Came Back Haunted (Experiment in Terror #10) - Karina Halle Page 0,3
even if it wasn’t a particularly nice thing.”
“And what did it feel like, to have your husband at your side through all of that? When you saw the ghosts at the end, and he saw them too, when you realized you didn’t have to hide that from him anymore. What did that feel like?”
“Relief,” I admit. The truth was, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Dex has been on medication for a few years now and we don’t really talk about ghosts anymore. I don’t tell him what I’ve seen, and I’ve assumed he hasn’t seen any, because the man would definitely tell me. Neither of us knew what to expect. But when he saw the lady in the dark, then I knew it hadn’t really left him.
And I was somewhat relieved. As hellish as it is to see the dead, his history with medication has been complicated. Now we knew the drugs were working with him this time around. He’s able to get better, manage his anxiety and ADHD through medication, without it affecting who he really is at heart.
“And how did he feel about it? You said you hadn’t seen him that happy in a long time.”
“He’s ecstatic,” I tell her, smiling because it’s impossible not to smile when I’m thinking about how happy Dex has been lately. “He wants to go back and do it again.”
“And will you?”
“I think so. Only because it doesn’t feel right to take the man’s money and have nothing to show for it. I want to do it right this time, connect with his wife. Earn it. Of course Dex wants to film the damn thing.”
“Like your old show?”
“No,” I say adamantly. “Nothing like that. To be honest, I’m not even sure he knows. In the past, before my mother died, we talked about becoming paranormal…well…investigators. I know that sounds ridiculous. Do you know who the Warrens are?”
“Of course. The couple who investigated Amityville, the Enfield Poltergeist, the Smurl Haunting, and many others.”
Wow. That’s impressive knowledge for a psychologist. Perhaps treating me has rubbed off on her.
“Yeah,” I say. “I used to think that could be us. Using our abilities for good instead of exploitation. That’s another reason why I agreed to go into the house. The man wanted us to talk to his wife, to pass on messages. I felt like I could help.”
“That’s a noble way of looking at it,” she says. “But it’s one thing to say it and another to do it. Would it be just this once, or would you make it a thing?”
“I don’t know,” I tell her. And I really don’t. “I have a hard time thinking it could be a career.”
“You’d be surprised what people pay for. Though I guess you already have proof of that.” She presses her lips, rubbing her nude lipstick together. “Has your relationship with Dex changed since then?”
I run my tongue over my teeth, my heart doing a little backflip in my chest.
“A little.”
“How so?”
I feel my cheeks go hot already. Man, this always happens when I talk about sex with her, or with anyone, really. “Our sex life has, um, picked up.”
“That’s positive,” she says, smiling.
“Yeah. I’m not complaining.” I let out a soft laugh, trying to pull my hair in front of my face so she can’t get a good look at me. “It’s just a big change.”
“I’m assuming he’s initiating it.”
“Oh yes.”
“And you don’t have a problem with it?”
“Nope.” I pause. “It’s just surprising, that’s all. The man is…I don’t even know. Insatiable, I guess. It feels like when we first got together, you know? That kind of…energy. Passion. Obsession.”
She raises a brow. “Obsession?”
“Maybe that’s the wrong word. Because it’s good, whatever it is. Can obsession be good?” I want to say possession but I let the word stay on my tongue. “I mean, it’s really good. I’m just getting used to it. As you know, our sex life really suffered when he was on his anti-depressants and it took a long time even after he went off them for things to go back to normal. But this…this is…”
“Sounds pretty amazing if you ask me,” she says softly, and when I look at her, she has a twinkle in her eye. “So I have to ask. Have you told him about what you want? What we’ve talked about. That you want a child.”
I swallow, stiffening slightly as a strange sense of shame floods through me. I shake my head. “No. Not yet.”