The Favor

by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

  “Sure, as long as it’s not pizza. My stomach was a wreck in the middle of the night from that stuff last night.”

  “I heard.”

  She blushed. “Sorry about that.”

  “Barnaby’s is pizza, but it’s a great thin crust. You’d love it.”

  “I think a bowl of soup and a salad would be better.”

  I glanced at her and furrowed my brow. “You’re from New Jersey. Pizza’s a staple there.”

  “Yes, good New York style pizza, not the kind y’all have here.”

  “Don’t say that out loud in public. They’ll kick you out of the state.”

  “Suits me fine.”

  I turned into the main entrance for Stonebridge Apartments, where my mother and I lived after my parents’ divorce. “There you go.” I drove to the back of the 700 building. “We’re home.”

  “This is where you lived?”

  “Yup, for a while. Then we moved to a condo, but this is where I spent the bulk of my high school years.”

  “Which one?”

  “It’s on the right side of this part of the building. Second floor. Obviously, they’ve removed the plaque to clean it.”

  “Right.”

  “That’s what my dad used to say about the house where he was born.”

  “Your dad deserved a plaque, you, not so much.”

  “Feeling the love.”

  I followed the street out and exited the complex, pointing out Barnaby’s and sighing. “I wish Atlanta had good pizza.”

  “Me, too.”

  Up on the right was the cemetery. I pointed to it. “That’s where the partying on dead people happened.”

  “Aren’t you going to go in?”

  “You’re not serious, are you?”

  “Why not? Maybe you can remember whose grave you partied on and apologize or something?”

  “I think I’ll stick to passing by. The last thing I need is a bunch of angry spirits whose graves were stomped on by countless drunk high schoolers taking out their frustration on me.”

  “It might be fun.”

  “Good grief.”

  “I bet they were fun parties though. I’m sure everyone got the crap scared out of them at some point.”

  “I do remember a Halloween party we had there one year. This guy came as a ghost. He painted his face and entire body white and wore nothing but a pair of tighty-whities.”

  “I bet that was hot.”

  “He was cute, that’s for sure.”

  As I drove by, an uneasy feeling crept up my spine and settled on the back of my neck. I knew I’d made the right decision, not going in there. The spirits remembered, they definitely remembered.

  Mel sipped her coffee. “So, what’s your favorite memory from here?”

  “Favorite memory?” I made an illegal U-turn at the next light and headed back past the cemetery again. The uneasy feeling making a second appearance. “That’s a tough question.”

  “I’ve got time.”

  “Obviously.” I thought about that for a bit and then said, “I have a few, but they’re kind of random.”

  “They’re probably the first random things about you, Mrs. Type A.”

  “Truth.”

  “Well, go ahead.”

  “One is about my dad. He’d come to visit from Indianapolis, and we’d go to this restaurant he liked. I don’t remember the name, but as a matter of fact, it was right up there on the left. One time the host asked where he and his girlfriend would like to sit. I was equal parts grossed out and amazed.”

  “That’s sick.”

  “My dad looked young for his age.”

  “You were like what, fifteen?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Young is one thing, but pedophile is something different. Clearly the dude needed glasses.”

  “Nice.”

  “That’s a sweet memory, but I want the dirty ones.”

  “I’m not sharing those.”

  “Come on, give me something good.”

  I sighed, resolved to the fact that she wouldn’t stop until I could give her something that satisfied the teenage rebel in her. “Nancy and I used to order pizza from La Roman Kitchens and drink champagne and orange juice with it and sit in my room and talk about guys.”

  “Too basic.”

  “We went to a midnight showing of Tommy or whatever that movie was called. We were so drunk we passed out the minute we sat down. Didn’t see a single scene in the movie.”

  “You led a really boring high school life, didn’t you?”

  “We had an open campus for three periods a day.”

  “Woo hoo. I bet you partied like crazy during those, didn’t you?”

  “I might have skipped fourth period to have lunch with Nancy a time or twenty my sophomore year.”

  “You crazy woman. Did you smoke behind the school?”

  “How’d you know that’s where the smokers went?”

  “Because it was like that at practically every high school.”

  “I wasn’t a smoker, so no, but I did talk to a few people that smoked back in the day. I wasn’t as judgey about it then.”

  “Like you are now, you smoke-free snob.”

  Ma popped into the backseat. “Smoking gave me the big C. You better not be doing that.”

  “I’m not, Ma. Geez.”

  Mel smirked. “Hey Fran, how’s it hanging?”

  “Tell her crooked.”

  I laughed, but I told Mel what she’d said.

  “I love your mom.”

  “You may have mentioned that a time or two.”

  “I got news for you,” Ma said.

  “What?”

  “The kid, he tried to go to the boat with the killer—”

  “He’s not a killer, Ma.”

  “Whatever. Anyway, he tried to go, but the wife that coulda been you, she stopped him.”

  “Thanks for the update.”

  “That’s not the update. The update is he snuck out and went anyway.”

  “Well, he can’t ski because we took all the handles, so that’s good.”

  “Yah, but just in case, I made sure he couldn’t ski no matter what.”

  My eyes widened. I was afraid to ask, but I had to. “Oh Lord, what did you do?”

  “Nothing too dangerous. He ain’t hurt or nothing.”

  “Tell me.”

  “You’re gonna be upset. You’re such a tight butt about stuff, I don’t want you yellin’ at me.”

  “I’m not going to yell at you.”

  “You just did.”

  “Because you’re making me mad.”

  “Add some more mad to that, and pretend I told you.”

  “Please just tell me. I need to be prepared.”

  “All’s I did was give him a flat tire, that’s all. No biggie. He’s fine. Mighta ran off the road a bit, but he didn’t get hurt, and he sure ain’t trying to go to the boat now.”

  I gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands. “Is he okay? Tell me the truth.”

  “Yah, he’s fine. Just a little shaken, but he needed a swift kick in the backside. Now he’s back home, and everything’s fine. I saved another one.”

  I couldn’t even respond to that.

  Brian interrupted our almost argument. “He’s at the office. Go there. You can talk to him there.”

  “Who?”

  “Dan.”

  “Shouldn’t he be at his boat getting ready to meet Bradley?”

  “He was headed there when Brian called, so he went to the office instead. Go.”

  “And say what? That I know what he did?”

  Brian had shimmered into the backseat next to my mother, and he stayed there, not saying a word for a solid minute.

  “Hello?”

  “You’re right. You can’t go there. I don’t know what to do. I just don’t want those handles on the market.”

  “And I’m sure Sue will make sure that doesn’t happen. We’ve got this under control, Brian. It’ll
be okay.”

  * * *

  At three o’clock, both Mel and I were dressed and ready to attend Brian’s wake. I, however, was nervous and for a lot of reasons. I sat on the bed and pouted.

  “What?” Mel asked.

  “This is going to be so weird. I don’t wanna go.”

  “Yes, you do. You’re doing the right thing. You don’t want to let Brian down, do you?”

  “No, but still. Sue’s going to be upset that I’m there, and I don’t want to create a scene. She told me not to come.”

  “Then you tell her Brian asked you to. She’ll understand.”

  “It’s not quite that simple, Mel.”

  “Yes, it is. She knows you can see him, and whether she likes it or not, she knows you’re going to do what he asks of you. It’s your job.”

  “Sometimes I wish I worked at Target.”

  “The discount would be nice.”

  “I know, right?”

  Ma laughed. “Walmart’s better. It’s not overpriced like that fancy Target is.”

  “Seriously, Ma. Can’t you knock?”

  “What’s the fun in that?”

  I sighed and asked Mel if she was ready to go.

  “As I’ll ever be.”

  We drove to Glueckert Funeral Home and sat in the parking lot.

  “Have I mentioned how much I hate funeral homes?”

  “I can’t recall,” Mel said as she winked at me.

  “Seriously, they suck.”

  “They pretty much do for everyone.”

  “Well, I know that, but I mean they suck extra for me.”

  “I’m sure they do, but you’re doing a good thing.”

  I got out of the car and hooked my purse strap over my shoulder. “Let’s hope Sue feels the same.”

  I tiptoed in the front entrance with Mel on one side of me, and my mother on the other. Once inside, I took a deep breath and did my routine to at least partially close my psychic door, though, in a place like that, I knew a few would sneak around it.

  Mel scanned the foyer. “Wow, they’re all practically identical, aren’t they?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Peaceful with a touch of depressed. Matching furniture, soft colors, calming music, and a lot of air freshener.”

  “Yup, you nailed it.”

  The sign inside the foyer said Brian’s viewing was in the third room down the hall. I kept my eyes glued to the floor as we ambled that direction.

  In front of me, two well shoed feet hovered slightly off the ground.

  “Crap. I knew it wouldn’t last.”

  “Is someone here?”

  I nodded as I slowly angled my head upward. “Yup, there’s someone here all right.”

  An old man with grayish black hair slicked back on the sides and wearing a black tuxedo hovered in front of me. The number of wrinkles on his face told me he was close to ancient when he passed. I had a gift, after all. I smiled at him. “Hello.”

  Mel moved in front of me.

  “A little to your left, please. You’re in his space.”

  She shifted to the side. She knew I’d want to appear to be talking to her, so she helped me out.

  “Hello, my dear,” the man said.

  “Is there something I can help you with?” I asked.

  He smiled. “You’re here for the Carey viewing?”

  “Yes, sir. Up on the right, correct?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I’ll be happy to escort you.”

  “Have you worked here long?”

  “I’m the original owner of Glueckert, though I did purchase it under another name originally.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, sir. You’ve got a lovely—” I didn’t quite know what to call it, “set up.”

  I asked Mel to scoot to my side again.

  He smiled as he floated next to me. “We have tried hard to bring peace to the families of the deceased. A comfortable, calm environment is important.”

  “And you’ve done just that.”

  “I have heard much about you, Ms. Panther. Your work is important. We thank you for it.”

  It never ceased to amaze me, my popularity among the dead. “Thank you. I’m just doing what I’m called to do.”

  He led us up to Brian’s viewing entrance. “Yes, well, if there is anything more I can do for you, please do not hesitate to ask.” With that, he shimmered away.

  I stood at the entrance and stared at the nearly full room.

  Mel gawked at the crowd. “Dude was popular, wasn’t he?”

  “Apparently so.”

  “You ready?”

  “No, but that’s irrelevant.”

  “Yup.” She took my hand and all but dragged me inside.

  We took a seat in the back corner, and I prayed I wouldn’t have to do anything but sit there.

  “That’s Dan, and he’s talking to the attorney.”

  So much for that prayer. I stood.

  “Where’re you going?” Mel asked.

  I flicked my head toward the other corner of the room. “Dan’s over there with the attorney. I’m going in.”

  She laughed as she stood. “I’ve got your back.”

  We ambled over there, me with my head down, hoping no one would recognize me, and Mel with her shoulders straight and back like she owned the place. We stood near them and made small talk as we listened to their conversation. I wasn’t sure what I needed to do, so I waited for a sign.

  Which I got fairly quick.

  “She called me this morning. She knows. I don’t know how she figured it out, but she’s onto us, Dan.”

  Dan swore. “What’d you say to her?”

  “I told her there was no way that would happen. You wouldn’t do that, but she insisted on stopping production. She owns the intellectual property and Brian’s portion of the company. I told you to make the split in your favor.”

  Dan ran his hand through his hair. “Damn it. I thought getting rid of him would make this easier.”

  Mel gasped, so I wrapped her in a hug and told her I was sorry about Brian. That was the only thing I could think of.

  As I held her, Brian appeared next to Dan, hollering at him. “You murdered me? I thought you were my friend!”

  I glared at him, and he shut up. I needed to hear what the men were saying.

  “Keep your voice down,” the attorney said. “You want people to find out?”

  Sue marched over and the poop really hit the fan. “You,” she screamed in Dan’s face. “You killed my Brian. You’re going to pay for it, too.”

  Dan stared at her, his jaw practically hitting the floor. “I…I—what?”

  She stabbed her finger into his chest, and the entire room full of people stared at them. “You switched the material on the handle. You knew it wouldn’t hold up, Brian told you, but you didn’t care, did you?” She shook her head. “Nope. All that mattered to you was the money, and now my husband’s dead.”

  “I…I…” Dan choked on his words. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He stretched his arms out to her and begged her to calm down. “Please, you know I wouldn’t do—”

  She slapped his arms away. “Don’t you touch me. I know what you did, and now everyone here knows. Now, get out. I don’t want you coming near my family ever again. You understand?”

  Dan pulled a pistol from the side of his pants and pointed it straight at Sue. “Watch what you say, Sue.”

  The attorney tried to calm him. “Dan, you don’t want to do this.”

  “Yes, I do.” He pointed the gun at the attorney, too. “You both think I’m going to lose?” He swung the gun back and forth between the two of them. “You think I’m stupid? Check the paperwork, big guy. She doesn’t own a thing.”

  Sue’s eyes widened. “What? How is that possible?”

  Dan laughed. “Money makes things happen, and I’ve got a lot of it.”

  Sue’s face reddened, and I knew I had to act fast because the rest of the people in the room just stood th
ere frozen. I jumped up in the air and kicked my left leg at his arm. The gun flew out of his grip and toward the crowd of people who scattered to the sides of the room.

  Dan stared at me and then dove toward the gun. The gun slid farther away, though I wasn’t sure which spirit did that. I dove at Dan and fell on top of him, punching him in the back as I screamed, “Call the police! Call the police!”

  Dan and I rolled on the smelly carpet, and he flipped around, gripped my neck with his strong hands and choked me. I couldn’t breathe. I yanked and pulled at his hands, but he was too strong for me. I tried to scream for help, but the words wouldn’t come.

  Mel came up behind Dan and smacked him in the side of the head with the gun. His grip loosened and down he went.

  “That’ll teach you to screw with my best friend,” she said. Her hands shook, but she held the gun at the attorney. “Don’t you even think about moving. I’ve got excellent aim.”

  * * *

  “Is he here?” Sue asked.

  I smiled. “On your left side.”

  She turned. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have behaved that way.” And to me, she said, “And I apologize to you, too.”

  “It’s okay. Everything’s going to be all right now.”

  “Brian didn’t sign those papers, I know it.”

  “I know,” I said. “He told me that. It’s going to be okay.”

  “How do you know?”

  Brian smiled at me. “A little birdie told me.”

  She sighed. “He doesn’t belong here anymore. I know that. I’m going to be okay.”

  I smiled.

  “Honey,” she smiled at where her husband hovered. “Go, be at peace.” She sniffled. “I love you.”

  Brian sniffled too. “But the party just got started.”

  I repeated that back and laughed while I did.

  Sue laughed too. “Look in there. Practically everyone you know is there for you, for me, for the kids. You were well loved, and you’ll always be loved. You don’t need to stick around. We’re going to be okay.”

  Wow, that was the first time a living soul other than me encouraged a dead soul to move on. I had to give the woman credit. She had some serious strength. I don’t think I could have done that.

  “The light has been bugging me,” Brian said.

  “Ah, so you see it now?”

  “Have the whole time, just didn’t want to admit that.”