Kindred Spirits: A Romantic Comedy About Love, Life, and the Afterlife . . .

by Whitney Dineen

  Vinnie looked like he was trying to decide if he really was going to off her and throw her body in the woods or if he’d go ahead and drop her off at her destination. After several excruciating moments for Pip, he started the car and backed out of the parking lot back onto the road.

  As a result of her eventful cab ride, when Pip finally arrived at Il Bucco, she looked like she’d been ill for a month. Her face was pale and she was shaking. She was pretty sure she’d never been so scared in all her life and wondered if there was any way out of her contract with the afterlife. If not, she’d probably be joining them sooner rather than later, if she had to pass on anymore messages like Lefty’s.

  Preparations

  Chapter 25

  Richard fell in love with Mimi’s family on sight. They were warm, welcoming, and very appreciative that Mimi had a friend like him. He wondered what she’d told them about him. Her mother, Maureen, even invited him to stay at their home, but he’d already settled into his hotel, so he declined.

  On the day of the wedding, Richard ordered breakfast from room service. He slept in longer than usual as he’d had some very strange dreams that kept waking him up. During one of them, he dreamed he was getting married. All of Mimi’s family was there, even though she wasn’t the bride. As he stood at the altar waiting, the wedding march began and a woman heavily veiled in white tulle walked up the aisle toward him.

  For the life of him, he didn’t know who she was and he kept staring at her face trying to see beneath the multiple layers of her headpiece. When the minister pronounced them man and wife, he turned to her, lifted the fabric and gasped at what he saw. The person under the veil was a man with dirty blond hair, a goatee, and two broken front teeth. He smiled at Richard and said, “Name’s Bertram. Bloody chuffed to meet you, mate.”

  Richard had a hard time getting back to sleep after that and wound up zoning out to C-Span for a couple of hours while he tried to figure out what in the heck his dream meant. He knew he wasn’t attracted to men, so why had he dreamed he was marrying one? He dissected his thoughts to see if the vision was symbolic of something else, but he came up dry. When he finally fell back to sleep, he was greeted by more crazy visions, although luckily they didn’t follow him into consciousness like the one where he’d married Bertram.

  Richard was invited to Mimi’s sister Renée’s house for lunch. The bride and bridesmaids were assembling there to get ready, so a sumptuous buffet had been set up. A few special others had been asked to share the pre-wedding hours with them.

  Richard spent his time talking to Mimi’s sisters. Muffy was the youngest. She was the tennis pro at the local country club. Ginger was one year older than Mimi, newly pregnant with triplets, and married to Mimi’s boss. She didn’t look very well and he later found out one of the babies was in distress. Renée, the oldest, was a famous ex-model turned fashion designer. Surprisingly, every one of the sisters was as beautiful as she was down-to-earth. Richard couldn’t imagine such a genetic jackpot.

  Elliot was nowhere to be seen as he was staying away from the bride until the ceremony. The night before, Richard spoke with the groom and shared a few tense moments of conversation. It seemed while Elliot was doing his best to be civil, he was not pleased to have Richard in the wedding party. Richard could have cared less as he was doing it for Mimi.

  Richard sat out on the veranda next to the lunch buffet and watched as the caterers transformed Renée’s backyard into a paradise. The pool had been drained and refilled for the swans that were being delivered. Lily pads were being set afloat and candles were being placed into mini crystal chandeliers that were being hung from the trees.

  A tent the size of the Ringling Brother Circus was being erected in the middle of the backyard and fairy lights were being strung like a canopy of stars. Richard thought it looked more like the preparations for a coronation than a wedding reception. He was delighted for his friend. She deserved to have such a beautiful celebration in her honor.

  Richard excused himself after a couple of hours to go back to the hotel and get ready for the evening ahead. He figured he’d have time for a short nap and maybe a swim in the pool before he needed to shower and put on his tuxedo. Even though his date with Chantal had gone well, he was still looking forward to meeting Mimi’s friends. Maybe a wedding really was the perfect place to meet your future spouse. There would certainly be enough romance in the air.

  Pip walked up to Renée’s house grumbling, “For God’s sake, Bertram, why does this have to be done before the wedding? Why can’t I tell her after she’s said her vows and can’t back out on the grounds she’s marrying into crazy people?”

  Bertram replied, “It’s a time sensitive message, love; it has to be passed on before she walks down the aisle.”

  Before Pip could even ring the bell, the door was opened by Elliot’s future wife. She stood in a white spa robe and exclaimed, “Philippa, I’m so glad you’re here! I’m sorry I didn’t think to ask you to join us. Come in, come in.”

  Pip mumbled, “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to intrude on your preparations. I’m just here to deliver a message.”

  “A message? From whom?” Mimi asked.

  Pip liked Mimi on sight. She wasn’t just beautiful on the outside, she was cheerful and kind, and madly in love with Elliot. She was absolutely perfect for her brother and she didn’t want to do anything to make her feel less than happy about joining the Fielding family.

  But she was there to share a message with the bride and she had to do it, so she asked, “Is there somewhere we can sit down?” Mimi looked alarmed, which wasn’t a good sign. She led Pip into the library and gestured for her to sit on the sofa.

  “Mimi,” Pip began, “your grandma Sissy is thrilled for you and she asked me to give you this.” Then she handed her a rubber frog.

  Mimi reluctantly took the frog and murmured, “Um, thank you?” Then she looked around nervously like she was looking for something to defend herself with in case Pip lunged at her.

  Pip couldn’t stand how her soon-to-be sister-in-law looked at her and declared, “Fecking bloody bollocks of a thing, isn’t it?”

  Mimi practically cowered and replied, “Please don’t hurt me.”

  Elliot’s sister demanded, “Hurt you? Why in the world would I hurt you?”

  Of course Mimi couldn’t really answer that. She just knew something strange was going on. Her dead grandmother had a message for her and Elliot’s sister just handed her a rubber frog. Nothing was making sense.

  Pip asked, “Mimi, do I look like a person that would do you harm?” She added, “I’m not here to hurt you. I’m just here to deliver a message from your grandmother.”

  “Um, Philippa, thank you for that, but my grandmother has been dead for several years,” Mimi said.

  Her future sister-in-law answered, “Of course she’s dead. How else would I have spoken to her?”

  Mimi had absolutely no idea what was going on, so she asked, “Philippa, are you dead?”

  That was the last straw for Pip. She yelled, “Of course I’m not dead!”

  Mimi stood silently for a moment when the song “Unchained Melody” popped into her head. She remembered loving that song from the movie Ghost. That’s when she put two and two together and asked, “Philippa, do you see dead people?”

  “Finally!” Pip exclaimed. “Yes, I see dead people and I pass on their messages to whomever they tell me to.” She explained, “I’ve had this hellish responsibility since I was a child.”

  Mimi clapped her hands together and burst into laughter. “But that’s wonderful!” she exclaimed. “I understand now!”

  “Wonderful?” Pip demanded. “You’ve been acting like I’m Jack the Ripper. Do you think you’re the only one to react like that? I get this response ninety-nine percent of the time I go up to a complete stranger and share a communication from their dead loved one. This is not wonderful, let me assure you.”

  “But what an amazing gift!” Mimi declared. “Being able
to pass on messages of love is just incredible.”

  “There not all messages of love,” Pip replied. “I’ve been known to share communications that have left me running for my life, let me tell you.”

  “Oh Pip, I’m so sorry, that must be terrible for you. But thank you for passing on my grandma’s message. I find it very comforting that she’s here and knows about Elliot.” Then she asked, “What’s up with the frog, though?”

  She replied, “Sissy says that when you were a little girl, you bought yourself a rubber frog in hopes that one day it would turn into your handsome prince. It’s just a little joke.”

  Mimi burst into laughter, “Oh my gosh, I remember that now! I never told anyone about Rupert!” Then she asked, “Gran, will you walk me down the aisle?”

  Pip didn’t have to share the answer because Mimi’s whole body felt consumed by light. She already knew the answer was yes.

  The Wedding

  Chapter 26

  The church was filled to capacity with people eager to celebrate the union of Mimi Finnegan and Elliot Fielding. Hundreds of candles lit the sanctuary, giving it an otherworldly glow, almost as if they’d all been transported into a fairy-tale realm. Time ceased to exist. Pip sat back and watched as more and more people entered; most of them were living, but several were from the afterlife. They were all dressed to the nines with broad smiles adorning their expectant faces.

  Mimi’s grandparents were there as well as hers and Elliot’s. She recognized a cousin killed in childhood, and a friend of her brother’s from university who’d passed in a motor accident. Pip’s gaze went to the side of the sanctuary as Elliot and the groomsmen processed in. She recognized the best man as Kevin, one of Mimi’s closest friends. Next came two of Elliot’s friends from London, followed by possibly the most breathtaking man Pip had ever laid eyes on.

  He was well over six feet tall, built like a Greek god, and had dark hair she wanted to run her fingers through. She suddenly wanted to get out of her seat and walk over to see how he smelled. Her reaction was positively primal. She’d have to make sure to meet him after the ceremony.

  The congregation stood as a string quartet began to play Pachelbel’s, “Canon in D.” The bridesmaids were Mimi’s sisters along with a rather matronly looking middle-aged woman. The last seemed an odd choice and didn’t quite fit the normal stereotype of bridesmaid, but Pip assumed she must be very important to Mimi, what with her being in the wedding.

  The flower girl was Renée’s daughter, Camille, and she was the last to process before the bride. She put on quite an endearing show, walking a few steps and dropping her rose petals before turning around to retrieve them, loudly declaring, “Mommy says I have to pick up my messes.”

  After everyone one was settled at the altar, a trumpeter stood and began the majestic strains of Purcell’s, “Trumpet Voluntary.” All eyes turned to the bride. Mimi was radiant as she held her father’s arm to start her journey to Elliot’s side. No one could take their eyes off of her. Pip was especially happy to see an older woman, adorned in wedding finery, standing on the bride’s other side. Pip knew this was Mimi’s grandma, Sissy, and she could tell how proud she was of her granddaughter.

  The vows were written by the bride and groom and they were so meaningful and full of love they brought tears to every eye in the congregation. Pip’s throat was thick with emotion. She couldn’t imagine an event like this in her honor. It made the whole ceremony bittersweet to witness.

  Family pictures were taken at Renée’s house following the service as the reception started. Waiters passed champagne and hors d’oeuvres to the guests and general merriment abounded. No opportunity presented itself for Pip to be introduced to the gorgeous groomsman that had caught her eye during the wedding ceremony.

  Seated with her parents and two of Mimi’s sisters, Pip looked across the tent at the mystery hunk. He was ensconced at a table with several attentive and apparently single women. Why, she wondered, had no one thought to put her at that table?

  The wedding coordinator cued the band director to play a few notes to get everyone’s attention before announcing, “May I have your attention, please! It’s my honor to present Mr. and Mrs. Elliot Fielding!” The crowd went wild when Mimi and Elliot strolled in, hand-in-hand.

  The newlyweds smiled brilliantly and waved to their adoring audience. Elliot thanked everyone for coming and bade them to eat, drink, and be merry. Pip saw Bertram walk toward her at that moment and decided to head him off at the pass. She excused herself from the table and moved toward the outer perimeter of the tent. Her contact followed her lead.

  When he caught up to her, he announced, “You look a treat, love, very pretty indeed.”

  Pip thanked him and offered, “You look pretty gorgeous yourself. Really, Bertram, I think you need to wear a tuxedo every time you show up. It would give me such a lift.”

  He laughed, “Alas, I don’t think so, love. But it’s nice to be appreciated.”

  Pip said, “I assume you’re not here to make small talk.” Then she asked, “Who’s the lucky recipient of a tonight’s message?”

  Bertram smiled, “His name is Richard Bingham. Do you know him?”

  Pip shook her head. “I don’t, but I’m sure Mimi will point him out to me.” Then she directed, “Come on. Let’s get this over with so I can enjoy my night.”

  Pip caught her sister-in-law’s eye and Mimi stood up to meet her halfway. She asked, “Pip, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you sitting at your table eating?”

  Elliot’s sister groaned in reply, “I have another message to deliver.”

  “Oh yeah, who’s the lucky guest?”

  Pip rolled her eyes, “Only you would think this was a good thing.” Then she added, “His name’s Richard Bingham.”

  “Richard?” Mimi gasped. “Who wants to send Richard a message?”

  “I’m not allowed to tell you and before you ask, I can’t tell you what the message is, either. It’s part of the rules.”

  “I hadn’t considered there might be rules. What happens if you tell?”

  “I get horrid spots if I refuse to share a communication and if I tell someone else about a message not meant for them, the punishment is . . .” —she whispered the rest— “explosive diarrhea. Remind me to tell you how I found that out, worst first date, ever. Now, would you be so good as to point Richard out to me?”

  Mimi excitedly replied, “I’ll do better than that, I’ll take you to him.”

  Pip realized she was being led straight toward the gorgeous groomsman she’d hoped to meet. Instead of being delighted, she was full of dread. She looked at Bertram and begged, “Bertram, please, please don’t let it be the Adonis from the wedding party. Please!”

  Bertram shrugged, “Sorry, love. I don’t have any say in this. Just know, I feel really bad about everything and if it were up to me, you wouldn’t have to be the one to deliver this particular message.”

  Pip had no opportunity to respond as Mimi had just stopped in front of Richard. Good Lord, he was even more gorgeous close up. How was that even possible? Pip wanted to lap him up like a bowl of cream.

  Richard looked up mid-bite to greet Mimi. She didn’t give him a chance to say anything, instead she jumped right in and offered, “Richard, I’d like you to meet Elliot’s sister, Philippa.” To Pip, she added, “This is my dear friend, Richard Bingham.”

  Neither one said anything right away. But they could both feel the air around them as it crackled with electricity, like a violent storm brewing. Richard finally stood and offered, “It’s nice to meet you, Philippa.”

  Mimi didn’t know what was going on. She assumed Richard would invite Pip to join him, but he did no such thing. So she asked, “Richard, would you please be a dear and show Pip up to the house? She needs an aspirin.”

  Richard wasn’t sure why Mimi asked him. He didn’t know his way around Renée’s house and he certainly didn’t know where she kept her aspirin, but he didn’t want to appear rude. So he offe
red Philippa his arm, and responded, “I’d be delighted.”

  Pip started a prayer in her head. “Dear God, please, please, please, please, please, let him take the message well. Please,” she added for good measure.

  Richard led the way up to Renée’s house and neither he nor Philippa spoke a word. Richard didn’t know what to make of Elliot’s sister. His initial thought was to disregard her entirely as there’s no way he wanted anything to do with the Englishman’s family. But this woman was totally and completely unexpected. Not only was she decidedly beautiful and elegant, but he felt drawn to her in a way he hadn’t felt before and quite frankly, it scared him.

  Bertram talked to Pip the entire way up to the house. He said things like, “Come on, love, you can do it.” And asked inane questions like, “Isn’t this what you’ve been asking for?”

  When Pip learned what the message was, she was livid. In fact, livid was too tame of a word for what she was feeling. She was irate, she felt murderous, and she was so furious she was sure she was popping blood vessels at an alarming rate. It was a good thing Bertram was already dead or she would have happily helped him shed his mortal coil right then and there.

  When Richard and Pip got to the house, he finally declared, “I’m sorry, I have no idea where the aspirin is.”

  Elliot’s sister inhaled deeply and replied, “That’s okay. I don’t really have a headache.” The look of confusion on his face was actually painful to witness. Pip knew this was the last moment Richard Bingham would look at her as a semi-normal human being. She wanted to savor it and make it last for months. More than ever before she wished she could just walk away without sharing any message at all. The only thing that kept her from doing it was that she knew how horrible the spots could be and how terribly they could itch. And since they lived on different continents, she knew it was either now or never.