touched by professional hands. And those glasses she wore were absolutely gross. Nobody wore tortoiseshell frames any more.
The medium was still talking. ‘We know there is a world beyond our own, a world of mystical mystery and energy which we can never understand. And in this spirit world, there is great wisdom.’
Amanda tuned out again. What about that kid, Stevie? She had serious doubts about him. He might look young and innocent, but that story of his was just too crazy to be true.
Cassandra continued, in a soft monotone. ‘We seek you, oh spirits who dwell beyond our comprehension. We bid you come closer to accept our pleas.’
Yeah, whatever, Amanda thought. She was still more interested in scoping out Stevie. What was his deal? Why would he make up a story like that? She couldn’t think of a reason. Unless, maybe, he was hoping someone somewhere had lost a winning lottery ticket, and some dead person would tell Cassandra where it was. It seemed like a far-fetched scheme though.
Cassandra’s voice rose. ‘I am being contacted! A spirit from the world beyond wishes to connect with one of our group.’
Dahlia let out a little squeal. ‘Is he on a horse?’
‘No . . . and it’s not a “he”, it’s a female spirit.’
Amanda caught the flash of disappointment on Stevie’s face.
‘Maybe it’s my former mother-in-law,’ Dahlia mused. ‘Is she wearing a hoop skirt? It was during the Civil War. I was a Yankee from up north married to a southern boy, and his mother just hated me. It would be just like her to start haunting me now.’
‘No,’ the medium said, and her voice was a little sharper this time. ‘It’s not your mother-in-law. Please, I must have quiet. We could frighten her away. She will not come closer and identify herself unless we remain silent.’
Silence reigned at the table. Amanda wondered if Cassandra was really making contact with a dead person. She wished she knew what Ken was thinking. She’d have to wait till they left before she found out if he believed the medium was for real or not.
‘She is coming closer!’ the medium exclaimed softly. ‘She is speaking to me . . .’ She gasped. ‘It’s your mother, Margaret.’
‘Mama?’ the woman murmured.
‘Yes, yes, she is here, Margaret. What would you like to tell her?’
‘I miss you, Mama . . . Oh, why did you leave me?’
Amanda could hear the pain in her voice. She couldn’t imagine how she’d feel if her own mother died.
Cassandra spoke. ‘She says it was not her choice to leave you, Margaret.’
‘You were the only person I could trust, the only person I loved.’ Now Margaret was weeping. ‘I can’t bear this! I want to be with you.’
Amanda drew in her breath. This was so hard to hear. The poor woman – she was so sad!
‘Your mother says, don’t think like that. You mustn’t die – this is not your time. You must live, and keep her memory alive.’
‘But I’m all alone,’ Margaret wept. ‘You were the only person who cared about me, the only one who loved me. I ’m so lonely now . . .’
There was a lump in Amanda’s throat, and for a moment she thought she was going to burst into tears herself. And she wasn’t even thinking about how badly dressed Margaret was. This woman had absolutely nothing going for her. She was suffering, she was utterly despondent. Her words, her tears – they’d brought a cloud of sadness into the room and it was descending on Amanda . . .Wait – she recognized this feeling. She’d had it before.
Ohmigod, Ohmigod, oh no, oh no, this can’t be happening, not here, not now . . . She closed her eyes and concentrated fiercely. I don’t care about Margaret, she means nothing to me, I feel nothing for her . . .
But it was no use. She could feel it happening. And when she opened her eyes, she could feel a fringe tickling her forehead and she was looking through thick tortoiseshell frames. She was looking through someone else’s eyes. Margaret’s
The medium was still talking. ‘We know there is a world beyond our own, a world of mystical mystery and energy which we can never understand. And in this spirit world, there is great wisdom.’
Amanda tuned out again. What about that kid, Stevie? She had serious doubts about him. He might look young and innocent, but that story of his was just too crazy to be true.
Cassandra continued, in a soft monotone. ‘We seek you, oh spirits who dwell beyond our comprehension. We bid you come closer to accept our pleas.’
Yeah, whatever, Amanda thought. She was still more interested in scoping out Stevie. What was his deal? Why would he make up a story like that? She couldn’t think of a reason. Unless, maybe, he was hoping someone somewhere had lost a winning lottery ticket, and some dead person would tell Cassandra where it was. It seemed like a far-fetched scheme though.
Cassandra’s voice rose. ‘I am being contacted! A spirit from the world beyond wishes to connect with one of our group.’
Dahlia let out a little squeal. ‘Is he on a horse?’
‘No . . . and it’s not a “he”, it’s a female spirit.’
Amanda caught the flash of disappointment on Stevie’s face.
‘Maybe it’s my former mother-in-law,’ Dahlia mused. ‘Is she wearing a hoop skirt? It was during the Civil War. I was a Yankee from up north married to a southern boy, and his mother just hated me. It would be just like her to start haunting me now.’
‘No,’ the medium said, and her voice was a little sharper this time. ‘It’s not your mother-in-law. Please, I must have quiet. We could frighten her away. She will not come closer and identify herself unless we remain silent.’
Silence reigned at the table. Amanda wondered if Cassandra was really making contact with a dead person. She wished she knew what Ken was thinking. She’d have to wait till they left before she found out if he believed the medium was for real or not.
‘She is coming closer!’ the medium exclaimed softly. ‘She is speaking to me . . .’ She gasped. ‘It’s your mother, Margaret.’
‘Mama?’ the woman murmured.
‘Yes, yes, she is here, Margaret. What would you like to tell her?’
‘I miss you, Mama . . . Oh, why did you leave me?’
Amanda could hear the pain in her voice. She couldn’t imagine how she’d feel if her own mother died.
Cassandra spoke. ‘She says it was not her choice to leave you, Margaret.’
‘You were the only person I could trust, the only person I loved.’ Now Margaret was weeping. ‘I can’t bear this! I want to be with you.’
Amanda drew in her breath. This was so hard to hear. The poor woman – she was so sad!
‘Your mother says, don’t think like that. You mustn’t die – this is not your time. You must live, and keep her memory alive.’
‘But I’m all alone,’ Margaret wept. ‘You were the only person who cared about me, the only one who loved me. I ’m so lonely now . . .’
There was a lump in Amanda’s throat, and for a moment she thought she was going to burst into tears herself. And she wasn’t even thinking about how badly dressed Margaret was. This woman had absolutely nothing going for her. She was suffering, she was utterly despondent. Her words, her tears – they’d brought a cloud of sadness into the room and it was descending on Amanda . . .Wait – she recognized this feeling. She’d had it before.
Ohmigod, Ohmigod, oh no, oh no, this can’t be happening, not here, not now . . . She closed her eyes and concentrated fiercely. I don’t care about Margaret, she means nothing to me, I feel nothing for her . . .
But it was no use. She could feel it happening. And when she opened her eyes, she could feel a fringe tickling her forehead and she was looking through thick tortoiseshell frames. She was looking through someone else’s eyes. Margaret’s
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