Robert let the screen bang shut behind him as he followed Jane into the house. She went into the kitchen and began to fill a glass bottle with water from the tap.
He looked over his shoulder into the dining room and spotted a purple cloth spread on the table.
"Are you doing an exorcism today?" he asked.
"Yep, at three. They'll be here early which is why I'm getting ready now. Do you know where the big crucifix is?" She wiped off the bottle before carrying it into the dining room to place it on the purple cloth.
"Christian exorcism then, eh? Do you need communion wafers?" Robert dragged the step stool over to the refrigerator so he could open the cabinets above it.
"I don't think we have any. I'll just cut up vellum paper."
Robert handed down a silver candle holder and a large crucifix. "Want me to polish these?"
"Do you mind?"
"Nope." Robert actually liked polishing silver or any other hand cleaning. He found it hugely satisfying.
Jane rummaged around in the china hutch in the dining room, looking for an old wooden cross she kept there. Robert had given it to her when they were living in Georgia in the 1860's. He had carried it with him since the 1200's when he'd rescued it from being trampled by a mob. He couldn't remember what had caused the riot, but riots weren't all that uncommon. People were poor, sick, bored and angry. They'd riot over just about anything. Hard work and hunger had that effect on a person. She found the cross Robert had plucked out of the mud in Europe 800 years ago and placed it with her other religious items.
Robert scrubbed the silver. "What's the story today?"
"Same old, same old. Teenager has been acting out and says a dark voice has been talking to them. They hear sounds and they're being attacked. They got a ouija board and now they think they invited the Devil into their house."
Jane had performed hundreds of exorcisms. She'd witnessed many more. In all those years, she'd only seen one that involved an actual supernatural being. And that had been many, many years before.
She'd been one of a group of eleven women standing with their hands linked outside a circle drawn in salt. They'd watched the old woman inside the circle sit on a man yelling and screaming and demanding that the spirit within him leave. Old Hattie wasn't demanding anything in the name of God or compelling with the power of Christ, she was shouting "GET OUT! OUT! YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE!" while she wrestled with the man on the floor as he flopped like a fish.
Suddenly, Jane had felt as if someone had grabbed onto two of her ribs and yanked hard. Her midsection had jerked forward, making her grunt in surprise. Then, it was very difficult to describe, the best she could do was that she felt like her blood had been drawn out of her. Her knees had buckled and she fell down, along with the other women. One of them had pitched towards the line of salt but instead of falling across it, she'd bounced back like she'd hit a wall. The air in the room had then suddenly dropped in temperature. Jane had exhaled when she fell, but when she'd breathed in her nose and throat stung with cold and her eyes watered. She and the other women flung their arms around themselves trying to control the shivering that had overtaken all of them.
"Open the door!" the old woman in the circle had screamed. The man on the floor had gone rigid, only his head and his feet touching the floor, the rest of his body arched up. His shirt was moving up and down in wavy undulations.
The door to the small shack was flung open as the crone pulled a knife out of her belt. She kicked a small section of salt aside and used the knife to draw a circle in mid-air. Jane had just gotten to her feet when a bright ball of light shot out of the man's right eye, through the invisible circle and out the door. As it had passed Jane was knocked back down. For split second the forest around the shack had lit up with a bright orange light, then darkness had descended again. The twelve women sat in stone silence, waiting. A long time later the crickets and frogs began to converse again. None of them moved until the sun came up. The possessed man had burned with fever for three days before coming back to his senses. Not that he'd ever come back to his senses completely.
Jane got out candles and laid them on the table. "Okay, holy water, candles, I need to cut up vellum paper for the host... OH! A Bible." She went into the bedroom to open up her trunk. Inside she fished out a Bible she'd taken from a hotel room in 1967. Another surface where David Crosby had laid out lines of cocaine. Jim Morrison had snorted all of it and a fistfight had broken out with Jim on the losing end. Jane had booted them all out, screaming and whipping them with her macrame belt.
She took the Bible into the dining room and laid it on the table.
"Jane, do I need to get twine or something or do you think he'll sit still?" Robert was rinsing the silver in the kitchen sink before buffing it to a high shine
"I think he'll sit still." Jane took the candle holder from him and placed candles in it. "Okay, we've got it together. You hungry? I need a sandwich."
"I could go for a sandwich. Tuna fish please?" Robert loved tuna. He wandered into the kitchen nook and found a box on the table. "Hey Jane? What's this?" He rummaged through it.
"It's my certification courses from the American Association of Exorcists."
"Oh, ha ha. What is it?"
Jane appeared in the archway mixing tuna in a bowl. "It's my certification course from the American Association of Exorcists. Once I get certified I'm going to hang it up with my ordination certificate from the Universal Life Church to show I'm legit."
"You have got to be kidding me. Jane, these are cassette tapes. Do you even have anything you can listen to these on?" Robert picked up the cassette case and shook it lightly.
"Yeah, I went to Goodwill and found an old player. It works. I have to watch 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose' and write a paper about the legal ramifications of the priests actions." She turned to open the fridge for mayonnaise and relish.
"How much did you pay for this?" Robert began to rummage through the box.
"There are 19 courses and each one is $20." Jane started to spread the tuna salad on big pieces of bread.
"Whew! What a scam." He read one of the course outlines. "What, you have to buy more books?"
"No, I already read the exams. I can pass without buying any of the books." Jane put lettuce and cheese on the sandwiches.
"Oh yeah?" Robert pulled one out. He read a question out loud "Number five. Signs and symptoms of demonic possession include : a. Speaking in a language that is foreign to the client. b. Unusual strength. c. Speaking in a strange voice, especially if the vocal cords are not used to speak. d. Fear and hatred of Jesus Christ. e. All of the above. f. Only a, b, and c." Robert blinked. "Wow. You are not kidding."
Jane brought their sandwiches to the table on clean plates, a novelty. "Here, we'll need nourishment for the task ahead."
"mmmmmm. Thank you sugar. " Robert leaned over the papers to kiss Jane on the cheek.
*******************************
Outside the house a car door slammed. Jane finished drying the dish she was holding and put it into a cabinet. "Showtime."
Robert pulled the plug in the sink, letting the soapy water out. He went to light the candles and put on the black smock he wore while he helped Jane with exorcisms.
One of Jane's wind chimes was hug and low-toned. As Mrs. Perkins helped her son from the car and up the walkway, the chime bonged low and long, the only one of the chimes to sound. The woman and the teenage boy stumbled up the steps to the solemn soundtrack. Only one of the cats, a black one, sat on the steps. It growled at the woman and her son as they moved by.
Jane opened the door, now dressed in her purple robe with her hair pulled back. "Please. Come in." Mrs. Perkins and her son Jake both had large, purplish circles under their eyes. Jake was too thin, his hair was falling out. Both of them were deathly pale.
Jane held her arm out towards a chair she and Robert had moved to the center of the living room. Jake collapsed into it.
Jane picked up a small vial of oil and said simply "Let us begin." She poured a few drops of oil onto her fingers before touching them to Jake's forehead. "I anoint you in the name of God the Father. Creator of the Universe. Holiest of Holies."
Jake moaned. "Mrs. Perkins, please recite the Lord's Prayer throughout. Please sit on the floor next to your son." The tired woman mostly collapsed next to Jake and began to whisper the prayer to herself.
Jane began to recite the Christian rite "God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, I appeal to your holy name, humbly begging your kindness, that you graciously grant me help against this and every unclean spirit now tormenting this creature of yours; through Christ our Lord."
Robert said the amen and took the vial from Jane. He winked at her when she handed it to him and pinched her on the bottom as she turned away. She shot him a look that said 'don't make me laugh!'.
She continued "I cast you out, unclean spirit, along with every Satanic power of the enemy, every spectre from hell, and all your fell companions;Begone and stay far from this creature of God."
Robert amen-ed and handed Jane the water, sticking his tongue out at he as he did. She mouthed 'stop' at him.
She dipped her fingers and drew a cross on Jake's forehead. He shrieked and writhed in the chair. "It burns! It burns!"
"What is your name demon?" Jane asked firmly. "Tell me your name."
"My name is Legion." Jake stabbed his right index finger out and drew a star in the air, drawing a circle around it to complete the pentagram. "I will not leave. You cannot compel me to let go of this soul. He is mine and I will do with him as I like." His voice came out in a low growl making Robert wince, the kid was going to have a sore throat later.
Jane dipped her fingers again and drew another cross on Jake's forehead. "Begone in the name of the Father." Another dip and another cross "and of the son," again, she dipped her fingers and drew a cross "and the Holy Spirit."
Jake screamed and clawed at his face. His mother intensified her prayers, clutching at his pant legs.
"Begone, then, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." Jane dipped her whole hand into the water and flung it onto Jake's face. He clenched his jaw and flopped around in the wing chair, squealing.
Jane turned to Robert who was quietly chanting "amen amen amen amen amen" to the tune of 'Funky Town'. He passed her the circles of vellum paper she was using as a substitute for communion wafers. She used her left thumb to pry Jake's mouth open and jammed in the paper. Jake gagged immediately and started to retch.
Robert calmly bent down to retrieve the good old metal bucket from under the dining room table, still softly singing 'a-men'. He shoved it between Jakes knees just in time to catch the nasty bile Jake's stomach shoved out.
Quite a lot spattered on Jake's mother who recoiled and yelled "Ewwwww!" This made Robert quickly cover his face with his arms to cover his laughter. Jane looked at him with huge eyes, biting her lower lip to stop the giggles. Jake shoved his head into the bucket and roared. The noise bounced around against the metal, causing a weird sounding echo. 'Calling for Huey' it was called in the UK. Or 'Will You Buy the Buick'. Jake sounded just like he was yelling 'Will you buy the Buick!' 'Will you buy the Buuuuuicckkkkk'. Jane's face turned red with effort, holding back the giggles. Robert, put his finger against the tip of his nose and pushed it up while crossing his eyes at the same time. Jane smacked him in the chest.
They turned to the heaving teenager and waited for him to quiet down. He brought his head up, panting. Jane grabbed his face and poured water into his mouth at the same time. He gurgled and spat. His hands clutched at this throat.
Jane put her entire hand over his face "I do order you to leave this soul in the name of Mary the Holy Mother. Hail Mary full of grace, blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of they womb. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us now." Jane began to pull her hand away from Jake's face like she was pulling a string. With a sudden jerk of her arm, she flung her hand toward the front door. The screen banged open, then the front door banged shut. The sound of many cats yowling came through the closed door.
Jake's mother began to sob. Jake collapsed over, his head upside down between his knees. His breathing became less ragged and more even. When Jake raised his head, his color was much improved and his eyes were clear. Jane handed him a glass of water, which he drank down.
"My throat hurts." he whispered. His hands were shaking.
Jane nodded. "I ran a bath for you. There are clean clothes for you in the bathroom. Scrub yourself down. Make sure you get every inch of your skin. Put the soiled clothes in the box in there. You'll feel better when you come out."
Jake got to his feet and went to take his bath. Jane turned to his mother. "Come on, you'll want to get cleaned up."
She led her out into the backyard. Jane had hung quilts on the clothesline and from the trees in such a fashion that they created a little room. Inside the four quilt walls was a large, metal washtub filled with water. In it was floating several different kinds of herbs. Jane held back one of the quilts.
"Stand in the tub and use the smaller bowl to pour the water over yourself. Be sure to get your hair and the back of your neck. I've left a clean dress and lingerie here for you. Drop your unclean things on the ground." Jane left her to wash herself and turned to the garden. She fetched her garden shears from the ground and cut several long branches of rosemary.
When she arrived back in the house, Robert had cleared the dining room table and opened the front door. Jane could hear Jake splashing in the bathtub. She took a ball of string from a drawer and began to tie the rosemary into a bundle while Robert put the kettle on.
When she was done she had a broom without a handle. She took her rosemary broom and swept down the chair, table, floor and around the front door. It made the house smell nice.
Mrs. Perkins called from the back door and Jane went to let her inside. Jane had her sit on the couch to drink some tea.
"I don't know how I can thank you. I know you'll tell me 'whatever you think it's worth' but I don't have anything near that number. I don't know what to do for you." Mrs. Perkins began to cry.
Jane hugged her "It will come to you. Don't worry."
Robert had gone to check on Jake, Jane could hear him talking to the teen through the wall. The two of them appeared a moment later. Jake clean and smelling much better, but still too thin.
"Now," Jane began "Go home and give the house a good cleaning. Peel seven lemons and put the peels in a bucket of water. When you're done cleaning use the lemon water to just damp mop the floors, wipe down the thresholds and windowsills and pour it down all the drains in the house. Put a line of salt all around the house. Try and get some sleep. Here are some teas for you. This one is for a sore throat. This one is calming. This one will help you sleep. "
Jane saw them out the door and watched as they drove away slowly.
"What do you think that was about?" Robert asked.
"He's really ashamed of something he did. The sad thing is it was probably something normal. Poor kid." Jane watched them drive away.
"Five dollars says they come back next year." Robert was taking off his smock.
"How do the cats learn to be such drama queens?"
He looked over his shoulder into the dining room and spotted a purple cloth spread on the table.
"Are you doing an exorcism today?" he asked.
"Yep, at three. They'll be here early which is why I'm getting ready now. Do you know where the big crucifix is?" She wiped off the bottle before carrying it into the dining room to place it on the purple cloth.
"Christian exorcism then, eh? Do you need communion wafers?" Robert dragged the step stool over to the refrigerator so he could open the cabinets above it.
"I don't think we have any. I'll just cut up vellum paper."
Robert handed down a silver candle holder and a large crucifix. "Want me to polish these?"
"Do you mind?"
"Nope." Robert actually liked polishing silver or any other hand cleaning. He found it hugely satisfying.
Jane rummaged around in the china hutch in the dining room, looking for an old wooden cross she kept there. Robert had given it to her when they were living in Georgia in the 1860's. He had carried it with him since the 1200's when he'd rescued it from being trampled by a mob. He couldn't remember what had caused the riot, but riots weren't all that uncommon. People were poor, sick, bored and angry. They'd riot over just about anything. Hard work and hunger had that effect on a person. She found the cross Robert had plucked out of the mud in Europe 800 years ago and placed it with her other religious items.
Robert scrubbed the silver. "What's the story today?"
"Same old, same old. Teenager has been acting out and says a dark voice has been talking to them. They hear sounds and they're being attacked. They got a ouija board and now they think they invited the Devil into their house."
Jane had performed hundreds of exorcisms. She'd witnessed many more. In all those years, she'd only seen one that involved an actual supernatural being. And that had been many, many years before.
She'd been one of a group of eleven women standing with their hands linked outside a circle drawn in salt. They'd watched the old woman inside the circle sit on a man yelling and screaming and demanding that the spirit within him leave. Old Hattie wasn't demanding anything in the name of God or compelling with the power of Christ, she was shouting "GET OUT! OUT! YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE!" while she wrestled with the man on the floor as he flopped like a fish.
Suddenly, Jane had felt as if someone had grabbed onto two of her ribs and yanked hard. Her midsection had jerked forward, making her grunt in surprise. Then, it was very difficult to describe, the best she could do was that she felt like her blood had been drawn out of her. Her knees had buckled and she fell down, along with the other women. One of them had pitched towards the line of salt but instead of falling across it, she'd bounced back like she'd hit a wall. The air in the room had then suddenly dropped in temperature. Jane had exhaled when she fell, but when she'd breathed in her nose and throat stung with cold and her eyes watered. She and the other women flung their arms around themselves trying to control the shivering that had overtaken all of them.
"Open the door!" the old woman in the circle had screamed. The man on the floor had gone rigid, only his head and his feet touching the floor, the rest of his body arched up. His shirt was moving up and down in wavy undulations.
The door to the small shack was flung open as the crone pulled a knife out of her belt. She kicked a small section of salt aside and used the knife to draw a circle in mid-air. Jane had just gotten to her feet when a bright ball of light shot out of the man's right eye, through the invisible circle and out the door. As it had passed Jane was knocked back down. For split second the forest around the shack had lit up with a bright orange light, then darkness had descended again. The twelve women sat in stone silence, waiting. A long time later the crickets and frogs began to converse again. None of them moved until the sun came up. The possessed man had burned with fever for three days before coming back to his senses. Not that he'd ever come back to his senses completely.
Jane got out candles and laid them on the table. "Okay, holy water, candles, I need to cut up vellum paper for the host... OH! A Bible." She went into the bedroom to open up her trunk. Inside she fished out a Bible she'd taken from a hotel room in 1967. Another surface where David Crosby had laid out lines of cocaine. Jim Morrison had snorted all of it and a fistfight had broken out with Jim on the losing end. Jane had booted them all out, screaming and whipping them with her macrame belt.
She took the Bible into the dining room and laid it on the table.
"Jane, do I need to get twine or something or do you think he'll sit still?" Robert was rinsing the silver in the kitchen sink before buffing it to a high shine
"I think he'll sit still." Jane took the candle holder from him and placed candles in it. "Okay, we've got it together. You hungry? I need a sandwich."
"I could go for a sandwich. Tuna fish please?" Robert loved tuna. He wandered into the kitchen nook and found a box on the table. "Hey Jane? What's this?" He rummaged through it.
"It's my certification courses from the American Association of Exorcists."
"Oh, ha ha. What is it?"
Jane appeared in the archway mixing tuna in a bowl. "It's my certification course from the American Association of Exorcists. Once I get certified I'm going to hang it up with my ordination certificate from the Universal Life Church to show I'm legit."
"You have got to be kidding me. Jane, these are cassette tapes. Do you even have anything you can listen to these on?" Robert picked up the cassette case and shook it lightly.
"Yeah, I went to Goodwill and found an old player. It works. I have to watch 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose' and write a paper about the legal ramifications of the priests actions." She turned to open the fridge for mayonnaise and relish.
"How much did you pay for this?" Robert began to rummage through the box.
"There are 19 courses and each one is $20." Jane started to spread the tuna salad on big pieces of bread.
"Whew! What a scam." He read one of the course outlines. "What, you have to buy more books?"
"No, I already read the exams. I can pass without buying any of the books." Jane put lettuce and cheese on the sandwiches.
"Oh yeah?" Robert pulled one out. He read a question out loud "Number five. Signs and symptoms of demonic possession include : a. Speaking in a language that is foreign to the client. b. Unusual strength. c. Speaking in a strange voice, especially if the vocal cords are not used to speak. d. Fear and hatred of Jesus Christ. e. All of the above. f. Only a, b, and c." Robert blinked. "Wow. You are not kidding."
Jane brought their sandwiches to the table on clean plates, a novelty. "Here, we'll need nourishment for the task ahead."
"mmmmmm. Thank you sugar. " Robert leaned over the papers to kiss Jane on the cheek.
*******************************
Outside the house a car door slammed. Jane finished drying the dish she was holding and put it into a cabinet. "Showtime."
Robert pulled the plug in the sink, letting the soapy water out. He went to light the candles and put on the black smock he wore while he helped Jane with exorcisms.
One of Jane's wind chimes was hug and low-toned. As Mrs. Perkins helped her son from the car and up the walkway, the chime bonged low and long, the only one of the chimes to sound. The woman and the teenage boy stumbled up the steps to the solemn soundtrack. Only one of the cats, a black one, sat on the steps. It growled at the woman and her son as they moved by.
Jane opened the door, now dressed in her purple robe with her hair pulled back. "Please. Come in." Mrs. Perkins and her son Jake both had large, purplish circles under their eyes. Jake was too thin, his hair was falling out. Both of them were deathly pale.
Jane held her arm out towards a chair she and Robert had moved to the center of the living room. Jake collapsed into it.
Jane picked up a small vial of oil and said simply "Let us begin." She poured a few drops of oil onto her fingers before touching them to Jake's forehead. "I anoint you in the name of God the Father. Creator of the Universe. Holiest of Holies."
Jake moaned. "Mrs. Perkins, please recite the Lord's Prayer throughout. Please sit on the floor next to your son." The tired woman mostly collapsed next to Jake and began to whisper the prayer to herself.
Jane began to recite the Christian rite "God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, I appeal to your holy name, humbly begging your kindness, that you graciously grant me help against this and every unclean spirit now tormenting this creature of yours; through Christ our Lord."
Robert said the amen and took the vial from Jane. He winked at her when she handed it to him and pinched her on the bottom as she turned away. She shot him a look that said 'don't make me laugh!'.
She continued "I cast you out, unclean spirit, along with every Satanic power of the enemy, every spectre from hell, and all your fell companions;Begone and stay far from this creature of God."
Robert amen-ed and handed Jane the water, sticking his tongue out at he as he did. She mouthed 'stop' at him.
She dipped her fingers and drew a cross on Jake's forehead. He shrieked and writhed in the chair. "It burns! It burns!"
"What is your name demon?" Jane asked firmly. "Tell me your name."
"My name is Legion." Jake stabbed his right index finger out and drew a star in the air, drawing a circle around it to complete the pentagram. "I will not leave. You cannot compel me to let go of this soul. He is mine and I will do with him as I like." His voice came out in a low growl making Robert wince, the kid was going to have a sore throat later.
Jane dipped her fingers again and drew another cross on Jake's forehead. "Begone in the name of the Father." Another dip and another cross "and of the son," again, she dipped her fingers and drew a cross "and the Holy Spirit."
Jake screamed and clawed at his face. His mother intensified her prayers, clutching at his pant legs.
"Begone, then, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." Jane dipped her whole hand into the water and flung it onto Jake's face. He clenched his jaw and flopped around in the wing chair, squealing.
Jane turned to Robert who was quietly chanting "amen amen amen amen amen" to the tune of 'Funky Town'. He passed her the circles of vellum paper she was using as a substitute for communion wafers. She used her left thumb to pry Jake's mouth open and jammed in the paper. Jake gagged immediately and started to retch.
Robert calmly bent down to retrieve the good old metal bucket from under the dining room table, still softly singing 'a-men'. He shoved it between Jakes knees just in time to catch the nasty bile Jake's stomach shoved out.
Quite a lot spattered on Jake's mother who recoiled and yelled "Ewwwww!" This made Robert quickly cover his face with his arms to cover his laughter. Jane looked at him with huge eyes, biting her lower lip to stop the giggles. Jake shoved his head into the bucket and roared. The noise bounced around against the metal, causing a weird sounding echo. 'Calling for Huey' it was called in the UK. Or 'Will You Buy the Buick'. Jake sounded just like he was yelling 'Will you buy the Buick!' 'Will you buy the Buuuuuicckkkkk'. Jane's face turned red with effort, holding back the giggles. Robert, put his finger against the tip of his nose and pushed it up while crossing his eyes at the same time. Jane smacked him in the chest.
They turned to the heaving teenager and waited for him to quiet down. He brought his head up, panting. Jane grabbed his face and poured water into his mouth at the same time. He gurgled and spat. His hands clutched at this throat.
Jane put her entire hand over his face "I do order you to leave this soul in the name of Mary the Holy Mother. Hail Mary full of grace, blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of they womb. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us now." Jane began to pull her hand away from Jake's face like she was pulling a string. With a sudden jerk of her arm, she flung her hand toward the front door. The screen banged open, then the front door banged shut. The sound of many cats yowling came through the closed door.
Jake's mother began to sob. Jake collapsed over, his head upside down between his knees. His breathing became less ragged and more even. When Jake raised his head, his color was much improved and his eyes were clear. Jane handed him a glass of water, which he drank down.
"My throat hurts." he whispered. His hands were shaking.
Jane nodded. "I ran a bath for you. There are clean clothes for you in the bathroom. Scrub yourself down. Make sure you get every inch of your skin. Put the soiled clothes in the box in there. You'll feel better when you come out."
Jake got to his feet and went to take his bath. Jane turned to his mother. "Come on, you'll want to get cleaned up."
She led her out into the backyard. Jane had hung quilts on the clothesline and from the trees in such a fashion that they created a little room. Inside the four quilt walls was a large, metal washtub filled with water. In it was floating several different kinds of herbs. Jane held back one of the quilts.
"Stand in the tub and use the smaller bowl to pour the water over yourself. Be sure to get your hair and the back of your neck. I've left a clean dress and lingerie here for you. Drop your unclean things on the ground." Jane left her to wash herself and turned to the garden. She fetched her garden shears from the ground and cut several long branches of rosemary.
When she arrived back in the house, Robert had cleared the dining room table and opened the front door. Jane could hear Jake splashing in the bathtub. She took a ball of string from a drawer and began to tie the rosemary into a bundle while Robert put the kettle on.
When she was done she had a broom without a handle. She took her rosemary broom and swept down the chair, table, floor and around the front door. It made the house smell nice.
Mrs. Perkins called from the back door and Jane went to let her inside. Jane had her sit on the couch to drink some tea.
"I don't know how I can thank you. I know you'll tell me 'whatever you think it's worth' but I don't have anything near that number. I don't know what to do for you." Mrs. Perkins began to cry.
Jane hugged her "It will come to you. Don't worry."
Robert had gone to check on Jake, Jane could hear him talking to the teen through the wall. The two of them appeared a moment later. Jake clean and smelling much better, but still too thin.
"Now," Jane began "Go home and give the house a good cleaning. Peel seven lemons and put the peels in a bucket of water. When you're done cleaning use the lemon water to just damp mop the floors, wipe down the thresholds and windowsills and pour it down all the drains in the house. Put a line of salt all around the house. Try and get some sleep. Here are some teas for you. This one is for a sore throat. This one is calming. This one will help you sleep. "
Jane saw them out the door and watched as they drove away slowly.
"What do you think that was about?" Robert asked.
"He's really ashamed of something he did. The sad thing is it was probably something normal. Poor kid." Jane watched them drive away.
"Five dollars says they come back next year." Robert was taking off his smock.
"How do the cats learn to be such drama queens?"
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