sure the outfit looked good from all angles. She laughed at herself a little for caring about something no one but Seamus would see, but it was important to feel like she looked good. How could a person accomplish anything otherwise?
As she came onto the deck, Mildred passed the ship’s salon. She paused, unsure, and then turned and went inside. Seamus could not begrudge her the time to make herself look her best.
Sometime later she emerged from the salon, hair styled and peach-scented, and all twenty nails colored to match her outfit. She was ready to go.
As she navigated the hallway, however, she thought of Nancy, counselor for the recently dead. Nancy first explained the possibility of crossing back. She deserved word of Mildred’s imminent departure. Seamus would understand that.
When she knocked on the door, Nancy called out, “Come in.” Mildred entered the tastefully appointed office, approaching the angel with arms outstretched. Nancy bore a strong resemblance to Mildred’s mother, though without the half-glasses Mom had worn the last decade or so of her life.
“I’ve come to tell you how grateful I am for your help,” she said, giving Nancy an enthusiastic hug before sitting in a chair opposite the desk.
“You found a detective to take you back?”
“Yes. He’s an odd duck but very sweet. Seamus.”
“Oh, yes, I know of him.”
“He’s given me all the background and we’re ready to go.” She wriggled a little in her chair. “It’s just so exciting, to be going back to life to share with others the assurances I have.”
Nancy’s brows rose. “Seamus did tell you that it is not your place to share anything with the living, didn’t he?”
“Oh, of course. I didn’t mean that I will talk to anyone. I meant that I hope my presence will give the feeling of comfort, like a spirit of peace.”
Nancy was direct. “I’m told your presence makes them feel sick.”
Mildred’s smile faltered. “I intend to be very light, so they won’t even know I’m there.”
“That’s the idea.” Nancy folded perfect hands on the perfectly clean desktop. “Listen to Seamus. He knows what to do.”
“Oh, I will,” Mildred said. “I can see that he’s very good at what he does, although men like that are a little bossy sometimes, don’t you think? But I will listen very carefully to his advice.”
“I hope so,” Nancy answered. Her tone was even, but something in her eyes conveyed uncertainty that Mildred’s words, however much she thought she meant them, were true.
S EAMUS HAD NO IDEA how long he waited in the chair before dozing off, no idea how long he slept, but he woke with a sense that he was losing time. Mildred was nowhere to be seen. Should he go without her? He glared at the empty deck, disgusted with himself. Why shouldn’t he leave her behind? Let her go on to Detective number five and see if that worked out!
Three guys had been smart enough to pass Mildred by, so why had he taken her on? With a disgruntled, tooth-sucking sound, he admitted the reason. Because Gabe was wrong about him. I am a sucker for a beautiful woman, Seamus thought . A sap.
“There you are!” Mildred’s tone implied that he had been hiding on her when he was no more than three steps from where they parted. She wore white pants and a long, flowery top that draped almost to her knees on one side. She had done something different with her hair too, and the shoes she wore matched the brown tones in the top. “I’m sorry to be a little long, but a person has to feel right, don’t you think, when starting something new?”
Seamus could think of nothing to say, having worn the same suit for—well, eternity seemed like a good word for it. “Let’s go.”
“One more thing.” She held up a finger, looking at him sideways in a flirty manner. In a moment, she was gone again, disappearing into a shop whose door stood open down the way. She was only gone a few seconds, and she returned proudly
As she came onto the deck, Mildred passed the ship’s salon. She paused, unsure, and then turned and went inside. Seamus could not begrudge her the time to make herself look her best.
Sometime later she emerged from the salon, hair styled and peach-scented, and all twenty nails colored to match her outfit. She was ready to go.
As she navigated the hallway, however, she thought of Nancy, counselor for the recently dead. Nancy first explained the possibility of crossing back. She deserved word of Mildred’s imminent departure. Seamus would understand that.
When she knocked on the door, Nancy called out, “Come in.” Mildred entered the tastefully appointed office, approaching the angel with arms outstretched. Nancy bore a strong resemblance to Mildred’s mother, though without the half-glasses Mom had worn the last decade or so of her life.
“I’ve come to tell you how grateful I am for your help,” she said, giving Nancy an enthusiastic hug before sitting in a chair opposite the desk.
“You found a detective to take you back?”
“Yes. He’s an odd duck but very sweet. Seamus.”
“Oh, yes, I know of him.”
“He’s given me all the background and we’re ready to go.” She wriggled a little in her chair. “It’s just so exciting, to be going back to life to share with others the assurances I have.”
Nancy’s brows rose. “Seamus did tell you that it is not your place to share anything with the living, didn’t he?”
“Oh, of course. I didn’t mean that I will talk to anyone. I meant that I hope my presence will give the feeling of comfort, like a spirit of peace.”
Nancy was direct. “I’m told your presence makes them feel sick.”
Mildred’s smile faltered. “I intend to be very light, so they won’t even know I’m there.”
“That’s the idea.” Nancy folded perfect hands on the perfectly clean desktop. “Listen to Seamus. He knows what to do.”
“Oh, I will,” Mildred said. “I can see that he’s very good at what he does, although men like that are a little bossy sometimes, don’t you think? But I will listen very carefully to his advice.”
“I hope so,” Nancy answered. Her tone was even, but something in her eyes conveyed uncertainty that Mildred’s words, however much she thought she meant them, were true.
S EAMUS HAD NO IDEA how long he waited in the chair before dozing off, no idea how long he slept, but he woke with a sense that he was losing time. Mildred was nowhere to be seen. Should he go without her? He glared at the empty deck, disgusted with himself. Why shouldn’t he leave her behind? Let her go on to Detective number five and see if that worked out!
Three guys had been smart enough to pass Mildred by, so why had he taken her on? With a disgruntled, tooth-sucking sound, he admitted the reason. Because Gabe was wrong about him. I am a sucker for a beautiful woman, Seamus thought . A sap.
“There you are!” Mildred’s tone implied that he had been hiding on her when he was no more than three steps from where they parted. She wore white pants and a long, flowery top that draped almost to her knees on one side. She had done something different with her hair too, and the shoes she wore matched the brown tones in the top. “I’m sorry to be a little long, but a person has to feel right, don’t you think, when starting something new?”
Seamus could think of nothing to say, having worn the same suit for—well, eternity seemed like a good word for it. “Let’s go.”
“One more thing.” She held up a finger, looking at him sideways in a flirty manner. In a moment, she was gone again, disappearing into a shop whose door stood open down the way. She was only gone a few seconds, and she returned proudly
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