Ghost of You

Twenty Seven

Stevie woke up in the middle of the night, sick to her stomach. She knew Vanessa was around but she couldn't see her yet. Stevie sat up, her eyes adjusting in the dark, a disembodied, transparent hand smoothing Lindsey's cheek in his sleep. Fingers ran through his beautiful curls and Stevie frowned.

"I know you miss him" Stevie whispered into the dark.

"He looks so much like him" Vanessa wept. "I know I said I would stay away"

"It's okay for tonight." Stevie said, too tired to fight.

"How are you feeling?"

"Nauseous"

"I'm sorry." Vanessa said. "I hate that I cause so many problems for you."

"They're my problems too."

"I've ruined your beautiful pregnancy" she sobbed. "I know how long you've waited and how hard you both tried to have him and then I came along. I made you miserable."

"You didn't"

"I cause you pain, make you sicker than you should be...I drug you into this stupid mess. I have no place with the living and I guess I have no place with Fletcher."

"That's not true. Why are we feeling sorry for ourselves, Vanessa? We will get to Fletcher."

"When?" she asked softly, wiping her tears.

Stevie pulled her robe from the bed post and tied it around her the best she could now that she had outgrown nearly everything she had previous owned and newly purchased. "Now. Come with me. I'm going to try to bring him out."

"Okay!" Vanessa said excitedly following stevie, they quickly made their way up into the attic, they both Stood in front of the mirror staring at it

"Fletcher?" Stevie said turning around "Fletch?" She called hoping that the man would come as quick as the other ghosts did when called. "Fletcher I need to speak to you." She tried one last time and he appeared in front of her

"Stevie, what's the matter?"

"I've brought someone to see you!" She smiled brightly, and gestured to Vanessa

"Stevie, who am I looking at?"

"Vanessa, she's here!"

"Stevie...I can't see anyone, only you..." Stevie turned round to Vanessa

"Can you see him? I can't see him stevie, I know he's there but I can't see him." She sobbed, Fletch becoming upset and taking a breather outside the confinement for the wall

"I don't understand...this can't be." Stevie said. She paced, thinking things through. "If it were this easy, I would have done this first but..."

"Stephanie, I need Lindsey" Fletcher said.

"I--"

"We're running out of time."

"What do you mean?" Stevie stood before him again.

"What's he saying?" Vanessa asked.

"He said we are running out of time."

"What does that mean?" Vanessa asked, also confused.

"For some reason, I have only been able to appear a few times a year here then other times I am in blankness...solitude. There's a light and I can't move toward it. I'm stuck."

"So..." Stevie's ill feeling grew and she knew it was Vanessa's nerves.

"I feel myself fading. We must hurry."