“Let’s do it then.”
9
About two months later, Ezra and Clara welcomed the movers into their new home. By then, winter was in full swing. The property was shivering under a dusting of snow. It wasn’t at its peak yet, but the trees were naked. The lake was freezing over. It wasn’t quite safe enough for ice skating yet, but it would be soon, and Clara couldn’t wait to get Ezra out on the ice. In her mind she was already reliving childhood memories of ice skating with her sisters, giggling under snowflakes.
In the meantime, they gave the movers a little tour and told them which boxes would go where. They had accepted a lot of the previous furniture that was already in the home, as they didn’t have a whole lot of their own. The result was a project that bordered on complimentary, while needing some work to bring it all together.
“I can’t wait to see this through all the crazy phases,” Clara said as she admired the house.
“Me either,” Ezra replied as he came up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the top of her head. “I’m so excited to be starting this journey with you.”
“And I with you. It just feels right.”
“It does.”
There was something in his tone though. Something was a little off, and Clara had been with him long enough to recognize it.
“Do you want to take a walk?” she asked. “Might be good to be out of the movers’ way.”
“That sounds like a fantastic idea.”
They slipped out through the future café and down the snowy pathway. The air was chilly against their exposed cheeks, but not unbearably cold. Most of the people in the area were making the most of this time before it became too cold to go outside. It was one thing that had almost changed their minds about the property. They were going to be hit by winter before even having the chance to enjoy the natural sights the town had to offer. But they couldn’t wait. This was everything they hoped for. Mostly.
“Seems like something’s up,” Clara said as their boots crunched in the snow.
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. You seem off somehow. Is everything okay?”
“It is,” Ezra replied. He looked at the clear water and remembered ice fishing with his siblings and father. His mother made hot chocolate when they came back in each time. He rarely caught anything, but they were some of his favorite memories. “I just keep thinking about my father.”
“That’s understandable,” she said. “This is all happening because of him.”
“Exactly. It’s tough though because I kind of feel like he would disapprove. He’d probably want me to use the money to invest, start a more prestigious company, get further schooling, buy a more impressive house. I don’t know, there are a million opinions he had on how I should live my life. Owning a bed and breakfast in some small mountain town doesn’t seem like it’d align with that.
“Since he died, I keep feeling like he’s watching me. People always say that when someone dies, you know? That they’re watching over you. It doesn’t reassure me though. It just feels imposing and creepy. I can feel him judging me, thinking I’m making a mistake, disapproving of all my choices.”
They stopped in front of the water. Clara turned to Ezra and took his cold cheeks in her hands. She kissed him, and his fear melted a little as he remembered what was important.
“People only say that to make you feel better,” she said. “I really don’t think he’s following you around but even if he were, you can’t live your life based on his opinion. You were both different people, you have different views on what makes you happy. I think he’d accept that and if he didn’t, it doesn’t matter. It’s not his life.
“It’s impressive he was able to go so far in his career, make so much money. But I wouldn’t be happy with a husband who was gone that often. I wouldn’t be happy living that kind of life, and I don’t think you’d be either. We’re creating our own happiness here how we want it. That’s so special. That’s us. I know it’s tough, but you can’t let his ghost taint that.”
“I’ll try not to,” he said. “I hope being here will help. I think it’ll be good to be away from the city, away from all that, and starting the life we’ve chosen here.”
“I think so too. I love you so much.”
“I love you too. No ghost can take that away from us.”
10
That night as they were getting settled in their new bedroom, it was Clara’s turn to feel like someone was watching them. She had an odd feeling as she straightened out their black comforter over their king-sized bed. The blanket got tangled around the silver bed frame. She fixed it, then paused.
It felt like there was something in the dark corners peering out at her, a quiet observer. She suspected it had something to do with Ezra’s earlier confession, or the eeriness of sleeping in a different place. They had gotten most of the things that belonged in their bedroom unpacked, but it was still quite the change.
The champagne bottle lights Clara had made herself cast playful shadows over the wine-colored walls. They seemed to move on their own, swept along by magic. She chided herself for being silly, but the feeling clung to her like spiderwebs. Nonthreatening, yet difficult to shake off.
The sound of water assured her Ezra was still in the shower. He’d be out soon, but for now he wouldn’t be able to see her fear, something she was grateful for. He was already on edge, still trying to deal with the death of his father. She had convinced him that the feeling of his father watching him wasn’t anything to be worried about, but she knew he was still uneasy.
