The Other Side

Pondering the afterlife becomes a popular activity.

Farleigh spent the snowy day in Beltsville reading books about the afterlife, some of which were very old. Farleigh found himself asking "They actually had thoughts about ghosts that far back ?" His favorite book was titled "Anything Is Possible In The Afterlife" By Rita Haney. Her approach was much like Brenda's, and certainly Fiona's.

The public perception that ghosts hovered up near ceilings and moaned a great deal was a misconception. They didn't rattle chains, and lumber across the floor full of malice. To Rita's way of thinking, ghosts were still interested in exploring the earthly plane because their journey's had been unfulfilled. Spirits, however, loved the Spiritual plane, and rarely allowed themselves to be pulled back to the slower energies. Many wanted nothing to do with contacting the living under any circumstances. Other Spirits were happy to connect in any way possible.

Farleigh worried that Frederick and Edwina simply didn't care about him any more, or thought him foolish. Brenda assured him that he was wrong about that. Farleigh blamed them for being too busy to care, and then he blamed himself for not trying hard enough. Brenda and Fiona told him to stop trying so hard, and see what happened. As the snow continued to pound the window in the kitchen, he decided to have some tea. He mumbled aloud "I wish you were here, Edwina" and just a few seconds later, a tiny bird landed on the feeder.He tossed more seeds onto the wooden platform from the back porch, as the bird chirped, and gave him full eye contact.

He telephoned Brenda, and asked her what she thought about it. She said it was a common thing to happen, and to treasure the moment. She said she missed him, and needed to clear out the store windows, and get them ready for the animal Easter display. The pigs and cow were doing well at the sanctuary, and she needed to get some props from Sherman. 

Perhaps the mannequins could wear animal head masks. The window concept was "vague" at the moment. Farleigh was interested in meeting the Shockeys. He loved Brenda for her "more than interesting" life, and if he didn't feel so attached to the house he had shared with Edwina, he'd move to be close to her, at least.

With no word from Daniel in a while, Brenda toyed with the idea of writing him off, and concentrating on "some kind of life expansion" for herself. Caitlin would never agree to a divorce, and Daniel had to walk an emotional tightrope with her for little Henry's sake. After sipping the last drop of coffee, Brenda knew that she would never be able to write Daniel, or Farleigh "off" no matter what happened.

She needed the Blundons more than ever. There were changes in the air, and some of them were not good. A visit from Mr. Griffin might set her mind at ease, but she worried about not doing "justice" for the big old house. She, herself, was aging, and didn't have her 35 year old dynamo energy any more. She sighed out loud  that she wanted to dig up the Blundon's bones, and patch them back together. She heard a male laugh inside her head and say "that would be a sight."

She was well aware what people would think if they knew about her unusual gift, however, she knew that Dr. Sullivan would never lock her up if she bribed him with his favorite lamps.

CJ Marks