Page 4 of All Your Tomorrows

“Sometimes spirits get stuck and can only travel to certain places. I’m not sure why that is.”

He looked down, and I couldn’t imagine not being able to see my mom—to get to the one place I needed to get to.

“I can go over to your house tomorrow. Maybe you’ll be able to see your family through me.”

His eyes shot up. “You’d do that?”

“If you’d like me to,” I said.

“Will it work?”

“I guess we’ll find out tomorrow,” I said.

“I really appreciate this, Nora.” The sound of him saying my name seemed so natural, rolling off his tongue so effortlessly. “I’m sorry I’ve taken up so much of your time. Can I walk you out?” he offered.

Sadly, it was the best offer I’d had in a long time. “Sure.” I pushed back my chair and stood. His chair didn’t push back as he stood. It was strange that spirits could move through some objects like doors and walls, but could sit on chairs or other solid furniture without passing through them.

I walked to the counter and shut down the register. I grabbed my backpack from under the counter and walked toward the back.

Kyler followed me through the strands of sparkly curtains to my space in the back of the café. Daci had given me the room to meet with “clients.” Though I had the “ability” to see and talk to spirits since I was nine, I’d only been doing readings for a year. Most customers who came into the café had no idea what I did when I wasn’t working as a barista. My appointments were scheduled online.

“Other spirits have been in here, haven’t they?” Kyler asked as he took in the wooden table and the plaid cushioned chairs where I connected people with their deceased loved ones.

“Yeah.”

“Is it weird?”

“What?”

“Seeing spirits?”

“I’ve gotten used to it. Most of them are respectful and don’t bother me when I don’t want to be bothered.”

“Did I bother you?” he asked.

I laughed. “No. You were very polite.”

He smirked, and I realized it had been a while since a guy looked at me that way.

I took him through the back room, past cardboard boxes filled with coffee cups, plastic covers, straws, and stirrers. I removed my apron and hung it on the coat rack, then grabbed my coat and pulled it on. I wrapped my plaid scarf around my neck and threw my backpack over my shoulders. I opened the door and Kyler stepped outside. Once he did, I turned around and locked the door behind us, punching in the alarm code to set it before leaving.

“So, where’s your car?” he asked, taking in the empty parking lot.

“I walk to work. My house is just a few blocks away.”

“Lead the way,” he said.

I smiled as I pulled my gloves out of my pocket and slipped them on. “It’s getting cold.”

“I can’t feel it. Like, I know it should be cold, but I feel nothing.”

Unsure what to say, I began walking through the alleyway between the café and the gift shop next door and stepped out onto the sidewalk.

Kyler buried his hands in his hoodie pocket as he walked alongside me. We slowly made our way down the empty sidewalk, passing each window that was aglow with tiny strands of white lights for the upcoming holiday. “Do you like being a medium?”

“I don’t really have a choice.”

“Doesn’t mean you have to like it,” he said.

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