Chapter 20
Incessant knocking drew Ida out of her room. She reached the stairs at the same time Gabriel came to open the front door.
“Gabriel Vane. Found at last.” The speaker was hidden from Ida, but she didn’t like that tone. She floated off the staircase to land behind Gabriel.
“I’m Natalie Waller. I work for the Evening Times.”
“I gathered. All of you people have a certain… look to you.” Gabriel’s snide tone matched hers. “Now that you made your long journey here, I can tell you the same as everyone else: no statement.”
The woman had to be a reporter. Ida bit her lip, stuck in indecisiveness. She could make her go away—slam the door, pass through her to scare her—but would Gabriel want that? Would she only make it worse? Besides, she had her own pressing issue. Gabriel could handle the reporter—Ida had to handle the locket. She phased through to the kitchen. Perry stood by the table, tapping one foot, looking like a kid waiting for detention.
Ida knocked on the counter.
“Holy—” Perry jumped. “Ghostie? You here?”
Ida knocked again.
“Right, right, the phone!”
She waited for him to turn it on and popped right in. “Where’s the locket?”
“Uh, on the ground. Why?”
“I’m sorry, Perry. It doesn’t give you confidence, or focus, or inspiration. It’s better for you not to use it.”
“Didn’t feel bad to me. Although… have you ever noticed Gabriel is one attractive dude?”
Yes, that was exactly the problem. The locket wasn’t on Perry anymore; maybe he only had residual feelings. “We have to hide the locket for now. I’ll explain later.”
“Okay. Where do I put it?”
Did the front door close? Ida flicked out and flew through the wall, narrowly missing Gabriel as he turned the corner into the living room. Quick—back through the wall, into the phone—“Uh, wherever, just hide it, now!”
Muffled panicked sounds and scratching—probably as Perry put the phone in his pocket—followed, and then, “What are you doing?”
Ida left the phone. Gabriel stood at the doorway; Perry was stretching one hand over the unused sugar pot, the locket dangling off his fingers. He froze in his action pose, a perfect picture of a burglar caught in the act.
“Gabriel, I can explain everything,” Ida said. “Let him put the locket away.”
Without words, Gabriel swept up the locket and returned to the living room, where he turned, facing them with his best prosecutor expression.
Perry followed with hunched shoulders, and Ida after him, wishing she dared to sink into the ground. “What happened with the reporter?” she asked.
Still clutching the locket, Gabriel put his hands into his pockets. “As you can imagine, she wanted to get a juicy story out of me. Apparently, some people never give up.”
“Uh.” Perry raised his hand. “What are we talking about?”
“It wasn’t a delivery man, but a reporter,” Gabriel explained. “I’d admire her for her tenacity, if it didn’t go against my agenda. The real question is, how did she find me?” His gaze swiveled to Perry.
“What?”
“You’re the only one who knows about me. Besides Ida, but it’s not like she can tell anybody.”
Ida swelled with joy—he trusted her!—and then hated herself for it.
“Man, you know I wouldn’t tell anybody!” Perry said. “You’re awesome. I’d never betray you like that.”
Gabriel continued an unimpressed stare.
“Maybe I told a few friends…” Perry glanced at the floor. “But just to mention I may get an interview at BechTech! They promised they’d keep their mouth shut, I swear!”
“If it did leak out through those channels, that still isn’t Perry’s fault,” Ida said. “He was excited when you offered to help him. He’s a good man. You know he wouldn’t intentionally sell you out.”
Gabriel swayed back and forth. Suddenly, the wrinkles of the frown on his forehead smoothed out. “No worries, Perry. I’m not blaming you.”
“For real?”
“Maybe get more trustworthy friends. But at the end of the day, no one is to blame but the reporter, and me, for starting the scandal.” Gabriel shrugged and—actually laughed? “I’m not even going to let her ruin this day. It is a nice day, isn’t it?”
“That’s my man.” Perry reached out a hand, as if to clasp Gabriel”s shoulder, but halted and gave him a cautious smile instead.
“But what are we going to do about the reporter?” Ida asked.
“Nothing. I sent her away.” Ida must’ve looked worried, because Gabriel further explained, “I did the same thing back in October—no statements, no fueling the fire—and it worked. I’ve got this covered.”
This wasn’t false confidence, or a lie for her benefit—he believed it.
“Now, about this.” Gabriel pulled the locket out.
“Oh, yeah. Just a prank, man.” Perry reached for it, but Gabriel snatched his hand back.
“What did we say about non-professional behavior during an interview? You think pranking would go down well?”
“We’ll repeat it tomorrow,” Perry said. “With utmost professionalism, I swear.”
Gabriel nodded and, still clutching the locket, headed upstairs.
Ida flicked back into Perry’s phone. “What exactly happened during that interview?”
“Now it”s kinda coming back to me,” Perry said. “And I think I did some damn strange things.”
Later on, when Gabriel was asleep, Ida sneaked into his bedroom, carefully pried the bedstand’s drawer open, and lifted the locket. It made Gabriel happy—perhaps in the same way daydreaming about him made Ida happy—but he deserved to have his head clear. No more perfume-like shenanigans.
She carried the locket away and hid it in a secret compartment in the fireplace. Then she popped into the music box and tried not to think about having to create the same unpredictable object—but fueled by anger.
***
In the following days, the renovations happened all at once. Furniture was dragged out of the kitchen and dining room, the wallpaper scraped off, and new pieces dragged back in. A wooden, porcelain-lined storage unit Ida called an “icebox” replaced the fridge. The center of the kitchen was now dominated by a sturdy wooden table; walls were covered by standing cabinets and shelves displaying plates, pots, and glassware. The pièce de résistance was an original Victorian cookstove, made of black iron, with shelves of its own and an attached pipe, running to the wall, to serve as an outlet for the smoke from burning wood.
“This thing looks like something out of Beauty and the Beast,” Jason said to Mark as the two pushed the stove into place. “I keep expecting it to start talking.”
“Be our guest,” Mark replied, and laughing, the two left the kitchen.
Gabriel was fully occupied by organizing everyone who wanted to help, all to escape the fact that for once, he had no idea what he intended to do in the future.
Soon you’ll go back to the city, your real job,the voice of reason whispered to him. Another voice fought against it—whether they succeeded or not, he couldn’t leave Ida, and didn’t want to. Especially if they succeeded. This would be a new world to her and she’d need help. But it seemed she didn’t want, or need, him.
Then the third voice (it was getting quite crowded in his head) reasoned that Perry could help her, or any of the townspeople, and Ida herself wasn’t helpless.
One minute, he was 100% certain he’d stick to his original plan—then it all flipped and he imagined staying here, if he could clear things up with Ida, and a strange sense of coziness overcame him—and then it was 96% for one plan, and then 89% for the other, and then 73% and 84% and—
He didn’t know what the hell was going on with him.
Two days remained before the ritual. The squad was putting on the finishing touches: Dina was double-checking the garden sketches, Marge and Janice were cleaning up the area, Jason was polishing the new stone bench they’d installed in place of the decaying old one, and Mark and Perry were finishing off Gabriel’s job on the facade.
Gabriel walked around, double-checking Dina’s double-checking, leafing through pages of notes he’d made for the renovation. The garden would need until summer, when the flowers would bloom, to be truly stunning, but the grounds already looked much better.
As he rounded the corner, Ida glided toward him. “I need Perry,” she said.
Gabriel pretended he didn’t feel that pang of jealousy. “He’s busy.”
“It’s urgent.”
So he called for Perry, and Ida explained, as if in a round of telephone, “I need to create the anger-imbued object. I’d like to have Perry there, just in case.”
“I gotta finish the facade,” Perry said.
“You can do that later. Go with Ida,” Gabriel said.
“What? Man, no. This is finicky work. I can’t leave in the middle.” Perry crossed his hands over his chest. “Never heard of the ‘watch paint dry’ saying?”
“I don’t think that means what you think it means.”
Unaffected, Perry continued, “You go. You’re better for it, anyway—you can see and hear Ida. If something bad happens, it’ll be way easier for you to help.”
“But I have things to control—”
“I’ll be in my bedroom,” Ida said. “Figure it out.” She stomped away, creating a comical effect with her otherwise smooth glide.
“What did she say?” Perry asked.
Gabriel sighed. “Go back to painting. I’ll take care of it.”
Upstairs, he waited for a moment, composing himself, then pushed the door in. Ida sat on the bed, and her eyes widened at his arrival.
“What can I say? Surprise has always been my tactic.” He joined her, keeping a foot of distance. “Opponents never knew what hit them.”
Ida remained silent.
“What do I need to do?”
“Nothing. Just stand guard.”
“Is it wise we’re doing this here?” She didn’t have the best history with this room.
“This locket needs to be filled with everything I felt as I… as I went out that window.” Her hands trembled. “There isn’t a better place than this.”
Gabriel did what she asked: stayed silent, but vigilant. The locket lay between them, garish against the pristine white sheet. Ida should’ve disappeared as she possessed it, but the seconds trickled away, and nothing happened.
She’s afraid.
“Ida.”
She flinched at his voice.
“It’ll be all right,” he said. “Those days are long behind you. You won’t revert to that state, no matter how afraid you are. You’re through that. You’ve already won.” He raised an eyebrow. “You can’t be indicted for the same crime twice.”
A pale smile crossed her lips, but disappeared just as quickly. “They’re not, though. Those days.”
“You’ve forgiven your family. And you’re making wonderful progress with Perry.”
Ida shook her head and whimpered. “Not those.”
It took everything he had not to reach out for her; she was in distress, but the wave of emotions hitting him hinted it was the type of distress where she’d want some physical distance.
So instead, he only waited. She’d talk when she wanted to, or leave if she needed privacy. Whatever she did, he’d understand.
“I want to live again,” she finally said, her voice small. “But I’m so afraid of my affliction coming back. The loops I get stuck in are annoying, but not half as frightening as the whole thing. Thoughts. Images. The actual damage I could cause.”
Of course. Why hadn’t he thought of it? He’d been so preoccupied with managing the project, eyes solely on the victory and the more common struggles Ida would face, he’d forgotten all about her hidden troubles. “I’m so sorry. I hadn’t considered it.”
“It’s not your problem to consider.”
But it is our problem, he wanted to say. “Times have changed,” he said instead. “You needn’t worry about anyone locking you into an asylum. They have proper treatments now, therapy. If your OCD comes back, it may not be easy, but you’re strong enough to manage it.”
He moved his hand ever so slightly closer to hers. “Is it really worth not living?”
“You think I could get better?”
“You will. Not because I think it. Because you’ll do it.” He waited until she met his eyes. “Because in this house, we win.”
She smiled, properly now.
“It’ll be fine.”
“Maybe you should go. This was a bad idea—something could happen while I’m inside—”
“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be right here, waiting until you pop back out.” He tapped the blanket.
She nodded and scrunched her face—she looked like she was smelling something foul while biting down on something fouler, and still, Gabriel couldn’t help noticing how pretty she was.
She relaxed with a long exhale. “I used to do this when my compulsions would start to spiral out of control. I’d clench all my facial muscles, gather that tension, then release it. Sometimes it helped me calm down. It’s moot now, but…”
“We can pretend it helped.”
“Yes. Maybe you can use it too. When you go back to the city. I’m sure there’s a lot of stress in your job.”
He wanted to ask her so badly—did she truly want him gone?—but this wasn’t the time. “Ready?”
She turned her eyes to the locket. With a delay, she nodded, and disappeared.
The first few minutes passed without change. Voices from the backyard drifted in, but otherwise, not a ghost stirred.
Then the locket warmed up. The radiating heat made his shirt sticky, and continued for a whole minute, vibrations increasing. Was that how it was supposed to go? Intense, definitely—but correct? “Ida,” Gabriel tried. “If you can hear me, all is well. Remember you’re past it. Let it go.”
A burnt metallic smell spread through the air, although the locket showed no outward change.
“Just a little bit more. You can do it.”
The vibration suddenly shut off, blessing the room with silence.
And Ida sat on the bed, staring straight ahead. “I did it,” she breathed.
“Are you—”
“I’m fine.” A bubble of laughter escaped her, and her eyes, light and dancing, met his. “I am fine! I let it…” She clutched her stomach. “I let it take over me. I felt—all of it, everything, bubbling, raging, burning inside me, around me, like I was swimming in lava, and I—”
“You made it out,” he said, his lips spreading into a smile.
“I heard you.” She lowered her gaze to the blanket. “Thank you.”
How could one simple “thank you” make him feel more accomplished than every diploma he’d ever received?
He cleared his throat. “So, what do we do with this bad boy?”
“Don’t touch it. Sweep it into some box, and it’ll wait there until we need it. I don’t trust these things.”
“These things as in this and another locket you’ve created and has since mysteriously disappeared?”
Ida still avoided his gaze. “It’s better that way, trust me.”
“I don’t know. When I was holding it, I was pretty happy.” It had been a strange feeling—an unexplainable, but real happiness. Like when you heard a cheerful song on the radio and started singing along, believing the world suddenly turned more beautiful.
Not that he’d ever done that.
He’d wondered which emotion Ida put into it. It made him happy, but Perry almost amorous. If only Ida would tell him—was it love, and when she’d created it, had she been thinking—
“You’ve work to do.” Ida stood. “So let’s get this somewhere safe, and we can all return to our respective tasks.” She glided away, indicating the conversation was over.
But before Gabriel could get back to business, he encountered Perry in the kitchen.
“I wanted to talk to you,” Perry said.
“Something wrong with the kitchen furniture?” He’d checked it, though—five times by now. Overall, the match was at least 87%; that had to do.
“Nah. It’s about…” Perry leaned to the side to check the living room, and shut the door. “Are you sure you want me for this ritual?”
“Of course. You’re the perfect candidate.” A shiver spread up Gabriel’s arm; Perry hadn’t lied to him about something, had he?
“I’m just wondering why you aren’t the bonding person,” Perry said with a shrug.
“Me?”
“Dude.” Perry approached to a confidential distance. “Come on, you think I don’t see how you look at her?”
“You can’t even see Ida.”
“I don’t have to see her, man! All I need is to look at you when you’re looking at her, and you’re looking like my man Jackson when he hit Champion in Fortnite,” Perry said. He put his hands to his temples and imitated an explosion. “Freaking ecstatic.”
Gabriel snorted. “I assure you, I don’t look at Ida as video game ranking.”
“It was a comparison, dude. You know what those are, I’m sure you use them all the time in your fancy speeches. Point is, you’re freaking in love with her. And just like Jackson and his ranking, you’d blow anyone who dared harm her to kingdom come.”
“Harm her? What happened to her?” Gabriel started for the door. She was fine just minutes ago—
Perry laughed and extended a hand to emphasize his point.
“It’s not what you think.” Gabriel shook his head. “Besides, it doesn’t matter. The contract suggests a family member as a bonding person. You’re family.”
Perry leaned on the counter. “Family ain’t all about blood. I barely remember my real mom and dad. But Rob and Shanna—I’d do anything for them. They are my family, genetics or not.”
“You and Ida made a connection.”
“Yeah, but—don’t get me wrong, Ida’s cool and all, but more like a quirky friend. If there were two fires, and Rob and Shanna were caught in one, and Ida in the other, I’d go for my foster parents. Also because Ida is a ghost and fire can’t hurt her, but you get my drift.” Perry poked Gabriel’s chest. “I can like her, but I’ll never build the same connection with her you have.”
Gabriel crossed his hands over his chest.
“Jesus, you’re stubborn,” Perry said. He made a move past him, but Gabriel reached out and held him by the sleeve.
“Ida has one chance,” he said. “Once the ritual starts, if it fails, it can’t ever be repeated. She’ll stay a ghost forever.” He was already at fault for not being able to fulfill the first contract. He’d not doom her again. “You are family. And you do care about her. So tomorrow night, you better be here.”
Perry gave a curt nod. “I’ll do my best.”
Gabriel released him, but Perry stayed in the same spot. “She’s already dead,” he said. “How much longer are you gonna wait to tell her how you feel?”
He left.
Gabriel stayed in the kitchen, leaning on the counter and ignoring the noise from outside. He’d love to believe in what Perry said. But that exact word, love. It couldn’t be defined by a contract, specified by terms and conditions. It couldn’t be compared in numbers—if anything, it was scrambling all of his percentages. It wasn’t easy, clear, rational. And when it was so elusive, so damn messy, how could he be sure what he felt was good enough for a victory?
He couldn’t. And that’s why Perry, who already had the blood advantage, was the better option.
Because Gabriel would never let Ida lose.