A/N: Thanks for your reviews!
Chapter 2- Quite A Pickle
The next morning, Johanna had pushed the thoughts of the noise she had heard the night before to the back of her mind. She had sent Jim off to work and had settled down at her desk; ready to check her email and browse Facebook since her work for the start of the semester had finally been finished the day before. Scarlett slipped into the room, meowing as she moved to the rug, finding a patch of sunlight to sit in.
"You've been fed, Scarlett," Johanna told her.
Her pet meowed again; moving closer. "What's wrong?" she asked her as she glanced at the grey and white tabby. "Are you feeling neglected? Come on, you can lay on my lap while I'm on the computer," she told her, pushing her chair back a little in invitation.
Scarlett hurried toward her and leaped onto her lap with another meow. "There," Johanna said with a smile, her hand brushing over the cat's fur as she pushed her chair back in; "Now you can be cozy."
The cat settled onto her lap but continued to meow pitifully. "What's wrong with you today, Scarlett?" she asked. "You've been fed, your water dish is full; you're on my lap…what is it? Are you mad because Jim was playing with you and then had to leave for work? He'll be home for dinner."
Another meow filled the air, making Johanna sigh a little. "It's alright," she said, petting her as she turned on her laptop.
She had no sooner opened her inbox when she heard the sound of the backdoor opening and closing. Fear tightened her stomach; she had left the gun upstairs in the nightstand, trying to get used to being without it in light of a baby soon joining the family. She could've sworn that she locked the door after Jim left. "Jim?" she called out, hoping that it was merely her husband; that maybe he had forgotten something he needed.
"No," a female voice called back. "It's me, Johanna…no need to be afraid."
She recognized the tone of her grandmother's voice and the knot in her gut eased. "So that's what had you upset," she murmured to Scarlett. "You knew Sarah was lurking."
A few moments later the spirit of her grandmother appeared in the doorway of the office. "Good morning, dear," Sarah said somewhat timidly.
"Good morning," Johanna replied. "Since when do you use the door? You usually just…pop in…for lack of better words."
Sarah shrugged a silk clad shoulder. "Sometimes I like to do things differently."
"I see…and are you feeling better today? You were a bit moody the last time I saw you…and there have been some temperamental disturbances around here the last few days."
"No; I can honestly say that I'm not feeling better at all," Sarah said as she pulled the piano bench over in front of Johanna's desk to sit down.
Johanna frowned a little. "I'm in that awkward place of wanting to ask if you're sick but I know that's not possible."
"No, it's not possible in the way that you mean," the spirit replied; "But there are other ways to be sick…sick at heart for one."
"And are you sick at heart?"
"I don't know," Sarah murmured. "I don't know what I am anymore."
"You're worrying me, Sarah."
The spirit frowned. "There's nothing for you to worry about; you're fine."
Johanna studied the forlorn spirit in front of her, noting that she lacked her usual hint of a glow. "You look different, Sarah; you look like you did that time you made yourself as whole as I am."
Sarah nodded. "I am like that once more."
Her brow arched in surprise. "I thought you only got to do that in very select circumstances?"
"That is true…but…"
"But what?"
Anguish flicked across Sarah's face. "Oh, Josie," she cried. "I've gotten myself into a terrible pickle."
"Pickle?"
"Oh don't act like you've never heard the phrase; I've got much more pressing matters!"
"Sarah, what's going on?" Johanna asked; a hint of worry building within her.
"I'm stuck!" Sarah exclaimed.
"What do you mean you're stuck?"
Sarah gave a cry of frustration. "I've gotten myself into a real fine mess. I…well…I broke the rules…now I'm stuck. Oh, Josie; I don't know what I'm going to do."
Johanna's mind was swirling with the possibilities of what her ghostly grandmother might mean by all of this. "Sarah, I'm not following you. What did you do? How did you break the rules?"
A tear rolled down Sarah's cheek as her chin quivered. "I've been so out of sorts lately…very unhappy…and dwelling on things I can not change…on things I didn't get to be a part of in the physical sense; things I missed out on. I should be used to it…I've had more than enough time to get used to it…but sometimes…well, sometimes I just get so…"
"Depressed?" Johanna supplied.
"Yes…and bitter as you termed it the other day. I get angry…very angry…and restless. I wanted to feel human again…so I broke the rules and made myself whole…not for the benefit of a mission…but for myself."
"So that's how you broke the rules?"
"Yes…and I got in trouble for it…and then I became a bit defiant…."
"Sarah!" she exclaimed; imagining the higher power that her grandmother had been defiant with.
"I know," Sarah cried. "Patrick said I was going to spite myself…and I have. I broke the rules…I was defiant…I questioned things I'm not supposed to question…"
"You always say ours is not to question," Johanna remarked.
"Yes, well, I did…and I was just on a roll with this whole thing…and I'm now classified as having unfinished business."
"What exactly does that mean?"
"It means I can't go back…and I since I was defiant and broke the rules, I must stay in this form since I wanted to be in it. I'm stuck here…I can't go back until I resolve my issues…and I don't know how to do that. I'm going to be stuck here for quite awhile I'm afraid."
"What issues need resolved?" Johanna asked.
Sarah shifted in her seat. My restlessness…but most of all, my need to be a grandmother. I get so jealous watching everyone become a grandmother in the true sense of the word. So I must resolve my bitterness by somehow having what I lost…of tasting things I missed out on."
"But, Sarah, you are a grandmother," Johanna replied.
"In blood and name only. I haven't gotten to be a real grandmother…and I don't know how to be one…so, darling. I'm going to be staying with you for quite awhile. Can I play the candy game on your telephone?"
Johanna looked at her incredulously. "No! You're not playing with the phone; we need to talk about this."
"There's not much to talk about…I'm stuck…and since I'm stuck in current form, I'm quite hungry. Do you have any cookies? What are we having for dinner? Better yet, what are we having for lunch? I'm starved."
"Oh my God," Johanna muttered. "I can't believe this. You're sure you're stuck?"
Sarah nodded. "Oh yes, very stuck."
"You have no…shall we say, powers, at all?"
"Very little," Sarah replied. "Like I said; I've gotten myself into quite a pickle. I got thumped down right on you back porch last night…and it wasn't a gentle landing at all; my backside still hurts."
Johanna closed her eyes. "That's the crash I heard."
"Yes; I'm afraid so…and I was out there all night long in the cold. I hid from Jim when he left this morning. It's a good thing I know where you hide your spare key."
"Sarah," she sighed. "I don't know what's gotten into you."
"I told you!" her grandmother thundered as she got to her feet. "I get restless. It happens every so often. I get…bitter…and jealous…and quite unhappy. I'm not immune to emotion, you know? Perhaps I do have unfinished business…but how am I supposed to finish it? How am I supposed to do anything? How am I going to get back home to Patrick?"
"Is he aware of what happened?" Johanna asked.
"Oh everyone and their brother is aware of what happened," Sarah spat; "The gossip grapevine doesn't end here; it continues on, darling."
"That's not a comforting thought."
"I'm not in a comforting mood," Sarah retorted. "I want some damn cookies!"
Johanna's brow rose once more. "It's no wonder they kicked you out of heaven, Sarah; you're being a bit bitchy."
"You'd be bitchy too if you got sent crashing down onto a porch in the middle of a cold night."
"I guess you have a point there," she relented. "I'm just not sure how to help you."
"Get me some damn cookies!" her grandmother yelled. "I'm starving; how many times do I have to ask to be fed?! You know when I'm in this form I can eat and believe me, I want to eat!"
"Alright!" Johanna snapped back. "If you're going to be this moody the whole time, Jim isn't going to welcome you with open arms."
"I have to stay here," Sarah lamented, following along as Johanna rose from her chair and headed for the door. "I don't have anywhere else to go and I can't just room the streets constantly in this form. I don't know the city anymore," she cried, tears filling her eyes once more. "I don't like this…it scares me being stuck."
Johanna sighed as they made their way to the kitchen. "I imagine it is scary…I know I was terrified the first time I got to see you…but it'll be okay; I'm sure you'll get unstuck soon. Maybe they're just going to let you stew for a few days to scare you straight and then you'll be able to do whatever it is that you do to get back and forth."
Sarah shook her head. "Oh, no; it's no bluff…once you have that unfinished business label slapped on you, you've got to get it taken care of or you're just stuck until you do. I'm going to be here for quite some time…but I would like the cookies sooner rather than later."
Johanna rolled her eyes as she opened the cupboard and took out the pack of Oreos; tossing them at the spirit. "Here, Sarah; shove these in your mouth and be happy."
"What does Double Stuff mean?" her grandmother asked as she read the package.
"It means there's extra cream."
"Is that a good thing?" Sarah asked.
"It is to me," Johanna replied; "I'm sure you'll like them."
Sarah sighed a little. "It's been a very long time since I've had an Oreo…they did have them in my day, you know?"
"Did they?" she asked.
Sarah nodded as she pulled back the tab on the pack and took out a cookie. "I used to buy them for the children…and then when they were in bed, I would make myself a cup of tea and eat some of these cookies while I talked with Patrick."
Johanna smiled. "That sounds nice."
"It was," Sarah said wistfully. "Patrick and I still have our late night talks…it's different now of course…but still nice to talk about what we've seen and heard during our wanderings. I guess we won't be doing that for awhile now."
"I'm sure you won't be apart for long."
"Don't bet on it," Sarah muttered before biting into her cookie. "My goodness that's good."
"I told you that you'd like it."
The spirit finished her cookie and reached into the pack for another one. "What am I going to do?" she muttered.
Johanna sighed a little. "Can't you just apologize for your bad behavior and promise not to do it anymore?"
Sarah gave a short laugh. "This isn't like apologizing to your mother when you're a kid, Josie."
"Well it couldn't hurt," she retorted.
Sarah shook her head. "I told you; it's very complicated. I've been labeled as having unfinished business…I'm going to be stuck here for quite some time. After I eat the cookies can I play the candy game on your phone?"
"We'll discuss phone privileges later," Johanna replied; "Let's start with a few more questions. How much unfinished business do you have and what do you need to do to finish it?"
"I don't know," she sighed before taking another bite of her cookie. "I guess the main thing is figuring out how to feel like a grandmother…and I don't know how I'm going to accomplish that. I don't know how to be one in the first place."
"That's not true; you're my grandmother…you've helped me," Johanna told her. "You've been watching over me my whole life."
"It's not the same as being a real grandmother," Sarah muttered.
"The grandmother thing is going to be hard to convince you of," Johanna replied; "So let's move on for the moment; what other unfinished business do you have?"
Sarah shrugged as she reached for a third cookie.
Johanna's brow arched as she regarded her. "Now isn't the time to be obstinate, Sarah; you're in enough trouble."
The spirit chewed her bite of cookie and swallowed. "I suppose I have the unfinished business of living," she said sharply. "I didn't get to grow old. I didn't get to experience new things that I should've gotten to do if I have lived a normal lifespan. I had dreams I didn't get to achieve."
"Like what?"
"Like…spending more time at Coney Island. I loved Coney Island," Sarah replied; "Patrick always said we'd spend more weekends there once the children were older. We always had such fun there and I missed out on all of those weekends we should've had."
"What else?"
"Singing somewhere outside of church," Sarah remarked; "So I could sing something more popular and fun…don't get me wrong, I loved singing in the choir…but sometimes I just wanted to sing something fun."
Johanna nodded. "Okay, we can probably work with that; I'll turn on the radio and you can sing along."
Sarah shook her head. "No. I mean sing in front of people. I liked singing in front of people."
"Okay; what's next on your list?"
"Well…I saw the Jazz Singer, which had a little bit of talking in it but I never did get to see a full length talkie," Sarah said. "I loved going to movies…and talking pictures seemed so exciting..."
Johanna smiled. "We can take care of that; I've got plenty of movies on dvd...we can watch Gone with the Wind; it's from 1939 but it might be the oldest one I have."
"Oh, I would like that!" Sarah exclaimed; taking yet another cookie from the pack. "When can we do that?"
"Maybe tomorrow when Jim is at work," she replied. "He might not be in a movie mood tonight when we spring this news on him."
Sarah nodded. "Yes, he might not be happy with me."
"It'll be okay though," Johanna assured. "What else is on your list?"
"Well…being a mother of four I didn't have much time to read and was behind on certain popular books of the time…and by behind, I mean a few years behind…I was reading The Great Gatsby when I…well…when I was permanently interrupted…and I wish I could have finished it."
"No problem," she told her; "We'll go to the library and I'll check out a copy of The Great Gatsby for you."
"That would be nice…I can do some reading while I'm living with you."
"Anything else on your list, Sarah?"
"It's not so much unfinished business as it is a longing to use modern things…like your pocket telephone and computers…just being a part of the modern world."
Johanna nodded. "I believe we can get you acquainted with the modern world. Anything else?"
Sarah sighed deeply. "Things you can't give me…like being at the weddings of my children and grandchildren…holding grandbabies…buying them little things…being a part of my family."
"You've always been a part of us, Sarah," Johanna soothed. "I know Dad didn't talk about you to us but we knew there was someone missing…and at Christmas Mom always had us light a candle for you at church and she always told us to wish you a Merry Christmas while we did it so you'd know we were thinking of you."
"I know…and I appreciated it; but it wasn't the same. I never got to have my grandchildren call me Grandma."
"I've called you Grandma."
"Yes…but only once in awhile; you usually call me Sarah…and that's okay…but it doesn't make me feel like a grandmother."
"I know," she sighed; "I guess I tend to call you by your name because you look too young to be a grandmother."
"I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about that," Sarah remarked as she took another cookie.
"Sarah…you're going to make yourself sick eating all of those cookies."
The spirit shook her head. "I am may be in this form that seems to be just like yours but I assure you that I can not get sick…and while I may feel pain, like I did when I crashed down on my backside last night, I can't be severely injured…so don't bother trying to shoot me when I annoy you by this time next week…your bullets won't have any affect on me."
"I'm not planning on shooting you but good to know," Johanna remarked. "I still can't believe this."
"Neither can I," Sarah said with a deep sigh. "What's for lunch?"
"Sarah; you've just shoved about five Oreos down your throat and you're still concerned about lunch?"
"I told you I'm starving! I haven't eaten in a very long time, darling. I'm very hungry."
"Maybe that's why you got in trouble; you got angry from your hunger."
"I can't feel hunger unless I'm in this form…but I did break the rules and put myself in this form…and I was very hungry…I still am."
"It's not time for lunch yet; but when it is, what would you like?"
"Something good."
"What kind of good? Like comfort food good?"
Sarah looked at her oddly. "What is comfort food?"
"Comfort food is what you eat when you're feeling depressed…like macaroni and cheese."
"Macaroni and cheese?" Sarah asked.
"Yes," Johanna said as she went to the cupboard and took out the slender blue box. "Did they not have this in your time?"
"It doesn't seem familiar."
Johanna frowned and pulled her phone from her pocket, doing some quick Googling. "It's been a round for a long time but Kraft didn't start selling boxed Macaroni and Cheese until the 1930s; so no, I guess you didn't have this; it was probably more of an Italian thing in homemade recipes before the 30s. Do you want to try it for lunch?"
"I don't know," she said, eyeing the box warily. "I was hoping for something more filling."
"Like what?"
"I don't know!" Sarah exclaimed. "Something filling! Like meat and potatoes."
"We tend to save the meat and potatoes for dinner," she remarked. "But I have some leftover chicken; I could make you a nice salad with some chicken in it."
Sarah frowned. "Do I look like I'm in a salad mood?"
"No," she said slowly; "But I have a feeling lunch has become a more scaled down affair than it was in the 20s. How about soup and grilled cheese sandwiches?"
Sarah sighed deeply. "I suppose that will have to do."
"I'm sorry my menus aren't up to your standards, Sarah," Johanna remarked.
"Not nearly as sorry as I am," she replied as she grabbed another cookie.
"Could you save some cookies for me?"
"I need them more than you do," the spirit quipped. "I've got problems."
"So do I," Johanna stated; "I have a bitter, hungry ghost moving into my house with unfinished business…and I have to explain it to my husband."
Sarah scoffed. "I assure you my problems are much worse than yours and as for explaining to your husband…well it's not like I won't be here to be a part of the explanation."
"That's true."
"When will he be home?" Sarah asked.
"At dinner time."
"What are we having for dinner?"
"Sarah, is your stomach the only thing you're thinking about right now?" Johanna asked.
She shrugged a shoulder. "Well, darling, I am famished. It's going to be days before I'm caught up in regards to eating. What are we having for dinner?"
Johanna sighed. "I had originally planned on ham…but I think I better make it steak…that way Jim will be alerted that there's something going on as soon as I give him his plate."
The spirit nodded. "An icebreaker so to speak?"
"I guess we can call it that."
"He won't make me leave, will he?" Sarah asked. "I have no place else to go. I can't make my way to Bridget and I don't want to give her heart failure showing up on her doorstep. Popping into her dreams is one thing but being like this…well that might be too much for her…I want her to stay here with you and everyone she loves for as long as possible; I don't want to give her an episode."
Johanna shook her head. "Don't worry, I'm going to keep you…I don't know what Jim will think of it but it'll be alright. Our biggest worry is trying to figure out how to get you back where you need to be…not that I'm trying to be rid of you…."
"Oh I know," Sarah said hurriedly; "It's just the way things are supposed to be."
"We'll get it worked out," Johanna stated; although she wasn't sure how.
Sarah swallowed another bite of Oreo. "You're not convinced anymore than I am that it can be done."
"It has to be done," she replied; "We just have to figure out how. We can start with the smaller things and then work on the big thing. We'll get through this…somehow," she assured…hoping that she was right and that she wouldn't have a permanent unexplainable houseguest; but first she had to explain all of this to Jim…and she wasn't sure if he'd be amused or bewildered by the whole thing. Come to think of it, she wasn't sure what she thought of the situation she had been thrust into…but she'd make the best of it and hope it was quickly dealt with.
"What are we going to do now?" Sarah asked. "Since apparently it's not time for lunch."
"I don't have any plans at the moment," Johanna told her. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around all of this. Can everyone see you or only select people like Jim and I?"
"Oh everyone can see me like this, kitten," her grandmother replied. "Do I get a room while staying here?"
"Yeah; I guess you can have the guest room," she told her; "Although it will be strange going to sleep knowing a spirit lurks just down the hallway."
"You're perfectly safe; you know I'd never harm you."
"I know that…but it's odd."
Sarah nodded. "I know…it's not ideal for either of us. I'm used to roaming…of going between realms whenever it suits me…and now I'm stuck. I won't get to see Patrick or the children or the rest of my family until I find my way back and who knows how long that will take."
"We'll get it straightened out, Sarah. Couldn't Grandpa just…you know…pop in and see you?"
Sarah shook her head. "I don't think so…I told you, I'm being punished."
"That will teach you to break the rules."
Her grandmother glared at her. "Don't act like my mother!"
"What does your mother think of this predicament that you've gotten yourself into?"
"She's not very pleased with me," Sarah admitted; "But she doesn't understand…she got to do all the things I didn't."
"Take my advice, Sarah; don't get into that kind of match with your mother. Mothers always win against their kid…it's just the way it is."
"That's most likely true," the spirit said with a nod; "I know my children don't win against me."
"Well then you should no better."
Sarah sighed a little. "Since it's not time for lunch…may I play the candy game on your telephone?"
Johanna blew out a breath; her company was very concerned with lunch and entertainment. "You can play it on my tablet, okay?"
"How am I going to play the candy game on a piece of paper?"
She shook her head. "No; not a paper tablet…a tablet…a…well…let's just say it's bigger than the phone but the same idea."
Sarah looked at her oddly. "I'm not sure I'm following. Can't I just play the game on your telephone."
"You'll like it just as well on the tablet, Sarah; the screen is bigger and my phone calls and texts won't interrupt you. My tablet is in the office, we'll go get it and I'll show you that it's basically the same thing just larger and without the interruptions."
"I don't know if I can do it…I'd rather have the telephone, I know how to play it on the telephone."
Johanna sighed; this wasn't going to be easy in any way…she not only had to help a ghost with her unfinished business, she had to explain it to her husband…and she had to acquaint said ghost with the modern technologies of today. So much for the quiet week she had thought she would have….because Sarah's problems assured her everything but a quiet week.