He Stayed: A Moment Between Worlds

“So what’s this news that is super awesome?” I had grabbed my burger and fries—and Mom’s burger too. Tia was always hungry, but stayed well proportioned due to her love of exercise. Well... and she didn’t eat sweets.

She smiled brightly around a mouthful of burger. “You have a reading!!!”

I groaned. “T, you know I don’t do that anymore. I hate readings.”

“Four people for $2,500.”

I blinked at her. “I have my gypsy headscarf and costume hanging in the back. Now when would these lovely people like their reading?”

Mom and Frank both broke down laughing.

T just nodded. “Yeah, that’s what I thought you’d say. Tomorrow night.”

“Crap. Mom?” I looked at her questioningly.

She nodded. “Yeah, no problem. I will pick up Pete after work, and we can head home and hang out. No worries—just do what you need to do.” She smiled.

Frank was quiet during this exchange, but he was watching the interaction carefully, and I thought I caught respect in his eyes.

“Reading?”

I nodded, but before I could say anything, T piped up. “She is amazing at it. I used to come to her shop just for her readings. You should try it sometime—it will give you all kinds of insight.”

Frank nodded. “I may just do that sometime.” He then looked a little confused. “You are reading them... here... in the mall?”

I looked at him. “No way I’m bringing those weirdos into MY home!” I chomped my burger and chewed.

He looked shocked as Mom and T laughed.

“That bad?” He looked a little taken aback.

T and Mom both spoke up. “You have no idea.”

I shrugged. “Some are okay, some are great... then there are some that I have to ask the ancestors for protection on.” I hooked a thumb back at the vibrant, multi-tiered altar—in my case, shelf—created for Día de los Muertos (although I keep it up year-round), designed to welcome ancestral spirits home with color and scent.

His eyes fell on the ofrenda, and curiosity came alive in him. He put down his burger and went to go look at it. “May I see it?”

I nodded. “Yep. Just don’t touch or move anything... makes the spirits cranky.”

He nodded and smiled at some inside joke.

I kept bright silk yellow and orange marigolds, a spot for incense, multiple candles, but forwent the papel picado. I had a few pictures of deceased family members, a statue to represent my younger half brother (we lost him before he was two), some candy, and a few personal items of ancestral origin.

Frank kept his hands behind his back and looked everything over as Mom and T chattered away. I wondered what he thought of it all.

“This is an ofrenda, correct?”

I nodded, surprised he would know anything about them. “Yes. How did you know?”

Eyes still glued to the area, he said, “I read a little bit about them years ago. I never thought I’d see one in person. It is lovely.” He said it almost reverently.

“You and your daughter set up a beautiful space,” he said to Mom.

She snorted. “Hey, don’t look at me, bud. This is all her.” She pointed at me.

He straightened and looked at me questioningly.

I shook my head. “After Pete was born, I wanted him to be closer to his ancestors and know more about his lineage. So I started researching and looking into a few things. This was one of the things that I really wanted him to be able to have. Considering my line of work—and the fact that he sees spirits, my dad does too—this seemed appropriate for us. Plus, it gives the spirits an anchor... hmm, no—more like a tether here. With this, they know that they are welcome, and it gives them kind of a firm place to land, ya know? I mean, they do so much for us... it’s only fair.”

He nodded. There was a strange, faraway look in his eyes. “That is quite fitting for you two.” A small smile came to his lips.

Pete was starting to pass out on the couch beside Mom. “I think you have a sleepy little bear here.” Mom was holding onto him.

“Well then, we had better wrap this up and head home. T, have you already booked the readings?” My eyes were on Pete, and I was quickly going through the mental checklist of the things I needed to pack up for tonight at bare minimum so as to get him home fast. If he woke up from even a few minutes of dozing, we would be up most of the night. I was even contemplating postponing his nightly shower to the morning.

He was super relaxed, and it was good to see.

She nodded. “Did that after the burger. They will be here tomorrow night once the mall closes up. I will send you their contact info. They knew you from your old shop—I think one of them had a reading with you originally—so they are enthusiastic about connecting with you again.”

I wasn’t sure whether to be enthused or not myself... but it would be nice to have rent and mortgage payment money stashed. Savings were always good.

Frank looked at me. “Anything I can help gather?”

I smiled, and something in my chest loosened up. That was nice.

At first, I thought about saying no to be polite and then decided to take him up on it. “Yeah, if you can grab that stuff over there and put it in the red bag—that’s Pete’s stuff.”

He went to work and moved quickly, gathering everything and slipping it all in the bag with a reflexive quality that told me that he and I had more to talk about than I thought. He either had kids or was very used to taking care of them.

If he had a kid or kids, it would be interesting... but maybe it might be nice for Pete to have more kids around. Hmm. If not, we could go really slow.

“Wanna head home?”

Pete didn’t need to be asked twice. He popped up and put his tablet in the red bag that Frank held open for him.

I grabbed Pete’s coat. Frank grabbed mine and slipped it on me, then held Pete’s coat for him. Pete looked at him for a moment before slipping his little arms through and smiling at Frank. Frank helped him with his backpack and ruffled his hair.

Pete bounced off to the back.

My heart melted into a puddle.

I saw T and Mom exchange a look that I couldn’t read.

I shrugged.

...

Mom and T headed out with Pete first. They had cleaned up and were hauling it to the dumpster in the back.

“I will get Pete all buckled in—hurry up,” Mom called at me as she hustled to keep up with Pete’s enthusiasm for going home.

“Thanks, Mom. Be right there.” I smiled. They were giving Frank and me a chance to say goodnight.

I looked up at him. “Well, I guess I will see you tomorrow night then... thank you.” And I meant it with my whole heart. It had meant a lot to see him jump right in, to see him help with Pete.

He smiled and looked a little confused. “What are you thanking me for? You and your mom invited me to share a meal with you. I should be thanking you... I am thanking you.”

I closed the distance faster than I usually moved, catching him off guard, and gave him a quick kiss.

Well... it was supposed to be a quick kiss.

He caught hold of me and deepened it. He pulled back and leaned his forehead against mine. Our noses touched together, and when I peeked, I saw his eyes were closed.

“You have to go. Pete’s waiting for his mama. Don’t keep him waiting... I will see you both tomorrow night. Until then... think of me.”

He leaned in and kissed me solidly, then tucked my hair behind my ear.

“You are unbelievably beautiful. Go home. Rest... or I might have to keep you here with me tonight.” He looked halfway serious.

I raised my eyebrows and wrapped my arms around his neck and snuggled in. “See you tomorrow night.” I kissed his cheek and headed out.

I heard the gate close... so he had keys, did he?

I laughed and felt safer for it.

Mom had left with Pete already.

I smiled. It was nice of her, and I contemplated going back in... but if Frank and I were meant to be forever, then forever didn’t need to rush.

I got into the station wagon, started it up, and pulled out. I needed to get home to Pete.

As I was doing my check for cars, I caught that same black shape at the glass doors, staring out.

On impulse, I blew a kiss at it and winked, then waved it goodnight. “Take care of Frank for me!” I called to it. I doubted it could hear me, but it was the thought that counted.

I was in a good mood, courtesy of Frank, and I would feel better knowing that what I suspected was the mall phantom was watching over him.

I sped off in the direction of home.

Mom would tell me later... or T would.

Frank POV

It was hard to let Penelope go... harder than I wanted it to be.

After she left, I had drifted to the doors to watch her leave, as was my habit these days.

And then I saw her actually see me...

...and blow me a kiss.

Then I heard her ask me to watch over Frank.

She didn’t think that I had heard her.

But I did.

And that was the sweetest thing I could have heard.

Had I been human... I would have asked her to marry me.

I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her.

And Pete.

Problem was, I had already spent the rest of my life...

How did one spend the rest of their afterlife with someone?

I didn’t know.

What I did know was that, for the first time in over three decades... the mall felt empty... and lonely.

And if I was being honest... it had been longer than that.

Outside of T-Rev, I hadn’t actually wanted to go home in a really long time. There had been little T and always something to fix or to do or to clean up after...

But there was no warmth there.

Sitting with Penelope and her family, I had felt the warmth... like sitting by a steady campfire.

Warmth and comfort... peace.

I didn’t know how I would make this work between Penelope and me...

I just had to hope that she was as calm and well-humored when she found out about my true nature as she had been so far about everything else.

I was anxious...

Well... I would have to figure it out.

I could feel what she felt when she leaned up to kiss me. I hadn’t expected it...

But it had felt amazing.

It was a feeling that I hadn’t realized I’d been missing...

Even before I died.

Tia POV

I stared at the sight in front of me and felt my jaw drop. I shook myself a little.

My homegirl had straight up gone and fallen head over heels for a damned ghost!

What in the Patrick Swayze was going on here!?

I just stared at them with my mouth open and my head cocked to the side.

Now don’t get me wrong... for a ghost, he was fine. Good God, was he fine. But he was also dead!

You know, I was worried about her after that breakup with Pete’s sperm donor... but this was definitely not on my list of things to worry about.

A damned ghost. Oh, gurl.

Well, somebody had to tell her. Guess it was me.

I went to open my mouth, and Pete’s little hand grabbed onto mine. I looked down and saw him shake his head ever so slightly.

“Mama happy,” he said it so quiet and so solid for such a little guy. It made me proud of him, and it broke my heart a little.

He was right—Penelope was happy.

But what happened when she found out the hard way that this dude couldn’t even pick up a sandwich?

Then, as if somebody up there was making fun of me, I saw this guy lift his coffee mug and take a drink.

I waited for coffee to pour all over the floor...

And I kept waiting.

It didn’t happen.

Oh boy... this was really going to get interesting.

Abuela piped up quietly, “He’s right. Listen to Pete. She’s happy.”

I stared at Abuela like she had grown another head. She sipped her coffee casually.

I widened my eyes. “He is dead,” I whispered.

She arched an eyebrow. “And her ex is alive. What’s your point?”

She fixed me in place with a stare.

“Don’t you think she might notice eventually... you know... when things get... jiggy?” I interlaced my fingers.

She scoffed and looked at me. “I’m sure they will figure things out, dear. He is a guy... he will figure it out.”

She gave me a meaningful look, and we both broke into laughter.

She had me there.

Yep... he would figure it out.

Pete stared at us curiously, but happy that we were laughing.

It was obvious this guy was completely into P, and it was good to see that. She had been through a lot with Pete’s dad. We had watched it cut her down and tear her apart in ways that didn’t leave a single visible mark but brought her to the edge of a complete mental and emotional breakdown.

It was hell on her... it was worse on Pete... but we felt it too.

Everybody that loved and cared about Penelope hurt for her.

We all loved them both, and watching that... it was indescribable.

So okay... so what if he wasn’t exactly corporeal?

He had fallen completely for our P.

He was great with Pete...

Maybe it didn’t matter which side of the veil he walked on.

He was a good guy, and he was good to them.

That was enough for me.

I looked at Abuela and Pete. “Well, if you two like it, I love it.”

I held up my hot apple cider in a salute to them, and they both smiled.

After talking with this Frank for a little bit and watching him help with Pete as we were leaving, many of my doubts melted.

He was a good guy.

When we left out the back of the office and down the alley, I let Pete and Abuela go on ahead. I went over to my car and just sat behind the wheel without turning on the ignition.

Tonight was a lot to take in.

I was in a state of shock.

I watched P come bouncing out of the alleyway.

I had to admit... Pete was right. She was happy with Frank.

I stayed quiet in my car simply because I didn’t know what I’d say to her if she saw me.

“Hey gurl, your boyfriend’s dead and he’s a ghost... but he is a great guy!”

Yeah... I couldn’t bring myself to say anything at all.

Then I caught a huge, dark, shadowy shape at the glass entry doors... just hovering there.

It crackled with energy and, oddly, had blue eyes.

And it was watching P.

My heart skipped a beat.

This was probably the phantom that people talked about... the aggressive, scary phantom.

Well, it was gonna get moved on.

P actually blew this thing a kiss and drove off.

My jaw hit the floor as the shadowy shape resolved itself into Frank.

And he was grinning ear to ear.

My God.

So he was protecting her and Pete.

I chuckled to myself and shook my head.

Way to go, P.

I still had a bad feeling about something that was headed P’s and Pete’s way.

I would be back tomorrow night to keep an eye on them during the readings.

But I did feel a little bit better that Frank had a handle on it too.

I started my car and headed out for home...

But first, I was stopping at the cemetery.

Gonna need to charge up the wards around P’s home and work.

Something was in the ether, and it felt nasty.

Good thing I always kept the proper coinage for the dirt that I needed.

I did mainly energy work, but when the situation called for it, I wasn’t above going back to the old ways.

And cemetery and graveyard dirt were good heavy hitters.

I sighed.

Every enemy P made came after Pete first...

They never just kept it clean.

They always went for the weak spot—just like any other predator.

But unlike animal predators in the wild, which I could respect...

Human ones didn’t hunt to live.

They hunted for cruelty.

As I drove, I started wondering where I could find a fine-ass ghost man for myself.

I wondered idly if Frank had any single buddies.