Ghosts that Watch Us

10

Thanksgiving was an odd holiday for Ellory, given that he was not American and had no family here with whom to celebrate. He could travel back to Ottawa, but that was rather pointless as well, ever since Mom had passed. And where else would he go back to? Spain? So he found himself sitting in an armchair, listening to Dr. Mugen wax on while his children were so kind as to prepare the food. It was Charles’s first Thanksgiving without his wife, and Ellory knew the kind of ache that came from wishing vainly to share a moment with the person you love. 

Maybe that was why the townhome seemed oddly dour, Ellory thought. It was empty, missing part of what gave it life. Charles’s children tried to keep it cheerful for their father’s sake, but Ellory could see how strange this was for them too. Only the youngest grandkids chattered happily, most of their speech still hardly recognizable as English. 

“You know, Ellie’s middle name is June,” Dr. Mugen said, gesturing out the window to his oldest granddaughter, who was eleven and struggling to teach her younger brother how to pack a good snowball. “She’s not much like my wife though. She’s not even a teenager yet but she’s so very responsible already— at her age June was a real terror.”

“Did you know her when you were children?” Ellory asked. 

“Oh, yes, we went to the same school,” Charles said. “But we didn’t get along. June was the youngest of four, you know, and it wasn’t until we got into high school that her parents stopped pampering her quite so much. Oh, they were always the sweetest to her, but she needed to become independent. And she did. She began to really turn into the woman she became.”

“It must have been wonderful to see her change that way,” Ellory said, thinking of lace curtains and skin tanned by the Mediterranean sun. “Not everyone gets to watch their lovers grow into all their potential.”

“How right you are,” Charles chuckled. “She used to call me Charlie just to make me angry. She was one of the popular girls, you know, obligated to pick on a boy like me.” 

“Is that so?” Ellory asked. 

“Oh yes, I was quite the bookish lad. That was back when I had to wear glasses as thick as coke bottles to see two feet in front of me, before anyone came up with ways to make them more sleek like they are today. But June? Oh, she was beautiful. If we’d had a sports team she would have been a cheerleader. All pep and smiles, but her energy was unbridled. It was near impossible for her to sit still in class. She never really grew out of it— she spent her final day on this earth multitasking. Couldn’t be still for a moment.” Ellory’s mouth quirked into a smile. 

“How did you two fall for each other then?” he asked. “Sounds like a rough start.”

“That’s what makes it all the better,” Charles winked. “The realest love stories start with a fight.”

“Dad says the ‘falling’ part of falling in love was very literal,” Caroline said as she came over to check on the babies. “Tell him, Dad.”

“We didn’t meet again until five years after I left town,” Charles said, grinning. “I got drafted just after graduating high school, and when I got back the only job I could find was as a skydiving instructor. They figured if I could dive into an active battle I could teach civilians to jump onto a target. And lo and behold, who shows up but Miss June Brig? She was like a different person, and I suppose I was too. I taught her to dive, and then I asked if she’d like to catch up, and now here we are— here I am.” Charles’ smile dropped off of his face. Ellory balked. 

“We’re almost done with dinner,” Caroline said quickly, saving Ellory from scrambling to think of something to say. “It will be on the table in just a few minutes.”

“Oh, lovely,” Ellory jumped in. “It smells delicious.”

“It does, Caroline,” Charles said, touching his daughter’s cheek lovingly as she stood. The look he gave her was something sad and aching and yet, utterly grateful. “Thank you for cooking.”

“Of course, Dad.”