roast beef sandwich for you. I hope that's okay."
Sadie shuffled to the nearest chair. "Where's the table and chairs used to be in here?"
"The Martines sold it before my aunt bought the plantation," Mary said. "They were the most valuable items in the house."
"Didn't I tell you that Martine woman was trouble?"
"Yes, well, Nicole's gone now, so you don't have to worry about her anymore," Mary soothed.
"I know. I heard about the fire, it was on the TV. That woman was evil--she deserved everything she got. The spirits never lie. Never."
"Nobody deserves to burn to death the way Nicole did." Mary's hand trembled as she handed Sadie a plate. "It was horrible."
"God punished her for her sins. It ain't ours to question his ways," Sadie mumbled.
"I'm sure Mary doesn't want to go into any more detail about Ms. Martine's death," Justine announced from the doorway. "It was terrible tragedy for everyone involved. Why don't we talk about something else?" she suggested.
Mary handed her a plate. "Good idea. What do you think about the restoration?"
"It's absolutely beautiful," Justine cooed. "Considering the state of disrepair the house was in, I'd never have believed this was possible. You've worked miracles."
"Not me. The craftsmen are the ones who deserve all the credit. They were wonderful."
Sadie belched and reached for a sandwich. "It ain't over. Not yet. You still got problems, child. I done seen it." She glanced toward the door. "Where's that husband of yours?"
"He's out back, working on the porch railing. Do you need him?"
Gnarled black fingers wrapped themselves around her hand. "No. He ain't part of this--you the one I need to tell. Not him."
Mary stared at the old woman. "Sadie, no matter what you tell me, I won't keep any secrets from Jack. There's no room in a marriage for secrets. Not now, not ever."
"Humph. Not even when he's the one you gotta watch out for?" Sadie spat out.
"Jack? I don't think so," Mary countered. "He'd never do anything to hurt me."
Sadie tightened her grip. "You ain't listening to me child. Shut up and let me finish. I know what I know. You and Jack are like them two skeletons you found."
A knot formed in the pit of Mary's stomach. "How...how did you know I found two skeletons in the tunnel?"
Sadie's cackle echoed around the room. "I done told you. I got the gift of sight. My family's always had it, same as yours."
"What do you mean 'same as mine'?"
"That aunt of yours. She has it. Only it ain't as strong in her as you." She leaned closer, black eyes glittering. "The child you are going to have will have it, too," Sadie whispered.
Tears welled in Mary's eyes as she shook her hand free. "What? That's where you're wrong, Sadie. The doctors told me I can't have children." She blanched as Sadie cracked her cane across the table.
"Sit down and listen, 'cause time's a wasting. You and Jack are going to have a child--I seen it. Spirits don't lie."
"Don't be alarmed, Mary," Justine said. "I've known Sadie a lot longer than you have, and if she says you and Jack are going to have a baby, you will. I don't know how she does it, but she's never been wrong. Just sit down and listen to what she has to say. If you don't believe it, fine. But at least do her the courtesy of listening to what she says. I've never seen her as anxious
Sadie shuffled to the nearest chair. "Where's the table and chairs used to be in here?"
"The Martines sold it before my aunt bought the plantation," Mary said. "They were the most valuable items in the house."
"Didn't I tell you that Martine woman was trouble?"
"Yes, well, Nicole's gone now, so you don't have to worry about her anymore," Mary soothed.
"I know. I heard about the fire, it was on the TV. That woman was evil--she deserved everything she got. The spirits never lie. Never."
"Nobody deserves to burn to death the way Nicole did." Mary's hand trembled as she handed Sadie a plate. "It was horrible."
"God punished her for her sins. It ain't ours to question his ways," Sadie mumbled.
"I'm sure Mary doesn't want to go into any more detail about Ms. Martine's death," Justine announced from the doorway. "It was terrible tragedy for everyone involved. Why don't we talk about something else?" she suggested.
Mary handed her a plate. "Good idea. What do you think about the restoration?"
"It's absolutely beautiful," Justine cooed. "Considering the state of disrepair the house was in, I'd never have believed this was possible. You've worked miracles."
"Not me. The craftsmen are the ones who deserve all the credit. They were wonderful."
Sadie belched and reached for a sandwich. "It ain't over. Not yet. You still got problems, child. I done seen it." She glanced toward the door. "Where's that husband of yours?"
"He's out back, working on the porch railing. Do you need him?"
Gnarled black fingers wrapped themselves around her hand. "No. He ain't part of this--you the one I need to tell. Not him."
Mary stared at the old woman. "Sadie, no matter what you tell me, I won't keep any secrets from Jack. There's no room in a marriage for secrets. Not now, not ever."
"Humph. Not even when he's the one you gotta watch out for?" Sadie spat out.
"Jack? I don't think so," Mary countered. "He'd never do anything to hurt me."
Sadie tightened her grip. "You ain't listening to me child. Shut up and let me finish. I know what I know. You and Jack are like them two skeletons you found."
A knot formed in the pit of Mary's stomach. "How...how did you know I found two skeletons in the tunnel?"
Sadie's cackle echoed around the room. "I done told you. I got the gift of sight. My family's always had it, same as yours."
"What do you mean 'same as mine'?"
"That aunt of yours. She has it. Only it ain't as strong in her as you." She leaned closer, black eyes glittering. "The child you are going to have will have it, too," Sadie whispered.
Tears welled in Mary's eyes as she shook her hand free. "What? That's where you're wrong, Sadie. The doctors told me I can't have children." She blanched as Sadie cracked her cane across the table.
"Sit down and listen, 'cause time's a wasting. You and Jack are going to have a child--I seen it. Spirits don't lie."
"Don't be alarmed, Mary," Justine said. "I've known Sadie a lot longer than you have, and if she says you and Jack are going to have a baby, you will. I don't know how she does it, but she's never been wrong. Just sit down and listen to what she has to say. If you don't believe it, fine. But at least do her the courtesy of listening to what she says. I've never seen her as anxious
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