My Eyes Pick Up What Most Leave Behind

Chapter Nine

Recap: Scarlett and Erick go to Santa Cruz. Erick gets a warning call from his mother, and Scarlett senses an all- too familiar ghost.

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Scarlett P.O.V

I sat up in bed and faced this ghost.

 "I need your help." Alice's dad said.

"My help with what?! Your time is done here. You screwed up yet again, and this time the consequences are permanent," I said, pretty coldly.

He frowned and nodded sadly. "Yes, Scarlett I know. But I did not think of that. My alcohol addiction took over, there were times when I had no control, such as then. But I just need to talk with Alice," he pleaded.

"Well what do you need me for then?" I asked.

He replied, in a duh tone of voice, as if it were blatantly obvious. "I'm dead. I can't just walk up to anyone and strike up a convo." 

I looked him straight in the eye and said, "But you can with her. She's just like I am."

His eyes widened, "Really?" He asked.

"Yup. How come you knew I could talk with you, but didn't know about Alice?" I questioned. He replied simply, "I was advised to see you. By a ghost with the name Mark? Oh, he told me to thank you."

I gasped, "Mark?"

He replied, "Yeah. He was on his way to his final resting place when I died. I asked him how I could reconnect with my daughter, and he told me to see you."

I nodded. "Well, once Alice is awake, you should pay her a visit." I said.

He smiled, and responded, "Thank you so much Scarlett." He vanished and I fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.  

I woke up in the morning to my alarm buzzing. Alarms are evil. I got up and threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that says, 'What?' across the front. I hopped in my car and drove to school. 

Erick P.O.V

I walked through the front door behind Scarlett and entered her house. We went to the kitchen and sat at the table as Alice ran up to her room.  

"Scarlett?" I asked.

 "Mmhm?" she replied.

"I need to talk to someone about something, and you're one of the only people here I can trust."

She nodded and said, "You can trust me with anything."

I smiled and began. "Well, last night I heard from my mother for the first time in years."

 She gasped and asked, "What did she say?"

I continued. "She said I need to either marry that girl, Rose, or provide the money that the family would have gained."

She pulled her lips into a frown.

"When does she need either done?" She asked.

"Two months."