Chapter 2:
That night after dinner with Delia I helped her clean up the dishes. It is the least I can do since she is putting me up. She thanked me. I thanked her for letting me stay here and letting me shower and sleep. I now smell like flowers, Ned's words not mine.
"Mom, Melinda's here." Ned said from the next room. Melinda entered the next minute.
"I'll go watch some TV with Ned." I said not wanting to be in the middle of their talking.
"Actually, I am glad you're here Leah." Melinda said making me stop.
I looked at her confused. "You are?" She nodded. "Why?"
"I got a call from a doctor in a Cairo hospital a couple hours ago while I was talking to my husband Jim. Rick's body will be at Mercy hospital in about three or so days. Jim is going to be his main doctor." Melinda said. I jumped a foot in the air when Rick shouted yes. I had forgotten about him because he stuck around Melinda most of the day.
"You ok?" Delia asked once I calmed down.
"Yea. And Rick needs to stop scaring the crap out of me." I said glaring at him. He looked at me sheepishly before wondering out of the room. I sighed.
"I'll never get used to this stuff." Delia said. I looked at her funny. "I'm a big skeptic of what you and Melinda do, but with Ned taking classes in this stuff and with what Melinda does day to day with her gift, I can't get away from it. It makes for interesting days."
"I can stay somewhere else if what I do makes you uncomfortable." I said.
"No, it's fine honestly. Just a lot to take in. Once we have Rick's body you can get him back into it and life will be normal again." Delia said.
"Easier said than done." I said with a sigh. "Not everyone stuck in an out of body experience can easily reenter their body. Hopefully Rick will. I just want to not be stalked by a love sick astral man." Melinda and Delia started laughing. "What? It's true. Ever since he remembered his name and where he lived he's been trying to get me to love him."
"At least Jim can rest easy now. He did get jealous of Rick right before Rick left for the Himalaya's. I think that's one reason Rick left." Melinda said.
"How did he end up in Egypt?" I asked.
"Something in the Himalaya's led him to Egypt on a quest to find something." Melinda said.
"I never told her that my feelings for her were why I left." Rick said entering the kitchen. I looked at him as he stood next to me. "After I left I threw myself into the sabbatical to forget what I felt for Melinda."
"Is Rick here?" Melinda asked. I nodded. "This is going to be weird coming from me, but what is he saying?" She asked.
"That is weird." Ned said joining us.
"Rick said he never admitted to telling you his feelings for you or his reasons for leaving." I said.
"He didn't have to. I could see it in his eyes. All I ask is when he wakes up please give him a chance Leah. He had a difficult time before he and I became friends."
"I can try. But there is a chance when he wakes up he won't remember me. He won't remember his out of body adventure that led me here." I said walking out of the room. I headed to the guest room Delia said I could use and sobbed as I lay on the bed.
"Please don't cry Leah." Rick said. I looked towards his voice. He was kneeling next to my head, hand hovering above my hair. "I wish I could touch you physically." He murmured. I smiled. Although I wouldn't admit to him, but I was beginning to really like him, but I want a real, physical relationship.
"Are you alright?" Ned asked knocking on the door. I looked at him and laughed. "What's so funny?"
"You are asking me if I am alright. Normally guys run away from a sobbing woman." I said sitting up.
"He's still not your type." Rick said stubbornly. I sighed looking at him. I wanted to touch him so bad.
"I know he's not my type. I was messing with you Rick. Ned was a good sport with my game. We talked this afternoon and he has a girlfriend." I said causing Rick to grin. Ned laughed as he sat next to me.
"Yea Rick, I am not competing for Leah. She is cool and all, but too much of a free spirit for me to try and tame. Have fun with that." Ned said causing me to laugh. Maybe I won't leave this town after Rick is back in his physical body.
"Everything ok in here?" Delia asked from the doorway. I nodded. There was a boy about five years old standing in front of Melinda.
"You can help me." The boy said.
"Who told you that Aidan?" Melinda asked. He looked up at her then me.
"I just know mom. She can help keep the shadows away." He said. The shadows? Was the dark side trying to claim this town for souls? I have only encountered the dark side a couple of times, I usually stay out of the good versus evil fights because I like being neutral. Being Switzerland is a lot of fun.
"How about after I finish my first task you and I talk about what I can do to help you?" I asked looking at both Aidan and Melinda. Melinda nodded and Aidan agreed.
"Come on buddy, time to get you home and into bed." Melinda said pulling Aidan away. Delia also said goodnight.
"Then there were three." Ned said. "Unless the good professor left." I laughed at him as I hit him with a pillow.
"I'm a bit tired. Mind if I go to sleep?" I asked Ned. He shoulder bumped me and left with a goodnight. Once my light was off I fell into a fitful sleep.
I woke the next morning to humming. I slowly opened my eyes, trying to adjust to the sunlight. I looked around and saw Rick pacing as he hummed. I sighed as I sat up.
"Finally, you're awake." He said.
"I hope you don't pace my room until I wake up when you're physical again. It'll get creepy really fast." I muttered getting out of bed. I pulled on my clothes from my bag. I only have three outfits. Not much room in my small bag.
"What are you going to do today?" Rick asked.
"Well if I am going to stick around on the off chance you remember me when you are one again, I need a job. So I will be job hunting today." I said leaving the house. It was completely empty. I wasn't hungry anyways, so it didn't bother me not eat. Last night's meal filled me up. I walked into town and wondered around. I came across Delia's real estate store and went in. Rick was following me around, no doubt keeping watch over me.
"I am so sorry Leah. I forgot about you this morning." Delia said when I entered.
"It's ok. I was wondering if you knew if any of the local shops are hiring." I said sitting across from her.
"I could use some help. Why are you looking for work?" She asked.
"Well, I am in need of money since I used my last couple of dollars for a small bite two days ago. And if I am going to make good on giving physical Rick a chance then I need a job so I don't have to look like a charity case for anyone."
"I don't think you're a charity case. But I understand you're reasons. How about you work here a couple hours a day in the office. Organize the files; answer the phone, among other things." Delia said.
"Thank you. Would you like me to start now?" I asked. She smiled.
"Let's fill out the paperwork then you can start." She said. Several hours later I was organizing her file's.
"Hey Melinda." Delia said causing me to look up from my pile on the floor. I went back to my work as they began talking. It was not my place to help with Melinda's ghost dealings.
"Why did the chicken cross the road?" Rick asked. I face palmed.
"What is wrong?" Delia asked.
"Did Rick ask why did the chicken cross the road kind of jokes?" I asked going back to my organizing.
"No, but he did ask a lot of strange questions and talked in riddles sometimes. That man could talk about several things at once." Melinda said.
"Talk about multitasking." Delia said. All the while Rick was talking about flowers and what he wanted to eat.
"Yea, tell me about it. He's telling jokes, talking about flowers and what food he wants to eat. Save me Melinda." I said with a smile.
"So Delia told me you are looking to earn some extra money." Melinda said starting a conversation with me. I nodded. "Well I could use some extra help at my store. A couple hours a day? You could work here then come by and work with me?"
"Sure. But could I start after we get Rick into his body? That way I am not overwhelmed yet?"
"Sure." Melinda said smiling. I smiled back.
"I will be so glad when I can physically touch you." Rick said, causing me to face palm again. "What? It is true."
"I can't until we have his body here. That way he can embarrass himself to more people than just me." I said.
"Well I am off to meet Jim for lunch." Melinda said leaving.