Romance Anthology

Spirited Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Turning, she faced Polly, who stood next to the remnants of what was once her laptop. The machine was now charred beyond recognition. Her table was covered in white foam. She was going to have to go get a replacement pronto. Another day can not be lost.

Dragging the trash can over, she tossed the burnt hunk of metal into it. Using a roll of paper towels, she cleaned the table’s surface as best as she could. Polly stood by quietly wringing her hands as she watched. Grabbing her bag, she made her way to the door. If she said anything to the ghost at the moment, she couldn’t guarantee it would be nice. Without looking back, she slammed the door closed and rushed off. If she hurried, she would only lose half a day’s work. It wasn’t ideal, but it couldn’t be helped. Looks like it was going to take two days to finish up the edits on the novel.

. * * *

Home with her new purchase, she reentered the apartment. Polly was still standing in the same spot as before. Taking out the new computer, she got it up and running in no time. All that was left was to set up her accounts and hope that the other laptop had been saving the progress made before it went up in flames. Polly turned to the table, causing Rose to place herself between the ghost and the laptop.

“Do not touch it.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that to happen. Really. I was just trying to close it and the next thing I know there was a fire.”

“I get that you probably have never seen one of these before. However, now we know what happens if you come into contact with one. These aren’t cheap, Polly, and I really can’t afford to keep replacing them. Not to mention all the lost time it costs me.”

“I understand. I really didn’t mean any harm. I’m so sorry.”

“Fine. You’re forgiven. Now let me get some work done please.”

“Okay.”

Polly drifted away. Head down, shoulders sagging. She should feel bad for scolding her like that. It wasn’t really the ghost’s fault after all. She had too much work to do to worry about the young woman’s feelings though. She could sooth the hurt later. Right now, there was work to be done.

Polly remained out of the way for the rest of the day. Rose had gotten farther than she had anticipated without the distraction of the overly social spirit. Once she was immersed in the work, she had forgotten the other presence in her home all together.

Stretching, she worked the kinks out of her back and shoulders while making sure her current progress was saved. Rubbing at her eyes, she decided to take a short break to let them rest for a bit. The strain was getting to her, and she would need some eye drops and a half hour before she could continue.

A knock on the door had her detouring from her bedroom. She wasn’t expecting anyone. Really, the only person that would probably visit her would be her mom and she hadn’t told her where her new place was yet. She wanted to get settled in for a few days first, before the chaos that was the woman who raised her showed up.

She thoughtlessly opened the door without checking to see who was on the other side of it. Her body froze when her gaze landed on Cole. Mind going blank she could do nothing but stare at the man who had appeared at her door twice in one day.

Chuckling, he held up a bag to wag in front of her face. Her eyes moved from his face to the object he was holding. Her eyebrow rose of its own accord as her gaze moved back to his. What on earth could the man want now?

“Can I come in?”

“I suppose?”

Moving to the side, she allowed him to enter. She could see Polly in her periphery peeking around the wall at their visitor. Walking past her, she noticed he was wearing his uniform again. From his slightly disheveled state she would wager he must have recently gotten off work. It made his appearance at her door all the weirder.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I grabbed one of the personal extinguishers we give away at the firehouse for you.”

“Thanks, but I was going to buy one. I just haven’t had the time yet.”

“Well, now you don’t have to.”

“That’s nice of you really, but I don’t plan on causing any more fires.”

“So, the first one was planned?”

“What? No.”

“If you wanted me to come over, you didn’t have to go extremes, you know.”

“Wait, what? I think you have the wrong idea here.”

Cole’s face crumpled as he doubled over in laughter. What the heck was so funny? She hadn’t said anything to warrant his reaction. Why were guys so strange?

“Sorry, Rose, I couldn’t help myself.”

“Please try and restrain yourself next time.”

“Well, you know firemen are very good at tying knots.”

“Huh?”

“Restraints. Knots.”

She blinked once at him. Then twice. He couldn’t really think he was being funny right now. Could he? Just what was his problem?

“Never mind. It was the last one, I swear.”

“I hope so.”

“Anyway, you should put this away. Probably in the kitchen.”

“What in the world is with you?”

Waving away any repose he would have had, she took the bag from his hand. Taking the extinguisher out, she made a show of putting it in the kitchen to appease him. Perhaps if he thought she was taking his advice he would leave.

“I see you got everything cleaned up.”

Then again, maybe not. What was with this guy? Did he not have anything better to do than to bug her? She already had enough on her hands with Polly. She didn’t need an overly friendly neighbor too.

“Cole, where are you at?”

The voice came from right outside her still open door, drawing the attention of everyone standing in her apartment. An older woman walked right in uninvited, making a beeline for Cole. What was happening now?

“Aunt Ida. I didn’t know you were coming today.”

“I had nothing else to occupy myself with, so I decided to visit my favorite nephew.”

Nephew? The woman looked like she could have been his grandmother, not his aunt. And what was with him having a family reunion in her apartment? Had Grand Central Station been moved to her living room, and no one had told her?

“Where are my manners? Hello dear, you must be the new neighbor. I’m Ida but you can call me auntie. Everyone does.”

“Aunt Ida, this is Rose. As charmed by you as I’m sure she is, we should probably leave her in peace.”

Sidestepping Cole, Ida waltzed right up to Rose and enveloped her in a hug. Unable to avoid the woman, she found herself engulfed in the softness of the woman. How much more awkward could things get?

Stepping back, Ida glanced around the room around her. Her eyes seemed to linger on the places where the crystals had been. Maybe she was thinking too much into it. She was probably just curious. At least that’s what it seemed like at first. Rose was still close enough to Ida to notice the woman freezing when her gaze landed on Polly. It didn’t linger long before her eyes moved on. Anyone else wouldn’t have even detected the pause. She wasn’t just anyone though. Well, not with the knowledge she had.

“We should get going dear. I’ll cook you your favorite for dinner.”

“You say the sweetest things.”

His blatant sarcasm earned him a smack on the arm before Ida took hold of him. She tugged him to the door, clearly wanting to get out of there and away from the resident ghost. Rose followed close behind, ready to close the door behind them both.

“It was lovely to meet you, Rose. I’ll have to stop by and have a chat soon when I have more time.”

“Have a nice night.”

Shutting the door, she vowed not to let the woman cross her doorway again. If she could lock Polly away in some kind of prison, what else could Ida do?

“She was nice.”

“Polly!”

“What did I do?”