Arica gazed at the lake, her ghostly eyes perfectly still. She thought about what she had experienced in the months leading up to her death, the choices she had made and the consequences of those choices.
She wondered if Diana's life would have been saved if she had acted sooner, if her own life would have been kept if she ignored Humphrey the first ti he was brought to her.
Arica thought about her unfinished research and the papers that she had left behind, her life's work. It was all she had to show for her life, her parents were long dead, she was unmarried and had no children.
"I haven't lived much, have I?" she said to herself.
She had lived for her work, helping others and forgetting to just stop and enjoy the sun, go on dates, travel for leisure. She truly wanted to stay behind and help because Phoebe had helped her too but she was ready to move on and hoped to reincarnate soon, maybe she would live for herself in her next life.
"The children are moving on." Connie announced loudly.
Arica and the Saxon spirit whirled around, they saw the children disappearing into bright lights. It was quick, they hardly got to say goodbye.
Diana however was not among the children that left, she was left behind, there was no bright light around her.
"That child has no happy mory right now, she is plagued with shadows and fear even as a ghost. She is also worried about her sister, it will take so ti for her to heal and move on." The Saxon spirit sighed.
Arica floated to Diana and took the little girl's hand.
"I guess I am staying as well."
She could not move on and leave Diana behind, nothing would ever convince her that she had not fast tracked the girl's death. If she had not talked to her, the girl would be alive today, perhaps. Arica was determined to be responsible for Diana to the very end no matter how long it took.
"In that case, I will prepare the contract, staying on as a wandering ghost that has failed to move on is different from staying on under Phoebe's employnt. In this place, you and Diana will be safe from ghost catchers, evil witches and warlocks and other malicious ghosts which prey on the weaker ones. Is that okay with you?
Arica looked at the blank faced Diana and she nodded. It was important to keep Diana safe, if working for Phoebe was what it took, she was also willing to do it.
The Saxon spirit watched Arica leading Diana into the cabin and she shook her head, feeling pity for Arica. Even though she wanted to move on, she had her own anchor of guilt tying her down.
Even if she tried to move on now, it would not happen, she would not see the light. She had to first let go of all her regrets in order to move on.
In the evening, as the clouds started to darken and the wind picked up speed, David and Phoebe decided to take a walk around founding lane.
Hand in hand, they walked slowly while discussing anything that crossed their minds. Mostly, they giggled because other joggers or residents were sneakily taking pictures of them.
Phoebe even saw Bertha Chapman, the wife of Rex Chapman, president of the founding council taking a picture of them and then she made a phone call. She was one of the won with the biggest mouth's on founding lane in terms of gossip.
"We are going to be part of this week's gossip mill I guess."
"Week! that's too far, I bet everybody will know by dinner ti." David laughed.
He stopped her and pulled her close. "You know we can actually make the gossip count."
"What..." Phoebe started.
Out of the blue, David leaned down and placed a light kiss on her lips. He did not move his mouth in an attempt to deepen it.
Phoebe smiled against his lips, raised her right leg up and put her hands around his neck.
Both of them could hear the clicks and even saw a few flashes of caras out of the sides of their eyes. Not only would they be a topic of conversation, their would be evidence of their relationship.
"We are so bad." Phoebe giggled.
"So bad." he laughed.
Phoebe's phone rung and she separated from him.
"It's my dad." she said happily as she answered. "Pa...." she started.
"If you are not ho in ten minutes young lady I will ground you, I don't care how old you are, no kissing boys before marriage." Edward said and then he hung up.
Phoebe looked at the phone and then David, she burst into unexpected laughter suddenly.
"I think my father has seen the pictures and he just scolded ."
David's phone rung and he looked at the caller and rolled his eyes. For Collin Mayfair to be calling him, it was nothing good, he was probably looking for a fight.
"I think your brother wants to have a word with about your honor."
Phoebe snorted, what honor, was this the 1700's?
"If you have a duel, don't shoot him in the face or the legs, his wedding is coming up."
David took her hand and they turned around, walking in the direction of the Mayfair manor with big grins on their faces.
********
Two days after being told that Dorothy Cook was plotting against her, the petition arrived, Phoebe was served with papers at the cafe.
The grim faced council attorney announced that she was expected to appear before the council in four days. Never before had Phoebe experienced sothing like it, not even in her last life had she attended a council eting or been tried before one.
It was all official, it felt like she was being sued and had been ordered to make a court appearance.
"What does this even an? Do I appear with a lawyer? Where do I even go to et this council?" She queried the man who only pointed at the brown envelope and left.
Phoebe went behind the serving counter and shared the unfortunate news with her grandmother.
"Dorothy Cook really has bitten more than she can chew this ti around. I suggest that you send a team of ghosts to whip her behind." Grandma Mayfair smacked the table, veins pulsed in her neck. "Never mind, she is not worthy to be lashed by our ghosts, your father will take care of this, Do not worry about it." She added.
[That's what David said and yet the petition has still been signed and I have been served, I guess it's not going to be an easy fight.]
Phoebe's thought ca to be displayed. It made old lady Mayfair think that Phoebe had no faith in the abilities of the Mayfair's.
Phoebe was more worried about her plants that had already started growing, so far things were moving on smoothly at the farm, the thought of shifting it made her upset. Finding unoccupied very fertile land in Citrus was extrely hard to find, the Saxons had gobbled most of it up.
"Pheebs, you know what, I have changed my mind." Her grandmother called. "I think you should send Sylvester and Connie to beat so sense into her empty head."
Phoebe laughed dryly. "And add onto my woes by centing my reputation as the founding lane witch, no grandma that will not work but what I can do is make use of a secret that is damaging enough to make Dorothy lose her position in the council. I already have soone working on digging up the information. anwhile, Connie can go and keep an eye on her."
Connie vanished, she was determined to find out everything clean and dirty about Dorothy Cook.
"Ha! I tried my child, she's as clean as spring water but you can try, maybe you will have better luck than I did. If we damage her reputation she will stop stepping on people's heads that's for sure." Grandma Mayfair rubbed her chin.
The rattle bell chid attracting attention, Phoebe eyes narrowed the mont Dickson walked into the cafe.
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