Ghosts that Watch Us

18

“I won’t be able to go to Mexico with you.”

He nearly dropped his cup. “What? Why?”

“My mother called me last night. My grandmother’s been admitted to the hospital. They think it’s her heart, and they don’t know how much longer she has. My dad’s bought my ticket home. I leave tomorrow morning. I’ll be back after break, professor…but I’m just—I’m so sorry!”

Ellory sat still, heart beating fast in his throat. It wasn’t that he couldn’t handle this alone. Of course he could. But Delia was by far the best graduate assistant he’d ever had and she knew the ins and outs of his travel habits and how to work with him while on site. Not to mention his fainting spells, when the heat was at its worst. Delia always knew when to hand him the ice packs, when to have him sit down and drink from their cold water. She knew when to knock on his door and how to whisper him awake.

“The heat, Ellory,” she said quietly, as if reading his mind. “Your dreams—.”

“It’s alright, Delia,” he said quickly, not liking the look on her face. He didn’t want to make her feel worse than she already did. She was the one bright spot in this day, he couldn’t let her down. Not now. “I’ll be fine. I will. I only have the one church to go to in Mexico City. And our hotel is close by.”

“But no air conditioning, professor,” she pressed. “I mean, it’s an ideal little hotel aside from that, we’d have our own cottage. It was perfect! And the church is two streets down. I know how you prefer to stay close to the site. I have everything arranged. Ice packs and— and bottled water, and I was going to ask for a space fan from the guy I spoke with, Miguel. He said he would arrange for one to be available for you.” Her voice climbed in pitch the more she rambled, clearly upset that he would be left to his own devices. “I’m sorry, Ellory. But my grandma—.”

"Oh, no, don't cry, Delia," Ellory said, jumping up and pulling her to her feet. He hugged her warmly, patting her back and whispering that it would be alright, that she needn't worry, that things happened for a reason and that it was best to trust in the flow of things. Before she left, she handed him a folder with his itinerary, reservation confirmations and plane ticket from Newark, her extra tucked in beside his.

"You can email me from there if you need help with anything, okay? I'll be checking my email from home." Her face softened and she took his arm gently. "Take care of yourself, professor. Promise me you will. And hydrate. Stay in the shade. And just relax, okay? You're supposed to be on vacation."

He laughed, and shrugged as best he could. "I promise I will. And please let me know how everything goes with your family."

As soon as she left, he found some aspirin in a cabinet and fell back asleep, wondering if he would dream of blue eyes again.

**

Spring Break couldn't have come faster for Sean. He’d had his bags packed and a ticket to Cancun ready since before Christmas. Once on the beach, he would rent a board and spend the entire week in the water.

There was something heavy about being on campus these last few weeks. Something that made him weary but charged under his skin, like static electricity clinging to freshly washed sheets.

A month ago, he was on the lookout for the next time he could mock Ellory and get a good laugh going at his expense; a week ago he was reading a Dear John letter addressed to Ellory by a man who had obviously been, and might still be, in love with him; and two days ago he had watched the man fall down a hill and collapse in a puddle of angry tears, only to follow him and hump him against his desk like some kind of rabid and horny teenager. Sean was ready for a break from campus, from the cold, from Ellory. All he wanted was the ocean and the endless sky, pale limbs and breathy gasps be damned.

But upon arriving at the Newark airport, he found his ticket counter congested with a small crowd of angry and frustrated people. Security had just arrived and were queuing people into a line. Sean leaned close to one officer and asked what was going on.

"Flight to Cancun is canceled. Nothing leaving for another three days."

Sean blinked fast. "Nothing to Mexico?"

"Nope. Poor ladies at the counter are handling refunds.” The guy ushered him forward and Sean moved along the line.

Nothing to Cancun, nothing even to Mexico. Not from this airport. He wondered vaguely if he should try elsewhere, but thought suddenly that it might be too much trouble. He could try the western states, California maybe, even Florida down south.

He hiked his bag higher on his shoulder and ran a hand roughly through his hair.

"Goddammit," he muttered, stepping out of the line and flopping down at a bank of chairs by the broad windows overlooking the waiting planes. Outside, a steady drizzle began to beat against the pavement and he dropped his head back, a pang of defeat swimming through him.

Through the buzz and chatter of the congested airport, he became aware of a low murmuring to his right, like someone speaking to himself. "Day one, check in at hotel. Speak with Miguel about space cooler. Day one evening, meet with Padre Aurelio, survey and blue print attached."

Sean rolled his head to see the person, pulse jumping when he realized it was the professor. It was Ellory.