5
Leland’s Ghost
September 1944 — LelandTwo months after he awoke from his drunken state, Leland cleaned out Jessie’s room. Beer bottles and shards of glass clanked and pinged against the metal bucket as Leland swept and emptied the dustpan over and over again. A crisp autumn breeze filtered through the window and into the room that was permeated with the smell of alcohol. The sounds of children playing trickled in from across the street.
Leland ran his hand over his clean-shaven face and freshly trimmed hair. He had washed and scrubbed until his skin nearly matched his red curls. His nose couldn’t get used to the smell of something other than liquor emanating from his body.
Once the room was cleared, he heated water on the stove and took a sprig of lavender from the bottle by the kitc
