It's A Wonderful Midlife Crisis (Good To The Last Death #1) - Robyn Peterman Page 0,76

help people move on.”

“Every single dead person comes here?” Steve asked, perplexed.

“God no,” I said with a laugh. “Just those who have unfinished business.”

“And you send them to Heaven or Hell?”

“No. I don’t,” I said, wondering if he believed now.

We’d both questioned the afterlife and religion in general while he’d been alive. Steve had grown up in a fundamentally religious household—snake-handling, hellfire-and-brimstone religious. It had done a real number on him. He’d turned away from both his family and their religion before we’d ever met.

His parents hadn’t even been at our wedding… or his funeral. Maybe in death he’d learned something about Heaven and Hell that I didn’t know. I didn’t want to ask. Talking about religion had always made Steve antsy and stressed.

“Whether a person goes into the light or the darkness is determined by the life they led. I just help them find peace so they can leave.”

Steve pressed his lips together. Again, he made the sound that I’d missed so desperately. “I know why I’m here now,” he said, his chin dropping to his chest.

I sat silently and waited.

“I have unfinished business,” he said, raising his eyes to mine and giving me a small smile.

“I can help you,” I said, torn about letting him go.

I was aware that Steve should have moved on a long time ago, but I just got him back. He couldn’t leave again so fast. Taking a deep breath, I knew I had to do the right thing—for him.

“You just have to tell me what your unfinished business is and I can help you.”

Steve continued to stare at me as if he was memorizing my face. I couldn’t imagine what he’d left undone, but he’d died in an accident. There had been tons of things left undone. I was curious as to what had kept him from moving on. It had to be big if he’d stuck around this long.

“It’s you, Daisy,” he said, trying to keep eye contact, but unable to. “You’re my unfinished business.”

My stomach lurched and my mind raced with scenarios—good and bad. Had Steve cheated on me? No. That was ludicrous. I knew in my heart he was as faithful to me as I’d been to him.

Although… we hadn’t been intimate for years before he’d died. Maybe he’d found someone to give him what I wasn’t capable of, and I hadn’t known. It would tear me to shreds, but I’d forgive him.

Steve had stopped being sexually attracted to me early in our marriage. Neither one of us acknowledged it—just pretended like it wasn’t an issue. I’d tried so hard to make him want me, but after a while it was too difficult. Mortifying and soul-crushing were better terms. No matter how fondly I remembered the past, the truth was devastating. I had been extremely attracted to my husband, and he hadn’t felt the same about me.

Living like we did was hard for both of us—or it was for me. He’d stayed with me even though I was broken somehow. I was grateful that our friendship remained so loving and strong over the years. It held us together like the superglue I’d just used on his arm.

Steve could have left me at any time and I wouldn’t have blamed him. My heart would have died a little, but ultimately, I would have understood. I was defective as a woman.

I loved him. I still loved him. I would always love him. And I knew he loved me.

Cheating was not the reason he was still here.

“Can we talk a while about other things before you tell me?” I asked selfishly. If I solved something right now, there was a chance he’d move on tonight. That was too soon.

He looked up and gave me a relieved smile. “I’d like that.”

And we did. We talked and laughed into the night until the sun rose. It filled me up with all the things I’d missed so desperately. Mostly it was reminiscing. Our shared past was a safe place to stay. Although, I’d told him about Gram slowing down and being in the nursing home. That made him sad. He didn’t want me losing anyone else in my life. Once Gram was gone, that was it as far as my family went.

Steve was curious about the other dead in the house, but he didn’t ask too many questions and I didn’t offer up any unsolicited stories. He was thrilled I was going to work with Heather. She had been a dear friend to both of us.