Page 41 of The Ghost of Ellwood

My heart broke for Theo. For Harvey too.

I stopped reading just long enough to grab lunch and stretch my legs then I went right back to the journal. Another hour passed, and I cried my way through many of the entries. I couldn’t hold back the tears as Theo described his father beating him to within an inch of his life. He had often hid in the greenhouse, praying his father wouldn’t find him.

No wonder he called it his safe haven.

Though many of the entries broke my heart, some of them made it feel lighter. I enjoyed the passages where he described things he and Harvey did, some of it I recognized from the stories Theo told me about them running around town causing trouble. Those entries made me smile. It felt so carefree and innocent.

Like when Theo described Harvey dragging him to an old junkyard…

Harvey took hold of both my hands and leaned in to whisper, “Do you wish to fly, Theo?”

I’d been drinking a little and giggled at him. “Yes. Can you give me wings?”

“I would give you the moon if I could,” he answered, before kissing the knuckles on my right hand. “And the stars too, for the moon and stars cannot live apart. Much like you and me.”

“We’ll always be together, Edward Harvey Jones,” I said, and I believe a hummingbird lived in my chest by the way my heart fluttered.

“Yes, we will,” Harvey said. “Hold on tight.”

And then he spun me around in circles, going so fast the junkyard blurred around us. All I saw was Harvey laughing. All I felt was his hands on mine. We yelled to the night sky like a pack of wolves and laughed, spinning and spinning.

So long I wished I could grow wings and fly away…and now I have.

“Edward Harvey,” I said, having a major lightbulb moment.

Carter said his great-great grandfather’s name was Edward. If Harvey was his middle name, that explained why Carter hadn’t heard about him.

“You see now, don’t you?”

I jumped at the voice and turned to see Theo standing beside the dresser.

“Apologies for startling you.” He moved closer. “Harvey married Lillian, and they had two children together. Such a beautiful family.”

I did the math in my head and it didn’t add up. “But you weren’t around to see that family, were you? You went missing in late October of 1917, only weeks before you were supposed to leave for the war.”

“Correct.” Theo straightened his shoulders and held his head higher. “Harvey went to war, and thankfully, he returned in one piece a year later. Though, I was certain his mind wasn’t the same. Lillian had given birth to a baby boy while he was away. Their daughter was born a year after that. His children were spitting images of him. I was jealous at first, I won’t lie, but he looked…happy. And if anyone deserves happiness, it’s him.”

I was about to ask how he could see all of that if he was missing at the time, but the answer became obvious.

“You didn’t go missing…did you? You were killed.”

He stared at me, his jaw clenched.

“Have you finished it?” Theo asked, avoiding my question.

“No. I have a few entries left.” I placed the journal on the side table and stood, groaning softly as my joints popped. “I’ll continue tomorrow. I need a drink.”

“That bad, is it?” Theo walked at my side as I left the bedroom.

“Your father was a horrible person. It’s hard to read it. I can’t imagine a parent treating their child that way.”

Theo was quiet as we descended the stairs. If he didn’t want to talk about it, I wouldn’t push him.

“So,” I said, pouring a glass of whiskey. “Are you mad at Harvey?”

“Mad at him? Why would you ever think such a thing?”

“Well, he married Lillian. Had kids with her.”