"A ghost confuses Melinda for his wife. With the little information the man does remember, Melinda will have to try find his wife and get him crossed over...with only a few bumps along the way."

Chapter 1 "Nuisance"

"JIM!" Melinda screamed out in obvious agony. Her voice breaking with desperation and her head whipping back and forth, looking for any type of serenity. "Please, anyone...JIM!" Melinda screamed again, still turning back and forth, but this time taking her surroundings into account. Wherever she was it seemed industrial. Metal pipes ran along the walls and all along the ceiling. She was traveling down a long tunnel, wider than any normal hallway and longer than any naked eye could see. The floor was lightly wet, kind of like you would imagine a sewer tunnel to look like. That's when it hit Melinda, she was under ground, maybe a sewer tunnel just like she imagined.

Melinda reached over and dragged her fingers over one of the metal pipes while following the pipe line with her eyes. Just as she thought she was reaching the end, a ragged face appeared out of nowhere pushing Melinda back into the pipe's while eliciting a quick scream of terror.

"Help-me..." The man whispered through cracked lips and broken words.

"Who are you?" Melinda replied, but before she could even finish her question the man disappeared, along with the underground terror dome.

Melinda shot from her bed in a dead sweat. Her hard breathing must have woke Jim up because he immediately sat up and wrapped his arms around her. "It's okay, you're safe. You're safe."

"I'm so sorry I woke you." Melinda whispered, burying her face into the crook of his neck.

"No, Mel, don't...what happened?"

She was sure it was just another ghost, dreams seemed to be their favorite method of communication and in as much, Melinda's least favorite. "I-I'm not totally sure, I was underground...it was so musty." Melinda paused to not only catch her breath, but try to remember everything that she could from her dream. "There was a man.."

"A man?"

"A ghost...he needs my help."

"Don't they all." Jim muttered.

"Jim, please."

"I'm sorry Mel...I just worry about you."

Melinda nodded her head with a small smile and laid her head back down on Jim's shoulder. "Do you want some water?"

"No, I'm okay." Jim answered and laid back down while Melinda got out of bed.

Cold water had never tasted so good. Melinda closed her eyes, still fighting to control her trembles. She didn't always like to let Jim know how her visions, dreams, and ghosts in general, affected her.

Melinda closed her eyes again and took another sip, as she slowly opened her eyes again, the man with the ragged face and chapped lips appeared mere inches from her face just like in her dream. "Please, who are you? I can help you if you'll let me."

"Brooke, it's me...Chandler."

Melinda's brows crinkled in confusion, but before anything else could happen he was gone again.


"They just always seem so real, I can't...explain it." Melinda admitted to Delia and Ned while putting out their newest antiques that Delia had acquired from a friend.

"Cool." Ned offered with a smirk followed by quick glare from Delia. "What do you think he wants?" Ned asked, while folding his arms.

"I'm not sure. You know, it was really weird, he called me Brooke."

"Do you know a Brooke?" Delia questioned.

"No. Not one that I've been in contact with in the last decade at least." Melinda offered with a shrug and roll of her eyes. "I think he said his name was Chandler, I'm going to cross reference that with underground sewer deaths and see if I can come up with anything. Wish me luck."


"Mel, will you grab me a beer?"

Melinda grabbed Jim a bottle from the fridge with her right hand while holding her laptop in her other. "You know, there's not as many sewer deaths as you might think." Melinda said sarcastically while handing him the bottle.

"Really? I'm surprised." Jim added with a smirk. "So who's your ghost?"

"Well, his name is Chandler, and I guess he fell down a sewer drain during construction about a year ago."

"What a way to go."

Melinda reached over and smacked Jim on the shoulder with a half smirk, half grimace. "Come on, this is serious."

"I'm sorry, you're right." Jim conceded putting his hands up. "So what are you going to do?"

"It says here he has a wife, Brooke Willis. I'm going to see if I can go talk to her tomorrow."

"Wait, didn't you say he called you Brooke?"

Melinda looked over at Jim. "I think he thinks I'm his wife."

"Well that's too bad, because I already called dibs." Jim replied with a snarky grimace while pushing Melinda on her back on the couch and getting on top of her. Jim began to attack Melinda's neck with kisses while she cried out in giggly joy.

"Lucky me." Melinda muttered between passionate kisses.


"Hi, Brooke Willis?"

Brooke was a beautiful middle aged women. She must have been at least a few years older than Melinda but her dark hair and dark eyes, admittingly enough, matched Melinda's fairly well.

"My name is Melinda Gordon. I'm a friend of your husbands." Just as the words fell from her lips, Melinda knew she had made a mistake. A big, burly man stepped out from behind Brooke and put his cracking knuckled hand on Brooke's shoulder.

"Bobby, this woman says she knows you."

"No, no- I'm sorry, I meant your husband Chandler." Again, Melinda bit the inside of her lip, Melinda could see Brooke's eyes go wide. She couldn't tell if it was fear or surprise. Although, she never had the chance to ask, Big Bobby slammed the door without another word.

Melinda slowly turned around, trying to comprehend the most recent events. Without saying much, definitely something weird was going on.


"What do you think of this broch?" Delia questioned, while stroking the outter jeweled lining. The forest green really accenting the gold in the middle. It must have been from the 1940's at least.

"Wow, that's beautiful! Where did you find it?" Melinda questioned.

"Yard, sale, can you believe it?" Delia added with a smirk.

"Actually, yes." Melinda said with a chuckle.

"How'd it go with the wife..Brooke?"

"Wow, Delia asking more about a ghost?" Melinda smirked.

"Not about a ghost...just the ghost's wife." Delia defended.

Melinda pursed her lips fighting a smile. "You know, it was really weird. She's married again-"

"Ouch."

"Yeah, which is what I think triggered my ghost." Melinda paused to shuffle her papers. "The guy slammed the door in my face before I could even talk to Brooke."

"Well that's weird." Delia said with a genuinely puzzled look.

"Right? I just need to get her alone."

"How are you going to do that?"

"With the power of caffeine." Melinda replied with a small beam. Just as the words left her mouth, the familiar ring of her store bell echoed, catching Melinda and Delia's attention immediately. Although, Melinda quickly recognized the mess of curly hair as Eli.

"Listen, I did some checking up on your Chandler fellow." Eli greeted, while looking through his stack of papers.

"Well hello to you too." Melinda offered with the smile.

"Hi." Eli replied, quickly glancing at Melinda before returning his hard gaze to his papers.

"What did you find?"

"Well he's not the cleanest crook on the street."

"Are they ever?" Melinda muttered.

"Chandler spent 6 years in jail, was released about a year before he died. Talk about a series of unfortunate events." Eli scoffed.

"For what?"

"Looks like attempted murder..."

"Now, who would we want to hurt?"

"Some co-worker. A guy by the name of Bobby Willis."

"This just got interesting." Melinda said, with a quick purse of her lips.


"Thanks again for meeting with me. I didn't mean to cause conflict yesterday." Melinda offered while taking a sip of her coffee.

"No, it's not a problem. I'm sorry about Bobby, he just doesn't like it when I talk about Chandler."

Melinda nodded. "And Chandler was your husband?"

"Yeah, we met in high school. It just seemed right to get married when we graduated."

Melinda nodded again and took another sip of her coffee, still keeping silent, allowing Brooke to continue if she wanted to. Again, Melinda noticed Brooke's familiar features. While she was older than Melinda, the resemblance was still there.

"Chandler swept me off my feet from the moment I met him. He was charming, funny...cute!" Brooke's face fell. "He had a lot of...issues though." Brooke pursed her lips and glanced at her feet.

"What kind of issues?" Melinda asked gently.

"Issues like...like some days he would wake up a completely different person. He wouldn't go to work, call me by my name- or even look at me really." Brooke caught Melinda's gaze. "Sometimes he would disappear for a few days at a time."

"And one of those times he disappeared he died, didn't he?" Melinda lightly questioned.

Brooke nodded.

"Then you met Bobby?"

Brooke smiled with a slight head bob. "Then I met Bobby. I know he's a big guy and he looks scary, but he treats me really good." Brooke smiled again, obviously smitten.

"Did Bobby and Chandler know each other?"

The same look of surprise returned to Brooke's face, but this time she immediately covered it up. "No, no...why?"

"Just wondering." Melinda replied with a light smile, instantly wondering why Brooke would lie.

"Can I ask you kind of a weird question?"

Brooke nodded.

"Is there any reason your husband- Chandler, would be upset, or have...I don't know...for lack of a better explanation...unfinished business?"

Brooke's brow creased in a mix of confusion and disgust. "If you're judging me for getting married aga-"

"No, no, that's not it at all-" Melinda started.

"I put a smile on my face and answered your questions, but this has gone too far." Brooke nearly yelled while standing up in a fit. Just as she did, her coffee fell off the table and the white sheet that covered the table shot up and threw itself over Brooke's face. Immediately Brooke began to squeal and struggle; but it seemed the harder she struggled the harder the sheet fought for control. Melinda looked to her right and saw Chandler standing there, his gaze intent on struggling Brooke. Melinda shot from her seat and tried ripping the sheet off, but to no avail. "Stop it!" Melinda screamed, and just like that Chandler's eyes shot to Melinda and the sheet easily fell from Brooke's head.

"What the hell?" Brooke exasperated.

"I-I.." Melinda stuttered looking over to where Chandler was only to see he had disappeared. Melinda looked back at Brooke's angry eyes before Brooke grabbed her purse and stormed off.

Melinda looked around at all the gazing eyes of the other people trying to enjoy a cup of coffee, before sitting back down in her seat and slumping as if that would hide the embarrassment and exhaustion she felt.


Melinda idly ate her grapes, waiting for Jim to leave for work. She popped another grape in her mouth as Jim came around the corner into the kitchen.

"Sorry I have to work tonight." Jim said while planting a kiss on Melinda's lips.

"Just wake up when you get home." Melinda replied with a smile followed with another quick kiss. "Now get out of here." Melinda played with a smirk. "I have someone I need to talk to anyway."

"Be careful! I love you." Jim called from the door.

"I-" Melinda started, but the door slammed behind Jim, "love you too." Melinda shook her head and finished her last grape. Melinda turned around to put the tupper ware in the sink. Melinda reached into her back pocket and whipped out her phone. Melinda quickly dialed Eli's number and waiting for his goofy voice to answer.

"You just couldn't get enough of me could ya." Eli answered.

"Listen to me, Bobby know's who I am, and our last interaction...let's just say I'm probably not a face he wants to see. Do you think you could catch him at work and see what his connection to Chandler was?"

"Good thinking, will do."

"Oh, and one more thing. Has Chandler come to you?"

"No, why?"

"Just wondering..." Melinda muttered, while flipping her phone closed.

"All right Chandler, no more games." Melinda called out. " I talked to Brooke today-" Melinda said turning around to see Chandler sitting at the bar of her island.

"Chandler."

"Brooke." Chandler replied with a smile before appearing right next to her, his hand resting on the island only a mere three inches from her own. His eyes looked her up and down, just like he was a angsty boy meeting a girl for the first time. His eyes were almost intrusive, like he knew you would give him what he wanted without him even asking for it. A sort of manipulation that Melinda was sure worked on many girls in his younger days and ultimately Brooke.

"I'm not Brooke. My name is Melinda."

Chandler's eyes turned fiery and the glass of water Jim left, shattered on the island, making Melinda cover her ears.

"Stop playing games Brooke." Chandler's lips pursed, and he slid a bit closer to Melinda.

"Chandler, listen to me. I can help you talk to Brooke. I can help you make peace so you can cross over."

Again Chandler didn't like what Melinda had to say, Chandler roared and Melinda covered her ears again, while backing up so her back was flat against the wall with the fridge on her left side. Chandler's roar rang through her ears and sent a shake down her spine.

"Chandler, STOP IT!" Melinda screamed.

Chandler appeared right in front of Melinda's face, her back still pressed against the wall. "You know I don't like it when you act like this. Why do you always have to piss me off." Before Chandler could say anything else, Melinda's front door swung open. Jim's dark hair appeared from behind. Quickly sensing something was off, or having heard her yelling from the driveway, Jim slammed the door shut, dropped his bag, and ran to Melinda. The two easily embraced and Jim put his hand on the back of Melinda's head, keeping her head safely tucked in his shoulder.

"What are you doing home?" Melinda questioned, slightly out of breath and internally thanking the heavens he had his arms around her in that moment.

"They had too many guys, so they called me off. What happened? Are you okay?"

Melinda pulled her head from Jim's shoulder to look him in the eyes. Jim's hand stroked the back of Melinda's head and let his fingers get tangled in her long dark locks.

"Just my ghost...he still thinks I'm his wife." Melinda offered with a shake of her head. "Even though I told him I went and talked to his real wife today."

Jim opened his mouth to say something, but Melinda stopped him. "Really it's fine, I'm fine." Jim and Melinda didn't fight too often, but when they did, this is usually what it was about. Jim would get upset about some ghost or another, and Melinda would have to try to convince Jim that she's a "big girl."

Exhausting, really.

Melinda pushed off Jim and grabbed a rag to start cleaning up the glass/water mess Chandler had left.

"Wait, Mel, let me do that."

Melinda still pushed the glass pieces into a pile while trying to soak up some of the water. Jim quickly came back with a broom and began to help clean the mess.

"He didn't hurt you right?" Jim questioned, his eyes taking a quick rundown of Melinda's body, looking for any sign of injury.

Melinda shook her head adamantly.

"And he can't really hurt you...right?"

Melinda paused, looking for the right words, with her experience and knowledge, usually only few ghosts could get enough energy to do some real damage.

"No, not anymore than you would. You know that." Melinda offered.

Jim kept silent eye contact for a moment before finishing sweeping the broken glass. When Jim came back from throwing out the glass he pulled Melinda into another tight embrace and lightly kissed her on the forehead.

"Let's go to bed."


"Bobby? Bobby Willis?" Eli called, while squinting his eyes and putting his hand above his head to block the radiating sun.

"Yeah, that's me." Bobby replied in a gruff voice, while standing up from the dirt.

Bobby was a construction worker, and in the looks of it, they were in the middle of a pretty big gig. Eli couldn't help but feel bad for the big man, in the hot sun, doing grunt work. Eli couldn't help the shutter that over took his body.

"Can I help you with something?" Bobby asked, in the same gruff voice. Immediately Eli's senses went numb. Eli knew Chandler had been a construction worker, and ultimately that was probably how the two new each other. Fortunate for Eli, Chandler was there to tell him as much, unfortunate enough, Chandler had to wait to talk to Eli until he was in the blazing sun in front of the biggest man ever.

"Uh..." Eli stalled while Chandler talked.

"I know, him...I know this man...I don't know how..." Chandler muttered, as if the memories were starting to come back, but not quite fast enough.

"Come on buddy, I got work to do, you need something or not." Bobby growled with a shake of his head.

"Yes, I'm sorry, I actually was wondering if you knew a Chandler Allen?"

"Never heard of him." Bobby replied, obviously annoyed. Bobby turned his body and bent back down to the ground to finish his job, already done with his conversation with Eli.

"Liar." Chandler muttered.

Eli ignored him, as he sanely should. "Well, I did some research, and it looks like you guys worked together...roughly a year ago?"

"And who the hell are you supposed to be? Asking these questions?" Bobby got back up from the ground, and seemingly grew an extra foot. His large encounter blocked the sun from Eli's vision and for the first time, Eli looked into the man's burly eyes. Unless Chandler was Goliath, how could he have attempted to murder this big man?

"Just doing a little research, I'm a friend of a friend of Brooke's." Eli quickly spit out the excuse, and a lousy one at that.

Bobby scoffed, "seem's like you already have all your answers."

"I'm just wondering why a man you were co-workers with would try to kill you and then somehow he ends up dead and you end up with his wife."

Eli immediately regretted the words from his mouth. Everyone learns it as a kid, never pick on the big kid, unless you want your ass easily handed to you. Eli had learned that lesson a time or two, his smart mouth was still getting him into trouble 20 years later.

"I'll tell you what." Bobby grimaced and took a step towards Eli, and another and another, forcing Eli to back up with each one until he fell on his behind, utterly trapped. "Chandler was good man- but he wasn't right in the head. What happened to him...he deserved."

Bobby must have noticed the adding stares, he gave Eli one last glance before walking away. Eli got off the dirt ground and attempted to wipe the dirt off his dress slacks. Chandler must have left, because he wasn't saying anything now.

Eli whipped around and began walking away from the construction sight. "Never wear nice clothes to antagonize a giant man in the dirt. What were you thinking." Eli muttered under his breath.


"Well, I'm glad you're safe." Melinda offered, not bothering to hide the small chuckle.

"Hey, this is not funny, he could have snapped his fingers and I would have been dead." Eli said.

"Well, something violent definitely went on between Chandler and Bobby, and that would explain Chandler's confusion. Do you think Bobby could have had something to do with Chandler's death?"

"It's definitely possible." Eli agreed with a nod.

A chill shivered it's way down Eli's spine and he looked over to Melinda to see her staring off towards the back door. "He's here isn't he?" Eli questioned.

Melinda meekly nodded.

"I remember." Chandler said, his eyes keeping a strong hold on the ground. Melinda noticed that his appearance was much better since the last time she had seen him. That usually happened with ghosts that died a violent death, once they start to understand what has happened to them, they begin to reflect more who they were before they died.

"You remember what?" Melinda gently asked.

"Brooke...Bobby- I remember it all."

"Do you remember how you died?" Melinda whipped her head to see Chandler had moved to sit in a antique rocking chair next to a book case. "Did Bobby do something?"

"He was there...but it wasn't his fault. I fell- I wasn't thinking clearly."

Melinda nodded her head. "Brooke mentioned you sometimes got that way."

"Oh Brooke." Chandler's voice cracked and his hand reached for his agape mouth.

"Chandler, what happened?"

"Come on man, I'm not doing this anymore. You need help." Bobby called.

Chandler stormed off, it was getting dark, it was raining and he was in one of his moods. The dirt was wet, and Bobby wanted to get off this construction sight, it wasn't safe. "I'm done with you lying to me!" Chandler screamed.

Bobby shook his head and began to follow Chandler. "I'm not lying to you man, Brooke and I are not having an affair."

Chandler whipped his head back. "I don't believe you." Chandler spit in Bobby's face and quickly turned around again. This time his foot got caught in the wet dirt and he starting to fall down. Bobby reached to grab him, but in the attempt Chandler fought to get away. He slid a little to far to the right and his back smacked the lid to a sewer drain. Chandler grimaced and reached to comfort his back. Again Bobby reached to help him up, Chandler kicked his foot out, and in doing so propelled himself back and down into the open sewer drain.

"No, Chandler!" Bobby called out. Bobby walked over to the open sewer drain and looked down. The sight wasn't clear, but he could see one thing for sure. And with an elephants memory, Bobby would never forget Chandlers dead-dead eyes.

"It wasn't his fault." Chandler murmured over and over.

"We know that, and we can help you make peace with Brooke." Eli said.

"She won't want to talk to me." Chandler replied, all the while tucking his knees into his chest and rocking back and forth.

"I've spoken with Brooke, I really think she'd like to hear from you." Melinda offered with a light smile.


"I don't believe you." Bobby muttered through clenched teeth. It had taken Melinda and Eli over 15 minutes just get Bobby to let them in the house. She didn't know how she was going to convince them she saw ghosts, let alone Chandler.

"Tell him it's not his fault." Chandler said.

"He say's it's not your fault." Melinda relayed.

"What?" Bobby quickly replied.

"In the police file, they said Chandler was alone the night he fell, ruled it as an accident and that was it. But you were there, and Chandler wants you to know he doesn't blame you."

"How did you know that?"

"He told me." Melinda looked to her right. Chandler was in the middle of her and Eli. "He's right here." Melinda gestured to her right with a little nod, and a small smile.

"Tell him, I'm happy...I'm happy he's taking care of Brooke. She deserves the best, and that's what he is- the best."

Melinda repeated the words, and she could see the slight pool of tears well in Bobby's eyes. What a sight to see such a burly man so emotional. Bobby looked over at Brooke and the two wrapped arms.

"Tell Brooke I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt her."

"Chandler says he's sorry and he never meant to hurt you." Melinda kept steady eye contact with Brooke.

"Oh no, Chandler...you never hurt me. I loved you- I just didn't know how to help you." A salty tear slid down Brooke's right cheek.

"Tell them I want them to enjoy the things I never could, tell them to never waste another minute of their lives worrying about anything else." Chandler paused and looked between Bobby and Brooke. "Tell them I wish I could have been a better friend, a better husband."

Melinda nodded, her own eyes welling with tears. "I'll tell them."

Chandler looked over Melinda's shoulder. Instinctively Melinda turned, even though she knew she couldn't see what he was looking at. "Do you see it?" Melinda asked quietly.

"See what?" Brooke questioned, both her and Bobby perking from their seats.

Chandler nodded. "He see's the light."

"Is that for me?" Chandler asked. Melinda nodded her head. "You should go into it."

Chandler made one last eye contact with Melinda. "Tell Brooke I loved her, so much." Chandler started to walk away, but before he disappeared, he turned his head to look at Melinda. "Also I'm sorry, for the whole wife thing...and the shattered glass."

Melinda chuckled. "No harm, no foul."

Chandler smiled and disappeared.

"He's gone." Melinda offered, looking back at Brooke and Bobby. The two shed a few tears before Melinda finished relaying the rest of Chandler's message.


"So he crossed over?" Jim asked, while throwing the pillows to the ground and jumping into bed.

"He sure did." Melinda replied with a smile. Melinda pulled the covers up over the two and wrapped her legs over Jim's waist and her arm over his chest.

"Does that mean I have you all to myself now?"

"Yes sir." Melinda offered with a giggle. Jim instantly pulled from Melinda's grip and jumped on top of her.

"Lucky me."


Second chapter coming soon! Hope you guys liked this, please let me know with a little review right down there! If there is anything you want to see throughout this story, or any requests, feel free to slide into my DM's or leave me a comment in the box below. Thanks for your support.