Page 40 of Hot Ghoul Summer

Anger wells in me. Toby should be calling an ambulance, not taking her life! She could be helped.

But a tiny part of me protests. She could be rushed to the hospital, and +given lots of interventions for congestive heart failure, but would they work? Would she want to be put through that in a sterile room full of strangers? Where are her kids?

“It’s that dratted valve, isn’t it, Glad?”

“It’s been with me for ninety-nine years. I don’t care what the doctor says. I say that’s a good job!”

“It is! I agree.”

Gladys reaches past Toby to pick up a photo in a silver frame from among the pill bottles. “Too good,” she whispers, withered fingers tracing over the image.

A family of three. Mother. Father. Son. The son must be in his late twenties, early thirties. I don’t know why he’s not here, but from the way Gladys looks at the photograph, I have a feeling it’s not because he’s some loser son who doesn’t show up to take care of his mom.

“I always wished I had gone before Benny, but... But they say losing your mother is so hard. In a way, I’m glad he never had to know that pain.”

“You took all that pain for both of them. I can relate. My mum... she lost a son too early, too.” Toby’s voice is thick and choked, which shocks me so much I stop feeling angry.

For a moment, he and the old woman simply hold hands in silence. When he speaks again, his voice is barely audible. “Gladys, love. George and Benny miss you. They’ve been so patient. You’ve been so patient. But what if I take you to meet them, hm?”

The last spark of energy that Gladys has comes bursting through at his words. “Oh, yes! Yes, please, take me to them!” She tries to rise and I instinctively rush forward, ready to help her, because I know that with a weak heart and those swollen legs, it’ll be a struggle.

But it isn’t.

The woman in front of me is splitting, her timeworn frame staying still as shining light lifts from it, rising above. The human form that’s wrinkled and old stays in that chair, and the stunning young woman she must’ve been is rising, insubstantial, a beauty with chestnut waves of hair and a dress that’s as neat as a pin with pearls and pumps that would make any vintage fashionista whip out their credit card.

“Gladys Emmerhoff, you are free. You are homeward bound at last.” Toby’s hand holds something small and shiny, and as he presses a guiding hand to her back, I see it flicker.

I can barely hear it when he slices the little string of shining light that holds one form to the other.

Snip.

A single metallic sound that rings like a silver bell.

“Take me to my boys!” she urges, already leading Toby away, body moving freely, probably for the first time in years.

Toby has to trot to stay with her—although to me it only looks like they’re staying in place. I want to get closer to see what they’re seeing—but I’m also afraid to.

“We’ll take it from here,” a deep, masculine voice says. “Special permission.”

“Mom!”

Toby lets go, and I see Gladys running toward lights, two solid figures that hurt to look at because they’re so bright. I have to cover my eyes—and when I dare to peek again, Toby is waving heavenward as three glittering forms sail away. “Bye, Gladys! Nice to meet you, George! Bye, Benny!”

I stare at him, then the silent, still figure in the chair.

“Mrs. Emmerhoff is no longer here.” Toby looks at me with wet eyes and a beaming smile. “She’s finally home with her husband and only child.”

And then he breaks down, sobbing, and I rush to hug him.

“Do you do this every time?” I whisper, patting his back.

“Mostly,” he snuffles. “I’m just so bloody happy for her. For them. And I miss my mum on jobs like this, where the kiddies have gone first. I hope my mother never... Oh, God. Never mind, I’m sorry. I’m such a big girl’s blouse.”

“A what?”

“Never mind. It means I’m a sobbin’ mess.” He sniffs in and wipes his eyes. “You ever watch Brit-coms? Might’ve heard it on there.”

“Not a lot.”

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