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1
Amberlin paid for the burgers and stormed out of the restaurant and down the sidewalk towards the motel. She listened to see if Hannah was following her. I don’t really care if she does or doesn’t, she told herself, but even as she thought it, she knew it wasn’t true. She was thrilled that Hannah had tracked her down even if it had been for the wrong reason, even if she couldn’t honor her friend’s request. It was good to have her back in her life. So, as she continued back to the motel, she slowed her pace to allow Hannah to catch up.
“I didn’t mean to upset you,” Hannah said as she pulled up beside her, obviously winded from the effort.
“I know,” Amberlin replied. “It’s not that I don’t want to help you. I just don’t know how.”
They walked on for the next few blocks without saying anything. Finally, Amberlin pointed to a ramshackle building outlined with pink neon lighting with several gaps where the lighting no longer worked. “There it is, our palatial home, the Black Horse Motel.”
“Black Horse with pink lights? I don’t get it,” Hannah said.
“Neither does anyone else," Amberlin replied with a chuckle. "We think it was named something else when it was first built, and the neon lights were installed, then someone bought it who was from the West and renamed it. No one knows for sure. I do know that our room has a distinctive horsey smell though, but it's warm and cheap. Come on in. Spooks should still be up."
“Spooks? Is that your cat?”
Amberlin laughed again. "No, silly, Spooks is my mom. We call her that because...well, it's a bit complicated. Let's just say for now, it's her nickname, and leave it at that." Amberlin pulled a key from her pants pocket, unlocked the door to the first-floor room, and waved Hannah in.
“Spooks, you awake?” Amberlin called as she entered behind Hannah. “I brought food and someone I want you to meet.”
Spooks walked out of the bathroom drying her hands on a towel. "You said the magic word, ‘food,'" she said as she tossed the towel on the arm of the sofa. "And who's this?"
“This is my old friend from Golden Acres I’ve told you about, Hannah Barrington.”
“Hannah, how nice to meet you. You’re the one that got locked up in my old crypt, is that right?”
“Yeah, that’s me,” Hannah replied. “Not my fondest memory of those days.”
“I bet. Well, I appreciate all that you did to help my daughter find me. Now, where’s that food?”
Amberlin held up the bag. “Burgers from Burger Palace.”
“Great, my favorite," Spooks said as she took the bag from Amberlin and began to open it. "Where's Ben?"
“He’s not here?” Amberlin asked.
“Nope, haven’t seen him,” Spooks replied as she took a large bite from one of the burgers, closed her eyes and hummed a soft melody of pleasure.
“He’s probably off with his new friends then. Hope he doesn’t stay out too late.”
Spooks handed the bag to Hannah who took a wrapped burger out for herself. “Hey, Sugar, where did you get those gorgeous tattoos?”
“That’s right,” Amberlin added. “You never told me about them.”
“Not much to tell, really. There was this guy...”
“Yeah, seems like our stories always involve some guy,” Spooks interjected.
“Well, he worked part-time at the restaurant in Asheville where I worked, but he was really an artist. He just worked at Betty's so he could pay the rent. He used to look at my arms all dreamy like and say what beautiful canvasses they were, and how he'd love to paint upon them one day. Ol' innocent me didn't have a clue what his form of painting was...not until it was too late. Of course, Tremble, that was his name, would have stopped but by then I was into it."
“You let a tattoo artist named Tremble work on you?” Spooks said between mouthfuls of burgers.
“Yeah, kinda ironic, isn’t it,” Hannah replied, and then they all started laughing.
As the three of them prepared for bed, Ben walked in looking pleased with himself. He and Hannah spent a few minutes catching up before Hannah climbed into bed next to Amberlin. Shortly after the lights were turned out, Amberlin scooted over closer to her friend.
“I know I haven’t really answered your question about your leg,” she whispered, “but I haven’t forgotten about it. Let me sleep on it, and we’ll talk about it tomorrow. Okay?”
“Sure,” Hannah replied. “Thanks for at least considering it. It really means a lot to me.”
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2
THE NEXT MORNING AMBERLIN walked around the room in a daze. As she prepared for the day, she thought about her dreams from the night before. Ben continued to snore away on the floor, and Spooks just turned over on the couch with a grumble when Amberlin tried to wake her.
“Let them sleep,” Hannah suggested as she sat up in bed and stretched. “It’ll be easier if all four of us aren’t trying to get into the bathroom at the same time.”
“That’s for sure,” Amberlin agreed. “There’s a greasy spoon across the street that, despite appearances, puts on a decent breakfast. Want to join me?”
“Sure,” Hannah replied.
The two of them proceeded to get dressed, moving around the cramped space like a couple that had been married for years, smooth, efficient, and with a minimum of small talk, at least from Amberlin. Hannah chatted away about how excited she was to be in Washington, D. C. and all the sights she wanted to see while she was there. Amberlin tried to pay attention but found her thoughts kept returning to her dream.
Finally, as the two of them sat drinking coffee and waiting for their orders to arrive, Hannah tapped one hand on the table. “Earth to Amberlin. Come in. Where are you?”
Amberlin shook herself and smiled. “Sorry, I know I haven’t been very good company this morning.”
“What’s up? Hannah asked. “Is it about what I asked you last night?”
Amberlin took a sip from her coffee mug before answering. “Yes, well kinda. I had a dream last night...”
“And?” Hannah prompted her after several seconds of silence.
“Well, I think I may know how to help you?”
“Really?” Hannah replied excitedly. “From your dream?”
“Do you remember my grandpa?”
“Of course. He was such a nice man. I’m sorry about what happened to him. It was in all the papers.”
“Well, the papers were wrong. It wasn’t Spooks who shot him. It was Reverend Stover.”
“Ben’s father?”
Amberlin nodded. “Yeah, but here’s the thing. Papa Herb still comes to me occasionally, most often in my dreams.”
“Really?” Hannah repeated, and then after a moment. “Cool.”
“Well, last night I received a double visit from Papa Herb and Mo.”
“Who’s Mo?”
“He’s kind of a spiritual guide that Papa Herb interviewed in the early days of his career. They seem to like to...hang out together.”
“Awesome,” Hannah replied. The two of them waited in silence as the waiter brought them their food, then Hannah leaned over towards Amberlin. “So, what did they say?”
“They told me how I might be able to help you,” Amberlin replied, “if you’re willing to give it a try.”
“Sure. Anything,” Hannah said as she picked up a slice of toast and began to butter it. “Just tell me what to do.”
Amberlin swallowed a mouthful of eggs before replying. “We’ll do it tonight in the room. I’ll send Ben and Spooks to a movie.” She paused for a moment then added. “Listen, I have no idea whether this will make any difference or not.”
“I understand,” Hannah replied, “but how can we go wrong? My God-gifted friend is being guided by her dead granddad and his spirit guide. I’m in good hands.”