Sprits and Ghosts

Three days later after Allie had received Noah's letter, she was back to a place she never thought would see again.

"Can I help you miss?" Asked an elderly negro man.

"I'm waiting for the owner."

"Oh"

"Do you know when he'll be back."

"The moving trucks should come in a few days."

"What trucks? I'm looking for Noah.. Noah Calhoun, do you know him?"

"I sure do, he sold the house a few days ago and took off right after."

"What! He sold it?"

"The house has been on the market for weeks. Noah's turned down every buyer; but just like that he sold it. He got a good deal too, 5 grand more than the asking price. .. Now what's a pretty girl like you have business with Noah.. let me guess, friend.. or more than." The blush on Allie's face gave him all the answers he needed. He stuck his hand out, "I'm Gus, you must be the ghost."

"Allison but you can call me Allie, what're you talking about, ghost?"

"Something I teased Noah a while back. After his papa died, the way he worked on this house, it had to be more than grief. I knew it had to be a woman behind it, Noah never admitted it or denied it but he had that same look you have now. It's not that hard to put two and two together."

Embarrassed, "Oh.. wo.. would you happen to know where he went?"

"I'm afraid not. Now if you excuse me ma'am, Noah left me some tools in the shed that I need to get."

Allie looked on the elderly negro man as he made his way to the shed. She didn't know what to do. Noah was gone, sold the house he restored, practically from ground up. She needed to do something to find him.. to talk to him, but she didn't know where to begin.

Gus came out a few minutes later, gave a warm smile and started to walk down the road. He walked a few of yards and turned to Allie.

"I know its not my business and I know I shouldn't have said anything earlier but .."

"But what?"

"You know.. I asked my wife to marry me 4 times before she said yes. Each time she said no it felt like a lil piece of me died and after the 3rd time, I almost daym near gave up... The thing is that a man's heart can get ripped apart, torn into a million pieces, it'll still be there, but if his spirits gets crushed .. well.. I asked one more time before mine was crushed… I hope for you sakes.. " he trailed off and continued to walk away.

"For my sakes what?" but he continued walking. He turned around after a couple of feet and said, "By the way, his papa's death anniversary is a week from today. He's buried in Franklin Cemetery, just thought you should know."

Allie just stood there, watching the old man walk down the road. She was left to ponder what had just happened and especially what Gus had told her. Had she crushed Noah's spirits? The imagery of Pearl Harbor came up again. He'd always loved her, he never stopped and spending some time with Martha only reaffirmed that. She didn't read any more of Noah's letters for fear of what he wrote in them, fear, not of the letters, but of the guilt that would strike at her. She cursed herself for being so reckless and careless. When she had to choice between Noah and Lon, she didn't want to hurt anyone. Now she's hurt them both but most of all herself. She knew what Gus had meant. She sat down on the steps of the house and looked over the beautiful scenery.

And so she sat there and thought, but nothing came to her. A few hours later, the sun was starting to fade. She got up and started to drive back to the inn. On her way there, she slowed down and saw a carnival being held. That made her think back to the first time she met Noah and how crazy he was for jumping aboard that Ferris Wheel. "He was insane. What was Noah thinking when he did that?" she thought. And then she realized, Noah wasn't thinking at all.