Shadow of a Life (33 page)

“
What?”

“
It’s Sophia. I recognize
the feel of her.
Sophia?
” I whispered into the
air.

I felt the prodding again. It was
definitely Sophia. I turned the other way and looked at Camille.
She slept peacefully so I decided to wait until we landed to give
her the news. It wasn’t a very long flight and we could
wait.

When the plane landed a short time
later we gathered our luggage for the last time and headed for the
exit. I wasn’t sure when Sophia and Nick were going to reappear.
They couldn’t exactly do it in the middle of a crowd. I wondered if
they’d have to wait until we were at the hotel, but then a thought
occurred to me.

“
Hey, Cam. I think we need
to use the bathroom. You probably should too, Peter.”

“
I’m fine. I can wait until
we get to the hotel. Airport bathrooms are disgusting. Think of how
many gross people go in and out of those every day,” Camille
said.

“
Just come with me. You
don’t have to touch anything.”

Camille rolled her eyes but dutifully
followed. We stood at the long mirror and touched up our
makeup.

“
Are we in here for a
reason?” Camille asked.

“
She’s waiting for me.”
Sophia emerged from one of the bathroom stalls, completely in human
form and looking much better than Cam and I who had just spent the
day in airports and on airplanes.

Camille whirled around. “Sophia. You
made it. Let me see your hand.”

Sophia beamed as she held her hand up
for inspection. The diamond sparkled under the vanity
lights.

“
Tell us all about it.”
Camille bounced up and down.

“
Well, after we left you we
headed out of town just as planned. Right before we got to
Providence, Nick pulled off the interstate and stopped at one of
those scenic overlooks. I was really confused, but he made me get
out of the car and we walked to the lookout area. He got down on
one knee—”

“
Awwww.” Camille couldn’t
contain herself.

“—
and popped the question.
It was really sweet. I had
no
idea he was going to do that.”

“
What do you plan to do
then?” I didn’t want to be a pessimist, but Sophia could finish her
business any day and that would be the end of any wedding
plans.

“
Nick and I talked about it
on the way here. We’ve been waiting
forever
to get married. If you guys
are willing, we want to forget everything about the Goodwins and
strange maps and our old life for one day and get married
tomorrow.”

“
Agghh! Yes we’re okay with
that,” Camille answered immediately. I nodded in
agreement.

“
Good. It’s settled then.
I’m getting married tomorrow.”

The three of us hugged and with our
“girl moment” finished we left the bathroom. Peter had found Nick
and the two of them resided on a couple of the uncomfortable
chairs. They could almost be brothers the way they both lounged. We
retrieved the luggage we’d checked—Sophia and Nick had sent their
bags with us back in Boston so that they’d have clothes even if
they didn’t catch the connecting flight—and headed to the rental
car counter. Nick figured the oldest he could ever pass himself off
as was 22, which is what his fake ID said. Car rental companies
usually won’t rent to people under the age of 25 unless you pay
extra. If they only knew his real age . . . Once the paperwork was
finally finished we loaded the luggage into the rental car and
headed for the hotel.

Sophia and Nick sprung for an upper
class hotel. They were both so sure that they were about to finish
their business that they felt like they should start spending some
of the money they’d been saving and investing, not knowing how long
they would be living as humans. Camille and I had a suite with two
beds in one room and a living area and kitchenette in the other
room. I assumed the boys’ room was similar. Sophia would most
likely not be sleeping, but she stashed her bags in our room
anyway.

“
So what’s the plan for
tomorrow?” I asked when we were all seated around a table at a café
in the lobby that night.

“
Well, in the morning, the
girls are going to go dress shopping while the guys try to find
something appropriate to wear. Apparently Mr. Secretive over here
has already called ahead and found someone to officiate. I guess
it’s a good thing I said yes,” she nudged Nick. “The officiator
typically performs ceremonies for people who want to renew their
vows. We don’t have time to get a marriage license and all that so
we’re just going to have a commitment ceremony of sorts. It’s good
enough for us. We’re told there’s a beautiful park overlooking the
water near the hotel and we’re going to meet the officiator there
tomorrow evening—just before sunset.”

“
It sounds perfect. I’m so
happy for you two.” I really meant it.

*****

The next morning was another beautiful
summer day. Camille and I grabbed some fruit from the little market
in the lobby of our hotel for breakfast before we headed out with
Sophia in search of a wedding dress.

“
There’s no way I’m going to
find a traditional dress and still have time for alterations before
this evening. I think we need to stick to department stores so we
can buy something off the rack,” Sophia said as we rode in a taxi
to the nearest mall. Peter and Nick had taken the rental
car.

After not finding anything interesting
in the three department stores anchoring the Patrick Henry Mall, we
grabbed another taxi and headed for the nearest Nordstrom’s
twenty-five miles away. Sophia chose a couple of white cocktail
dresses and headed for the dressing room. She emerged looking
absolutely radiant in a dress with a lace covered bodice and a
skirt that flared slightly at her knees. There was a dainty white
bow at her waist. We knew immediately that it was the
one.

“
Oh. I’m going to cry.
That’s definitely the dress.” Camille beamed.

“
You think so?” Sophia asked
as she twirled in front of the three-way mirror.

“
I agree with, Cam. It’s
definitely the one.” I added.

“
Great. That was easy. Let’s
find something for you two. I saw a lavender dress on the other
side of the store that I liked. Let’s go back and see if it will
work.”

That time Camille and I were the ones
to be oohed and aahed. I had to try on a couple of sizes before I
found the perfect fit, but I agreed that the little lavender
dresses with spaghetti straps and mini ruffles at the hem were
cute. I didn’t usually feel very feminine and I blushed when I
thought of Peter seeing me in it.

We made our way back to the hotel
where Sophia proceeded to give us makeovers. She was subtle with
the makeup she put on me. It was as if she’d known me my entire
life. She pulled our hair up into curly twists on the backs of our
heads and then went to work on herself. She looked amazing when she
was finished, with her hair cascading down her back in soft golden
curls. Instead of a veil she tied a white ribbon in her hair. A
pair of simple pearl earrings was the only accessory she
needed.

Camille excused herself to the
restroom and I had Sophia all to myself for the first time in a
long while.

“
Sophia?”

“
Yeah?”

“
Are you having any second
thoughts?”

“
About marrying
Nick?”

“
No. About finishing your
business. Jack and Rita don’t want to finish their business now
that they’ve found each other. You and Nick have had so little time
together, I just wondered if you were still as excited to
go.”

She was quiet for a long time.
“Honestly? The thought has definitely crossed my mind, but Jamie, I
have faith that it will all work out. I don’t think we would have
remained on earth to find each other again if we were just going to
be separated once we got to heaven.”

“
So you believe in heaven
then?”

“
I do. I believe Nick and I
will be together there and I will finally be able to see my real
family again. Nick will be with his mother and his sister, too. It
will be a great reunion, Jamie. Besides, if we don’t go know, when
we have the chance, we might never be able to leave. I’m not sure I
want to stay around forever, watching the world at war and
witnessing tragedy after tragedy. Do you realize that I’ve been
here for both World Wars, the Great Depression, the Korean
conflict, the so-called Cold War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War,
the tragedies of 9/11, and everything that’s happened since
then?”

I nodded. I couldn’t imagine
witnessing all of that. My parents had never taken me to church and
I didn’t know whether I believed in God and heaven or not. I wanted
to, but I didn’t think I’d ever seen any proof that either thing
existed. Maybe Sophia was my proof. She’d lived a rotten life, but
remained true to her values, and things were looking up for her.
The Goodwins had led a life of crime and they still weren’t happy
in their afterlife. Maybe there was some truth to everything
churchgoers believed. It was something I was going to give deeper
thought to in the future.

Camille came out of the bathroom and
we slipped into our shoes before heading for the lobby. I was kind
of nervous about walking in heels in the grass at the park. I’d
only worn heels a couple of times before.

Sophia had called in a flower order
earlier in the day and they were waiting at the hotel desk for us.
She handed Camille and I each a single white daisy and then tied
the remaining ones with a purple ribbon to make an impromptu
bouquet. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

“
Nick and Peter have already
left and are just arriving at the park now,” she said as she read a
text.

We emerged from the hotel and turned
right. The park was supposedly only a block or two away and sure
enough, there was a large green space with big shady trees just
down the road.

Peter and Nick were standing in their
tuxedos, talking with a man who I assumed was the officiant, when
we came up behind them. The look on Nick’s face when he turned and
saw Sophia was priceless. It was a look of true love.

The ceremony was short and sweet. Nick
and Sophia faced each other, holding hands under a leafy tree. The
three of us who were attending stood behind them—there were no
seats. Camille snapped about a million pictures with her phone in
between wiping tears from the corners of her eyes. They exchanged
vows they’d written themselves and the officiant pronounced them
joined. They didn’t need an official paper and no witnesses needed
to sign anything. It was just a sweet and magical moment where two
people pledged their love to each other.

When the mini ceremony was
over, Nick and Sophia kissed and he picked her up and twirled her
around. She laughed and threw her head back. Camille had tears
streaming down her face by that point. I looked away so the tears
threatening to fall from
my
eyes wouldn’t be noticed. After congratulations
and well wishes from the man performing the ceremony, he left and
we were alone in the park. Sophia threw her bouquet and Camille
grabbed it. She was ecstatic.

Peter offered to crash on the couch in
the girls’ hotel room so that Nick and Sophia could be alone that
night. The three of us stayed up watching late night comedy and
eating junk we bought from the convenience store in the lobby. I
wondered what Dad would think if he could see me then. I needed to
break the junk food habit or I’d look like a blimp for my sophomore
year. The next day would be business as usual and we were all
keenly aware that it might be the last night all of us were still
around.

CHAPTER 22

“
G
ood morning, sleepyhead.” I woke with a start and found myself
staring into Sophia’s big blue eyes. She was laying on her stomach
on the other half of my bed, propped up on her elbows, her face
just inches from mine.

“
Sophia
. You promised not to do that anymore.”

“
I’m sorry, but I might not
be a ghost for much longer and I’ve got to get my fill of scaring
people while I still can.”

Suddenly realizing that Nick
was a ghost and could very well be in the room too, I covered my
head with my pillow. I was sure I
looked
scary that morning.

Embarrassed, I mumbled from beneath
the pillow, “Is Nick in here?”

“
He went to get some food
for you guys. Why are you all still in bed?”

I pulled the pillow off my head,
rubbed my eyes, and looked at the clock sitting on the bedside
table. It was ten o’clock.

I groaned. “Sorry. I guess we stayed
up too late last night. Cam!” I yelled and tossed a pillow at the
sleeping body in the other bed. She pulled the covers over her head
and rolled over.

“
I guess I’ll shower first.
Maybe she’ll be awake by the time I get out,” I told Sophia as I
swung my legs over the edge of the bed and sat up.

“
Okay, but before you get
too far, I should warn you that Peter’s already in your
shower.”