Chapter 1

Bad News

(The words in italic are flashbacks.)

Summary: A young girl, Melinda Gordon, was blessed with amazing gifts; she could talk to and see the dead. Her husband, Jim Clancy, suffers tragedy when Melinda dies while giving child birth to a little boy named Sam. Maybe Melinda is not dead after all, and just maybe there is someone who can help her.

It was a bright sunny day as Jim and I walked together on the thin bricked road to my antique shop.

It had only been a few years after our wedding, which had been so perfect. And now, we had finally moved on with the rest of our lives.

We both held a cup of coffee and we even were walking the same. However, one thing that Jim couldn't match up was the large baby that was nestled safely in my womb. As he grew, I started to realize that my clothes began to not fit much anymore. Luckily, Delia and I were able to spend a weekend shopping for new pregnancy clothes.

Our fund for the baby care was already taken care of. One reason to my spectacular good mood was due to the fact that the baby furniture that we had ordered was coming in tomorrow. Jim and I had taken the day off so we could set up.

June seventh was my official due date, just a week away now and it seemed like nothing could get any better.

Suddenly, my womb kicked me. I stopped immediately, as I always did, and snatched my hand up to cradle my stomach. Jim noticed and he already knew what had happened, for this had been going on for a few weeks now every day. He turned and looked down at our child. He knelt down and put his ear to my stomach. A few people stopped and stared and a few girls just smiled at me.

"I hear something!" Jim teased, seeming to listen more intently.

"Jim, the baby—" I began, but I was cut off by Jim's finger raised up in the air. "The baby can't talk, Jim," I finally finished, rolling my eyes and laughing a bit.

Jim stood back up and placed his free hand on my cheek. "Just making sure, Mel," he said. Then, he leaned down and kissed me.

As he pulled back, he smiled. "Stay out of trouble," he said before he walked past me. I turned to watch him skip down the steps and walk away. I smiled as I realized that Jim was going to be an excellent father, maybe a better parent than me. I remembered the day when we had both found out I was pregnant…

As I turned the pregnancy test over and read my results, my heart skipped a beat. On the screen, a large, defiant + sign blinked. For a moment, I could only stare at it. Then, I looked down at my stomach and took in the fact that a baby was growing inside me.

Two knocks suddenly sounded on the door.

"Melinda? Are you ok, Hun?" Jim asked from behind the door.

I breathed in a gust or air before I walked to the door and opened it. Jim stood leaning against the frame, looking at me with a concerned expression.

"What's wrong?" he asked, placing a hand on my cheek. Shakily, I raised my hand with the pregnancy test on it. Jim's eyes glanced down and within seconds, he was shouting "Yes!"

"Woo-hoo!" he hollered, raising his arms in the air. I couldn't help but smile. Then, he reached over and grabbed me and spun me around in circles.

"Careful!" I responded. "Don't hurt the baby," I warned as he set me down.

"Oh, right! Well, uh, do you want to celebrate? You shouldn't go to work today," he said, completely excited and mixed up.

"Jim, I can go to work. Besides, I have to spread around the good news, right?" I said, smiling. He shrugged and leaned down to kiss me. This kiss was not like the others. This kiss was pure and very similar to the ones he gave me when this little child was first made.

I smiled again as the memory faded away and Jim was out of sight. Then, I turned and headed for my shop.

"Hey Delia," I said as I entered in through the door.

"Hey, Melinda. And hello to you, little Sam!" she said as she came closer. She hugged me gently then turned back to the register as I hung my coat up. I groaned when I saw the bulge.

"I really wish he didn't have to eat so much," I said. "He eats like…well, like Jim," I said as I walked over to straighten a picture on a shelf.

"That's how it was with Ned. I swear his stomach was a machine. I literally got beat up by him when I didn't shove food down my throat," Delia said, sipping at her coffee. I shrugged.

"Melinda," someone said. I turned to see what Delia needed. She didn't seem to have said anything.

"What?" I asked as I looked at her. She turned to look at me, a confused expression on her face.

"I didn't say anything," she told me, looking at me funny. I furrowed my eye brows and turned back to continue dusting the antiques off.

"Melinda," someone whispered now right beside me. I turned my head to find a man standing next to me. I tried not to get startled by I couldn't help but jump back.

"Are you ok, Melinda?" Delia asked, raising her eyebrows. I looked over at her and furrowed my eye brows again. "Oh, I get it. Alright, none of my business. Just make it quick, I don't want to wander the streets all day," Delia said as she got up to put her coat on. "Um…goodbye ghost person," Delia said, unsure and obviously feeling out of place.

"Thank you, Delia," I said as she walked out the doors. I looked back over to find the ghost still waiting for me.

The ghost was absurdly handsome, I had to admit. His hair was black and he was bulky. Then, it popped in my head.

"Are you related to Jim Clancy?" I asked suddenly, staring at him.

He didn't answer.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to be rude. It's just you look a lot like my husband, Jim Clancy," I told him, feeling like a moron when he just looked at me.

"Alright, well let's get this show on the road, shall we? Why have you not crossed over yet?" I asked, folding my arms.

"I'm here to warn you," he said, staring at me.

Unease filled my stomach. "Warn me of what?"

He didn't answer me.

"Alright, we can either do this the easy way or the hard way. I personally prefer the easy way. So, you need to tell me what you are warning me of," I told him, eyeing him.

"You're going to die giving child birth."