Amorous Goods: The Victrola

"I know this probably sounds like bullshit to you. If you told me something like this, I'd kick your ass to the curb so fast it isn't even funny. But you have to believe me. I've never cheated on you. Ever. You're the only man I've ever had and the only man I ever want to have. I fought them as hard as I could, but I was powerless to stop them. I feel so dirty and ashamed. I wouldn't blame you if you divorced me.

"I just hope that one day, you can forgive me for being weak. Please know that I love you with all my heart, and I always will. Tell the kids I love them and give them a big hug and kiss for me. Annabelle says I'll be gone for good soon and this is the last time I'll ever be able to get anything to you.

"Please, sweetheart, find a woman you can love and be with her. Forget about me. I'm gone now and I don't think I'll ever be able to get back. Just remember that you made me the happiest woman on earth and If I have to, I'll wait here forever for you.

"I love you, Jack," she said, crying. "Goodbye, sweetheart." The recording ended and I sat there with tears rolling down my face. She was right about one thing. If she had told me this before tonight, I don't think I would've believed her. But there had been so many strange things happen lately that I couldn't help but give her the benefit of the doubt.

So now, I wondered, what do I do? My wife's body was in the hospital, while her spirit, or soul, or whatever you want to call it, is "out there," somewhere. For a moment, I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone and I halfway expected to see Rod Serling step out and say something profound.

I wondered what was on the other side of the record, and took a quick look. The label was blank, but there were grooves as though something had been recorded. I tried to play that side of the record, but heard nothing. I took the record of the turntable and put it back in its sleeve.

A thousand thoughts went through my mind as I sat there considering Terri's message. I realized I needed to speak to someone about this, and I knew just the right person. I recorded Terri's audio to a thumb drive, saving it in MP3 format. I pulled out my phone and made a call.

"Hello," I heard a man's voice say at the other end.

"Mike, you busy right now?" I asked. Mike Dunkirk was an old friend from college. He was actually more than that -- he was once my college counselor and as my mentor, he was probably the only person on earth I could speak to about this.

"Well, just finishing up some meat loaf, but otherwise, no," he said. "You got a problem you need help with?"

"Yeah," I said. "It's pretty strange actually. I'd like to bend your ear for a bit if that's okay and get your take on it."

"Well, if you're calling me, it must be a humdinger of a problem," he said. "Sure, come on over. I'll have a beer waiting for you."

"Thanks, Mike, I appreciate that," I said. We ended the call and I went into the front room where the kids were doing their homework.

"Will you kids be okay if I step out for a bit?" I asked.

"Yeah, sure Dad," April said. "We're not exactly little kids anymore, you know."

"Don't remind me," I said. "Okay, keep the door locked and don't let anyone inside. Call me if you need to. I may be gone for a couple hours or so."

"Okay, Dad," Robert said. I headed out and drove to Mike's place, a small two-bedroom condo not too far from my house. He by himself these days, since his wife died a year or so ago. When I got there, he handed me a beer and we sat in his front room.

"So, what's on your mind, Jack?" he asked.

"Mike, I'm about to tell you a story that you're gonna find very hard to believe," I said. "Hell, I went through it and I'm not sure I believe it myself." I told him the story -- all of it, He listened intently, not interrupting me. When I finished, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Damn," he said. "If anyone else had told me this, I'd have them packed off to the loony bin. You have a recording of her message?"

"I do, right here," I said, pulling out the thumb drive. He walked to the table where his laptop sat and inserted the drive. We listened to it together, then he pulled the drive out and handed it to me.

"Neither you nor Terri are prone to exaggerate things," he said. "And I know she would never cheat on you. It's just not in her to do that. So now, you're probably wondering what you should do."

"I am," I told him. "Dammit, I don't want a divorce, but I can't live with this."

"Let me ask you something," he said. "Suppose Terri was walking home one night and she was grabbed by someone and raped at gunpoint. Would you divorce her over that?"

"Of course not," I said. "That wouldn't be right. It was done against her will."

"Exactly," he said. "And so was this. There's really no difference. You heard what she said, the anguish in her voice. That's not something she could just make up."

"Yeah, but it's just so..."

"Strange?" Mike asked, finishing my statement.

"Yeah," I said.

"Well, if Jonas Parker is involved, strange is the order of the day," he said.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"I've stopped by his shop a few times just to look around, maybe buy something. I'd spoken to the old man while I was there. He was something else, to be sure," Mike said. "I got curious about the guy and did some research. Someone wrote a book about him and his family. From what I read, the old man never really got over the loss of his wife. Spent many years searching for answers. Some thought he was looking for a way to bring her back from the dead. Maybe he finally succeeded."

"Wow," I said.

"So, are you dead set on getting a divorce?" he asked.

"I don't know," I said. "If it turns out she deliberately did this, then yes."

"Are you in a hurry to do this?" he asked.

"No, I guess there's no need to rush into it, not with her in the condition she's in," I said. "What do you suggest?"

"I think you should let the medicos do their thing," he said. "Let them observe her, run their tests. If she's faking, they'll know pretty quick. And you'll have your answer."

"I think you're right," I said. Inside, I knew he was right. In all the years I had known Terri, she never once seemed the type to come on to other men. Even when we were in college, she wasn't the flirty type who jumped from man to man. None of this was like her at all. And with her in the hospital, I knew she wouldn't be going anywhere anyway.

"Look, why don't you go home, give the kids a hug and get some sleep," Mike said. "Take it one step at a time. You'll have your answers soon enough. And of course, if you need to bend my ear, I'll always be here for ya."

"Thanks, Mike, I appreciate that a bunch," I said.

"Anytime, old friend," he said. "You know, I just had a thought. Why don't you bring that record with her message by tomorrow, along with another recording of her, maybe a voicemail or something. I have a friend who works at the police lab. Maybe he can verify if that voice is really hers."

"That's a good point," I said. "I'd be curious to know how it got onto that record. I'll bring it by in the morning."

"Sounds good, Jack," he said. "I'll see you then." We said our goodbyes and I went home. The kids had finished their homework and were playing games on the television. I grabbed some leftovers and a coke and watched as they played their game. Even with the kids there, the place seemed so empty without Terri in it.

Eventually, we all tired and headed to bed. I held Terri's pillow and tried to sleep, but it wasn't easy. When I finally did fall asleep, I dreamt of Terri, searching her way home through a dark fog. I tried calling out to her, but was unable to speak. I woke up the next morning, drenched in sweat.

I got up, showered, shaved and dressed, then went downstairs. The kids were already eating breakfast and getting ready to leave for school. I made sure they had their lunches then saw them out the door and watched as they climbed on the bus.

I grabbed the record with Terri's message and copied a voicemail she left me from my phone to a thumb drive and headed to Mike's. He met me at the door when I got there.

"Please be careful with this," I said. "It's an old wax record, and they can break very easily."

"No problem," he said. "How did you sleep, by the way?"

"Not that good," I told him.

"Remember what I said. Take it one day at a time," he said. "You going to the hospital to see her?"

"Yeah," I said. "Maybe they'll have some news."

"Alright," he said. "Keep me in the loop. I'll let you know what my friend says."

"Thanks again, Mike," I said. I left and went to the hospital to check on Terri. When I got there, I went to the nurse's station to get an update on her condition. They told me that she had soiled herself and had to have a diaper put on her. They also told me that she had to be fed like a baby. Apparently, she had forgotten how to eat or even use the toilet. The doctor saw me and came over to me.

"Mr. Thornton, I've got your wife scheduled for an MRI later today," he said. "I've also reached out to a colleague of mine who happens to be a top neurologist at Johns Hopkins. He'll be coming to look over the test results."

"Is she going to be okay?" I asked.

"Physically, she's in great shape," he said. "But it's as though there's no memory of anything."

"So she has amnesia?" I asked.

"This appears to go beyond simple amnesia," he said. "She seems to have forgotten everything. How to eat, how to use the restroom, everything. She doesn't respond to visual or verbal stimuli."

"Maybe I should try to talk to her," I said.

"That wouldn't hurt," he said. "Maybe you can trigger a reaction. It might also help if you brought your children in later. Maybe she'll respond to them." I nodded my head.

"I'll do that," I said.

"I'll be in touch," he said before walking off. I went into Terri's room and looked at her. She seemed okay, physically, but there was no recognition in her face when I walked in.

"Terri, it's me, Jack," I said, sitting down next to her. She looked at me with her big brown eyes, but didn't respond. "Can you hear me? Can you understand what I'm saying? Nod your head if you do." There was still no reaction. I picked up her dainty hand and brought it to my lips, kissing her fingers as I sometimes did after we had made love. Still no reaction.

"Talk to me, Terri," I said. "The kids and I miss you so bad. Do you remember the children? Robert and April? Do you remember what April did yesterday?" I looked at her face for any sign of, well, anything. But there was nothing. I may as well have been talking to the wall.

I had a brainstorm and decided to change tack. I looked at Terri before speaking.

"Why did you do it, Terri?" I asked calmly. "Why did you lie to me about that ring? Why did you have to fuck that asshole? Surely you knew that I wouldn't tolerate that. I need answers, Terri. If I don't get any, I'll have no choice but to file for a divorce. And I'll be asking for custody of the kids. Talk to me, Terri. Why?"

There was absolutely no reaction from her. I had hardly ever used profanity in her presence and I had hoped it along with the threat of divorce would snap her out of whatever was going on in her head, but it didn't. Either she was the best actress on the planet or she really wasn't there. I sat with her for a while longer, then had another idea. I got up and kissed her on the forehead.

"I'll be back," I told her. "I'll bring the kids by later. We'll talk then, okay?" She looked up at me, but said nothing and her face remained passive. I went out of her room and asked about visiting hours.

"You can visit pretty much any time before 8 pm," the nurse said. I thanked her and headed out. My first stop was Vikki's shop. I went inside and found her behind the counter, helping another customer. When she finished, she came over to me.

"How's your wife?" she asked. I shook my head.

"Not good," I said. "It's like she's not even there. What about Donald?"

"The same," she said, tears falling down her cheek. "What are you going to do?"

"I have an idea, but I don't know if anything will come of it," I said. "Can you keep looking through your uncle's notes to see what you can find?"

"I have been, but I'll keep looking," she said. "If I find anything, I'll let you know."

"Thanks," I told her before leaving. From there, I drove to my office. Everyone asked about Terri and expressed their condolences. I thanked them and got to my office, where I met Alan.

"How's Terri?" he asked. I shook my head.

"Not good," I said. "Physically, she's okay, but it's like she's not there. They're going to do an MRI today and they have top specialists coming in to take a look."

"We just ordered some flowers for her," he said. "You just take it easy. If you need any more time off, take it. Just let me know."

"Thanks, Alan," I said. He went about his business and I went into my office. I closed the door and pulled the blinds, then grabbed the record with the blank label. After winding up the old Victrola, I placed the record on the turntable, turned it on and listened, hoping to hear Jonas. This time, however, I had the voice recorder on my phone ready to go, and set it on the table, close to the Victrola's external horn. After the player started, I heard his voice.

"Jack," he said through the horn. His voice sounded a bit different, almost as if he was going through something painful. "You surprised me, old boy. I never knew you had it in you. And you managed to recruit my own niece. Quite clever of you."

"Where's Terri?" I asked.

"In the hospital, I imagine," he said. "Along with my nephew."

"Bullshit, Jonas," I said. "Her body's there, but she's not. Neither is Donald. Where are they?" He laughed before responding.

"You figured that out, did you?" he asked. "Well, if you must know, Donald is here, with me. Or rather, his spirit is here. Terri's spirit is in what you might call purgatory, where she'll wander for all eternity, long after her physical body has turned to dust."

"There's got to be a way for her to get back, Jonas," I said.

"I'm sure there is, but even if I knew and was inclined to help you, I can't," he said.

"Why is that, Jonas?" I asked.

"Because, I'm being punished for what I did," he said. "As is Donald. We are someplace you never want to be."

"Where is that, Jonas?" I asked.

"You might know it as Hell," Jonas said.

"And Donald is there with you?" I asked.

"Yes," he said, his voice cracking from whatever strain he was under. "We're both being punished for what we did. As is my lovely Annabelle. And we'll be here for all time. I'm told Donald's body won't last much longer. Maybe a year or two at most from your perspective. Time doesn't have much meaning here."

"Why, Jonas?" I asked. "Why did you do it, and why Terri?"

"I only wanted to be reunited with my lovely bride," he said. "Terri was the best candidate. She was a descendant of Annabelle's sister and she resembled her enough for my purpose. Donald and I planned it all out long before my body died."

"And Terri knew nothing of this?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said. "She was duped from the beginning. Donald gave her that ring in the store when Vikki was out. He told her it was a token of the family's gratitude. She had no idea what we were doing until it was too late for her. By the time you and Vikki showed up, her spirit had already been displaced."

"And she never willingly gave herself to you or Donald?" I asked.

"No, never," he said. "That was Annabelle's doing. She was always a vivacious and passionate creature."

"There's got to be a way to get Terri back into her body," I said. "Think, man. Tell me."

"I... I can't," he said, seemingly out of breath. "I'm sorry, Jack, old boy. I can't think of anything except my pain... Please, make it stop..." His voice erupted into a howl of anguish and then died out. All I heard was the scratching noise of the needle in the record's groove. I realized I would hear nothing more and stopped the player. I ended the recording and listened to some of it, just to verify that I was able to capture his voice.

I pulled the record off the player and put it back into its protective sleeve. I sat there for a bit, thinking about what to do next. Then I had an idea. I packed up the Victrola along with a couple of records and left the office. I drove back to Vikki's shop and went inside.

Vikki's eyes grew wide when I played the conversation I had with her uncle. She listened to it twice, apparently to make sure it really was him. There were tears in her eyes when she was finished.

"That's his voice," she said. "There's no doubt about it. It's like hearing him die all over again. And my poor brother. Jonas used him and now it's going to cost him his life as well." I held her as she sobbed on my shirt.

"I'm sorry, Vikki," I said. "I had no idea this would happen."

"Neither did I," she said. "My brother went along with Jonas' evil plan and he's paying the price. But your wife was completely innocent. What are you going to do?"

"I have an idea," I said. "I don't know if it'll work, but at this point, I'm ready to try just about anything. Maybe I can help Vikki find her way back. And I think that old Victrola may be the key." She nodded her head.

"Let me know how it goes, okay?" she asked.

"I will," I said. "And I'm truly sorry for your loss."

"Thanks," she said. "Donald and I weren't all that close, but he was still my brother." We promised to stay in touch and I left the shop, heading for home. I put the Victrola in my office and prepared dinner for the kids, since I knew they would be home soon. I wasn't much of a cook, but I had helped Terri a few times and figured I would do what I could. At least they wouldn't starve.

When they got home, we ate the hamburger helper I made -- without complaint, I might add -- then went to see Terri. The kids were shocked when she didn't respond to them. They tried telling her about their day at school, but she just looked at them with no response and no indication that she even knew who they were.

I saw her doctor as we left, and he told me they had conducted the brain scan on her and the specialist would be there in a day or two to go over the results.

"Is there any chance she could be faking any of this?" I asked him. He shook his head.

"I've dealt with amnesia before, but I've never seen anything quite like this," he said. "I honestly don't think so. Just keep visiting her and talking to her. Maybe that will help."

"What if I bring some things from the house? Would that maybe help her out?" I asked.

"It certainly can't hurt," he said. That's what we did for the next couple of days. I visited her whenever I could, talking to her about things we had done, places we had seen, but that didn't strike a chord with her at all. Neither did the pictures and video I showed her of the four of us on vacation.

I got a call from Mike two days after I gave him the record with Terri's message.

"You got some time?" he asked.

"Sure," I said. "What's up?"

"My friend finished analyzing that record and he'd like for the three of us to meet over lunch," he said. "Are you available?"

"Sure," I said. "Where?"

"Well, there's that little diner over on Third Street you like," he said. "How about there?"

"That sounds good," I said. "They make the juiciest burgers."

"It's on, then," he said. "See you at 12:00." We ended the call and I was there right at 12:00. I saw Mike when I walked in. He waved at me, and I saw another man at the table. I headed over to them, and gave my order to the waitress.

"Jack, this is my friend, Al Nelson. He works for the police in their forensics lab," Mike said. I shook Al's hand and he handed me the record and the USB drive.