Richard took Pip by the hand and escorted her to the best seat in the house. Champagne was poured and he lifted his glass. He toasted, “To us, better late than never.” Then he added, “I truly am sorry, Pip. I never should have said those horrible things to you. It’s inexcusable.”
Pip took a tentative sip of champagne and toasted, “To the future.”
Richard added, “To soulmates.”
Philippa confessed, “I can’t tell you how relieved I am that you aren’t angry with me.”
He replied, “I feel pretty relieved myself.”
“How so?”
“I’ve been having strong feelings for both you and the mystery woman from the auction. It works out rather nicely for me that you’re the same person.”
Pip laughed, “Well, then, yes, I’d say it did work out rather well.”
Over dinner, Richard told Pip all about how his dad had starting visiting him at night. He spoke of how they were working through troubles from his childhood by rewriting history. He expressed how healing the time had been.
Pip said, “I’ve never heard of that before. Your dad sounds like a remarkable man to reach out to you in such a way.”
“I’m starting to realize he is,” Richard replied. “I’m starting to see that life doesn’t end when the body dies. It just transitions into a new reality. It’s a miraculous thing.”
Pip agreed, “Life truly is full of miracles. Most people just don’t realize it because they’re so caught up in earthly struggles. But sometimes you just have to sit still and look at the world as it really is. It’s an amazing place.”
Richard asked, “Has it been hard delivering messages like you do?”
“It has its ups and downs. When I get to tell a person something wonderful and they believe me, it’s like no other high you can imagine. There’s something so right about a love that transcends death. But,” she continued, “when I have to share messages that hurt people or scare them, that’s rough.”
Richard asked, “Why would the dead come back with hurtful messages?”
Pip responded, “They don’t usually. It’s more of how people interpret the message. Like you with your father. His words made you irate and left you feeling disbelieving and violated.”
Richard shook his head in regret, “I’m so sorry I got it wrong, Philippa. I truly am.”
“I know, Richard. But my point is that you aren’t alone. A lot of people get it wrong. I only hope that once they’ve had time to think about their communication, they see it correctly. I’m just usually not around at that point.”
The rest of the evening was spent sharing stories about their lives, interests, and passions. Pip felt like she’d known Richard forever. She told him things she’d never shared with anyone else and she felt completely accepted by him. She knew she shouldn’t get too comfortable, but after much consideration she decided to go ahead and jump in with both feet. If nothing else, she had experience dealing with heartbreak. What she didn’t have was experience dealing with love, and maybe—just maybe—if she played her cards right, she’d get some.
The Courtship
Chapter 45
Pip lazily lay in bed reliving every moment of her night with Richard. They’d talked about everything under the sun. They discovered so many shared likes and dislikes it was eerie. For instance they both hated rap music, but were oddly drawn to polka. That wasn’t a confession she readily shared with people, either. They both adored Swedish fish and disliked eggplant. They both loved caramel but hated butterscotch.
They’d talked and talked until it felt like she knew everything about him. They also laughed, a lot. Pip felt like Richard was more than the man she was wildly attracted to. He was a friend, a confidante, her other half.
They held hands on the drive home and kissed until dawn. When they finally parted ways, Richard said, “Thank you for the most miraculous night of my life. Tonight I feel like I’ve finally come home.”
Pip kissed him passionately before agreeing, “I know exactly what you mean.” Pip couldn’t believe she and Richard had finally found each other. It was a miracle, especially after the rocky start they’d had. She smiled to herself, likening there romance to a flower blooming in the desert. Sometimes something beautiful really could come from a desolate start.
Pip called out, “Bertram, are you there?”
Popping in through the window, he replied, “Right here, love.”
Beaming, Pip proudly asked, “So what do you think? I did it! Richard finally sees me for me.”
“I think had you done what I’d told you from the start, this would have happened ages ago,” he tersely replied.
“Not so! I did everything you asked.” Then she sheepishly added, “Eventually.”
Her spirit friend sat at the foot of her bed and smiled, “Come on, love, I’m just teasing you. You did well. Now hurry up and declare your everlasting love so I can go home to my little girl.”
Pip laughed, “Well then, I better get up and grab a cup of coffee so I can get started.”
Richard snuck up behind Philippa as she poured her coffee into a mug. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close as he whispered, “Thank you for the most wonderful night of my life.”
Pip sagged into his embrace and replied, “Thank you, Mr. Bingham.” Then, referring to the bachelor auction, she said, “That was the best money I’ve ever spent. How did you sleep?”
“Like the dead.” Squeezing her tight, he added, “Although, having said that, there’s this person who keeps popping up in my dreams and he keeps showing me some pretty odd stuff.”
“Odd, how?” she asked.
“It’s hard to pinpoint. There’s a woman who looks like Marie Antoinette with a great big powdered wig, and she’s commanding an entire room full of people. I’m there, you’re there, and a whole bunch of others I don’t recognize.”
Pip asked, “Like a party?”
“Not really. It’s a solemn occasion, but it’s not a death either. It’s just strange. The more I try to remember it, the quicker it eludes me.”
“I know exactly what you mean. Some of the most meaningful dreams are like that. It’s like they don’t want to be remembered.”
Sitting down at the kitchen table, Richard responded, “I do recall something, though. It’s the only thing that keeps jumping forward.” At Pip’s inquiring glance, he added, “I remember hearing the words, ‘believe the unbelievable’ over and over again.”
Pip snorted, “That sounds like the story of my life. But it makes sense, Richard. You didn’t want to believe I really had a message from your dad.”
Richard corrected, “I didn’t believe it, but I always wanted to. It just seemed so implausible on so many levels. The first being my father’s involvement and then, of course, the whole talking to the dead thing. I guess they’re saying to quit questioning everything and just accept things for what they are.”
The couple sat quietly for several moments, when Pip said, “I often wonder what my life would have been like had I never gotten rheumatic fever as a child. Sometimes I yearn for that other reality.”
Reaching out for her hand, he replied, “But what if you needed to have this gift in order for us to meet? Is it worth it then?”
“More than worth it,” she answered. “But just so you know, it’s been a long road getting to you.” Pip added, “You know this contract I have with the other world lasts my whole life, don’t you?”
Richard, replied, “I hadn’t really thought of it before.”
Pip fidgeted in her chair, “We could be out to dinner and I might have a message for one of your friends or, God forbid, your mother. How would you feel about that?”
“I’m fine with it, Philippa, truly. I’ll tell any disbelievers that I used to be just like them and when I finally trusted my message, my whole life changed for the better.”
“But what if it’s a client or something? How would you feel then?”
Richard leaned in and gave Pip a tender kis
s before answering, “If a client left my firm because the afterlife wanted to send a message they didn’t want to receive, then I’d think they weren’t the right client for me. Pip, I believe the visits with my dad are real. I think someone is telling me important things in my sleep, even if I don’t remember them when I wake up. But I know they’re telling me we’re meant to be together.”
Pip stood up and resituated herself on Richard’s lap. “I’m the luckiest woman in the world. You were more than worth the wait, do you know that?”
After a passionate kiss, Richard responded, “Of course I am. Now what shall we do today?”
Pip’s eyes opened wide, “I know! Let’s go into the city and check out the art institute and maybe the zoo. We could even have a picnic by Lake Michigan.”
“That sounds like a marvelous plan.” Then he instructed, “Go get dressed and meet me back here in an hour.”
Pip did as she was bid. She hummed to herself as she showered and smiled dreamily as she put on her makeup. Just as she was about to leave her room a thought hit her and she called out, “Bertram, are you there?”
When her contact popped up through the floor, she asked, “When are you going get back into your body? I mean, now that Richard and I have found one another, are you just going to disappear at some point? Will we be able to say goodbye?”
Bertram hovered closer as he replied, “I’m not sure exactly how it’s going to happen, love. I’ve never been in this position before.”
“Nor have I. I mean, I’ve had contacts come and go and often with no warning, but you’re more than a contact, Bertram. I feel like you’re my friend. I hope you’ll be allowed to remember me when you get back into your body.”
“Me too, love, me too. After all, no one has ever done as much for me as you have. Going through what we have forges a pretty tight bond, don’t you think?”
Pip nodded her head, “Even if they don’t let you remember me, I promise to drive out to Kent and introduce myself to you, okay?”
He tilted his head sadly, “Let’s just hope I get to come back so you can do that.”
“But why wouldn’t you?” Pip demanded. “Richard and I are together, isn’t that what’s required for you to return to your life?”
“Maybe,” he evasively answered. “But I still have to be accountable for other things.”
“Accountable, how?” she asked.
“Just accountable,” he said distractedly. “Now go off with Richard and if the moment arises, please pledge your undying love. It might help tip the scales in my favor.” Then he simply vanished into thin air.
Pip sat down on her bed lost in thought. She thought getting together with Richard was the only impediment keeping Bertram from returning. She realized for as much as she worked with the dead, she had very little idea of what it was like to be dead. But perhaps, she mused, that was for the best. After all, life was for the living. She might as well embrace it while she still could.
The Couple
Chapter 46
Richard and Pip strolled through Chicago hand in hand. They marveled at the architecture and the uniqueness of the city. They spoke of how individual big cities were. London and New York had their own energy and flow, and so did Chicago. While still one of the largest cities in the world, the Windy City had almost a small town feel about it. Everyone they passed seemed to smile and the energy was much less frenetic. The people had a more wholesome look about them, too.
At lunchtime, Richard suggested, “I know you wanted to have a picnic, so I was thinking we’d go to Giordano’s and order a famous Chicago-style pizza. We can eat it by the lake.”
“I’ve never had a traditional pizza pie, so I think that’s a wonderful idea!”
The couple walked from the art institute to the restaurant on Clark Street and then took a taxi to Buckingham Fountain. The taxi driver asked Pip, “You from England, lady?”
“Yes, I am, London, actually.”
He replied, “I always wanted to go there. Thought it would be fun to take the misses to see the sights. She’s always reading those historical romance novels and carrying on about how she wants to visit castles and the like.”
Pip looked at the man’s named tag on the dashboard and said, “Tom, do you remember your aunt Lorraine?”
Tom laughed, “Quiche Lorraine, that’s what we used to call her.” Startled, he asked, “How do you know her?”
Pip answered, “She’s sitting in the front seat with you.” Before he could freak out, she added, “I talk to spirits and pass on their messages to loved ones. I know it’s odd. But your aunt has a message for you.”
The cab driver wasn’t quite sure what to think. He didn’t really believe in ghosts, but only because he’d never had contact with one before. Yet, he really did love his aunt, so he asked, “What does she have to say?”
Pip smiled, “She says, don’t wait. Take Ellen to London for your anniversary in January. She says to use the money you’ve been saving for that fishing cabin.” Pip could see the driver’s stunned expression in the rearview mirror and continued, “She says you need to trust her on this. And in case you’re thinking about ignoring her advice, she wants you to remember the last time you disregarded her words and wound up nearly drowning in the Fox River.”
“Lady,” Tom laughed, “I don’t know how you did that, but I believe you. I was ten and Lorraine told me to wear my life vest. We were swimming in the river and I complained it was only three feet deep so I didn’t need one, but then I swam deeper and got the worst cramp in my leg. I went under a few times before someone could get out there to save me. I almost didn’t make it.”
Pip laughed, “She says to tell you that you were always hardheaded, but you got that from her side, so it’s okay. Tom, she wants you to promise to take Ellen to London in January. She doesn’t want you to wait.”
Tom pulled to the side of the road by the fountain and replied, “I promise, I’ll do it. In fact, I’ll cut the day short and make the reservations this afternoon.”
When Richard tried to pay the cab fare, Tom wouldn’t take it. “Nah, it’s on me. I don’t have a way to repay your lady for what she just did, so I’m sure as heck not going take any money from you.” Then he said to Pip, “I have a feeling you just changed my life. Thank you.”
When they got settled on a bench with their lunch, Richard commented, “That was amazing. Why do you think Tom’s aunt was so insistent he take his wife to London so soon?”
Pip smiled sadly, “Because Tom’s going to die from a heart attack in March. She wants him to leave Ellen with a wonderful memory.”
Richard sighed, “Wow. Not only is that sad, but it’s beautiful, as well.” Taking her hand, he said, “You have an amazing gift, Pip. I hope you know that.”
“Just wait until you witness a message that isn’t received well. You might be changing your tune after that.”
Shaking his head, Richard replied, “I don’t think so. After all, I didn’t receive my message with grace, but look how it’s changed my life for the better.” Then he kissed her sweetly on the lips; it was a kiss that promised a lot more to come.
The couple devoured a spinach pie and spent the rest of the afternoon walking it off by the lake. They hiked all the way to the North Side of the city as they shared their hopes and dreams for the future. They talked until it seemed they knew everything about each other; it felt like they’d been together for years.
By the time they got back to Mimi and Elliot’s house, they were exhausted. They bid each other good night with the promise to spend the whole next day together, as well. Pip had never felt so complete in her whole life. She wanted to call Bertram and thank him for bringing Richard to her, but she was just too tired. So instead, she threw her nightgown on and fell into a dead sleep without even washing her face first.
Pip woke early the next morning when she felt a huge wind blow over her. She bolted upright in surprise and saw Bertram standing next to her bed. She greeted, “Good morning
, Bertram. How are you doing this lovely day?”
Agitatedly, he replied, “Pip, she’s going to do it! She’s going to pull the plug herself.”
“What?” Pip demanded. “What are you talking about?”
“Clementine,” he answered. “She’s so overwrought by all the waiting and uncertainty. She’s decided to do me in herself and not wait for the appeal.”
Pip sat up and demanded, “You mean she’s going to murder you?”
“You could say that. But in her eyes, it’s more like she’s putting us all out of our misery.” He said, “She doesn’t think I’m really there, she’s watching our child suffer, and she’s ready to move on. She thinks she’s helping all of us.”
“Dear God, Bertram, what do we do?”
He answered, “I’ve already visited Honey and asked her to sit with my body while we come up with a plan. She’s on her way now.”
Pip wondered, “Should we get a guard to watch your room?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Just let me think for a moment.” He paced around the room like he was trying to wear a hole in the rug.
When he didn’t say anything for several seconds, Pip decided, “I should go back to London. I don’t want to leave Honey alone with this. I should be in route in case I’m needed.”
Bertram agreed, “That’s a sound plan.” With fear in his eyes, he added, “Pip, I don’t want to die. I really do want to live. I want to watch my little girl grow up.”
“I know, Bertram. I know you do.” She consoled, “On my end, I’d like you to know that things are going very well with Richard. I would say our dates have been a huge success.”
Her friend’s eyes widened, “You have to bring him with you! Go wake him up and tell him he needs to go to London today. You have to leave right away!”
Pip jumped out of bed and said, “Okay. But I’m not sure how he’ll take that.”
“You’re not, really?”
In that moment, Pip knew. Richard would do anything she asked of him. They’d overcome so many barriers; she knew that even though he might have questions, he’d definitely believe in her enough to accompany her.
Kindred Spirits: A Romantic Comedy About Love, Life, and the Afterlife . . . Page 22