“Then why do you?” he asked.
“I-I don’t know. I didn’t use to be this bad. I mean, I’ve always been a strong woman, sometimes too controlling, but I didn’t yell at people and try to hurt them.”
“Maybe you should talk to someone,” said Ham.
Sadie nodded, then looked off into the distance. Reaching the dock, he tied off the boat and set all her things on the dock. He carried the two big suitcases beneath his arms and followed her upstairs to the room she’d chosen. He went back for the boxes, setting them inside the room.
“Do you need any help?” he asked. She turned quickly, almost looking as if she were going to yell at him. In the next instant, her eyes filled with tears. “Sadie? Are you okay?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “No. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“Why don’t you unpack, and I’ll go down and fix us some dinner. We can just stay out here tonight.”
Ham watched Sadie carefully. He was concerned that she could be bipolar or perhaps even schizophrenic. One moment she would be talking to him in a normal voice, having a normal conversation. Then the next, she’d be argumentative, fighting him about anything and everything.
One afternoon, Ham was researching some things for Gator when Sadie came into the living room with a dust rag and mop. He didn’t think anything of it at first but then realized she wasn’t really doing anything. A few moments later, she disappeared, then came down in shorts and a tank top with no bra.
Sitting up straighter, he tried to hide his growing erection as she bent over in front of him, her ass cheeks hanging out and obviously not wearing any panties. Turning to stare at him, he could see her nipples poking through the thin fabric in the cool temperatures of the house.
“Sadie, honey, aren’t you cold?” he asked, praying she would cover up.
She looked down and nodded at him, then stripped the shirt off. Moving toward him with a lust-filled gaze, she reached out for his crotch, and Ham gripped her arm.
“Sadie. Sadie!” he said more forcefully. She looked down at her hand, his gripping her wrist and then noticed her breasts swinging freely.
“Oh, my God,” she murmured. “What… Ham. Ham, I’m s-sorry.”
“Sadie, it’s okay. Are you okay?” She covered her breasts, then ran from the room. Ham wasn’t sure what the hell was happening, but something was definitely wrong with Sadie Jordan.
Over the next few days, he spoke to Jak and Gator about her as well as a few others. Worried that she might be taking drugs, he searched her room, finding nothing.
When they’d first started living in the mansion, he could hear her at night crying in her sleep. When it progressed to full-blown nightmares, he couldn’t stand it and slept outside her room. He would talk to her softly, and she would usually calm down. He’d be up and back in his bed before she even knew it the next morning.
When she came down in shorts and no shirt once again, Ham confronted her.
“Sadie? What are you doing?”
She stared at him, then looked down at herself, shaking her head. Sobbing, she ran upstairs and changed her clothes. Ham watched as she walked from room to room, talking to herself. When she grabbed her cell phone, he knew something was wrong. He just couldn’t let her make that call.
“Sadie?”
“H-help me, Ham. P-please. H-help me.”
CHAPTER FOUR
“Anyone here? Can someone help me?” he called. Racing down the hallway, Eric, Luke, Gator, and Pigsty stopped in front of Ham, who was carrying Sadie. “She’s in pain, but she’s not speaking logically.”
“Call medical,” said Luke. “Bring her into the office.” Irene was suddenly beside them.
“Don’t bother with medical. It ain’t her body that’s givin’ her pain,” frowned Mama Irene. “Lie her on the sofa. Eric? Get me a warm rag and a bowl and start the hot water in the kettle. Nathan? Nathan, I know you’re here.”
“I’m here, my friend,” said the ghost.
“Find your grandson, and…”
“I’m here. What do you need?” asked Trak. She whispered to the man, and he ran off toward the gardens.
“What the hell is going on, Grandma?” asked Luke.
