Lion followed Lady as she went upstairs and down the hall to Otsuya’s room. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. “Hey,” she said. “It’s me.” She didn’t hear any sounds coming from inside, but that didn’t mean Otsuya wasn’t there. “Do you mind if I come in for a minute? I think we should probably talk.”

  There was still no answer. Lady started to knock again but stopped herself. “Lion is with me. He wants to visit. I think he misses you.” She nudged Lion in the side with her bare foot. He mewed softly.

  There still wasn’t an answer. At least not at first. Lady was getting ready to turn and head back down the hall. Maybe she would get a pen and paper from downstairs, write a note and tape it to her door or something.

  Lady was turning on her heel when the door opened just a crack. Lion was quicker than she was. Before she could react, he had slipped inside. Lady shoved a foot in after him, half expecting Otsuya to try and shut the door once he was inside.

  Fortunately, there was no resistance. Lion was allowed in and so was she… For all the good that did either of them.

  The atmosphere in the room was eerie. All the upstairs rooms were roughly the same. The Fisherman’s Inn was as its name implied. It was an inn. There wasn’t much to the rooms themselves. They weren’t apartments or anything. They were all the size of a reasonably large bedroom. Otsuya’s room matched her personality. There was a lot of unusual clutter, colorful clothes and knickknacks. There were shelves of books all along one wall. A lot of them had been pilfered from the library.

  Normally, the room was well-lit. Tonight the room itself felt unusually gloomy. The overhead lights were on, but they were dim. It was like the electricity was low, like there was something wrong with the power in the whole building. Lady knew from being in the hallway that that wasn’t true. If she had to guess, the state of the lighting had something to do with Otsuya’s mood.

  Spirits were made of energy, weren’t they? It stood to reason that, if Otsuya was upset, her energy might be on the unpredictable side. Lady hoped that didn’t mean she should prepare for a power surge sometime tonight. She made a mental note to go ahead and start charging her phone as soon as she got back downstairs.

  Otsuya herself was sitting on the edge of her mattress. Her dark hair was down and partly obscuring her face. It felt a bit like Lady had just stepped into a foreign horror movie.

  The scene didn’t deter Lion any. He hopped up on the bed like nothing was amiss. Otsuya raised her head when he did and gave him a scratch between the ears. “Hey, boy,” she cooed. That put Lady at ease some, reminded her that Otsuya was still a person. She wasn’t some unpredictable force of nature. At least not yet. The night was still young.

  “Hey,” said Lady, coming to a stop in the middle of the room. She shifted her weight from foot to foot awkwardly. She had gone over what she would say on her way up the stairs. Now that she was actually here she was drawing a blank. She felt like she needed to say something, though. Otsuya wasn’t kicking off a conversation. “You just sitting up here in the dark?”

  Otsuya looked up at the flickering lights. “They’re on.” She leaned to one side, groping toward her headboard. There was a collection of scrunchies around one of the posts. She took a glittery one off and popped it around her wrist. Quickly and efficiently she started pulling her hair out of her face and into a ponytail. Lady was glad. It was harder to be nervous around someone in a sparkly scrunchie.

  “Maybe you should change the bulbs,” Lady suggested, even though she was fairly certain that wasn’t what was causing the electrical issues. “There are some in the downstairs supply closet. I can get some for you.”

  “It’s fine,” said Otsuya with a wave of her hand. She clearly knew that wasn’t it as well. “Why are you up here?”

  That wasn’t a question Otsuya had ever asked before. Normally, she was happy to have Lady in her room. Normally, she asked her up. Heck, she usually even left the door open. Lady had woken up on more than one occasion to Otsuya barging into her room and jumping on her bed. That there was suddenly some expectation of privacy between them felt wrong. It wasn’t what their relationship was based on. Lady might have preferred that early on, but she had gotten used to Otsuya’s exuberant hovering.

  “You know why I’m here.” Lady toed the carpet. She looked down at her feet. “I should have said something before we went to the lake, but it didn’t feel like there was a good opportunity for it. It was hot. Everyone was going. That never happens. I wanted us to all have a good day.”

  Otsuya didn’t say anything. She went back to petting Lion. At least it seemed like she was listening. Her hair wasn’t floating and she wasn’t vanishing into thin air. That was probably a good sign.

  “And, I mean, it was a pretty good day, wasn’t it? We were having fun.”

  “We were,” Otsuya agreed. She didn’t say, ‘until you ruined it,’ but it felt implied.

  “You like Crispin, right?” Lady looked squarely at Otsuya, hoping for a definite answer from her. She didn’t get one. Otsuya just shrugged. “Are you planning on doing anything about it? Like… asking him out? Because if you want to ask him out, I’ll back off.” She meant that. “You’ve known him for longer. You’ve liked him for longer. I love you, and I don’t want some stupid guy to ruin that.”

  Otsuya looked up, her dark eyes widening a little. “You love me?”

  Lady felt her face growing warm. She had said that, hadn’t she? “Yeah. I guess so. You’re kind of like… my best friend. I’ve never had one of those, so…”

  The lights flickered again, going a little too bright before finding a more natural middle ground. Otsuya huffed and squirmed where she sat, like she felt suddenly torn. “I love you too.”

  Lady felt a flutter in her chest. She didn’t move any closer to Otsuya, but she did relax some where she stood.

  “Crispin isn’t stupid, though.” Otsuya sighed. She stopped petting Lion, folding her hands on her lap instead. “He’s really smart.”

  Lady nodded in agreement. “I know. I didn’t really mean it like that. I just—You know. I don’t want something stupid like me going on a date with him to ruin our friendship. That’s what’s stupid. I don’t even know if we’ll hit it off that way. It’s not worth the risk if you… wanted to ask him out instead.”

  Otsuya sighed. “I’m not going to ask him out.”

  “Then I plan on going on a date with him.” Lady hesitated. “I mean… I just… I don’t think you want him to be alone forever, do you?”

  Otsuya took a little too long to answer that question. “No,” she said finally. “I guess not.”

  “Then… is it okay if we go out on a date?” Lady intended to go with him, but she still wanted to okay it with Otsuya.

  “I’d rather you didn’t.” Otsuya pulled her legs up onto the mattress. “But I’m not going to hate you if you do. We’ll still be friends.”

  “That’s good.”

  “Yeah. I guess.”

  Lady took a seat on the floor. She wanted to stay and talk for a little while, but she wasn’t bold enough to go and sit on the bed with Otsuya just yet. “Why don’t you ask him out, if you don’t mind my asking.”

  Again, Otsuya didn’t answer right away. “It’s complicated.”

  “How so?” Dinner was soon, but Lady was more interested in this. She was willing to talk this out well into the night if that’s what it took. “Seriously, tell me. We’re friends, right? That’s what friends are good for. We should be able to tell each other complicated stuff.”

  Otsuya took a deep breath. “I don’t really know where to start.”

  “Does it have something to do with you being a ghost?” That felt like a safe enough assumption.

  Otsuya nodded. “Yeah. I guess. Most of it comes back to the fact that I’m not really… alive.”

  Lady nodded like this was a common problem in romance. She had never really had cause to talk about people’s love lives before now. She hoped she was doing a decent job. “What specifically about you being a ghost is the problem?”

  “What isn’t a problem?” Otsuya countered. “Like I said, I don’t know where to start. There’s the fact that I haven’t aged in decades.”

  Lady looked Otsuya over. She was a good looking woman. As far as problems went, that wasn’t a bad one to have. She could see how it might be an issue when it came to romance, though. “So you’re worried that, what? He’ll age and you won’t?”

  “Kind of. Yeah. That’s a pretty big deal, isn’t it?”

  “I guess so.” Lady didn’t want to tell Otsuya how to live her life… Or her afterlife, as it was. It seemed lonely, though. If Otsuya wanted companionship she should be able to have it. “A lot of people would probably think dating a ghost is pretty cool,” Lady offered. “I don’t think it would be a deal breaker for me. I’d never given it much thought until now, but… No, no I don’t think it would stop me from dating someone I thought I might hit it off with. Are you sure Crispin isn’t the same way?”

  Otsuya reached for Lion and put him in her lap. She was anxious and petting him a little too hard. He allowed it. He could probably sense that this was something she needed right now. He was a very intuitive cat. “That’s not the only problem. Or the biggest one.”

  “What is?”

  “I’ve known him since he was a kid.”

  Lady waited for her to continue. She didn’t see how that was an issue. There had to be more to it than that.

  “I didn’t have a body then, but I watched him grow up.” Otsuya paused like she expected Lady to understand after that extra piece of information. When she realized she was going to have to divulge more she took another deep breath. She seemed frustrated, but it wasn’t all directed at Lady. “I’ve known most of Dark Lake since they were kids. I’ve been here for a long time.”

  “So, you’re basically, like, Ms. Poole’s age.”

  Otsuya frowned. “I don’t know if it’s that exactly. I don’t claim to know how all this works or how being her age feels. I died when I was still pretty young and… I’ve seen a lot, but… I still basically feel the same. Does that make sense?”

  It didn’t really, but Lady tried to wrap her head around it anyway. “You don’t have a body, so you don’t have a brain,” Lady reasoned. “You have a mind!” she added quickly. “I’m not saying you’re not smart.”

  “I knew what you meant.”

  “I can see how maybe you wouldn’t… mature? Is that it?”

  Otsuya shrugged. “I don’t really have a frame of reference for it. I just know that I still feel the same. I don’t really experience time like other people either, I think.”

  “How do you experience it?”

  “It’s hard to explain.” Otsuya looked into the distance. It seemed like she might make an effort to explain it, but she finally just shook her head. “No, I don’t think I could put it into words.”

  “What does that have to do with Crispin?”

  “Everything. It’s weird, isn’t it? To be into someone you watched grow up?”

  “Lots of people stay with their childhood sweethearts.”

  “Yeah, but they were kids at the same time.”

  “Age gaps are a thing in relationships too.”

  “This is like the weirdest age gap ever. It’s like… an existence gap.”

  Lady had to give her that. It was a pretty unique problem. “Maybe he’d be okay with that.”

  “I don’t know that I’m okay with that,” Otsuya grumbled.

  “Well.” Lady wasn’t sure what to say. What could she say? “That sucks.”

  “Yeah.”

  “So you’re okay with me going on a date with him?”

  Otsuya looked right at Lady. Her eyes were dark and the lights flickered but only a little. “No,” she said firmly. “But I’m not going to stop you. It’s not like I can insist he be alone forever. I don’t want him miserable, and I suppose there are worse people he could date.”

  “Gee thanks.”

  “What? It’s a compliment.”

  “If you say so.” Lady got to her feet. “I think dinner is probably about ready. Are you coming down?”

  Otsuya shook her head. “No. I don’t think so. I don’t really feel like doing human things tonight.”

  “Do you want me to stay up here with you?” Lady was willing to do that. She was hungry, but she wasn’t sure Otsuya needed to be alone right now.

  “No, that’s all right. Go on… Just, maybe leave Lion with me?”

  Lady looked down at her cat. He seemed perfectly content in Otsuya’s lap. She nodded. “Sure. He hasn’t eaten tonight, though. Remember to feed him, please.” She knew Otsuya had everything in her room that a cat could ever need. She had gotten it the very week Lady had moved in.

  “I will.” Otsuya leaned her head back, pulling Lion with her like a plush toy.

  Lady gave her cat a meaningful look as she left the room. Take care of her, she tried to communicate. I’m sorry, buddy. I owe you for this.

  Chapter Four

  The next day started surprisingly normal, all things considered. Otsuya didn’t come down to breakfast but neither did Doyle. “They have work,” Ms. Poole explained. That wasn’t anything unusual. They had work that took them away from the inn several times a week. It explained why Lion was back in her room before she woke up.

  Ms. Poole had errands for Lady to run. She let her use her car, which was nice. It was a long walk to the grocery store otherwise. Ms. Poole had given her a long list of things that needed to be picked up. It was a very specific list too. Lady didn’t doubt that she would be sent right back to the store if she got anything wrong.

  After the groceries were brought home and put up, she swept and mopped. That took the better part of two hours, and her arms were aching when she finished. She was almost afraid to report in to Ms. Poole afterward.

  Fortunately, Ms. Poole didn’t have another task ready for Lady. She had training for her instead. “Go out and get a feel for the town. You said you didn’t have much luck meditating in the woods. Try again.”

  It felt a lot like Ms. Poole was just trying to get her out of the way, but Lady wasn’t about to argue with her. She left Lion at home. Normally she would take him on an outing like this, but she knew from her trip to the grocery store just how hot it was. She was wearing a tank top and shorts and the sweat was still beading on her skin and dripping down her neck.

  Lady pulled her hair back in a ponytail as she walked. It didn’t do much to help. Already she wasn’t sure how she was expected to commune with nature on a day like today. Ms. Poole hadn’t loaned her the car, so wherever she went she would have to walk there. Not that it was a big loss. Ms. Poole’s air conditioning didn’t work. Lady had had the windows down on her way to the store earlier, and she had still felt like she was about to pass out.

  She walked in the direction of the library. It had air conditioning and there were woods nearby. Nobody there would rat her out if she spent the next few hours indoors. She didn’t like the idea of lying to Ms. Poole, but she figured she could pick a time to meditate when it was a little cooler. Maybe she could wait for the sun to go down. As long as she tried meditating at some point she wouldn’t be lying.

  ***

  She should have put on sunscreen. By the time Lady was walking up to the big double doors of the library, her skin was tingling from the heat. She was definitely going to be feeling it in a few hours.

  There was a rush of heavenly cool air as she opened the doors and stepped inside. She stopped just beyond the threshold and took a deep breath. The walk had been long, but coming here had been the right decision.

  Maybe she should have called ahead to see who was working, she realized as she walked to the front. She had gotten so used to it only being Crispin and Dom that she hadn’t stopped to think about recent changes. For all she knew, it was Chad working today. She didn’t want to spend the next few hours with Chad.

  It was Dom at the front desk. Lady would have rather it had been Crispin, but it wasn’t terrible. “Hey,” she said, going right up to the counter.

  Dom looked up from a ledger he was flipping through. He had on a tank top as well. Not exactly library work attire. “Hey,” he echoed.

  Lady folded her arms on the counter and leaned forward. “Feels good in here.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Have you been outside?”

  “I’ve been known to go outside on occasion, yeah.”

  Lady ignored the smart comment. “It’s awful out there. How hot is it supposed to get today?”

  “Dunno. I don’t really pay attention to the weather.” Dom went back to looking at the ledger.

  “So, how’s it going?”

  “Not great. I wasn’t supposed to be here today.”

  “Oh?” Lady hoped that meant Chad wasn’t working out. She immediately felt guilty for hoping that was the case. “Why are you here then?”

  Dom didn’t answer at first. Lady noticed an imperceptible change in his usual frown. She could guess what he was about to say, but he was clearly hesitant to actually say it.

  “Chad not working out?”

  “He didn’t show up this morning.” Dom looked up from the ledger again. “Crispin was going to show him how to open, but he didn’t show. He didn’t even call.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He didn’t answer when we called either.” Dom glanced over at his phone that was sitting a few feet away. “Seems like his phone is dead. It just goes straight to voicemail.”

  “Do you think something is wrong?”

  “It had better be,” grumbled Dom. “If it’s not then he’ll have something wrong with him soon enough.”

  Lady gave a low whistle. “You’re taking this awfully hard. You know, I’ve flaked on jobs too. I don’t think any of my managers ever threatened to hunt me down and beat me up.”

 

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