by R. J. Lloyd
Eva ran over to him and threw her arms around his shoulders. “Thank you.”
He hugged her back. “Okay. You call her, and I’ll go work.”
“Okay!”
Eva ran to the bedroom like a teenage girl, dialing along the way.
“Hello?”
“Michelle!” Eva practically shouted.
“Eva? Is that you? Please tell me you’re fine.” Michelle sounded panicked.
“I’m fine. I’m with Ian.”
“What’s going on? I’ve been freaking out! And they're pissed at work.”
“Wait.” Eva was shocked. “There’s no way they haven’t fired me already.”
“Are you kidding? You’re the best one on the team. There’s no way they're letting you go easily. Plus, I told them your dad was in the hospital to buy you time.”
Eva’s tone turned solemn. “Well, that’s not off the mark.”
“What? What do you mean?” Michelle asked, worried.
Eva sat down on the bed. “There’s a lot to fill you in on, including that, yes, my father died, but he wasn’t actually my father, and Ian and I know each other, but… there’s just a lot to tell you. But that's not why I called.”
“That had better be why you called!” Michelle demanded.
Eva wanted so badly to just flop back on to her pillow and let it all out. She wanted to tell her best friend about the lab and about them being ghosts. About Mitchell. About Marcus’s death. About Stanley. About the others out in society. About the café and where they were. And about moving in with Ian.
That was when she snapped out of it. “Well, I can tell you one thing right now. I need to tell you it. I’m moving.”
“What?” It was Michelle’s turn to shout. “You can’t!”
“It’s not safe for me there,” Eva explained.
“Safe? Come on, Eva. Talk to me. What’s going on?”
Eva took in a slow breath. “I promise, I will, eventually. I just can’t right now. I need you to trust me. Ian and I are going to come get my things. We will be there tomorrow, and head back out the day after.”
“What about your job? Are you just going to leave them hanging? Are you going to leave us hanging?” Michelle snipped.
Eva swallowed hard. “I don’t know, Michelle. I’m sorry, but I don’t know right now. You’re my best friend. I want to have answers and to tell you what all is going on, but I can’t. Not yet. But I will. And I’ll figure out something for work.”
“So, you both are coming tomorrow?” Michelle asked.
“Yes.”
“Will you tell me more when you get here?”
“Yes,” Eva said.
“Are you actually coming this time?”
Eva thought back to their last trip there. “I really hope so.”
“Would you like me to pick you up from the airport?” Michelle asked.
Realizing Ian hadn't said anything about a rental car, she thought that would be easiest. “That would be fantastic. We can chat in the car. Just don't do what you did the last time you picked me up from an airport.”
“What? You don’t want another Happy Parole sign to welcome you?” Michelle snorted.
“No!” Eva giggled. “Anyway, I need to get going and find out what we’re going to do for food.”
“Speaking of, I’ll order dinner tomorrow. Do you want pizza, or something from that new place over on Chalmers?” Michelle asked.
The normalcy of her question made Eva smile. “Whichever you want.”
“Okay! I’ll see you then.” Her words were as much a question as they were a statement.
Eva fidgeted with her bracelet, remembering when Michelle had given it to her for her last birthday. “See you then.”
Their morning flight out was quick. The crowds were slim, and their flight was nowhere near fully booked. Plus, they only packed enough for a couple days, which easily all fit into one carry-on suitcase for the both of them.
Ian hadn't slept well the night before. When Kyle came home, the two men stayed up talking well after Eva had gone to sleep. Ian filled his business partner in on some of the previous days’ events. He pulled the files out, and even went as far as giving a physical example of his inability to be wounded. Kyle took everything in stride. A skeptic at first, the more Ian told and showed him, the more he knew Ian told him the truth. That was a huge relief for Ian.
Ian thought about his relief that his best friend had believed him as they deboarded the plane in Florida. Eva was going to have to tell Michelle everything. Neither of them knew how she would to take it. Ian hoped, for Eva’s sake, that her friend would be just as believing and understanding as Kyle.
His worries were lifted slightly when they entered the baggage claim area to find Michelle standing there with a welcoming sigh that read:
Welcome Home Dream Couple
Eva’s eyes filled with tears as she ran for her best friend, slamming into her and almost sending them both tumbling to the floor. Michelle, welcoming her embrace, choked on her words. “I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”
Eva shook her head. “I probably would have been just as worried about you.”
Michelle set down the sign and held her hand out as Ian approached. “I’m glad I actually get to meet you in a happier setting; not one where I’m getting my best friend kidnapped and locked away.”
Ian shook her hand. “Me, too.”
They left the airport, the two women arm in arm, chattering on about work and what was going on with the people there and Michelle’s love life, which had not slowed in Eva’s absence. Michelle had tried to ask about the couple’s situation, but Eva insisted on waiting until they were not in public to talk about that. They agreed, reluctantly on Michelle’s part.
Back at the house, though, was another story. Michelle barely waited for Eva to show Ian around and get sat down before she started rapid firing questions. “So, what happened? What do you mean Marcus wasn't your father? How do you and Ian know each other? Where have you been? Where are you moving? You’re freaking me out, Eva! I know I was wrong when I called your father. I should have believed you. But you’ve got to tell me what’s going on!”
Eva motioned to Ian to join her on the couch as she entered the room and handed him a bottle of soda. “Okay. You asked for it.” She paused to take Ian’s hand. “Ian and I were a married couple before Stanley and Marcus killed us to steal our souls so they could experiment on them and try to materialize us again. After being successful, they ran a series of experiments on us before separating us, releasing us back into society where Stanley posed as a professor and mentor for Ian, and Marcus posed as my father. In a struggle at their labs a few days ago, Stanley killed Marcus. In the meanwhile, Stanley’s son, Mitchell, is kind of stalking me, claiming that part of the experiments was he and I forming a bond to try to break the one I have with Ian, whose real name is Brandan. And mine is Connie. We don't know if Stanley is still searching for us, but Mitchell is trying to get us to track down a bunch of other materialized spirits like us who escaped, but we’ve told him no. Ian and I seemingly did reconnect after crossing paths that day in the diner, after one of your breakups, triggering a renewed connection between us. Oh! And as long as we don't allow ourselves to remember our old lives together, when we were actually alive, we are pretty much immortal. As in, we don't seem to age, and we can’t be wounded. I can show you!”
Michelle’s jaw dropped open.
Eva squeezed Ian’s hand. “Did I miss anything?”
Ian pursed his lips. “Immortality, ghosts, experiments, false identities, stalker, murder… Nope. I don’t think so. I don't think she’s taking this as well as Kyle did, though.”
“You told Kyle?” Eva asked.
“Yeah, before we left to come here,” Ian replied. “But I didn't dump it all out in one paragraph like that. He and I chatted for a couple hours while you slept last night.”
“Oh, yeah. That probably would have been easier on her. I just wasn’t su
re how to say it all otherwise.” Eva took a drink of her soda.
He leaned back. “I can understand that. It’s difficult to know what the best approach would be when telling someone about something like this.”
“Exactly,” Eva agreed. “I just started, and it all kind of fell out. I hope I didn't…”
“Stop!” Michelle blurted out. “Yes, that was a lot to process. You have to give me a moment. I mean, you just basically said the man you thought of as your father is a murderer who just got murdered by your soulmate’s father figure, and you two are actually immortal ghosts, and you're being stalked by someone to go find more like you.”
“Oh, Mitchell is also like us. His real father, who posed as Ian’s professor, Stanley, murdered him when he got sick and tried to materialize him, but he can’t stay stable like us,” Eva added.
“Mentally or physically?” Michelle asked.
Ian chuckled. “Both, it seems.”
Michelle wrapped both hands over the top of her head. “I think my brain is melting right now.”
“Trust me, we know how you feel,” Eva agreed with her.
Michelle let out a stifled scream with her hands over her mouth, when the doorbell rang.
Ian shot up in his seat. “Expecting someone?”
Michelle froze. Her eyes darted around, obviously trying to search for a response. “Oh! Yes! Food. I ordered food for us. I told Eva I would when she called yesterday.”
Eva sighed in relief. “That’s right.”
Michelle stood. “But we’re not done. You can’t just dump that on me and not expect to give some details.”
“We eat, then Eva can tell you more as we pack. The movers will be here tomorrow. We can’t stay here long. We don’t know if it’s safe.” Ian followed Eva into the kitchen.
The three ate and then packed as Eva and Ian filled Michelle in on more of their situation. She asked a lot of questions, some of which Ian was not too keen on answering. He was still obviously guarded, which Michelle said she understood. She would nudge slightly, but after the first time he snapped at her, she would quit.
Eva gifted Michelle a fair bit of the furniture, as well as miscellaneous things around the kitchen and bathroom. The last thing she wanted to do was to take so much of what they commonly used, leaving her having to scramble to even cook a meal. Several items, she asked Ian if he had them to ensure both households would be set.
About eight, they were packing up the kitchen when Michelle’s phone rang. “Oh no, it’s Rick.”
“Who is Rick?” Eva asked.
“Some guy I met at the grocery store last weekend. I was supposed to go out with him tonight. I completely forgot.” Michelle answered the phone. “Hello?”
Eva motioned, keeping her voice low as she said, “Go! We’ve got this.”
She asked Rick to hold. “No way! You’re moving on me, and I don’t even know where you’re going or when I’ll see you again. I don’t want to just take off for some guy.”
Eva put a hand on her arm, knowing her best friend very well. “Michelle, go. We will see each other when you get back, and tomorrow. And I promise, you will know where I'm moving and can come visit whenever you want.”
Michelle giggled and kissed her on the cheek. “Rick? One hour. I’ll meet you there.” She hung up the phone. “Oh my God. I need to get ready!”
Eva laughed as she watched Michelle bound down the hallway. It was bittersweet. Michelle’s tendency to be boy crazy was irritating most of the time, but it was a large part of her, and knowing it might be the last time she was going to watch her in action, Eva felt a little heartbroken.
Ian wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and kissed her neck. “Once things calm down, we can come visit, too.”
Eva turned in his arms, placing her hands on his chest. “I hope so. I miss her.”
“She misses you, too. I can tell.”
She closed her eyes. “I’m surprised she didn’t flip out.”
“I think it’s a good choice to tell her to go out on that date. Getting away after hearing all that, she can let it sink in. Then, if she's got any more questions, or if she is going to turn on us, we will know when she gets back.” Ian kissed Eva’s cheek then turned and finished placing a stack of mugs into the box. “But, as far as us, we probably need to just get stacks of things set out. The movers are coming, knowing they will probably be packing for a few hours. I have them reserved for the full day, and our flight isn’t until late. We can have things ready for them to pack and load quickly.”
Eva sighed. “You’re right.”
A corner of his mouth turned up. “I really need to record you saying that one of these times for proof once we’re married, and you decide I’m never right.”
He could see her fighting a smile. “Married, huh?”
Surprised that that was what she chose to hear of his statement, considering he hadn’t even realized he’d said it, Ian blinked. “Well, yeah? Maybe? One day, I mean. You know, since we were before we were killed. And we apparently can’t stay away from each other. So, I was thinking that at some point it would make sense.”
“Yeah.” Her heart dropped a little. “At some point.”
Awkwardly, they both resumed organizing her things to be packed.
Several minutes later, Michelle emerged from her bedroom dressed for a date night in a slinky. Little outfit, her hair styled, makeup done and jewelry on. “How do I look?”
“Stunning as usual.” Eva fought back tears as she hugged her best friend, sending her off for the last time on one of her regular date nights.
“Thanks Eva!” Michelle waved as she grabbed her purse and headed out the door. “Don’t wait up!”
After sending Michelle on her date, pulling things out of cabinets and drawers a few more hours and munching on the leftovers from dinner until they were gone, Eva left Ian passed out, sleeping hard, in her bed and went out onto the patio.
Eva had picked up the book from the café from her purse on her way out. She hopped into her usual seat outside with a bottle of water and the lantern.Yet another last, she thought.
Their back yard always reminded her of the one in The Golden Girls with the wicker furniture she’d picked up and the massive amounts of palms and other plants that lined the garden.
Her eyes were about to close when she heard a voice from the doorway. “This is a cute place. It suits you.”
Eva froze. It wasn't Ian’s voice, and she felt it was too casual to be some strange man from the grocery store Michelle might have brought home. Slowly, she turned her head and looked at him. “Mitchell, I know we said we would call when we were ready. You can’t keep popping in like this.”
“You never used to hate it. I know you. And the other night I…”
She cut him off, jumping up from her seat. “You were there! You can’t do this, Mitchell! I don't know what connection we’ve had in the past, but we don't have it now. And it never replaced what I have with Ian. You seem like a sweet guy. And if I wasn't completely in love with him, I am sure we would have a chance, but that’s just not the case now. So, please. You’re starting to scare me. You need to go.”
Mitchell gave a sinister grin. “I know it’s going to take some convincing. It did before. I know I can’t expect it to…”
“Stop!” she shouted. “No time. No convincing. No connection. I don't know how to be any clearer than I am!”
He gritted his teeth. “You’ll see.”
“No. You will see,” she spat.
“Regardless.” He crossed his arms. “I still need you to help me find the others before my father does. If you don’t care about my happiness, you should at least care about theirs.”
She rolled her eyes. “Like Ian said, we will call when we decide. We have enough going on right now. Please respect that.”
“Respect that?” Mitchell stepped forward and gripped her arm. “Eva, this is not the woman I love. You would never put yourself above others.”
“I am not the woman you love, then,” she fired back.
“What has he done to you?”
She tried to pull out of his grip. “Love me, Mitchell. He loves me, and I love him, and we want out of this nightmare!”
“You can’t. This is your life now.” His fingers tightened around her arm.
“Eva?” Michelle gasped from the doorway.
“Go get Ian, Michelle.” Eva was scared of Mitchell’s reaction.
Just as she feared, he turned to her friend. “This is Michelle?” He traded arm for arm, pulling Michelle to his side abruptly.
“Let her go!” Eva shouted.
“Oh, come on. Why would I let her run off and get your little boyfriend? We were having such a nice conversation. But now, you’re forcing my hand, Eva.”
Michelle struggled in his grip. Seeing her so scared, Eva’s rage built. Her fear of Michelle getting hurt along with all her anger from the previous several days welled up in her chest. She opened her mouth to yell, but, instead, a burst of energy shot out of her, blowing both Mitchell and Michelle back and to the ground, causing him to let go of her.
Eva recovered as quickly as she could and ran forward to help Michelle up. “Run! Get Ian!”
But Mitchell reacted too fast, reaching out and grabbing Michelle's leg, causing her to go crashing back down to the cement patio, hitting her head and splitting her lip open. “Well, this is definitely a turn of events. I at least know how to get you to react now, Eva. So, I’ll just take her with me until you’re ready to come around.”
“You’re not taking anyone anywhere, asshole.” Ian went straight for Mitchell.
Before he could do anything, both Mitchell and Michelle disappeared.
Ian looked around the patio. “What the…”
Eva ran inside. “Michelle! Michelle! Mitchell, you bastard. Where are you?”
“Michelle!” Ian yelled.
“He said he couldn't travel with anyone, Ian. He said he couldn't. Where did they go?” She sobbed.
“Wait.” Ian stepped back toward the slider. “Your phone is ringing.”
