“Good night, Nick.”
He offers one last smile before heading off toward his house. I watch him until he’s out of sight. When I glance back across the road, the woman is gone, and I can’t shake the creepy feeling crawling over my body from her presence.
Mrs. Fields can see ghosts too.Interesting.
Except she didn’t seem to recognize that the woman is dead.
I’ve learned that these sightings don’t occur for everyone. Not unless the gift is nurtured. For me, the ability sprung up out of nowhere, unwanted. Thankfully, I discovered rather quickly that they just need my help.
I only hope this particular ghost doesn’t decide to wake me in the middle of the night. Poltergeists are something else entirely. She’ll haunt me until I solve her murder. She wouldn’t be simply slinging insults and driving me up the wall—something I’ve learned I can handle.
The thought of Billy surprisingly calms me, and I smile. In the end, the pesky ghost wasn’t so bad. He grew on me like a fungus. One that was easily removed once the issues were clear.
Merry Christmas, Billy. Wherever you are.
I sigh, closing the door on this night and ghosts.
3
Ace of Swords
I wake thenext morning to a quiet house, tiptoeing my way downstairs so as not to wake the others.
Once Nick left, the girls and I stayed up late, laughing until our bellies hurt and tears streamed down our faces. It was just what we all needed after the heaviness of the last month.
Especially Nina.
She seemed to be back to her old self, before the days of Richard. Carefree. Hilarious. I can only hope that over the coming weeks, while the snake attempts to slither his way out of charges, she doesn’t lose that light in her eyes that I saw briefly last night.
I’m finally able to put to rest my worries surrounding Nick. Everything is fine. He’s simply busy trying to wrap up a case that was always going to be troublesome. The villain has too much money to not go down without a fight.
I lift my arms over my head and stretch with a yawn.
The smell of freshly brewed coffee washes over me as my feet hit the wood floor. I’m grateful I had the forethought to prepare it the night before, considering the late hour.
I grab my favorite mug from the cabinet, one Ava made me several Christmases ago.World’s Best Momis scrawled across the bottom of a picture of the two of us. Ava’s smile is extended from ear to ear, her cherub cheeks rosy. She’d just hopped off the swing set, where I’d pushed her into the air for well over an hour as she giggled and squirmed, relishing the way her belly dipped every time she swooped through the air.
It’s a day I begged god to burn into my memory. A time I never wanted to forget. Days when Ava was carefree and small, wanting nothing but to spend hours swinging in the backyard, with her mommy and daddy close by.
I smile, filling the cup with scalding-hot coffee, splashing just a bit of peppermint creamer to turn the dark liquid a shade lighter. Bringing the mug to my lips, I inhale, sighing in contentment. All is right in the world on this perfect Christmas morning.
Curling up on my new gray corduroy chair, under my creamy cloud blanket, a Christmas gift from Lanie, I enjoy the peaceful moment, running through the events from last night, smiling all the while.
So much has changed in these last couple of months, and heading into the new year, I recognize that I have a giant list of things to be grateful for. At the top is Ava, and the fact that she received all A’s on her report card, yet again.
Despite everything she’s endured with losing her father, her tenacity and work ethic has only gotten stronger. The girl is destined for greatness, and I’m loving the front-row seat I have, watching her shine.
I’m not sure how much time has gone by, but my cup is nearly empty, and the sound of feet pattering on the wood floor tells me that someone else is up, and my moment of quiet is over.
“Merry Christmas, Ally.” Nina takes a seat across from me with her own cup of coffee. I smile, raising my mug to her.
“Merry Christmas, Nina.” I take a sip, smacking my lips upon swallowing. “How did you sleep?”
“Like the dead. I haven’t slept that well in ages.” Nina groans as she rolls her shoulders.
“Maybe it’s time you get out of that mausoleum,” I suggest, and she bobs her head in agreement.
“Not that I have much of a choice.”
