5. Cade

5

CADE

A s we left the condo building, the grey sky had turned a few shades darker and light fluffy snowflakes descended.

"Ah, crap," Jay said. "I'd hoped this would hold off until later this afternoon. We're supposed to get a good dump of snow."

"Oh?" I hadn't checked the weather forecast.

"Yeah. Highway 21 can be a difficult drive in the winter. Did you bring an overnight bag? There are a couple of hotels in the city, and if you're not used to driving on the highway at night in a blizzard, I'd suggest you stay."

"Clearly I didn't plan this trip out well." I glanced toward the darkening sky. "I'll admit, I'm not used to living in a rural setting, but I've got my uncle's Jeep, and it's a little tank, so I should be okay."

Jay tilted his head to one side, "Well, let's visit the other houses and wait to see how bad the weather gets. I imagine you don't want to make seventeen trips down here just to find something. Best we keep pushing ahead. Onto the ranch?"

"By all means." I climbed into Jay's car, noticing how warm it was, unlike my beater which I had left back in Edmonton, making me extra thankful for Uncle Gally's loaner. If this was what driving could be, a nice warm interior, comfortable heated seats, and dash controls that worked, a new car seemed more like a necessity than a luxury. I turned and watched him flip through the papers he'd brought. He smiled as he handed me the next listing.

"The house was built in the 70s, but it has been tastefully modernized. It's only ever been owned by one family. So, I'm thinking it should be…you know?" Jay's eyes reflected a touch of concern.

I got it. When other people can't see what you do, it's hard to empathize. But when the spirits let themselves be known, attitudes change dramatically.

"Sounds promising," I said.

"Hope so! You looked ghastly after that last incident. I'd rather not put you or myself through that again." Jay turned and smiled.

It was a warm gesture, and his blond, stubbled face set me at ease. He was cute. His eyes were a shade or two lighter than the colour of the winter sky, and his skin, reddened with the bite of the winter air made him appear youthful. His coat pulled across his biceps, which tracked. I hadn't taken too much of a look while sitting back in his agency, but from where I sat now, I guessed he worked out on a regular basis.

Maybe a move to Camrose would be a good thing.

And from where I was sitting, the dating pool wasn't quite as shallow as Jay had mentioned.

I shook my head, refocusing my train of thought. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Sometimes the supernatural takes me for a bit of a ride. It's all good. They can't usually hurt someone."

"Usually?"

"Ah, well, it happens on occasion," I said, thinking of the fist-sized bruise on my chest. "It's rare, but like I said, collectively, they've all been a bit more aggressive than usual. I had one put his hand through me couple of days ago."

"A ghost did what? I mean… they're not physically there, though. Right?" Jay looked confused.

I chuckled. "They can still do damage." I unbuttoned my shirt halfway down my chest and spread the panels apart displaying my war wound.

Jay's eyes widened. His hand tentatively reached out, and I thought he was going to touch me, but instead he pointed toward the bruise, "How did that happen? The ghost?"

"Yeah. He was angry."

"You got that bruise from a ghost pushing its hand through your chest?"

"Yup."

"Fuck. Okay, I'd have turned pale white too if that had happened to me."

I grinned at him as I buttoned my shirt back up, "I'll protect you."

"Thanks." He didn't seem convinced.

Jay drove off toward the next house and within a few minutes he turned to me and stated, "That's where Sam and I live."

"Looks cozy," I said while peering out the window at the older-style bungalow.

"I've been there for a handful of years, and I like to look after her. She's a good home, with decent bones."

The car rolled to a stop only a few doors down from Jay's house. We had come to our next destination.

The house was adorned in a mottled brown brick, with highlights of tan and accentuated by darker age spots. It looked solid enough, and it filled the property lengthwise but still had ample yard from the street to the house. I imagined the backyard was at least as large. A six-foot high, white-painted fence framed the backyard, and a sidewalk from the street ushered guests to the front door. That same path branched off to the left and carried on to a gate that I assumed led into the backyard.

"Looks good." I nodded. A blue spruce sat in the front yard, towering over the house. "That'll be great for Christmas lights." I pointed to the tree.

"You'd have to hire a company with a cherry picker to get you to the top of that. But I guarantee you that if you do, the whole neighbourhood will drive by and admire that display. Sam loves Christmas. He'd be over every night to stare at your tree."

"That seems like a good enough reason to decorate." I smiled, imagining Jay and his son gracing my doorstep regularly.

As we entered the house, I noticed a definite chill in the air.

That wasn't a good sign.

"Wow. Usually, I ask the family to leave the furnace on a little warmer than this for showings. This is downright frosty. And dangerous. This will freeze the pipes." Jay grimaced, then brought his hands up to his mouth and blew into them. "Let me go check the thermostat."

As Jay wandered off, I cautiously walked into the house. As I exhaled, my breath fogged out in front of me.

I hadn't got to the centre of the living room when the electrical charge in the air snapped and crackled raising the hair on the back of my neck.

"Shit."

Jay came out from the hallway.

"Weirdest thing. The temp is set to 21 Celsius."

Behind my sexy real-estate agent floated an old lady, snarling and hissing. Her face morphing from gentle old grandma to a skeletal spectre of rage.

"Ah, Jay, are you sure there's been no family deaths here?"

Jay glared at me. "Why?" His face went ashen as he slowed his steps toward me.

I waved him over.

As he got close enough, I grabbed his lapel and pulled him toward me as grandma swung her arm toward him.

I ducked, pulling Jay down with me.

I lost balance and we tumbled onto the carpet. Arms and legs entwined as we both flailed.

The old woman had narrowly missed, but a glass vase on the kitchen table scooted off the edge and came hurtling in our direction.

Grabbing Jay into a bear hug, I rolled him around so that he was under me as the vase smashed into the brick fireplace behind us. Glass shards cascaded down around us.

"What the fuck?" The panic in Jay's eyes was unquestionable. He was so close I could feel the heat from his breath on my face.

"I think we need to leave."

"You don't say?"

Grandma had disappeared, but I wasn't going to hedge bets on when she'd turn up again, and from that quick encounter, I knew right away this house was out of the running.

Sitting in a booth of the Rose City Restaurant, Jay's hand trembled as he attempted to empty the packet of sweetener into his coffee.

I placed my hand over top of his.

As I did, he let out a ragged breath and hung his head, "Jesus, fuck. How do you do this?"

"It's unsettling the first time you encounter something. Well, I'm guessing this is your first time?"

"Watching a vase fly across the room on its own volition? Yeah, definitely my first time."

"I promise it does get easier, and you get used to it."

"What the hell? Like, I don't believe in an afterlife.

"It believes in you." I chuckled.

"Please don't. I'm not prepared for funny jokes right now."

"Sorry. I couldn't resist. Look, I don't know exactly what ghosts are. Some say they are the spirits of the dearly departed who have lost their way and didn't transition into the afterlife. Others will say that they are evil entities that take on familiar faces in order to get closer to the living. And still other folks say they are echoes. Remnants and vibrations of a life once lived. I don't really have an answer.

"But I will say, I've talked with some of them. Sometimes they retain memories and thoughts of their lives. They hold information that no one else knows. So," I shrugged, "I don't know what to tell you. I want you to feel better. Be happy you can't see them?"

"And I feel better here. I couldn't cope with seeing things that shouldn't be here. Especially if they were angry or violent."

"Like I said, the aggression is new. I've been seeing dead people since I was young. Really young. How old is your son?" I asked, then realized my hand had stayed on Jay's, and he'd made no attempt to move.

"He's ten. Will be turning eleven here shortly."

"Ah, so, grade four?"

"Five."

"Wow. He's going to be going through puberty before you know it."

"Oh man, don't even." Jay threw a hand up in front of me. "Don't even. He already smells like a goat after gym class."

I chuckled.

"I was about his age, maybe a little older when I started seeing ghosts. They are, quite literally, everywhere. Mom said it was because I had started going through puberty. It usually happens in our family around that time."

"Huh. Interesting." Jay cocked his head.

"What?" I had an inclination Jay had had a lightbulb of an idea switch on.

He shook his head, "Nothing. Let's go get some food. Jing just finished putting the last warming tray out."

We exchanged some small talk while loading up our plates, then settled back into our booth, only to find that Jing had refreshed our coffees and the cups were steaming, and full.

"Service here is excellent." Jay boasted.

"So, before we got up, you looked like you were going to say something?" I prodded.

"It's probably silly."

"I see dead people and we had a flower container pitched at us. I'd say silly is part of the agenda for today. Shoot. What's up?"

"Well, you mentioned that you were around Sam's age when you started seeing things. Sam has imaginary friends. Has for years. But they change out pretty regularly. One of my clients is a child psychologist, and she said that was normal and I shouldn't worry about it or give it a second thought. Sam would eventually grow out of it.

"But the other night I would have sworn I saw a depression on his bed, as if someone were sitting there. And then later when I went to tuck Sam in, the indentation was gone. I was tired though." Jay flicked his hand. "I may have just imagined it."

"Maybe. Maybe not. I can talk to Sam if you want. Find out if he's seeing more than just imaginary friends. That is, if you want me to?" I smiled. All I really ever wanted to do was bring people some sense of joy and comfort. The world was filled with too many negative influences, shitty people, and bad luck — all of which brought our moods down and made life more difficult.

I enjoyed helping people.

"That would be really great of you. Thanks."

"My pleasure. So, what haunted mansion are you taking me to next?"

"Ha, no. You told me the mansion was a no go. It would seem my bright ideas haven't panned out so far. I'm terrified to take you anywhere else, but there's a property about fifteen minutes east of town I'd like you to see. It is older. It probably needs some work, but it's within your price range and the acreage is really pretty. The place actually belongs to my ex-wife's grandmother, so I know the house is solid. And then I have a surprise listing. It's a brand-new build, but it's a little more than your budget. I had my assistant go over there earlier and prep it for us. It's not even on the market yet."

"Sounds like a plan. Let's do it." I shovelled some chow mein into my face. "Damn," I said with a mouthful of noodles, "This is really good!"

"We have so many great restaurants in this town." Jay took a bite of his egg roll, "I'd be happy to show them all to you."

Jay dabbed his mouth with a napkin while he chewed.

I looked up to find him staring at me.

He really was a gorgeous creature.

"I could get used to this."

"The food here is really good. All the time."

"Oh, yes, the food is good. But that wasn't exactly what I meant." I winked and speared some ginger beef with my fork and then promptly popped it into my mouth.

Jay smiled.

I returned the gesture. "Might take me a while to find the perfect home. How many houses can you show me?"