Chapter Seven

The lights came on and Brona was face to face with Liam, who had crouched down to inspect the rug. "We must have a leak. The floor's soaked," he said as he picked up a shard of glass.

Brona looked down at herself, realizing she wasn't wet any longer.

"What happened?" Tara asked, hugging herself.

Liam glanced at the wall where the beautiful mirror had once hung. "I guess we were only seeing our reflections, not someone in the house. But as to why the mirror shattered— I don't know." He shook his head.

"Liam," Brona whispered and reached for him. He inhaled deeply and stood, his eyes wide with fright.

"What is it?" Tara asked, grabbing his hand. "Did you cut yourself?"

"What?" He looked at her. "Uh, no." He pulled his hand away. "I thought I felt something, a blast of air maybe … something cold," he said tentatively.

Brona stood, tears streaming down her face. "I'm truly dead," she said, testing the words for the truth. "My dear sweet Liam, you can't see me." She turned her attention to her sister, who stood no more than a few feet away. "She doesn't know I'm here, either." All of a sudden, the dreamlike lunacy of the situation was beginning to make sense.

"She's still here, Tara," Liam whispered hoarsely. "Brona is still here. I feel her."

Tara's gaze met his, sorrow evident in her eyes. "Oh Liam, I miss her too, but she's been gone three years now."

Brona gasped at the news. Three years? Her brows drew together. How could it be so long? She looked at her husband. His wavy blond hair wasn't brushed and his eyes were bloodshot. Was he not sleeping well? He looked sad and hopelessness clouded the depths of his blue eyes. Brona glanced at her sister who also had the dark hair and gray eyes of the O'Malleys.

Tara hadn't betrayed her, but had tried to comfort Liam with his grief. She had fallen in love with him. She couldn't begrudge her. Liam was a good man.

Liam turned his head toward Tara. "I know she's gone, but her spirit isn't at rest. That's what I'm trying to tell you. Sometimes I feel as if the sadness is drowning me." He leaned down and picked up another shard of glass. "We bought this mirror together." He chuckled. "She had to have it and I could never say no to her. We had it packed and shipped from Dublin. I thought it would be broken to bits by the time it arrived, but it arrived in perfect condition." He inhaled deeply. "Now look at it, Tara. Brona would have my head for letting it break."

Tara placed a hand on his shoulder. "Oh, Liam." Her voice caught in her throat.

Brona leaned down so she was eye to eye with Liam. She'd been haunting this poor man and he couldn't move on. "I'm so sorry, Liam. I love you so and I didn't have a chance to say goodbye. I never meant to hurt you." She had to let him go. If she moved on, perhaps he would too. She touched his hand and he flinched, though he didn't pull away.

"No more shattered illusions, my dear Liam," Brona told him in a breathless whisper.

Oddly, peace settled over her now that she understood what had happened. She glanced at where the mirror had once stood. There was a light and within the brightness she could see a stairway leading up.

"Do you hear it?" Liam asked, looking up at Tara.

Tara's brows drew together. "What? I don't hear anything."

"That's just it. The storm's passed," Liam said, making Brona aware how silent the night had become.

Brona lips curved into a smiled. "Yes, my love, the storm has passed. She leaned forward and kissed Liam goodbye.

The End