Laid to Rest by T. Strange

Author:T. Strange [Strange, T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: LGBTQIA Romance Fiction
Publisher: Totally Entwined Group
Published: 2022-10-22T00:00:00+00:00

* * * *

Morgan was busy with their day job for a few days. Harlan understood and respected that, but it was hard because Peter called every day—twice the first day—to ask if they’d made any progress. He didn’t tell Morgan that.

They waved to Hamilton as they passed his desk, and he waved back.

Peter was already waiting in the armchair in the ‘soft room’ they’d set up in a screened-off corner of the office. It had been Morgan’s idea, originally just to make themself more comfortable when working with Harlan—rather than just awkwardly trying to hold hands at his desk, like the first time—but it had quickly proven useful for other things, like speaking to grieving family members. Morgan had brought in a Persian rug and a few floor lamps, and they’d taken out the fluorescent lightbulb directly overhead, making it quite cozy.

Morgan and Harlan sat beside each other on the couch.

“Hi, I’m Morgan. My pronouns are they/them,” Morgan said before Harlan had to make introductions. “Before we get started, I wanted to talk a little about how this is going to work. I’ll need you to imagine your wife as clearly as you can, to think about what you love most about her. Then, I’ll take on her form—”

Peter made a soft, strangled sound.

Morgan nodded. “I know. That part can be distressing, which is why I wanted to prepare you for it before we move ahead, even though I know Harlan already explained it to you. Are you all right with this?”

To his credit, Peter hesitated for a long moment, clearly giving their words serious consideration before nodding.

“Okay. After I’ve made a connection with her, I’ll hold hands with Harlan and—if everything goes right—her ghost will appear.” They glanced at Harlan. “We haven’t dealt with quite this situation before,” they warned him.

Harlan nodded. They’d discussed it ahead of time, of course. They didn’t need her to lead them to her body, which was presumably still in her grave after her funeral. They needed to find her ghost. Hopefully it was just…stuck somewhere, or something, and he and Morgan would be able to call it back.

“But we’ll do our best. Is that all right?”

Peter nodded more quickly this time.

Morgan smiled at him. “Okay, then. Whenever you’re ready, think about your wife and your love for each other.”

“Do…do I need to close my eyes?”

“That’s totally up to you. If you think it’ll help you concentrate, go for it.”

Peter closed his eyes, clenching his hands into fists and hunching over them.

Harlan looked at the spiralling patterns on the rug. He didn’t want to watch Peter doing something so…intimate, and he didn’t like seeing the actual moment Morgan transformed. It always made his stomach lurch.

“Oh. Wow.” The tone of almost-fear in Morgan’s voice made Harlan look up at them.

“Oh, wow,” they repeated.

Peter’s eyes snapped open. “What? What is it? Did I do something wrong? Did something go wrong?”

Morgan looked like the picture Peter had shown him of Camille…except he could see the couch through them.

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