Alfredo stops running as he gawks at the scene behind me with absolute horror. I can only imagine what’s happening.
BAM!!! THUMP!!!
Hearing the resonating sound, I make an abrupt stop. Something really serious is happening behind me! Turning quickly around, I nearly collapse with astonishment. At the intersection, Justin is high in the air. The car that hit him sits on the street with a bloodied dent on the front of the hood. In the far distance I hear sirens.
It’s all so surreal.
Justin:
Excruciating, blinding pain.
Even worse than the one earlier!
Sticky blood rushing out.
Coming back down, I shatter the windshield. OWWW!!!—even more pain.
Agonizing.
OWWWWWWWWW!!!
I . . . I can’t . . . believe I’m . . . leaving this world—gulp—without my wife. . . I should’ve . . . killed us both earlier . . .gulp . . .
My . . . lovely . . . Lu—
Chapter 46
Lucette:
OMG!!!
Blood everywhere!
From where I’m standing Justin looks dead!
Alfredo gets to me and flings his arms around me as my legs are about to buckle under. Is this really happening? I ask myself.
Justin:
After the car flung me to the air and then I landed on it, I get up as if nothing. It’s like a miracle that I’m in one piece! I start yelling at the driver who is out of his vehicle and disoriented with some blood and pieces of glass on him.
He ignores me which pisses me off further. The jerk won’t even acknowledge that I’m next to him.
His eyes stay glued in shock to his car. I follow his line of vision just to see what he’s ogling with such overwhelming intensity.
Then I see the poor shmuck on the shattered windshield. His eyes are all glazed over, blood is spurting everywhere, and his body is twisted in an abnormal way.
Slowly the terrifying truth dawns on me. It’s like a jackhammer pounding on my head. That guy is me! I say to myself.
HOW CAN I BE DEAD?!!!
HOW IS IT POSSIBLE?!!!
Chapter 47
Lucette:
I can’t believe Justin is dead. The whole tragic episode is still really surreal to me—like a horror movie I must’ve watched a long time ago.
But it wasn’t a film.
And it happened to me only a day ago.
I’m in my room, trying to absorb everything that has occurred. Mrs. Sanchez, being sensitive as always, knew I needed some space. She had to firmly tell Alfredo to give me some time to lick my wounds.
He’s been so great by the way. He went with me to the police station as I explained the whole sordid mess. The poor freaked out guy who hit Justin with his car was let go after Alfredo explained that he had personally witnessed the way Justin had run into the intersection without checking for traffic.
The monster had blindly gone after me. I still shiver at the thought of his single-mindedness towards me. His all-consuming obsession hadn’t been anywhere near to love.
Alejo called me as soon as Mrs. Sanchez contacted him, so he’d know what was happening. He told me not to blame myself for Justin’s death. It was common for victims of abuse to blame themselves for everything.
To be honest with you, I was heading in that direction. It’s my fault Justin’s dead, kept running through my confused and exhausted mind. But Alejo asserted that he had caused his own death.
I then shut out those ugly thoughts because I realized the truth to what Alejo was saying. I’m done blaming myself for what was done to me, I tell myself. I’ll take responsibility for my life, but I won’t take someone else’s blame.
I was so drained that when Alejo offered to call my parents and explain what had happened, I grabbed onto his offer. I just didn’t have any more strength in me at the moment for their prying questions. After talking to my mom and dad, Alejo called Mrs. Sanchez and told her my parents would be arriving tomorrow.
Thank goodness I have some breathing room before seeing them again. We’re in for a very long and deep talk.
At the moment, I breathe a sigh of relief that I have a respite for the moment. Alejo and Mrs. Sanchez are really awesome handling certain things for me.
Mrs. Sanchez did me another huge favor. She explained to the Dynamic Trio about me. Now that Justin is gone, there’s no reason to keep lying about who I am. They now know my real name is Lucette and about the tragic circumstances that brought me here.
Well, I say to myself. At least it’s all over.
Justin:
Being dead is still very hard on me.
Very, very hard.
Everything feels so different as if all the vibrations around me are stronger. All the colors look as if I’m seeing them through a filter. Sounds are at a higher pitch.
And the worst part is that I can’t communicate with Lucette. Not that I haven’t tried. The day of my accident I rushed over to her after I realized I was dead. Some guy was holding her and I got really furious.
Who did this guy think he was hugging my wife?!
I tried to punch him, but my hand went right through him. I kept trying but only managed to frustrate myself to no end. I went with Lucette and her guy friend to the police station where I had to endure her saying some really awful things about me.
That’s where I met Henry. This guy looked straight at me and said hello.
“You can see me?!” I had blurted at the guy seemingly in his twenties about my size at six feet and on the thin side. His short hair was light brown and his light green eyes were icy and unfriendly.
He snorted with a smirk. “We’re both dead, buddy. I’m Henry.” He didn’t even bother to give me his hand. What for? We were like vapor after all.
“I’m Justin.” In calling me buddy he reminded me of my best friend Rocco.
“You’ve been staring at that girl,” Henry said, pointing at Lucette. “Was she your gal?”
“Still is!” I snapped.
He snorted again. “Doesn’t look like it.” The same guy from earlier was holding her. Grrrr! Fury rushed right through me.
Henry chortled. “I know how you feel. My girl screwed me over too.”
“Really?”
“I taught her a real good lesson though.”
“You did?”
“You’d better believe it,” he smirked. “I taught her a thing or two when I was alive.”
My face fell in frustration. “When you were alive?” I murmured, disappointed.
He smirked. “Hey, buddy, I’ve been teaching her some things while I’m dead too!”
My interest suddenly totally perked up. “How’d you do that?” I rushed.
He cackled. “Justin, you’ve got so much to learn about being dead.”
I had grinned widely, realizing I was dead but not invisible. Henry told me that ghost lessons wouldn’t start right away but would begin in a while.
“You’ve got to get used to your new situation before I teach you how to handle yourself without the flesh,” he explained.
I was thrilled that I would be able to detonate my rage with Lucette. She had betrayed me! She had run away from me again! She had said all those lies about me at the police station! She had been waiting for the all-arms guy and not two girls! Yeah, she was cheating on me with another guy!
It’s all her fault I’m dead!!!
I’m soooo furious!!!
I’m getting so exasperated. Henry keeps telling me to be patient—to keep cool. I frown loudly. Henry is starting to remind me of the freak. Ratchet must’ve told me to hold my horses dozens of times.
I hate being told to calm down!
I want my revenge to start already!
Chapter 48
Lucette:
I’m the one who nervously opens the door when my parents arrive from the airport. They had rented a luxury car and drove to the Sanchez house. As soon as they see me they first eye me a
few seconds with puzzlement at my different look but then realize it’s me and get completely teary eyed. I can’t help but fall into their open arms.
“Lucette honey, how are you?” my mother asks anxiously.
My father quickly joins her worry. “Baby, are you okay?”
I nod my head even though I still feel far from being totally fine.
“Come in, come in the house,” Mr. Sanchez beseeches from behind me. Mrs. Sanchez also chimes in with her husband. Both wear their incredibly friendly smiles. Once I lead my parents in the door I introduce everybody. Greetings are made. Hands are shaken. Even with all the tension, the atmosphere is a very positive one.
“My husband and I will be in the kitchen so you can have private time with your daughter,” declares Mrs. Sanchez.
As soon as they leave the room my mother turns to me, hurt in her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell us what was going on?”
“Why didn’t you tell us that Justin was hurting you?” my father adds.
I frown. “Ever since I got together with Justin, the truth is that I haven’t had much support from you.”
My mother shakes her head with hurt in her eyes. “That’s not true.”
“We were there for you when you had the miscarriage,” my father rushes.
I sigh. “Yes, but when I mentioned the subject of maybe leaving Justin, both of you were adamantly against it.”
Tears roll down my mother’s face. “We thought we were making you take responsibility.”
“We realized we had spoiled you all your life, and we needed to try to correct it,” my father explains. “We thought we were doing you a good.”
“If you had told us that Justin was beating you, we would’ve reacted differently,” assures my mother, wiping the tears from her eyes with a tissue from her purse.
“You never even gave us a chance to be understanding!” my father snaps.
I solemnly nod. “In retrospect, I think I should’ve told you, but at the time I didn’t feel I could. I took the only way out I felt was an option for me. Besides, I was always terrified of what Justin might’ve done to you if you knew what was happening.”
My mother shivers. “He was dangerous, wasn’t he?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
“Well, he’s gone now,” my father declares. “His reign of terror is over.”
“You can come home now,” my mother murmurs as her eyes scan the Sanchez house with distaste. “You don’t have to live like this anymore.”
I’m pretty furious at my snobby mother! “Live like what?” I burst.
My father waves his hand in the air, indicating the home. “All cheap without any class. My poor Lucette having to live under these deplorable conditions,” he sighs.
“And you can go back to your real look, honey,” my mother states, eyeing me from top to bottom with a contorted face.
“This is my real look!” I blurt.
“Baby, we know you’ve been through a lot,” my father assures. “We’ll get you the best therapist to help you sort everything out.”
My mother winks at me. “You bet we will!”
I’m about to speak when the living room door to the kitchen swings open. The smiling Sanchezes step in.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Mrs. Sanchez rushes apologetically. “But we made you some lunch.”
“Don’t rush your time with your daughter,” Mr. Sanchez chimes in. “We’ll have lunch when you’re ready.”
My mother’s eyes rove around the house again, and she tightly scrunches her face. “Thank you,” she says coolly, “but lunch here won’t be necessary.”
My father nods in agreement with her. “We made reservations at—“
“We’ll only be a few more minutes,” I tell the Sanchezes, “then we’ll be proud to have lunch with you. Thank you so much for having taken the trouble to make it. You’re awesome!”
My parents eye me with shocked bewilderment. The Sanchezes nod and return to the kitchen. As soon as the door closes behind them I explode on my uppity parents.
“You’re acting like jerks!” I burst.
My parents’ faces become indignant with anger. “Don’t talk to us like that, Lucette!” my father barks.
I gulp, pushing my frustration down. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry, but you have to listen to what I have to tell you.”
“What is it?” questions my mother, sounding wary.
“These people, the Sanchezes, have taken care of me like you wouldn’t believe,” I assert.
“Of course we’re grateful for their help,” my father rushes to say.
I nod, sighing heavily. “I know you’re already judging them by how much you think they’re worth—in money. I’ll tell you right now what you already know that they don’t have a lot of wealth. I’ll also tell you that you can’t judge them by your usual class standards because the Sanchezes aren’t worth anything as small as money. Yeah, those two people in the kitchen are priceless.”
“Baby—” my father starts but I’m not finished.
“My gosh, you haven’t even thanked the people who helped me in ways you can’t even imagine. You’re so stuck in your class castle that you won’t even share a meal with them. Don’t you see how wrong you are?”
“Luc—” my father starts again. My mother is staring away from me with a guilty look on her face.
“Right now I’m really ashamed of being your daughter,” I murmur.
“That’s enough, Lucette,” my father mutters. “You’ve made us feel bad enough.”
“Did I?” I question. “Sorry, but I’ve come to realize that it’s the heart and not what’s in the bank account that really makes a person valuable.”
“Honey, you sure have changed,” my mother murmurs, finally looking at me.
My father nods. “Yes, changed.”
I shrug. “So much has happened to me that I could hardly avoid it.”
“I can see that,” my mother mentions, sighing.
“I can’t begin to tell you all that the Sanchezes have done for me,” I murmur. “We’re going to have lunch with the Sanchezes and then we’re going to thank them again and again for what they’ve done for me, okay?”
My parents nod silently.
“Okay,” I murmur, “Now let’s go have an awesome lunch!”
Justin:
Dangerous? Reign of terror? Had Lucette and her family really used those words to describe me?
I’m getting more and more furious. I meet up with Henry at the police station to try to get him to start the ghost lessons. I’ve learned that when he isn’t spying on his wife, he’s at the police station because he used to be a cop at that precinct and feels comfortable there. He tells me it’s too soon to start my schooling.
I want to explode.
“Okay, okay, I’ll show you a little something for now.”
“Great!” I mutter sharply.
“I’ll show you how to get around.”
“Get around?!” I snap. “I know how to do that!”
He guffaws loudly. “Trust me, you don’t. You’re still getting to places on foot, right?”
My eyebrows shoot up. “Well, yeah. Is there another way?”
He cackles thunderously. “You’d better believe it!”
Then he shows me how to blank my mind, think of the destination with strong force, and abruptly appear there. He grabs my arm and suddenly we’re at his former house.
“Welcome to my castle,” he sneers.
I’m completely taken aback when I see his wife. The right side of her face is completely puckered as if it had been burned. Henry catches me staring horror-struck at her, and he starts snickering.
“I threw acid on her,” Henry mentions nonchalantly.
“Why?”
“I caught her flirting with our next door neighbor. She denied it, but I know what I saw.”
“What did you see?” I question, getting a sickening sensation in my stomach.
“Well, she went out one nig
ht to throw the trash, and he was outside. They had probably agreed to meet.”
“Oh.” It’s all I can say. I remember being enraged with Lucette for a similar reason.
His face tightens. “Can you believe she killed me for catching her red handed?!”
“What do you mean?”
“After I threw the acid on her face, she grabbed my gun and shot me dead! She grabbed it right out of my holster as I was about to pound her with a chair—the acid hadn’t been enough punishment for her betrayal!”
“So that’s how you died?” I murmur.
“Yep, it was all her fault. Now I’ll never let her be free. I haunt her nightmares and even her daydreams,” he chortles with giddiness.
“How’s that working?”
Henry sighs. “Well, buddy, I have to be honest with you. This haunting business only really works if the person you’re haunting doesn’t let you go. Sure you can play with lights, ruffle a few things, and move some crap around but if they refuse to acknowledge you at all then you’re up the creek without a paddle. But if they keep you in their memories, you can haunt them there and ruin the rest of their lives.” He starts cackling that harsh laugh I hate. “Try forming a relationship with another person when you’re your former lover still lives and thrives inside of you.”
When I get back to Lucette that night I have a lot to think about.
Chapter 49
Lucette:
I don’t know how I did it, but my parents completely change their attitudes after the harsh talk I gave them. You should see the way they thank the Sanchezes with tears in their eyes. They also dig into the meal.
After we finish the feast of Mexican food like enchiladas, tacos, and ranchero beans the Sanchezes had prepared for us, my parents tell the Sanchezes that it was the best Mexican cuisine they had ever had. They aren’t just saying that either. I can tell they’re being sincere.
Then I have another private talk with them. I tell them I want to finish my senior year in El Paso since I only have a few more weeks to go. I want to go through the graduation ceremony here.
“Baby, you don’t want to come home?” my father asks with watery eyes.
“Daddy, of course I miss home, but I just feel I have to finish what I started here. You know, be responsible for myself.”
“I wouldn’t want to impose on the Sanchezes anymore,” my mother murmurs, tears also trailing from her eyes.
“I talked to them before you got here, and they said I’m welcomed to stay,” I explain. “I told you how priceless they are.”