Idon’tsay anything, and Idon’tthink he expects me to. I watch his expensive-looking shoes forming footprints in the snow as he starts to walk away, but then he stops.
Another figure appears within the trees. It’s Simone, one of the witches from earlier. She’s bundled in a fluffy fur coat and tall boots, a hand-knitted hat on her head. Her eyes widen at the sight of us.
“I didn’t think anyone else would be here,” she admits, walking closer. She spies me still hovering on the porch and smiles. “I came to make sure Kennedy was settling in alright.”
Aidan looks over his shoulder at me and smirks. “Look at that. Another concerned citizen.”
Irollmyeyes,chagrined.I’venever had so many visitors in my entire afterlife, yet now that another ghost has arrived,I’mbeing berated with friendly consideration. She may be what sparked the initiative, but part of me wishes itwasn’t. Though Ijest aboutwantingto be left alone, I do appreciate it.
Afterall, no one else ever stopped by before.
No one cared before.
I may have secluded myself by my own will, but Ican’tdeny it would have been nice to know someone else at least thought about me.
Simone remains where she is, looking unsure whether or not she should come any closer.“So,” she hesitates, “how is Kennedy?”
“She’s fine,” I say, a little clipped. “She’sresting. Andperhaps Ishould too. It is late,after all.”
“Oh.” She crosses her arms over her chest, shoulders drooping. Head bowed, she takes an awkward step back. “I’msorry for intruding.I’lljust go.”
Aidan gives me a deplorable look, and I knowI’vesaid the wrong thing.I’vebeen told that he and I share a common flaw when it comes to the way we use our words. Sometimes we come across harsher than we intend.
In order tonot leave things awkwardly between us, I call out to Simone as she turns away from the house. “Come back tomorrow.I’msureshe’dbe happy to see you.”
She presses her lips together and smiles abashedly. “Thanks. I will.”
Aidan waves goodbye to her as she walks away but remains where he is.
“Weren’t you leaving as well?” I ask, my tone full of impertinence.
Aidan just chuckles and shoves his hands casually back into his pockets. “You know,” he says, “that smarmy attitude isn’t going to gain you any friends.”
“You stuck around, didn’t you?”
“True. But that’s because I was just like you. I know what you’re feeling.”
“I’m intrigued. Do tell.”
Aidan lifts his chin. “You’re hiding because you feel guilty.”
Something in my stomach drops. Though the physical parts of myselfaren’tthere, I feel the sensation all the same. Like a rug being pulled out from under myfloatingfeet.I’venever told anyone about my role in what happened to Moira’sgrandmother. It was purposefully left out of my father’s history books.
If Aidan notices any hint of reaction on my face, hedoesn’tacknowledge it. He just keeps talking. “Whatyou’refeeling guilty about, I have no idea, butyou’reholding on to something. I was too. I tried to do good, putting my money into projects that needed it, but itdidn’talways help, so I secluded myself. In my mind, being alone forever was a way I could repentformyprevioussins. But I was wrong. Hiding away from everyonewasn’tjust hurting me, it was hurting those around me as well.”
I let out the breathI’dbeen holding. “We are not the same,” I tell him harshly. “Ichoseto remain in this house because it is my home. That is all.”
Aidan’s confidence wanes, but itdoesn’tdisappear. Instead, his face slips into something akin to pity. “Then why do you never leave?”
I can’t answer him, and he knows that.
So, instead of waiting for my answer, he leaves our conversation at that, walking slowly away as fresh snow starts to fall from the sky.
Chapter Twelve
KENNEDY
When my mind finallywakes,I’mno longer in my physical body. Panic seizes me at the thought of drifting through the void again, but then I remember the seance.
