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"So Melinda,"

Rick began after scanning the menu thoroughly,

"How are things going with you and Jim?"

Melinda looked up from her menu surprised

"Well, good I guess! I mean, it has been tough since he's been working more hours. I'm home alone a lot."

Rick studied her glum expression and went back to reading his menu.

"Well you know…I'm always free if you ever need someone to, you know…talk to."

Melinda set down her menu with a whack against the tabletop.

"Ok, what is going on with you?!"

She studied his face intently.

"It is not like you to act so…caring!"

"I'm hurt!"

He cried, setting his menu down just as she had before.

"No, seriously, Rick! What is the deal?"

"I just don't want you to think that I am not a friend as well as a co-worker in the spirit business."

Melinda laughed, still unnerved at the Professor's sudden display of friendliness.

"Well, thank you for clearing that up."

She said a little more gently, seeing that he did just truly want her to know he cared.

"If you really want to know the truth, things have gotten quite bad since he's worked more. He's gone all hours of the day or night and when he gets home all he wants to do is sleep. I understand that, I mean he must be tired! But I'm his wife! I want to talk to him and spend time with him outside of our bedroom! Am I being selfish!?"

Rick was alarmed that tears had formed in her eyes, giving her eyes that strange swimming look.

"No Melinda, wanting to spend time with your spouse is not selfish. Don't forget, I had a spouse once too!"

"Of course I haven't forgotten…"

Melinda reached across the table to grasp his motionless hand.

"I didn't mean to give you a hard time about being…nice. You must get very lonely sometimes."

"Well yeah, it is pretty sad when the highlights of my life are visits from a married woman who can see spirits."

They both grinned at each other and ordered their food.

"I am always around, too, Rick if you get lonely enough that you want company."

"Thanks, Melinda…I might take you up on that one of these days. So, any who, back to the Phantom of the Opera!"

Poor Rick…I never stopped to think that he might get lonely as well, with his wife gone and all. He is really a good friend when he wants to be. I should visit him more often, for reasons other than wanting him to find out ghost-stuff for me.

Melinda thought to herself as Rick rambled about his Phantom of the Opera theory.

"Well,"

Melinda cut off his spiel,

"I think he will come to me tonight. I will ask him about the show and see if that has something to do with it. This has got to be one of the more bizarre ghosts I've met if he really is connected to the Broadway show."

"Well it's a beautiful story!"

Rick cried indignantly.

"This doesn't mean he is the Phantom of the Opera! He could just empathize with the Phantom's character. A man who has been denied a woman's love all of his life falls in love with a pretty little thing who he can't have!"

Rick froze, realizing that he had given away more then he had wanted to. He didn't know if Melinda had ever picked up on his feelings toward her. She was gazing at him curiously but then the look disappeared from her eyes.

"Maybe. You seem to like the story a lot yourself."

"You have no idea."

He muttered and then fell silent when their food arrived.

Melinda laughed as she watched Rick dig into his food with such enthusiasm.

She began to slowly eat her food, in no rush to return to her sure to be empty house.