“You can stay as long as you need to.” I squeezed her hand. “But tonight…”
“The ceremony. Your mother explained your ways. Earth people and spirits. You’ll call him and the others who died and do a ritual to release their souls out into the universe so they can be reborn.” She smiled. “He wasn’t big on religion, but I think he’d get a kick seeing if it’s real.”
“He will. I learned that much about him in the few months we worked together. Like you, I wish there was more time.” I looked up at Casey and back to my brothers. “Can you guys leave us alone for a while?”
They nodded and Casey gave me a kiss on the forehead. My mother went into the kitchen as they left. I waited a moment and with just a silent thought Lutz appeared for me. My mother came back into the room, setting down two cups of tea. I picked up one, handing it to Sabrina.
She took it. “Thank you, but I’m not a tea person.”
“It’s not really tea.” I gave her a raised eyebrow. “Brandon wants to speak to you before I release his Spirit. This softens the psychological barriers your culture builds up. It also might make you a bit sleepy, but won’t hurt you otherwise.”
Sabrina looked into the cup, then at me. I expected refusal, at the very least a few questions, but she downed the cup in four slurps. “Now what?”
“Let’s go to your room.”
She got up quickly, helping me walk her into the guest bedroom. I sat down in the chair next to the bed. “Get comfortable. Lean back and close your eyes.” She stacked pillows up and did exactly what I asked. “Visualize Brandon here. Take slow easy breaths. Visualize, and in your mind, call him to you.”
I spoke softer and softer, watching her body relax. Ninety percent of the effect was her willingness to believe in the lavender scented herbal tea, opening herself to hypnotic suggestion. It worked and Lutz saw the moment when she drifted beyond the inhibitions controlling her.
He sat down next to her. “Sabi, I’m here.”
Her mouth opened as she gasped. “Brand… Brandon?”
“Yes, baby. I’m here.” He stroked her leg.
I leaned forward, injecting a whisper. “Slowly open your eyes. Remember, this is his Spirit.”
Sabrina didn’t open her eyes. Instead she put her hand down to where he touched her. “I’m a little afraid to look. Afraid this is a dream.”
“It isn’t. Open your eyes, baby.”
The muscles around her eyes flinched. Fear and desperation battled each other, but her need to see Lutz won out. She opened her eyes and teared up immediately. “It’s really you.” She looked down to where her hand had tried to touch his, but instead saw that she was rubbing her own leg. His hand not real. “I can’t touch you?”
“No, I don’t have a body anymore.” He reached up and stroked her cheek. Sabrina tried to touch his hand again, failing. “Some would say I’m only residual energy, which I guess is what you feel. I’m only my Spirit now.”
“So, there is something after we die.” Sabrina tried to laugh.
“Apparently, though we still have to wait to see what comes next. I just know a part of me is always going to be here, with you. And I guess I have to be glad things happened the way they did, so I’d be able to say goodbye.” Lutz glanced over at me. “Thank you. For being a friend when I was alive, and now.”
“Your strong Spirit let you do this. Strong enough to wait for this moment and strong enough to let go when the time comes.”
“Do you have to, let go that is? I mean, you hear stories.” Sabrina sounded a little scared and hopeful.
“Haunting? That wouldn’t be good for his Spirit. Those who can’t find their way to the next… life, they get lost in this one. In time he would stop being the man we knew. Kind of like Alzheimer’s. Neither of you want that.”
“Nooo…” She sighed, staring into Lutz’ eyes. “I’d never want that to happen to you. I love you too much to ask you to live… to exist, like that.” She reached out again to touch him, but remembered she couldn’t. “I don’t want to say goodbye yet.” Her voice cracked as tears fought to burst free. “I want to feel your arms around me. Just one more time.”
“The effects of the tea won’t last long.” I pushed out of the chair, nodding to them both as I shuffled towards the door. “You should spend it together.”
Outside the door my mother waited, holding the cup of tea I’d ignored. “You must rest too. Drink this and get a little sleep.
“I guess I can.” I took the cup and she unrolled her hand, my pain meds in her palm. “Sure. I need them.” I gulped them down and let her lead me to my bedroom. As nice as the resort suite had been, my own bed felt great. My mother helped me undress and then tucked me in, like I was a kid again. It felt great, especially as the pain meds kicked in.
When I finally drifted back to the surface, Casey sat up from the chair in the corner. “You feeling all right?”
“Yeah.” I took a deep breath. “I just needed a nap, I guess.”
“I wish we could put this off for another day.” He got up and turned the lights a bit brighter. “Laid out some clothes for you. Your mother will want you to eat something.”
“Sabrina?”
“Still asleep. No one’s had the heart to wake her up. We figured Lutz would let us know when she did.”
I looked from my clothes on the foot of the bed to the clock. “Maybe a few more minute. Help me?”
“For the rest of
