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His mother stood by the door in her robe, holding a small tin. As if she’d known exactly that he’d try to sneak out.

“I was going to call,” Nate said.

“No, you weren’t.”

Nate didn’t try to argue again.

His mother held out the tin. It was an old, dented thing, and Nate knew what was in it.

He didn’t want it.

“I’m not drinking your tea again.”

“I hope you won’t.” But she still pressed the tin into Nate’s hands. It felt very light.

“Then why are you giving it to me?”

“Because you’re not thirteen anymore, and I think you could handle yourself on it now. And because…” She looked in Leo’s general direction. “This ghost is torn. If he starts to come apart and you need to hold him together, hands work better than words.”

Nate looked at the tin. Then at Leo, who was staring at it too.

He turned back to his mother. “I won’t need this tea.”

“Let’s hope you’re right.”

His mother opened the front door. The morning air came in cold and smelling of wet grass. The porch light was still on, pale against the gray.

“Drive safely,” she said. “Call me when he’s re-anchored to the house. It should happen on its own within a day. If it doesn’t, call me sooner.”

“Okay.”

She looked Leo’s way once more. “Goodbye, Leo,” she said. “Look after my son. He forgets to eat when he’s working.”

Leo’s mouth opened and closed. “I… yes,” he said. “Fine.”

She couldn’t have heard it. Nate knew her range; a word that quiet was beneath it. But she nodded anyway.

The door clicked shut.

Nate sat down on the porch step to put his boots on. Leo hovered at the edge of the tether, looking back at the door.

“She talks to me like I’m a person,” Leo said.

“Don’t be fooled,” Nate said. “It’s her firm belief that no ghost should linger in this world.”

“Oh.” Leo glanced at the shut door. “Why?”

“She thinks it’s a kindness for us to help them move on. That it’s our purpose and why we’ve been given this gift.”

“A kindness,” Leo murmured. “Will you exorcise me out of kindness?”

“No.” Nate got up and walked toward his truck. “When I finally clear you, I’ll be running on spite.”

“Good,” Leo said.

Nate stopped with one hand on the truck door.

“Good?”