Page 43 of Ghostly
“But my grave isn’t in the town graveyard. I heard Harry talking, and they buried me somewhere, I don’t know…” She waved her hand.
“I found it.”
Another wave hit—surprise and happiness and confusion, but the good kind. And then a tinge of something underneath. Fear, or nervousness?
“How was it? My grave?” she asked. “I don’t think anyone’s visited in… well, ever.”
“It was…” He sat down, splaying the contract on the table. One task remained, and Ida would be gone. Victory with a loss. He cleared his throat. “It’s near the forest, a good spot. Maybe no one of your family visited, but…” Could he tell her how it truly looked like? How forgotten she and the rest of the people there were? “It’s still nice. Someone must’ve cared for it.”
Ida looked at him for a few moments before she joined him on the couch. “Good. That’s good. So you, uh, enlightened my bones?”
“Never thought I’d say that, but if it works…” He shrugged, and the short-lived tension dissolved. “Looks like we’re continuing our winning streak.”
“And you know what that means.”
“I said one episode ofBewitched. Five is already 400% over the margin. I’m not doing any more. I’m simply not.” He glanced at the TV, where two people crawled out of a rushing brown river. “And not whatever this is, either.”
Ida avoided his gaze. “I meant, there’s only one condition left.”
Forgive. The single word seemed to mock him. When they’d first found the contract, Ida said it was meant to be undoable, because as a ghost, she couldn’t fix things or communicate with people. Perhaps there was a grain of truth to that. However this damn thing worked, maybe it had some kind of magic to it that assured one of the conditions would be impossible to fulfill, regardless of who was doing it.
Ida, apparently not noticing Gabriel slipping deep into his thoughts, rattled on. “… just need to keep trying. Maybe it will happen unexpectedly, like with Rosalie. But we need to find some events that grant you the possibility, at least. Gabriel? Are you listening?”
“Yes. Events.” Wait, what did Marge say? “How about the Christmas fair? There’ll be one in town. According to Marge, pretty much everyone turns up. A lot of people to practice on. A lot of chances for random things to happen.”
“That’s good!” Ida’s eyes lit up, but then she grew serious. “A Christmas fair. Sounds lovely.”
“Eh, I’m sure it’s just…” He stopped as he saw her expression. Going all Grinch-like in front of her wouldn’t help. “Maybe it’s not a good idea, anyway. I’d rather stay here and you can make a selection of movies for us to watch. And I’ve plenty of work still to do on Mrs. Ashford-Abernathy’s case.”
“Gabriel.” Ida’s hand twitched, as if she was about to reach out. “Please, go. If not to fulfill the contract, at least to have fun. Do your best and tell me how it was.”
Whispers in the back of his mind told him he wasn’t going to be that busy with research; he could do what needed and still go to the Christmas fair, and have time left for other activities. If he did, would he get the sameamazing feeling as earlier—a sense of accomplishment, satisfaction, that didn’t come from work?
“You asked me the same thing after dinner,” he said, raising his eyes to Ida. “Why are so you determined I have fun?”
She dragged a finger across the sofa, left and right, back again. “What I miss most about being alive are the little things. Feeling hurt as I stub my finger on a rosebush. Taking the first bite of ginger cake, the one Cook made when I was little. Letting a snowflake melt on my skin.” She scoffed softly. “You wouldn’t believe how much the little, seemingly unimportant things mean until you can’t do them anymore. They make you human.”
No offer of a movie, not even another binge session ofBewitched, would fix this. Ida wanted to go out, seelife. Maybe for one last time.
And she couldn’t.
“Wait. If I do succeed, this is the last condition. Wouldn’t that mean you’d disappear?” His chest suddenly felt tight. “This isn’t a good idea. I should be here when you—”
“I don’t think it’s going to work that way. The contract only says it will allow me to pass through, not that I disappear at the moment of the last condition being fulfilled.” Ida’s smile was pale, but genuine. “See, you taught me well. It’s as much about what’s not being said, as what is. And nowhere in the terms does it say I have to go right away.”
He had to laugh. She was good.
“So, you go.” She nodded, as much to him as to herself. “And please, not just because it’s a good opportunity. Enjoy it. I’ll wait here to salute you goodbye.”
“Fine. But I’m letting you know, Christmas fairs aren’t my thing.” He wasn’t sure whether he was trying to convince himself, or make Ida feel better.
But how would that make her feel better? She’d still be here, all alone, her only companion a movie. And then she’d be gone, never sneak up on him again, never make the TV and the laptop hum as she haunted them, never—
Electronic devices. When Ida haunted them, she saw what was happening inside.
In a smooth, swift move, he turned to her. “You don’t have to be here all alone. I have an idea.”
Chapter 11
