The Stranger At ‘Le Farmhouse’

Kate was cautious to be extremely slithery than a cat.

She made sure that Joe was not disturbed. His snores were louder than a howler.

She quietly slipped out of the velvet blanket and tip-toed toward the wardrobe. She dug her hands through the drawer. It was indeed a mess. Her wardrobe was a war zone. Somehow, she managed to open the drawer and took it out – the envelope.

Yes. The envelope!

A nightmare is now a reality for her. She furiously held that unopened envelope in her hands. Kate could feel that her heart pumped so high, that she feared Joe would wake up anytime. She held the envelope to her nose and took a deep breath, and drew the evocative smell of the damn stamp and stained ink.

In a fraction of seconds, she tore it into bits and pieces.

With a deep sigh, Kate leaned forward to sit down at her table. She rested her chins on her folded arms and tried to fight the irrational fear that spurred in her heart. With another deep sigh, she quickly deleted that anonymous text on from her cellphone.

Kate gulped a shiver of panic that passed through her throat, toward her huge belly.

She rubbed her stomach in circles and turned her head behind, to check if Joe was still asleep. With an unfathomable expression, she slipped inside the blankets to rest on his huge arms.

Joe’s familiar smell eased her a bit.

But, she knew, it has all just started. She knew, what she suspected for years is has come for her now.

………………………………………………………………………………………

It was a beautiful Friday morning.

The hue of sunrise moved across the Atlantic clouds with its tangerine traces, sparkled all over the morning sky. The breeze was cold as ice and cloaked the entire farm with its prolonged beauty.

The ‘Le Farmhouse’ was packed as usual.

The aroma of freshly baked buns, portions of bacon, bagels, chocolate pretzels, and cinnamon bars filled the whole farm. Kate had already arranged the tables with fresh lavenders and peppermint.

“Hi, Uncle Robert, what splendid weather, right”, smiled Kate as she waved from the counter and gracefully walked with her enormous pregnancy bulge.

Kate just looked perfect, even when she was carrying their five-month-old peanut. Her loose, white, embroidered frock made her glow with extra elegance. Her flawless blonde curls framed her chalky pale face.

“Yes, Katie darling. Today looks splendid. And, I’ll grab your special double-bacon sandwich, a lemonade, and voluminous eggs for breakfast”, winked Uncle Robert.

“Sure. I’ll add an extra dip of Mozzarella cheese as well”, Kate winked back at Uncle Robert.

“My regulars please”, the tall, stout Chatterjee waved at Kate.

“Sure Chatterjee. I’ll just bring them just hot, crispy and sliced,” said Kate.

The morning hours were always busy. A lot of people in the locality walk in for breakfast and brunch. A few of them came to collect eggs from the poultry ranch.

“Joe? JOE! Please bring the eggs and bacons fast. The tables are already crowded” yelled Kate from the porch.

“Sure, Katie, I’m half-way already” Joe yelled back he swiftly passed the tray with hot baked slices of bacon.

Kate admired his tall, muscular, and well-built physique. His messy, tousled bronze hair and golden eyes always hunted her attention.

………………………………………………………………………………………

“Here’s your order, Uncle Robert”, said Kate as she carefully placed everything on the table.

“Please eat a heart full, Mr.Chatterjee” smiled Kate as she arranged the pancakes and eggs for him.

Kate elegantly moved from one table to another. She was swift and fully engaged while she took and placed the orders.

“Welcome Mrs. Jones! Devour your favorite pasta with white sauce. I have just added a tint of red pepper from the farm”, said Kate to a middle-aged Scottish woman.

“Thanks, Kate. It’s just perfect,” said Mrs. Jones as she scooped a spoon full of hot pasta.

Kate felt light at heart as she observed people eating their hearts out. And, that’s when she noticed an old, woman sitting alone at the corner table.

“May I know your order please?” Kate asked as she walked toward the woman. The pale-skinned woman had an apple-shaped face. Almost half of her freckled face was cupped behind her messy hair. Kate could see her eyebrows were too thick and had scars.

“Hello, are you new to the town? Should I help you with the breakfast menu?” asked Kate, trying to cheer up.

Strangely, the woman never responded. She sat, silently, with her hung her face down.

“Well! I think I have seen you somewhere... Anyway, would you like to lighten up a bit with an extra-strong espresso my husband Joe makes?” asked Kate.

The woman still didn’t even look at Kate.

‘There haven’t been any tourists lately, at this part of the country, as the rain is almost near’ Kate thought to herself.

She had already started to lose her patience. She had the pretzels in the oven and it made her even more impatient. She waited for the strange woman to respond.

The old woman just stood up and clutched the table with her wrinkled, dirty hands. She just stood, staring at Kate.

Kate was a bit taken aback. 

Joe looked at Kate from the porch, as he saw she was panicking and trying to interrogate with a half-hidden face. Joe raised his eyebrows to ask her if she was okay. But, Kate wasn’t. She felt odd.

All of sudden, the woman held Kate firmly by her shoulders and hissed; “Don’t you remember me, Kate? Don’t act as if you did not receive my letter. You know, I am here for you”. She intensely stared at Kate.

Kate and Joe froze for a second.

Everything happened just before anyone could analyze, what had just happened. The woman hastily walked out of the farm. Kate felt her head was spinning with an overflow of adrenaline. She was trying hard to fight back the sudden wave of tremors.

Joe held her tight and said. “Katie. It’s alright. Please stay calm. You are pregnant. You shouldn’t be panicking. You know it, right? Okay? Let me take you inside.”

Mrs. Jones and Uncle Richard ran toward her. A few other people, seated at their tables started murmuring their own interpretations of the strange woman.

………………………………………………………………………………

Kate had always liked to watch the television after dinner. A good movie with Joe, a glass of red wine, and sometimes pasta – this was bliss for her.

Today, she was disturbed- tremendously disturbed.

Joe cupped her from behind as she watched the movie and said, “Katie, she must be some random homeless woman who wandered inside. Just forget it.”

“Come. Let’s go to sleep. We have got the whole farm cleaning business tomorrow. It’s going to be an amazing weekend, Katie love”, whispered Joe as he rubbed her supple ears.

Kate wasn’t convinced. She just forced a smile on her face and rubbed his cheekbones.

Deep inside, she feared of something unknown. A gruesome fear crippled her from within. She was lost in profound thoughts as Joe dozed off beside her.

…………………………………………………………………………………

It was almost 8:30 in the morning when Kate woke up.

The weather was too icy.

The farm was half-empty this morning as only a few people walked in to buy groceries and eggs.

Joe was at the poultry ranch to check on the chickens and turkeys. Kate was too tired during the morning hours these days. She started having backaches and nausea already. Her legs were swollen and had severe cramps.

She felt enlighten as she sat down to eat what Joe had kept on the table - a bowl of hot vegetable soup and a plate of fruit salad, ready to devour. Recently, her appetite has taken a voluminous leap.

After a while, she heard a peculiar voice from the porch. She could hear that someone was moving the chairs outside.

“Joe. Is that you? I thought you were at the ranch.” she spoke as she drank the soup.

There was silence at the other end.

“Joe. Come inside and help me with my prenatal vitamins. I kind of feel wobbly now. I think, our baby is kicking and dancing inside”, she half-laughed as she felt butterflies in her belly.

She waited for a few more minutes. But, still, Joe didn’t walk in.

Kate started feeling that there was something wrong. She was cross and walked toward the windows to check.

For a moment, she was shocked. She saw the same woman, seated in the corridors. Her face was grave. The woman kept starring at Kate with her dark, profound eyes. Her saggy, stained, and old dress was drenched in the rain.

“Gracious God. I can’t see her again. Joe... JOE. JOE! Where are you?” Kate screamed at the top of her voice as she paced quickly to the backyard searching him.

She gasped and gulped short breaths as she moved fast with her huge stomach.

Thankfully, she saw Joe walking in with baskets of eggs.“Joe. She’s here” Kate yelled as she stood disoriented and disturbed.

Joe couldn’t hear what Kate was yelling as it was already raining too much. The splashes of rain that hit on the concrete roofs diminished her voice. But, he understood, that there was something wrong.

She groaned, sat on the chair, and hid her face between his chests. She was panting and too frightened. Joe patted her shoulders and head. “What is happening Katie? Why are you acting so weird?” he asked.

“She’s still staring at me in the porch”, Kate had tears in her eyes.

Joe was shocked. ‘I got to stop this’ he thought to himself as he hasted toward the front door.

The strange woman was standing at the verandah. Joe hesitantly opened the doors and shouted, “Madam. We don’t know you nor do we want to see you again. Okay? My wife is FIVE months pregnant and I CAN’T afford her to panic like this every day. The farm is closed for the day. And, please. Kindly leave”.

The woman didn’t utter a word. She starred at Joe with pain, reluctance, and expectation.

Kate glanced at the woman, over Joe’s huge shoulders. She couldn’t fight the gloom and fear that engulfed her from within. Joe was getting on his nerves already and shouted, I say, “OUT. Get out, you freaking lady. Else, I’ll have the dogs unleashed”.

The woman just nodded her head and stomped out. Joe and Kate stood over the doors as the silhouette of the old woman disappeared over the gates.

“Certainly! I think, we ought to inform the neighborhood people and the cops about this strange person coming at our doors”, said Joe with a grim face. He leaned forward and reached out with his long arms to hug Kate.

Kate hopped up in utter silence. “I am going to take a shower. Just give me a few moments to restart my heart”, she spoke with great difficulty. Kate stood like a statue under the shower. The icy, cold pressure of the waters unknotted her muscles and calmed her pulse. The familiar smell of her shampoo made her at ease. She stood there for minutes, letting the water cool her.

Joe was sitting on the edge of the bed. He didn’t move an inch. He was concerned about Kate, her health, and their little peanut!

……………………………………………………………………………………

Sunday mornings were always beautiful.

They usually enjoy the morning hours with a snug tradition of brewing pot of hot coffee together. 

“Katie, let’s do a pre-pregnancy video shoot in our farm today”, said Joe while sipping the coffee. 

Kate was surprised to hear this. She burst out laughing and said, “That is indeed intriguing. I don’t mind doing it if you promise to massage my cramp after the walk.”

Joe kissed her belly and helped her get up, “Yes momma and baby. I’ll do a massage until both of you fall asleep”. 

She headed to their bedroom to change her dress. She wore a roseate floral dress that made her glow. Joe took his camera from the wardrobe and focused on Kate with his eyes rolling, “You look, great mommy. Indeed you are glossy and glowing”. 

Like a sudden thunder, Joe received a voice mail message.

The sound of the voicemail, made Kate tremble for a second.

“Just hold on Kate. Let me get that message”, he flipped through the voice notes. 

“Hi Joe, I know you aren’t expecting me. But, I think Kate IS! I visited your farm several times. I even came to your doorsteps. I send letters. I dropped E-mails. But, you have never recognized me yet. I want to meet Kate. Convey my love for Kate! I hope you find this voice mail at least. Warm wishes - Stranger”

Kate felt like she was stabbed. Joe pursed his thin lips as he considered that voice note.

“WHAT was that now?”, he sat down and paused for a few seconds.

“Well. I can now figure out that, this stranger has been around for a while. Kate, do you know something related to her? Did they send letters and E-mails?”, he grunted, suddenly walking toward Kate. 

Kate was scared to open her mouth.  

“Joe. We need to talk”, Kate whispered. 

She stood staring at the walls and spoke, “I have been expecting something like this for months. Now, that it’s finally happened, I feel a strange sense of numbness in my chest. Yes. I did receive letters, E-mails, visits, and phone calls from her.”

This was time for Joe to gulp tremors and fear. He keenly looked at Kate, as she framed each word she spoke. He definitely knew there were some bad omen!

Kate continued with a whisper, “THIRTY years, Joe! THIRTY years of silence. No calls. No letters. No emails. No birthday cards. No gifts. And, today, there she is. But, I don’t want to hear from her.”

She solemnly shakes her head and continues. “Thirty years back, one evening, I still remember how I raced back home, from school. All I wanted to do was, to show my dad and mom, the trophy I was awarded for topping our class this term.”

She paused for a while and curved her lips to spit air out of her mouth. Joe could see the pain in her eyes.

Kate continued with great difficulty, “To my great surprise, the front doors of the house were wide opened. I could hear my mom’s screams from inside. Strangely, my dad’s throat-ripping noise was also heard.”

She kept speaking as her pain was now turning into anguish. “I hid my trophy behind my back and peeked inside the doors to watch what was happening. I can still feel how scared, timid, confused, and helpless I was that day. I wanted to scream and stop the fight. I wanted to hug my daddy and mommy and say, “It’s okay”

"Yes, Miriam. I did it. And I did it. And Yes! I did it. It happened. It was all momentary.” I can still hear daddy yelling at the top of his voice.

Kate has tears when she spoke, “I didn’t understand what was he yelling about. But, I saw my dad’s muscles rip out of his bare skin as he grit his teeth in anger and raced toward my mom. He gripped and strangled my mom’s fragile neck. I felt really bad for my mom. I wanted to help her, hug her, and stop dad. But, something terribly unexpected happened.”

Kate took a deep breath as she spoke the next word, “My MOM stabbed him right on his left ribs. Then, she ripped open his chest. Over and over! A loud shrill escaped my spine to see my dead dad and killer mom.”

She broke down in tears as she spoke,” I ran. I ran. I just ran away as far as I could. I didn’t want to exist. I threw my trophy on the floors. I ran with all my might and strength. I just didn’t want to stop.”

Joe was bloating already. He came closer to Kate and shook her. “Kate. Relax. Please.”

Kate didn’t bother to stop. She pushed him aside and spoke, “And, of course, Uncle Richard and family came for me in another few hours. I heard my mom was taken to a prison. And, that’s it. “

She paused for a minute and continued, “I haven’t seen her nor heard from her all these years. Firstly, I hated her because she killed my dad. Secondly, I hated her because she never called or wrote to me. EVER!”

Joe bends down beside her and held her soft fingers and asked, “So…Is that stranger, your MOM?”

“Yes,” she warily agreed. 

An intense silence and void filled their room.

……………………………………………………………………………………..

The next morning, Kate found Joe muzzling over a letter. He looked tensed.

Kate got the impression that things aren’t right at all. She shifted slightly, and cleared her throat and asked, “Are you cross with me for not sharing about all these, throughout the years of our wedding?”

“No Katie. I understand your anger. But, the truth! It was hidden, all these years.” said Joe with a grave expression. 

Kate didn’t understand. 

Joe held a strangled, paper toward her and said, “Read this. I found this on our porch this morning”.

Dear Kate, 

When you were four, if you remember, there were days when you woke you with blood, bleeding from your insides. You were too small to realize what was happening to you. You only said, ‘It pain’s down there mom”. I didn’t want that to continue. 

I loved my John. A lot! But, I loved you more than anything my precious doll. I stabbed him to death, to end his molestation and abuse against you.

I KILLED him to PROTECT you!

With lots of love, 

Mom (Your stranger).