Alex walked into the store a little more, "I didn't think you would see me. Like I said yesterday, most people can't." Melinda was still staring. "I don't believe this," she thought, still amazed. "Is there something on my face?" Alex joked, snapping Melinda out of her reverie. "Err…no um sorry." Melinda hesitated a bit before continuing, "It's just that, most ghosts I meet…"

"Stay dead?" Alex finished.

"Yes."

"Well not me. I'm one of a kind." Alex was once again wearing a smile. It spread across her sun-tanned face and the expression reflected in her grey-blue eyes. She was tall and athletic looking. Her medium brown hair flowed halfway down her back, unaffected by the black motorcycle helmet that she had been wearing before she walked into the store.

Melinda gasped suddenly, "Where are my manners. My name is Melinda Gordon." Alex laughed and offered her hand, "Alexandra Hawkins, half ghost extraordinaire."

"I don't mean to pry, but how did that happen?" Melinda asked. Alex was serious as she answered. "It happened about two years ago. I was being stupid that night, and I almost drowned. But those heart defibrillators… man, do they pack a punch."

"So now you can just lapse into a ghost form whenever you want?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Wow…" Melinda was beginning to believe her ears now, bit by bit. "I can demonstrate if you want," Alex offered. Melinda nodded and Alex complied.

The air in the store changed as Alex, body and mind, became a ghost. Melinda felt the same feeling she normally had when a ghost was around. Alex began to appear and disappear around the store, one second near the window, the next behind the counter. "When you think about it," she called from across the room, "I'm the perfect athlete. You can't catch me," She moved again, faster than Melinda could blink her eye. "You can't see me coming, my strength doesn't have physical bounds, and on top of that, I look the part."

"But you wouldn't use your 'power?'" Melinda felt unsure of the word 'power.' "You wouldn't use your gift," she amended, "for that. Would you?"

"No, of course not. If I'm going to do something, I'll give it all I've got and never take the easy way out."

Melinda was about to say something but was interrupted by a customer. Alex, who'd already turned herself back into a physical being, waited patiently, pretending to look at some old baseball cards. She could hear the woman talk to Melinda as she made her purchase, "I was wondering, could I maybe bring by some old things from my attic? My attic is full of antiques, and I know you'll give them a good home."

Melinda, ever the collector, smiled, "I'd appreciate that. Could you bring them by in the morning?"

"Of course," the woman picked up her shopping bag and exited the store. Alex walked over, "Why'd you pick this job? I mean, isn't it like peddling off your dead relative's stuff?"

"I don't think so. Some of these antiques that are given to us have great stories behind them."

"Isn't it bad enough we tamper with their afterlives, let alone the junk they left behind?" There was no edge to this question. It was amused, joking. Melinda was more used to lectures and threats from other people who shared her gift. She laughed, "Once, I had some concert tickets, and there was a ghost attached to them."

"So what happened?"

"He made my friend's son steal them. Over and over again."

"The ghost was a kleptomaniac?" Alex joked.

"He wanted the tickets to get into the right hands. Ned, my friend's son, liked the band, so the ghost kept convincing him to steal them."

"How'd you fix it?"

"I gave Ned the tickets, and the ghost crossed over," Melinda smiled, remembering the ecstatic look on the young spirit's face. Alex smiled too and began her own story about a ghost she helped.

The day went on like that, both telling there own stories of happiness and heartbreak. Melinda found it easy to talk to Alex. The smooth and easy going teenager was a great listener. Alex was just glad to know that she wasn't the only one having to deal with the constant apparitions.

Finally, it was closing time. Melinda and Alex were both sad to go, but both had other things to do. Alex stepped out as Melinda turned off the lights and locked up. "It was great talking to you," she said. "I'm glad I'm not alone in this." "Me too," Melinda replied. "It's always good to know there's someone else out there sharing your feelings." Alex nodded in agreement.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?" Melinda asked.

"Sure, but you won't mind that I'm distracting you from your work?"

"Not at all, it's too quiet around here anyway."

"So tomorrow morning?"

"Sounds great," Melinda watched as Alex put on her helmet and climbed on the motorcycle. With a short wave and a kick to start the bike, Alex was gone, a bullet down the road before Melinda knew it.