Cookies

 

 

The hospital’s front doors opened. The note worked. I had needed Tabitha to meet me outside, and there she was.

She stalked toward me, eyes narrowed, ready for a fight. “Why did you give this to me?” Holding up my note, Tabitha said, “If this is some kind of sick joke …”

“I promise, it’s no joke,” I said.

“You think you know something that can help save Mac?” she said. “Okay, fine! What is it? Tell me.”

“Well, I don’t actually know yet. But in another minute, I will.”

Tabitha scowled. She probably wanted to whack me. Everything in her aura was saying I’m gonna snap you in two. My brain told me to wave my hands around martial arts style to deflect incoming punches. Since I had zero martial arts training, that probably made me look even more cuckoo’s nest crazy.

“Just hear me out, Tabitha, okay? In a few minutes a purple Subaru will appear. The woman driving will power down her window and ask for Tabitha Morton. You and I are supposed to get in.”

“To go where?” Tabitha said.“And how’s that supposed to help Mac?”

“I don’t know the answer to either of those questions yet,” I said. “Oh wait. We are supposed to buy cookies, too.”

“Cookies?” Tabitha lost it. “Have you gone full Froot Loops?”

“This isn’t what you think, Tabitha. I just want to help Mac.”

“Know what I think? I think I want to punch you in the face. But you’ll be gone in another hour, and I won’t have to see your ugly lying face ever again. You’re an awful girl, Bernice. Go back to North Carolina and leave me and my family alone.” She stormed to the doors.

It was an impossible situation, a genuine “now or never” moment. I didn’t want to say it, but I had to say it. “Tabitha, your mom said you have to come with me.”

Tabitha stopped cold. Stalking back, she glared at me. “My mom?”

“I know I sound crazy, I really do. That’s why I wrote it on the note. I’m sorry, Tabitha. But the truth is I can see and talk to your mom’s ghost. And she told me that Mac’s life depends on you and me getting inside that purple Subaru.”

By now, Tabitha likely didn’t just want to punch me in the face, she wanted to kick my teeth out, too. And I was going to let her. I needed her help so bad, I had to accept the punches and kicks, and whatever else she threw at me. I didn’t even do my stupid martial arts thing.

Only Tabitha didn’t punch me or kick me. Instead, she pinned me against a brick wall. My head conked a NO ANIMALS ALLOWED sign, and I saw stars. My glasses fell askew. One of my eyes saw Tabitha in the human world, and my other eye saw her in the spirit world. Strangely, this made me feel bad for her. Tabitha wasn’t just furious anymore. She was hurt, too. And confused.

“You’re not only awful, Bernice Blount, you’re evil!” she said. “Why do you want to hurt us?” Tearing up, she spoke through gritted teeth. “What did my family ever do to you?”

“Tabitha Morton!” A female voice called.

Looking over her shoulder, Tabitha saw a woman smiling from the open window of a purple Subaru. “Are you Tabitha? I’m Miko, your Uber driver. Ready to roll?”

Tabitha glanced at me, suspicious. “You set this up?”

I shook my head. “No, I swear. I don’t even have an Uber account.”

“Neither do I,” Tabitha said.

Popping out of the car, Miko told Tabitha to check her confirmation code.

Tabitha pulled out her phone and saw there was indeed a confirmation message. “I don’t get it. According to this, I called for a ride twelve minutes ago.”

“Tabitha, your mom told me this would happen,” I said. “Just like she told me you would be a quarter short when you tried to buy a can of ginger ale in the snack room.”

A struggle played out on Tabitha’s face. It was like her good wolf wanted to trust me, and her bad wolf wanted to punch me.

“We have to take this Uber,” I said. “For Mac.”

Miko smiled. “Give me a second here, guys, I have to move some boxes.” She swung open the back door of her car so Tabitha and I could see something. I shouldn’t have been shocked, but I was.

“I sell them on the side for my daughter.” Miko said. “Got a sweet tooth, girls?”

Tabitha’s jaw dropped, and then her eyes widened. Stacked in Miko’s backseat were four cases of Girl Scout cookies.

We were taking that Uber.