After that, things weren't bad. A normal pattern was established for everyone in the mansion, and I even grew fond of my jobs.

It was fun working with Lettie. She and I worked out marvelous things to do during break times and from the first time I saw her work, I had to admit that she was pretty creepy and it was no wonder she wanted me around to help lighten up her part of the act.

My plans as a hitchhiking ghost were changed. I was never a fourth ghost with Ezra, Gus and Phinneas. Instead, on the days that I did hitchhike, I did it on my own. For guys, I was my normal pretty self, but for girls, I aged. And for some reason, after I took that part of my job, park attendance by attractive young men reached a peak on the days I worked. I thought it was a coincidence, but Lettie said it was because all the boys wanted to feel like heroes picking up a pretty damsel in distress. I didn't believe her until I heard a group of boys talking in the foyer one day, and they kept saying stuff like "I can't wait to pick up that babe I hear is supposed to be at the end of the ride."

I went and asked Lettie about it and she got this know-it-all look on her face.

"I told you, Chrissy. All those guys are coming because of you. They think you're pretty and they want to pick you up."

I sighed. "I have Michael. I don't know what I'd want with any other boy."

Lettie looked at me, concerned. "Have you ever thought of any other boy besides Michael? Not that it's any of my business of course, but did you have any relationships when you were alive?"

I had to stop and think for a minute. While I was thinking, Mama came into the room where Lettie and I were to ask me if I'd seen her tennis racket because she and Daddy were going to play a few games. I told her I hadn't and she left to look elsewhere. After she left, it hit me.

"Well Lettie, I did have one relationship before I died, and it died with me to tell you the truth. It was during my circus days. The circus I went to was the same one Mama was at. Many people who worked there were the children and grandchildren of previous performers. I fell in love with the lion tamer, who happened to be the son of the man Mama fell in love with."

"How long were you together?" she asked me.

"Four years." I answered. "On the day I died, he proposed to me, but I died before I could officially give him my answer. I have to admit, although I love Michael, our relationship is far from perfect. I mean, we've never kissed at all, and he treats me like I'm a little kid. It's like he's my father or something. And thinking of Will, that was my first boyfriend's name, makes me so happy. We kissed and everything."

Lettie put a hand on my shoulder. "If you're so upset with Michael, why don't you just break it off with him and save yourself a lot of misery?"

I looked at her hand on my shoulder, then I looked at her, horrified.

"I can't do that! Do you realize how much that would hurt him?"

She shrugged. "Fine, but it sounds to me like you want something you'll never get unless you break up with Michael and find somebody else."

And with one last look at me, she left the room and shut the door behind her, leaving me with some very complicated thoughts.

Find somebody else? But who? The only guy around here that was even remotely suitable was Scott, and he'd tried to get rid of me twice! But then I remembered something: the time when I was so miserable, and he'd held on to me, and at least pretended to be decent. I remembered how that felt, and it had felt good. Before I knew what I was doing, I was running out the door, and through the hallways until I was out the door and the merchandise cart was in sight.

When I got there, Leona ignored me, but Scott looked up.

"What are you doing here? Come to taunt the working class?"

I couldn't look him in the eye, so I played with my skirt instead.

"No, actually, I kind of wanted to talk to you. Will you come to the house with me?"

At that point, I did look at him. He looked shocked.

"What do you want to talk about?"

I couldn't find the right words. "It's kind of private. Library, Scott? Please?"

At my desperate tone, he actually got up and walked over to me.

"Lead the way," he said simply.

We walked away from Leona and into the library. Then, we stared at each other and surprisingly he started to speak first, taking my hand. But before either of us could say anything, Michael burst into the room, casting Scott an angry glance.

"Sir, step away from her at once!" Then, he looked at me. "Peach, get in the car. We're taking a little trip to Georgia. You, me, and the rest of the family." He placed heavy emphasis on the last word. Then, when he saw that Scott was far enough away from me, he ordered me to go. Not wanting to make him angrier, I left, trying to signal to Scott with my eyes, but it was no use.

When I got to the car, Mama and Daddy were already there, waiting for me.

"Mama, do you have any idea why Michael wants to go back to Georgia?" I asked her as I sat down.

She shrugged. "Michael didn't say, but I'm assuming it's because he wants to ask you something." She smiled.

As I got her meaning, my stomach began to roil around inside me. Was he really planning to ask me to marry him? I couldn't honestly say yes! I didn't love him anymore, I loved Scott! This was a bad situation.

I had a smile for Michael as he got into the driver's seat beside me, but inside I was a wreck. All the way to Tara, I wrestled with my conscience, and the possibility that that wasn't really what he was taking me home for.

But then he told me to close my eyes as I got out of the car. Then, he led me to the swing, and I felt something cold and circular being slipped onto my finger. Then Michael told me to open my eyes. I did, and I saw that standing around us were not only my parents, but Jack and Melanie, Melanie's parents, Jack and Michael's parents, my uncles, and all my close relatives in Georgia.

Then I looked down at my finger and saw the most beautiful piece of jewelry I'd ever seen in my life. I couldn't speak.

And that's when Michael got down on one knee and said, "Christine Lillian O'Malley Gracey, will you marry me?"

I looked around me. Everyone was smiling encouragingly, and Daddy and Mama both looked like they were about to cry. Then, I looked back and Michael, and feeling incredibly helpless, said "yes, Michael Allen-Park, I will marry you."

Then he picked me up and kissed me, and everybody cheered.