Page 53
Story: A Midsummer Night's Ghost
Sara panicked. “Oh, crap, I need to hide. Anne scares me.”
With that, she took off.
“Why is she scared of Anne? Anne is so sweet,” Grandma said.
Why my grandmother thought that was beyond me.
Mary’s funeral was providing more mysteries than answers.
Or maybe I was just in a constant state of overthinking.
Maybe Lawson Hill was right. I was Nancy Drew-ing everything and didn’t need to be.
“I have a headache. I should have eaten before we came.”
“Let’s do the pretty and then we can leave,” Grandma said. “I’m bored.”
“That sounds good to me.”
“It’s probably the spooks giving you a headache. They can do that.”
That was definitely true.
“And where the hell is Jake?”
It turned out he was drinking beer in the parking lot with Clifford and half a dozen other men.
“Want one?” Clifford asked, reaching in and flipping the lid of a cooler up.
“No, I’m good, thanks. I have a rule not to drink anything that comes out of a trunk.”
“Don’t you put your groceries in the trunk?” a man smoking a cigar asked.
They all cackled.
“We’re ready to go,” I told Jake. “Unless you want to go in.”
“No, I gave Clifford my condolences.”
Clifford put his hand on his heart. “He did. My sweet, sweet Mary. God rest her soul. Thank you all for coming. It means a lot to an old buzzard like me.”
“I’m so sorry, really.”
“Thank you for putting all that pressure on my gut, too, Bailey. You were a trooper.” He flipped open his suit jacket. “Almost as good as new.”
Clifford sounded slightly drunk, which made me think there was harder stuff than beer in that trunk. Or maybe he was on painkillers.
We finished up our goodbyes, Grandma giving Clifford a sympathetic pat on the arm, and then I pulled the keys out of my purse.
Jake held his hand out for them.
“You’ve been drinking.”
“I had half a beer.”
“You can’t get pulled over. I can’t afford the house if you lose your job.” I eyed the parking lot. “Where is the car?”
“What’s wrong?”
With that, she took off.
“Why is she scared of Anne? Anne is so sweet,” Grandma said.
Why my grandmother thought that was beyond me.
Mary’s funeral was providing more mysteries than answers.
Or maybe I was just in a constant state of overthinking.
Maybe Lawson Hill was right. I was Nancy Drew-ing everything and didn’t need to be.
“I have a headache. I should have eaten before we came.”
“Let’s do the pretty and then we can leave,” Grandma said. “I’m bored.”
“That sounds good to me.”
“It’s probably the spooks giving you a headache. They can do that.”
That was definitely true.
“And where the hell is Jake?”
It turned out he was drinking beer in the parking lot with Clifford and half a dozen other men.
“Want one?” Clifford asked, reaching in and flipping the lid of a cooler up.
“No, I’m good, thanks. I have a rule not to drink anything that comes out of a trunk.”
“Don’t you put your groceries in the trunk?” a man smoking a cigar asked.
They all cackled.
“We’re ready to go,” I told Jake. “Unless you want to go in.”
“No, I gave Clifford my condolences.”
Clifford put his hand on his heart. “He did. My sweet, sweet Mary. God rest her soul. Thank you all for coming. It means a lot to an old buzzard like me.”
“I’m so sorry, really.”
“Thank you for putting all that pressure on my gut, too, Bailey. You were a trooper.” He flipped open his suit jacket. “Almost as good as new.”
Clifford sounded slightly drunk, which made me think there was harder stuff than beer in that trunk. Or maybe he was on painkillers.
We finished up our goodbyes, Grandma giving Clifford a sympathetic pat on the arm, and then I pulled the keys out of my purse.
Jake held his hand out for them.
“You’ve been drinking.”
“I had half a beer.”
“You can’t get pulled over. I can’t afford the house if you lose your job.” I eyed the parking lot. “Where is the car?”
“What’s wrong?”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76