Before You Ghost - Helena Hunting Page 0,15

me. Maybe she’ll lick it off me.” Shark went into our kitchen and skillfully opened the refrigerator door. “Oh, lookie that! Ya got one of these fancy bouquets me mermaid devours!” He held up a head of green leaf lettuce. “Ya mind if I bring it with me? Just fer her?”

“Have at it.” Sammi waved a hand to give him permission. When Shark opened the door, we observed the head of lettuce going out into the hall.

Sammi and I spent the rest of the day in bed, researching ghosts and old folklore about what happened to spirits after they left their bodies. We went down some very strange Wikipedia rabbit holes. Ghosts, for sure, existed—we knew that from the last forty-eight hours. But when exactly they were forced to leave this terrestrial plane was another thing entirely.

Eventually, after a quick meal for Sammi that did not include a salad, we found a local social media post mentioning a police force member who had a side gig as a psychic. Both Sammi and I recognized him once we scrolled to the picture. It was Michigan, the tarp throwing champion cop.

“Things are getting even fishier than before. Fishier than even Shark’s mermaid, who I am having suspicions might be a manatee.” Sammi reached for her bottle of melatonin gummies. “I have to knock myself out. But tomorrow when we go check on your body, I’m talking to Michigan.”

She leaned forward and gave me a kiss. Then she gently wiped some residual flour off of my ghost cheek. “Maybe I have to dust you with some flour, too. Like a breaded piece of chicken.”

“I’ll be your parmigiana.” I watched her settle in for the night. How had I ever watched TV instead of staring at her? Now that time was so, so scarce, I realized how much of it I had wasted. And I didn’t want to leave. I counted the deep breaths she took to pass the time while she got her human rest.

I WOKE UP knowing Evan was a ghost this time. My melatonin dreams were centered around losing him. There were also a clown and a giant fan and that cursing bird, but waking up knowing your boyfriend was dead sucked. I opened my eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. He was still here. See-through, but smiling.

“Morning, gorgeous.” The dimples. The white smile.

In real life he woke up grumpy and would actively only speak to me using his middle fingers as directional signals.

“You waking up friendly now?” I turned to my side and missed him while staring at him. I wanted to nestle into his chest and feel his heat. Feel his coarse chest hair on my cheek.

“I woke up stupid every day we dated.”

“Um.” I wasn’t sure where this was headed. He looked...pensive. Regretful.

“I just spent seven hours counting your breaths. Because at least I was able to be near you. To hear you. Sammi, you are the most genuine person. The way you leave out water on the balcony for that one pigeon that has a nest out there. The way you refuse to ever let a bottle stay in the trash when you can recycle it. The trick you do with your tongue when you’re sucking my dick. All of it is a miracle. You. I wasted being with you all this time by fighting about stupid stuff. You can fight with me whenever you want. I’ll never do anything but let you win anymore. You slay me. You’re so fucking beautiful. And I’m petrified of having to spend eternity missing you. Because that would actually be hell.”

He tried to touch my hand twice, and the image of his hand went straight through. I didn’t even get the cold chill. Panic seized my heart. Maybe I didn’t have time to figure this out. Maybe I would lose Evan.

“Shit.” I tried to grab his hand and had the same result. “You should’ve woken me up. Why would you let yourself fade more and not wake me up?” I was getting mad now, letting anger take over from where the impending grief made me feel helpless.

“I didn’t want to wake you. You’d had a big day.” He wasn’t fighting back.

“Don’t you Ghandi smile at my ass like you’re three steps from the pearly gates.” I tried to snarl at him. Instead, I snorted and had to blow my nose.

“Let’s make a plan for today.” He smiled again, letting my jab fall away like a leaf in autumn.

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