"So, mom, did you maybe forget to mention one little thing?" Miranda asked. "Like, that part where this is dad's old house!"
"OK, yes," Cassie admitted. "I left that out. That's why I asked you to think about whether coming felt right. I'm sorry."
"Ugh," Miranda moaned. "You and Gwen and this magical mystery fate stuff!"
"You don't have to come in, if you don't want to," Cassie continued. "Take the car, drive down to Orchid if you want. I can call you when we're done."
"No, no way," Miranda marched up the walk. "I'm here and I'm doing this."
"You don't have to come in, if you don't want to," Cassie continued. "Take the car, drive down to Orchid if you want. I can call you when we're done."
"No, no way," Miranda marched up the walk. "I'm here and I'm doing this."
"So, Chris," Cassie said after introductions had been made, "tell us about this haunting."
"It's weird and spooky stuff, you know," the young man began.
"I mean we can be just sitting right here and the game console starts floating..."
"... or the stereo...for real!"
"But that's not the worse of it... sometimes it feels like we're being... watched."
"Like there's someone getting between us."
"... or the stereo...for real!"
"But that's not the worse of it... sometimes it feels like we're being... watched."
"Like there's someone getting between us."
"Mandi," Cassie asked, turning to her, "have you had any strange experiences?"
"Yeah," Mandi replied. "It's... ummm... horrible. Yeah, horrible!"
"This strange presence near me..."
"Like cold finger running up my... spine..."
"Some nights, when Chris is out on a gig, I can hardly get any sleep..."
"Yeah, it's my dad," Miranda sighed to Jenny.
"What? What makes you say that?" Jenny asked.
"Call it a hunch."
"Like cold finger running up my... spine..."
"Some nights, when Chris is out on a gig, I can hardly get any sleep..."
"Yeah, it's my dad," Miranda sighed to Jenny.
"What? What makes you say that?" Jenny asked.
"Call it a hunch."
"Mandi," Cassie said gently. "I'd like you to take Chris into the other room. I'm going to call up this ghost... and hopefully he won't bother you again."
"Oh," Mandi smiled. "That would be..."
"Really for the best for you and Chris," Cassie replied firmly.
"Oh unquiet spirit, hear me..."
"... and get your butt out here right now, Don!"
"Hey Cas, good to see you!" Don's ghost started.
SMACK!
"Don't you 'Hey Cas' me, Don Lothario," Cassie snapped. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Jeez, I'm dead and I'm getting grief from my ex for hooking up? What's the afterlife coming to?"
"Don, for once in your... well, existence... think with something north of your waistline."
"Jeez, you two," Miranda groaned. "Real mystical stuff here."
"Miranda, hi," Don put on his best-for-friends smile. "How you doin' kid?"
"How am I doing?" Miranda blinked. "Hmmm... let's unpack that a little, shall we?"
Cassie stepped back, pulling Jenny back and quieting her as Miranda's floodgates opened.
"I spent most of last year on the run... from vampires! Hiding out... with werewolves! I was scared. I was in danger. Oh, I meet a boy I really liked... actually two boys, and maybe a girl whose my best friend, and that's all really confusing... and than the boy was killed! I kinda died during this big magical battle. Am I missing anything... oh yeah, I got you killed too!
"How am I doing?" She threw her hands up, "I'm GREAT dad!"
Cassie stepped back, pulling Jenny back and quieting her as Miranda's floodgates opened.
"I spent most of last year on the run... from vampires! Hiding out... with werewolves! I was scared. I was in danger. Oh, I meet a boy I really liked... actually two boys, and maybe a girl whose my best friend, and that's all really confusing... and than the boy was killed! I kinda died during this big magical battle. Am I missing anything... oh yeah, I got you killed too!
"How am I doing?" She threw her hands up, "I'm GREAT dad!"
"Oh God," Jenny whispered. "Is she... does she need..."
"Shhhh," Cassie hushed her. "Let them talk."
"Take a deep breath, kiddo," Don said gently. "Nice deep breath... in and out. That's the ticket."
"Miranda," Don continued. "I'm sorry."
"Wha... what are you sorry for?" She stammered.
"I wasn't there for you," Don said. "I was never much of a dad for you. I... I didn't know how to be. Maybe I can be now...
"... look, kid... you've had a really hard time and you're carrying a lot of it around inside. It's eating you up. The last thing I want... the last thing I ever wanted was to hurt you. So, do this for me... put it down. You didn't get me killed."
"If you'd known... that I was OK," Miranda whispered.
"You weren't OK, kid," Don answered. "You were scared and in danger... and I tried. I really did try to help. I did this whole investigating thing and everything. Hey... real vampires. If I'd known that... I totally would have stocked up on garlic and steak."
"Stakes, dad."
"Don Lothario, vampire hunter.., can you picture it. Kid, I wouldn't have lasted five minutes... unless it was a lady vampire, then I would have lasted all night long."
"Gross, dad!" Miranda groaned.
"Don't carry the weight of the dead, Miranda," Don said. "That boy you liked, the one who was killed... I bet he cared about you too. I bet he wouldn't want you to carry his death around either. Remember us, kid... but remember that we love you and we want you to be happy. It's all we ever wanted.
"Do one other thing for me, kid. One of these days, you're going to meet a guy... he'll be handsome, suave and have great hair... and he'll try to sweep you off your feet. When you meet him, kiddo, I want to remember your dad... and run the hell away from that bastard!"
"Miranda," Don continued. "I'm sorry."
"Wha... what are you sorry for?" She stammered.
"I wasn't there for you," Don said. "I was never much of a dad for you. I... I didn't know how to be. Maybe I can be now...
"... look, kid... you've had a really hard time and you're carrying a lot of it around inside. It's eating you up. The last thing I want... the last thing I ever wanted was to hurt you. So, do this for me... put it down. You didn't get me killed."
"If you'd known... that I was OK," Miranda whispered.
"You weren't OK, kid," Don answered. "You were scared and in danger... and I tried. I really did try to help. I did this whole investigating thing and everything. Hey... real vampires. If I'd known that... I totally would have stocked up on garlic and steak."
"Stakes, dad."
"Don Lothario, vampire hunter.., can you picture it. Kid, I wouldn't have lasted five minutes... unless it was a lady vampire, then I would have lasted all night long."
"Gross, dad!" Miranda groaned.
"Don't carry the weight of the dead, Miranda," Don said. "That boy you liked, the one who was killed... I bet he cared about you too. I bet he wouldn't want you to carry his death around either. Remember us, kid... but remember that we love you and we want you to be happy. It's all we ever wanted.
"Do one other thing for me, kid. One of these days, you're going to meet a guy... he'll be handsome, suave and have great hair... and he'll try to sweep you off your feet. When you meet him, kiddo, I want to remember your dad... and run the hell away from that bastard!"
"Goodbye, dad," Miranda whispered.
"I think I'm ready," Miranda sobbed.
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