say as he gets out of the car.
He bends down to look in, “Yeah Tim said his brother would pick us up later and bring me home.”
“ OK, see ya, and Chad?” He looks at me and raises his eyebrows. “Be good, alright? Don’t go and do anything dumb.”
He says, “Thanks Mom,” sarcastically and shuts the door. He might seem touch but I can see the smile playing on his face as I drive away.
I speed into work and park behind the old building on the town square. There’s an iron statue in the middle of the square of two brothers, a confederate and union solider shaking hands. I always look at it and wonder what it must have been like back then. I also think about what their mother must have felt, her two sons going to war, against each other.
I’ve never told Chad about my gift. Actually I’ve never told anyone. But I don’t think Chad can do what I can, so that puts us on opposite sides of a line. Like the two brothers in the statue, I think we would have different views. Mine would be that ghosts are special and we’re lucky to help them, his would be that I am totally bananas.
The back door chimes as I come in the shop. Olivia is behind the counter talking on the phone. Sounds like she’s making a deal for consignment.
“ Well if you can have it in by Wednesday we can work something out, but if not then we’ll have to fill the space with someone else.” She sounds impatient; this must have been a long conversation.
“ OK that sounds fine. We’ll see you Tuesday afternoon. As always, thank you for calling McEwyen’s Antiques.” She hangs up the phone and looks at me.
“ Hey! Cute sweater.” I look down at my outfit, a long brown sweater with leggings and boots. I’m a firm believer that boots should be worn all year, they’re too comfortable not to.
“ Thanks,” I say smiling. “Busy today?”
She turns toward the register, “I wish. I am sooo bored. Mom and Dad are away so I have to man the shop all weekend. I’m stoked you’re working today. I had a great time at your place the other night; maybe we can have a repeat tonight? I have the whole place to myself.”
We did have a good time on Thursday but I have plans tonight. “I’m watching Chad, sorry. Mom’s busy so I’m in charge. You know that means no sleepovers. My mom is so strict.” It’s a harmless lie.
She nods looks bummed but she suddenly grabs her bag. “Well then we’ll have to look at my surprise now!” She holds up a Teen Vogue, the prom edition. She continues, “We can look at dresses for Senior Shuffle. I can’t believe it’s coming up so soon! We’ll be graduates!”
“ I know! I’m so glad they ditched prom and made this party just for seniors, it feels so much more, I don’t know, exclusive or something,” I say as I hop up on one of the stools behind the counter. I’m looking for any reason to not think about my life right now or the shambles it’s in. Besides, I can hardly contain how excited I am to see Jeremy tonight and I certainly can’t discuss any of that with Liv. She’s my best friend, but I’ve never told her about my gift.
When I was younger I was afraid of what I could do. Jeremy always tried to make me feel better about it, but deep down, I was just plain scared. What if someone learned of my secret? How would they treat me? Would my mom put me in the loony bin? I’ve asked myself these questions a million times. Now that I’m older, I just want to fit in, have a normal life. And although having a missing dad makes it so you’re never quite normal, I still felt like I was on the right track. But ever since Wendy showed up my life has snowballed into a crazy mess. The worst part is I can’t tell Olivia any of this, I can’t tell anyone any of this. I feel kind of alone.
I focus on the magazine and gaze at the glossy pictures. The beautiful girls with their matching jewelry and shoes stand out to me. Hair piled
He bends down to look in, “Yeah Tim said his brother would pick us up later and bring me home.”
“ OK, see ya, and Chad?” He looks at me and raises his eyebrows. “Be good, alright? Don’t go and do anything dumb.”
He says, “Thanks Mom,” sarcastically and shuts the door. He might seem touch but I can see the smile playing on his face as I drive away.
I speed into work and park behind the old building on the town square. There’s an iron statue in the middle of the square of two brothers, a confederate and union solider shaking hands. I always look at it and wonder what it must have been like back then. I also think about what their mother must have felt, her two sons going to war, against each other.
I’ve never told Chad about my gift. Actually I’ve never told anyone. But I don’t think Chad can do what I can, so that puts us on opposite sides of a line. Like the two brothers in the statue, I think we would have different views. Mine would be that ghosts are special and we’re lucky to help them, his would be that I am totally bananas.
The back door chimes as I come in the shop. Olivia is behind the counter talking on the phone. Sounds like she’s making a deal for consignment.
“ Well if you can have it in by Wednesday we can work something out, but if not then we’ll have to fill the space with someone else.” She sounds impatient; this must have been a long conversation.
“ OK that sounds fine. We’ll see you Tuesday afternoon. As always, thank you for calling McEwyen’s Antiques.” She hangs up the phone and looks at me.
“ Hey! Cute sweater.” I look down at my outfit, a long brown sweater with leggings and boots. I’m a firm believer that boots should be worn all year, they’re too comfortable not to.
“ Thanks,” I say smiling. “Busy today?”
She turns toward the register, “I wish. I am sooo bored. Mom and Dad are away so I have to man the shop all weekend. I’m stoked you’re working today. I had a great time at your place the other night; maybe we can have a repeat tonight? I have the whole place to myself.”
We did have a good time on Thursday but I have plans tonight. “I’m watching Chad, sorry. Mom’s busy so I’m in charge. You know that means no sleepovers. My mom is so strict.” It’s a harmless lie.
She nods looks bummed but she suddenly grabs her bag. “Well then we’ll have to look at my surprise now!” She holds up a Teen Vogue, the prom edition. She continues, “We can look at dresses for Senior Shuffle. I can’t believe it’s coming up so soon! We’ll be graduates!”
“ I know! I’m so glad they ditched prom and made this party just for seniors, it feels so much more, I don’t know, exclusive or something,” I say as I hop up on one of the stools behind the counter. I’m looking for any reason to not think about my life right now or the shambles it’s in. Besides, I can hardly contain how excited I am to see Jeremy tonight and I certainly can’t discuss any of that with Liv. She’s my best friend, but I’ve never told her about my gift.
When I was younger I was afraid of what I could do. Jeremy always tried to make me feel better about it, but deep down, I was just plain scared. What if someone learned of my secret? How would they treat me? Would my mom put me in the loony bin? I’ve asked myself these questions a million times. Now that I’m older, I just want to fit in, have a normal life. And although having a missing dad makes it so you’re never quite normal, I still felt like I was on the right track. But ever since Wendy showed up my life has snowballed into a crazy mess. The worst part is I can’t tell Olivia any of this, I can’t tell anyone any of this. I feel kind of alone.
I focus on the magazine and gaze at the glossy pictures. The beautiful girls with their matching jewelry and shoes stand out to me. Hair piled
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