Page 39 of Having the Time of My Midlife

Sam said nothing. He placed his decomposing hand in mine and gently squeezed.

He wanted to see his wife find her glasses. I understood. However, there was a slight problem here. She couldn’t see him, but she could definitely see me.

Moving my head to the right of the door, I peeked into the bottom corner of the glass with one eye. It was still dark out. I had dark hair and was dressed all in black. Plus, she wouldn’t be wearing her glasses. It was risky, but if I was being honest, I would love to see her find her ring and glasses too. If I was going to partake in illegal activities, I should get to reap the reward of a misdemeanor well done… or something like that.

The little old woman entered the kitchen and turned on the overhead light. She was in her bathrobe and slippers. She was positively adorable. Sam sighed next to me in happiness and anticipation.

She glanced around the kitchen in confusion. I ducked down so she wouldn’t see me and then curiosity got the best of me. Slowly I rose up and peeked again.

She gasped and placed both of her hands over her heart. Her body began to shake with sobs as she carefully walked to the teapot and touched her wedding ring with such reverence that my eyes filled with tears. Sam’s body trembled beside me. I couldn’t look at him or I would truly lose it. I just held tight to his hand and watched.

Taking the glasses with the ring attached into her gnarled hands, she kissed her ring and began to laugh.

I couldn’t hear a word she said, but her intention was clear. Pointing at the ceiling, she shook her finger and laughed through her tears. As her lips continued to move, I could make out the words Sam and I love you.

Glancing over at Sam, I gasped and almost cried out. My chest felt tight and my head began to throb.

Gently pulling me to the side of the house, Sam smiled and touched my cheek.

He was no longer a decaying corpse of a man. However, he was still dead. An ethereal and somewhat blinding golden glow surrounded my friend, and his body was restored to what it must have been before he’d passed. He was beautiful. Sam’s eyes twinkled and his smile would stay etched in my memories always.

“Sam?” I whispered in a panic, not understanding what was happening.

“Thank you, Daisy,” he said in the voice that was the same one I recognized from being inside his mind earlier. “I can go now.”

As he began to fade away, my tears came quickly. I knew this was the last time I would ever see Sam. He’d stayed to make sure his beloved found what she treasured the most. Hewas moving on. Selfishly, I didn’t want him to go. In the short time I’d had the privilege of knowing him, I’d grown to love him. This was the suckiest, most beautiful experience I’d ever had.

“Bye, Sam,” I whispered, reaching out to touch the golden glow surrounding his diminishing body.

It was warm and inviting—felt like silky liquid. I waited for Sam to completely disappear before I got back on my stomach and began to crawl. My heart was shattered, but it also felt strangely full. I’d just helped my friend move on. It was clear to me he was going somewhere lovely. The golden glow was a sure sign.

I blinked as the memory faded and theWheel of Fortunestage reappeared.

Gram was sniffling. “That was just beautiful, Daisy girl.”

“I agree,” I told her, still unsure why I’d relived the memory.

“It was your first time,” Alana Catherine said.

“Yeah, I know.” I shook my head. “I’d managed to help Sam’s wife, and that had put Sam on track to cross over.”

My daughter smiled gently. “That’s not what I mean.”

“Then what?” It couldn’t be the breaking-and-entering part. “My first time being a criminal?”

She shook her head and chuckled. “No, Mom.”

My heart zinged at hearing her call me mom again. I thought it was something I would never grow tired of. “My head’s a little fuzzy, daughter. Why don’t you spell it out for me?”

She laughed now, and the sound was magical. “It was the first time you learned that anything was possible as long as you believed. Sam helped teach you that lesson, and it’s one you need to hold onto.”

There it was again. Belief. I gave my daughter an incredulous stare. “You’re going to make a great Immortal.” When her browarched, I added, “You already know how to talk around a topic in a way that still makes me feel clueless.”

“You got this, girlie,” Gram encouraged. “Time to play this game and whoop some butt, so your hard work with them ghosties don’t get undone.”

Sighing, I touched the names on the wheel. “They’re going back into the Light where they belong.” I ran my hands through my hair and cased the room. No one was visible but us. I still didn’t believe we were alone. “I just need to figure out how to do it.”

“You don’t have to figure it out alone,” Alana Catherine said.

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