Chapter 3
Jesse sat on the steps of one of the historic buildings on Steinwehr Avenue in the main part of town.
When he was dead, this spot had been one of his regular hangouts.
It still was, since he was close with many of the spirits in town and it was impossible for anyone who had died in Gettysburg to go beyond the town limits.
If they attempted to go any farther, they simply vanished and had to turn back.
“I told Avery to meet us here, Second Mama,” Jesse said to his favorite spirit, a lady named Fillis who had died in her late fifties.
She’d been a slave in life, and had made it as far north as Gettysburg after the master of the house discovered that Fillis had been having an affair with his wife.
Fillis had fallen ill and died just before the great battle, and had witnessed firsthand the horrors of war.
She was a motherly figure to many of the lost souls who’d died in battle.
“Good. He’s such a sweet boy,” Fillis said with a smile.
Avery spotted them from a short distance away, and Jesse could see the relief in his smile.
Though he’d died more than fifteen decades ago, he was still fairly new to the ghost life since he’d chosen to vanish for so long.
He was nervous about being around the living for fear they would discover his secret.
Jesse knew he felt safe hanging out with him and Fillis.
“Hello there, Jesse, Second Mama.” Avery smiled and nodded his greeting.
“Hey, baby. How ya doin’?” Fillis asked with tremendous warmth and affection in her voice.
“Quite well. And yerself?” Avery asked.
“Jus’ fine, honey,” she answered.
“I got some good news for ya,” Jesse said with a grin. “Lucy said it’s okay for me to introduce you to Remy.”
A panicked look crossed Avery’s face, and Jesse couldn’t help but laugh.
“Come on, man. It’ll be fine. You’re not proposin’ marriage—you’re just gonna say hello. Then she’ll at least know who you are, and mebbe you can visit with her when we make our tour stops at Little Round Top.”
“I don’t know,” Avery said, looking doubtful.
“Wouldn’t it be nice if you could talk to her every day?” Jesse prompted.
Jesse saw the hopeful look on Avery’s face and understood exactly how he felt.
The highlight of Jesse’s existence as a ghost had been those days when Lucy was working at the tavern and he could sit and watch her all day.
He’d never been happier than the day he finally made his presence known to her and they were able to have an actual conversation.
“All right. I’m willin’ to give it a chance,” Avery said. “But I don’t have any idea what I’m gonna say to her!”
“I know. That’s what you got me for. We’re gonna sit here and figure out what you’re gonna say, all right?”
Avery glanced around at the tourists. “Are you sure it’s safe, you know, for people like us?” He gestured at himself and Fillis.
“Trust me,” Jesse said, lowering his voice. “Strangers don’t usually reach out and touch us. Sittin’ here you can say hello to folks and not feel so alone, but nobody’s gonna figure out…you know.”
Avery nodded uncertainly. Sure, there had been a handful of times over the years when a tourist had accidentally brushed up against Jesse, only to find he wasn’t in solid form.
Jesse hated frightening people, and he was especially heartbroken when he accidentally scared a child.
Still, he usually took the risk to appear visible so he could interact with the living.
It was wonderful to be alive again, but he knew he would never forget the loneliness, the isolation of being a spirit.
That was why he was so eager to help Avery.
Avery looked around cautiously, then carefully sat down next to Fillis.
“You’re fine here with us, honey. You’ll see,” she told him.
“Okay, Avery. Here’s the plan. The next time our tour bus stops at Little Round Top, I’ll just casually introduce Remy to you. I’m sure she’s seen me sittin’ with you sometimes, so she probably knows we’re friends.”
Avery nodded nervously.
“Now we just need to figure out how you’re gonna answer any questions she’ll have for you.
You know, the usual polite stuff people ask when they first meet somebody.
Easy questions for the livin’ to answer, but a bit harder for you.
Ugh, I made a complete fool out of myself the first time I spoke to Lucy. ”
Avery groaned. “That’s just what I’m fearin’!”
“That’s not gonna happen with you, Avery.
” Not on my watch, Jesse thought. “My problem was I never thought I’d get the chance to talk to her, so I never thought about what I was gonna say!
Of course, she looked at my soldier outfit and asked where I worked, and like an idiot, I didn’t have an answer. ”
“Well, neither do I!” Avery cried.
“I know. So let’s think one up.”
“God, I hate lyin’ to her.”
“I know,” Jesse said. “But you got to. Okay, so she’s gonna see your Confederate uniform and she’ll probably ask where you work. Joel and I told Lucy that we worked over there.”
Jesse jerked his thumb at a nearby reenactor store that sold clothing and accessories. It was called the Regimental Quartermaster.
“That was all fine and dandy, until one day Lucy’s friend, Theresa, went in there askin’ about us.”
“That’s a fret!” Avery said, looking more scared than ever.
“I know. So we’re gonna make up a tour company, so there’s no way she’ll know anybody who works there and she can’t ask about ya. We’ll tell her it’s a new company.”
“All right. Makes sense. What’ll we call it?”
Jesse thought for a moment. There were all sorts of tours available in Gettysburg. Tour buses, trolleys, horse-drawn carriages, and even those motorized Segways.
“Tell her you’re part of a walking tour. That way she won’t be expecting to see you get on a bus or nothin’.”
“Good, good. What’ll we call the company?” Avery asked.
Jesse’s eyes lit up. “Four Score Walking Tour!”
Fillis and Avery laughed.
“Clever, Jesse,” Fillis said. “I like it.”
“Me, too. I just hope I can get away with it without lookin’ like a damned fool,” Avery said.
“This girl must be very special to you, Avery,” Fillis said.
“Aye, that she is,” he said. “She’s a wonderful gal, and that’s puttin’ it simply.”
“You’d love her, Fillis,” Jesse said. “She’s real sweet. And if anyone needs a mama.”
“Really?” Fillis asked with concern.
Jesse nodded sadly. “Well, she has one, but, you know…”
“Not a good one,” Fillis said.
“ ‘Zactly,” Jesse agreed.
“Well, if this girl is as sweet as you say, she’ll want to shake his hand. What then?” Fillis asked.
“Good point,” Jesse responded. “Lucy was so shy that I knew it’d be a while before she tried to touch me or Joel. Remy’s more outgoing.”
“What do I do? I can’t bear the thought of frightenin’ her!”
Jesse nodded, remembering all too well when Lucy had been afraid of him. It had been unbearable. He suddenly snapped his fingers.
“I got it. Tell her you’ve been sick and you don’t want to spread your germs.”
“Germs? What are germs?”
“Damn, you have been gone a long time,” Jesse said with wonder. “It’s how sickness is spread. Tiny little bugs that you cain’t even see. That’s what makes you sick, and you can make other people sick if you shake hands and kiss and whatnot.”
“Tiny bugs?” Avery asked, looked disgusted and a little worried.
“Yep,” Jesse said. “Not as bad as it sounds. Least we know more now ‘bout how to keep from gettin’ sick.”
“I suppose.” Avery looked a tad overwhelmed. “Jesse, I’m so nervous about talkin’ to her!”
“It’s gonna be just fine, Avery. I promise. You know how Remy is. She’s the easiest person in the world to talk to,” Jesse reassured him.
Avery smiled fondly. “Now that’s the truth.”
Fillis smiled as she watched Avery speak fondly of Remy.
“She has such a way with people, don’t she?” Avery asked.
Jesse smiled. “Yeah, she sure does.”
Remy knew how to read people, and she always seemed to know how to speak to everyone on their own level. She could put people at ease and make them comfortable in any situation. She exuded kindness and warmth, and people were drawn to her sweetness, not to mention her soft beauty.
“Well, I guess I’m as ready as I’m ever going to be. Except…” Avery looked over at Jesse, eyes full of worry.
“What?” Jesse asked.
“I know what I’m supposed to say to her, but what about the way I talk? I don’t want to sound stupid to her.”
“You mean your accent?”
“O’ course!”
“Are you serious?” Jesse asked, incredulous. “Women go nuts over a guy with an accent. Lucy is crazy about my Texas twang for some reason, but you’ve got an Irish accent. Women fall all over themselves for a man who talks like you!”
“You got to be kiddin’ me!” Avery said.
“You’ll see. Believe me, you got nuthin’ to worry about.”
“Second Mama,” Avery said to Fillis. “What about you? Would you go fer a man with an accent like mine?”
“Well, I prefer a woman with an accent,” Fillis told him.
Both Jesse and Fillis watched Avery for his reaction.
“Oh? Ohhhhh,” Avery said, understanding. “I see.”
Avery chuckled softly and smiled at Fillis.
Jesse was happy to see that Avery had no problem that Fillis was gay.
He was from a different time, after all.
So was Jesse, but since he’d been around so long, he felt like he was from the nineteenth, twentieth, and the twenty-first century.
He’d pretty much seen it all through the years.
“I do agree with Jesse, honey,” Fillis said. “I think your accent is lovely to listen to, and I know Remy will be right charmed by it.”
“Thanks,” Avery said, appearing slightly hopeful but not exactly convinced.
“Tomorrow, Avery,” Jesse said. “First tour in the morning. I’ll bring Remy over and just introduce her to my friend. It’s gonna be great.”
“I hope so, Jesse. I truly do.”
Avery looked afraid.
* * *
Avery had been a nervous wreck all morning. He was far too restless to sit still, so he paced back and forth on the high hill of Little Round Top.