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On Saturday, Layla met up with Fiona just as she got off work, knowing she needed some time to just talk to her friend. She had never felt so alone as she did now that Charles had been banished. She wished Jake had a “normal schedule” so she could see him more, but why bother when they obviously had nothing to talk about.
With her ability to see and communicate with ghosts, Layla hoped that Fiona might have some insight into her recent visions and the effect they were having on her relationship with Jake.
“Hello, Layla,” Fiona greeted her warmly as she opened the door.
Layla pulled her friend close, just needing the warmth of a friend for a moment. Maybe she should get a dog. Then she wouldn’t feel so lost and alone.
“Hi, Fiona,” Layla said with a smile, stepping inside. “I hope I’m not intruding.”
“Of course not,” Fiona assured her, leading her to the cozy living room. “What’s on your mind?”
As Layla recounted her troubles, Fiona listened intently, her expression sympathetic. When Layla finally finished, Fiona took a moment to consider her words before speaking.
“Relationships are never easy, Layla,” she began gently. “But I believe that if you and Jake truly love each other, you’ll find a way to make it work.”
“I feel like I have nothing to say to him since we banished Charles,” Layla whispered. She wanted to do whatever it took to hold on to the love she shared with Jake, even if that meant facing the darkness of her visions head-on.
“Go to him, Layla,” Fiona encouraged with a soft smile. “Face your fears together, and trust in the strength of your love.”
“Great idea. But you’re stuck with me for a few hours. We should call Bella and do another puzzle at your table. I always think best when I’m doing a puzzle with my friends.
Fiona nodded, smiling. “You call Bella. I’ll get the puzzle down.”
As the three women worked the puzzle together, Layla couldn’t stop thinking about the visions she was still having. “I’m not sure we’re done at the mansion,” she said after quite some time of working the puzzle together.
Bella and Fiona exchanged a look, and Bella asked, “Why do you say that?”
“I’m still getting creepy visions about Charles and Clarissa. They seem to highlight Clarissa more than Charles now, but I’m not sure if it’s the right time to do anything about the visions, and I can’t do it alone. Not after that awful séance when we tried to contact Clarissa.”
Fiona nodded. “I have a theory, but it’s too awful to speak out loud, so we’re just going to see if we’re pushed to do more for the ghosts of the haunted mansion.”
Layla nodded. “You’re probably right to wait. I hope you plan on getting a nanny once the baby is born,” Layla said as she nodded to her friend’s baby bump. “You’re really starting to show.”
“I’m four months now,” Fiona said, smiling as she thought of the child inside her. “We’re going to find out the gender next week.”
“Do you think you’ll have a Charles or a Clarissa?”
They all laughed at that. “I am hoping for maybe a Clarissa and a Rebecca.”
“Wait...Twins?” Layla asked.
Fiona rested her hand on her burgeoning belly and nodded, her face lit with joy. “I feel like it’s two girls, but you seriously never know.” She paused for a moment. “Oh, hush, Roy. You were an electrician, not a doctor, and there’s no way you can tell me anything about my future offspring.”
Five pieces of the puzzle floated into the air and were broken apart. “Very childish!” Fiona said, shaking her head. “That ghost is a mess.”
“I wonder why Bella and I have seen others, and never Roy,” Layla said.
“Probably because Roy isn’t a danger. He can be a pest, sure, but he’s really a kind, loving man. There’s no reason for you to see him, if that makes sense.”
Layla nodded. “I guess it does.”
Layla hurried and brushed her hair and refreshed her lipstick at quarter til six, her heart pounding as she thought of spending the evening with Jake.
The doorbell rang at five minutes before six, and Layla wasn’t surprised. Jake was always on time or a bit early for everything.
“Hey, Layla!” Jake his usual boyish grin spread across his face. He looked dashing in his navy-blue shirt and jeans, and her heart skipped a beat. When he leaned down to brush his lips across hers, she felt as if she was being sucked back into his spell. She may have paranormal powers, but the man was a love wizard.
“Hi, Jake,” she greeted him, trying to keep her voice steady as they embraced. The warmth of his touch was reassuring, driving away the chill of her fear.
