I question whether continuing to talk about my night from hell is healthy for either of us.
“You don’t find it at all strange that the man’s last name is Garet? The exact name you supposedly opened yourself to connect with?”
This stops me short. I’d never even considered the similarity. The intuitive part of my brain that’s never steered me wrong is practically beeping in the back of my mind to pay attention. That has to be how Billy came to be in my room. A mix-up due to my lack of experience where the mystical is concerned.
My beautiful, intelligent daughter is unknowingly putting together the pieces I was missing.
“I mean, Mom... it makes sense. Your mind concocted one heck of a dream from the experience at the medium.”
“You are so right, Ava. Well done.”
Her one eye narrows while the eyebrow on the opposite side of her face lifts to her hairline. “You don’t mean it,” she says. “You actually believe there’s a ghost in your house.”
I shake my head back and forth a little too quickly.
“Am I in the twilight zone?” She laughs. “Aunt Lanie? Yes. You? I never would’ve seen this coming.”
“Why do you doubt me? Nina’s the cynic of the group.”
I’ve hit rock bottom. Here I am arguing about who’s more likely to believe in the spirit world with my teenage daughter, who is currently looking at me like I’ve lost it.
“Dear god, you truly think you see the dead.”
Every part of me is screamingAbort!I don’t want to freak out Ava. She might be sixteen, but she’s still a kid. A kid who lives alone in a dorm room at an old and spooky school for the arts.
I need to steer this conversation to safer ideas. Otherwise, she may well and truly think I’ve lost my marbles.
“I started taking some new meds, and I think they might be the cause.”
“New meds?” Ava’s eyes narrow in on me, but I don’t react, sticking to something she can make sense of. It’s true. I did change medications, and one of the side effects is hallucinations.
Ava eventually shrugs.
“You should probably call your doctor then. Or at the very least, stop drinking wine while you’re on them.” I nod my head, but she doesn’t see it. She’s staring out the windshield. I follow her gaze to where Nick West is getting into his Trailblazer. “Seems dangerous if you’re having dreams that lead to having guns pointed at you,” she says, finally turning toward me.
I nod again, agreeing wholeheartedly. “You’re right.”
Her worry melts away and she grins. “Let’s go home and get ready for dinner. Aunt Lanie and Aunt Nina are going to meet us.”
Internally I sigh, happy to be done with this conversation, but reluctant to share Ava. I plaster on my best smile. “As long as we’re not going to Marina Grille.”
She grins. “I told them anywhere but Marina.”
We make our way home, chatting about school and all things non-ghost, but a small part of me continues to circle back to Ava’s words about Billy Garet. I send a silent prayer of thanks up to whoever’s listening that I won’t have to sleep alone tonight, and an extra prayer that Billy stays away.
The Moon
AVA PLACES HERbag in the back seat of her maroon Corolla and slams the door. Sunday came far too quickly.
“I wish I didn’t have to go,” she says, jutting out her bottom lip.
“Me too.”
I’m trying to hold back tears because I don’t want her to worry. No amount of time is ever enough with Ava, but I don’t want to make her feel guilty about living her life. Going back to school is what’s best for her.
I pull her into my chest, squeezing a little harder than necessary.
“Can’t... breathe,” she wheezes through chuckles, and I step back, cringing.
