Tuesday Tales: From the Word STORM

Welcome to the last Tuesday Tales post of 2022. It’s so hard to believe another year has passed. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday.

Today’s word prompt is STORM. Since I know you’re all on the edge of your seats, anticipating what else Selma will reveal, here you go. Enjoy!

Anca’s heart went out to the grandmother she’d never known who must’ve suffered so horrendously. Had Hester’s presence in the house made things worse? Before she could ask, Aunt Selma continued.

“While Father did his best to make her happy and somehow coax her back to being the girl he married, eventually, her volatile nature, as destructive as any tropical storm, was too much for him. I was ten when he divorced her, moving himself and Cole Enterprises’ head offices to New York City, giving her Cole Cottage and Black Swan, and providing her with a healthy allowance, as well as a staff to look after us and the house. Despite the fact that it was hers, we never returned to New Orleans, almost as if by throwing his gift in his face, she could show how much she’d come to hate him, herself, and us. Love and hate are both sides of the same coin. When Russell turned twenty, he enlisted in the army, unable to deal with the oppressive nature of living here, with Mother’s fits, accusations, and tantrums. She went ballistic, accusing him of abandoning her just as her mother, her father, and Rafe, my father, had done. She terrified me, running through the house, breaking, and destroying everything she could, setting fire to the photographs, Russell’s clothing. Nothing could stop her, not the staff, not even Hester.”

Anca swallowed. “I know you don’t mean the parrot. I heard it belonged to your mother.”

Aunt Selma shook her head. “Actually, the bird didn’t belong to either of us.”

“Then was it the ghost’s fault—and yes, I do believe there is one.” She bit her lips. “I haven’t seen her, but I’ve heard her. Did she fuel your mother’s delusions?”

Aunt Selma nodded. “Good. It’s about time you opened yourself up to the truth. Hester has been here for over 300 years, sharing this house with countless generations of Coles. She’s managed to live peacefully with them, usually by not letting anyone know she was there. To my knowledge, she’d never manifested to anyone until the day my mother attacked me. Before she could hurt me, Hester appeared. Mother fainted. The servants who hadn’t seen the ghosts found me cowering under the table and took me to the neighbors.”

Anca gasped. So much violence, so much misery. No wonder Aunt Selma had never shared this with her.

That’s it. Stay safe, have a Happy New Year’s Eve, and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.