Page 19 of Road Trip With the Ghost Hunter

I looked over, expecting her to be smiling, but the same serious look was on her face. Hilarious laughter took over my body as I tried to picture an older version of Li crushing on the singer.

“Stop laughing.” She pushed at my shoulder.

“I can’t.” I remembered yesterday when she had her own laughing fit, and now I completely understood.

“So, who’s your hall pass?” I wanted to know what kind of competition I had.

That thought knocked the laughter right out of me. Was I fucking serious? There was no way I was about to get jealous of some random celebrity. I had to be losing my mind.

“I’d have to have a husband or a boyfriend in order to have a hall pass.” She shook her head.

I decided to let the conversation go. There was no need for me to push the subject.

“I don’t think my uncle had a hall pass.” At least that wasn’t something we talked about.

She was back to being quiet as I drove past the sign letting us know we only had about ten more miles to Basic Plaines.

“Is that one of the questions you would ask your Uncle if you could?” Her voice was just above the music.

“No.” I actually wasn’t sure what I’d ask. “I don’t think there’s anything specific. He knew so much about life, and I think I’d just want him to share whatever advice he could give.”

“Didn’t he do that when he was with you?”

“Not enough.” I didn’t think it would ever feel like enough. “Did your grandmother share everything with you?”

She had a contemplative expression that made me think she was really giving my question some thought.

“She shared the important things.” She smiled. “Family recipes I still can’t master. Jokes she found funny, whether I laughed or didn’t. Big regrets and the moments that made her the happiest. How she fell in love with my grandfather and how hard it was to keep going after my parents died.”

“So, there’s nothing more you’d ask her?” I felt a hint of jealousy. “Nothing more you’d want to know?”

“I’m sure there is, but at some point, I have to learn how to let her go.” She shrugged. “Nothing is going to bring her back, and I want her to be at peace. I have to believe that she is at peace. At some point, it has to be enough.”

Her words stayed with me all the way into Basic Plaines and through checking into our hotel.

I hated the idea of leaving her alone again tonight, but I wasn’t ready to let go. Not yet. Not until I knew my uncle was still with me. After all, wasn’t that what all the platitudes said?

Your loved ones will never leave you. They will always be watching over you. Whenever you need them, you will feel their presence.

Well, I didn’t feel shit and I was looking. I was desperate to feel something, anything.

I took Li to dinner as a way of alleviating my guilt. I made sure our conversation wasn’t as heavy. I wanted her to be in a better mood before I left.

When we got back to the hotel, she surprised me. “What time are we leaving tonight?”

“Excuse me?”

“I know why you’re here.” She sat on the edge of the bed. I didn’t put too much thought into the fact that I didn’t even bother thinking about getting two rooms tonight.

“I did some research after you left last night, and I learned the history of the legend of Parker Ranch. How it is supposed to be one of the top ten haunted places in the United States.” She leaned back on her hands. “I figured that was why you wanted to stop here. I mean, it isn’t like there’s anything else in this town except the Route 14 souvenir shops.”

She had a point. Basic Plaines was maybe the most perfectly named place in the world. Everything about this town was Basic as fuck.

“You don’t have to go with me.”

“I want to.”

“Are you sure?” She was the one who said we needed to let the dead go.

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