More than a Phoenix

by Ashlyn Chase

  Suddenly, she wasn’t alone. A beautiful woman who looked like her grandmother but many years younger than she remembered her walked out of the woods.

  “Grams?”

  “Hello, darling.”

  “Is it really you?”

  “Yes. My soul is here with you.”

  “Just your soul? Because I see you. You look different, but I know it’s you.”

  “I’m in my prime and completely healthy.”

  “Is that what I’ve been seeing? People’s souls? Why aren’t they all as young and healthy as you are?”

  “Sometimes, spirits resist moving on. It’s usually due to a reluctance to leave loved ones or because of some unfinished business.”

  “Is that why this is happening to me? Do the spirits want me to help them finish their business?” Wait, that sounds wrong.

  Her grandmother laughed. “I knew what you meant.”

  “Ack! You can read my mind?”

  “Only if you project your thoughts, as if you want them heard.”

  Shit. This is weird.

  “Not really. We’re connected in a different way. Our souls communicate with each other in the spirit world.”

  “Is that where I am? In the spirit world?”

  “No. You’re in a therapist’s office.”

  Well, duh. Her grandmother didn’t comment. Either because she didn’t hear what Mallory didn’t want her to hear…or she forgave that particular thought.

  “I’m glad you’re here, Grams. I have so many questions. But cutting to the chase, is there a way to stop the spirits I don’t know from bothering me? Or can you tell me how to tell real people from the spirits?”

  Suddenly, she was alone.

  “Grams?” No one answered. “Grams? Can you come back?”

  Again, there was no answer. Maybe her grandmother would have crossed some kind of line if she told her more. Maybe she’d already crossed a line and was dragged off by the heaven police. Shit, Mallory. You sound nuts now. Or more nuts than usual. It was time to come out of this trance and make sense of what she’d been told.

  She raised her hand.

  * * *

  Dante arrived five minutes before the hour, and the door to the inner office was open. They’re done already? He peeked in.

  “Ah, Mr. Fierro. Come in. We were waiting for you. Have a seat.”

  Dante entered and sat in the empty chair. “Is everything all right?” He glanced at his watch. “I thought I was early.”

  “Yes, everything’s fine,” the therapist said. “We had a breakthrough today. I’d like to see her again, but she wanted to speak to you first.”

  Mallory squirmed in her seat as if she couldn’t wait to tell him what happened—or get out of there. He wasn’t sure which.

  “I’ll let Mallory share with you what she wants you to know.”

  “First off, I’m not crazy!”

  Dante laughed. “I didn’t think you were.”

  “Well, you were more certain of that than I was.”

  Dante waited, then prompted her to go on. “What else?”

  “I found out the spirit world is real, and I’m talking to souls that haven’t moved on.”

  “Wow! That is a breakthrough.” He wondered how this new information came to her, but following the therapist’s lead, he was letting her tell him what she wanted him to know.

  She frowned. “Unfortunately, my grandmother left before I could understand the difference between a real human and an uncrossed-over soul.”

  “So, you had a chat with your grandmother?”

  “Oh yeah.” She slapped herself upside the head. “My Grams showed up and told me what was happening.”

  “I’m glad you got some answers. Do you think you’ll get more with another session?”

  Mallory looked toward the hypnotherapist. “Will I?”

  “You might. Especially since it won’t be new to you next time. You can enter the trance state more easily when you know what to expect and trust that you’ll be completely safe.”

  “What I really want to know is if we can stop the spirits from visiting except when I want them to.”

  “I can add a posthypnotic suggestion to that effect.”

  “You can? Why didn’t you?”

  “We didn’t discuss it. I wouldn’t add something like that unless you were completely aware that that’s what I was going to do. Mental health is trickier than hypnosis for losing weight or giving up cigarettes.”

  “I thought you said I wasn’t crazy.”

  He leaned forward. “You’re not. Mental health is different than abnormal psychology. Everyone wants mental health. I know it’s just semantics, but the difference is important. I wish more emphasis was put on that difference. Society hears the words ‘mental health’ and automatically jumps to the conclusion that the lack of it is being discussed.”

  “Oh. So, I’m mentally healthy?”

  “Until proven otherwise.”

  “All of this is good news,” Dante said, “except for one thing. Why is she being haunted, for lack of a better word? Is there a proper word for what’s happening to her?”

  The hypnotherapist took a deep breath and looked as if he had to take a moment to think. At last, he said, “Not that I can think of. I haven’t had a case like this before, but mediums might have a better handle on the lingo. If she were schizophrenic, that would be one thing, but I don’t think she is.”

  Mallory shot to her feet. “You don’t think?”

  “Relax. I’m quite sure, but I have to allow for the fact that I’m human. I believe in a spirit world, even though my education is rooted in science. I could be wrong, even though I’m confident.”

  “Oh. I was almost confident too. Confident that I was crazy,” she said with a frown.

  Dante quickly changed the subject to making another appointment.

  Mallory looked at him imploringly. “I’d need a ride. Would you be willing to bring me, Dante?”

  “Of course I will,” he said. He rose and held out his hand. This relationship was still new and undefined. He’d be thrilled when he could say she was his. Happily, she placed her hand in his and didn’t let go.

  “If it’s any consolation,” the therapist said as they were leaving, “the spirits haven’t given you any commands. They seem to be benevolent.”

  “Well, crap. I never thought about what would happen if they told me to do something evil. What if one of them tells me to run into traffic?”

  “Would you run into traffic?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Then I wouldn’t worry about it.”

  Dante sucked in a deep breath. How frightening would it be if a voice told someone to run into traffic and that person believed they had to do it? He was grateful Mallory was well aware of the difference.

  Chapter 6

  At last, the day of the Battle of the Badges basketball game had arrived. Dante promised to visit his brother a few minutes before the game started and point out Kizzy’s location. Noah seemed more nervous about her being there than he did about the game. He’d do well on the court. There was no doubt about that. He’d been playing since he was ten. His older brothers had taught him as soon as they realized how tall he’d be.

  Mallory had arranged to meet Dante there. She said she had to finish her paintings first. She’d been working diligently to get her gallery submissions just the way she wanted them and could take public transportation to get to Boston Garden when she was finished. Dante understood her anxiety but couldn’t wait to see her relax and have a little fun.

  He guessed his brother felt the same way about Kizzy needing a break. Dante’s motto was: Everybody works too hard and takes themselves way too seriously.

  “There she is, Bro,” he said to Noah, who was on the bench waiting for the g
ame to start. His brother’s eyes followed Dante’s finger, pointing at the pretty brunette doctor. He looked relieved when Kizzy smiled and waved.

  Grinning, Noah waved back. “Thanks. I owe you for bringing her here.”

  “No problem. You’re taking her out afterward, so I’ll take Mallory home in Joanna.”

  “Dude, that just sounds wrong.”

  The announcer welcomed everyone and introduced the singer of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

  “Well, I’d better get to my seat.”

  “Yeah. Oh, hey! I see Mallory coming.”

  Dante glanced up in the stands and beamed when he saw her. She was always so cute. Today, she was wearing a short plaid skirt. A white blouse completed the Catholic schoolgirl look. He didn’t know if that’s what she was going for or not. Since they didn’t go to Catholic school, she may not have even realized it was a thing.

  He waved and began climbing the bleacher stairs to meet her and guide her to their seats. She didn’t stop at the row he’d told her they’d be sitting in. Instead, she kept walking down the steps until she could throw her arms around his neck and kiss him fervently.

  Wow. Her lips were warm and insistent. Her whole body was molded against his, and he felt a certain part of his anatomy stir to life.

  As soon as “The Star-Spangled Banner” finished, a wolf whistle and a few chuckles made them spring apart.

  “I’ve never made out to the national anthem before,” Mallory said.

  He laughed. “You’re adorable.”

  “Thanks. You are too.”

  “Adorable?”

  “Sure. Why not? I adore you.”

  His brows spiked in surprise. Uncharacteristically speechless, Dante simply escorted her to their seats on the bleachers. A smiling Kizzy scooted down to make room for both of them, and he introduced the ladies to each other.

  “Kizzy, this is my girlfriend, Mallory Summers.” He had wondered how to introduce her to people, as his girlfriend or friend or date, but that kiss pretty much sealed the deal. He must’ve been grinning like an idiot. “And Mallory, this is Noah’s date, Kizzy Samuels.”

  As they shook hands, Kizzy cocked her head and said, “Mallory Summers? Where have I heard that name before?”

  “I don’t know,” Mallory said. “I don’t think I’ve met anyone named Kizzy.”

  Kizzy laughed. “That doesn’t surprise me. Neither have I.”

  Dante pointed to the floor. “Noah is one of the centers.”

  Kizzy sat forward and watched as Noah in his red basketball uniform faced someone in a blue basketball uniform. The ball was between their ready hands, and Noah jumped, batting it first. Dante cheered him on as he rushed toward the basket. He passed it to his right guard, who got close to the basket. Unfortunately, the guy covering him was good and ready for him. He threw the ball but didn’t score. When the ball was recovered by one of the blue uniforms, everyone ran like mad to the other end.

  “Do you girls like sports?” Dante asked.

  “Would you think less of me if I didn’t?” Mallory asked.

  Kizzy snapped her fingers. “I know where I’ve heard your name,” she said. “I think you were a patient at Boston General. I work in the ER there.”

  Mallory froze.

  Uh-oh. Dante hadn’t thought about the two of them remembering that day. He didn’t think they had ever met.

  “Um. Yeah. I think I was there. That is…I mean, yeah. I’ve been there. Once.” Mallory began to shake. She rose suddenly and said, “Please excuse me for a minute. I have to go to the ladies’ room.”

  Before Dante could ask her if anything was wrong, she had fled up the stairs.

  “I hope she’s okay,” Kizzy said. “I didn’t mean to upset her.”

  “I hope so too.” Dante followed her with his eyes until she rushed past the exit and out of sight.

  He turned back to the game in time to watch the cops score. “Damn! Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to swear.”

  Kizzy smiled. “No worries. I’ve heard much worse.”

  Just then, a brawl broke out, but it was quickly shut down and paled in comparison to the ruckus toward the back of the bleachers. When Dante turned to see what was going on, he couldn’t believe his eyes. A monkey wearing a white blouse with a crossbody purse hanging from its shoulder was swinging from the rafters. People were pointing and laughing.

  The game continued as if nothing was wrong until the monkey reached the scoreboard. The players must’ve noticed the crowd pointing at it and halted the game. There was no use trying to play basketball with the whole audience looking away.

  Everyone’s attention was riveted on this wild animal, wondering how it got there. Dante heard people in the crowd commenting that it must’ve been someone’s pet that got loose.

  “Why would someone bring a pet monkey to a basketball game?”

  “Some people are idiots.”

  “Someone should call animal control.”

  “Or the cops.”

  Their annoyance was smothered by the laughter of the crowd.

  Dante shot to his feet. He wished he knew what to do. He knew it was Mallory, of course. He recognized her purse, blouse, and alternate form. But shape-shifters didn’t exist according to humans—all paranormals had been warned not to blow their covers, and the game was being televised! How could he help her?

  He ran down to the sidelines. Dante skidded onto the floor, stopping just under the scoreboard. Holding up his arms, he called out, “Here, babe. Come to me.”

  “This is your monkey?” one of the firefighter players asked.

  “Yeah. What of it?”

  “Dude. That’s weird.”

  Dante didn’t care how weird it was. He continued to hold out his arms in supplication. “Come on, babe. Jump. I’ve got you.”

  Mallory climbed the rafters and swung around the area above his head. Either she was confused or afraid—or both.

  One of the other players said, “Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.” Then he laughed and added, “Or maybe that’s Noah’s title.”

  Dante looked askance at the firefighter and noticed it was Noah’s buddy, O’Rourke. He tuned him out and concentrated on getting Mallory down.

  “C’mon, now. I’ll catch you.”

  “It’s all right, babe.” One of the other firefighters called to her. He must have thought that was her name. “You can let go, babe. He’ll catch you.”

  She let go with one hand and swung by the other arm.

  “You can do it. I promise to catch you,” Dante pleaded.

  At last, she nodded, then let go and fell into his arms. He pulled her into a tight hug, and she wrapped her arms and legs around him, holding on for dear life. Dante hurried up the stairs but paused next to Kizzy, not knowing what to say.

  “I…ah…”

  Kizzy seemed less confused than he would’ve expected. She smiled. “Yeah. I can see you need to go. I’ll wait for Noah.”

  Dante let out a deep sigh of relief. And then he noticed the security guards coming toward them.

  * * *

  Mallory had no choice but to make her escape and meet Dante at his car. She wanted her skirt, but where had it fallen off? She tried to scramble out of his arms and go back for it, but he held on tight.

  “Now, settle down, everybody,” Dante said.

  “What kind of dumbass brings a monkey to a basketball game?” one security guard asked the other.

  “Damned if I know. What do you have to say, dumbass?” He was squinting at Dante. “Maybe you can answer my friend here.”

  “Sorry. I’ll get her right out of here if you’ll just step aside.”

  The guards regarded each other. “Step aside? So we’re supposed to just trust you to take this menace back to the jungle?”

  Dante shrugged. Mallory wr
iggled harder, but he clamped down tightly on her shoulder and held her fast.

  “I think it’s illegal to own a monkey, isn’t it?” one of the guards said to the other.

  “Is it? I have no idea.”

  “Hmmm. Maybe we should call the captain and find out.”

  As they were hemming and hawing about what to do, Dante calmly said, “Excuse me, gentlemen.”

  “Where do you think you’re going?” the larger of the two guards asked.

  He fixed that one with an angry glare. “I’m taking her to where she lives. Unless you want to invite us to your house, so your family can adopt her.”

  “Are you saying you don’t own this chimp?”

  “She’s not a chimp. She’s a spider monkey, and no, I don’t own her. I can make sure she gets home safely though.”

  “Spider? Shouldn’t she have eight arms and legs or something?” one guard asked the other.

  Dante just sighed and tried to dodge their body blockade.

  “You do know where it belongs? Is that what you’re telling us?”

  Dante let out a deep breath in a frustrated whoosh. “I’m not telling you anything except ‘please excuse me’ while I take care of this problem for you.” He outmaneuvered the stunned guards and ran off in the direction of the parking lot.

  * * *

  At least Dante wasn’t in trouble because of her. Mallory would have to forget about her skirt. Right now, she was lucky Dante was there for her. Lord knows what the guards would have done otherwise. Shot her? Called animal control? She shuddered. I have to get control over this shifting thing! If only she knew why it was happening.

  When Dante arrived at his car, he opened the passenger-side door, and Mallory hopped in, then crawled over the center console into the backseat. He slammed the door shut and jogged around to the other side.

  He had to be furious. She would explain how extreme anxiety affected her, and maybe he’d understand that this didn’t happen on purpose. But would he want to hang around until it happened again? She wouldn’t blame him if he dumped her in her driveway and never came back.