by Lotta Smith
I was skeptical about the accuracy of the news at first, and so was Brian, who regarded Aurora as a synonym for a demon. In an attempt to see what was going on, he paid a visit to her at the hospital as a concerned friend. According to him, the old woman was out of the ICU, but her condition seemed tragically bad—as in generalized amnesia or someone at an advanced stage of Alzheimer’s disease—and she didn’t respond to him even when her name was called. The possibility of Aurora faking her ailment crossed his mind, but he couldn’t come up with any good reasons for her to fake her mental disease, especially considering that she had over a dozen TV shows scheduled, including her flagship show Breaking Dawn with Aurora Westwood.
Anyway, Aurora’s office had recently made an announcement of retirement due to her ill health.
Meanwhile, I had been suffering from a series of sobbing attacks more often than I was comfortable. Rick called my mom, who dropped by his condo bringing dinner, desserts, and the merry women of the Meyers that included Nana, my younger sister Alicia, and her daughters Emma and Minty.
My super-energetic, overly nosy folks turned out to be a great distraction, especially when Nana casually asked, “Mandy, are you pregnant?” I shook my head immediately—after all, they ran all sorts of tests, including pregnancy testing—but Rick choked on a big bite of pot roast.
“Are you sure?” Nana wasn’t convinced. “We Meyers tend to be extra-emotional during the early phase of pregnancy.”
“I know!” Alicia chimed in. She turned to Rick. “No worries. Dad happens to be a gentle-hearted nice guy. He didn’t try to shoot Tony when I conceived Emma.”
Her comments made Rick cough harder, but when he recovered, he held my hand, muttering, “I’m glad I don’t have to worry about getting shot by your dad.” Which prompted Mom to secretly pump her fists under the table, and brought a long-lost smile on my face.
“So, is the boy ghost over there the Tyler boy you were talking about?” Brian’s question brought me back to the present as he pointed at the brownstone. The tone of his voice was perky. Following Aurora’s retirement, he got several gigs in show biz, and he openly appreciated me for nixing the most powerful psychic from the TV industry. Though I didn’t want to accept Brian’s thanks, because that would mean admitting that I’d actually harmed Aurora, Rick emphasized my favor for Brian so that he would do some free gigs for us without complaining. Perhaps Rick was right because Brian came to speak to Tyler, and for the first time, the exorcist didn’t make a fuss about working a freebie.
“Yes.” I nodded. Just like the time when I was desperately looking for witnesses for Julie’s kidnapping, Tyler was standing in front of a macaroon shop. He was looking bored, but unlike the first time I saw him, he wasn’t sleeping anymore. As I recognized his shape clearly, I realized I could still see ghosts. When I stopped seeing Jackie, I suspected I might have lost my ability to see and communicate with dead people, but that didn’t seem to be the case.
“That building… is he still there?” Matt Weisberger gasped. “Um… I had a little suspicion about you being a hoax, if I may say so.”
“Of course Tyler’s there, and that’s why you volunteered to come with us. You want to talk to your buddy, right?” Rick patted the high school sophomore on the back.
“Y-yes… but can you see him, too? I can’t see Tyler, and it looks like I’m the only one who can’t find him,” Matt said hesitantly. When we contacted him a few days ago, he reacted as if he had been awaiting someone from law enforcement to come get him. Brian did the talking as he was known as an exorcist, and when he mentioned Tyler’s ghost, Matt mumbled his confession and his will to accept any punishment for Tyler’s death. So, as a punishment, Rick told him to come to the building where Tyler died so Brian could convey the message to him from Tyler.
Rick shrugged. “Don’t worry. You’re not alone here. I can’t see or talk to dead people either.”
“Mandy, perhaps it’s better if you talked to him because he knows you,” Brian suggested.
“I agree with you.” I nodded and did a little finger wave at the ghost of Tyler McGraw.
“Hi, Tyler. How are you?”
The boy ghost looked at me and smiled. “Oh, you’re the person who came here with Jackie. How is she doing? I haven’t seen her in forever.”
“Um… she’s busy,” I mumbled. I wasn’t ready to admit Jackie was gone. Resisting the urge to sob, I forced a smile on my face. “By the way, we found the kidnapped girl, and she’s fine and unharmed. Thank you so much!”
The boy ghost’s eyes widened as they shifted to something behind me. “Matt?” Tyler turned to me. “You brought him to me.” When he spotted Brian, he frowned. “He’s an exorcist, isn’t he?”
“Yes. This is Brian Powers, and like you said, he’s an exorcist, but don’t worry. I didn’t bring him to exorcise you,” I said. “I’ve been feeling a tad bit frail lately, and I wasn’t sure if I could communicate with you at all. So I brought Brian to make sure someone could relay your words to Matt.”
“Hello, Tyler.” Brian raised his hand. “Mandy told me the reason you’re still stuck here.”
“Is he really here?” Matt asked, squinting as if he was hoping to see his deceased friend by doing so.
“Yes, he’s right here in front of you.” I indicated Tyler with the palm of my hand.
“Hey, Matt. How’re you doing?” Tyler waved at Matt, who didn’t respond. “Okay, I know you can’t hear or see me, but I had to try.”
I relayed his words to Matt, and his lips started to quiver. “Look, Tyler, I’m so sorry for what I’ve done and… I don’t know how to make amends. I shouldn’t have left you dying. I should have tried something to help you.”
“Don’t be sorry. I screwed up when I tried to hold on to the railing. You didn’t push me or anything, and it was a pure accident peppered with bad luck that I fell and died. Besides, my death happened instantly, and I was already dead when you were leaving. There was nothing you could do, so stop beating yourself up for my death. I want you to forget about me and live your life. I want you to play football again,” Tyler said firmly, looking into Matt’s eyes. Tyler took a step toward Matt and tried to hug his friend. Of course, his arms went through Matt’s upper body, but Matt shuddered as if he’d felt something.
“Still, I’m sorry,” Matt started, but then he looked at Brian and then at me. “What? Did you do anything to me? Why do I feel so… warm and relaxed?”
“That’s because Tyler’s hugging you,” Brian told Matt. “He wants you to quit blaming yourself and start living your life again. Also, he says his death was an accident and you didn’t do anything. He’s practically begging you to stop blaming yourself because his death happened immediately.”
“Also, he wants you to play football again,” I added.
“That’s… unbelievable,” Matt muttered almost to himself. “But somehow, I’m feeling as if Tyler’s standing by my side. Maybe I’m going insane.”
“No, you’re not crazy.” Brian shook his head. “He’s by your side.”
“Yup, and to be honest, I have a hunch you and Susan will make a cute couple,” Tyler chimed in, patting his friend’s back.
When I told him about Tyler’s opinion, Matt displayed an expression resembling a smile. “Seriously? Susan and me?” His jaw, which was previously clenched tightly, loosened up a little.
“Yup, I’m serious.” Tyler was smiling from ear to ear.
I noticed the outline of the boy ghost blurring, so I looked at Brian. “Doesn’t he look…?”
“Yeah.” The exorcist nodded. “He’s fading, meaning Tyler’s leaving for a better place. Looks like I wasn’t that needed in the first place. Perhaps all Tyler wanted was someone sending his message to Matt.”
“Still, you’ve done a good job persuading Matt to come here,” Rick said.
“I know,” Brian bragged.
The ghost of Tyler McGraw turned to us. “Thank you, guys, for letting me speak with Matt. Now it�
��s time to go, I guess.” He winked at us, waving and walking up to the sky as if he were taking the stairway to heaven.
Brian and I waved back at him. Matt and Rick did the same a moment later.
“Thank you, guys. Life’s beautiful. Enjoy!” Tyler gave a thumbs-up and left.
As he disappeared, I felt a warm breeze caressing my face.
Spring was just around the corner. Tyler was gone, and so was Jackie.
“Is he… gone?” Matt asked, looking over the blue sky.
“Yes,” Brian said. “He told you that life is beautiful and to enjoy yours.”
Matt lowered his gaze and nodded. “I’ll try. Thank you, all of you. I don’t know how to put it, but it felt like Tyler was really talking to me. I know I’m sounding crazy, but I guess I caught some of Tyler’s words with my own ears and… it’s….” He fumbled with his words.
“Amazing?” Rick asked.
“Yes.” Matt nodded, and then his face turned solemn. “So what’s next for me? Are you going to arrest me or something?”
“That’s a good question.” Rick crossed his arms. “So, technically, you should have called an ambulance or something, but the coroner’s report agrees with Tyler’s ghost that his death happened immediately and no life-saving efforts could have helped him. So why don’t you accept Tyler’s words and live your life?”
Matt’s ears turned red and his face was contorted like he was trying his best not to cry. “Thank you… for everything. I’ll live a life that Tyler would be proud of,” he said, sniffling.
“Atta boy.” Rick smacked the young boy’s back. “Now you can quit crying and go home.”
Matt left, mumbling, “It’s just a stupid allergy,” still sniffling.
When Matt turned the corner and went out of our sight, Rick turned to me. “You’re quiet, Mandy. Are you all right?” Cupping my face in his hands, his mesmerizing green eyes were fizzling with concerns.
“I’m good. Peachy. Thanks!” I forced a smile and tried my best to speak like everything was fine, but my voice was quivering.
An emotion that was unreadable to me crossed his face, and he said, “Let’s go to Pier 26. Brian, come with us. Four eyes are better than two.”
* * *
Thirty minutes later, we were standing in the greenway at Pier 26, where I bumped into Jackie for the first time.
Just like the time Jackie and I found each other, the place was filled with joy and happiness. It was a sunny day, and I watched people running, playing basketball, walking dogs, and kayaking in the Hudson.
“Where did you meet Jackie for the first time?” Brian asked me.
“Right there—she came out from there.” I pointed at the basketball court.
“I see.” Brian squinted.
“Do you see any signs of her?” Rick asked.
“No.” Brian shook his head. “It looks like Jackie’s left this world. She’s practically unmissable. Imagine a drag queen in a skintight outfit in neon pink and green.”
“Don’t forget the ‘FESTIVE’ necklace,” I chimed in, chuckling. “Can you imagine my surprise when I saw her for the first time? She was in really bad shape with messy hair and a bloody torso with part of her intestine sticking out of the wound. When I saw her tear-streaked face and heard her shrieking for help, I thought I’d just bumped into an assault victim and… I was mad. Just like now, this place was packed with fun-loving people, but nobody reached out to help her, and they seemed to be looking the other way. When I noticed I was the only person here who could see her, I thought—no, I wished that I was being pranked.”
“I know the feeling,” Brian muttered.
Rick reached for my shoulders, pulling me close to him. “You weren’t thrilled to know her at first. Remember the time you bought an antighost charm from a street vendor?”
“Yeah, I remember. That charm turned out to be totally bogus. When I pointed the charm at Jackie, saying, ‘Take it!’ she was like, ‘Huh?’” I giggled. “I felt like I was being stalked by a weird ghost, and I was so very desperate to get rid of her… but now… now that she’s gone, I miss her. It feels like a part of me—a part that’s crucial to making me who I am—is missing… and I really, really wanted to share the information about her killer, such as the tracksuit and the knife with Jackie’s blood were found in Paloma’s apartment… and….”
I didn’t get to finish my sentence because I was openly sobbing.
“Mandy, look at me.” Rick held me by the shoulders, his green eyes staring directly into mine. “I can imagine you’re upset over Jackie’s disappearance, but considering your bond with her, I don’t think she’d just ditch you. I’m sure Jackie’s afterlife was happier after knowing you, so stop crying and smile. I’m begging you. You’d be happy if Jackie’s left for a better place, where she doesn’t feel the pain or agony anymore, wouldn’t you?”
He had a point, but the word “ditch” pulled my grief trigger and I wailed. “Nothing stays the same. Things change and people leave. Even my guardian angel has left!”
At that point, I wasn’t really sure what I was grieving in the first place, but I was in a zone—a zone for bawling like a drunken idiot. I caught Brian flinching as if he wished he were anywhere but around me, but I didn’t care. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to keep my job with the FBI… as you’ll be leaving the feds someday and once you’re out they don’t need me anymore… and….” As I went on, my devastated-o-meter ran off the chart. I was utterly, totally heartbroken.
“Stop it!” Rick snapped, pulling me closer and holding my shoulders tightly. “Many things constantly change, but some things will stay, as in forever. For example, I’m here with you, and I intend to stick with you. I love you, and I’ll stay with you for better or worse, for richer or poorer, and in sickness and health—”
“As long as you both shall live.”
When Brian chimed in, I raised my tear-streaked, most likely blotchy face, to look at the exorcist practically grinning like Garfield who’d just found a large dish of lasagna hidden in the fridge. “Hey, Rowling, have you noticed that you just made a marriage proposal?”
“Wha—?” Rick opened his mouth, then closed it shut. He looked at me and then at Brian, his usually flawless skin turning slightly pink.
Then I heard the familiar husky yet perky voice shrieking in my ear. “Oh my God! Did I just hear the words of a marriage proposal? What did I miss? What happened while I was away? Come on, Mandy, you have to share all the juicy details with me!”
“Jackie, you don’t need to scream! I’m not deaf!” I snapped. After a pause, I came to my senses. “Did I just say Jackie?” I looked at Rick and then at Brian. I blinked. Then I kept blinking about a dozen times. In front of me, a familiar face was bouncing—except Jackie was sporting a goatee and a blue Genie costume that time.
“Hi there, Mandy. Did you miss me?” As she waved at me, I caught a glimpse of her ‘FESTIVE’ necklace gleaming at her neckline—with more glitter and beauty than ever.
“Where have you been?” I narrowed my eyes. “How could you ghost away like that? You could have said a goodbye, at least!”
“Because I am a ghost?” she said, sounding more like a question than a statement, prompting me to wish I could shake the ghost until her teeth fell out. “Ow, sorry about that. I wasn’t planning on that sudden disappearance, but the moment I had a sense of closure, I got detained by a couple of guys in black suits à la Men in Black. You know what? Heaven has this agency that is equivalent to our Customs and Border Control, and the men in black happened to be the agents from there. I was detained for overstaying my visa, and I had to be deported until my visa was renewed. I was totally shocked to learn that I was an illegal alien. Who knew dead people need a visa?”
My jaw dropped. A part of me wished I could witness the men in black from Heaven, and a part of me was relieved not to see the agents from Heaven, for they might have tried to manipulate my memory. And if they did, I might have forgotten about Rick
as well… such as he’s my boss and live-in boyfriend, and I love him so much. Zap! and just like that….
“Anyway, now that my visa’s renewed and all the issues with my immigration status have been cleared, I’m back. Though I have to always keep my visa up-to-date to avoid overstaying.” Jackie bounced and looked into my face. “Hey, Mandy, look at your red nose and puffy eyes! You been crying over me or what?”
“It’s an allergy,” I lied. “By the way, what happened to your wardrobe?”
“Oh this?” The ghost proudly struck a pose. “I always wanted to show you what an awesome Genie I would have made. What do you think? Impressed?”
“Yes, I’m… overwhelmed,” I admitted.
“Woohoo!” Hooting, she flipped and sang the first chorus of “Friend Like Me” from Aladdin.
I clapped my hands in appraisal and Brian joined. “Bravo!” Rick said as I told him about Jackie’s performance.
“Thank you! I love you all!” Jackie blew a kiss at us, and then with a snap of her finger, she changed into her usual drag queen getup in neon colors. That time, the wound on her side was gone and her intestines weren’t visible anymore.
“Jackie, what’s happened to your injury? It’s… healed!” I exclaimed.
“Oh yes. The wound had already healed nicely when I reached the detention center. They said that’s because of having closure with my past. By the way, speaking of love, can I be your maid of honor at your wedding with Rick?”
I opened my mouth to say something, but I didn’t know what to say, so I closed it shut. “Jackie… I mean….”
“What did she say?” Rick asked me.
“Jackie says she wants to be the maid of honor for Mandy’s wedding,” Brian told Rick. “If you want to be the groom at her wedding, I suggest you pop the question before she gets hitched to someone else.”
Rick hit his forehead with the base of his palm, muttering, “Oh, crap… so, I’ve bought the ring, but I’m not carrying it today. I wasn’t expecting this.”