Inseparable Strangers (14 page)

Without
waiting on him, I hopped out of the car and made my way to the Thorne
Convention Center.

Aaron
jogged around the car to join me as I strolled through the parking lot. “So,
are we just going to walk around in hopes of spotting her?”

“Why
did you just run over here?”

“I
didn’t run, I jogged.”

“Still,
though. Why go through the trouble?”

He
stopped to look at me quizzically. “Go through the trouble of what? I know I
said I can read your mind, but I try not to invade people’s thoughts if I don’t
have to.”

I
started walking again, hoping he would stride along beside me. “That’s good to
know,” I mumbled. He smiled at me, stepping back in sync with me. “But why
would you bother rushing to catch up to me when you can disappear and reappear
beside of me?”

He
chuckled in response to my comment. “I still like to be as human as possible. I
miss my old life. I miss the normalcy of living. Sure, when I first discovered
I was actually dead, I immersed myself in all things supernatural, but after
living in a world where you don’t really exist, you crave the realism of life.”

Dropping
my head, I watched the cracked concrete pass beneath my boots with each step.
“I guess it sucks to be you.” Immediately regretting my words, I tried to cover
up my rudeness. “I mean…I didn’t mean for it to come out that way. I just meant
it as… I don’t know,” I paused, collecting my words, “sometimes I thought my
life would be better if I were standing in your shoes. You know, to be with my
mother.” I couldn’t believe I said it out loud.

He
stopped walking, causing me to follow suit. “You’ve considered killing
yourself?” His face twisted up with distaste.  He was appalled.

“Sometimes
it just seemed easier. A girl needs her mother during certain times of her
life. People always saw me as the rich girl who had everything. What they
didn’t know was I envied them. They had the one thing I desired the most — a
mom. And because I couldn’t have what they had, I became a bitch. I was a mean
girl. I ridiculed so many… made them cry… I’m so ashamed of myself.” The autumn
breeze cooled the drop of moisture sitting in the corner of my eye.

Aaron’s
hand lightly cupped the side of my face. His thumb brushed the tear from my
eye. My heart fluttered momentarily from the kind gesture. “Lennox, you’re not
a bad person. I don’t care if you told me you killed someone, I still know
you’re a beautiful and caring woman. I’m dead. I can feel the love circulating
through your veins. You’re just missing a portion of your heart, waiting for
that long-awaited motherly love.” His hand lingered on my face a few seconds
more before he dropped it back down by his side. His movements seemed hesitant.
Almost like he wanted to touch me longer but didn’t know if he should.
Strangely, I wanted him to.

“How
do you do that?”

He
squinted from the sun as he looked at me. “Do what?”

“How
can you touch me? How can you touch anything? I’ve heard of spirits moving
objects, but I never really believed that stuff.”

He
smiled then looked ahead at a girl across the street walking her yellow lab.
“It was difficult in the beginning, but as time went by I eventually figured it
out,” he said as if it were no big deal.

“But
how?”

“Oh.
Yeah, right, sorry. To be honest, I’m really not sure. It’s sort of a mind over
matter type of thing. In the beginning, I had to focus — no disturbances of any
kind or I would lose my connection. But now, hell, it’s like second nature. I
can pretty much move anything without even thinking about it. Kind of like
this.” He reached over and wrapped his arm around me, pulling me up against
him. A little butterfly flapped its wings around my heart. It was so weird how
I was able to feel the lean muscles underneath his clothes. He seemed so real
to me. So alive.

“Show
off,” I said jokingly, not wanting him to let go.

We
both laughed then he released me. The vacant feeling left me cold.

“I
still don’t quite get it, but if it works then I guess it doesn’t matter,” I
said with a shrug.

As
people passed by us, I noticed the odd stares I was receiving. At first, I
didn’t pay it much attention as I was too engrossed into Aaron’s explanation,
but now I was becoming more aware. Suddenly it hit me. I felt completely
self-conscious. People were going to think I was schizophrenic. I must’ve
looked like a loon jostling around and talking to myself.

“Have
you ever seen the movie Ghost with Patrick—,”

“Shh,”
I interrupted. “Stop talking,” I whispered out of the corner of my mouth.

“Why?”
he asked, looking around with his neck slightly jutted out as if he was trying
to listen in on what I was hearing.

I
tapped my finger against my temple hoping he would get the hint to read my
mind.

His
brows furrowed as he stared at me intently, then his eyes widened. He nodded,
understanding what I was trying to say. If only the telepathy worked both ways.
We could have full conversations in complete silence.

“I’ll
talk, you continue to answer in your mind.”

“I
don’t like this. What if I think something I don’t want you to know?”

“You
just told me to listen to your thoughts. Make up your mind, woman.”

“I
just wanted you to for that moment so you would know why I wasn’t talking
anymore, but I’m not comfortable with having you in my brain right now. Now go,
shoo, get out of here.”
I waved my hand at him like I would
a dog I didn’t want jumping on my clean clothes.

He
laughed. “You’re impossible, you know?”

“I
may have been told that a time or two in my life. Now stop talking to me so I
don’t have to answer you.”
I stopped walking, turned to him and
stared at him with widened eyes. Hopefully, he would shut his trap.

“Like
I said…”

I
rolled my eyes. He obviously was one of those who thought they had to have the
last word.

We
had spent the better half of the day walking all around downtown. We even took
the side streets in hopes of seeing her, but we came up empty handed. Aaron and
I kept our conversations to a minimum, and we only talked openly when we were
in a secluded area. Not only was I afraid of people thinking I was crazy, I
also didn’t want to draw attention to the other spirits roaming through town.

“Do
you know how easy it would be if you could hear my thoughts?” Aaron asked. The
sun was beginning to settle behind the buildings, and the shaded sections of
the sidewalk put a chill in the air.

Thankfully,
I’d brought my jacket with me. I slipped it on and zipped it up to block off
the cold wind blowing through the tall buildings. Winter was approaching
quicker than usual.

“Uh,
ya think? It would make public appearances with you a whole lot easier, that’s
for sure.” Being as discreet as possible, I tugged on the edge of his shirt.
“Wait, is that guy coming up dead?” I muttered in almost a whisper.

Aaron
spun around and stopped directly in front of me. “If you ask me one more time
who’s dead and who’s not, I’m going to let you find out on your own.”

Pointing
to my temple, I talked to him telepathically.
I’m sorry, I can’t help it.
I’m trying to get a feel of who’s alive and who’s dead so I’ll be better
prepared if I’m ever out by myself.

We
continued walking so we wouldn’t look so obvious. He didn’t want to bring too
much attention to me because he said the spirits would harass me to help them
like the guy in the grocery store had. “Most of the time, the best way to tell
is by looking at their eyes. If their eyes look glazed over or seem to be in a
trance, most of the time they’re dead. And remember, if their eyes are
bloodshot, stay away; they’re evil.”

Note
taken.

Aaron
walked along side of me in comfort with his plain, white t-shirt and sweat
pants. If he wasn’t dead, I would’ve demanded him to change his clothes before
allowing him to be seen with me. To me, appearance had always been a top
priority. It said a lot about you: your character, how you felt about yourself,
how you hoped others judged you…

“What
are you thinking about over there?” Aaron interrupted my thoughts. Was he
really wondering or did he already know and he wanted to test me on how
truthful I was?

“You
mean you’re not listening in?” I asked.

“I
told you I can’t zero in on people’s thoughts unless I really concentrate.”  He
waved around to the concrete and brick structures lined up on both sides of us.
“This here doesn’t make it easy for me to focus. Between the cars, the people,
the dead ones, and nature itself, I’m too distracted to think clearly.”

“Oh,
here comes somebody. Test me to see if I can figure if they are or not.” With a
quick turn, I glanced back over my shoulder when I thought I heard footsteps
close behind us. I released a heavy breath when I saw no one there. I guess it
was just the wind.

“Are
we paranoid?” he asked chuckling. He must’ve noticed my quick reflexes. “Okay,
give it a shot, but be careful how you look at them. Don’t challenge them with
a stare. I stay neutral so I don’t give off any kind of vibe.”

I
pointed to my temple.
I’m scared
.

“I
know you’re not comfortable with being approached by them yet, but don’t worry,
I promise I won’t let them hurt you.”

Thank
you. I’m still getting used to having you around. If another one bombards me
with questions, I’ll probably have a coronary.
We stopped at the edge of the sidewalk waiting for the crosswalk to light up in
green.

“Could’ve
fooled me,” he teased. “You’ve adapted to me fairly well, don’t you think?” He
caught me by surprise again when he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled
me against him. The butterfly made another circle around my heart. He released
his hold on me but his hand still lingered, resting on my hip.

For
some unknown reason, I didn’t pull away. If I were being honest with myself, I
wanted more of him. “It’s only because you
feel
too real. I mean, my
gosh, until you told me, I had no clue you were dead.” I closed my eyes for a
brief moment. “Just saying it out loud sounds ludicrous. It’s all so surreal.”
It was difficult to wrap my head around it, and most of the time, I tried not
to think about it. If I wanted to keep my sanity, I was better off not to.

We
headed back to my car as twilight was quickly approaching. “I’m sorry we didn’t
see your mother,” he said setting his hand over mine. His gesture was genuine
and his voice serene.

I
smiled at him. “It’s not your fault. We have more days ahead to search. Today
just wasn’t the day.” With a quick turn, my car purred to life. “I’ve gone
twenty two years of my life without her, a few more isn’t going to hurt
anything.” Aaron’s thumb circled over my knuckles in comfort. It was strange
how every time he touched me, his skin always felt the same. No matter what the
weather was, or whether we were inside or out, the temperature of his body
always matched mine.

“How
does that work?” I asked looking down at his large hand covering mine. His
eyebrows knitted together.

“What?”

“Every
time you touch me, you feel the same. Never colder or hotter…it always mirrors
mine.” He remained silent. I guess he had no explanation. How could he explain
it? He was dead. That was explanation enough.

We
were halfway home and neither of us had spoken. I’d wondered if my comment
offended him in some way. It couldn’t be easy being him. To be dead for years,
only to be stuck in a world where you didn’t exist. All this time he’d had any
kind of life, not in the living sense. He was brought into this side of the
world against his will, and until I came along, he was all alone. Yes, he had
others who were in the same situation as him, but it still had to be torture.

“You’re
quite. What are you thinking about?” Aaron’s smooth voice startled me. I’d been
so lost in my thoughts I couldn’t even remember whether or not I had stopped at
the stoplight.

I
found it funny the telepath asking me what my inner thoughts were. A smile touched
my lips.

“Ah-ha.
It must be good if you’re smiling,” he said teasingly.

I
shook my head. “No. I find it amusing that you would ask me such a ridiculous
question. But, I also find it satisfying to know you’re not invading my
privacy, or at least I hope you’re not. I hope you’re being honest with me,” I
said, glancing over at him. He was watching me closely. Almost to the point of
making me uncomfortable. It was the way one stared at a person when they were
attracted to them. Did Aaron see me that way? Aside from the dreams, I’d never
felt that vibe from him before, but I was feeling it now. Feeling shy, I looked
away and concentrated on the road before me.

Although
the interior of my car was darkening, I could see Aaron from the corner of my
eye still watching me. “I wouldn’t want someone in my head when they’ve not
been invited, so I think staying out of yours would only be the right thing to
do,” he said finally looking away. He stared out of his passenger side window
at absolute darkness. The sun had completely settled behind the trees and dusk
had now turned to night. Silence once again joined us in the car. It was now my
turn to stare at him. My eyes shifted between the road and him. His brows were
knitted as if he were in deep thoughts. I couldn’t help but wonder what he was
thinking.

“Are
you happy?” I probed. “You always seem to be so calm and relaxed; that’s why I
ask.”

He
smiled. It was genuine. “Right now? Yes.”

“What
about earlier, or yesterday?”

His
smile didn’t waver, and it made me feel good inside.

“Yes
and yes. For the most part, I’m happy. You make me happy. Before you stumbled
into my existence, I wasn’t always happy.” He answered honestly, his tone
turning solemn. “Living in my world hasn’t exactly been the easiest thing,” he
paused, “but, I’ve learned to accept and adapt and work toward finding a way to
cross over.” I glanced over at him and his eyes held mine far too long.

I
felt horrible for bringing up a part of his life that had been a struggle. “I’m
sorry,” I apologized. What else did I have to offer?

He
placed a comforting hand on my shoulder which I found odd. I should be the one
consoling him. “Lennox, there’s nothing to be sorry about. You haven’t done
anything.”

I
was thankful for the dark, clouded sky and the limited amount of cars on the
road. To face him during an awkward conversation would be too hard. “I know,
but I just feel terrible for bringing up something that is apparently painful
for you.”

He
shrugged as if it were no big deal. “I’m okay with it. It’s been so long now.
I’ve learned to deal with it and move on.”

Another
question sat on the edge of my tongue, and I chewed on the tip in hopes of it
disappearing. It wasn’t my place to pry into his business. If he wanted to tell
me he would.

“Chomping
at the bit over there?” he asked with a snicker.

I
whipped my head toward his direction. “Reading my mind, are we?” I accused.

He
laughed and I liked the sound of it. He didn’t do it often enough. Of course,
neither did I. “No, I’m just good at reading body language. I can tell you have
something on your mind. Maybe you have something you want to ask me, but you’re
too scared to?”
He’s good. He’s damn good.

“Pfftt!”
I rolled my eyes in disguise. “Puh-lease. It’s not always about you.”

A
hearty laugh filled the interior of the car. “Says the diva driving,” he
added.  “Now spill it,” he commanded, his laughter quickly extinguished.

He
turned serious, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he was playing me.

I
blew out a deep breath. “Okay, you asked for it,” I replied as I turned into
the driveway. “Who was Aaron Nichols before you died? I know you were beaten to
death, but what led up to it?” I kept my eyes front and center. He was staring
at me; I could feel it.

The
garage door opened when I pushed the button, and I pulled into the garage. I
turned off the motor but neither one of us made an attempt to get out of the
car.

“Until
recently, I couldn’t have answered this for you. In the past few weeks, my past
life has slowly been coming back to me.” He hesitated a moment before
continuing, as if he suddenly didn’t want to talk about himself. He looked down
to the floorboard. The anticipation was killing me. “
Just answer me already”
was what I wanted to scream. Maybe he could hear me. Maybe he was a murderer
like I thought he was when I first brought him home. Maybe— “I was homeless.” I
gasped and I’d hoped he didn’t hear it. “My life before death wasn’t much
different from what it is now. Only difference now is people don’t look at me
with disgust.” He turned his head up to penetrate me with his deep, green eyes.

From
the way he stared at me, I felt as if he was directing that statement toward
me. The strange feeling of guilt slathered itself over my skin. He looked every
bit of a homeless man that day when he helped me with my tire, but he was no
longer that person. He was respectful, grateful,
beautiful
, and he had
treated me with more kindness than I’d ever deserved.

“Say
something,” he whispered.

“I—
I’m sorry. I mean, I’m not apologizing. Well, I am…dammit, you know what I
mean.” Heat immediately rose from my neck to my face. A smile formed on his
lips and he nodded. All it took was the subtle gesture from him and I knew
things were okay between us.

His
demeanor became serious again. “So you’re okay with that?”

“With
what?”

He
smirked. “With my lifestyle? I’m still homeless, I’m just lucky enough to have
your assistance for the time being,” he said solemnly.

It
was my turn to lay a hand over his. “Aaron, that life was long ago. This is
just temporary until you figure out how to move on to the next chapter in your
life.”

“That’s
the problem. I don’t think my next chapter is moving on. I think I’m moving
backwards.”