Emily's Ghost by Stockenberg Antoinette

Author:Stockenberg, Antoinette
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fiction, romance, romantic suspense, mystery, humor, paranormal, amateur sleuth, ghost, near death experience, marthas vineyard, rita, summer read
Publisher: Antoinette Stockenberg

Chapter 15

When the mosquitoes came out, everyone went in. Inez had set up a small buffet of quiches and cold cuts and crusty French bread. By now all the children were hungry again, and Emily -- who was becoming good at moving freely with a small child attached to each leg -- helped Hildie and Grace feed their brood. The kids had seized on Emily as one of their own, while Hildie and Grace marveled at the strength of the bond. Emily laughed and said something about being new blood, and Lee came around and made a big thing about biting her on the back of her neck, which made her blush. She saw Hildie and Grace smile at each other, and that made her blush even more.

After the late snack, Grace and Hildie began rounding up the littlest ones for bed, but they broke free and ran laughing in jerky, flat-footed steps to Emily, and hid behind her skirt. Very quickly it turned into a game, and the children became more keyed up than ever.

"Hopeless! They're nowhere near ready for sleep," said Hildie to Grace. "We've got to get them out of the living room. All right, you monsters," she said, addressing the horde, "I'm throwing you all in a cage together. Uncle Lee will put a television in your room, and you all can watch videos."

An earsplitting cheer went up, followed by a stampede toward one of the bedrooms. Hildie winked at Emily. "Half of 'em will be asleep before today's tape plays through. We'll peel the bodies off one by one and redistribute them to their own beds later."

"You spoil them, Hildie," said Grace mildly.

But it was clear that Grace was ready for a little peace and quiet and some adult conversation. Emily had learned that Grace's husband, a political consultant, was also away a great deal. Didn't anyone work nine to five for the telephone company anymore? How did these women cope? Obviously, Emily decided, they banded together the way they were doing now. Why not? It worked for the Kennedy family.

Lee stole the nineteen-inch television from the living room and staggered off with it. A moment later Missy -- adorable and shy -- came out and approached Emily. A couple of the others hung back behind her, peeking from the hall and giggling.

With her thumb hanging comfortably from her lower teeth Missy said, "We want you to watch wif us."

Flattered, Emily overrode Grace's objections and Hildie's apologies and let herself be dragged among the bunk beds. Lee was just hooking up the television, and Richard and Jane came in each with an armload of videotapes.

"First we watch the birthday tape," announced Jane with her usual precision. "Then I pick the next one. Then Richard picks the next one. Then we go one by one according to age."

Perhaps because Lee was in the room, Richard decided to defend his manhood. "We're twins!" he said. "How come you get to go first if it's according to age?"

"Because I was born twenty-three minutes sooner and because J comes before R," said Jane.

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