A Strange There After (29 page)

“I’m not sure I can, baby.”

George latched onto her hand, clinging for
dear life, and nuzzled into her palm. From the way his shoulders
shook, I knew he must be crying.

His halting words confirmed it. “You can. We
can. Together. I love you, Mama. Don’ make me be alone anymore. No
one see me, only Quinn, and you wanna take her away. I sit in dat
corner, where they wash dem clothes, waiting for you to come and
say we leavin’. Every day for years I wait. Please. Take me
someplace warm where we’s can be happy.”

Moaning again, Cora grabbed George in a
fierce embrace and pulled her to him. She buried her face in his
neck. A couple seconds later, she raised her head and met my stare,
right as a tear slipped from my eye and trailed down my cheek. I
made no move to wipe it away, afraid I might pop the bubble,
ruining the moment.

Yet, I spoke to her softly. “Your son misses
his mama. As long as I can remember he’s wandered this
house...always alone. Sure, Jackson and I befriended him, but we’re
not who he wants. Who he needs. He loves you unconditionally. This,
right here, right now, is your chance to change things. Only you
can end his suffering. Give him a happy ending.”

She ended their hug, edging back so she could
cup his cheeks. They gazed at each other for what felt like ages,
silent messages and pleas passing between them. Sadness enveloped
me, and I shuddered. I felt Jackson’s fingers link with mine, and I
shot him a grateful grin.

When I looked back at Cora, she was watching
me with remorsefulness. Still, I braced myself, convinced it may be
a trick.

“How?”

Her simple question caught me off guard. I
gaped at her until I found my voice. “Let go.”

A flash of anger obscured her face, but it
faded once she glanced at George. Almost immediately, they both
began to fade. A bright, white light grew around them. A breeze
kicked up, rustling the leaves around us. George leaned in to
whisper in Cora’s ear, and she nodded once.

Like a bolt, he ran over and buried himself
in my arms, snuggling close. I couldn’t help it. The feel of his
little arms around my neck made me cry.

“Thanks for bein’ my friend, Quinn,” he
whispered.

I hugged him tighter. “No, thank you, George.
I never felt lonely when you were around. Go. Be happy.”

He separated and eyed me seriously. “You get
yours soon. Don’t give up.”

With a quick smile, he ran back to his mama’s
side, and she took her hand in his. Her only farewell to me was a
modest nod as they disappeared from sight. As the light dissipated,
Jackson drew me to his side, rubbing my shoulder.

“I can’t believe it was that easy,” I
sniffed.

“Maybe it was just time.”

I restrained from asking him when it’d be
time for him. The answer frightened me a little. The prospect of
losing another lifelong companion did not help with my sadness.
Jackson and I remained there, staring at the place where they’d
vanished for a while. I didn’t trust that it was over, that Cora
wouldn’t materialize meaner than ever.

Not how I would have done it, but well done,
love.

I flinched at the sound of Kalfu’s voice
breaking the spell of the moment. Separating from Jackson, I wiped
my tears and squared my shoulders. The images of what I’d briefly
done to Cora resurfaced, the black energy shooting from my fingers.
I stared down at my hands in shock, terrified it’d come out of me.
An oily, dirty sensation crept over me, and I wanted to scrub my
skin until no trace of it remained.

The sound of footsteps interrupted us.
Jackson pushed me behind him, the protective stance surprising me.
Even with Cora’s voluntary departure, he and I remembered what
she’d done to us. The alertness did not go away the instant she
left. Plus, I hadn’t quite accepted it yet.

Luckily, it was only our friends.

Boone reached us first, followed closely by
Abby, Catherine and Jason.

“We heard screaming, all kinds of commotion,
but couldn’t see anything,” Abby huffed out, directing her words to
a spot two feet to my left as she stuffed her ear buds in. The urge
to grin at her was strong. Soon, she wouldn’t need those to talk to
me.

“What happened to you?” Catherine rushed
forward, examining the side of Jackson’s face. She spun on me, a
rabid animal coiled for a fight. “Stop putting him in danger,
Quinn!”

Jackson tensed at her close scrutiny.
Unguarded, concern shone from her eyes as they raked over him,
taking in the gash on his cheek and neck.

“Wait, why is he hurt?” Boone asked.

“Cora did it,” I said, finally. “She can’t
hurt us anymore.”

Catherine’s gaze sharpened. “Why are you
talking about her in past tense?”

“She’s gone,” Jackson told her, still
noticeably shaken by Catherine’s proximity.

Boone moved around Jackson, staring until I
had no choice but to look at him. “You actually went through with
it?”

I nodded.

“With what?” Catherine demanded.

“With getting rid of Cora,” Abby answered,
leaving out the less savory details, like Kalfu.

Catherine snorted. “I highly doubt it. I’ve
tried myself over the years. It’s not that easy.”

“She speaks the truth,” Jackson confirmed.
“And the boy is gone as well.”

I watched the realization crawl across her
features. Never, in a million years, would I have imagined
Catherine looking at me as if I were a danger, the monster. That
was how she regarded me now, and I fidgeted.

“Cora went on her own. George convinced her
it was time,” I explained.

“Doesn’t matter. You’re in more trouble than
I thought,” she said pensively. “You struck a deal with him.”

It wasn’t a question. She knew somehow.

“What did you expect? You made her like
this!” Boone defended.

“Would someone please tell us what is going
on?” Jason’s explosive question reminded us there were two here who
couldn’t see or hear ghosts.

Catherine flashed them a contrite grin. “Your
precious Quinn just sent Cora and that poor little boy off into the
light.” She snorted. “All because Kalfu asked her to. Now he’s an
even bigger danger without Cora keeping him in check. Your
girlfriend just unleashed hell on us. Well, her and her new loa
friend.”

“We’re not friends,” I argued. Then I
realized the more I defended Kalfu, the worse my situation looked.
A heavy sigh escaped my lips. I couldn’t win.

Jason paled. “I don’t believe it.”

“Why are you so quick to doubt? We all have
good and bad in us, sexy,” Catherine taunted.

“Tell him everything, Boone,” I whispered.
“He should know how far I’ve gone.”

“Are you sure?”

“He deserves to know.”

Blowing out a resigned breath, Boone turned
to Jason and told him everything about the deal I’d struck with
Kalfu, of what I’d been asked to do. Catherine retreated, fear
growing on her face. She clutched at her throat and kept flashing
me frightened glances.

Jason swore and faced the house, but before
he turned, I caught the shock and horror on his face.

No one said anything for the longest time. As
each minute passed, my guilt grew. Suddenly, I was tired, more
exhausted than I’d ever been. None of this made any sense anymore.
What was I fighting for? How much longer could I cling to my hope
and the person I used to be before becoming a spirit?

The answer terrified me.

“So how are we going to help her?” Jason
asked as he turned back, his face hard as granite.

“All we can do is keep reminding her of what
she has to fight for, regardless of what she’s done,” Boone
answered. “If any of us abandon her, all is lost.”

I shot him a thankful smile, the action empty
and wooden, but I appreciated his faith.

“There has to be something more,” Jason said,
turning back around to confront the group. His eyes slid to
Catherine. “And we all know what it is.”

Catherine raised an eyebrow, that annoying
trait she could do but I couldn’t. “I hope you aren’t insinuating
what I think you are.”

“It’s time for you to move on, and let Quinn
have her life back before it’s too late.”

Her steely gaze returned to me. “What did he
offer in return?”

Silence stretched out around us, heavy with
what I couldn’t admit. Abby and Boone knew that I’d demanded Kalfu
rid me of Catherine forever, but saying the words aloud, in front
of Jason, filled me with anxiety.

Catherine gasped then recovered quickly,
fixing an expression of disgust on her face. “Your lack of speech
isn’t hiding anything, Quinn.”

Thankfully Boone answered for me. “What did
you expect? We’d decided to keep you around? Let you inhabit
another body because we love your company?”

She scooted closer to Jason. “Are you really
going to let them get rid of me?”

“What is she talking about?”

“Tell him,” I whispered.

Abby drew closer to me, her arm brushing
against mine and giving me comfort along with the static
sensation.

“Quinn asked Kalfu to make banishing
Catherine for good part of their deal.” Boone flashed a sarcastic
smile at Catherine. “Since Quinn’s fulfilled her end, I’d start
packing.”

“Don’t take any coats. It’s probably really
hot where you’re going,” Abby added.

Catherine’s face lost all color as Jason’s
hardened. “That seems a little harsh,” he said.

“Seriously?” Boone gaped at him. “After
everything she's done to Quinn, you’re worried about
her
welfare?”

Jason struggled for a reply, and my heart
shattered. He didn’t want her to leave. That’s what it all boiled
down to.

With a menacing step toward Boone, Jason
snapped, “Who the hell are you to judge me? Not everything is black
and white.”

Boone’s jaw clenched. “Clearly sleeping with
her has clouded your judgment.”

I watched Jason flinch, but he stood his
ground. “Mind your own damn business.”

“Catherine, it is time.”

We all swiveled at the sound of Jackson’s
voice. I’d nearly forgotten he was still here.

She glared at him. “You can’t sweet talk me
into the light. This isn’t one of those interventions. I’m not
going anywhere until I have to.”

“You won’t have a choice,” I told her.

“Don’t speak to me! You’re a little
hypocrite!”

“Hey, chill out.” Boone stepped in front of
her. “The deal’s done, and I get the feeling Kalfu isn’t one to go
back on his word. Get used to it.”

She spun back to face Jason, taking his hand
in hers. He didn’t pull away. “You may think you’re getting Quinn
back, but she’s made the same deal I did. She let him in. It won’t
be the same girl who returns. Not anymore.”

My throat constricted. She was absolutely
right. Worse? I expected Jason so say he didn’t care, tell her to
stop lying. He didn’t. He regarded her solemnly.

“Don’t listen to her, Jason,” Abby
warned.

“Who Quinn comes back as shouldn’t matter.
That’s what we’re here for, to help her.”

“Why are you so invested in this?” Jason
half-shouted at Boone.

Boone got right up in his face. “Because
while you’ve been caught up in Catherine, I’ve come to care for
Quinn.”

A bunch of things happened at once. Abby
muttered, “Oh, snap.” I gaped. Catherine laughed. And Jason took a
swing at Boone’s jaw, a dull crack echoing around us as his
knuckles connected. Boone came back with his own punch. Somehow
Jason ended up on his back with Catherine at his side. He flinched
away from her and jumped to his feet. Fisting his hands, I thought
he’d attack again, but instead he turned and stomped into the
house. Catherine flashed us all a glare before trotting after
him.

I was frozen in place, afraid if I moved the
last few seconds would be real. Boone cared about me? I didn’t even
like him. Did I? I studied him out the corner of my eye. He rubbed
his jaw, smirking at something Jackson whispered to him.

“That was...interesting.”

Glancing at Abby, I desperately wished we
could talk like normal friends. I kinda needed her input right now.
I mean, what just happened? Boone’s continued involvement always
puzzled me, but I never imagined it went beyond professional
curiosity. He understood me, though, better than almost anyone.
Jeez, was I just that blind?

“Quinn?”

The uncertainty in Boone’s voice quieted the
butterflies in my stomach. I glanced at him and saw confirmation of
his feelings. Crap. Now what do I do?

“Can I explain?”

I nodded.

“Okay. I’ll be inside,” Abby teased joyfully
as she sauntered off. After giving Boone an encouraging grin,
Jackson followed my friend inside.

“When did you and Jackson get so close?”

“You’re avoiding the conversation,
Quinn.”

I kept my eyes diverted, nibbling on my
lips.

“Why does this bother you?” He sounded
incredibly nervous which was totally out of character for him.

“It doesn’t bother me, but there’s Jason
and...”

“What about Jason?” His eyes glinted behind
his glasses. “I know you have history, but he doesn’t know you. He
doesn’t understand you.”

His passion took me by surprise. I wasn’t
sure how to answer. Heck, I wasn’t sure how I felt period.

“You can’t just spring this on me and expect
me to know what to say.”

“There’s something between us you can’t
deny.”

“No. I can’t deny it, but—”

“But what?” He moved closer to me, consuming
all my senses. I couldn’t think straight.

“If I say it out loud I’m doing the same
thing Jason did to me. I’d be exactly what Catherine just called
me—a hypocrite.”

“This isn’t the same,” he practically
shouted. “This is deeper. Jason is wrong for you, and you know it.
You and I? We fit.”

All denials disappeared, and I slumped,
whispering. “I know we do. But I can’t make this decision right
now.”