“That would be great! Thanks so much. I’ll give you my address,” Debbie offered.
I listened as she recited her address. I didn’t want to tell her that I already had it. I said goodbye and put my phone back in my bag.
I went through to the front of the shop.
Carol was writing in the accounts book.
“That was Debra Brown,” I said. “I’m going to see her tonight. I’ll be able to tell her about Sylvia.”
Carol didn’t look up from the book, “Right. You don’t have to tell me what’s going on. I told you I don’t want to be involved in this ghost business of yours.”
I fastened my coat up and said, “So you won’t want to know what happens next then.”
Carol shrugged and looked over, “You can tell me if you want. I’m not bothered.”
I smiled as I walked out of the shop. She was just as nosey as me.
I drove to Emily’s school. I felt sure that once Sylvia found her baby again all would be well in her world.
I was wrong.
Chapter 14
As soon as I picked Emily up she said, “Have you found Sylvia’s baby?”
I said, “Yes, but she’s not a baby anymore. I’m going to see her tonight.”
“I’ll come with you,” Emily decided. She held my hand as we walked to the car.
“No, you can stay with your dad for a few hours,” I said.
Emily looked up at me, “Please Mummy, I want to see Sylvia’s baby.”
I thought about it for a few seconds. I couldn’t see the harm in it. “Okay, but you have to be on your best behaviour.”
Emily climbed into the back seat and said solemnly, “I’m always on my best behaviour.”
After tea we made the short drive over to Debbie’s house. It was a small mid terrace house.
We walked up to the front door, and even before I knocked, I could hear a small child crying inside.
A tired looking woman answered the door. I knew immediately it was Debbie, she looked like Sylvia.
“Kate? Do come in. Sorry about the mess. And the noise. And probably the smell!” Debbie laughed.
I introduced Emily and then we followed Debbie inside.
Her house was messy with all the things that young children bring to a home.
Debbie waved towards the settee, “Find a seat if you can. Make sure you don’t sit on a child! I’ve got three little boys under the age of 5 and they move like lightning.”
I could see two boys playing on the rug in front of the settee. I heard sobbing coming from behind the settee. I peeped around and saw a crying boy. I picked him up and automatically began to rock him. He stopped crying.
Debbie collapsed onto the settee. I sat beside her.
“Thanks for that,” she leaned over and smoothed the little boy’s hair down. “It’s just one of those days. And I’ve got a thumping headache.”
“I’ve got some aspirins in my bag,” I offered.
“I’ve just taken some, thanks. Anyway, never mind about me. Tell me all about my mother!” Debbie grinned.
Emily sat down on the rug with the two little boys and was soon playing car games with them. The small boy in my arms started to fall asleep. Debbie offered to take him but I said I was enjoying holding a little child again. Debbie looked as if she wanted to fall asleep too.
I told her all about Sylvia. Debbie just nodded when I said I could see ghosts, as if it was a normal thing for a person to do.
When I’d finished talking, Debbie smiled. “I’m sad that she died before I could meet her, but I feel comforted knowing that she didn’t want to give me up.”
I suddenly remembered about Julia Stephenson.
“You’ve got a cousin! She’s called Julia and she lives nearby,” I told her.
Debbie brightened, “Really! A proper family member. I’ve never had that before, apart from my sons, of course! My mum and dad, the ones who adopted me, didn’t have any family. And they couldn’t have their own children. Do you think my cousin would want to meet me?”
“I’ll ask her. Debbie, when did you find out you were adopted?” I asked.
“After my mum and dad died. They died within months of each other. They’d left a letter with their solicitor that explained everything. I was mad at them for months. And now that I know I was taken away from my real mother without her consent...well, I don’t know what to think.”
Debbie rubbed her forehead.
“Has your headache gone?” I asked.
“Not yet. I haven’t made you a cup of tea! How rude of me.” Debbie laughed again.
I passed the sleeping child to Debbie. “I’ll make it. What time is your husband, or partner home?”
Debbie smiled sadly and said, “I’ve no idea. He’s shacked up with another woman. As soon as baby number 3 came along he was off. He doesn’t want anything to do with them. He’s not a natural father. Oh! Listen to me! I sound a right misery.”
I made cups of tea for Debbie and me. Emily came into the kitchen and insisted on making jam sandwiches for Debbie and the children.
When it was time to leave, Debbie gave me a big hug and said thank you for letting her know about her mum.
“The baby shawl! The one that belonged to your mum. I forgot to bring it round,” I said.
“Then you’ll have to come back again. I’ll look forward to that.” Debbie gave me a big smile.
I really liked Debbie, she smiled a lot.
On the journey back I said to Emily, “I can’t wait to tell Sylvia about Debbie.”
Emily didn’t say anything. I looked at her through the rear view mirror.
“What’s wrong?” I asked her.
“I don’t know,” Emily said. “I just feel really sad.”
Chapter 15
It was late when we got home. I put Emily to bed and went downstairs. I took the baby shawl with me and waited for Sylvia to appear. I had no idea how to summon a ghost so I waved the shawl around and quietly called out her name.
Nothing happened. I got fed up after a while and decided to watch the television.
I was engrossed in a murder mystery and thought I had worked out who the killer was, when I felt a cold breeze on my cheek. I turned to the side and nearly jumped out of my skin when I came face to face with Sylvia.
Sylvia was smiling. “You found her! You found my baby. And she’s got babies of her own. How wonderful!”
“Would you like to see her? I’m not sure how this works. If I take this shawl with me, do you come along too?” I asked.
Sylvia looked confused, “I don’t need to travel anywhere. I can see Debbie, she’d beautiful. But you’ll have to look after Debbie’s babies now. She needs your help.”
“Of course I’ll go round and help her. I’m going to see her tomorrow. I don’t understand how you can see Debbie. Have you been to her house? Did you follow me?” I asked.
Sylvia smiled, “No. I can see Debbie. She’s with me now. Well, she’s waiting for me over there.”
Sylvia pointed vaguely towards a corner of my room. I didn’t know what was going on but I had an awful feeling.
Sylvia started to glow white. I’d seen this before. It happened when a ghost was getting ready to go to ‘a better place’ as Rose put it.
“Are you going?” I asked.
“Yes, I told you, Debbie’s waiting. Goodbye, Kate. Thank you for helping me. Don’t forget about Debbie’s babies,” Sylvia said.
She glowed even whiter as she floated towards the corner of the room.
Then she disappeared.
I grabbed my handbag, picked up my phone and punched in Debbie’s telephone number.
A man answered it.
“Yeah!” he snapped.
“I think I might have the wrong number. I wanted to speak to Debbie,” I said.
“Well you can’t. She’s dead. And she’d left me with three screaming kids!” the man said.
Chapter 16
I was so shocked that I couldn’t s
peak for a while.
“Are you still there? Are you a friend of Debbie’s. Can you come round and sort these kids out? They’re driving me mad,” the man said.
“Can I ask who you are?” I said.
“I’m the father but I’m not looking after them. I told Debbie that before. It’s not my fault she died. Are you coming round or what?”
“How did she die?” I asked.
“Something to do with her head. A haemorrhage or something,” the man said. He sounded less angry now. “Look, could you come round? There’s no one else to help and I can’t stop the kids crying.”
I told him I would.
I put the phone back in my bag. I would have to wake Emily up.
I didn’t need to. She was sitting on the stair steps.
“It’s Debbie, isn’t it?” she said. “Has she gone to her mummy now?”
I nodded and told Emily to get her coat on. I said we might be picking Debbie’s little boys up.
Emily smiled, “Great! They can share my room. I’ll read them a story.”
When we got to Debbie’s house there was a police car and ambulance parked outside.
A man was waiting at the door. He was smoking a cigarette. He stepped forward when he saw us.
“I’m Steve, the father. We spoke on the phone,” he said. “Are you still alright to take the kids?”
I was concerned. Steve didn’t know me but he was willing to let me take his children away. I went inside the house, Emily walked right next to me.
I found a police woman and I explained everything to her. She seemed quite understanding, even at the ghost part. If she thought I was crazy then she didn’t say anything.
“We’ve phoned social services. They’re coming for the boys. I appreciate your offer but we can’t let just anyone take them away,” the police woman said.
“What about Steve, the father?” I asked.
The police woman gave a small shake of her head, “He’s made it quite plain that he doesn’t want them. I’m not sure what will happen. Social services will probably split them up.”
“What if there was a family member who could take them?” I asked hopefully.
“That would solve a lot of problems. Do you know of anyone?” she asked.
“I do. But she doesn’t even know Debbie exists. Or existed,” I amended.
“If you give us the person’s name we can contact them,” the police woman said.
“No, I’ll do it,” I told her.
I grabbed Emily’s hand, ignored Steve on the way out, and got into my car.
It was late but I headed towards Julia Stephenson’s house. Mr Stephenson could shout all he liked but I had to let Julia know about Debbie.
Chapter 17
Mr Stephenson opened the door, “Not you again! Do you know what time it is? It’s after 9pm!”
He noticed Emily standing next to me and immediately stopped shouting.
“I need to speak to you and Julia. It’s urgent and I’m not going away until I’ve spoken to you,” I said firmly.
Mr Stephenson raised his eyebrows at me and opened the door wider, “Then you’d better come in.”
He showed me and Emily into the front room. Julia smiled politely at me. Emily walked over to her and said, “I’m Emily. I like your house. Have you got a swimming pool?”
Julia laughed and said, “No, we don’t. We’ve got a big bath though. Would you like a drink?”
“Yes please,” Emily said and she sat herself down on the settee. I sat next to her.
Mr Stephenson indicated towards me and said, “She’s got something to say to us.”
“I’m sure Kate will say whatever it is better with a cup of tea inside of her. I’d like one too,” Julia said pointedly, looking at her husband.
He sighed and said, “I’ll put the kettle on.”
Emily jumped up, “I’ll help you. I can make some sandwiches too.”
When Mr Stephenson and Emily had left the room I told Julia all about Debbie, and about Debbie’s children.
Julia was crying by the time I’ve finished.
“Those poor children. And I had a cousin living nearby all this time,” Julia wiped away her tears.
I didn’t want to ask the next question, but I had to. “Do you think you could help the children? You’re a relative. Could you take them in for a while?”
Julia looked sad, “I’d go and get them now if it was up to me. And I’d adopt them in a minute. But what about Ian? What would he think about taking three small boys in?”
Just then, Ian came back into the room carrying a tray of tea things. Emily walked behind him carrying a plate of sandwiches.
He put the tray down and said, “Emily here has been telling me about your cousin Debbie. And that she died from a big headache. Is that right?”
He looked at me. I nodded.
Ian went on, “Emily said that Debbie’s little boys have nowhere to live and that their father doesn’t want them. That’s outrageous!”
I looked at Emily. She looked innocently back at me.
Ian spoke to Julia, “We can’t let your cousin’s boys be taken into care. Not when we’ve got this big house. We’ve got to do something about it.”
Julia looked hopeful, “Really? Could we really do that?”
“I don’t know how you’d go about taking the boys in,” I said.”I could phone someone for you to see what the procedure is.”
Julia said, “We know all about adoption and fostering. We’ve had the checks already. We’ve got all the phone numbers that we need too. Ian, are you really sure about taking on three little boys?”
For the first time, I saw Ian smile. He looked much nicer.
“I’d love it. It’s a bit late to do anything tonight, but I’ll get on the phone first thing in the morning.”
I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
Emily and I stayed a little bit longer. I gave Julia and Ian all of Debbie’s details.
Ian was furious when he heard how Debbie had been taken away from Sylvia when she was born.
“Someone should have to answer to that,” he said grimly.
Emily fell asleep in the car on the way home.
I didn’t have to think about lost babies anymore.
Rose!
I hadn’t thought about her since the day of the funeral.
We still didn’t know if she’d made a will.
Chapter 18
I carried Emily up to bed. I wasn’t happy about dragging her along with me. I’d have to sort something out for the future.
Rose was waiting for me in my bedroom.
“I can’t stay long, Kate,” she said urgently. “I still haven’t got the hang of appearing when I want to.”
“Don’t go! Your will! Did you make one? If you haven’t, your Pam gets the shop,” I said.
Rose bristled, “Over my dead body!”
Then she started to laugh, “I keep forgetting that I’m already dead! Of course I’ve left a will. It’s with my solicitor, Thorntons. Where else would I keep it? My knicker drawer?”
Rose looked behind her at something I couldn’t see. She hissed, “You don’t come here! You leave her alone!”
I was getting nervous, “What’s going on? Who are you talking to?”
Rose tried to smile, “Nothing for you to worry about. Anyway, I hope you like what’s in my will. I’ve left something for you and Carol.”
“What?” I asked. I was still looking nervously around my room.
“My shop! But there’s something you need to know, Something about...”
Then Rose disappeared.
I sat down on my bed.
What was going on? Who was Rose talking to?
I didn’t know what to make of it all.
And now it seemed I was going to be part owner of a shop!
My life was getting more interesting, and more confusing, every day.
About the author
I live in a town in the
north of England. On the high street are about 7 charity shops. They always have lovely window displays enticing you to enter. Quite often I have looked at the things in the windows and wondered who they belonged to, and why they have given them away. I also wondered what would happen if there were ghosts attached to some items. For a while I thought about the possible stories – and then I eventually wrote them down!
I set the stories in a second hand shop, rather than a charity shop, as it would give characters the opportunity to sell items they don’t want, or need, anymore.
I still look in the charity shop windows, it’s amazing the things that people donate.
A strange thing happened when I’d finished typing up this story. There was a news article on my local television station. It showed a woman sitting at a table holding a black and white photograph of a newborn baby. She had been forced to give up her son for adoption shortly after he was born – because she was an unmarried mother. She was now looking for her son. Her son was born in the mid 1970s.
I hope she finds him.
If you liked this story would you be able to put a short review on Amazon, or to click the
‘like’ button?
Amazon Com
Amazon UK
Thank you, I appreciate it.
Read on for Chapter 1 of the next book in this series ‘The Last Laugh’
You can visit my website at :
www.gillianlarkin.co.uk
Best wishes
Gillian
The Last Laugh – Chapter 1
I walked into the shop, the shop that I was now part owner of.
“Good morning, partner,” I smiled at Carol.
“You can stop all that cheerful nonsense at once,” Carol glared at me. “We’ve got work to do if we’re going to make this business a success.”
I didn’t like the determined look on Carol’s face.
“Can we discuss this over a cup of tea? I’ll make it,” I offered.
“Okay, but don’t put too much milk in. You always make it too milky,” Carol said.
The Lost Baby: A Ghost Mystery Story (Second Hand Ghosts Book 2) Page 3
