Missouri Normal: A Psychic and a Marine

By Telory Arendell

To Jane Montgomery, "Missouri Normal" is everything she's trying to avoid: house-bound, bible-thumping, double-wide trailer trash. As an older returning college student, Jane is a community outlier. After saving her mom's life on 9-11, she can't ignore her psychic ability. Prediction of a near-fatal robbery cements her fate: invent a modern equivalent for psychic readings or fall prey to Southwest Missouri prejudice.

Jane's childhood crush, SAM BATES, believes in empirical evidence. Military engineering stations him in San Diego. When the two meet up years later back home in rural Missouri, Jane falls deeper for him despite his refusal to respect her psychic ability. On vacation with Sam in Oklahoma, a tribal elder of the Muscogee Creek Nation recognizes Jane's gift.

A 'Seer' has no place in contemporary life, so Jane pursues reputable employment to honor her talent. She fears abandoning her disabled mother and bears the brunt of psychic ridicule. An option that moves Sam closer to home arrives right before his deployment to Afghanistan. Jane spends two years in a Social Work graduate program while Sam serves his deployment overseas, their company restricted to holiday visits. Sam's return holds a double surprise that cements this couple as Missouri Normal.

Missouri is one of few states whose residents span a continuum from practicing psychics to military veterans and imagines both as equally viable members of their community. Telory Arendell's debut novel explores this unlikely pairing and argues that society needs both sides of this equation. Her deep characterization prompts an immersive reading experience true to this Southern Midwest locale. It takes you right there in believable ways. Character voices highlight regional dialogue and neurodiversity. A true celebration of difference turns what is considered broken into a gift. Finding your broken defines your gift, and what breaks us makes us. A vision will only help if you share it. In this debut novel, visions lead a Seer to counseled clarity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Nov 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9798350920284

Book preview

PROLOGUE: 2001

Jane held her breath. Heart racing and pulse rising, she peered through low-lying branches to spy her finder before she was caught. Sam Bates was the finder for this round. Shouts rang out as he found the other players quickly, but then there was complete silence. Maybe he had just forgotten about her. Suddenly he was right there behind her in the shrubbery, wrapping his arms around her tightly so she couldn’t move. She screamed, which only made him put his hand over her mouth.

I found ya, he whispered into her ear, slowly releasing his hold.

No fair, Sam! A finder is supposed to come from the front! Jane squawked the instant he uncovered her mouth.

Fair? What’s fair in hide and seek? All’s I had to do was find you.

Sam-I-am, you’re being a bully!

Am not. I’m just playing the part I was given. You hide, I seek.

Well, maybe you should work on your seeking so other people get half a chance. Jane clambered up out of the shrubbery. She cursorily brushed the dirt off the back of her pants.

You’re just a sore loser, that’s all, Sam announced with a glint in his eye.

Am not. Jane brushed off her knees. I just like winning, and that’s not the same. She headed over to the others.

He found you too? asked Sam’s older sister, Hannah. She had bright blond hair and impossibly long legs.

Wouldn’t have if he hadn’t snuck up on me from behind. I might have escaped along the back of the shrubs and found another spot.

That there’d be against the rules, Janie, and you know it, Sam puffed.

Who made up the rules, anyway? You?

No, ma’am, they’re rules what’s been around through the ages. Sam snickered and Jane was that much smaller.

Don’t you go sassing me, Sam, . . . I . . . Sam, . . . I . . . Sam, . . . Jane sputtered, but she stopped mid-phrase, unable to continue her rant. Her eyes got cloudy, and she stumbled toward Hannah.

Hannah knew something was wrong. What, Janie? What’s the matter? This one of your spells? Hannah supported Jane as she let her slump to the ground. Sam, go get Mr. M, just in case. Fast!

Where is he? Her house?

Should be. Quick now! Hannah sat on the grass and rocked Jane. By the time Sam found Mr. Montgomery and brought him back, Jane was beginning to respond.

Jane? Janie? Come on back to us now, her father said. He took Hannah’s place behind his daughter. She’s fine, she’ll be fine. We just need to give her a few minutes to recover her bearings. Jane blinked rapidly a few times as if trying to get something out of her eyes. There she is, Hank Montgomery said. There’s my peach. Jane struggled to turn and look around at the others.

How’d I get here?

Had another spell, Hannah answered. What’d you see this time?

Jane paused, closing her eyes again. It was Mama . . . not looking like herself.

How’d she look? asked Hank.

She was trying to fly, like a bird, over the tops of buildings in a big city. She hit something and fell to the ground. Broke every bone in her body.

Bad way to travel, Sam joked.

Hmm, Hank said. Your mom’s going to New York City for a conference next week. Maybe you’re just having anxiety jitters.

No, Pop; it was so real.

Yeah, like your mom turning into a big bird, Sam scoffed. Nothing real about that.

But it was, I swear! Jane held back tears.

Maybe you all have just been out in the sun a bit too long, said her father, pulling her to standing. I tell you what, let’s all head to the ice cream parlor for a round of shakes, how about that?

Maybe we should try to fly there! Sam avoided his sister’s attempts to swat him.

You leave her be, Sammy, else I’m gonna fly you into orbit with my foot. Hannah ran after her little brother toward Mr. Montgomery’s truck.

A week later, Mrs. Montgomery was late for her flight headed to New York City. She dashed, flitting about the house, stopping only to be sure she had her presentation materials. Jane stopped her at the last minute before she left, refusing to let her mother walk out the door. Mama, you can’t go to New York City. She barricaded Ellen Montgomery in the front hallway.

For goodness sake, why not? Ellen stooped to pick up loose change.

I . . . I saw something, Jane stuttered. Something terrible.

What, you mean like one of your strange dreams?

Sort of. Only this time I wasn’t asleep.

So where were you, and what did you see?

It was back a week ago. Sam and Hannah and me were playing hide and seek in the park.

An inopportune time to have a vision. Just like our conversation is bumping up against my departure. I can’t miss this flight, Janie. She rapidly gathered her remaining travel items and kept half an eye on her daughter.

I wouldn’t stop you unless it was important, Mama! You gotta believe me. I’m not just saying this because I want you here; it’s more serious than that. Jane grabbed her mother by the hands and pulled her back into the living room.

Jane, now seriously, my flight leaves in less than ninety minutes and those lines are atrocious.

Mama, just let me tell you the vision first, then you can make up your own mind. Jane sat her mom down beside her on the couch, holding her hands, trying to delay her departure.

Okay, if it means this much to you, spill the beans, but only for a few minutes.

It won’t take me long, I promise. Jane closed her eyes to clear her head and put the images from a week earlier back in her mind. You were trying to fly, not in an airplane, more like a bird. You were going over lots of tall buildings, as if you wanted to find a place to land. But you couldn’t. Then you hit one of the buildings, like you weren’t looking where you were going.

And did I crash into a window like birds do around our house?

No, there wasn’t a window so much as a bunch of fire escapes, with people running up and down trying to find something they lost. They were holding papers, or no, more like pictures in their hands. Whenever they caught up with another person, they showed them the picture they carried. They were scared, almost terrified. And you just crashed into the building beside them. All your bones broke, and your skin caught fire like someone poured oil on you. You couldn’t move to get the fire off anyway, so it just burned and burned. People on the fire escape didn’t even see you. Jane paused, trying to remember anything else from this set of images.

Wow. That’s vivid.

She was scared out of her wits that day in the park, Hank said as he joined them in the living room. I suppose we should have mentioned it when we got back from ice cream, but all three of them were giddy on a sugar rush and weren’t too bothered by it anymore.

Jane, I love that your imagination paints such clear pictures, but I’m not sure this daydream means anything more than your fear of abandonment. I will come back, honey. I always do. I might get stuck outside some city or other. Weather tends to trip people up flying in and out of the Midwest, but at some point, I always make it back.

Later that day, Jane’s mom came back from the airport, where all domestic flights and her conference were cancelled due to New York City’s 9/11 tragedy. How did you know, Jane? Ellen threw her arms around her daughter. How could you possibly have known?

CHAPTER 1: 2017

Isn’t it strange that some rotten things taste so regular after you’ve eaten them every day for half a lifetime? Jane held fast to a wild belief that in time, all things rotten would right themselves. She spent the morning weeding her mother’s favorite flower bed in hot sun. No new roots tumbling over each other to find the light around here. A person could go for days on end without the slightest bit of attention, and no one was the wiser for it. Hannah was supposed to come by that day to sprinkle sunshine over Jane’s dark hills of regret. Serendipitous stumbler that she was, Hannah always had the right touch, and Jane relied on her for this.

You got your mind set on working today? Hannah threaded her way through daffodils carefully to the front porch.

Yes, Ma’am, Jane replied.

Boy, it sure has gotten hot here too early. Hannah sighed through mildly clenched teeth, wiping the beads of sweat that threatened to drip too close to her eyes. I’m betting the frog toads have already hopped their way down into the river by now just to take a dip before that creek runs dry. She plopped down next to Jane on the top step and dangled her thin legs idly over the edge of the front porch. Way too many skeeters.

I’d have thought Jackson would be here by now. Jane was hoping the two of them might catch something this time around.

Oh, he’ll be along alright. He’s just got to skip, hop, and jump his way over as many dirt puddles as possible, being fourteen and all.

He’s fourteen, Hannah, not four. Jackson had grown up wild without any true parenting. Unlike most other boys his age, he didn’t fret on minding his grandmother, long as she didn’t expect him to be home for supper on a regular. He’d spent the first decade and a half of his life raised by grandparents after his dad used Meth like a recreational drug until the stuff poisoned his brain and made all his teeth fall out. He withered away to a frail carcass without anyone explaining the cause. Jackson’s mom stuck around for the last few months of receding life then took off in search of a better existence anywhere but home. Years older, both Jane and Hannah had taken him under their collective wing.

Here’s Jackson, finally. Jane hopped down the steps toward his tall frame, making sure not to startle him. Hey Jack!

Howdy. Sorry to be late.

No problem. Hannah pushed up off the steps. We’re just sitting here shooting the breeze anyhow. You got the fishing poles somewhere, or are we not doing that today?

Jackson stayed quiet for a minute or two before struggling through an answer. Got too many ch-ch-chores this afternoon.

Too many chores? Lands’ sakes! Hannah shielded her eyes from the glare. You’re not set free to do whatever you like during summer vacation?

No, Ma’am. I only get to do my own things after I g-g-get the rest of it done, and I haven’t yet finished yesterday’s work. You know . . . the . . . the fireplace.

Could you at least stay for some lemonade? Jane asked. She tucked her finger under his chin and forced him to look her in the eye. He gave her a fleeting glance then returned his gaze to his shoes, kicking into the dirt.

Maybe, I suppose.

That’ll do! Hannah shouted, looping her right arm under his left and guiding him up the steps into Jane’s house. Let’s just tell Janie’s mom she’s having company. Hannah led Jackson through the front door and Jane smiled at how comfortable her best friend was in anyone’s space, especially when it wasn’t her own.

Tomorrow was the Fourth of July. Why did people take such great pleasure in showcasing explosive after explosive to remember the independence of this country? And whose independence was it, anyway? Yes, American settlers from Britain, but for all Indigenous People who were rightful owners of this space before British overhaul, this was hardly a day connected with independence. Servitude and slaughter maybe. It always depended on whose perspective ended up in history books. Jane couldn’t even imagine how Indigenous People would tell the story about July 4th. Human beings ripped from their homes and kidnapped, raped, or killed; a new patriotism demanding such high prices from people who respected the land. The grass is always greener, she figured. It just depends on which side of whose fence you happen to sit.

Jane’s mom had done her best to purchase flags in every configuration. One hanging high from as close to the rooftop as Pop could place it; two more adorning the front door; another blowing in prairie wind hung from the living room windows; and then all the short flags on sticks that Mama could find in the Dollar Store. Her mother was mostly just trying to make up for her own inability to walk in parades and salute fallen soldiers. Hot days in high humidity made Missouri difficult for anyone with Multiple Sclerosis. Hell, summer days made stepping outside turn your body into a wet sponge. Jane’s mother spent most of her summer days inside. By the time it cooled down slightly in the evening, Midwestern bugs had a field day making short work of everyone’s legs. Mosquitos and chiggers and ticks and the like flew, buzzed, and crawled as close to human flesh as possible to either burrow in and lay eggs for regeneration or suck blood until full to bursting.

Her mom was tested for Lyme’s disease when her eyes first started seeing double and she could no longer stay awake for the length of a day. These spells only came occasionally now her doctor had started her on the best, most expensive medicine on the market. Infusion therapy, it was called, but it still didn’t make hot weather easy. Her mother worked full time at the university, and she was lucky enough to have a teaching position that didn’t require more than minimal hours, but even this required naptimes and longer nights. She still had her sense of humor. Once that went, there was no telling what would follow. Jane secretly hoped to be long gone from Missouri before then.

As Jane entered the house, her mom was chatting with Hannah. When is your brother coming home?

Really late tonight, Mrs. Montgomery. He usually only gets one full day off. Marine brats and their families squeeze as much love out of each holiday as possible. Sam’ll stop by tomorrow sometime after the picnic, I’m sure.

Jane blushed at the mention of Sam. She’d spent many years harboring a secret crush on Hannah’s brother. Eight years into Marine service at age twenty-nine, he had gone straight from college into the military, trying to pay off student loans through active service. He was lucky to be stationed at Camp Pendleton in San Diego on an engineering unit. Jane desperately hoped they wouldn’t send him to the Middle East.

At twenty-five, Jane had returned home to finish college before moving anywhere else. It was a bit awkward as an older returning student at her mother’s state university, but this was the easiest place to finish what she’d started years ago. Sam hadn’t made any overtures in her direction yet. It was a pipe dream, but in the back of her mind, all roads led to Sam. She wasn’t terribly fond of military tactics, and the training was merciless, but Sam didn’t mind. He always came back with a smile that pulled up from the side of his face into eyes darker than midnight blue. Being a pacifist, she shouldn’t be interested in a military man. This many failed relationships later, there was still something about Hannah’s brother that made Jane’s insides squirm every time he came home.

She went in search of that day’s mail at the end of their long dirt driveway. When was the last time she’d laid eyes on Sam Bates? Sammy was what all her local friends still called him, but he had turned the corner from boy to man years ago. Jane spent years holding onto the notion that Sam was somehow bigger than his actual frame. He stood a good six foot two, just slightly taller than she could reach when she tried to steal his baseball hats. He came home last time with a bunch of San Diego Padres hats in a blue almost as dark as his eyes. The ones he wore now were straight up military. Camo as any Marine’s, and clean pressed, like every other piece of his uniform. She’d been missing him something fierce. Her biggest fear was some sexpot might win him over and steal his heart away from backwoods Missouri. Girls fell for his looks, writing their number on his hand in any public place. It’s nothing, she told herself. Just a few jealous thoughts pointed in the direction of nowhere.

She slowed her pace while nearing the mailbox. The stick it was attached to didn’t quite balance the box, so it took a few minutes to pry the lid open. As she leaned wide to the right, steering clear of their neighbor’s thistles, she heard a distinctive whistle behind her. She turned sharply at an odd angle, still reaching with her arm for a pack of correspondence.

Now, that is one sight I will never forget. Sam Bates chuckled, ambling over from the main road. Two perky cheeks greeting me from a behind that still stands at attention.

Jane crumbled a bit and backed out of her awkward stance to turn fully toward the unsuspecting love of her life. He always caught her at the most inconvenient moments. Sam-I-am, she countered, trying to regain her composure while staring at the figure of the only man she knew who could wear a pair of jeans like they breathed for him. She clutched her letters close to shield herself from any physical imperfection she might give away and tried her hardest not to smile with a goofy grin to match her infatuation. Dang, this man was hard to take your eyes off. Well, look what the heat dragged in. She leaned slightly against the mailbox to regain a semblance of propriety.

Laughing outright, Sam paused his steps toward her and gave her a funny look. Ain’t nothing compared to San Diego in September.

Yeah, but that’s dry heat, right? Jane hoped her attempt at small talk wouldn’t reveal her desperate need to place all attention on useless conversation.

Sam moved slowly closer to her with a twinkle in his eyes that never failed to remind her of a picture his mom had shown her when she asked about the ‘true’ Sam. Sheer mischief wrestled with an undying need to please had sparkled off the Kodak that day. Sam in his truest form was nothing but pure pleasure with a hint of ornery. Just how she liked it, but hard to pin down. Women flocked