Page 109 of Starrily

“Why can’t you save him? Why couldn’t you save Mila?”

Mom picked a blade of grass and twirled it between her fingers. “What we do—your Nana’s readings, Phoebe contacting the other side, all of it—we do it only to bring more light and love into the world. We do it to make people happier, not to make them suffer. If a reading didn’t want to show Mila’s destiny, that’s how it was meant to be. And if her spirit didn’t want to be contacted, we have to respect it and not do anything by force.”

Callie lowered her gaze to the steps of the porch. A tear slid down her cheek, hitting and seeping into the wood.

“I know it might go against your creed,” Mom said. “But there are some questions we’ll never have the answers to.”

Callie breathed out and waited for the anger to come; for everything she’d never dealt with—her memories, her disappointments, her losses—to wash over her and burst out like a tsunami. But instead, she only felt weak. Exhausted from fighting, ignoring, denying. So she swayed into her mother’s arms and let her hold her and caress her hair.

“It’s all right, baby. It’s all right,” Mom cooed.

“I’m sorry.”

“You’ve nothing to be sorry for. You had to go your own way. Figures one of us would get tired of the ‘mumbo-jumbo’ eventually.”

Callie laughed softly. “I never answered your messages.”

“But you saw them, and that’s enough for me. I only needed to know that you knew we cared.”

Callie squeezed Mom’s hand. “I wish I could say a proper goodbye to Mila.”

“You still can.”

“But you said her spirit doesn’t want to be contacted.”

“That’s right.” Mom lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. “But you can still go talk to her.”

***

The next day, Raleigh went to visit the Guidrys again, taking Shanna with him.

“Raleigh.” Phoebe opened the door. “I hate to disappoint you, but we’re not ready yet. You gotta give us time to get our mojos together.”

“That’s okay.” Raleigh shared a confirming glance with Shanna, then looked back at Phoebe. “You said you could talk to ghosts. Could you help me talk with Simon?”

Phoebe’s eyes widened.

“If you think it’s safe for Simon,” Shanna added.

“It shouldn’t hurt him, no. Alrighty then, get in, you two.” She led them to the living room and shouted to the top of the stairs, “I’m gonna need half an hour of peace and quiet down here.”

“Why?” Iris’s voice came from upstairs.

“I’m talking to ghosts.”

“Sure, you do your thing!”

Shanna looked at Raleigh with a hint of a smile and shrugged.

Phoebe swept some papers off the table and covered it in a deep purple velvet cloth. She lit candles and incense, similar to what Iris had done for Raleigh’s examination. Shanna gave her the locket, hesitating for a second; and then Phoebe sat on one side of the table, and Raleigh on the other.

“Won’t you sit, honey?” Phoebe said to Shanna.

“Oh, I … I’ll let you talk in private. Guy stuff and all that,” Shanna said. “I’ll see him soon enough any—” Her eyes met Raleigh’s, and she gave him an awkward smile.

“As you wish,” Phoebe said and turned to Raleigh. “Give me a moment. I need to focus.”

Shanna left the room. Raleigh sat still, afraid to even take too loud of a breath.