Farmer Kency appeared from his headstone and floated over. He scratched the stubble on his chin and regarded me. “Maybe what young Blissful here needs is more than us focusing on this situation being about us.”
“Unlikely,” Mildred said. “I prefer my sanity in the afterlife; I don’t know about y’all.”
“You’re not eveninthe afterlife,” I fumed. “You live in a cemetery because you refuse to go into the light.”
She fisted her hands to her hips in a feisty maneuver. “That’s how we like it, and we also like things peaceful and quiet-like.”
“Won’t have much of that with Francine around,” Blount said.
From the little I knew of Francine, that seemed true. “Please, I need her help. All you have to do is let her in—try it on a trial run, maybe. If Francine doesn’t work out, you can get rid of her again.”
“Girlie, you ever tried to get rid of cockroaches once they’re in the house?” Mildred cocked an eye at me. “Impossible.”
“Please…” I raked my fingers through my hair, knowing there was only one way to make this happen. “All right. If you let Francine back in, I’ll take up your cause.”
“Praise Jesus!” Mildred clapped. “I knew it was only a matter of time before you saw things our way.” She splayed her hands and stared at the night sky as if it were a brilliant marquee. “I can see it now. We’ll picket the courthouse for our rights. Take this to the Supreme Court.”
“Er,” I hesitated. “Sure. Why not?” If worse came to worst, I’d just disappear so they couldn’t keep me to my word. “I’ll help you get your right to remain on this earth without anyone interfering.”
Which looked like it was how they were pretty much already living their deaths, but who was I to judge?
Farmer Kency plucked at his overalls. “I think it sounds okay. We can try Francine out again, but we’ll probably end up banishing her once more. She doesn’t do well with rules.”
“At least our rules,” Blount corrected.
“I would agree to that,” Mildred said. “But for the betterment of spirits throughout the world, we need to try to accept her.”
Their stares weighed on me. I knew what they were thinking—that I would lead them to their own personal victories.
I smiled and shook ghostly hands as we sealed our agreement. Well, the least I could do was try.
That nightI tossed and turned in bed. I couldn’t get comfortable, and it wasn’t because of the sheets.
What Tart had said bothered me. My brain wound round and round, the impact of her words jutting in my head like a water pick flinging water at my gums.
It was sharp, hard and relentless. I needed to talk to Roan, of course, but how? What could I say? Would he even believe me?
By three o’clock I gave up all hope for a night of rest and got up and started my day.
By eight I was at work, listening to voice mail messages and straightening Ruth’s desk when she entered.
She hung her jacket on the coat tree. “What’s wrong, Blissful?”
I cradled the phone in the receiver. “What makes you think anything is wrong?”
“You’re listening to messages, for one. That’s my job. And two, you’re here early. You never arrive before ten.”
“I’m an early bird.”
“Not when it comes to this.” She pointed at the store. “Out with it. What’s eating you?”
I scratched my fingers down my face and sighed. “Tart gave me some bad news.”
Ruth rushed over. “Oh no. You have a rare disease in your family. One that makes you lose all your hair and teeth.”
“No.” I swatted her hand away and pushed back in the rolling chair. “Nothing like that.” My stomach pretzeled. “Worse, actually.”
“Oh no, then it’s terminal.”
