Choices

by Lyn Gardner

  “Caffeine isn’t a replacement for sleep, just to let you know.”

  “Well, up until I found out a ghost was living in my house, I was actually sleeping through the night for the first time in months.”

  “Really? What’s up with that?”

  “I guess I just haven’t become as nonchalant about disembodied souls as the rest of you.”

  “No, I meant about you not sleeping in months.”

  “Oh,” Robin said, frowning. “Can you just forget I said that?”

  If it had been a demand, Robin’s tone would have been loud, and a suggestion would have come across easily, without inflection or change in volume, but Robin had made the request in a whisper, signaling it wasn’t an appeal, but rather a plea.

  “Sure, consider it forgotten,” Judy said with a nod.

  “Thanks.”

  For a couple of minutes neither said a word, but having no interest in the scenery she had seen hundreds of times, Judy turned to Robin again. “So, what was Isobel doing last night that stopped you from sleeping?”

  “Okay, so here’s the thing,” Robin blurted, quickly looking at Judy before returning her attention to the road. “How come you’re sure this ghost is a woman named Isobel? What makes you think it’s not some guy named Michael or Jason or...or Hannibal?”

  If Robin had spoken matter-of-factly, Judy could have kept it together. If Robin had kept both hands on the wheel instead of waving one about as if trying to swat a fly, Judy could have kept it together. And if Robin had picked any names other than those, Judy could have kept it together, but between Robin’s bug-eyed expression and her bug-swatting antics, Judy knew she was about to lose it. Her amusement was bubbling up like a geyser ready to blow, and clamping her hand over her mouth, Judy tried to muffle it, but one giggle escaped and then another, and then all hope was lost.

  Robin’s mouth fell open as she watched Judy double over in the passenger seat, the woman’s side-splitting howls erupting unrestrained and echoing in the quiet of the 4Runner. “It’s not that funny,” Robin said, hitting the palm of her hands against the steering wheel. “I’m serious!”

  Judy held up her hand, silently asking for a moment to get herself together, but the more she thought about Robin’s name choices, the funnier it became.

  “Fine! Laugh all you want, but you’re not the one living with a serial killer.”

  “Oh my, God,” Judy said, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Will you get a grip on yourself? It’s a ghost, not a maniac wearing a hockey mask.”

  “How do you know?”

  Judy sniffled back her mirth. “Because if it were, Adele wouldn’t have survived for twenty-five plus years, now would she? She would have been slashed into a hundred pieces or...or served for dinner.”

  Robin gaped at Judy for a millisecond before focusing on the road again, and a few moments later, titters began slipping through Robin’s lips. It wasn’t long before those morphed into hilarity, and for nearly two miles, neither dared to speak for fear their funny bones would be tickled again.

  “So, I see you like horror movies, too,” Robin said, finally breaking the silence.

  “No, but Scott couldn’t get enough of them. The more gore and blood, the happier he was.”

  “Oh, he sounds like a great guy.”

  “He was at times,” Judy said with a shrug. “That is when he wasn’t acting like a child.”

  “Ouch.”

  “I don’t mean that the way it sounds. He was my best friend, and I enjoyed his playfulness in the beginning, but I grew up, and he never did. He was just one big kid, looking for the next thrill or the next joke or the next challenge, and I guess it got old.”

  “Is that why you two split?” As soon as the words left Robin’s mouth, she wanted to kick herself. “I’m sorry. You don’t have to answer that. It’s none of my business.”

  “It’s okay,” Judy said, looking out the window. “It’s water under the bridge now.” Judy took a deep breath and turned to face Robin. “Remember what you just asked about being disappointed in someone?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Scott and I split up because I found out he was sleeping around and had been for quite a while.”

  “Oh shit.”

  “Not exactly what I said, but honestly, I wasn’t angry. I was just...I was just empty.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “It is what it is. Our marriage hadn’t been on an even keel for years. Like I said, we were best friends, so we were comfortable, and for the most part, we were happy, but whatever spark we did have fizzled a long time ago. We were just going through the motions and eventually, I guess, he found someone else to give him what we didn’t have.”

  “That’s still sad.”

  “Yeah, but, like I said, it is what it is,” Judy said. “And I’m no longer living above a bike shop, so that’s a plus.”

  “Above the bike shop? Oh, I guess I just assumed you had a house.”

  “No. I always wanted one, but since we never had any children, there wasn’t really any point in pushing the subject. The apartment above the shop was more than enough for both of us. He had his space, and I had mine, and it was really convenient during the busy months. I could just roll out of bed, pour some coffee, and head downstairs.”

  “Can I ask why you never had children? Didn’t you want them?”

  “I did for a while in the beginning,” Judy said, softly. “And it wasn’t like we were trying not to have them, but it just never happened.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be,” Judy said with a hint of a grin. “I’m a firm believer in what’s meant to be is meant to be, and apparently having children wasn’t in my future. It’s not for me to question why.”

  “Sounds like you believe in God.”

  “Don’t you?”

  “Yes, actually I do,” Robin said, glancing at the GPS. “I don’t go to church and all that, but yeah, I believe in God. Not saying I haven’t questioned Him at times though, because I have.”

  “Has He ever answered?”

  Robin smiled instantly. “Yeah,” she said softly. “I think He’s answered me more than I even realize.

  ***

  “By the way, you never answered me.”

  Judy lifted her eyes just in time to see Robin snag the last crab rangoon from the plate. “Answered you about what?”

  “About why you think my ghost couldn’t be named Hannibal.”

  “Is this becoming an obsession?” Judy said with a laugh as she picked up her iced tea.

  “No. I’m just trying to find out how someone figured out my ghost was a woman and not a man.”

  “Does it really matter?”

  “Yes,” Robin said, leaning closer to Judy so she could keep her voice down. “Look, I’ve dropped my drawers in front of plenty of women, but dropping my drawers in front of some pervy old geezer, ghost or not, isn’t on my bucket list, if you know what I mean.”

  Judy stared at Robin for a second before picking up her drink. “Gotcha,” she muttered into the glass before taking a sip, and then placing her iced tea on the table, she rested back in the booth and crossed her arms. “Well, I can’t tell you if anyone has ever seen Isobel, but as far back as I remember, she’s always been called Isobel. If you want to know anything more than that, I guess you’ll just have to hit the library on the island and read up. They have a whole section on the ghosts of Mackinac that will keep you busy for weeks.”

  Robin’s eyebrows knitted. They had spent the entire morning together, hitting every home center and paint store in or around Petoskey and through it all, there had never been a misstep. Their tastes in wallpaper and colors had been the same, and their exuberance over finding the perfect style and shade of both caused smiles to appear on their faces in unison. They laughed. They joked, and as far as Robin could tell, Judy had enjoyed herself, but that had suddenly changed. Judy’s expression had turned pinched and the blue of her eyes sparked with anger.

  Rob
in was at a loss. She took a moment and then another, and resigned to accept her own confusion instead of pressing the issue, Robin lowered her eyes. “Yeah, I guess I’ll have to do that.”

  The aroma of spices and stir-fry wafting from the kitchen had made Judy’s stomach growl with anticipation since they had walked into the eatery a short time earlier. A cuisine not served on Mackinac, Thai was Judy’s favorite, but suddenly, the last thing she wanted was food. Bowing her head, she pinched the bridge of her nose, took a deep breath, and then raised her eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap. I’m hungry. I need more than an appetizer.”

  “No, I’m the one who’s sorry,” Robin said, looking up. “You’re right. I should just read the books and not keep pestering you about ghosts. You probably get it from the tourists all the time. You don’t need it from me, too.”

  “They do have a tendency to go on and on about it,” Judy said, snickering. “But they don’t have a ghost living in their house, and you do. I forgot about that, and you have a right to be curious, so the least I can do is tell you what I know.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Robin said, looking over her shoulder. “I’m sure our food will be here any minute, and we can’t eat and talk at the same time.”

  Judy pressed her lips together, her eyes narrowing as she stared back at Robin. “Harvey, Lucy, Charlie, and Aunt Ida.”

  Robin turned back around, and as she tilted her head, her eyebrows squished together. “Excuse me?”

  “You wanted to know about ghosts, so add those names to your list.”

  “Seriously?” Robin said, perking up in her seat. “Those are all ghosts?”

  “Yep,” Judy said as her eyes began to sparkle. “I can’t tell you if they’re actually their real names or not, but that’s what everybody calls them.”

  “But who are they and more importantly, where are they? Please don’t tell me they’re hiding in my closets because if you do—”

  “Relax,” Judy said, thoroughly entertained by Robin’s rambling. “As far as I know, Isobel is your only deceased tenant. Harvey and Lucy are over at Mission Point. Charlie is at the Island House, and Aunt Ida hangs out at Bayview. And before you ask, I’m talking about the B&B on the island. Not one of our guest rooms.”

  “I figured.” Robin paused for a second before clasping her hands together like an excited child. “Tell me about them. Who’s Harvey?”

  “Oh, rumor has it that back in the late sixties or early seventies, he shot himself behind Mission Point when his girlfriend dumped him. His body wasn’t found for almost six months, but since then he’s usually seen on the bluffs just wandering about, although there have been some reports that he’s poked or tickled young women staying at the hotel. Apparently, he fancies himself a practical joker.”

  “Wow, and Lucy was his girlfriend?”

  “No,” Judy said, shaking her head. “It’s believed she was a little girl who lived during the eighteen hundreds, but while her parents were away, she somehow died. She’s been seen on the balcony at the Point or sometimes in the theater, and more than one person has said they’ve heard her calling for her mummy or daddy during their stay at the resort.”

  “Yikes,” Robin said, running her hands over her arms to quiet her goosebumps.

  Laugh lines sprung to life on Judy’s face. “Shall I go on?”

  “Yes, please. This is fascinating.”

  “Okay, so Charlie is called the Gentleman Ghost,” Judy said, smiling. “He lives at the Island House where he’s been known to turn on faucets, open and close doors, and move things around occasionally. Aunt Ida basically does the same thing, only over at Bayview, except I do remember hearing that when some renovations were going on over there, Ida would make it a point of hovering over the workers or slamming doors to announce her displeasure at the changes, but other than that, for the most part, they’re all harmless.”

  “For the most part? Are you saying there are some that aren’t?”

  “Robin, it’s not like they're walking around with axes in their hands or sucking poor unsuspecting children into televisions or through sewer grates,” Judy said, whimsy dancing in her eyes. “But yes, some are a little bit more...um...active, shall we say.”

  “Active in what way exactly?”

  “Well, some of the beds in the hotels have been bolted down because there are stories of them being shaken so violently that the occupants were thrown out of them. I’ve also heard that more than one family has left the island because they couldn’t handle the disembodied voices or their stuff being knocked off of mantles or bookcases, but as far as I know, that’s as demonic as it gets. Trust me, once you see a few of them, it’ll become old hat.”

  The waitress suddenly appeared out of nowhere, putting a stop to Robin’s line of questioning for as long as it took to place the two steaming plates of food on the table. After thanking the slim Asian woman, Robin waited until the waitress was out of hearing range before continuing. “Are you saying that you’ve literally seen a ghost?” Robin said, the hushed words tumbling out of her mouth as she tapped her finger on the table.

  “Yeah, I’ve actually seen more than one,” Judy said as she picked up her fork and prepared to dive into her Pork Pad Thai. “Mostly up near the Fort or around the cemeteries at night when I go for a ride, but I haven’t done that in a while.”

  Robin’s eyes bulged. “I’m surprised you’d do that at all.”

  “I’m not afraid of the dark or of ghosts, and besides it’s a really nice ride. You’d probably like it.”

  “You honestly want me to bike around a ghost-infested cemetery...in the dark?” Robin said, picking up her fork. “You really don’t want me to ever get a good night’s sleep again. Do you?”

  “I wasn’t suggesting that we go at night, but maybe one morning after I get back from Indiana, we can go take a look. What do you think?”

  Out of nowhere, a wave of jealousy washed over Robin, and staring down at the plate of Thai Orchid Duck in front of her, she prayed that the chef had been heavy-handed. She wasn’t a fan of hot and spicy food, preferring to appreciate the flavors without the burn, so she always asked for medium spices. It was just enough to make a difference, but not enough to require dousing the flames Thai seasonings could create. Yet, Robin now craved the heat for it would incinerate the feelings she had no right to feel. She knew it was stupid. She knew it was infantile, and picking up her fork, Robin stabbed it into a piece of duck. “I think we should eat before it gets cold.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Are you okay?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’ve been awfully quiet since lunch.”

  “Have I?” Robin said, glancing at Judy. “Sorry, I’ve just been thinking about all the stuff I have to do over the next few weeks.”

  “How about I cross one thing off your list? I’ll stop by the wallpaper place on my way back from Indiana. It’s just a small detour, and since some of the paper is going to take a few weeks to get in, it’ll save you the trip.”

  “You don’t mind?”

  “No, of course not, and if you think of anything else, just text me, and I’ll pick it up.”

  “I don’t text.”

  Judy’s eyebrows drew together. “You don’t text?”

  “Not unless it’s absolutely necessary. It’s always seemed very one-dimensional to me, and it’s easy to miss someone’s mood in a text. It’s got me into trouble more times than I can remember, so if you don’t mind, if I need anything, I’ll just call. Okay?”

  “That’s fine. It’ll be nice to hear your voice.”

  Robin’s heart did a flip, and she snapped her head to the right. “Yeah?”

  Judy quickly returned to looking out the windshield. “What I meant to say is that we’ve been spending a lot of time together, and other than Rita, I don’t really have a lot of people I talk to regularly, so it would be nice to hear a friendly voice. That’s all.”

  “Oh, gotcha,” Robin said,
returning her eyes to the road. “Who’s Rita?”

  “She’s my best friend,” Judy said, smiling. “She’s a super nice person. I’ll have to introduce you. I think you’d like her.”

  “I’m sure I would,” Robin said, giving Judy a quick glance.

  “So, feel free to call any time you’d like. Okay?”

  Puzzled, Robin looked over at Judy again. “How come that sounds more like a plea than a suggestion? I thought you wanted to see your family.”

  “I do, but catching up with them doesn’t take that long because nothing ever really changes. They’ll ask me how I’m doing and what I’ve been doing, and then they’ll talk about the orchard and sales and what changes they want to do next year. Oh yeah, and they’ll try to persuade me to move back. That happens every time.”

  “It does?”

  “Yep. Like clockwork,” Judy said. “Even when I was married to Scott, they never understood why I’d want to live on Mackinac, and after the divorce, it just got worse because I have two brothers who can’t take no for an answer.”

  “Wait. I thought you had three brothers?”

  “I do, but Eric is on my side. After he graduated college, he took a job in North Carolina, but whenever he comes home, he gets bombarded with the same questions. Why do you need to live there? What does fill-in-the-blank have that Indiana doesn’t? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Trust me, when November comes around, Eric and I will be ready to bolt.”

  “So, you’re saying that you wouldn’t mind if I call…just to chat?”

  Judy’s eyes met Robin’s. “Honestly?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m already looking forward to it.”

  ***

  Judy shut the door behind her, and leaning against it, she looked around her apartment. It was just as she had left it earlier that day. The television remote was precisely where she liked it on the end table, near one of the only two coasters she owned, their stone surfaces featuring the same faded lighthouse. The dish rack by the sink was empty save for the coffee cup she had used that morning, and the two suitcases on her bed were gaping, waiting for more clothes to be put inside. There was a faint hint of patchouli in the air courtesy of the candle Judy lit the night before and shrugging out of her jacket, she went over to the bookcase and lit the candle again.