OAHU, Christina woke up to whimpering. She opened her eyes and saw Kayla standing by her bed. "What's wrong, Sweetie?"
"Can I sleep with you?"
"Of course." Christina patted the other side of the bed.
Kayla climbed up and lay down. Christina snuggled in close to her. This would be the fourth night that they've been back on with the co-sleeping.
Kayla had been upset ever since she saw the "mean women spirits" on TV. She thought they wanted to take her daddy away.
"You'll still see him," she had assured Kayla. "Just like you used to.
"Not if he goes away," she had cried.
"Well, if all communication is cut off, I'm sure he won't go to the Other Side."
After saying this, Christina worried it was a lie. But then she told herself it wasn't. She knew Albert would always put his daughter's needs over his...spiritual development.
For the past four days, Christina had also repeatedly told her daughter that it was unlikely they'd figure out how to stop the communications. "Just because people want something, it doesn't mean it will happen."
Her reassurances weren’t sinking into her daughter's head. She ran her fingers through her daughter's dark hair. "I love you," she whispered.
"Hi Daddy." Kayla said. She sat up in bed.
"Hi, Albert." Christina said
"He said hi back, and he loves you."
Christina smiled.
"Oh!" Kayla said. "I forgot, Mommy. I love you too. I forgot to say that."
"Thank you," Christina said. She loved that Kayla was so thoughtful.
"Daddy says he loves us both to infinity."
"And I love you both to infinity too," Christina said.
Kayla listened quietly; then burst into hysterical giggles.
"Okay. That's enough, you two." Christina said "The living people in this room need their sleep."
***
Christina talked to a friendly customer about vegan protein sources while nearby Kayla practiced standing on one leg. She was better with the right side than the left.
"Look, Mommy!" she called out, interrupting.
Christina apologized to the customer and quickly glanced at her daughter. Again. "That's great, Sweetie!"
Fortunately, the customer was understanding. She said she had a niece. They talked a bit more; then the customer left with her purchase.
Christina decided to take the time, before the next customer arrived, to check her email.
There was nothing from her father. She kept hoping he'd give up his ban on electronic communication.
There was an email from Loretta in Sydney. Their restaurant was still a big hit.
We have enough money now to travel! Maybe we'll come visit you in Hawaii! I would love for our kids to meet. William just needs the courage to let go of the reins for a while.
Christina smiled. She'd love that.
She kept reading.
Oh. Wow.
The old-women OS broadcast. One of them was Loretta's mother! She was the one who had spoken first.
We haven't heard much from her. She's been very distant from all of us. We wondered why.
Christina continued reading until Kayla whispered loudly. "There are two spirits here now."
Christina looked up. "Welcome to Magic Dirt," she said to the visitors she couldn’t see.
Kayla squished up her nose. "One of them smells."
Smelly spirit? That's a new one. "Really?" Christina said and then felt bad, worrying that they probably insulted this EB.
"I don't like him." Kayla said.
"Kayla–" Christina started to scold Kayla; then stopped as she realized the absurdity of the whole scene. It felt like she was an unstable mother who had taken her child's imaginary friends way too seriously. Though, that wasn’t the case.
Christina started again. "Sometimes people smell bad, but that doesn't mean they're bad people."
Kayla shook her head. "You don't get it, Mommy."
Christina couldn’t help but laugh. Then the door of the store opened. Customers she could actually see! She immediately recognized one of them. It was the tormented woman with the creepy EB daughter. She was with another woman, and she looked much more confident than she had before. She looked much less lost.
Had she managed to get rid of her ghost?
Or maybe she found peace with her daughter?
"Hi!" she called out. Both women walked over to the counter; their steps in unison.
The second one held a clipboard. "Hi! We're from…."
Christina didn’t hear the rest, because she was distracted by Kayla who was scolding one of the spirits.
Maybe the smelly one?
Christina directed her attention back to the two women. "I'm sorry. Can you repeat that?
The other woman spoke. "Yes. We're from a new organization called SOSALS."
"Okay?" Christina waited for more.
"It's an acronym," Tormented-Mother said.
Christina had already guessed, but she didn’t say that. She had more manners than her daughter.
The second woman said, "It stands for the Support of Spirits and the Living Separating."
"Did you see the broadcast on TV?" Tormented-Mother asked.
"Yes," Christina said.
"We support their views,"Tormented-Mother said. "We're looking for like-minded individuals who will join us."
"What we'd like," the second woman said, "is for you to sign this pledge vowing you will stop talking to any EB or OS's. And if you can give us a donation–any amount will be appreciated. The money will go toward research. We're looking for ways to put a stop to all of this."
Christina hoped her daughter was busy with the smelly spirit and his companion, and wasn’t hearing any of this. "Do you think there's a way to stop this?" Christina asked quietly.
"Definitely," both women said together with confidence.
Then the second one added, "If we're willing to work together and all make sacrifices."
"So will you sign?" Tormented-Mother asked.
Christina sighed. She hated being disagreeable, especially with people who were so passionate. And she understood, with the mother's personal story, why she'd want the communications to end.
The women didn’t seem pleased with her hesitation.
"You might feel things are okay now," the second woman said. "But things are only going to get worse."
Kayla cried out. "Go away!"
Christina and the two women turned to her.
Tears streamed down Kayla's face.
At first, Christina thought she was talking to the women—that she had heard the conversation and knew their intent. But she wasn’t looking towards them. She was looking to where the spirits had been before.
Christina excused herself and went to her daughter. She put her arm around her. "Are you okay?"
"I don't like it," Kayla said
"What?"
"The smelly one."
"Is he still here?"
She nodded sadly.
"It's still here."
"Is she okay? the second woman asked
"Yes," Christina said, with no plans to explain that her daughter was a medium.
"Maybe we should come back later," Tormented-Mother said.
The second one added, "please consider signing."
"I'll think about it," Christina lied. She wasn’t in the mood for a debate.
The women both nodded sternly.
Together they walked towards the exit.
The second one opened the door,; then stopped and turned around to look at Christina. "Please remember that when the gates of heaven open, the gates to hell will soon follow."
"Is that in the Bible?" Christina asked, curious.
"No," the woman said. "It's just common sense."
Kayla then called out. "Your daughter is here now. She's sad. She misses you."
Tormented-Mother stopped and took a step forward. She gave Christina a look of wrath that could instantly kill a thousand kittens. Then she turned. around and walked out.
***
According to Kayla, the daughter had followed them home.
"Her name's Lenora," Kayla said, in the kitchen, as they made sandwiches with almond butter and cherry jam.
"Her mother was the one in the store?" Christina asked.
"Yeah."
"She's not the one who smells?" Christina said.
Kayla shook her head.
"Her friend’s the one who smells?"
"They're not friends," Kayla said. "It just follows her."
Christina felt a chill as things started coming together in her little brain. "Can you ask Lenora how long he's been following her?"
"How long has it been following you?" Kayla asked.
Christina waited for the answer.
"A long time," Kayla said. "Can I have grape juice?"
"Yes," Christina said. "But mixed with water."
"Aw, shit." Kayla said.
"Really?" Christina struggled to look stern rather than amused. "No grape juice if you're going to use that language."
"Sorry," Kayla said; then she talked to Lenora. "No, you can't have any of our grape juice. You're a spirit. You have to get your own food." She looked frustrated. "From your imagination. You use your imagination to get food." Kayla sighed with frustration. "She's a bit dumb."
"Kayla!" Christina was relieved to see a look of guilt on Kayla's face.
"Sorry again," she said
"What's with you today?" She took out the grape juice and then realized she needed to ask something. "Is that smelly spirit here now?"
"No," Kayla said. She listened for a bit; then added "It goes away sometimes and then it comes back." More listening. "Oh. Really?"
"What’s she saying?" Christina asked
"Sometimes it goes inside her," Kayla said. Then to Lenora, she said. "You know what that means? You get possessed."
Possessed. Christina was impressed that Kayla knew that word, and at the same time, she was a bit unnerved by the whole situation. Maybe a lot unnerved.
Kayla said to Christina. "She doesn't know that word. Her vocabulary isn't as good as mine."
***
Christina decided to skip the bit where they began the night sleeping in their own beds.
Her daughter would end up in her bed anyway. Why not just start there?
To her surprise, Kayla wasn’t keen on the change in routine. "No, I start in my own room. I'll come in later."
Christina didn’t know what to do. She was scared, but did that mean she should feed her fears to her daughter? That wouldn’t be good parenting.
But what if you were scared of something truly threatening? Was it okay to share your fears then?
"What about the smelly spirit?" Christina asked, hoping she wasn’t making a huge life-damaging parenting mistake.
"It's gone."
"What if it comes back?"
"Daddy will protect me," Kayla said.
"Is he here now?"
"No, but he'll come if I need him."
Christina wondered. Was it true? Did Albert know when his daughter might be in danger? Or was it just wishful thinking on Kayla's part?
"Lenora’s gone now too." Kayla said.
"Oh."
"So it's okay if I say she's dumb now. She can't hear me."
"It's still not nice. And just because she doesn't know all you know, that doesn't mean she's dumb."
Kayla crossed her arms over her chest, not convinced.
"And she might know things you don't know. Did you ever think of that?"
Kayla shook her head.
"She might," Christina told her daughter.
"Probably not." Kayla said.
Christina decided not to continue arguing. She prepared Kayla's toothbrush and watched as her daughter brushed her teeth. "Don't forget the back ones."
***
After Christina puts Kayla into bed, she FaceTimed Albert.
She expected him to know what happened to them today; you know, the idea that spirits should be all-knowing?
But he didn’t already know, and she had to tell him.
He looked concerned.
"Smelly spirit," he said. "Maybe it's evil."
"Maybe I'm just unnerved by what those women said. Gates of hell opening. Then Kayla talking about possession."
"Well, at least we can be impressed with her vocabulary."
Christina smiled; then stopped. She realized something. "What if Kayla became possessed?"
She waited for Albert to reassure her.
He didn’t. He looked even more concerned than she had felt.
"You think it could happen?" Christina asked, her voice shaking.
"I have no idea," Albert said.
"And is there a hell?"
"I don't know that either."
Christina thumped the computer screen. "You're supposed to know these things."
Albert shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry."
"Well, what should we do?"
"I'll stay here with you guys."
"You'll protect us?" Christina asked. "Do you know how to fight a smelly demon ghost that may or may not be from hell?"
"I'll do my best," Albert said. He covered his face with his hands for a moment; then looked up. "I'm sorry I wasn't here today."
"Where were you?" Christina asked, not as an accusation of abandonment but just curious.
"Some of us have gathered together to make sure those women don't get their way. The living ones and the OS ones. We don't want to lose our connection to you guys."
Christina nodded, very touched that keeping together was as important to her husband as it was to her.
"Though now I'm thinking maybe all those women have a point. Maybe this wasn't meant to be, and it's going to lead to bad things."
"Please don't say that," Christina said, but she worried there was a part of her that agrees with him.
Continue to Chapter Twenty-One
Go Back to Chapter Nineteen
No comments:
Post a Comment