Page 27 of Starrily (Perks of Being #2)

Chapter 27

T his was how Raleigh’s life ended.

Callie stared at the clapboard facade of her family house. When she’d brought him here, her biggest fear was facing her past. She never thought she’d now be at peace with it instead—but her heart would be afraid of the future.

She hoped her family’s experimental ritual would work, returning Raleigh to his old life. But either way, it was the end for them. She’d promised him she wouldn’t grieve, but for today and tomorrow and maybe still the day after, she deserved to mourn a little.

“Ready?” Raleigh stopped next to her and squeezed her hand.

“Let’s do it.”

Phoebe didn’t open the door this time; it was Mom, and she only glanced at them, nodded, then marched back to the living room.

“Are the preparations going well?” Raleigh asked, a good measure of doubt in his tone.

“They’re certainly underway,” Mom said from the living room.

The sound of retching came from upstairs.

“It doesn’t sound too good,” Shanna said, entering after Callie and Raleigh.

“How are we doing, Phoebe?” Nana’s voice also sounded from upstairs.

More retching, and a flush of the toilet.

“I see,” Nana said.

Torn between checking the upstairs (and scared of what she might see) and checking the situation in the living room (also scary), Callie went for the living room instead. “Mom, what’s happening?”

Mom walked around the room, consulting a book and arranging candles, statuettes, and flower petals. “I did a reading for Phoebe yesterday.”

That explained precisely nothing. “And?”

“It said she should try eating shrimp again for an ‘interesting experience.’”

“Isn’t Aunt allergic to shrimp?”

“I suppose that’s covered under ‘interesting experience,’” Raleigh said.

“I told her not to do it!” Mom waved her arm, and the leaves of the book rustled. “But no. She’s gotta try eating shrimp again.”

Callie didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Between Raleigh and Phoebe, she wouldn’t have bet on her aunt to be the one bested by food.

Theia came around the corner and rubbed against her legs. Callie picked her up and ran her hand down her long, smooth fur.

Mom looked past Callie’s shoulder. “How is she?”

Nana stood at the doorway, and walked into the room as she answered, “She’ll be fine. Eventually. But she needs a good long rest.”

“What does that mean?” Callie looked between the two. “Can we not do the ritual today?” She wasn’t sure what outcome she wanted. Postponing it would mean more time with Raleigh—but also prolong the torment.

“We have to,” Nana said. “The moon is just right. But Phoebe can’t participate, and we need a third to be the stabilizer.”

“What’s that?” Callie asked.

“Phoebe was supposed to keep contact with Raleigh until we could switch out his body with Simon,” Mom said. “It’s not as complicated as it sounds—she’s not contacting any ghosts, just staying in touch with him.”

“But it still has to be someone with a feeling for such things.” Nana’s eyes stopped on Callie. “You’re gonna have to do it, child.”

“Me? No, I—I know nothing.”

“Knowing ain’t the same as feeling,” Nana said.

Please, no. Anything but that. Callie was willing to admit some things her family did were real, but that could stay in their domain. She wouldn’t mess with the paranormal any more than she had to.

Except … she might have to.

“What about Shanna?” she looked at the blonde. “Don’t you know more about this?”

Nana scoffed. “With the curse that girl’s got on her? I wouldn’t let her touch Raleigh with a ten-foot pole during the ritual. No offense, honey.”

“None taken,” Shanna said. “I understand.”

“It’ll be fine, Callie,” Mom said. “It’s not rocket science.”

“I’d have preferred that.”

Raleigh laughed. “You can do it, Phoenix. I trust you.”

She sighed. “Fine. Tell me what to do.”

The preparations continued. Shanna left them the locket and moved to the furthest side of the room. Mom showed Raleigh where to stand in a circle made of wax droplets and flower petals, and Callie stood beside him outside the circle. They faced each other and pressed their palms together at the level of Callie’s chest; then, Mom lightly bound a string of metal and beads around their wrists.

It feels like a wedding. A shame it couldn’t be. She wondered if, once Raleigh returned to his old life, he would eventually find someone else. Would she be like Callie, or completely different? Would he smile at her the same?

She shook her head. There was no reason to dwell on such thoughts; she’d only make it worse for herself.

“Now, you two stay here. Make sure you’re touching at all times,” Mom said. “Momma and I will do the rest.”

They moved to the table. Callie heard whispers of words she didn’t recognize, and a strong smell wafted past her—first flowery, then changing into citrusy, and at last, sweet and earthy. Next came the warmth, pressing along her back first, then enveloping her whole. But through it all, she didn’t take her eyes off Raleigh and kept her palms pressed against his.

“Hey, Phoenix.” His tone indicated a question coming.

“Shhh. You probably shouldn’t talk during this,” she said.

“Nah, he’s good,” Nana said from behind her. “Talk all you want.”

Raleigh raised an eyebrow at her. “After all this time, you’ll have to admit the supernatural is real.”

“That’s what you want to talk about?”

“Well?”

She sighed. “I suppose it is.” Maybe she’d always known it was; she only pushed it to the side in favor of science. But one didn’t necessarily negate the other. Her job and her discoveries were real—just as real as this ghost business was. She’d simply have to make room for both.

“Good,” he said.

“Why do you look so pleased?”

“No idea.” He closed one eye, focusing. “Feels like I’ve won a bet.”

“I’m pretty sure we didn’t make any.”

“Then let’s make one now. I’ll bet …” He pretended to think. “I’ll bet you’ll be just fine. I’ll bet you’ll rock at your job, and those comic-book-carrying shelves of yours will nearly give in under the awards you’ll receive. But I’ll bet you’ll also let a bit of magic back into your life.”

“Don’t …”

“And now you have to do it. Because if you don’t, I win.”

How was it possible for him to make her want to laugh and cry at the same time?

His palms grew warmer. “I feel something,” he said. “I can’t explain it—like a ball of sunlight spreading inside me.”

Callie looked at their joined hands. The warmth was followed by a slight, pleasant tingling. Whatever they were doing, it was working—she just didn’t know in which direction yet. But it had begun, which meant it would soon end, too.

“Raleigh.” Her voice shook as if she was the one about to leave her body.

His lips quirked into a smile—part charming, part provocative, as always—but his eyes were soft and loving. “Thank you for everything, Phoenix.”

“No.” Overwhelming emotions pushed tears into her eyes. Without letting go of him, she raised on her toes. “Don’t forget me,” she whispered and pressed an everlasting kiss to his lips.

Moments dragged as they separated, as if everything and everyone, including Raleigh, had been frozen in time.

And then the whispering behind her quieted; the heat evaporated; the tingling stopped. Raleigh blinked and frowned at the string connecting their wrists.

No, not Raleigh. Simon . Callie now understood what Shanna meant when she said Raleigh had Simon’s face, but a different smile.

“What’s happening?” Simon narrowed his eyes at her, then shook their wrists. “What is—get this off me!”

“Relax,” Nana said from behind Callie. “You’ve got some catching up to do, boy.”

“Don’t call me—who are you?” He looked around the room as Nana came to undo the strings. “What’s going on?”

“I—it’s fine, I’ll explain everything.” Shanna emerged from the shadows in the corner. “I’ll take care of him.” She carefully approached. “Hey, Simon. Don’t worry. Everything is going to be fine now.” She took his hand and led him outside the room.

Callie was frozen like a statue, her eyes focused on the point where he had stood. Then she shook herself out of her reverie, remembering only one half of the ritual had been completed. Where was Raleigh?

She examined the room, wringing her hands around the string remaining on her wrists. “Raleigh?” If his part of the ritual was successful, he’d show up, right? She didn’t know how he’d look and what would happen afterward, but he’d show up. “Raleigh?”

Her eyes darted around the room and to Nana and Mom. “Where is he?”

Nana looked at Mom and shook her head.

“No,” Callie said. “It has to work. Maybe he just hasn’t manifested yet?”

“I don’t know.” Mom hugged her middle.

“The cat,” Nana said. “If he’s here, she’ll know.”

“Theia!” Callie cooed, and Theia came running from a corner. “Find him, girl. Can you find him?”

Theia listened to her attentively, then started walking around the room, carefully sniffing the petals left on the floor; the legs of the table; even the walls. But after a few minutes, she returned to Callie and meowed.

“Where is he?”

Theia meowed again and rubbed against her leg.

Mom stepped behind her and hugged her. “I’m sorry, baby.”

“No.” Callie shook her head, wilder and wilder. “No.” He couldn’t be gone. She was willing to accept many things—witches and ghosts and resurrections—but this … even though she knew it was a possibility, she couldn’t take it. She had to lose him either way; but she’d give everything to know he was somewhere out there, living his new-old life, happy, just not knowing her . She didn’t matter—what mattered was that he was well.

But he wasn’t. He was gone.

“There was always a chance.” Nana covered Callie’s hand with hers; warm and wrinkly and comforting. “You did as much as you could. In the end, you helped him.”

“I helped him die.” Callie choked on tears.

“That ain’t true, and you know it,” Nana said. “I saw everything that was in his heart. You helped him live.”