9
After Ryan left, Nicole offered to surrender the pretty yellow guest room to Bernice. She secretly hoped that Bernice would feel guilty and decline, but instead the young girl’s eyes lit up. “Really?” she asked. “You don’t mind?”
Nicole thought about her answer. The truth was she did mind, but she also felt sorry for Bernice. The displaced girl probably needed that room more than Nicole did. “I don’t mind.” She held up a finger. “But only if you help me move my stuff into the other room. It’s been a long day and I’m kind of tired.”
“No problem.” Bernice jumped to her feet. Tearing up the stairs, she led the way to the coveted bedroom. Without waiting for Nicole, she threw open the door and went in, looking around. “What do you want me to do first?”
Nicole assigned some tasks, and before long all her belongings were deposited into the other spare room. Decorated in manly shades of navy and burgundy, this room was a bit smaller than the other one. But at least it had its own bath.
“This was Uncle Ryan’s room,” Bernice said as she tossed an armful of Nicole’s clothes on the bed. “The yellow one was my daddy’s. But it didn’t look like that when he had it.”
Nicole nodded as she hung her clothes in the closet, which was empty.
“Are you an artist?”
“Sort of.” Nicole turned to see Bernice neatly arranging her art supplies on the table by the window. “But I need to devote more time to it.”
“I’m an artist too.”
“Really?” Nicole went over to the table. “What kind of art do you do?”
“Everything.” Bernice smiled shyly. “I mean, I like to draw and paint and make stuff out of pretty much anything. You know?”
“Yeah. You’re basically an artist.” Nicole grinned.
“And you teach art in a high school?” Bernice studied her closely.
“That’s right.” Nicole crossed her arms.
“You think maybe you could sort of teach me too?”
“Sure, if you want. Or maybe we could just work together. You know, side by side.”
“Yeah, I’d like that. Thanks, Miss Anderson. I mean, thanks for everything. For letting me stay at Grandma and Grandpa’s and letting me have my room back. I can see why Grandma likes you.”
Nicole smiled. “You’re welcome. But if you don’t mind, I’d prefer you call me Nicole. Hearing ‘Miss Anderson’ makes me think I’m teaching. And I like to imagine I’m taking a break. Kind of a working vacation.”
“Okay. Nicole.” Bernice grinned. “And you can call me Bernie if you want. I only let family and friends call me that.”
“Okay then. Bernie.” Nicole let out a yawn and glanced at her watch, realizing it was nearly eleven.
“Do you work at the gallery tomorrow?” Bernice picked up a tube of cobalt-blue paint, obviously in no hurry to say good night.
“No, it’s closed.”
“Oh yeah. Tuesday.” Bernice set the tube down. “What’re you doing then?”
“Doing?”
“For your day off?”
“Oh. I hadn’t really thought about it. Maybe I’ll spook around Savannah some—”
“Have you done a ghost tour yet?” Bernice asked.
Nicole shook her head.
“You have to do a ghost tour!” Bernice’s eyes got big. “We could do it together.”
“That sounds fun.”
“They have them at night.”
“Have you been before?”
“No. My parents haven’t wanted to go. My mom says they’re stupid and Dad acts like I’m too young.”
“How old do you have to be?”
“All my friends have gone on the ghost tours already,” Bernice explained. “It’s embarrassing to tell them I haven’t gone yet. Even my best friend Gina teases me sometimes.”
“Well, if your dad doesn’t mind, maybe we should go.”
“Really?” Bernice came closer, peering up at her face. “You’d go with me?”
“Why not? I’d planned to tour Savannah sometime anyway.” Nicole pushed a strand of hair out of Bernice’s eyes. “But promise me you’ll ask your dad first, okay?”
Nicole kicked off her sandals and sat on the end of the bed.
“I know, I know.” Bernice moved to the door. “I should let you go to bed.”
Nicole smiled meekly. “I’m pretty tired.”
“Maybe I can show you around Savannah tomorrow,” Bernice suggested as she reached for the doorknob. “Like your own personal tour guide.”
“That’d be great. I’d love it.”
“Thanks again, Miss—I mean, Nicole.” Bernice smiled. “If you hear some scuffling around in the attic, it’ll just be me. I gotta get my stuff from up there and move it into my room. I’ll try to hurry, though.”
Nicole thanked her and said good night. As Bernice slipped out the door, Nicole felt a bit guilty. Perhaps she should’ve stayed up to visit with her more. Bernice seemed lost and lonely, like she really did need a friend. But if they were going to be housemates, there should be time for that. Hopefully she wouldn’t regret her impulsive decision to let the girl stay.
Bernie turned out to be a perfect tour guide. She knew just enough history to make it interesting, but not so much as to make it dull and dry. It was obvious that she had great respect for the dearly departed citizens of her hometown. Especially since so many considered Savannah to be the most haunted city in the world.
“I love the ghosts,” Bernie declared as they walked through Monterey Square. “I wouldn’t want to live in a place without them.”
“Do you really believe there are ghosts here?” Nicole peered up at the statue in the center of the park.
“Of course.” Bernie nodded vehemently. “Don’t you?”
Not wanting to spoil her youthful enthusiasm, Nicole didn’t answer. Instead she pointed to a huge oak tree. “I just love how that Spanish moss looks.”
Bernie looked up. “Me too. It’s kinda spooky.”
Nicole pulled out her smartphone and took some shots. “I’d like to paint a picture with some Spanish moss in it.”
“You took a lot of photos that you want to paint,” Bernie reminded her. “Which one will you start with?”
“I’m not sure.” Nicole pocketed her phone. “At least I’ll have plenty to choose from.”
“Do you want to see anything else?” Bernie let out a tired-sounding sigh.
“It’s pretty warm out.” Nicole glanced at her watch. “Maybe it’s time to call it a day for now. We can take a little break until it’s time to go on the ghost tour.”
“Yeah,” Bernie agreed. “Good idea.”
“I’ve been wanting to try out your grandparents’ pool.”
“You like to swim?” Bernie looked surprised.
“Sure.”
“Cool. My parents never want to go in the pool.”
“I can’t think of anything that sounds better right now.” Nicole fanned her face with her hand. “I’m steaming hot.”
It wasn’t long before they were both immersed in the cool depths of the turquoise-blue pool. “This is perfect,” Nicole said as she floated on her back. “Just what the doctor ordered.”
After a nice cooling soak, they got out and made themselves comfortable on the lounge chairs. As she felt herself pleasantly drifting to sleep in the sunshine, Nicole thought that this finally felt like a real vacation. A girl could get used to this.
When she woke, it was to the sound of voices behind her. Without opening her eyes, she listened to Bernie quietly talking to Ryan. She was telling him about their day and their plans to go on a ghost tour.
“A ghost tour?” he said. “I want to go too.”
“You should come, Uncle Ryan. It’ll be fun.” She told him the name of the company, and soon he was on his phone making his own reservation. Just as he was saying goodbye, Nicole sat up. Reaching for a towel, she turned to look at them.
“Uncle Ryan is going with us on the ghost tour,” Bernie announced.
“Do you mind?” Ryan asked.
“Not at all.” Nicole wrapped the towel around her midsection and stood.
“I just wanted to check on you ladies.” He grinned. “Looks like you two are getting along just fine.”
“We are,” Bernie declared.
“That’s right,” Nicole said.
“Since we’re going on the ghost tour together, maybe we should go get a bite to eat together first. You girls interested?”
“We have to go to the Pirates’ House!” Bernie said.
“The Pirates’ House?” Nicole asked.
“It’s a restaurant,” Ryan explained.
“That’s haunted,” Bernie clarified. “My best friend Gina has been there a bunch of times. Dad thinks it’s silly, but I’m dying to go there. And it really is haunted.”
“Sounds like we better go then.” Nicole winked at Ryan. “I mean, if we really want to do this haunted thing up right.”
“I’ll see if I can get a reservation.” Ryan pulled out his phone.
“I’ll go get dressed.” Nicole made her way to the door.
“Me too.” Bernie followed her inside. “This is going to be so cool, Nicole. I can’t wait.” She giggled. “It makes me feel kinda like I’m a little kid again. My friends would probably make fun of me if they knew. I mean, since they’ve already done the ghost tour and everything, like they’re so much more grown-up than I am. You know?”
“I do know. I remember how girls could be mean in middle school.”
“Did you get bullied too?”
“Sometimes.”
“But you’re so cool. And so pretty. Why would they bully you?”
“Thanks.” Nicole laughed. “But they don’t need a reason to bully someone. They just do it because they can. Fortunately, most of them seem to outgrow it after middle school. I don’t see nearly as much bullying in high school.”
“That’s nice to know.”
Although Ryan was unable to get reservations at the popular Pirates’ House, he did get them into a fish and chowder house on the river. “This place might be haunted too,” he told Bernie as they studied their menus.
“Really?” She glanced around with a doubtful expression. “The building doesn’t look all that old, Uncle Ryan.”
“Maybe not, but I heard about a cook who used to be employed here.” His tone grew serious. “He was an ornery old cuss. Such a tyrant that the other kitchen workers hated him. Then he mysteriously drowned in the river one night. They suspected he was murdered by his co-workers, but no one was charged. Anyway, they say he returns from time to time to haunt the restaurant.” Ryan’s expression was totally deadpan as he pointed to the lobster tank in front. “One morning all the lobsters had been freed. They were crawling all over the place. Pretty weird.”
“Seriously?” Bernie glanced around the dining room. “It’s really haunted?”
Ryan’s face cracked into a smile and he laughed.
“You made that up!” Bernie socked him in the arm.
“Ouch.” He feigned pain. “Hey, you can’t blame me for playing the ghost game.”
“Uncle Ryan.” She scowled. “It is not a game.”
Ryan turned to Nicole, rolling his eyes dramatically.
Nicole suppressed her own laughter. “Hey, ghosts are serious business here in Savannah. You shouldn’t make fun.”
“Yeah,” Bernie warned him. “You might be sorry later.”
“I hope so. I’m looking forward to getting a good scare tonight.”
“Me too,” Nicole said. “I want to be deliciously afraid.”
Nicole thoroughly enjoyed dinner. Being with Bernie and Ryan was the most fun she’d had in a long time. When they went over to Johnson Square, where the walking ghost tour was supposed to begin, they were all in high spirits. Their tour guide was dressed in 1800s-style clothing and was obviously well versed in Savannah history as well as drama. Nicole was surprised that their tour group was so small—just six of them—but their guide didn’t seem to mind as he led them through the oldest historical section of the city.
It was interesting and somewhat spooky seeing some of the old houses and inns and hearing their strange tales. All had a ring of truth, along with something extra—probably drama. The Colonial Park Cemetery was definitely eerie with its old headstones and sculptures in the shadows of the streetlamps. When one of the women on the tour let out a squeal, Nicole felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise.
When the woman declared to have seen something move behind a gravestone, both Bernie and Nicole clutched Ryan’s arms. “It looked like a vapor shaped like a man,” the woman breathlessly exclaimed, “and he had on a three-cornered hat. Like from an old military uniform.”
“Probably one of our forefathers,” their guide said solemnly, “a soldier who laid down his life for our freedom during the Revolutionary War.”
No one disputed this, and it was obvious Bernie was eating it all up. For her sake, Nicole was glad. Although the young teen’s fixation on ghosts and haunted buildings was a little unsettling, Nicole supposed it was simply an adolescent phase that Bernie was going through. And after all, this was Savannah!
The last stop in the tour was a building currently known as Moon River Brewing, complete with a pub and restaurant. According to their guide, it had been known originally as the City Hotel and had a sinister reputation. He described a fire that had killed many and burned much of Savannah around two hundred years ago. “Some of the victims have never forgotten that horrible night.” He held open a side door with a serious expression. “Now we will go inside. But I warn you, some tourists have experienced some very odd supernatural effects in here. If you are of weak heart, you might prefer to wait in the brewery.”
“This is the best part,” Bernie whispered as they went inside.
“Sounds like it.” Nicole felt a shiver go down her spine and found herself reaching for Ryan’s arm again. She hoped he didn’t mind.
“Gina said she saw Mrs. Johnson up here,” Bernie said as they went up a semidark stairway.
“Mrs. Johnson is frequently seen up here,” their guide said.
“Who is Mrs. Johnson?” Nicole asked.
“No one seems to know for sure. But workers in the building have seen her and dubbed her Mrs. Johnson. She was probably a victim of the fire . . . or perhaps something far worse.”
To Nicole’s relief nothing too abnormal happened as they walked down the dimly lit hallway. Bernie claimed to have felt something bumping her from behind, although no one was behind her.
When they finally were outside again, Nicole let out a sigh of relief. “I have to confess that scared me more than I expected it would,” she told Ryan and Bernie. “I’m glad it’s over.”
“It was absolutely wonderful,” Bernie said. “Thank y’all so much for taking me.” She linked one arm into Nicole’s and one into Ryan’s as they strolled toward the car. “It was the best night ever.”
“It was interesting,” Nicole admitted. “And I did learn some history.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed it,” Ryan said. “Nothing better than escorting a couple of frightened females on a ghost tour.”
“I wasn’t frightened,” Bernie claimed. “Just mildly scared. That’s all.”
“Oh, no,” he said with a grin. “You didn’t sound too frightened that time you let out a shriek. Just mildly scared.”
Bernie socked him in the arm, then pulled out her phone. “I have to text Gina about tonight. She’ll be so impressed.”
“Be sure to tell her you were only mildly scared,” Ryan teased.
Nicole chuckled. She was grateful that Bernie had felt at least a little scared. It would’ve been a letdown if she hadn’t. Nicole was thankful that Ryan had come with them tonight too. It was such a comfort clinging to his arm. And to be honest, it had felt like something more too.