LIVING GHOSTS

01. Bittersweet

I didn't know if I was destined to forever live a good life, or if it was just luck. Either way though, I decided it was better, so I enjoyed it.

I watched as my husband stood out in the sun, flagging down the taxi, in such a way that you might have thought he was a mad man.

“Where are you headed to?” I heard the taxi driver ask my husband, who responded.

“Tollway schools.” He answered, and the man signaled us to get in. My husband hurriedly rushed to my side and walked me into the taxi.

Once we were in, I couldn't help but watch him with tears almost flowing down my cheeks. Today was just another day like the other days, he was going out of lengths just to make sure we both got to our daughters' graduation ceremony.

Our daughter, Kim, had finally graduated from secondary school and we were both happy parents.

We wouldn't have been out in a taxi but our car. But, our car decided to disappoint us that morning. And I remembered how my husband had dismissed the idea of just relenting and calling my daughter's teacher to inform her we won't be coming. Instead, he went out in that hot, scorching sun to get us a taxi, which we were in already.

It wasn't until a few hours, and we had gotten to Tollway schools. We alighted from the taxi and my husband paid the man and immediately, he drove off.

“We came late, yeah?” I knew he was asking no one in particular, not even me. But true, he wasn't wrong. We really came late. But it was better than us not coming at all.

“Why don't we go search out for our baby girl?” I asked and he nodded.

When we got into the school, every place was already filled to the brim. We came late because, from the looks of things, people were already taking photos and the loud music had almost covered the voices of everyone talking. The crowd was just too much, and it was impossible to put a call through to my daughter's teacher except when we went out.

“Let's find our way to her class first. Probably from there, we could get heads on as to where we stand.” He said, almost shouting due to the loud music. And I nodded in approval.

We managed to squeeze our way through the crowd down to Kim's classroom. When we got in, we scouted the class, but neither Kim nor her teacher was anywhere to be found.

“Wait here, I'll go check the proprietor's office.” My husband offered, and I let him go while I waited.

It wasn't for up to five minutes when I heard someone call my maiden name, and I turned to check out who it was.

“Jenny?” I recognized the face immediately. “Oh my God. What are you doing here?” I screamed in excitement. Despite it being years since we last saw each other, I still could recognize her and so could she too.

“Oh my God, Belinda!” She called out. “It's really you!” She exclaimed and we hugged. It was really nice to meet someone from my former residence.

“Wow. It has been such a long time. How have you been? How have things been going on with you? It's been so long since you left us, and we missed you.” She said and hugged me again.

“I missed you too.” I smiled. And it was true. I really missed Jenny. She was the only closest friend I had in my former residence.

“By the way, what are you doing here?” She asked.

“Oh, I came for my daughter's graduation.” I said, feeling a bit of pride come up.

“Yeah, that's right. Kimberly must have grown into a beautiful and smart lady.” She said and sighed while I smiled. “But, it's such a pity, though.” She said, and I got confused in the middle.

“A pity that what?” I was forced to ask amidst my confusion.

“About your husband, the death of your husband. I'm so sorry.” She burst out and I froze.

“Death? My husband? Hold on, I -” I stuttered and paused, trying to understand what she was saying. “Jenny, are you crazy or what? My husband is not dead. In fact, we came here together for our daughter's graduation.”  I said, and I could see that she was shocked by what I had said.

“Belinda, are you listening to yourself? Your husband died a long time ago. What am I even saying? It's been five years now.”

“Jenny!” I screamed and everyone turned towards us.

“Yes Belinda. Or are you not Belinda anymore? Or did you remarry?” She asked, looking at me quizzically. “He was involved in a motor accident five years ago. But unfortunately, before I got to your house, I heard you had packed out. No one heard from you again. Even your mother said she hasn't heard from you nor seen you ever since then. We thought you had even died.” Jenny continued talking, regardless of how I was feeling at the moment. I could sense the boldness in her voice and the pity she must have felt five years ago as she was spitting out unbelievable words.

I tried to talk, but my attention was diverted when I heard someone call my name, and it echoed right into my ears, and immediately I turned, only to find my husband at the other side of the gate, smiling.

That moment, I was glad that he had finally come, so he could prove to Jenny that she had been spitting rubbish. My husband was alive and healthy!

But, while I tried to signal him to come forward, I realized that the whole situation had become awkward. Why was he standing there and not making any movement towards me? Why was he just smiling that way? Why did he have blood stains on his clothes? And looking closer, he wasn't putting on the costume I saw him with when we came here together. What was happening? Or was I dreaming? Had Linda bewitched me?

Before anyone could say jack, I watched my husband disappear right before my eyes. And immediately, I froze.

“No! No! Nooooo!” I couldn't hold myself anymore, and I screamed, falling to the ground, and at the same time drawing everyone's attention.

What had I just seen?

“Where's my husband? Somebody should get me my husband." I cried before I fainted.

How's this first chapter? Phew!
Let me know. And I'll try my best to keep updating at the best times. Thank you.