Kiss Me at Midnight

Part 11

Five days later, I sat on the top step in front of Ravencrest Manor, alone. I stared up at the beautiful façade, hardly believing that a year ago I'd met the love of my life as a ghost. I had matured in ways I'd never imagined, lost so much, and gained even more.

The black car I'd been waiting for pulled into the circle drive, coming to a stop right behind mine. Jay stepped out of the driver's seat, smiling solemnly up at me.

"I figured you'd be here." He said. I stood, straightening out my black dress.

The rear door opened, and Mary stepped out. She was so radiant as a human, even more than she had been as a ghost. Jay had taken her out to get new clothes and a cell phone a day or so ago, and she looked like she'd been born to live in the 21st century.

"Hi, honey." She said sweetly. 

"Hey, Mary." I replied. "Any news?"

She nodded, smiling. The other door opened, and Jay helped lift Will from the back seat. My heart soared as I saw him looking so alive. He glanced up at me, and his whole face lit up. Jay walked next to him, helping him up the stairs. Mary and Jay excused themselves inside, and Will pulled me into a kiss.

"Hello, beautiful." He cooed, placing another kiss on the end of my nose. "How are you?"

"I'm so much better now that you're home." I sighed, inhaling his scent deeply. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling very lucky. Doctor said it was a miracle that the bullet missed every major internal organ. Still hurts like hell, but you know what? This pain means something to me. It means I'm alive." He led me inside, where we ended up in the ballroom. It was decorated beautifully with string lights and white flowers everywhere.

"Wow, this is amazing." I said, looking around.

"I hoped you'd like it." He said. "I had Jack hire someone to decorate."

"What's it for? You can't be planning some wild party already... you just got home!"

"Only a small party." He smiled. "I invited your family and friends over to meet me."

My jaw dropped. "You're kidding me. Will, you could have just invited them over. You didn't need to decorate the ballroom like it's some extravagant gala."

"I'm nothing, if not extravagant." He laughed. "C'mon, I wanted to celebrate a little. This is a big deal. I know how awkward it must have been when you had to tell them about Henry. I want them to trust me."

I nodded, wincing. I hadn't been allowed to visit Will in the hospital since he was almost dead when they'd brought him in. I did not want to leave, but I went home at Mary's insistence, with the promise that they'd call me if anything changed. When I'd walked inside, my mother had been pacing the living room. Dan was asleep on the couch.

"Where were you?" my mom asked. "You go flying out the door late at night without a single word, and you weren't answering your phone. Neither were Henry or Katelyn. I was frantic, thinking it may have been because of me, or God forbid, your father..."

"I'm sorry, mom." I dropped my keys on the kitchen counter and flopped down at the dining table. She followed, sitting next to me. She rubbed my back gently, realizing something was wrong. "I've got a lot to tell you."

"What's wrong? Did you and Henry break up?" she asked.

"Kind of, yes." I began. "This is going to sound completely insane. But you have to promise me that you'll hear me out before you judge me."

"Of course, sweetie."

I dove into the entire story- how I'd kissed a stranger who had turned out to be some kind of ghost, Will and Henry trying to date me at the same time, finding out about the curse and trying to break it. When I explained how Will had forced me away for my safety and it had broken me, my mom looked like everything made sense.