Page 17 of The Shop on Royal Street
Her face didn’t show surprise that I knew, either because she wasn’t surprised or because she was good at hiding her emotions.
“No. And it’s not so much reluctance as it is concern. Our concern stems from the fact that we are personally connected to you because of your relationship with Beau.” She must have seen me shift uncomfortably in my seat, because she added, “However you define it. We have been told by others who have been in the house that there are... undercurrents, and a not-too-pleasant ambience inside. It’s why it hasn’t sold and the few buyers who made it to escrow dropped out. We don’t want there to be any... misunderstandings if you change your mind after you move in. Because then it would be too late, and we would hate to lose you as a friend.”
I frowned at Beau, not sure if “friend” was the right word for someone who had saved my life twice, literally and figuratively. Maybe my ambivalence toward him was because both of my parents, my aunt, myuncle, my siblings, and all of my grandparents loved him. Even my dogs followed him around like, well, puppy dogs. Or perhaps Melanie had been right when she told me I kept Beau at arm’s length because I wasn’t happy being the “rescuee” in a “rescuer/rescuee” relationship. She was wrong, of course. He’d put himself and me in those roles only by not giving me enough of a chance to save myself.
“Just to make sure I understand correctly, you don’t want to sell the house to me because you believe it’s haunted?”
Beau and Mimi exchanged looks. Beau started to speak but Mimi shook her head. “I suppose it depends on what you believe in. One buyer changed his mind because he brought his mother in and she said the house reeked of bad juju. He tore up the contract right then and there.”
“And what do you think?” I asked, holding my steady gaze on Mimi.
“I believe that certain...”
“Memories,” Jolene piped up, the last consonant rolling out in a sibilant hiss as her eyes closed and just before a loud snore erupted from her mouth and her chin dipped toward her chest. It was clear I’d need a plan B for getting us home.
“Yes, memories,” Mimi said. “Having lived in or worked with old houses and objects my entire life, I do believe that over the years, bad—or good—memories can be absorbed by their surroundings. And some people are more sensitive to them.”
“Except Beau doesn’t believe in that sort of thing,” I said. “At least not according to his podcast.”
“Not necessarily,” Beau said. “If you ever listened to my podcast, you’d know that I explore stories of supposed hauntings and residual memories to dispel rumors and to flush out the people who just want some grieving person’s money. Which, I’m sad to say, is just about one hundred percent of the mediums and self-professed clairvoyants I’ve ever met.” He paused. “Except for Melanie.”
Our eyes met, and I wondered if he might be remembering that night of the house fire, when Beau and Melanie miraculously escaped—along with three other people—from a locked attic engulfed in flames and smoke. I chose never to mention that night, and so did Melanie. But that didn’t mean I never wondered what had actually transpired behind the locked door.
I took a sip of coffee and with great effort managed not to spit it back into the cup. “As much as Melanie is a mother to me, we are not related by blood. I have not inherited any of her abilities to... communicate with those no longer living. I’ve lived side by side with restless spirits since I moved in with Melanie when I was fourteen. They don’t bother me, and I’m happily pretty much oblivious as far as they’re concerned.” I refocused my attention on Mimi.
“I love that house. We were meant to be.” I left out the phone call from Melanie’s deceased grandmother.The house chose you.“I promise I will do my best to make it the beautiful home it is beneath the mess right now. And if I hear any bumps in the night, I won’t blame you.”
“But what about your stepmother? What did she say?” Mimi leaned forward, keenly interested in my answer. I was too interested in making my case to wonder why.
“Nothing. I made her promise that she wouldn’t say anything, and she didn’t. She won’t. She understands old houses. And what it means to have one pick you.”
“I see,” Mimi said, sitting back in her chair, her expression still guarded, but I’d seen the flicker in her eyes, the shift of decision that every child learns to recognize before the word “yes” is even spoken.
She turned toward Beau. “Then I think we should allow Nola to buy the house. If you could please get the paperwork together...”
“Mimi, maybe you should think on it....”
“No. I’ve decided.” To me, she said, “You will waive inspection and the contract will specify ‘as is.’ The other buyers signed off on that, and if you want the house in the condition it’s in, then you will as well.”
I could almost feel Melanie’s finger prodding me in the middle of the back, but I ignored it and instead said, “Yes. That’s fine.”
Jolene jerked awake, her gaze registering where she was. “I knowNola would love a tour of the house.” Her accent was stronger than usual and would have needed subtitles if she’d been filmed.
Mimi stood. “Another time, perhaps. It’s late.” She seemed almost relieved.
Jolene stood, swaying slightly, and looked out a window, noticing that the sun had long since disappeared. She blinked several times, then hiccupped. “I think we may need a ride back. Because this dog won’t hunt.”
Despite my protests that I had the Uber app already pulled up on my phone, it was Beau who ended up driving us to our apartment. Jolene fell asleep in the backseat even before I could snap my seat belt.
Neither Beau nor I said anything until he pulled out onto Prytania. I tried biting my lip to stop the words, but I couldn’t hold them back. “Wouldn’t that have been a lot easier if you’d just said yes the first time?”
I saw his jaw tighten in the light that ebbed and flowed as we passed under the streetlights on St. Charles. “It wasn’t my decision to make.”
I shifted in my seat to face him. “Because of what Mimi said? Because of our connection?”
He stared straight ahead. “Pretty much. I just hope you know what you’ve gotten yourself into.”
“I’ve done renovations and restorations before. I can handle it.”
