“Great,” grumbled Dottie. “We’re being haunted by a hippie!”
Jason chuckled.
The disembodied voice answered, “You should appreciate my presence. I may be handy now and then. I can see things the rest of you can’t… well, all of you except Gladys Kravitz over there in the flowered moo moo.”
“It’s not a Muumuu,” Dottie protested.
“I called it a moo moo, because it’s fit for a cow.”
Morgaine stood and shouted, “Cut the shit, Chad.”
Dottie stood too and gaped at Morgaine. “You know this insulting spirit?”
She shrugged. “Well, I didn’t know him when he was alive. He talks to me once in a while. Mostly when he’s lonely.”
“Or bored,” Nathan added.
The rest of the participants opened their eyes and stared at Morgaine and Nathan, alternately.
The medium seemed to be the only one not surprised. “How long have you been aware of him?” she asked.
“Since we moved in here. I’ve lived here eight years,” Nathan said.
“And why didn’t you think to mention it before now?” Dottie demanded.
Morgaine sighed. “Would you have believed us if we had said, ‘Oh, by the way, there’s a ghost haunting 3A, and he’ll drive out anyone you rent his place to’?”
Dottie crossed her arms. “Maybe. But if he thinks he can getaway with tying up an apartment that could be rented, he has another thing coming.”
Jason cleared his throat. “Aunt Dottie, let’s see what else he has to say first.”
Shandra held up a hand and regained control. “Most likely, he’s here because he has unfinished business. Apparently, he does know he’s dead but couldn’t or wouldn’t move on for some reason. We need to ask him why. Can everyone regroup, please?”
Nathan cleared his throat. “As much fun as this wasn’t, I think I’ll go back to my ‘pad’ now.” He rose and walked to the door.
Dottie jammed her hands on her hips. “So, how is it you can communicate with ghosts too?
“Helloooo… I work in a morgue. Remember? Anyway, I don’t exactly communicate with him. He just likes to hang out with me sometimes.”
“Can everyone see and speak to ghosts except for me?”
“I can’t,” Jason said.
“Nor me,” Konrad stated.
All eyes turned toward Gwyneth. “I’m just learnin’ how to increase my psychic powers. So far, I can only connect with my dear, departed family.”
“What are you? Some kind of weird Pagans?”
“Oh, no!” Gwyneth said. “We’re not weird—”
Morgaine interrupted. “We’re kind of interested in anything ‘new agey’. It’s something that’s interested me for a while, and now my cousin is following in my footsteps.”
Dottie harrumphed.
Before Nathan left, he turned and said, “Just so you know, Dottie, ghosts can be touchy, and if you try to bully him, be ready for consequences.”
Her jaw dropped. “Consequences? What kind of consequences?”
