Come Back To Me

Chapter 10

I meander into the kitchen where my mom is sitting at the table with a cup of coffee. She looks up from her newspaper and looks surprised when she spots me standing in the kitchen doorway watching her.

“Hadley, good morning,” she smiles warmly at me.

“Morning mom.”

I yawn and go join her at the table as she watches me carefully.

“Can I make you some breakfast honey?” she asks me, standing up.

“No, it’s okay mom, I can just have some cereal or something.”

“Nonsense. What can I make you?”

She goes to the fridge and looks inside.

“Um, maybe some bacon and eggs?” I relent.

“Coming right up.”

She smiles and pulls out the egg carton and a package of bacon.

Mom sets the big plate of breakfast down in front of me, and it smells delicious, so I dig right in as she just sits there quietly, watching me as I eat.

“That was good, thank you mom,” I say as I stuff the last piece of toast in my mouth.

She stands and takes my plate to the sink.

“You’re welcome Hadley, I’m just glad to see you eating. You’ve really had me worried,” she says as she returns to her seat.

“I know, I just haven’t really had much of an appetite lately,” I shrug.

“I understand that Hadley, but it’s just really unhealthy, and I didn’t know what to do for you,” she says sadly.

“Yeah, I know you called Gavin yesterday.”

“I’m sorry but I didn’t know what else to do.”

“It’s okay, don’t be sorry. I’m not mad anymore, he got me out of the house didn’t he?”

“Yes, except he brought you back drunk,” she frowns, “how are you feeling by the way?”

“I feel fine surprisingly, you’re not upset at Gavin are you? Because I’m the one who decided to drink,” I tell her.

“No, I’m not mad at Gavin, Hadley. I was just surprised that’s all,” she assures me, then her eyes go wide when she looks down at my hands that are resting on the table in front of me.

“Oh my goodness Hadley! What the heck happened to your hand?” She gingerly grabs my right hand and examines it, and I flinch, I hadn’t even noticed it. My knuckles on my right hand are all swollen and bruised, evidence of my Taylor incident last night. Mom gets up and quickly grabs an ice pack out of the freezer, wraps a towel around it and brings it back to me, placing it on my hand.

“How’d your hand get like this?” she asks again.

“Um, interesting story,” I hesitate, not sure if I should tell her or not. But she looks at me expectantly, and I decide to just tell her.

“I punched Taylor Bennett in the face last night,” I admit.

Mom frowns and shakes her head at me.

“Hadley, why’d you do that?” she admonishes me.

“Because I finally had enough of her s**t, she was talking lies about Gavin and I, and had the gall to even bad mouth us in the name of Reid,” I tell her bitterly, not caring that I just cursed in front of her.

Mom stays silent, processing this for a moment before speaking again.

“Okay, well normally I would tell you that I don’t agree with dealing with your problems with physical violence, but it sounds like that b***h had it coming,” she states.

I gape at her in surprise, but then a laugh escapes my mouth, and she chuckles along with me.

“She definitely did,” I agree fully.

“So then Hadley, what are your plans for today?” she asks, sounding hopeful.

Hopeful probably because she’s hoping I don’t retreat back into my bedroom.

“Actually, I was hoping I could use your truck today, I have a few things I’d like to get done, including getting some school supplies.”

I realized this morning that school starts in only one week, and I don’t have anything.

“Sure honey, do you want company?”

“No thanks mom, I’ve got a few places to go, and it’s just easier if I do it on my own, is that okay?”

I have a few things I want to do today that I really don’t want anybody with me for. She sighs, but nods her understanding.

“Thank you.”

I remove the icepack and stand from the table.

“Thanks again for breakfast and the truck,” I say as I retreat down the hallway to my room.

Besides buying school supplies today, I also want to go to the library and do a little research. I know it’s easier, and a lot more common to just use the computer, but I am one of the last few people that still prefer, and enjoy going to the library. I want to do some looking in to this ghost stuff. Maybe I can get some answers about what Reid’s visits mean. Are they dreams? Are they hallucinations? Or are they actually something much more than what can be easily explained?

After I finish school supply shopping at the local Wal-Mart, I head over to the library. I walk into the small deserted building, and look around, wondering where to begin. I look over at the only other person in the room, the elderly librarian, Mrs. Bean. She’s leaning back in her chair, snoozing. I head over to the rows of books, and eventually find the section I’m looking for. I grab a few books that look like promising sources of information, and take them over to a table to start my research.

A few hours go by, and I have a lot more information than I thought I would have. I think I have figured out what type of ghost Reid is, if that is truly what is going on here. Although I am absolutely not scared of Reid at all, all this reading material has really creeped me out. The possibility that ghosts are in fact real, and something I always took for make believe, could actually be truth? According to the books, and what Reid has told me, and what we know about how he died, it would seem that he is classified as an intelligent spirit.

A person who died suddenly and traumatically, that may or may not be aware that he or she is dead. This spirit may be trapped between two planes of existence, and can’t figure out how to move on, or does not want to because they have strong emotional ties to this world. These types of spirits are aware of your presence, and may be able to communicate with you in some way, but can usually only be active during the night.

All of this basically explains Reid’s situation perfectly. I rest my head on the cool wooden table and try to really process this information. How can this be? Reid is trapped here? He can’t move on? Do I want him to move on? Selfish as it sounds, I don’t want him to leave, ever, and if this is the only way I can be with him, then I don’t want him to go. I think about what we talked about last night, and how he had been so upset. He was so sad and scared about the future, or lack thereof for us. It scares me too, a future without Reid. I can’t imagine it still. I think I will always wonder for the rest of my life, how does one move on from this? I miss him so much, even if I do get to see him in his strange paranormal apparition; it’s not the same as having him here in true flesh and blood.

I leave the library, feeling completely overwhelmed. Knowing what I do now, how will it change everything? I get into the truck and start driving, intending to go home, but somehow, I end up at Gunner’s Auto Shop, Parts and Wreck Yard. I don’t know what impelled me to come here, but I get out of the truck and start walking toward the yard. A mechanic with greasy coveralls spots me from where he works on a car, and strolls over to where I stand at the gate into the yard.

“Anything I can help you with Miss?” he asks me with a friendly smile.

“Um, I just uh…”

I really have no idea what I’m doing here, so I just come up with something.

“I just want to look for a part for a 1972 Chevelle,” I lie.

It’s the only car that comes to mind. The man looks at me curiously, seeming surprised by my request.

“What kind of part?” he presses with a smirk.

“Um…”

Oh crap, I have no idea. Fortunately, the man takes pity on me.

“Well, you’re more than welcome to have a look, I’m not sure how many Chevelles we have in there, I know there’s one out there that we got in a few weeks ago, but it’s in pretty bad shape. If you need any help, let me know, my name’s Kevin, I’ll just be over here.”

He points to the car he was working on and leaves me alone. Nervously I walk into the yard, feeling a familiar heaviness in my stomach, why am I here? I must be a glutton for punishment, because this is just plain twisted. I walk past all the random piles of metal and steel, and end up in a clearing in the back filled with many cars in various states of damage. My eyes scan the vehicle graveyard and land on it, Reid’s car.

I swallow hard, and I can feel my hands start to shake as I make my way over to it. I stop three feet away from the nearly unrecognizable mass of metal that used to be Reid’s pride and joy. I stare in horror at the front end that is almost completely gone, and the way the cab is twisted in a very gruesome way. I drop to my knees, and I feel the tears start streaming down my face, turning into sobs. Nobody could ever survive this. My poor Reid was ripped away from this world in a most horrific way. I shudder; so many questions come to my mind.

Why did he crash? Was he texting? Not paying attention? Did he die instantly, or did he suffer? These are questions that I haven’t asked because I don’t know if I could handle the answers. Here’s a question, why did I come here? Why did I put this image into my head?

“Hey, are you okay?”

I jump at the sound of a man’s voice behind me. I turn and look at him from my spot in the dirt, and it’s Kevin, the mechanic. He takes a look at my tear stained face, and comes closer to me, looking very concerned.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” he asks again, crouching to my level.

“I’m not hurt,” I choke.

“Then what’s the matter sweetheart?” his voice softens.

“Um…this is my fiancés car…” I tell him, and Kevin’s face blanches as realization dawns on him.

“Oh no…I’m so sorry.”

He looks lost for words.

“Is there uh…anyone I can call for you?” he asks gently.

I shake my head.

“No, thank you. I’ll be all right. I shouldn’t have come here,” I sniff and get to my feet.

Kevin stands up too. I notice he looks about my mom’s age, and he’s actually quite handsome underneath all that grease. I wonder idly if he’s married, maybe my mother should bring her truck in for a service soon. Even though he’s a stranger, I can tell he’s kind. I think he and my mom could get along, and I like him already.

“How old was he if you don’t mind me asking?” Kevin says quietly as he stares at the totaled car.

“Seventeen,” I answer him, and he shakes his head sadly.

“Too young,” he murmurs.

He walks over to the car and examines it for a minute, then bends down and snaps something off of the side. He walks back over to me, and I’m shocked when he hands me a small, chromed Chevelle emblem. I look at him questioningly.

“That part you were looking for,” he says, “a keepsake maybe.”

Maybe it’s odd, and even a little morbid, but I realize, I want this…keepsake. This car was Reid’s dream car, he loved this car, and he poured so much love and care into it, I would hate to not have a piece of it to remind me of all the good times we had in it.

“Thank you,” I whisper, wrapping my fingers around it.

“You’re welcome,” he nods, “can I walk you out?” he offers.

“Okay,” I answer quietly, and we make our way out of the yard.

When we reach the front, Kevin walks me right up to my truck.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asks me one last time before I get into my truck to leave.

“I’m sure, thank you Kevin,” I tell him.

“No problem,” he smiles kindly, and he starts to walk away.

“Hey wait!” I call to him before I can think about it, and he turns to look at me.

“Uh, my mom’s truck here needs a service soon I think, do you have a card?” I ask him.

He chuckles and walks back over to me, pulling a card out of his coveralls front pocket.

“Here you go,” he hands the card to me.

“Thanks, I’ll have her call and set it up,” I smile at him.

“Okay, sure thing, see you later uh…”

“Hadley,” I tell him.

“Okay, take care Hadley,” he waves at me and walks away.

I pull away from the shop, and I check the time. It’s only three o’clock, so I decide to make one last pit stop before heading home. I pull into the parking lot, and hop out, and make my way across the expansive lawn into the large graveyard. I don’t know why I’m on this weird death tour today, but I feel like I need to be here. Even though I can see Reid in his otherworldly form, his body lies here, I know this, and this is the reality. I make my way over to his grave where the dirt is still freshly turned up. Fresh and wilted flowers, stuffed animals and mementos left by friends and family still surround it. I sit down next to his headstone and lean against it. I don’t say anything, I just sit quietly, and think about all that I’ve seen and learned today. It makes me feel very tired, and I can feel my lids start to droop as I sit here in the peaceful quietness of the graveyard.

“Hadley, wake up! Hadley.”

Someone shakes me gently. I open my eyes groggily, and I realize it’s pitch black outside and I can barely see anything. I feel the dirt underneath me, and look up to see that I’m lying directly on top of Reid’s grave. I look over at whomever is shaking me, and I see that it’s Reid.

“Reid!” I exclaim, and I sit up quickly and wrap my arms around his neck.

I kiss him hard, almost knocking him back. He starts to kiss me back, but then after two seconds, I feel his body go rigid. He stops kissing me back, and I feel him tentatively pull me away from him.

“Hadley, stop,” he says quietly, but forcefully.

I pull away, feeling confused and hurt, and that’s when I realize with horror, that it’s not Reid I just kissed…its Gavin.

“Oh my god Gavin!” I whisper, feeling sick, “I’m so sorry.”

“Hey, it’s okay, you were confused,” he responds quietly, sounding sad.

“What time is it?” I ask him.

I have no idea how long I’ve been asleep for.

“It’s almost eight. You’ve got everyone worried, you haven’t been answering your phone, and so we came out looking for you. I thought here would be a good place to look, and I was right.”

Gavin shakes his head and takes a deep breath.

“What? I’ve been asleep for almost five hours?”

I reach into my pocket for my cell phone, but it’s not there. I remember then that I left it in the truck.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for everyone to worry,” I apologize.

“It’s okay. Let’s just get you home.”

Gavin stands up and brushes the dirt off of him, then offers his hand to me. I take it and he pulls me to my feet. I brush the dirt off of my own clothes, and we make our way to our vehicles silently.

“I’ll follow behind you,” he says quietly without looking at me, and goes to get into his car.

I get into my truck and see my cell phone sitting on the seat. I look at the screen, and sure enough there are dozens of missed calls and messages from both my mother and Gavin. I feel bad causing them all that worry. I can’t believe I fell asleep like that, and on Reid’s grave. Poor Gavin, having to see that, and then I go and kiss him, thinking he was Reid. What he must be thinking right now, he must be thinking that I have gone insane.

When I pull the truck into my driveway, I see Gavin pull by slowly, but then he just keeps on going. I don’t think much of it though and grab my bags of school supplies and head into the house. My mom is pacing in the kitchen when I open the door and she runs over to me quickly, wrapping her arms around me tightly.

“Hadley! You had me worried sick!” she exclaims.

“I know, I’m so sorry mom, I left my cell in the truck,” I tell her, and she pulls away and holds me at arms length, examining me.

“Yes, Gavin called me from his car and told me that he found you sleeping, in the graveyard?”

“Um…yeah. I was visiting Reid’s grave, and I must have been tired and fell asleep,” I explain.

“Oh Hadley…”

She pulls me against her again and hugs me, swaying back and forth ever so slightly and she rubs my hair. I just let her hold me and comfort me, because really, it feels nice.

“I really miss him mom,” I murmur into her shoulder.

“I know baby, we all do,” she coos.

“Hey mom?”

“Yes?”

“I think I’m going to go to bed now, I’m still pretty tired,” I sigh.

“Are you sure, don’t you want something to eat?” she asks, breaking the hug.

“No, I’m okay really. Oh!”

I remember the card in my pocket and hand it to her, and she looks at it questioningly.

“What’s this?” she asks, examining it.

“I stopped at Gunner’s today, and I met this mechanic named Kevin. He’s really nice, and handsome too. I told him that our truck needed servicing and that you’d get a hold of him soon.”

I smile at her as she realizes what I’m hinting at, and she shakes her head.

“Hadley!”

She pushes my shoulder lightly and giggles.

“Are you trying to set me up? And why were you at the Wreck Yard?”

“I don’t want to get into it now why I was there, but I just thought he might be worth checking out,” I shrug.

“Well, maybe I will. The truck actually is in need of some work the poor old thing.”

She shoves the card into her pocket.

I head to my room, wondering idly if Reid will visit me tonight. This part wasn’t something I could find a lot of information about, about whether or not ghosts could just come and go as they please. Reid had said that sometimes he could be here, but sometimes he could only watch. But maybe that was before I was aware of what he really was. Now maybe that I’m aware of his presence, and I no longer think that I’m dreaming, maybe it will open the door for him to be here when he wants. I step into my dark room, and go and turn on my little bedside lamp. I look around my little room, but it’s empty, no sign of Reid. I walk over to my window, and it’s closed, so I open it wide, letting the cool night air in, and hopefully Reid too.