Chapter 6 #2
“So.” Harlow clasped her hands together. “What is it that I can help you with?”
“Well,” Dahlia hedged and then decided to dive right in. “I was wondering how busy the ghost hunting business is in general. I know you had a successful show and all, but what about private industry? Do you have a steady stream of clients?”
Harlow nodded. “Yep. You’d be surprised by the amount of people who want to eradicate a ghost or even just talk with one.”
“That’s exactly what I was hoping for. I’m thinking about setting up a business where people can bring me objects so I can connect with their loved ones for them.
I just have no idea if that’s going to be lucrative.
I suppose I could do it part time at first to see how it goes before committing to an office space, but I thought you might be able to give me some insight. ”
Harlow sat back against her couch and smiled patiently at Dahlia. “You will have zero trouble with that business model. Assuming your prices are within reach for the general public, I’d imagine your schedule will fill up fairly quickly.”
Dahlia blew out a long breath. “Prices. Ugh. I don’t even know what’s reasonable.” She rattled off a price off the top of her head.
“You need to double that. Maybe even triple it,” Harlow said. “Your gift has value and so does your time. I also imagine that, if you are anything like me, talking with those who have crossed over can drain your energy.”
“It can,” Dahlia admitted. “Not always, but when I’m trying to reach someone, which would be the case if I take on clients, then yeah. That’s likely. The ones who just pop in like Mary Jane did are easy. But the ones I have to try to mentally reach… Those can be tougher.”
Harlow stood suddenly and walked over to her desk. “Listen, I have an idea, but would you indulge me for a moment first?” She opened a drawer and pulled out a silver pen. Then she walked back to Dahlia. “Can you see if this pen will bring someone from the afterlife?”
“Sure.” Dahlia reached for it. “Anyone in particular?”
Harlow nodded but didn’t offer anything further.
Dahlia knew this was some sort of test. She closed her fingers around the pen and waited.
Nothing.
Of course. She gritted her teeth, forcing herself not to say anything or ask any questions.
Most people were skeptical about her ability, and even though Harlow was a ghost hunter herself, she supposed she shouldn’t be surprised the woman wanted some sort of proof that Dahlia wasn’t just a charlatan. A lot of people were these days.
“Gran?” Harlow asked in a hushed tone.
Dahlia glanced over at her and saw a small ghostly woman resting her hand on Harlow’s arm. Harlow was gazing at her with tears in her eyes.
I love you, honey. Trust. Your new friend is everything she says she is. The ghost leaned forward, gave Harlow a kiss on the cheek, and then vanished. Tears streamed down Harlow’s face.
Dahlia reached over and squeezed her hand, knowing exactly how she felt.
The first time she’d seen her own grandmother after she’d crossed, Dahlia had been awash in every emotion from love to pure happiness and sadness to fury.
It just wasn’t fair that loved ones had to be taken from each other.
And even though Dahlia had the ability to speak with those who had already crossed, their experience wasn’t living.
Any ghost who had accepted their fate would tell you that.
They’d pop in, have a few words of wisdom, and then pop right back out.
The connection brought comfort but not fulfillment.
It was the hardest lesson she’d had to learn when she’d started embracing her ability.
“You have to set up shop here,” Harlow said, her voice a little choked. “I mean, if you’re open to that.”
“Here?” Dahlia echoed, shocked to her core. “You mean work for you?”
“No, no.” Harlow shook her head. “I mean set up your office here. There are a couple of offices over there.” She pointed across the room to a small hallway.
“One of the offices isn’t in use. I’ve got a few things stored there, but we can pack everything up and move it out.
I’m proposing that you rent one of the offices and we’ll work in tandem.
You get the clients who just want to talk to their loved ones, and I’ll take on the ones who need help expelling spirits from their lives.
We’ll still have two separate businesses, but we’ll advertise together and refer each other when appropriate. ”
“Wow.” Dahlia didn’t know what to say. “That seems… perfect, but—”
“No buts!” Harlow stood. “Please tell me there aren’t any butts. Your talent… It’s just very special, and I know my clients will be ecstatic to know there is someone who can help them speak to their loved ones.”
“Are you sure? I mean, we just met,” Dahlia said with a slightly hysterical laugh.
“I’m sure. We’ll negotiate a price on the office and work up a contract for shared advertising. We’ll do it as a trial run, and if it doesn’t work for either of us after ninety days, then we’ll call it quits. No questions asked. What do you say?”
Dahlia’s heart was racing as she stared at Harlow. This was it. Everything she’d imagined when she’d decided to move to Keating Hollow was about to come true. “I think the only thing I can say is yes!”
Harlow’s face lit with pure happiness as she beamed at Dahlia. “And to think, because I didn’t have any appointments on the books, I thought today was going to be boring.”
Laughing, Dahlia said, “I can’t promise to make every day interesting, but I can promise that I’m reliable. And once I put my mind to something, I don’t ever go halfway.”
“Dahlia Day, I think this might be the start of a beautiful friendship.” Harlow gestured for her to follow. “Now come on. Let’s work on those contracts.”