Ghost of You

Nine

After spending a couple of day off together, it was time for Lindsey to go back to work. Stevie had become nervous the night before, unable to relax and sleep. Lindsey vaguely remembered her tossing and turning but nothing really came of it. When they woke up that morning, Stevie's demeanor was definitely different. Usually she would have made breakfast and a pot of coffee, sitting at the kitchen table waiting for him until he came downstairs dressed for the day. This time, she waited on the bed, staring at the bathroom door, almost willing him to hurry. After he was finished, she hurried down the stairs with him and started a quick breakfast, all the while keeping an eye on Lindsey.

"Are you alright? You're acting so weird!" Lindsey remarked. "Why are you watching me like that?" She didn't answer but she wanted to tell him so badly that she was making sure he didn't leave so she wouldn't see those pool shadows out the back door. He was blocking her view perfectly. "What's going on?"

She flipped the pancake in her skillet and stopped a moment in tears.

"Stephanie! What is the matter!" He said sternly, causing her to cry even more

"I don't want you to go to work...I don't feel very well."

"You were fine this morning."

"We need to sort some more of the house out, you should take the day off."

"Stevie, you told me that I shouldn't worry and you were fine! That I can't just call in because you're sick, which I can't!" He crossed his arms.

"Please don't be mad at me" she begged and he softened a little.

"Fine, then tell me what's really going on. You know we need this job. We have a baby on the way, Steph."

"I know, but..."

"But what?" he asked, going over to the stove and basically finishing up breakfast for her. After turning off the heat, he brought her to the table. "Why are you being so resistant this morning? We had two, almost three beautiful days together. I had already cut my business trip short by over 16 hours so I could come check on you."

"Nothing seems to happen when you're here!" she cried. "There is something in this house and it scares me. You never even went into the he attic with me like you promised because you think I'm crazy!"

"Now, Stephanie, I told you what I think about that. You're pregnant and your hormones are playing tricks on you. You're worried about the baby and your mind is making you believe things are happening when they're not."

"No it's not Lindsey! Things are happening, this house is haunted! Something pushed me into the pool, and blew all the lights and..."

"Stephanie stop!" Lindsey shouted making her jump "You sound crazy!"

"You're supposed to love me enough to believe me!"

"I do love you! But this is way beyond anything believable...I'm sorry baby, but I just don't believe you."

"Just go to work! I don't want you in the same house as me and the baby" Stevie said frustrated and upset, he rolled his eyes and went to kiss her goodbye in the hallway, by she moved out the way "No, go..." she told him.

"When you calm down later, call me, okay? You have my work number. We should talk about this." He tried to get her to look at him but she wouldn't so he touched the place where their baby was nestled. "I love you both." With that, he left and Stevie cried harder than before. He didn't eat his breakfast and she wasn't sure if she even had an appetite. She was scared and alone and her husband didn't believe a word of it. She made herself a cup of tea to settle her stomach and did light cleaning. She still didn't want to do anything too strenuous until she had seen the doctor again.

Walking past the mirror in the hall something caught her eye, it was her reflection, but yet it wasn't her, she had completely different coloured hair and clothes.

"Are you fucking serious?! Why won't you show my husband?! He's going to cart me off to the funny farm!" She said angrily, picking up a vase from the table underneath the mirror and threw it at it, turning her head as the glass shattered everywhere...little did she know she'd just released what was trapped.

The childlike giggle was heard cracking through the house like lightning. The lights began to flicker, sparks flew from Tiffany lamps. She clutched her stomach, suddenly feeling a massive pain, falling to her knees on the floor.

"Please no!" Stevie begged.

"A baby!" A soft female voice said and Stevie prayed the pain would stop soon. She couldn't lose this baby. It was a miracle she became pregnant in the first place and surely it wouldn't happen again.

"No!" she shouted, fearfully. Suddenly the giggling and the murmurings disappeared, the pain dissipated and the lights returned to normal.

"A baby." she heard someone say a final time then it was gone. She got up and stared at the remaining pieces of the broken mirror still in the frame before going to the bathroom to check for bleeding. Everything was fine, the pain was gone and the house somehow seemed lighter. It was as if the spirits had gone.