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At Grammy’s House

“Look, I’m sorry I stained your carpet. Alright?” Holly knelt down to pick up the broken pieces.

‘If that’s all I have to remember you by, it will just have to be enough.’

“Can we not resort to the guilt trips? That was another one of your old standbys.” Holly put the pieces down on the tea caddy. They flew back into place and became a cup and saucer. The stain vanished from the white carpet. “Nice trick.”

‘That wasn’t me. It means they know you’re here. You should go now.’

“I don’t even know how I got here, Mom. How am I supposed to go back?”

‘Just go to your room.’

“Mom, if I go upstairs, I’ll be even more stuck than I am down here.”

‘Just go upstairs, Holly. It will be alright.’

“Look, if this is really the last time I’m going to see you…”

‘It is.’

Holly held her arms out. Her mother rose, and Holly wrapped her arms around her. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you often enough. I love you, Mom.”

‘There’s my princess. Thank you, Holly. I love you, too.’

“Mom?” Holly’s vision became cloudy, but she could still feel her mother’s embrace. “Mommy, don’t go. I’m sorry.”

“Holly, let go. What’s the matter with you?” Ivy struggled to escape Holly’s death grip. “Have you flipped?”

“Ivy?”

“The one and only.” Ivy straightened her coat. “What are you doing out here sleeping in the van?”

“Sleeping?”

“Holly, it’s after midnight. If you’re that tired, why don’t you go to bed?”

“Ivy, it was awful.”

“I’m sure. I’ll bet you’ve got a heck of a crick in your neck. Come out of this van and go to bed. Do you need a hot pad?”

“I saw Mom.”

“Holly, Mom’s gone.”

“She was here in the van with me and then she took me to her place.”

“Did you hit your head? Do I need to call 911?”

“I’m fine.” Holly budged out of the car, pushing Ivy aside.

“Well, it doesn’t seem like you’re fine. We’re going to find you a good therapist on Monday, Holly.”

“That’s fine.” Holly stormed into the house. “I was going to, anyway. Mom said I should.”

“Holly, Mom didn’t say anything. She’s dead. This thing with the festival is messing with your mind.”

Holly turned and grabbed her sister. “Ivy, I’m sorry.”

“Okay, I forgive you. Calm down, honey. You need to take a deep breath and go to bed. You’ll feel better in the morning.”

“Ivy, it’s true.”

“Shh, it’s late. We’ll talk about this some more in the morning. Okay?” Ivy walked over to the back of the sofa. “Holly, why is Frank sleeping on the couch?”

“Oh, no. Is he really?”

“Holly, what the heck happened here?”

“I was-”

“You were being you. I get it.” Ivy whispered. “Just go to bed.”

“I’m too tired to even argue.” Holly waved her off and trudged to her room.

‘Don’t you think you ought to wake your husband?’

“If I do, he’ll probably drop me off at the psych ward.” Holly pulled her shirt off and held it in front of her as she turned to see who was talking to her. “Grammy?”

‘Hello, dear. It’s been a while.’

“Oh, God. Are you the Ghost of Christmas Past?”

‘No, I’m your grandmother.’ She shook her head. ‘You thought I was senile. You’re not doing so well yourself, baby girl.’

“Well, what are you doing in my bedroom?”

‘Oh, honey. I stop by from time to time. You usually can’t see me.’

“But I can tonight.”

‘Well now, as your mother told you-’

“I had a close call. Is everybody in the hereafter as excited about that as you two?”

‘If you’re going to keep interrupting me, there’s hardly any point in me talking.’

“Why don’t you look like Grammy? You’re younger than me.”

‘That’s the nice thing about Heaven, Holly. Everything is better. I get to remember me how I was rather than how you remember me.’

“And that’s why Mom still looked like a stuffy old lady.”

‘It might please you to know she’s not there anymore.’

“She’s not?”

‘It’s surprising what a little forgiveness can do for the soul, Holly. Shall we take a walk?’

“Shouldn’t I put my shirt back on?”

‘Well, nobody will really be able to see you apart from me.’ She stroked her chin thoughtfully. ‘Yeah, I don’t need to see you walking around in a bra. Put it back on and let’s get going.’

Holly slid back into her shirt. When her head popped through the collar, she was back at Grammy’s house. She could see her younger self pinching little Ivy until she cried.

‘Why did you do that? I never understood why you were so mean to your little sister.’

“I hated her for making Daddy go away.”

‘Ivy didn’t do that. Your mother did.’

“Mom told me that Daddy died going to the store to get diapers for Ivy.”

‘She was lying.’

“What?”

‘Holly, your dad cheated on your mother. He wasn’t going for diapers for Ivy. He was going to hook up with his side piece.’

“No.”

‘It’s true. He was high as a kite and certainly in no condition to drive. Your mother told you that lie so you’d remember him as a good husband and father. Neither was true. He was an awful person.’

“Is that why I am, too?”

‘Oh, my Strawberry Angel Baby. You’re not an awful person. You’re just confused. You seem to be very good at coming to the wrong conclusions about things.’

“But Mom said-”

‘Your mother was carrying a lot of baggage, honey. She didn’t know what she was saying half the time. What she did, however stupid, was in a spirit of trying to protect the two of you.’

“I left her to die alone.”

‘We reap what we sow, sweetheart. Her burden has finally been lifted. Let’s just work on you now, shall we?’

“I don’t lie to my kids. What are we talking about?”

‘No, that’s true. You don’t lie to your kids. You’re absolutely unfiltered where it comes to them. To yourself? Definitely. You let your lack of understanding blind you to the truth.’

“Meaning what?”