You Had Me at Halo

famished. Having to power six foot of maleness was certainly hungry work.

She wondered what Vince’s thoughts were on sushi. He didn’t really look like a sushi person, but she was starting to realize there was more to Vince Murphy than met the eye. Besides, this might be her last chance to eat it.

She was so caught up in trying to decide between Californian rolls or sashimi that she almost jumped in shock when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

“Hey, Vince. You were miles away.”

Holly groaned as they turned around to see the tall figure of Andrew standing in front of them. You know, all Holly wanted to do was find out how she died, speak to her almost fiance and get back to heaven and try and bluff her way into Level Three to see her dad. But if the road to hell was paved with good intentions, then it seemed the one to heaven was positively covered with really annoying interruptions.

“Oh, hey.” Vince nodded his head. “What’s up?”

What are you doing? Holly queried. I thought we were going for the plaster approach?

We are. That’s why, if you stop interrupting me, I can tell him that we’re in a hurry.

Sorry, she reluctantly apologized as Andrew grinned at them.

“I just wanted to say thanks for trying to talk some sense into the sales department before.”

“That’s okay,” Vince said. “Sorry I wasn’t much help. The worst thing is that we’ll probably spend the next six months fixing the damn things because they don’t work properly.”

“Yeah, it’s a bitch isn’t it?” Andrew agreed. “Anyway, I didn’t get a chance to tell you before, but it’s Graham’s birthday so we’re all going next door to Bar One for a drink after work. I though with the funeral yesterday, you might want to join us. Also, there was something else that I—”

“Love to,” Holly spoke before Vince got the chance. “I’ll see you there then. Anyway, I’d better go. Bye.”

What did you do that for? Vince demanded once Andrew had given them a surprised look before making his way back toward the staircase.

Because I want to get this over and done with as quickly as possible and Andrew there seemed like he was settling in for the day. It seemed easier to say yes than to take the time to explain why we can’t do it, Holly informed him.

I never give them a reason and I never say yes. Vince shook his head. I don’t socialize with anyone from work. That’s why he looked so surprised.

Oh. Holly paused to consider this for a moment. I didn’t know that. Besides, that wasn’t entirely true. He had asked her out when she had first started at the company last year. Not that she’d said yes, since apart from having her eye on Todd at the time, she had no desire to become reacquainted with Vince. Of course now she knew he wasn’t so bad…nice even…but still, it just proved that he wasn’t diametrically opposed to going out with people from work. So really, she was doing him a favor by trying to improve his social life. Not that they would have time to go, but that was beside the point.

* * *

It didn’t take them long to cover the short distance to parking lot and Vince headed toward one of the many white Baker Colwell service vans. He slid in behind the wheel and they made the rest of the journey to Holly’s old house in silence, which was good because the closer they got, the less Holly felt like talking. Or like going in.

She had moved out when she’d gone to college, but had felt obliged to visit once a week to see her stepmother. However, since starting at Baker Colwell she had been so busy between work and Todd that she couldn’t even remember the last time she’d been home. She had a funny feeling it might not have been since Easter. Almost four months ago.

Are you okay? Vince silently asked once he parked the van and they were standing in front of the door.

Not really. Holly gulped. Perhaps I don’t really need to do this in order to speak to Todd. I convinced Gemma without resorting to evidence. Surely I could do the same again. And you believed me.”

“I had overwhelming proof,” Vince reminded her. As much as I dislike Todd, for whatever reason, you’ve been given a second chance to get things sorted out and say your goodbyes. You need to make the most of it.

Holly, who had been about to protest, closed her mouth as she felt inexplicably reassured by Vince’s philosophy. Turned out that while this whole set up made a lot of things more difficult, in some ways she was finding his continued presence a relief from all the changes that had been thrust upon her lately. It was obviously some sort of latent Darwinian survival skill that was helping her to get on with the person in whose body she was sharing.

Thank you, she said as she pressed the bell.

It’s fine. Are you sure you don’t want me to do the talking? Vince asked.

No. Holly gave an adamant shake of her head as she once again went over the story they had come up with: Hello Mrs. Evans, you don’t know me but I’m a friend of Holly’s and I’ve come here on behalf of the Baker Colwell…cue holding up ID card. I’ve just cleared out her desk and thought you might like the rest of her belongings…cue holding up the sum whole of her working life: a box containing a coffee cup, some photos and a dog-eared work diary.

As far as cover stories went, it wasn’t very original or believable, but hopefully it would be enough to get them in the door. From there she didn’t have a clue how they were going to manage it, but the law of averages suggested that something had to go right for her today. Didn’t it?

She was just about to push the button again when she heard the sound of her stepmother’s heels tapping along the marbled hallway. The door opened and Holly sucked in a deep breath as she tried to prepare herself to face her nemesis.

“Hello Mrs. Evans…” Holly started to say but the rest of the words sort of died on her lips as she stared in front of her.

Boy.

It had to be said that her stepmother didn’t look too well. Perhaps she’d eaten something that disagreed with her at the funeral yesterday. Fish perhaps? Because something definitely wasn’t right with her pale face and her red rimmed eyes.

“Oh, hello.” Her stepmother blinked as if adjusting to the bright light of the day. “It’s Vincent, isn’t it? You and Holly went to school together for a while. Goodness, you look exactly the same.”

“Just a bit taller I guess. I was only about eight back then,” Vince said; which was probably lucky since Holly was pretty much rendered speechless.

Obviously the fish was affecting her stepmother’s mind as well. And you know she was getting a bit sick of Vince pretending they had once been friends. Enough of it already.

“Oh, well, do come in.”

“Thanks,” Vince once again answered as Holly tried and failed to not feel strange as she crossed over the threshold of her old house.

She’d been born in this house and her mother had died here only hours later. Despite the pain, Holly had happy memories of growing up, just her and her dad. Besides how could you miss what you’d never had? Unfortunately her father didn’t subscribe to this theory and she would never forget the first time their domestic bliss was shattered by the appearance of a total stranger called Jill Turner. The once-off meal quickly extended to two nights a week and Sunday afternoons, until there had finally been a wedding.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to talk to you yesterday,” her stepmother said as she closed the door behind them. “I did see you at the church, but then things just sort of got away from me and by the time I went to say hello, I couldn’t find you anywhere.”

Yeah right. She wanted to roll her eyes since her stepmother never liked Holly’s friends. Not that Vince was a friend of course, but her stepmother obviously didn’t know that, hence why she was letting them through the front door right now. She supposed she should be grateful. Then Holly realized her stepmother was waiting expectantly for an answer.

“Oh, that’s okay. I was feeling a bit strange anyway,” she said truthfully as she recalled her sudden arrival back to earth and straight into Vince’s size ten boots.