Poor Tyler stared at me trying to follow along.
“I’m so sorry,” I stood up, “First things first, let’s see if grandpa’s home.” I reached for his hand.
He looked at my outstretched fingers and shook his head slowly, “The good news is you’re not boring,” he took my hand, and we left the dining hall, cutting across the grass to the auditorium. The stairs echoed as we made our way down to the basement.
“Now, I do think he has been harder because he isn’t here, like here on campus here. Everyone else I’ve talked to – well mostly today have been here. Even the old dude was from the cadaver lab. So, if it doesn’t work, please remember it isn’t that I am not trying.”
I held his hands, and he twisted his around to interlace our fingers. “Savanah, thank you for trying. You do realize that no one else on earth could even attempt what you are doing, right?”
I blinked. I never saw it that way. I never saw it being an issue of something no one else could do. “I really do want to help,” his hands dropped mine and took the sides of my face so quickly I didn’t even realize he had done it, until his lips crashed into mine.
There was that fire.
There was the inferno I had felt yesterday.
It was if the heat was never going to completely die out now that it started. The simple touch of his lips sent my emotions into overdrive. My fingers wove through his hair, gripping tightly, trying to melt into him.
His lips traveled down my neck and I sighed, allowing my eyes to flutter open just slightly. “Oh Tyler.”
“That boy should have better manners than that.” The voice broke through my euphoria like a bucket of water. I pushed him back but maintained my hand on his neck.
“I am so sorry sir; we shouldn’t have carried on like that.”
Tyler looked completely humiliated. “Gramps?” His words were thin, and he started to pull away from me.
I grabbed tightly to his hand.
“Oh, I was young once, but he should be a bit more of a gentleman.”
“Yes sir” I looked at Tyler sideways, “He actually is quite a gentleman. We just got a little carried away.”
“Gramps, we need your help,” Tyler talked to the empty air.
“How long have you and my grandson been dating?”
“We have been going together for about a month now,” I smiled at Tyler, although he looked slightly frustrated.
“Well then, I guess I can understand where you are coming from,” the man laughed a little.
“Excuse me Sir, Tyler needs some help if you don’t mind.”
The man looked around, “So why are we here?”
I met Tyler’s anxious eyes, then looked back at his grandpa. “We came to talk, and honestly hoped you would be here too,” I breathed deeply again, I needed to stay grounded, keep him talking.
“We need to know where his last will is. The final one he wrote. If not, everything he worked for will be gone,” Tyler’s eyes darted around the room while he bounced with nerves next to me, not really helping the calming process I focused so hard on.
“Why isn’t he talking to me?” the look of confusion crossed the grandfathers face. Hurt maybe?
“I am sorry, but Tyler can’t see you today, Sir. You see, not very many people can. I am trying to help him.”
“What’s wrong with his eyes? I don’t understand. He always had great eyesight.” The man stepped closer to Tyler, adding to the intensity of the energy.
I had to focus with all my might to keep upright. My words slowed. “Sir, since your passing not everyone can see you as clearly.”
He reached toward Tyler and everything went black.
I woke up with Tyler leaning over me. His expression of concern faltered slightly, disappointment clouded his face, quickly turning to shame. “I take it he’s gone?”
I nodded, pulling myself upright. “Tyler, I’m sorry. He touched you and the energy was just too much.”
The color drained from his face. “He touched me?”
I checked inventory of my limbs, shaking them to get the circulation moving, and took a deep breath, “Tyler, he doesn’t realize he’s dead.”
Tyler’s face read horror. “How is that possible?”
I shrugged, reaching for my water bottle. “I don’t know honestly, but I got it pretty clear he had no idea.”
Tyler searched the floor for something. His eyes burning into the grey concrete.
“Tyler, we can try again.”
He shifted his focus to a far wall, diverting his eyes from my face. “It’s ok, I don’t know if it will do any good. If he doesn’t even know he passed away, how is he supposed to know? We’re running out of time,” his last words were just above a whisper.
I reached for his hand. “I can do this; I know I can.” And somehow, I knew I was right.
I could do this. I had made contact with more spirits in the last two days than I had in my entire life.
"It’s ok, we’ll try later. I gotta get to practice," he squeezed my hand. “I really appreciate your help. Seriously Savanah, I don’t know what I would do without you.” He stood and I watched him walk up the stairs. I didn’t follow him. It was obvious he needed a minute to get his head right before swinging a bat around.
I stood up, feeling my phone vibrate in my pocket. Checking the text, it was from Camryn.
“Dinner?”
I quickly texted back yes and waited for her emoji to pop up.
I walked the stairs out of the basement, feeling exhausted.
I had a ton of reading to do and it wasn’t going to get easier the later the day got.
