Vanquishing Ghosts (Tess Schafer-Medium)

by Deborah J. Hughes

  "Are things getting serious between you and this Kade fellow?" My mom asked gently.

  "Kade does not live in Bucksport. He lives much further north. But, yes, I'd say we are moving toward serious. I think we are at a point where we both know it's more than a casual thing going on between us." I let my gaze wander around the room, touching lightly on the three friends that had been my closest companions for the four years I'd lived in the neighborhood.

  Fran was three years older than me and had gone through her divorce just over a year ago. Since she was the one who initiated the proceedings, she didn't suffer through the "how could he leave me like this" stage. Being the one left behind was harder than being the one to walk away and I was glad that was the case with Fran. Once she sent Jack packing, she hung around with me more often than she ever had before. She didn't grieve the ending of her marriage for Jack was emotionally abusive and he'd done a lot of cheating. I was glad not to have to deal with any more sorrow. Fran was instead quite put out with men in general and it was an emotion I was able to deal with. I'd been pretty upset with my husband for dying on me! Now that I had Kade in my life, I hoped Fran would be as lucky to find a man with whom she could enjoy a healthy, mutually loving and respectful relationship.

  My friend Charlene was gay. She and her partner Traci owned a dog boarding kennel and obedience school. In addition to that, they bred Spaniels. Tootsie was not only one of their "babies" but also a first-class student. Though Traci and I were friends as well, she was a stay-at-home type and basically, if I wanted to see her, I had to go to her. Both women were very supportive friends and I was going to miss them. The last few weeks before my trip to Maine, I started spending more time at their kennel helping with the animals. It got my mind off things and kept me occupied. It hurt at first to be around other spaniels like Tootsie but there were so many of them, one couldn't mope around and be nostalgic and sad. Dogs just didn't allow that kind of behavior. Not when there were so many of them anyway.

  Charlene met my eyes and smiled. "Traci and I have been meaning to take a trip to Maine. Now we'll have a reason to go."

  "I hope so, Charlene. In any case, you know I'll be bringing Kade here at some point to meet everyone." I truly hoped Charlene would make good on her suggestion. Since she and Traci tried to get away at least once a year for a short trip somewhere, the likelihood of a visit was quite strong.

  "Traci actually planned on being here but she's participating in a dog rescue at the moment."

  Though I wanted to get more details, I could tell my family was antsy to know more of my plans so I decided it was going to have to wait until later. "The closing date on my house in Bucksport should be in about a month. I'm hoping to have all my stuff packed and ready to go by then. I'm putting this place on the market as soon as I can find a realtor. And before you ask, I'm not sure what Kade's plans are. He has a home right on the lake in northern Maine near the Canadian border and I know he loves it there. The property has been in his family for many years." I hope to see it one day. Kade was dropping hints more often about taking me there so I figured it would eventually happen.

  "I don't know what I will do not having you right next door." Marly's blue eyes filled with tears and I went to her and gave her a hug. "You can call me anytime you feel like talking."

  Marly sniffed. "But you are always busy talking to ghosts and stuff."

  I had to laugh at that. "Believe it or not, I don't talk to them all my waking minutes."

  "Tell us about your house, Tess" Ryan urged.

  "It's just the kind of place one would expect a medium to live in. It's a Queen Anne style house complete with a Widow's Walk on the roof, gables, a turreted corner section and a covered porch. It's amazing. It came with several acres of land and is bordered by a marsh in the back of the house so I don't even have to worry about neighbors building too close to me."

  Ryan's blond brow arched (he and I shared our blond hair from our mother though his was a lighter shade). "Sounds quite nice. Good for you."

  "Didn't you mention something about it being haunted?" Marly asked. Although she was quite fascinated with the idea of ghosts, she didn't want anything to do with them herself.

  "Don't tell me you've gone and bought a haunted old house, Tess?" My practical father shook his head as a glimmer of worry entered his blue eyes, the one feature I shared with him.

  "It's not that old. I mean, it's not like it's about to fall down or anything. And no, no gruesome murders took place in it. At least none that anyone is aware of. No one is sure why it's haunted and of course, you know I intend to find out."

  "Maybe we should take a quick trip to Bucksport before you close on this house so I can take a look."

  "Dad, I'm buying the house. I have all the information on it out in the car, complete with pictures. Will that do?"

  He gave a reluctant nod. "Yes, I'd like to see them."

  My mother stood up and clasped her hands together. "Well then, why don't we help you carry your luggage in and then chat some more out on the back patio? It's such a lovely day. Too nice to be wasting inside"

  I was glad for the reprieve for I didn't like having my plans questioned even though I knew my parents had my best interests in mind. But, if anyone thought they could change my mind about buying that house, they had another think coming. It wasn't going to happen. In fact, it couldn't happen soon enough!

  Chapter 2

  I watched the moving truck pull out of the driveway and the thought went with it that one chapter of my life had just come to a definite close. Though I was glad of it, a small twinge of sadness tugged at my heart.

  This was it then. All my possessions were now headed off to my new life and I couldn't wait to follow them. Considering all I'd been through the past two years, I was quite impatient to get on with all that waited for me in Maine. One thing for certain, things couldn't have gone more smoothly since returning here. The house behind me would no longer be mine in just two weeks' time and I was nearly giddy with excitement about that fact.

  It amazed me, really, how fast the house sold despite the fact I expected as much. The new buyers, Dan and JoAnne, were as quick to snatch it up as Mike and I had been. In fact, they gave me my asking price (though to be fair to myself, I priced it just under market value in hopes of making a quick sale).

  And now it was done. A day of cleaning and I'd walk away from it forever. But until then, I was to spend my remaining two days staying with Fran. Marly had hoped I'd stay with her but Fran was lonely and I thought it would be nice for the two of us to spend some time together before I left. Besides, Marly was going to be with me on my last night in New York for she, Charlene and Traci were joining us for a girls' all-nighter. No doubt it was going to be a bittersweet experience. But a month had passed and it seemed as if I'd been away from Kade for freaking ever!

  He wanted to come to New York to help me out but had an art exhibit to get through and other things to take care of. It was decided that he would come stay with me at my new house for a while and I was more than thrilled with that plan. How he knew I was dreading the idea of having to complete the move alone, I don't know. I was very careful not to voice those feelings but Kade had known anyway. I thought about the conversation in which he brought up the idea and smiled in remembrance.

  "So, I've been thinking."

  The long pause that followed made me prompt him along. "About what?"

  "Well, why don't I stay with you awhile and help you get the house in order? I'm sure you'll need my handy muscles to move heavy furniture around."

  The very idea of Kade and I sharing a house sent little thrills of anticipation throughout my body. My breath hitched and I had to move the phone away from my mouth so he wouldn’t notice. "You sure you want to do that? I can be quite the task master."

  Kade laughed, his voice low and husky. "Sounds promising."

  My skin prickled with heat and suddenly I couldn't breathe. My long silence must have worried him for he said quietly,
"We can have separate rooms, Tess, if that's what you want. But I think they should be close to each other in case I get scared."

  We both laughed at that point and thought about our initial tour of my new house. It made everyone jittery, even me. My friend Mary, the very one to suggest I rent the place, had come with us. As did my friend Barbara, the woman who owned the B&B where I stayed during my two weeks in Bucksport.

  My visit to the small New England town was prompted by its supernatural story concerning town founder Jonathan Buck. It was believed that he was cursed by a witch he supposedly had put to death. When the recognizable images of a foot and heart appeared on his graveside monument, they were believed to be proof that the curse was true. There was no foundation to the story but rumors abounded and I was determined to learn the mystery. What I discovered was so much more than anyone could have expected.

  The town of Bucksport, I soon learned, was teeming with ghosts! It had quite the peppered history and I knew shortly after arriving that I was going to have to stay there awhile. Besides, the Indian burial ground recently discovered during my investigation was turning up some interesting pieces of history and making the Rosen family very rich! I was quite happy about that for they were near to losing everything when the spirits decided it was time to reveal their secrets.

  "What are you thinking?" Kade asked.

  I had almost forgotten what we were talking about because then as now, I had become lost in thought. Kade's question brought me back to our discussion ... the question of where he would sleep. I was trying to figure out how to answer that when he spoke again, his tone suggesting he was going to argue until I gave in.

  "You have to admit it's a great idea that I come help you. I really don't like the idea of you trying to do all that alone. As for us ... no pressure. I promise."

  "It's not that, Kade." But was it? What exactly did I want? We'd been seeing each other for over a month, wasn't it time we made the plunge and slept together? My stomach quivered at the very idea. It has been a long time since I was with a man and I found the idea both exciting and nerve-wrecking at the same time.

  "Say I can do this with you. You know you need the help. Besides, medium or not, do you really want to stay in a haunted house by yourself? You don't know anything about the spirits haunting it. They might not be nice. I know they gave me the heebie-jeebies when we went through the place. Much as I liked the house, the skin crawling, hair tingling, blood chilling sensations were something of a deal breaker for me."

  Kade was right. Something in that house had made us uncomfortable. The cold we experienced was not the same as the cold I experienced in other hauntings. There definitely was an entity present that needed to find a new place to lurk. I didn't know everything there was to know about the spirit world so what if it was something I wouldn't be able to handle?

  "You sure you won't be too scared?" I couldn't help but tease him.

  Kade laughed softly. "Perhaps, but I know you'll protect me."

  We both laughed at that point and the matter was settled. That was three weeks ago. Two days later I received the offer on my house and things moved fast after that. The buyers were preapproved and inspections went quick. The closing date was scheduled in two weeks' time but I would sign everything via fax because there was no way I was waiting two more weeks before getting on with my life. Besides, I had every intention of being there in person for the closing date on my own new house.

  Once I could no longer hear the sounds of the moving truck, I turned to look at the home Mike and I shared for three rather extraordinary years. We'd made small improvements ... a roof over the front porch, a shed out back, the raised garden. We were happy here. I hoped the new owners would be as happy with it as we were. I figured they would. They were going to get to use the nursery we never got around to needing. But no regrets. Onward and upward.

  * * *

  "So give us the real scoop on this Kade guy. What exactly is going on with you two?" Marly rolled onto her stomach and eyed me with a look that said she wasn't going to accept anything less than the whole story.

  "And you can now see dead people as if they are real? Doesn't that freak you out?" This from Fran.

  "I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you are buying a haunted house. A house in Maine no less! What's in Maine besides lobsters and mooses?" As Charlene and I were sitting side by side with our backs propped against the sofa, she nudged me with her shoulder then turned to look at me for verification. "Is mooses the right word?"

  Until this point Traci had not contributed much to our conversation. She lay sprawled with her head resting on Charlene's lap and seemed content to just listen. But now she twisted around and sat up, cutting in before I could answer. "I think the plural for moose is the same as the singular form." She met my eyes and scowled in question. "You don't even eat moose and lobster do you?"

  "What's it matter? She'll have Kade to keep her warm through the cold winters," Fran said.

  "If the ghosts leave them alone long enough to cuddle," Marly added.

  I figured it best to break into the conversation here. "First, Kade and I are exploring the idea of being a couple. We've kissed a few times but I'm thinking our future might hold more than that. He's going to be staying with me for a while to help get the house straightened out."

  When Marly snickered, I sent her a look that said she was to keep her mind out of the gutter but when she met my gaze with a "you don't fool me" look, I couldn't hold back my laughter and neither could she.

  "We are not moving in together. That might change in the future as well but I don't want to call it yet. Second, I am going to be on the mid-coast, there aren't a lot of moose walking the streets of Bucksport." I turned to glance at Charlene and down to Traci who had resettled on her lap. "I don't mind a lobster now and then … just so long as I'm not around when it's getting boiled to death."

  I had to pause here as a distasteful shiver wracked my body. If only I didn't like eating meat of any sort. I hated killing things. "It seems that I do indeed see dead people as if they are real and no, it doesn't freak me out because, well, I don't know they are dead until afterwards. It's not like they look like zombies or anything." When Fran started to speak up, I motioned for her to let me continue. "It might get cold in Maine but I wouldn't say New York has overly warm winters. You do have a point though, Fran. If Kade and I are still together when the snow flies, I will indeed enjoy having him around to keep me warm."

  Marly grabbed a second pillow to prop under her and bent her legs until her feet were swinging in the air. She looked like a teenage girl at a pajama party. Then again, we were all in various states of nightwear and lying around on a floor littered with blankets and pillows. It was my last night in New York. My last such evening with these girls. The reality of it hit me like a brick right in the solar plexus.

  "You are so different, Tess, from what you were when you left for Maine. I'm glad you found your joy again." Marly's eyes filled with tears. She was always so emotional these days. She said she was worse since giving birth.

  I crawled over the pillows and blankets scattered between us and sprawled next to her. "Me too. Thanks for suggesting Sea Willow Haven."

  When my psychiatrist told me to go on vacation, it was Marly who found the right place for me to go. Though my ability to speak with the dead had come to a halt, having stopped the day Mike died, going on vacation to a haunted resort had resolved that particular problem. In ways I never would have imagined. I thought about Hank and my heart gave a little lurch. How would it all have ended if he hadn't been there to watch over me?

  Marly gave me a wobbly smile, her eyes swimming in tears. "You said yourself that the world works in mysterious ways. You were so against it when I first brought it up."

  "But your powers of persuasion set me straight. I shall be forever grateful."

  "And as a result, we all lose you," Marly said, her voice as morose as her expression.

  I rolled over and g
ave her a hug. "You are not losing me. We'll always be friends."

  "You can come bug me, Marly. Maybe you can help me find my soul mate," Fran mumbled. She sat staring into the fake fire in the artificial fireplace and I wondered what she was thinking about. My brother Ryan perhaps?

  Suddenly she turned her head and looked at me, her expression animated. "I got an idea. You said this new house of yours is pretty big. How about next year we all plan a trip up to see you and we do this again. Have a girls' night together?"

  Marly's expression became immediately guarded. "Well, you have to get rid of all the ghosts first. I'd never sleep there if I knew ghosts were watching me."

  Charlene and Traci perked up at the suggestion. "You can keep a couple around, Tess, but just the good ones. I wouldn't mind seeing a ghost," Traci said.

  Charlene wasn't looking too sure about that. "We'll revisit this idea when the time comes. After getting a full and complete report from Tess about the status of her haunting."

  I had to laugh at that. "You all are welcome to visit anytime you like but I love the idea of you all coming at the same time." I thought about my new friend Mary and knew she'd fit right in with this bunch. "I might even have a new friend or two to join us."

  "As might any of us," Fran said.

  Marly glanced over at her and narrowed her eyes. "No guys, Fran. If we go … the guys stay home," She looked at me and I knew she was thinking about Kade when she added, "Or go elsewhere!"

  Everyone nodded in agreement and it helped ease some of my anxiety about leaving them. I liked that we were making plans to remain close friends. "I'm even going to open a Facebook account! What do you think about that?"