Page 39 of Haunted Eclipse

“You know, that sounds plausible. In fact, it sounds right.”

“Sit with your feelings for a while, and see how it settles.” She returned to the table, two large latte mugs of hot mocha in hand. “Let the subject rest while you eat lunch so your subconscious can process the thoughts.”

I nodded. It was a technique I used over and over. My subconscious worked on its own—it processed information and then later, when I least expected it, spit out the answer or the idea I was seeking.

“On to other things, then,” I said. “Stuart brought me home.”

Astra swallowed the bite of her sandwich. “Stuart Waterline? The sheriff? Your high-school boyfriend?”

I nodded. “I met him in the supermarket the other day, and then today, he showed up at the crash site.” Frowning, I added, “He has a girlfriend. I gather he was engaged, but his fiancée died.”

“Then you both have lost someone you loved,” Astra said, stirring her soup with her spoon.

“Right,” I said. “I’m not going to date him again, you know. He’s dating someone. And I’m not ready to date.”

“You’ve been saying that for quite a while. Don’t you think you should start considering taking the next step? I know you’re still grieving, but you will be mourning him most of your life. I can tell you that right now. You’ll never forget Dan, and dating isn’t cheating on his memory. He would want you to be happy, to not get stuck in your grief, correct?” Astra finished her sandwich. “More soup?”

I nodded, pushing my bowl toward her. “Thanks, yes. As far as Dan…” I tried to protest. I’d been protesting so long that it had become my go-to response.

“Think before you answer, Maisy. Grief takes as long as it takes, but you can be in two places at once. You can start dating again, and you can still be mourning Dan’s loss. They aren’t mutually exclusive.” Astra leaned back in her chair and glanced out the window. “We’re getting the winter snowstorm they projected.”

“Yeah, we are.” I let out a long sigh. “I guess you’re right. I haven’t even let myself consider dating. Every time the thought has risen, I’ve squashed it down before I could even consider it. It feels so traitorous.”

“Think of it this way,” Astra said. “When you came to live with us, after your mother and father died, did you love us?”

“Of course I did,” I said, trying to follow her logic. “I didn’t stop loving you because you weren’t my parents.”

“Right. You were mourning them, but you loved us. The two feelings aren’t mutually exclusive. Youcanlove more than one person at a time.” She looked at me, and I could feel the care and concern shining through her eyes. Aunt Astra was my rock. I’d loved my aunt Sara, but Astra—she’d always been the rock.

“When I think about it that way, I see you’re right. I loved you and Sara as much as I loved my parents. Maybe in a different way, but that difference doesn’t matter.” I closed my eyes, trying to imagine what it would be like to open myself up to another relationship. I missed sex, yes, but the thought ofsleepingwith a guy didn’t bother me. It was the emotional aspect that scared me—that felt like cheating. And maybe… Maybe it didn’t have to be that way.

“I think I’m scared,” I finally said. “It was hard enough losing my parents, and then losing Dan. I don’t know if I could do it a third time.”

“I thought so,” Astra said. “That’s enough work for today. Finish your lunch and then, if you wouldn’t mind, the front walk could use shoveling. And while I’m healthy enough…”

“Shoveling snow is hard work. I can do it, no problem.” I finished my soup and the last of my sandwich, and then—giving Astra a kiss on the cheek—I headed for the front door to shovel the walkway.

By five,I was done and sweaty. I was about to take a quick shower when Crystal called. “The soiree’s still on. Do you want to go?”

In all the excitement, I’d forgotten to let her know what happened.

“I had a little accident this morning. I’m without a car, for now,” I said. “In fact, I was wondering if you could take me car shopping tomorrow? Maybe early, if possible, since I have a lunch appointment with Brenda.”

Crystal hesitated for a moment. “Accident? What kind of accident? What happened?”

I told her everything, including my discussion about relationships with my aunt. “I’ve got so much going on in my head that I don’t know what to think.”

“Good grief, that’s a lot for one day.” She paused, then added, “I’m free tomorrow morning. I can swing by at around nine? We’ll find you a new car.”

“Nine it is,” I said. “You don’t know what this means to me, lady.”

“I do, I think. As far as dating…well…we can start tonight at the club. I’ll pick you up. I have chains on my car, so don’t worry about accidents. The meeting isn’t far away from your house. And maybe, you can meet a star witch for Brenda. So, how about it?”

I nodded. “I’m nodding,” I said.

“I’ll be there in an hour. Get dolled up, though I’d skip the heels and opt for boots,” Crystal said.

As I hung up, I thanked my lucky stars for such a good friend. Crystal and I had never wavered in our friendship. There had been a number of years where we didn’t see each other as much as we wanted, but each time, we fell right back in our comfortable pattern. And each time, it had further cemented our bond.

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