31

You Still Believe in Me

KRISTAL

Hayato and I come downstairs much earlier than planned. With a ton of ghosts trailing like troops behind us if the cold at my back is any indicator. But instead of finding a quiet lobby, we stumble into yet another dramatic scene.

“Rodge, let me in, you old coot. I know you hear me!” Melvin yells outside the inn’s doors.

Or at least half of the scene is dramatic. Rodge taps on the ancient computer at the reception desk so calmly, it’s almost easy to believe that he doesn’t hear Melvin banging outside.

“Rodge, stop being a baby and let me in!” Melvin pounds on the locked doors. “I don’t want to lose this friendship, and I know you don’t either. That’s why you rushed to my house to save me. Open the door! You’re just being stubborn.

Melvin bangs on the doors so hard, they rattle in protest.

I wince. But Rodge simply gives his computer a few more taps, before looking up to ask us, “So you’re finally checking out today. Wanna settle this huge bill of yours now?”

“Yes,” Hayato says, heading directly toward the reception desk.

I wouldn’t call Hayato cold. More like really on task. I should be too, but I can’t stand the sight of Melvin pounding on the door. It looks like it’s freezing out there. And humans don’t have a revved-up body temperature like elves.

“I’m just going to…” I say, inching toward the door.

“Let him in, and I’ll triple bill your boyfriend for your stay,” Rodge answers, his voice as hard as a stone.

“Sorry,” I mouth to Melvin, throwing him an apologetic look before mincing over to join Hayato at the desk.

“C’mon!” Melvin calls out behind me. “Don’t listen to him. He won’t really do it. He’s all bark and no bite.”

“Here’s all your room charges, including incidentals,” Rodge says, pushing the bill toward Hayato. “Just sign right there, and we’ll get you on your way.”

Hayato’s pen hovers. And though I can’t see Rodge’s mother, I can tell she must be yelling at him something fierce.

A faint grimace passes over his face before he signs his name to Rodge’s bill.

I wait, hoping that Hayato will finally give Rodge’s mother and me the answer he refused to utter upstairs. But he simply hands the receipt back to Rodge with a head bow and a black card.

To be fair, Hayato’s newly out of the supernatural closet. I shouldn’t be surprised. But I am kind of disappointed when I end up having to resort to plan B.

“Hey, Rodge, a question for you,” I say, plopping my sketchbook on the reception desk’s countertop. “Is this your mom?”

Hayato stiffens beside me as Rodge pulls up his readers to look at the picture. “She never wore her hair braided like that.”

“So I’ve been told. But can you imagine her with a loose bun instead?”

“Yeah, that was her,” Rodge answers. A wary expression comes over his face. “What’d you see a picture of her in the hallway or something?”

“No, actually, this just in. Your inn is riddled with spirits, and one of them’s your mother. And get this, she has a message she wants to be passed on to you.”

Rodge freezes in the middle of taking the signed receipt back. “What’s that now?”

“Your inn—”

“Were you two going to sneak out of here without saying goodbye to old Maeve?” Maeve’s voice cuts me off.

We turn to see her coming toward us from the dining room. Declan and Siobhan are right behind her.

“No, of course not,” I answer.

“Unfortunately, with the plane awaiting our arrival, we do not have time for breakfast,” Hayato says beside me.

“But we totally would have stopped in to say goodbye before we left,” I assure her.

Hayato nods. “Yes, of course. I would also like to thank you for your hospitality.”

“No thank you needed. If not for you, my Decky would have never come to his senses about this perfect match he left back here in Maine.”

“And Ma would never have gone to the doctor,” Declan adds, with a pointed sideways glance at his mother.

“Maeve, Declan, Siobhan, let me in!” Melvin calls out on the other side of the door.

“Jayzus, is he still here?” Siobhan asks. “Uncle Rodge just let him in. It’s colder than a witch’s tit today.”

“If he’s still out here when I return from dropping Mr. Nakamura and Kristal at the airport, I’m opening the door,” Declan informs him, his voice military hard.

“Do it, and our agreement about you taking over the inn is done for.”

Maeve shakes her head at her boss. “Janey Mac, Rodge, why are you being so cruel to that poor man? This really isn’t like you!”

Okay, c’mon now. Even I have to shoot Maeve a skeptical look after she says that. This is so like him from what I’ve seen. Rodge is one of the grumpiest people I’ve ever met in the real world. It’s like she’s talking about a totally different person when it comes to him.

Rodge’s lips thin. Then he turns back to Hayato and me. “If you’re done spouting off about your ghost nonsense, I’d be happy to show you to the side door. Declan can get the shuttle from out front and pull it around for you. Feel free to run over Melvin if he gets in your way.”

“What ghost nonsense?” Maeve asks. Then her eyes widen on me. “Oh bless the fairy, you can see ghosts, too? If so, could we possibly do a wee séance before you leave? There are a couple of questions I wanted to ask my terrible da about why he left my mother. It’s been sitting on my soul for such a long time.”

I grimace. “Sorry, Maeve. But a believe this talent only involves communicating with ghosts that died on the premises.”

“Aw, that’s too bad, isn’t it? That bar where Da choked to death on his own spew like a bad Irish stereotype burned down ages ago. Owner said it was the wiring. Though those were the days before the insurance companies made it a point to do a thorough arson investie before they handed over the check. I’m pretty sure old Ned simply got tired of cleaning up after old drunks and set the place aflame. But that’s alright, dearie. One holiday filled with fairy magic is enough for this old girl. Just pass on the message from Rodge’s mother, and you’ll be on your way.”

“Ah, I…” I cut my eyes at Hayato, whose standing with an Oscar-worthy neutral expression at the entrance to the hallway leading to the side door. “Hayato, shouldn’t we use the bathroom before we leave? I heard that’s a thing…like, in the human realm.”

“Do you have to go right now?” Declan asks me, glancing at his watch.

Darnit, a direct question. I can’t lie. “No, I don’t,” I admit, my tone as gloomy and defeated as I feel.

“Neither do I,” Hayato says.

“Good, cause the plane’s idling on the runway, and you can go as soon as you get on board.”

“But how about Rodge’s message from his mother?” Maeve demands.

I bow my head completely guilt-stricken. But it doesn’t feel right to out Hayato. Especially knowing how hard it was for him to let me in on his secret in the first place.

“Yeah, yeah, I guess I am. Unfortunately…” I trail off, not knowing what else to say or how to explain myself to Maeve.

“You can’t just leave here without letting poor Rodge know what his mother has to tell him.”

“Sure she can,” Rodge says. “Unlike you, I don’t believe in any of this fairy elf ghost whisperer business.”

“You don’t have to, do you now?” Maeve answers. “I believe in it enough for both of us.”

More pounding from the front door.

“Will one of you let me in already?” Melvin asks. “It’s freezing out here.”

“Are you really going to leave without passing Rodge’s message on to him?” Maeve asks me, her voice rife with both disbelief and disappointment.

“I…I…” I can’t come up with a good excuse for not using my supposed ghost whisperer magic to help Rodge. But I keep trying. “I…”

“Your mother would like for you to let Mr. Cohen in.”

The statement is quiet, but we all turn to look at Hayato like a bomb has just dropped. In a way, it has. Hayato…

He’s come out of the closet.

This time publicly.

For me! My heart alley oops inside my chest, but everyone else in the lobby turns to stare at Hayato like he’s crazy.

“You?” Rodge says, his whole face collapsing in shock as he turns to look at Hayato. “You’re the one who can supposedly see ghosts. And you think you’re talking to my mother?”

I know this is taking a lot out of Hayato, but he regards Rodge calmly as he answers, “I do not think I’m talking to your mother. She has been screaming at me in her rather one of a kind way to tell you to let Mr. Cohen in since we came downstairs. Or as she calls him ‘Suzanne’s boy.” She and his mother were good friends.”

Rodge’s skeptical look softens a little. “Best friends. They were both so happy when he and my sister started dating and decided to marry, even though they couldn’t get married in the church,” Rodge says.

His voice is almost soft now, and I can tell a little bit of the skepticism from before has fallen away. But then he insists, “You must have read that somewhere.”

Hayato answers by reciting nine numbers. “She says that’s her social security number.” He then says four dates back-to-back. “That’s her wedding day, your birthday, and your younger sisters’ birthdays, respectively.”

Rodge shakes his head at him. “What kind of crazy are you that you’d look up all those details and memorize them just so you could recite them to me?”

“Yes, that is the exact question you should be asking because I am not crazy,” Hayato answers.

“You’ve got to be.”

Hayato suddenly stiffens. “She says, she says she’s sorry for getting so upset when you told her your secret. She says she knows you’re still blaming yourself for her heart attack. She blamed you too after she died. But then when she saw how you made yourself suffer over her death, she realized she was the real one to blame. She says you’ve wasted your life, living in shame. And she wants you to stop that right now because she no longer cares about what other people will say. She just wants you to be happy.”

Rodge’s mouth has fallen all the way open by the time Hayato finishes talking.

Siobhan looks at her uncle, wide-eyed. “What secret?”

Rodge snaps his mouth back close into a bitter line. “It doesn’t matter,” Rodge answers Siobhan. “Because she’d never say that? Not in a thousand years.”

“She says it took about ten years to ‘get over herself’ actually,” Hayato answers. Then he frowns, listening to something none of us can hear. “She’s asking that I say this next line exactly as she is saying it….

“It’s okay, bunny. I’m dead, and the only thing I’m left wanting is for you to be happy. Now let Suzanne’s boy in already.”

Tears spring to Rodge’s eyes and his face softens for the first time since I’ve met him. Maybe for the first time. “She said that?” he asks. “She called me...bunny?”

Hayato nods. “Yes, this is exactly what she said.”

Rodge staggers and catches himself on the reception desk.

“Are you all right, dear man?” Maeve asks.

Instead of answering, Rodge rushes over to the door and dramatically pushes it open.

Melvin comes rushing in, brushing snow off his coat. “It’s about time, you stubborn old goat. I just about froze to death out there all because you’re so adverse to me moving on. Well, I came over here to tell you I got rid of that stupid Silver Singles app. If being single for the rest of my life is what it takes to make things right with you, then fine. Our friendship is that important to me.”

Rodge looks at Melvin for two intense heartbeats. Then he grabs the smaller man by the shoulders and kisses him hard on the mouth.

My heart thrills. I kind of figured this was where things were going, but apparently, Maeve and Siobhan didn’t. They audibly gasp.

After laying on that kiss, Rodge pulls back from Melvin, his eyes bright and intense. “That’s why I didn’t want you to move on. Not Kathy.”

Melvin looks thunderstruck. And so does Maeve.

“Do you mean to tell me you’ve been a poof all this time?” she asks Rodge, her voice filled to the brim with shock.

“Ayuh, all this time,” Rodge confirms, his eyes still on Melvin.

“And that’s why you never settled down?” Siobhan asks.

“That’s why,” he confirms.

Maeve’s face crumples. But then she says, “Oh, I’m so happy for you!” through her tears. “Finally living your truth as the young poofs on my unscripteds like to say.”

“Thanks, Maeve.” Rodge tears his gaze away from Melvin and regards her with an uncharacteristic soft look. “You truly are the best friend a grumpy old coot like me could ask for.”

Maeve flaps both hands over her teary face. “I’m just so glad you finally told Melvin what was really in your heart. I was afraid you were going to go off and die alone after Declan and Siobhan took over the inn. But now you have the chance to settle down with someone you love.”

“I don’t know about settling down…I think he’s still recovering from the kiss.” Rodge turns back to Melvin, who’s still standing there, his entire face beet red. “I know this must come as a surprise—”

“I can’t believe this! You idiot!” Melvin shouts.

We all recoil at his words, and Rodge takes a full step back.

Declan, who’s been doing a sort of silent “Whaaaa?” ping-pong head movement throughout all of this, finally recovers his ability to speak.

“Now Melvin, I know you’re surprised,” he says, coming over to get between them. “But that’s no reason to call Rodge names.”

“Yeah,” Siobhan comes over to stand beside her soon-to-be-husband. “My uncle’s not an idiot. He’s brave.”

She turns to smile up at Rodge. “And I couldn’t be prouder of him.”

“No, he’s an idiot,” Melvin shoots back, his voice surer than sure. “An IDIOT. All in caps.”

That light that had been spilling out of Rodge when he kissed Melvin. It’s gone now. And he no longer seems to be able to look the smaller man in the eye.

“Sorry,” he mumbles. “I shouldn’t have kissed you like that.”

With that apology, he starts to walk away.

But Melvin grabs his arm. “Yes, you should be sorry. Sorrier than anything. That night I told you I was moving on. If you hadn’t stopped me and cut off the friendship, I would have gotten around to the second part of the confession. I’m bi.”

This time I gasp right along with Maeve and Siobhan. I did not see that one coming.

“B-b-b-bi?” Rodge sputters.

“That means bisexual,” Maeve offers helpfully. “Like that Oberyn from Game of Thrones.”

“I know what it means!” Rodge says. He shakes his head. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Melvin demands. “So many years…we wasted so much time.”

Rodge shakes his head. “It didn’t feel like a waste of time. If all I got were those dinners with you, I would have died happy. Not because I’m an idiot, but because I’m in love with you.”

Awwww, who knew Rodge was such a sentimental romantic underneath all that gruff? Well, I guess, Maeve did. Technically, she might have been right about him this whole time.

And Rodge’s words melt that angry look right off Melvin’s face.

“I love you too,” he says. “Kiss me again?”

Rodge steps back to him and slowly lowers his head. He then kisses Melvin so sweetly. By the time he’s done, my heart is a puddle of goo.

This time when Rodge steps back, he looks over at Hayato. “What did my mother think of that?” he asks.

“She was…very happy. Crying,” Hayato answers.

“Was?” Rodge asks.

Hayato gives him an apologetic head bow. “She faded halfway through the second kiss. You are happy now. And that meant she could pass on.”

“Oh…” A few emotions pass over Rodge’s face. “I just wish I could have thanked her.”

“I am sure she knew you were grateful,” Hayato answers.

I can’t help beaming as I watch the exchange. My heart is so full, and I couldn’t be prouder of Hayato.

But Melvin scrunches his face at Hayato. “Who are you again?”

“That’s Hayato. Get this, he’s a Japanese billionaire who talks to ghosts,” Rodge tells him. “He told me my mom was here and wanted me to let you in.”

Melvin inclines his head with a quizzical look. “You only let me in because a guest who claims to talk to ghosts told you to…”

“They prefer the term spirits,” I interject.

“So you all believe this man can see ghosts, too,” Melvin says, looking at us like we’re crazy. “I see…”

Melvin cuts his eyes away from Rodge like he’s now having second thoughts about their big romantic moment.

“Yes, they all believe me,” Hayato says, a proud smile almost making it to his face.

But then he turns back to Melvin and resets his voice to neutral. “And right now, one of them is telling me you always wipe your hands on your pants instead of using the hand dryers in the dining room toilet.”

Everyone looks to Melvin, who blushes. “I hate the sound hand dryers make. I mean, at least I wash them.”

“Actually, one of the spirits is saying…” Hayato begins.

“Okay, okay, I believe you!” Melvin yells out before Hayato can finish.

And we all burst out laughing.