Chapter 11

Beside the Ghost of Christmas Future, Paul stood with uncertainty. The air around him was freezing cold, but they were inside an office and the people moving about didn't wear any coats or extra clothing to keep warm. "Where are we, Ghost?"

"The former Titan Towers." He replied in a deep moan raising his skeleton hand for Paul to watch the scene unfold around him.

Several men in grey jumpsuits moved in and around the room moving furniture out while a group of older men and a few women sat around an oval table sorting papers. "I don't know what your father was thinking, Mr. McMahon. These tax papers are a complete mess. It's going to take my team a month at least to sort through it all." A suited man scolded.

"It wasn't my father who caused this whole mess, so don't blame him. You just take care of it the best you can. If there is any problem, you know where to reach me. I have to take this call, excuse me." Shane stood and walked to a quiet corner to answer his cell phone. "Hello?"

"What's going on? Why is it the "former" Titan Towers?" Paul was worried and confused as he watched everyone, yet the ghost did not answer him.

"Hello. How's the weather there? Rainy? I'll be there to join you soon. Once all of this mess is taken care of. I know, I can't take it here anymore. All the papers and files, and years of problems are finally over. Okay, have fun in Florida. Bye." He hung up and went back to the meeting. "If that is all for today, gentlemen, I will be going now."

"We folded? How can the company fold? We own half the world!"

The Ghost brought his staff down hard on the marble office floor, transporting them to a familiar farm house in North Carolina. Paul was waved down a short hallway by the figure as he peered into the bedrooms. In a rear bedroom, he saw Amy, several years older wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and matching jeans. They looked much too large for her, but she didn't seem to mind. She twanged away a song on a guitar about open wounds as she sniffled.

"Help me heal these wounds

They been open for way to long

Help me fill this hole

Even though this is not your fault

That I'm open and I'm bleeding

All over your brand new rug.

And I need someone to help me sew them…

I need someone to help me fill them…

I need someone to help me close them up.

That song was for you. I know it was one of your favorites. I miss you Matty. I don't know what to do without you. I want to stay here, but I can't. Meg and I are going to visit my friends in London for a week, then we're moving into a small house in Georgia." She spoke into the air in the nearly empty room.

"Matt died? How? He was so strong. Emotionally, physically."

"Mommy? What are you doing?" A small voice asked from the door. "I like that song."

Amy stood up and put the guitar away. "Just talking to your daddy. Is that his t-shirt your wearing?"

"It's really big." The girl smiled. "Mommy? Uncle Shannon is sick with the flu. Is he gonna have a hardtack like daddy?"

"What? Oh, no sweety." Amy picked the girl up and carried her into her own room. "Daddy's heart was sick for a long time. When he got the flu, he got more sick and it was his time to go. Uncle Shannon is going to be fine."

"Somebody say my name?" Shannon smiled poking his head into the room.

"Hey! You look better. Meg, stay here, I'm gonna go talk with Uncle Shan." Amy smiled and walked out to the kitchen with him. "She thinks your dying. She's so confused. I don't know what to tell her."

"The truth. It's better to tell her how it is, than to mislead her and make her angry later. I'm sad about the company folding, but what can you do? I'm an art teacher now. You're a mom and a hell of a store manager. Time goes on, Amy."

"I never thought a person could die of a broken heart. You never know how much a broken heart hurts until you have one yourself. He wasn't the same once his knee blew out, but he tried to hide it. He wanted to be strong for us and Meg. God, I miss him, Shan." Amy began to cry a little.

"Hey, it's okay, girlie. You need to let it out."

"Ghost, I have seen enough here. Let's go someplace else?" Trips felt him self grow more confused and slightly emotional.

"Yes."

The Ghost moved them to a small church way out on a dirt road surrounded by trees. He walked in slowly and paused at the sight of a casket at the altar. A handful of people stood on one side of the room talking softly while a woman in black sniffled from the front pew.

"He was a good man, but he had a lot of hardships in his life. He overcame so much. It is very sad." One man whispered.

"Yes, it is tragic. I thought more people would come. Did the family ask for privacy from the local media?"

"Yes, he was a…private man." A woman replied as she searched for the right words. "Kept his circle of friends very close. Parents passed on several years ago."

"That his wife there, then?" A man asked.

"Yes. Poor girl."

"Matt was a popular guy. It's a shame nobody came to the service. He was kinda private with his feelings, but he had loads of friends."

The Ghost lifted his hand and pointed toward the casket, instructing Paul to move closer.

As he stepped forward, the woman in the front row said her goodbyes one last time and turned toward them to leave down the center aisle. She wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and tried to keep her head up under the brim of an enormous black church hat. She passed Paul and the Ghost easily before stepping out to the parking lot.

"Steph? That was nice of her to come all this way for Matt's funeral. STEPH!" He tried to call her name, but she was unable to hear him. "Steph?"

Another car pulled up outside and a tall, slender woman stepped out with an equally handsome man. "We'll just stay a minute, then we can leave. He was my brother. If I don't say good bye now, I won't get a chance later."

"Matt didn't have any sisters." He looked up at the ghost's hidden face. "Who's funeral is this, Ghost?"

Once again, the ghost pointed toward the casket and followed Paul up the aisle. "Look."

Paul swallowed hard and stepped slowly toward the shiny, black box at the altar of the church. A chill overcame his body as he went numb and felt sick to his stomach. "No." He stared down into the casket at the nearly unrecognizable figure who seemed too real to be dead. The bulk of the muscles he had spent so many years working on had shrunk to a more human size. His face was narrow and pale with wrinkles surrounding the eyes and cheeks. The hair was cut short to his ears and silvery gray instead of the healthy blonde color it formerly was. "THIS CAN'T BE! NO!" He cried as he fell to the floor in front of the coffin. "Is this how it is going to be, Ghost? Or how it might be?"

The Ghost towered over him holding the staff in the air. The ground around them swirled with thick black smoke as the church grew so dark, the walls were barely visible.

"Please? Tell me, Ghost? Is there still time to fix this, or will I die young and alone with no children? PLEASE? TELL ME!" He begged.

"Paul, this is only the future that may be. This is the future yet to come, so it has not yet been decided. This is only one possible outcome for your life. If you change your ways and try to be a more giving, caring person, the outcome may be different. However, if you continue on your current path, only darkness will follow." He growled.

"I understand. I will be a better person. I promise." He nodded and tried to get to his feet as the Ghost brought the staff down one last time and they appeared back in Paul's bedroom where they had left. "I have a question, Ghost. Before you leave me, can I see your face, so I can truly remember this night?"

"Very well." The ghost peeled back several layers of his hood before revealing a blonde head and blue eyes.

"OWEN?"

"Yeah, it's me Paul. I was sent here to make certain that you would change your ways and stop being such a bastard. Somebody up there is looking out for you, so you better listen to them."

Paul nodded in surprise. "Thank you for helping me. It's nice to see you again." He reached out to hug Owen goodbye.

"Paul? What the hell are you doing?" Steph asked from the doorway. Paul was kneeling on his bed hugging himself. "You really need to see a doctor."

"I don't need a doctor. I need a hug." He smiled and pulled her into a warm embrace. "I love you Steph."

"Uh, great. You're swell too Paul. Get dressed? We have to see my parents today. It's Christmas."

"And my mom. And my sister! And her husband!" He beamed as he spun her around. "Do me a favor? Cancel all the bookings and events until New Years day? I want everyone to be home with their families."

"Are you sure, Paul?"

"I've never been more sure in my whole life. And call the company surgeon? I want to get Matt Hardy an appointment in there as soon as possible for his knee. I have to do something, but I promise I will be at your parents house at noon with presents." He kissed her cheek and ran out the door.

To be continued...FINALE! COMING UP!