The Ghost and Little Marie Read online

  As Adam rocked gently in the chair, the toe of his right shoe pushing against the porch, his stomach growled. He hadn’t had breakfast yet. Adam then remembered the cinnamon rolls Danielle had brought his grandmother. He wondered briefly what had happened to them.

  Sound from the street caught his attention, and he looked up. It was the car of the man who lived two doors down. Adam guessed he was probably on his way to work. He has no idea his neighbor is dead, Adam thought.

  Marie spied Adam the moment she stepped onto her lawn. He sat rocking in her chair on the side porch. She called out to him. Since he didn’t look up, she assumed he couldn’t hear her. Walking to the wooden stairs leading up to the porch, she called his name again. Behind her, the neighbor she had seen leaving his house drove by in his car.

  Adam looked up.

  “You don’t seem surprised to see me,” Marie snapped, her eyes looking into his.

  Adam didn’t reply.

  Marie shook her head and then made her way up the stairs. Surprisingly it didn’t take the normal effort it usually did. In fact, it didn’t take any effort at all.

  “It must be that therapy,” Marie muttered. “Amazing.”

  When Marie reached the top step, Adam was no longer looking in her direction. Instead, he was staring down at his lap.

  “Oh, stop pouting,” Marie told him. “You can’t really blame me for leaving that place.”

  Adam looked up and glanced over his shoulder, looking at the house. The sound of his father’s voice drifted out through the open window. He looked back in Marie’s direction.

  “Oh, I understand now,” Marie whispered. “You don’t want him to hear us.”

  Marie took a seat on a chair next to Adam. “But you can see I’m doing remarkably well, so he and your mother can just go home. Although, I wouldn’t mind if your brother stays a while. I’d like to get to know that fiancée of his. I don’t think I’ve heard her say three words since she got here.”

  Adam glanced back to the house again and the sound of his father’s voice. He frowned.

  “Oh, he’s not going to hear me!” Marie insisted. “You know as well as I do the man needs a hearing aid! And anyway, so what if he does hear me. I’m eventually going to have to let him know I’m out here, and I’m not going back to that place. He’ll just have to accept it.”

  Adam looked out to the yard.

  Marie frowned. “Although, I am a little surprised one of you wasn’t out looking for me. Did Edward tell you what I told him at the station?”

  Adam looked over toward the street.

  “I’m not making things up. I know someone was in my room and tried to smother me! They held a pillow on my face! I thought I was going to die! It was probably one of those crazy people staying in the other side of the building. And I think the person went out the back door. Whoever it was is probably wandering around Frederickport unattended. That place doesn’t keep a close eye on those people, and then they expect me to sleep with my door unlocked! I don’t care what your father says, I am not going back!”

  “Adam, is that you out there?” came a voice from inside the house. It was Adam’s father.

  “Yes, Dad.” Adam stood up.

  “Don’t tell him I’m out here. Not just yet,” Marie whispered.

  Without saying a word, Adam walked over to the back door leading to the kitchen and went inside his grandmother’s house.

  Marie got up from her chair and tiptoed over to the open window, quietly eavesdropping on her family.

  Inside the kitchen, Adam found his parents, brother, and future sister-in-law sitting around the kitchen table, drinking coffee.

  “What were you doing outside on the porch?” Warren asked his son.

  “I was just thinking.” Adam walked to the counter and pulled a coffee mug from one of the overhead cabinets.

  “We’ve been waiting for you. I didn’t even realize you were out there until Jason mentioned your car had pulled up about ten minutes ago,” Warren said.

  Adam filled his cup with coffee. “Why didn’t you come down to Seaside Village?”

  “Why? Your grandmother wasn’t even there.”

  “That’s not the point.” Adam leaned back against the counter and sipped his coffee. There was no place for him to sit at the kitchen table. All the seats were taken.

  “We need to get this house ready to sell,” Adam’s mother, Chloe, said, glancing around the room. “It could use some sprucing up. It looks like an old person lives here.”

  “One did,” Jason said.

  “Prospective buyers don’t need to be reminded of that.” Chloe stood up and wandered around the kitchen, quietly inspecting the woodwork, walls, countertops, and cabinets. “This is prime real estate, and with a little work we can maximize our profits.”

  “Do we really need to talk about that now?” Adam snapped. “Don’t you think we should be talking about Grandma?”

  “What’s to talk about?” his mother asked. “From what I understand, all the arrangements have been made. Nothing more to discuss. This only proves your father and I were right. Your grandmother was in no condition to move back home.”

  “But you’re talking about selling her house—now—so soon—after all, she just…” Adam’s voice crackled.

  “Adam, we are all sorry about my mother. But it’s not like any of this comes as a surprise. She was ninety-one. She had a good long life, and she was able to live most of that on her own. Wouldn’t we all like to be able to do that? And your mother is right. This place needs some work before we put it on the market. And frankly, we can’t stay here indefinitely. We need to get home. I need to get back to my business.”

  “You think you’re going to sell my home out from under me, stick me back in that horrible place, and go home to spend my money?” Marie hissed. “I don’t think so!” She peered through the screen, wanting desperately to give her only son a good smack.

  Just then she heard a car pull up to the house. She turned to see who it was. A red Ford Flex was now parked by the front sidewalk.

  “Danielle,” Marie said in relief. “At last, someone I can count on!” Marie lingered a few moments longer by the window, listening, before making her way to the patio stairs leading to the yard.

  Danielle had just rung the doorbell when Marie appeared by her side.

  “Danielle! I’m so glad you’re here!”

  “Oh, Marie!” Danielle’s expression broke into a smile. “I’ve been looking for you!”

  “It seems you’re the only one,” Marie grumbled.

  Danielle glanced nervously at the front door, now regretting ringing the bell.

  “Please listen to me, Marie. When I leave, come with me. Please, just get in my car and come with me. I’ll explain everything—”

  The front door opened.

  Danielle found herself looking into the unfriendly face of Warren Nichols.

  “This is not a good time for a visit,” he said rudely.

  “Seriously, Dad?” Adam interrupted. He stepped around his father, taking his place by the open doorway. “Come on in, Danielle.”

  “Umm…that’s okay.” Danielle glanced nervously from Adam to Marie. “I understand this is a bad time. I just wanted to see if you were okay.”

  “Danielle was very close to Grandma. Maybe you don’t understand what I’m feeling, but I imagine she does.” Adam reached for Danielle’s hand and pulled her into the house, unaware of his grandmother’s spirit following her inside.

  “Oh please, Adam, she was my mother, for heaven’s sake.”

  “You don’t seem that upset,” Adam snapped as he slammed the door shut.

  Feeling awkward, Danielle glanced from Adam to Marie, who stood quietly at her side in the entry hall. A few feet away, Warren glared at his son. Behind Warren and Adam, the rest of their family was filing into the living room and each taking a seat.

  Before Danielle could make her exit with Marie, she found Adam pulling her into the living room, clutchin
g her arm. In that moment, Danielle knew what a security blanket must feel like. As much as she wanted to flee and take Marie with her, she didn’t feel right ditching Adam when he seemed to need emotional support.

  Damn, I should have called Melony on my way over. Let her know what was going on, Danielle told herself.

  “Is she being cremated?” Sondra asked Jason when Danielle stepped into the living room. All the family members except Adam and his father were now sitting in the room.

  “Is who getting cremated?” Marie asked, hovering in the archway leading from the entry hall to the living room.

  “No. Grandma made all her funeral arrangements when my grandfather died,” Jason explained. “She has a funeral plot right next to his where she’ll be buried.”

  “You were talking about me?” Marie gasped. “Aren’t you people getting a little ahead of yourselves?”

  “It’s ridiculous, really,” Chloe said. “Spending all that money on a casket. I bet they charge a fortune for those things these days.”

  “You do know I’m standing here, Chloe,” Marie snapped.

  Danielle glanced wearily from Marie to Adam’s mother.

  “It would be better for the environment if you had her cremated. You can always bury her urn instead of a casket. I imagine you’ll get a refund,” Sondra suggested.

  Marie glared at Jason’s fiancée. “Who are you, missy, to be putting your two cents in?”

  “That might be a good idea,” Adam’s father muttered. “Yes. I’ll call the funeral home and talk to them about it.”

  “Wait a minute!” Adam spoke up. “Grandma made her arrangements. We need to honor her wishes.”

  Marie looked anxiously from Adam to Danielle. “Why are they talking about cremating me? Why are they all ignoring me?”

  “She’ll still get a funeral and be buried next to your grandfather. It will just be in an urn, not a casket. Like Sondra said, it is better for the environment.” Chloe smiled at her son.

  “Since when have you ever cared about the environment?” Marie snapped.

  “Will the funeral home refund the difference?” Jason asked.

  Marie frowned. She turned to Danielle. “Umm…I’m not getting a good feeling about this.”

  “Absolutely not! We’re going to honor my grandmother’s wishes,” Adam shouted.

  Warren let out a sigh and said, “It’s not like your grandmother will even know. She’s dead.”

  Eleven

  “I think I should go,” Danielle said abruptly, clutching her purse. She glanced over to Marie as she inched toward the archway leading to the entry hall.

  Adam’s family members—most of whom seemed to have forgotten she was standing in the room—looked at her, their expressions blank.

  “That’s probably for the best,” Adam’s father said. “I’m sure you can visit with Adam later. But for now, we have some family business we need to discuss.”

  Adam reached out and grabbed hold of Danielle’s forearm. “Danielle, do you think my grandmother would want to be cremated?”

  “I don’t think we need to involve Ms. Boatman in our personal business,” Chloe said primly.

  “She is more a daughter to me than you ever were!” Marie snapped. “And why are you all ignoring me!”

  “If Marie has already made her final arrangements, and it didn’t include cremation, then I would have to assume it was not something she wanted,” Danielle told Adam.

  “Danielle’s right!” Marie agreed.

  “While we should consider Marie’s wishes when making these types of decisions,” Chloe began.

  “Damn right!” Marie shouted.

  “When it comes right down to it, we ultimately have to do what is best for everyone. For example, Marie might be dead set against us ever selling this house, but that would obviously not stop us from listing it as soon as possible. It’s the right thing to do. As for cremation, if it ends up costing less than what Marie arranged, while being better for the environment, isn’t it something we should seriously consider?” Chloe asked.

  “Would you please stop talking like I’m not here! You have no business trying to dictate my life!”

  “I really do need to go. Adam, I’ll talk to you later.” Danielle turned from Adam, her back now to him, and looked at Marie. In a whisper, she said, “Marie, come with me.”

  “Did that woman just say Marie, come with me?” Jason asked while looking out the living room window. He watched Danielle making her way down the front walkway—talking to herself.

  “I didn’t hear anything,” Adam said, flopping down onto one of the empty chairs in the room.

  “I heard her,” Sondra said. “She seems like an odd one.”

  “Danielle’s just a little…well, spiritual.” Adam suggested.

  “Spiritual?” his mother asked with a frown.

  Adam shrugged. “I’m not sure what to call it. But I remember when she moved into Marlow House, she didn’t want to upset Walt Marlow’s spirit.”

  “Walt Marlow’s spirit? Isn’t that the guy who hanged himself in the attic at Marlow House? The one my grandfather found?” Warren asked.

  “Yes,” Adam grumbled as he sank down into the chair and crossed one leg over the opposing knee. “But he didn’t kill himself. Danielle found out he was murdered. I think she believed Walt Marlow’s spirit might still be in the house, and she didn’t want to upset him.”

  Adam’s father chuckled. He sat down on the edge of the fireplace hearth. “Then I have to agree with Sondra, she is odd.”

  “There are a lot of people who think Marlow House is haunted,” Adam said.

  “That’s just silly,” his mother snapped.

  “What did she think? That Grandma’s ghost was hanging around in the living room?” Jason asked as he turned from the window.

  “I didn’t hear what she said. But maybe Grandma’s ghost is here, listening to us. And I don’t imagine she would appreciate how you’re all talking. Do any of you even care that she died?” Adam asked.

  “First, there are no such things as ghosts,” Chloe said. “When a person dies, they are simply dead—no more.”

  Jason glanced to his fiancée and explained, “Mother doesn’t believe in a heaven or hell. She thinks it’s all a big sleep when we die.”

  “Which is why it’s silly to get all worked up trying to honor Marie’s wishes, when some of the things she wanted don’t make sense. After all, it’s not like she’ll ever know,” Chloe huffed.

  Jason glanced back out the window. “She’s just sitting there in her car. It looks like she’s talking to herself.”

  “I don’t understand,” Marie grumbled. She sat next to Danielle in the passenger seat. “Even Adam seemed to be ignoring me.” Crossing her arms angrily across her chest, Marie slumped back in the seat and stared out the window.

  “Marie,” Danielle said in a calm voice, “I’d like to tell you something about myself.”

  Marie glanced over to Danielle. “Dear, I would normally love for you to share some story about yourself, but at the moment, I have more pressing matters. My family is plotting to sell my home right out from under me. They refuse to talk to me, I assume because they know there’s nothing they can say that will convince me they’re doing the right thing. And frankly, I’m surprised my son hasn’t forced me into his car and made me go back to that awful place.”

  Clutching the steering wheel, Danielle took a deep calming breath while looking out the front windshield.

  Narrowing her eyes, Marie stared at Danielle. “Please don’t tell me my son has convinced you to take me back there. No, Danielle, please, you can’t be the Judas!”

  “No, Marie. I’m taking you to Marlow House. You never have to go back to Seaside Village ever again.”

  Marie let out a sigh and smiled over at Danielle. “Dear, I know what you’re doing. You think if you have me live at Marlow House, that my son won’t try to force me back into the care home. But you don’t have to do that. I’m still ver
y capable of taking care of myself. But it is very sweet of you.”

  “Marie, when I was a child, I saw my grandmother’s ghost.”

  Marie frowned. “Excuse me?”

  “I suppose some might call it her spirit. It was at her funeral. She came to say goodbye to me.”

  “I believe I saw my mother after she died, but I’m not really sure what that has to do with our current conversation.”

  “My grandmother is not the only spirit I ever saw. You see, I have a gift. Although, there have been times I’ve thought it a curse. I can see spirits, Marie. After a person dies, before their spirit moves on to the next realm, well, I can see them sometimes.”

  “You mean…like that Long Island Medium?” Marie frowned.

  Danielle glanced over to Marie and smiled. “Something like that.”

  “Why haven’t you ever mentioned it before?”

  “It’s not really something I like talking about. People will think I’m crazy.”

  “Why are you telling me now?”

  “The chief’s youngest son, Evan, he’s like me.”

  Marie moved restlessly in her seat. “What do you mean?”

  “He can see spirits too.”

  “I…I still don’t understand why you’re telling me all this…I mean now…”

  “When we were in your house a minute ago, didn’t you hear what your daughter-in-law said, right after she said you wouldn’t know if they didn’t follow your wishes?”

  Marie stared blankly at Danielle. They sat in silence for a few moments.

  “Marie, what are you wearing right now?”

  Marie glanced down at her lap and then looked back to Danielle. “My nightgown.”

  “Do you have any shoes on?” Danielle asked.

  Marie looked down at her bare feet and wiggled her toes. “No. That place tried to get me to sleep in those bulky hospital socks. But I’ve never liked to sleep with socks on my feet.”

  “Don’t you find that a little odd? Walking all over town in your bare feet and nightgown?”