"That was the plan."
I texted Mel to let her know and added, "Yes, I know how much you love my mother," to the end.
"I gotta go to Bill's now. You're coming, right?"
"Wouldn't miss it."
I went downstairs and found Emily exactly as I'd left her—sitting on the couch, rendered a TV zombie. "Heading out to run an errand. I'll be home in a bit, okay?"
No response.
"Grunt if you heard me."
"Ugh."
"That works."
CHAPTER SEVEN
"MA, CAN YOU DO ME A FAVOR?" We were driving to Bill's wife's house.
"I'll think about it."
I ignored that. "Can you leave for a few minutes so I can see if I can hear Bill without you?"
"Oh, yah. Good idea. I'll just pop in on Emily real quick and make sure she's not boinkin' that boy while you're out."
Good Lord. "This will only take a second."
"I travel fast, so it's okay."
"I know." I waited a few seconds to make sure she was gone and then said to, "Okay here's the thing, Bill. I think I need my mother to hear other ghosts but I'm not sure, so I need you to talk to me and I'll let you know if I hear you. But I need you to talk to me right away, okay? On the count of three. One. Two. Three."
Silence.
"Okay, Bill?"
More silence. I hand-palmed my forehead. "Oh, duh. If I do need Ma then you've probably answered and I didn't hear. I'm not the sharpest nail in the box, am I? Okay, so say something right now just to make sure."
I turned down the radio and pushed my hair behind my ears, thinking maybe that would help me hear him. "Okay, one more time. So, how's the weather in your neck of the woods, Bill?"
Nothing.
"Well, guess I do still need my mother, huh? Ma, you can come back now."
Silence.
"Ma?"
"Boo."
"That doesn't work anymore. How's that make you feel, huh?" I wiggled my head. "I win."
"You don't have to be obnoxious about it," she said.
I gloated more because it was fun to get one up on my mother since it happened so rarely. "You didn't see it coming did you? That's because you didn't raise no fool, Ma."
"Says who?"
"I'm not talking about Paul or John."
"Me neither."
"Do you two always talk to each other like this?" Bill asked.
In unison we said, "Like what?"
Bill laughed.
It was good to have my mother back.
***
I parked down the street from Bill's house and gripped the steering wheel to stop my hands from shaking. I willed the butterflies in my stomach to fly away, but they didn't.
"Why're you shaking? This is old hat for you," Ma said.
I checked my reflection in the rearview mirror and patted down my hair. "What if she doesn't believe me?"
"She'll believe you, ma'am," Bill said.
I rubbed my temples with the balls of my hands. "Thank you Bill, and please don't call me ma'am."
"Oh, sorry, ma'am. I forgot."
Ma laughed.
"Oh," Bill said.
We all laughed. I laid my head on the steering wheel. "I hate feeling like this."
My car door opened and Ma said, "Come on Ang, don't be a wimp. I got stuff to do, ya know."
"I'm coming," I said, and got out of the car. "Don't leave me, Ma."
"And miss the good stuff? No way."
"Ya'll are a stitch," Bill said.
"Stick around, Bill. You might change your mind about that," I said.
"Pfft. People loved me. Not sure about her, though," Ma said.
"There is that," I agreed.
I rang the doorbell and Bill's son answered. He was practically a baby. His mother came to the door, "May I help you?"
I shuffled my feet. "Um, yes, my name is Angela and I um...I heard about your husband, Bill. I'm sorry for your loss."
"Bill? How? I just found out myself a few hours ago."
"I um, heard from—may I come in?" I half smiled. "This is going to sound strange but I have a message from your husband."
Her mouth twisted. "Excuse me?"
"Jessica, right? I'm sorry. I know this sounds crazy. Honestly, it's still pretty crazy to me and I'm still a little rough around the edges here, but I promise you I'm not a nut case. Not when it comes to this anyway. I'm a medium."
She didn't say anything, just moved to the side and held the door open. The boy hid behind his mother's legs. "William, go on into the den and watch TV while Mommy talks with this nice lady, okay?" She shooed him away with her hand and he ran toward the back of the house. She walked into the living room and sat down. "Please, have a seat."
I sat. "I'm truly sorry for your loss."
"We were getting divorced," she said, her face solid as stone.
"I know, he told me." I sat up straighter, and pushed my shoulders back. I didn't feel confident but I could act the part. "I guess I didn't really explain myself well. I can communicate with the dead."
"Yes, you said you're a medium."
"No. Yes. Well, sort of, I guess." I tripped over my words, which I'm sure did nothing to win her trust. I breathed in and out deeply. "My mother died and then came back and something happened—she flipped a switch I guess, and now I can talk to the dead."
"That's amazing."
It was easier than I expected and I relaxed. "I know! But then my dad died, and I wasn't able to see spirits anymore, not even my mother."
She frowned. "What about now?"
"I don't see them now, but I can hear them. Well, my mother and your husband at least. I just started hearing my mother again and then this morning I heard your husband. I don't know about others yet."
"Wow."
"Exactly. Your husband is a nice man. Or, was, I mean."
Awkward.
"Bill is—was a wonderful man."
"He said that right after he died he came here and heard you on the phone. He knows you still love him and he wants you to know he still loves you, too."
She fidgeted and searched the room. "Is he here?"
"Bill?"
"Yes, ma'am. I'm here."
I nodded.
"Can he hear me?"
"Tell her I can."
Ma spoke too, "Hellooo? And me."
I shook my head. "He can hear you. I have to tell you though, there's another little hiccup to my gift."
She raised an eyebrow.
"It's not a big deal, really. It's just that I can only hear other ghosts if my mother is around, so she's here too and she can hear you. I'm sorry."
Ma said, "Why's that make you sorry?"
"Ma, please."
"Pfft," she said.
Bill laughed.
"Your husband thinks me and my mother are funny."
She took a tissue from the box on the table and blew her nose. It sounded like a horn. "He had a great sense of humor."
"Tell her I wanted to come back, please. I need her to know that."
"Jessica, Bill wants you to know he wanted to come back, but he wasn't sure you wanted him to."
That one got her and the floodgates opened. I sat next to her and put my arm around her. "He says he loves you very much."
"I love him too." She blew her nose again.
"Please tell her it's okay. Tell her we both know now, and tell her I want her to be happy," he said.
I told her.
"I don't know if I can do this without him." She cried again.
"Yes, she can," Ma said. "You tell her she'll be just fine and she'll be married again, too."
"She will?" Bill asked. "How do you know?"
"Bill, I'm an advanced spirit. I got connections. One day you'll be advanced too. After we're done here I'll tell you which classes to take and teach you a few tricks of the trade."
"That would be nice, ma'am."
"Oh, geez," I said.
"What's happening?" Jessica asked
.
"My mother says that you will be fine, and that you'll be happy again."
Her mouth dropped. "Really? How does she know?"
"That's what Bill asked, too. Apparently there are different levels of spirits in the afterworld and the higher up one is, the more information they can get."
Jessica smiled. "I didn't know it worked that way."
I shrugged. "It's news to me, too."
"Yeah, she'll be just fine and dandy. She's gonna have another baby boy, too," Ma said.
"She says you're going to be just fine, Jessica." I left out the part about another boy.
Her head dropped. "It doesn't feel that way now."
"I know. But it will get easier, I promise. It just takes time."
At that moment her son walked in the room. "Hi Daddy," he said, and then turned to me and said, "Hi ma'am." He did a half circle and then pointed at nothing. "You're really old," he said.
I laughed because I knew he was talking to my mother.
"It'll happen to you one day, too kid," Ma said.
"Hey big guy," Bill said.
Jessica cried again. "Honey, do you see Daddy?"
"Yes Mommy, he's standing right next to you, silly."
"That boy's got the gift," Ma said.
"Whose Grandma is that?" The boy asked.
"That's my mother Miss Fran, and my name is Angela."
"Oh, hi." He turned back toward my mother's voice and pointed at her again. "Why's she in her jammies?"
"Because they're comfy," Ma said.
"Mine are comfy too." He looked down at his pajamas. "These are old though. I just got a pair of Iron Man jammies. Wanna see 'em?"
Ma said, "Heck yeah, I wanna see 'em!"
William held out his hand, and I saw his hand clasp around something invisible. My heart raced. Even in death my mother had a way with kids.
"Awesome. They're in my room," he said.
"I'll be right back," Ma said.
"But Ma, I can't hear Bill when you're not here."
"Gimme a minute. This is important. It's Iron Man jammies."
I stood. "Let's go. If we follow them, we can still talk to your husband."
William talked to my mother like he'd known her forever. "My Daddy is dead," he said. "Mommy says I can't see him again but he's here now. I don't understand."
"Ah, little William, it's all kinda confusing isn't it?" Ma asked.
"Yeah. Mommy says when you're dead you go to see God but God's not at my house so how come my Daddy is here? Does that mean he's not dead?"
"Actually, God is here. He's everywhere, ya know. We just can't see him. He's sneaky like that. It's how he makes sure we're okay, too, being around and not being seen. And sometimes God lets us come back from his house and tell the people we love that we love them one more time so we can all feel better, like your dad is doing now. When my Pa died he came back and kissed me on the cheek. That's how I knew he was safe."
My grandpa died when I was in my twenties, but I couldn't remember my mother crying or even appearing upset. I was probably just too self-centered to notice.
"Did you cry?" William asked.
"When my Pa died? I sure did. I cried like a baby, and my nose got all snotty, too."
I pretended to wipe my nose to cover my smile.
"I didn't cry," he said. "Mommy cried and she said I'm stronger than her but I can't pick up the dog food bag and she can, so I think she's wrong about that, too."
"Nah, she ain't wrong. She means a different kind of strong. It's confusing but there's other kinds of strong that don't involve big muscles. I bet you got big muscles, dontcha?"
"Uh huh. Wanna see?"
"Sure do," Ma said.
William held his arms up and grunted, showing Ma his muscles. It was adorable.
"Yah, those are some big ones, William. You'll be lifting that bag of food in no time. Your mom is crying now 'cause her heart is sad. She misses your dad, so she's gonna cry a lot. She'll be better soon, but for now, she's gonna need a lotta hugs and kisses from you, you got that?"
"I got that," he said and hugged someone I wished I could see.
I was jealous that William could see and touch my mother. I wanted that so much I could I could almost taste it. I didn't know how, but I was going to find a way to get the rest of my gift back.
William walked into his room and he showed Ma his Iron Man pajamas. Jessica and I stood outside the door and watched.
Bill said, "She's right about God, son. He's here. Just like they say at church. He's all around us, and he's going to help you and your mom but she's going to need you too, just like Miss Fran said. She's going to need lots of love and hugs and kisses from you, okay?"
"Okay, Daddy."
"It's time for me to go now William, and I don't know if you'll see me again but I want you to remember something, all right?"
William nodded. I swallowed a growing lump in my throat.
"I'll always be close by, even if you can't see me, okay? I love you, son."
"I love you too, Daddy. Bye-bye." He wrapped his arms around his father and though we couldn't see Bill, Jessica and I knew he was hugging his son. We wiped the tears in our eyes.
"Angela, can you tell Jessica I love her?" Bill asked.
I nodded and turned to Jessica. "He's got to go now, but he said he loves you."
She said she loved him, too. I told her that Bill had promised to keep an eye on William and Ma said he was gone. Jessica and I cried, and William crawled up on his mother's lap, hugged her tightly, and showered her with kisses, just like Ma and Bill said he should do.
Jessica thanked me several times, and I gave her my phone number just in case she had any questions or just needed to talk. When I got back to my car, my floodgates opened. I was emotionally drained but it wasn't a bad thing. I'd helped three people. It felt good.
"You here, Ma?"
"Yup," she said.
"That was freaking amazing."
"You made me proud, Angela, real proud."
"Thanks, Ma. That's nice to know."
On the drive home I called Mel and told her about Bill.
"Wow, that's amazing," she said. "So you think your mom's the link?"
"She has to be. There's just no other explanation."
"It makes sense. It's like you're getting your gift back in bits and pieces. Maybe it's a series of tests by the universe. Each time you pass, you get another nugget back."
"It sure would be nice to have it all back at once."
"Understandable. But be careful what you wish for."
"You know what? It would be fine with me if I got it back completely. I actually want it back. What just happened was emotionally exhausting but invigorating, too."
"Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?"
"I know, right? It's weird."
"I'm happy for you, and I'm sure you'll have your gift back completely in no time."
We chatted a bit more about nothing important and conveniently avoided the monkey on Mel's back. Sometimes it was better to avoid something than continue to beat it into the ground.
***
Jake and I sat outside by the fire pit, a beer in his hand while I sipped on a glass of Riesling. I filled him in on the Emily drama, sparing no details about the sex toy party, her sneaking out and what the manipulation attempts by her jerk of a boyfriend.
He sipped his beer and rested his feet up on the fire pit. "Wow, you had a busy few days, huh?"
"That's it? That's all you're gonna say? Our daughter is going to have sex with a loser and you have no comment?"
"She's not gonna have sex. She probably went to that party because she didn't want her friends to think she's a prude. I'm sure that's why she bought that stuff."
My husband needed to get a clue. "Denial isn't just a river in Africa."
"Funny."
"Did you not hear me tell you how this boy is manipulating her? He's definitely going to use manipulation to boink her?"
/> "I just don't think we have to panic yet. Emily isn't stupid. She won't let him treat her bad, and please, choose a better verb. Boinking should never be used in the same sentence as our daughter."
"Okay." I licked my lips. "How about banging?"
He shook his head.
"Screwing?"
"Ang."
"Bumping nasties?"
"Really?" He said, his face red.
I took a sip of my wine. "Play hide the sausage?"
He shot me a nasty look and guzzled his beer.
"You're not panicked about this kid pounding your daughter's punanni pavement?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Pounding her punanni pavement? Have you been Googling again?"
"I got that from Mel." I poured more Riesling into my wine glass.
"Pounding her punanni pavement," he said again.
I scratched my upper lip to hide my smile but Jake busted out laughing and I couldn't hold back.
"That one's new to me," he said.
"Mel's got a descriptive vocabulary."
"Obviously."
"It's not as funny when it's about our daughter, though," I said.
"Nope." He shook his head. "Not so much."
"I don't have a good feeling about this boy. And Emily likes him so much, I'm afraid she'll do something stupid. She's already said she's afraid he's going to break up with her."
Jake picked up his phone and swiped his fingers over the screen. "She'll be fine."
"You don't know that, but hey, don't worry. Whatever's gonna happen will happen when you're gone—because you're always gone, so you won't have to deal with it." I regretted saying that as soon as I finished. I got my verbal diarrhea issue from my mother.
He looked up from his phone. "Real nice."
"Well, it's true. While you go off and have dinner out and stay by yourself in a fancy hotel room with a bunch of pillows and a fluffy comforter, I'm at home dealing with my kid's cherry being popped by some kid whose mother clearly had a crush on Chandler Bing." If I'd had on a sock, I would have stuffed it in my mouth. Instead I chugged my wine.
Jake ran his hand through his hair and then leaned toward me, something he did with people when he was pissed. "Fine. I'll switch to a desk job and be home every night. It'll be less money so you'll have to get a full time job and we'll have to downsize, but then you won't be a single parent. Sound good?"
Unbreakable Bonds (An Angela Panther Mystery Book 2) Page 12