Sheryl anxiously looked around the store before she commented, “Thank you, Becky. I’m really sorry about the other day. Suzie insisted that we come here to see you, but I wonder if you’d consider stopping by our home sometime soon. It would be more private there and this is a touchy subject.”
“I can come over tonight after I close the store. How does six-thirty sound?”
“Thank you. That sounds just about right. We’ll look forward to your visit.”
Just as she was closing the store, Patrick stopped by. “My shift is over and I just wanted to make sure that nothing strange had happened to you today,” he explained.
“It was an uneventful day, but thanks for caring,” Becky said.
“Is this too much?”
“Too much that you care if I’m safe? Hardly. Although I admit it is a change. I might have to get used to it if it persists.”
“It probably will.”
“Then, I guess we’ll just have to play it by ear,” Becky smiled at him.
“Are you headed home?” he asked.
“No; I promised a young girl that I’d stop by on my way home. She needs a little help with a problem, but I’m looking forward to our dinner tomorrow evening. Does eight o’clock sound good?”
“Dinner at eight, stop by at seven?” he grinned.
“Sounds good.”
When Becky arrived at the address Sheryl had given her, she took a moment to study the neighborhood. The home was a standard two bedroom one bath that was common in this area. The yard was neat and trimmed, but lacking any decorative touches such as shrubs or flowering plants. Compared to some of the other homes, it was stark, but Becky considered that Sheryl was a single mother and there was so little time to do anything except survive.
Sheryl answered the door with Suzie standing only inches behind her mother. Becky suspected that the child wanted to oversee her mother’s reception of their visitor. But, Sheryl was cordial and invited Becky inside.
She led everyone to a small living room that was lit by several lamps which sat on end tables scattered about the room. The television was off and was located in a place that indicated it was not the focal point. Several puzzles and board games for young children were on the coffee table. Becky noticed an old box that contained the original Operation game as well as boxes for Mr. Potato Head and Candy Land.
“Please, have a seat,” Sheryl offered.
“Sit on the couch with me, Becky” Suzie urged as she made a dash for the rust-colored sofa and then patted a spot next to her.
“I don’t mind if I do,” Becky replied as she took the spot Suzie indicated.
“You obviously know that Suzie is special,” Sheryl jumped right into the reason Becky was there. She honestly didn’t want the meeting to last a second longer than it had to… just long enough for Becky to help Suzie… and nothing more. “I noticed it when she was only a baby. Whenever I would meet someone, Suzie studied the area around them as if she saw so much more than anyone else could see. I admit that I noticed that other babies did the same thing, but they seemed to outgrow it. Suzie never did. When she was old enough to explain it, she told me that I had two companions that I couldn’t see and that her father had one. I jokingly asked how many she had and she told me that she had a bunch. When she learned to count, she told me she had twelve.
“Apparently those companions tell her things. Things that no one should really know. Suzie gets in a lot of trouble for repeating the things she hears.”
“I understand why I am here,” Becky replied. She gazed at Sheryl for some time before turning to examine Suzie’s eager face. “Suzie, do you want your mother present while we talk about the things that are bothering you?”
Suzie looked carefully at her shocked mother before she haltingly replied, “I don’t think my mother understands, but I believe that you do. If she doesn’t mind, I’d like to talk in private, it would be better.”
Sheryl gasped, but Becky continued, “You don’t want to hurt your mother’s feelings, but you want to talk to me alone. Sheryl I know you are worried about Suzie and I know you want her to get the help she needs. Do you have a problem with me and Suzie talking in private?”
Sheryl didn’t say anything to either of them, but she was offended and couldn’t help it. She stormed from the room muttering indistinctly to herself.
Chapter 33
“She’ll be all right, Suzie. Don’t worry. Once she sees that you’ve been helped with this problem, she won’t remember this and will be very glad that your worries are over. Trust me. Now, in your own words, tell me what has you worried and afraid.”
“Well, as mama just told you, I see spirits all around people. I didn’t know they were called spirits for a long time. They look just like regular people, but no one else can see them. The spirits I see are kind and loving. It seems that they are friends to those they travel with. Sometimes, I hear those spirits talking about things that no one knows. I’m not supposed to, but sometimes I repeat what I’ve heard,” Suzie cried out in pain. “My daddy left because I told too much. It’s all my fault that he went away and left Mama so sad and lonely.”
“Suzie, can you see my spirit guides?” Becky asked to distract the child from her trauma.
“You have a lot of them, more than me,” Suzie sniffled. “I think that means you are important.”
“It just means that I need a lot of help,” Becky explained as she patted Suzie’s hand.
“I guess I need a lot of help too.”
“Indeed you do. You have a special gift, and over time, you will use it to help people with their troubles. For now, you are in training. We often make mistakes when we are learning something new. Was it easy to read when you first began? Did you get some words confused with others? I know I did.”
Suzie giggled as she nodded eagerly at Becky.
“But, from what I understand, you see more than spirit guides. Is that right?”
Suzie’s joy suddenly disappeared. She cried softly for several minutes before she admitted, “I see something dark and scary. The spirit guides are light, but it is very dark. When I see it, I get scared and I can’t see or sense my own spirit guides any more. It wants to hurt me. It wants me to stop seeing spirit guides.”
“Suzie, seeing the things you see is your gift. We must always appreciate our gifts. Try to remember that in everything there are always two sides. There is good and evil and there is light and dark. There are tears and giggles too. I have recently learned that our beliefs about things make them real. Do you understand that?”
“I think so.”
“Our beliefs are the things that we believe are true. For example, you believe that your mother loves you very much and she does. You believe that I can help you and I will.” Suzie nodded. “All right; tell me three things that you believe and that also make you feel happy.”
“I believe my Mama loves me. And, I believe that I’d like to watch more television. And I believe that you are nice and will help me.”
“I believe those things too,” Becky laughed. “OK, now tell me three things that you believe that make you feel sad.”
“Well, I believe that Daddy left because I told too much. And, I believe that my Mama is sad because I’m different. And…” she hesitated before adding, “I believe that the darkness wants to eat me up.”
“What I hear when you say that is that you have a lot of pain because you feel responsible for the things that have happened in your life. But, think about it. Even as a child, you know by now that you cannot control the adults in your life. Think about the day in the coffee shop. Your mother was frightened of me. She wanted to leave and take you with her. Am I right?”
“Yes.”
“You couldn’t stop her could you?”
“No.”
“It is the same no matter how old someone is. We can’t control what anyone does. If a child at school wants to hit another child, can you stop them?”
“No, I can tell the teacher but t
hen they might hit me,” Suzie acknowledged.
“Honey, it is the same with your father. All people, especially adults, do what they do and we have no power or control over their actions or choices. You couldn’t stop him from leaving. And, you can’t stop that your mother feels sad because he left. The important thing to remember is that nothing you said drove him away either. He left because he decided to leave just as your mother did that day in the coffee shop. It isn’t your fault.”
“Then, why does the darkness want me?”
“The darkness represents your fear that you are bad. I suspect that you feel that your gift is bad. Why wouldn’t you think that when so much sadness has come into your life because you used it? It is dark because it is the opposite of light. Suzy dear, you are not bad. You are gifted.”
“But, it makes me feel bad.”
“Do you think it is bad of me to help ghosts, to help them tell the people they love a final message?”
“No.”
“One day you will use your gift to help people too. As we said earlier, you are in training, but one day not too far away, you will know what to say to people that will help them the most. I know this and I believe it with all my heart.”
“OK,” Suzie replied.
“Right now, I want you to see the darkness for what it is, Suzie. Do you think you can do that?”
“I’ll try.”
“Close your eyes and know that I am right here beside you. I will stay beside you the entire time.” Suzie closed her eyes and Becky continued, “You are in a safe place, a beautiful garden. Your spiritual companions are all around you, loving you, laughing with you. Do you see them? Do you feel it?”
“Yes.”
“You are enjoying this special time when you think of your mother and daddy. You wish they could be here to enjoy the fun. Suddenly, you feel sad and responsible that they are no longer together. What do you see now?”
“The darkness has come into the garden.”
“Do you understand that the darkness came because of your sadness? Does it seem that those thoughts brought the darkness to you?”
“Yes.”
“Now, I want you to think about your mother and daddy again, but this time, see them happy. See that your mother is no longer sad that he is gone. See that he is gone because he wants to be gone. See that you and your mother are happy too. What is the darkness doing now, Suzie?”
“It is moving away. It is slowly disappearing.”
“Can you understand that it is your own beliefs about those sad things that brought the darkness and that it is your happy thoughts that sent it away?”
Suzie threw her arms around Becky with joy, “I knew you could help me! I just knew it!”
Sheryl had not gone very far, and sitting on a small stool in the foyer, she’d heard everything that was said between Becky and Suzie. Now, she was as happy and relieved as her daughter was.
Chapter 34
Friday evening, Becky pulled out the refrigerated dishes she had previously prepared for her dinner with Patrick. Next, set the oven to preheat, and then went upstairs to freshen up after a very busy day at the shop, but she realized that she wanted a shower. When she heard the timer ding, she rushed back downstairs to the kitchen and placed everything in the oven before she set the timer once again.
Back upstairs, she hurriedly took a shower before getting dressed for her first real date with Patrick. She’d decided to forego wearing cowboy boots and opted to wear a pair of black pumps to match the black A-line midi-skirt and curve hugging sweater she felt made her look her best.
Becky critically stared at herself in the mirror as she dabbed on some face powder and a touch of blush. If there was one thing she could change about her appearance it was her slightly crooked nose. “A special gift from Bobby when she was ten and he was twelve!” she scoffed.
“Oh, come on now; be fair,” she silently grumbled as she stared into her own green eyes. “You’re the one that grabbed the Game Boy out of his hand. His elbow was only a reflexive move on his part.”
Becky hurried back downstairs to check the oven and the doorbell rang announcing that Patrick had arrived just as she pushed the rack back inside. She took a deep breath and smoothed her skirt over her hips one last time before she answered it.
“Hello,” he said with a sweet smile as he held out a bottle of wine and more wildflowers.
“Oh, you shouldn’t have,” Becky began, but he shushed her.
“No, I really should have. You deserve to know how special you are. . You look amazing, Becky. Really, really amazing.”
“Well, come inside then and let me put these in some water,” she smiled, before adding, “and thank you. I’ll get some glasses for the wine and a cork screw.”
Becky hadn’t been sure what to cook for Patrick so she’d prepared some of Bobby’s favorite foods, hoping that her date would like them too. She wasn’t disappointed with his appreciative reaction to the cornbread jalapeno muffins and her potato salad. She also served green bean casserole and a small Cornish hen that she’d baked just for him.
“You didn’t have to do that,” he said when he realized that she didn’t partake of the meat.
“Do what?”
“You’re vegetarian. You didn’t have to cook meat just for me.”
“You’re very observant, but I wanted to,” Becky replied.
As they dined and sipped the wine, neither knew that something terrible was happening across town. Just as he finished the last bite of food on his plate, Patrick’s phone beeped an emergency alert. Then, Jacob appeared standing directly behind him.
Becky knew it was urgent news when Patrick read the message and jumped to his feet. “I have to go, Becky. This is important. Every emergency responder is called in for this so it must be huge. I’ll call you tomorrow and thanks for a wonderful meal.”
He intended to hastily kiss her on the cheek but a strange energy passed between them as his lips touched her. It was electric. They were both startled by its intensity.
“Did you feel that?” Patrick asked.
“I did, but it looks like we’ll have to discuss it later. I know you have to leave.”
“I do have to go, but I don’t ever want to forget that. Again, thanks for a lovely dinner.” Then, he was out the door and gone before she could reply.
“You’re welcome,” she called out.
Becky looked at Jacob and asked, “Does this have anything to do with Patrick’s emergency text?”
Jacob nodded before adding, “It’s terrible, Becky. There’s been a fire. A terrible fire. Many lives are lost and there are a lot of confused ghosts wandering around in a daze. I think you need to come with me.”
Becky grabbed her coat and followed Jacob to her truck. Even from her home, she could hear the noisy blare of sirens from all over the city – firetrucks, ambulances, police cruisers as everyone rushed to the scene.
It had turned frigid as soon as the sun had set that evening with temperatures in the low teens. People were freezing cold, and when they were that cold, they had a tendency to burn things that shouldn’t be burned inside in an effort to get a little extra warmth for their families.
Chapter 35
When Becky and Jacob arrived at the scene it was worse than she’d expected. The area housed five rows of low-income apartment buildings and, as it seemed to be the case, these were families with small children who occupied the homes.
As she’d suspected, someone had tried to burn the broken pieces of a wooden chair in their oven to provide some extra warmth, but it was a gas oven, and somehow, fumes had escaped and ignited the entire home. It was as if a bomb went off.
Without proper firewalls between each home and a lack of adequate sprinkler systems, the fire quickly spread to the apartment next door where those residents kept flammable materials under their sink. That increased the fire’s range even further. Soon, it had engulfed the next apartments above and beside… and on it went, traveling with the sp
eed of the wind until three of the buildings were ablaze. More than twenty were counted among the dead, and in a matter of minutes, eighty families were homeless.
Residents that were still alive stumbled around in confusion as they looked for family and friends who had survived. Others sat on the barren lawn, wrapped in wool blankets and sobbing. Still, others were urged to get in the police bus so they could be safely evacuated to various homeless shelters located around the city, but very few could or would leave until they knew the outcome and extent of their loss.
Jacob gathered ghosts as quickly as he could and brought them to Becky, but many were too confused for her to help them. Many didn’t believe they were dead. The fire and explosions had happened so suddenly that they didn’t have time to see death coming or to adjust to the possibility of their lives ending.
It was sad, just terribly sad for all concerned.
While Becky stood on the outskirts of the carnage, Patrick was in the midst of it. Somehow, he knew she was there. He could feel her, and when he finally spotted her in the crowd, he rushed to her side demanding, “Becky, what are you doing here?”
“I’m needed here, Patrick. There are many confused spirits that I have to help if I can.”
“It’s still too dangerous. Something might explode and take out the entire crowd. They’re working frantically to shut-off the gas lines, but really, it’s still too dangerous. Please go home.”
Bobby arrived moments later, but he understood why his little sister was there. It was why he was there too. He knew that Becky would never say it, but Bobby didn’t have the same compunctions as Becky. He didn’t fear that he’d offend the new detective. Without hesitation, he patted Patrick on the back saying, “Let her alone, Patrick. Go back to your side of things and let Becky do hers. She won’t listen to you anyway and if you want to be in her life, you have to let her be her own person. Go on. Go back to doing your job. I’ll keep an eye on her, but I won’t interfere with her work. She’s the one person needed most right here, right now.”
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