child, he always kept money in the account
that I could use to hang out with friends or shop for myself. It
was a pretty good arrangement in my opinion.
“ Don’t worry about it. I’m
just glad I get to see you on the first day of your summer break.”
He paused to stir some soup in a pan on the stove. “Jamie, Camille
stopped by a little while ago.”
“ She did?” I didn’t mean to
sound surprised, but it totally came out that way.
“ I think she was upset about
something, honey. Were you out with Sophia again?” he asked
gently.
“ Yes. We thought it would be
fun to visit the site where Rose Cottage used to stand.”
It was Dad’s turn to look
surprised.
“ Remember? I’m showing her
all our town has to offer this summer. She’s got to learn the story
of some of Marion’s most famous people.”
“ I vaguely remember when the
cottage burned down. I was pretty young, maybe five or six, but
there were rumors of it being haunted. Kids in town would dare each
other to go onto the property at night,” Dad reminisced before
changing the subject. “Can we talk about something that’s been
bothering me, honey?”
“ Sure. What’s
up?”
“ Jamie, I’m worried about
you. I don’t want you to throw away friendships that you’ve had
your entire life to hang out with someone who might only be here
temporarily.”
He didn’t know how right he was about
the temporary thing. “I know, Dad. Sophia and I try to include
Camille when we can, but she doesn’t get as excited about some of
our suggestions as we do.” It was only a partial lie.
“ Just be careful, sweetie.
Remember to think before you act. How old is Sophia
anyway?”
Now came the moment of truth. I wanted
Dad to know that she was old enough to legally drive, but not that
she was old enough to have graduated from high school already. What
eighteen-year-old would willingly hang out with someone three years
younger? I decided to go somewhere in the middle. It seemed
safe.
“ She just barely turned
seventeen, Dad. She has her own car and she’s a really safe driver.
Her parents totally trust her. I promise.”
Dad raised his eyebrows. “Just stay
off your phones when you’re in the car, okay?”
“ Of course,” I
promised.
After eating dinner and helping Dad
with the dishes, I retreated upstairs to my bedroom. A short time
later there was a quiet tap on the door. I opened it to find Sophia
standing in the hall. I grabbed her arm and yanked her into the
room.
“ Are you trying to get me
into trouble?” I hissed.
“ I didn’t know if your Dad
wanted you to have friends over this late and I promised not to
sneak up on you, remember?” she hissed back.
Sophia looked at me in my pajamas and
registered a look of surprise. “Are you going to bed
already?”
“ I don’t know. I guess. I
usually put my pajamas on after dinner and then read until I fall
asleep.”
“ We should go someplace.
Ghosts tend to feel more comfortable going out at night. Maybe we
can go find some. Come on, put some clothes on.” Sophia snapped her
fingers.
I couldn’t take it anymore.
“You know, I’m doing you a favor and it wouldn’t hurt you to be a
little more appreciative and a lot less demanding. I didn’t ask to be your soul
saver. I’ve spent every extra moment with you in the last week.
Have you even noticed that I’m losing the people I care about most?
I understand your predicament and I feel sorry for you. Really, I
do. But the fact is that sooner or later you’re going to be gone
and I will still be here. What if I have no one left to stay with
me when you’re gone?”
Sophia appeared shocked as I fiercely
whispered at her. I know I was shocked. Outbursts were not common
coming from me.
I took a deep breath and continued. “I
think you should leave for tonight. I have a lot of thinking to
do.”
“ Ok. Sorry, Jamie. I’ll see
you later.” Sophia stepped back toward my closet and
vanished.
I threw myself onto my bed
that I could use to hang out with friends or shop for myself. It
was a pretty good arrangement in my opinion.
“ Don’t worry about it. I’m
just glad I get to see you on the first day of your summer break.”
He paused to stir some soup in a pan on the stove. “Jamie, Camille
stopped by a little while ago.”
“ She did?” I didn’t mean to
sound surprised, but it totally came out that way.
“ I think she was upset about
something, honey. Were you out with Sophia again?” he asked
gently.
“ Yes. We thought it would be
fun to visit the site where Rose Cottage used to stand.”
It was Dad’s turn to look
surprised.
“ Remember? I’m showing her
all our town has to offer this summer. She’s got to learn the story
of some of Marion’s most famous people.”
“ I vaguely remember when the
cottage burned down. I was pretty young, maybe five or six, but
there were rumors of it being haunted. Kids in town would dare each
other to go onto the property at night,” Dad reminisced before
changing the subject. “Can we talk about something that’s been
bothering me, honey?”
“ Sure. What’s
up?”
“ Jamie, I’m worried about
you. I don’t want you to throw away friendships that you’ve had
your entire life to hang out with someone who might only be here
temporarily.”
He didn’t know how right he was about
the temporary thing. “I know, Dad. Sophia and I try to include
Camille when we can, but she doesn’t get as excited about some of
our suggestions as we do.” It was only a partial lie.
“ Just be careful, sweetie.
Remember to think before you act. How old is Sophia
anyway?”
Now came the moment of truth. I wanted
Dad to know that she was old enough to legally drive, but not that
she was old enough to have graduated from high school already. What
eighteen-year-old would willingly hang out with someone three years
younger? I decided to go somewhere in the middle. It seemed
safe.
“ She just barely turned
seventeen, Dad. She has her own car and she’s a really safe driver.
Her parents totally trust her. I promise.”
Dad raised his eyebrows. “Just stay
off your phones when you’re in the car, okay?”
“ Of course,” I
promised.
After eating dinner and helping Dad
with the dishes, I retreated upstairs to my bedroom. A short time
later there was a quiet tap on the door. I opened it to find Sophia
standing in the hall. I grabbed her arm and yanked her into the
room.
“ Are you trying to get me
into trouble?” I hissed.
“ I didn’t know if your Dad
wanted you to have friends over this late and I promised not to
sneak up on you, remember?” she hissed back.
Sophia looked at me in my pajamas and
registered a look of surprise. “Are you going to bed
already?”
“ I don’t know. I guess. I
usually put my pajamas on after dinner and then read until I fall
asleep.”
“ We should go someplace.
Ghosts tend to feel more comfortable going out at night. Maybe we
can go find some. Come on, put some clothes on.” Sophia snapped her
fingers.
I couldn’t take it anymore.
“You know, I’m doing you a favor and it wouldn’t hurt you to be a
little more appreciative and a lot less demanding. I didn’t ask to be your soul
saver. I’ve spent every extra moment with you in the last week.
Have you even noticed that I’m losing the people I care about most?
I understand your predicament and I feel sorry for you. Really, I
do. But the fact is that sooner or later you’re going to be gone
and I will still be here. What if I have no one left to stay with
me when you’re gone?”
Sophia appeared shocked as I fiercely
whispered at her. I know I was shocked. Outbursts were not common
coming from me.
I took a deep breath and continued. “I
think you should leave for tonight. I have a lot of thinking to
do.”
“ Ok. Sorry, Jamie. I’ll see
you later.” Sophia stepped back toward my closet and
vanished.
I threw myself onto my bed
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