.
    Her mother’s hands felt warm and lightly calloused—from gardening without gloves, Meaghan remembered. In that moment, it didn’t matter if the figure before her was real or not.
    “Mom,” Meaghan whispered, her eyes filling with tears. Elizabeth leaned forward and put her arms around Meaghan and hugged her tight. Meaghan could smell Dove soap and lavender and that sunny warm smell Mom always had after a day in the garden.
    Elizabeth squeezed in next to her on the settee. “Meggy,” she said, stroking Meaghan’s hair. “I’m so sorry I had to leave you and Russ like that. Without saying goodbye. And I’m so sorry for taking you from your father.”
    “He abandoned us,” Meaghan said, sniffling.
    “No. He didn’t. That’s one of the things I came here to tell you.” Elizabeth pulled back so she could look Meaghan in the eye. “I abandoned him. When he needed me most. Because I couldn’t accept what was happening. I refused to believe what my own eyes showed me and I fled. With you and Russ.”
    “But, he had a breakdown,” Meaghan said. “I remember —”
    Elizabeth cut her off. “You remember the version I told you and everyone else. He had a breakdown because we left. Because I left. Not the other way around.”
    Meaghan shook her head, refusing to believe this version of events. “But he let you take us. He didn’t fight for custody or come visit or anything.”
    “Because it wasn’t safe around him anymore. The war had started and your father was neck deep