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“Next week?”

“Boy, you worse than your mama.”

He grinned.

I crouched beside his chair. “Until then, I need you to keep something between me and you.”

He leaned closer. “What?”

“Don’t tell Mommy you can see me right now. I don’t want her worrying about something she can’t understand yet.”

“But she’s gonna find out?”

“Yeah.”

“Promise?”

I nodded. “I promise. When the time is right, I’m going to explain everything to her myself.”

He studied my face for a second. “And then what?”

“Then we can all be together.”

His eyes got big. “Really?”

“Yeah, son.”

“Like a family?”

I smiled. “Exactly like a family.”

He glanced toward the door before looking back at me. “And Mommy can see you too?”

“She will.”

“And you can stay with us?”

“Every night.”

His smile got so big it damn near broke me.

“Okay!”

I immediately pressed my finger to my lips again.

He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Okay.”

I chuckled. “That’s my boy.” I pointed toward his drawing. “Listen, you keep working on that picture. And that room you want? You’re gonna get everything you asked for.”

His eyes widened. “You heard all my requests?”

I chuckled. “Yeah, lil’ man. I hear everything said in this house.”

He nodded slowly like it had just clicked. “Right. You’re a ghost.”

“Exactly.”

“So basically you be eavesdropping all day?”