Except for the faint smell of ash, the room had magically cleared of smoke. Belinda remained by Lily’s side. Laura stayed by the door. I watched Belinda warily. Without the glow and the burning eyes, she looked like any other teenager in an old-fashioned nightgown. With a change of clothes, I could imagine her hanging out at the boardwalk arcade back home.
That’s how I’d talk to her, I decided. None of Laura’s new age chants. None of Kayla’s snippy remarks. None of the fear and taunts of those other kids.
“Lily likes you,” I began. “We both do.”
Lily nodded her encouragement. “Tell her that we can be friends, but she can’t come live with me.”
I did. “You need to find your family,” I added. “Your parents and your sister. They’re waiting for you to join them.”
“They do not want me,” Belinda replied.
“That’s silly,” Lily scoffed when I translated. “Your parents were listening to some silly doctor. Your mother was so sad and overwhelmed that day. She thought sending to you to your cousin would help. Margaret only wanted what was best for you too.”
“They wanted me to be alone.” Belinda’s voice had a flat, hollow sound.
I needed to try something else. How could I ask this girl to leave this room and this world without giving her something to go to? Watching Lily stare in the opposite direction from where Belinda stood, I realized she needed someone.
I closed my eyes and focused on Margaret. I brought forward all the visions I’d seen of her and tried to connect. Tried to will her back to this world.
A hand tapped my shoulder.
Lily pointed to the aragonite crystal on her necklace. “Can I?” she asked.
“Definitely.”
Lily slid off the bead, and I pointed to the corner where Belinda hovered. Moving slowly, Lily gently placed the crystal on the ground. “This means friendship. Sara gave it to me, and I’m giving it to you.”
Belinda bent down and scooped up the crystal, making a protective cup with her hands. She stared incredulously at it.
“She took it,” I whispered.
Lily let out a nervous giggle of relief.
The sound of her laugh. Same as Margaret’s laugh. I focused on their similar happiness.
I let the sound fill me. Surround me.
My left foot began to tingle. That pins-and-needles feeling I dreaded—until now. I looked about with anticipation. And then Margaret materialized, her nightgown-clad body barely visible.
For a moment, the two sisters stared at each other.
I waited, unsure of what to say or do. Laura moved alongside me and placed her hand on my shoulder, as if she knew.
Slowly, Margaret opened her arms to invite her sister in. Belinda melted into her hug.
And then they were gone.
I stared at the empty corner. No sisters. No glow. Only the aragonite crystal remained, nestled in the carpet.
“You did it!” I wrapped Lily in a similar hug. “She’s gone!”
“Is she happy?” Lily asked.
“Yes, I think so. She went with her sister.”
Lily smiled widely. “You’re amazing. I can’t believe you can really see and talk and do those things.”
“You’re amazing,” I said. “Without you, I would’ve totally botched this. You were the one who knew what to say to her. You understood her. Only you.”
“It’s true,” Laura agreed. “I might be able to sense their energy, and Sara here, well, my mind boggles at what she can do, but you, Lily, have a compassion that goes beyond all that. You reach out to help those so lost and far away. The power to see good in everyone is the truest gift.”
“Laura, you can tell Mr. Himoff the rooms are now spirit free.” I was giddy at the thought. I’d never done something like this without Lady Azura’s help.
“No thanks to me. Whatever he pays me, I’m going to share with both of you.”
“You don’t need to do that,” Lily said.
“Totally,” I said. “This was your job.”
Laura bent and picked up the small crystal. “Why did you choose aragonite? It never would’ve occurred to me.”
“It’s for friendship, right?” Lily asked.
“Lady Azura said it has more power than that.” I thought back. “It brings about acceptance and understanding.”
For a moment, we both let the words sink in.
“Good thing Belinda left it behind for me.” Lily twirled her hair nervously. “I’m sorry, Sara. I got crazy yesterday when you told me and—”
“No, I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t do it the right way, and I waited way too long.”
“We both need a heavy dose of aragonite,” Lily said, taking the crystal from Laura and slipping it in her jeans pocket.
“Agreed. Friends?”
“Best friends, silly.”
“What about that ice cream down at the lake?” Laura suggested. “I could go for something cold.”
As we headed toward the elevator, Lily checked her phone. “Kayla texted me a zillion times.”
“Oh.” I wasn’t going to judge.
“She’s starting to annoy me,” Lily confided. “Everything is all about her all the time.”
“I can see that.”
“My mom says Kayla always has to be center stage. She doesn’t like her much.”
“I thought you didn’t care what your mom thinks,” I teased.
“Sometimes she’s right.” Lily scrunched her nose. “Totally hate when that happens. She called you special that first day you moved in. Not that I didn’t know that myself.”
“You just didn’t know how special,” I joked.
“Otherworldly special,” Lily said, linking arms with me as we ran down the lawn to meet Mrs. Randazzo and Angela by the lake.
A huge bonfire blazed on the beach, and both adults and teens milled about, roasting marshmallows and listening to two guys strum acoustic versions of pop songs on guitars. Despite the flames, the mountain air was cool, causing me to shiver in my sweat-soaked shirt. I didn’t care. I was so happy to be outside under the star-studded sky.
Kayla and a boy were sharing ice cream on a bench made from a fallen log. She touched his shoulder with each exclamation as she told him a story. She waved to us, then returned to her tale.
Owen stood uncomfortably next to a thin, mophaired man who could only be his father. His dad lectured to Mr. Himoff. Owen noticed me and crossed his eyes.
I crossed mine back. He was kind of nice.
“Hi, girls. Laura,” Angela greeted us. “Look over there. The staff is setting up chairs for a wedding tomorrow. Isn’t this the most romantic place? Can you imagine the gorgeous photos of the bride out there on those rocks?”
“Actually,” Mr. Himoff said, making his way over to us, “we’re doing the photos on a secluded point around the other side. There’s a lone bench, and the view of the lake is magnificent. Big, big wedding.”
“Not a problem,” Laura said.
“Meaning?” Mr. Himoff asked.
“Meaning you’re ready for a packed hotel.”
“Our situation? It’s solved?” He sounded surprised.
“The ghost is gone!” Lily exclaimed, clapping her hands in excitement. “Laura did it!”
“Really?” Mr. Himoff’s gaze traveled around our group. He wasn’t sure how we knew all this, but he gave up trying to act proper. “Amazing! Congratulations!” He pumped Laura’s hand. “Thank you.”
Thank you, Laura mouthed to me and Lily as Mr. Himoff pulled her up toward the hotel to talk “business.”
“I’m liking what I’m seeing,” Mrs. Randazzo said. “Two best friends acting like best friends.” She gathered us close and squeezed us in a group hug.
“Mom!” Lily wriggled away, even though I could’ve stayed that way longer. “Sara and I are getting ice cream. Come on, Sara.” She took my hand.
As we walked off, Lily pulled the aragonite crystal from her jeans pocket. “What do we do with this? Should I keep it?”
“I gave it to you.”
“But it’s a friendship thing. Shouldn’t there be two? We’re both going to need help with understanding and acceptance if we’re going to be doing this together,” Lily pointed out.
“Doing what?”
“Seeing spirits. You and me.”
“Together?” That soaring feeling was back again.
Lily nodded. “We’re a team. You do the seeing and, I guess, I do the talking.”
I pulled out my cell phone and dialed my house in Stellamar. It was late, but Lady Azura answered on the first ring.
“We’re going to need another crystal!” I said, laughing into the phone. “Lily’s part of our spirit thing too.”
“All the way!” Lily added, her giggles blending with mine.