Chapter 16

 

Breakfast never tasted so good. While weary from the long night, it had done nothing but expedite their appetites. They hungrily tucked into toast and cereal. The mess in the kitchen that greeted them was a sobering reminder they had a lot of cleaning to do from the party the night before. There were plates, napkins, and cutlery everywhere. Obviously cleaning hadn’t been in the caterer’s department.

The moment the clock struck nine o’clock, Cate picked up the telephone. She dialled Melanie Lucas’s number, hoping she would be available. After three rings, the bright voice of the psychic answered.

“Hello? Melanie Lucas here.”

“Melanie, it’s Cate Sinclair from Sage Manor. We’ve had a bit of an incident here and I was wondering if you could come over? We think the spirits have gone.”

“Sounds intriguing. Are you sure they’re gone?“

“Pretty sure. The house has changed completely.”

“In that case, I’ll be right over.”

They closed the line. Cate returned to the kitchen and started to stack the dishwasher. Both Blair and Charlie helped to clear the mess. They cleaned for almost an hour before they heard the sound of a vehicle in the driveway. They hurried to the front door and greeted Melanie with much more enthusiasm than they ever had before.

“You have to tell me all about this ‘incident’,” were Melanie’s first words. They filled her in on the events of the previous night, trying to be as detailed as possible. Most people would have thought they were crazy recounting such a wild story, but Melanie just nodded her head.

“Sounds like you have had quite a time. Are you okay now, Charlie?”

“I’m fine. A bit sore from where I hit the floor but it’s getting better by the hour.”

“Melanie,” Cate started, “do you think you could do something to cleanse the house? Now they have gone, we want to keep Ethan away.”

“Of course. I brought my sage and white candles with me. I’m going to need all of your help in the ritual,” Melanie beamed. She opened her large bag and pulled out bundles of sage tied with white ribbon. Next, candle after candle were produced and handed around. Melanie bent down and handed one to Rahni. “You need to help me too, okay?”

Rahni nodded and accepted the candle. She gripped it with both her hands, making sure she was going to do a good job of helping. Each candle in turn was lit from a pink lighter. Holding a bunch of dried sage above the flame, Melanie started it burning. Grey smoke starting wisping from the leaves.

“Right, now follow me,” Melanie declared. She led them through each room of the house. Occasionally she would mutter something underneath her breath, a prayer of sorts. She took her role seriously, not speaking to the others as they walked. Once finished with the downstairs, they headed upstairs. Melanie turned left at the top of the stairs and made her way through each of the bedrooms and playroom. She left the upstairs living room until last. Deliberate or not, it didn’t go unnoticed by the others.

Eventually, they entered the room. Usually it would spark a sense of dread in their stomachs. Now, it seemed normal, just like every other room of the house. Melanie led them around the room and then back out again. She returned downstairs and they stood once again in the foyer. They had formed a circle, all five of them looking inwards and waiting for their next instruction.

“Excellent work. I think this was a huge success. You may put out your candles.”

“Is that it? Is the house normal again?” Cate asked.

“Almost. That lovely woman I heard from the other night is still here. She walked with us around the house,” Melanie looked at Rahni. “You saw her, didn’t you? Thank you for not mentioning it before. It would have distracted us from the cleansing ceremony.”

“Alice told me not to,” Rahni explained, smiling. She was happy her friend was back.

“Alice has a few things to say. She wants you to know that Eve crossed over safely. She helped her last night to find the light and follow it. She is now safe and sound with her sisters.”

“Thank goodness,” Charlie muttered.

“She tells me you were all very brave last night. It would have been terrifying feeling them entering your bodies and taking over. You did a really good thing for them.”

“We didn’t get much of a choice,” Blair stated.

“I asked Alice if she wanted to cross over too. Alice told me she was happy to stay in the house, providing she was welcome. She loves watching over the family, especially little Rahni here.”

“We would love to have Alice watching over us,” Cate replied. Even as the words left her mouth, she was surprised to hear them. She had never thought she would have believed in ghosts, let alone welcome one to stay with them.

“Excellent. If you need her, just talk to her. She will be able to hear you and will even reply if you keep your mind open to it. She is a lovely soul and I guarantee your life will be better for having her in it,” Melanie smiled.

“Well, tell her that I will do my best,” Cate couldn’t help but return the smile. She couldn’t remember what she had disliked so much about Melanie.

“I have one more message but it’s very private. Cate, is it alright if I say it in front of everyone?”

“This is my family, I don’t mind.”

“James said he ‘hopes you liked the ring’.”

No more words were needed. Cate broke down in tears at hearing the message, as did everyone else in the room. They hugged each other tight, letting the emotion wash over them. For once in her life, Cate was ready to believe anything. She hadn’t felt as close to James in that moment as she had since he passed.

Melanie didn’t need to say it, but she could see the sixth person standing in the circle. He was wrapping his arms around his wife and sending her more love than imaginable. Words didn’t need to describe it.