Your Ghost

Chapter 25:

RANSOM

"Shall I run you a bath?" I offer as we step into my house.

"It's still noon. Why would I need to bath now?" Evelyn points to the window, to show it is still light outside.

I sigh. "Fine, but come with me to the bathroom."

"Why?"

I sigh again. "Just come with me."

"No." Evelyn walks in a zigzag line toward the couch.

"I will carry you there if you refuse to walk up those stairs." I warn.

Evelyn looks at me and grins.

Dammit! Of cause she'd prefer to be carried upstairs.

She opens her arms like a baby who wants to be carried.

I cannot help but smile. I go to pick her up, and I make sure that I am gentle with her.

I cannot smack her behind this time.

Once in the bathroom, I place her on the countertop just between the two basins.

"Why am I here if I said that I don't want a bath?" Evelyn looks around.

I open the draw right underneath one of the basins. "I want to wipe your face. I am not having you walking – or more wobbling – around this house with your tear-stained face." I explain.

Evelyn blinks and then looks down. She looks at her hands and clasps them together.

I retrieve a face cloth from the draw and run it under water.

Evelyn jumps off, but I quickly catch her. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Away from this bathroom. I want to go downstairs." she quips.

"Not until I have cleaned your face."

"Ransom! I am not a child!" she whines.

I cannot take her whining! It is so irritating!

"Don't give me that! I want your face to be wiped. I want to see your beautiful face." I smile, placing her back on the countertop.

"Beautiful?" Evelyn scoffs.

"Now why do you do that?" I stand back.

Not this again.

"What?" Evelyn looks away from me.

"Act like this." I point to her mouth, "when I tell you that you are beautiful?"

She shrugs and looks down at her hands. "You know I am not."

I scoff this time. "You cannot be serious Evelyn!"

She fidgets with her nails and does not look up.

"How many times have I told you that you are beautiful?" I ask.

She shrugs again and mumbles words that are not audible for me to hear.

"You cannot answer that can you?" I question.

She leans forward, trying to make herself look smaller.

I close my eyes. I need to control my frustration because I don't know how many times I have told Evelyn that she is beautiful. Just this morning, I told her that she is beautiful.

I take a deep breath and then open my eyes.

"Hey!" I whisper, placing my fingers on her chin so she can look up.