“Why would anyone choose to stay here as a ghost—stuck doing the same thing in the same place every single day?” But that was how he lived his life; the same office, doing the same thing, day in and day out. He pushed the thought to the back of his mind and focused on his current predicament. “And where’s God in all of this? I thought you’re meant to see a big shining light when you die. What happened to that?”
“Yes, for most of us there is a light—but for some, like your ghost, she’s turned her back on it, or has chosen not to believe it. Who knows?”
“So how the hell do I get rid of her? I’ve already asked her to leave and that didn’t work. Don’t think I can take much more of her. She’s driving me nuts.”
“Well, I have been thinking about your problem, and I’ve had a chat with one of my clients about you. She knows a lot more about the spirit world than I do. She suggested trying to make contact with the spirit and finding out what she wants. It might be something simple.”
Frowning, he asked, “How am I supposed to do that?”
“Well, the next time something happens, or you see her, ask her what she wants. She may not answer at first; some spirits choose to ignore the living, while others exist side by side. She may not need anything, and in that case you just have to ask her to leave again.”
Richard sat, still battling with the absurdity of the whole situation. To him it all seemed so unbelievable, so surreal, yet something was happening to him. Something extraordinary. Something he thought he would never have to deal with.
“This all may take time,” she said. “It won’t happen overnight. Spirits are just like us, they need time to learn things. It may have taken her months, maybe even years, to move Nicky’s car keys, or to make the smoke alarm go off. Everything in life is a learnisng curve—including the afterlife.”
“Why me? How come I’m the one who keeps seeing her? Why not Nicky? She’s spent more time in this house alone than me.”
“Because Nicky refuses to believe in anything ‘supernatural’. She’s a total skeptic. Spirits are usually attracted to people with open minds, like children, the elderly, even animals. So for whatever reason—whether it’s the fact that you’re stuck all alone in the house or that the stress from work has done something to you—your mind was open to seeing her. And now she feels a connection to you. And the fact that she’s made contact with you through your dreams suggests that she’s found a way to speak to you. Perhaps next time she’ll be able to communicate more clearly, instead of in riddles. To her, maybe speaking to you is like trying to speak to an animal or even a baby—near impossible. Does that make sense at all?”
“Yes. At least I think it does. I just wait for her to make the next move. And then see what she wants from me.”
“That’s right. Keep it simple. And try to stay calm. She may be just as afraid as you.”
He shook his head. “Yeah, right. I doubt that very much.”
Getting up from the couch, Karen exhaled. “Right. I best get off now. Got a client in town in half an hour.” Richard also got up. “Are you going to be all right on your own?”
He nodded. “Yeah, of course. I feel much better now. This helped a lot. It’s a weird feeling thinking about the afterlife.” He smiled. “It’s nice—reassuring.” He followed her out into the hallway. “Just hope I don’t end up like Mrs. Rees.”
“Don’t worry, you won’t. I’m sure of it.”
Handing back her damp coat, he led her to the front door. “Thanks for everything, Karen.”
“Don’t worry about it,” she reassured him, standing in the doorway. “If there’s anything else you need, don’t be afraid to call me. Any time. All right?”
“Are you sure you don’t mind? I feel a bit bad taking up your time.”
She smiled. “Are you kidding me? I love talking about ghosts. I thrive on it. You can ask me anything. Nicky isn’t going to help you, is she?”
“No, not one bit,” he replied.