SPRINGTIME PROMISES *complete*

CHAPTER 33: THE OLIVE BRANCH

Lanecea stepped out of the Kelley residence, the laughter and warmth of family fading as she approached the door of the home next door. The two houses stood side by side on Alfred Street, but a palpable divide lingered between them—one of faith, history, and old grievances.

She raised her hand and knocked gently, her heart thumping as she thought about the dynamics within this household although it was a visit she had made many times.

The door swung open, revealing Archibald, his expression a mixture of surprise and apprehension. 

"Lanecea," he sighed, "It's been a long day. I'm glad to see you."

"Thank you, Archibald. Are you alright?"

Archibald tucked a stray tendril of hair behind Lanecea's ear, his touch conveying far more than he said. "Of course."

Lanecea smiled at Archibald, but didn't reveal her secret just yet.

"I came to check on Dellia and see how you're all doing."

"She's in the sitting room," he said, gesturing toward the back of the house. "But you know how it is. She worries about what's happening in the neighborhood and gets rather frustrated when she can't do a single thing about it."

Lanecea laughed as she followed him down the narrow hallway. She could see the way his muscles clenched his shoulders - the invisible weight he carried. Archibald, a man known for his unyielding position as a tax collector, had made more enemies than friends over the years, and the effects still lingered like a heavy cloak.

Dellia was seated in her favorite armchair, the light streaming in from the window casting a warm glow around her ghostly form. Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of nostalgia and delight as Lanecea entered the room.

"Oh, My Dear! It's so good to see you," she said, her voice warm and inviting. "Come closer. I've missed you. I thought perhaps you'd already left for...Quebec, is it?"

"Hello, Dellia," Lanecea said, approaching her with a smile. "I've missed you too. No, we haven't left for Quebec yet - we have some unfinished business to attend to first. I hope you've been keeping Archibald in line."

Dellia laughed softly, her laughter a sweet sound that echoed in the room. "That's a tall order, I must say, but I do my best."

Archibald stood nearby, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes as he listened to his mother and Lanecea. The women had been close friends for twenty years - ever since his father had disappeared without a trace. Lanecea wasn't one to give up and that was one of the many things he admired about her. She was like a dog with a bone, refusing to give up while the rest of the world went on with their lives and soon forgot.

Lanecea turned her gaze to him, sensing the unspoken words hanging in the air, but was mistaken about where his train of thought was.

"I know things have been difficult between your families, and Harry's marriage - his decisions - have opened old wounds," she said, her voice steady but gentle. "But perhaps your ghosts can help bridge that gap?"

Archibald's expression hardened momentarily, but then he sighed, "You're right. We've been neighbors for over ten years, and yet it feels like we're living on opposite sides of a chasm."

Dellia looked between them, her eyes filled with a mix of hope and wisdom. "You both have something in common that could mend the rift. Lanecea is correct. We ghosts, Rella and I, have been friends for years and attended the same church before.." she said softly, her voice trailing off. "Even now we are still close although we must be careful we aren't seen in public. You and James both share the secret of our existence and with the new baby, why don't you and Minnie pay them a neighbourly visit and congratulate them on the new arrival?"