“I’m going to stay here in my office while you have your class, okay sweetie?”

“Are you teaching, mommy?”

“Nope, I’m just too tired. If I go home, I’ll fall asleep and…”

“I’ll be here forever!” Leilani mock cried.

“Yup. I won’t wake up until next Tuesday!” Chelsie grinned and planted a loud kiss on Leilani’s forehead. “Let’s get you to class!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Leilani was right, she would be here forever!”

“Huh?” Chelsie opened one eye and peered around the small room. Realizing she had fallen asleep at her desk, she stifled a yawn and sat up slowly, her back protesting every movement. “Where is she?”

Gev moved closer and began to rub her shoulders. Chelsie couldn’t hide the murmur of contentment as his touch relaxed her sore muscles.

“She joined in the baby hip hop, she loves it so much. It’s a small class this afternoon, so Felicia didn’t mind.”

“I’m sorry Gev, I had a really…strange…night, last night. I didn’t get much sleep.”

“It’s no problem.”

“What did Leilani tell you?” Chelsie let her head fall forward as Gev continued massaging her shoulders. It felt so good, she couldn’t bring herself to ask him to stop.

“She said that I better check on her mommy because she probably fell asleep and won’t wake up until Tuesday.”

“Nice.” Chelsie giggled. “She knows me too well!”

Before Chelsie could protest, Gev leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “Feel better now?”

“I…I…yes…thank you.” Chelsie stammered, stunned by the quick kiss.

Gev sat on the corner of her desk, smiling down at her. “We need to practice, Chelsie.”

“Practice what?” Chelsie exclaimed, still thinking about the kiss.

“Our dance for the show, we haven’t rehearsed yet.”

“Oh…yes…Gev...sorry.”

“What, aren’t you going to dance now?” Gev’s face fell, the disappointment obvious.

“Oh I am, I just don’t know about dancing together. Give me one more night, okay? I’ll let you know tomorrow as soon as I can.”

“Is this because of your strange night last night?”

Chelsie signed and covered her face with her hands. How much did she want to share? How much did she want to say before people thought she was insane? Gev seemed to believe her though. He’d encountered Mark in some way recently. Maybe he’d believe.

“I talked to Mark last night.”

Gev leaned over and took her hands in his. “Did you see him?”

“No, I could only hear him. He says he’s coming back tonight.”

“And you want to ask me about dancing with me.” It was a question, but Gev made it a statement of fact.

“Yes…you…you don’t think I’m crazy?” Chelsie stared into Gev’s eyes, surprised that she didn’t see a look of disbelief there.

“Chelsie, I told you Mark came to me as well. What I didn’t tell you was that my great gramma died when I was 6. She and I used to talk all the time after she passed away. She would come and visit with me and we’d talk about everything. I still talk to her now and then; I don’t think she likes being away from home too much though. I believe that our loved ones are still with us, Chelsie, so why wouldn’t I believe you?

Chelsie stood up and threw her arms around Gev’s neck, giving him a tight squeeze.

“Thank you, Gev.”

“You talk to Mark tonight, and let me know. I’ll respect your wishes Chelsie.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chelsie could sense Mark’s presence as soon as they stepped in the apartment. He didn’t say anything, so she and Leilani carried on with their normal afternoon activities. Chelsie made grilled cheese sandwiches for their late lunch, and then they devoured the chocolate cake that Gev had insisted she take home to Leilani from their dinner the night before.

“Mommy, I know you already had a nap so are you still going to have a nap with me?”

Chelsie laughed. “Yes, honey, sleeping on the desk wasn’t too comfortable.”

“Yay! I’m going to get my blankie.” Leilani ran off as Chelsie cleared the table.

“I want to have a nap too.”

Mark’s voice so close to her ear made Chelsie jump.

“Mark!”

“I was able to come through earlier today. Where have you been?”

“I fell asleep at work, so Lani got an extra lesson.” Chelsie explained, sheepishly.

“Oh, sorry. Hey...come on…so we can get ready and Lani doesn’t hear us.” Mark urged.

Chelsie deposited the dishes in the sink and walked quickly to the living room. “Now what?”

“I’m on the sofa, just come over and I’ll tell you where to sit.” Mark directed Chelsie so that she could lay on the couch as if she was lying with him. “Even though we can’t really touch. I’d like to make it seem as if we are laying together.” Mark explained to her. Chelsie stretched her arms out for Leilani as she entered the room. Leilani instantly curled up beside Chelsie, snuggling her face into her pink blanket. Chelsie felt the cool breeze that she associated with Mark’s presence surround them and she sighed contentedly. They were a family together…kind of.

“I love you, baby girl.” Mark whispered.

“I love you too, daddy and mommy.” Leilani sleepily replied, her eyes half closed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mark remained for the rest of the night, following his girls around the house, telling Leilani silly stories that made her laugh and run around the house and that made Chelsie want to scream because she was finding it difficult to pretend that she still couldn’t hear him.

“We need to tell her that I can hear you now. You were killing me tonight.”

“It was fun.” Mark chuckled. “Lani had a good night.”

Chelsie peeked in on their sleeping daughter, who had collapsed onto her bed without even changing.

“She must have been exhausted.” Chelsie tucked the blankets around her and kissed her cheek. “We wiped her out today.”

“God, she’s gorgeous.” Mark muttered. “It’s almost unbelievable.”

“Kid’s got good genes.” Chelsie nodded in agreement.

“Well, her mom’s beautiful. I know that.”

“Her dad was pretty frigging gorgeous too.” Chelsie retorted. “Leilani got everything from you.”

“We did good.” Mark stated simply. “Really good.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chelsie readied herself for bed, releasing her hair from its ponytail, letting it fall in waves around her shoulders and pulling one of Mark’s shirts on.

“Would you be freaked out if I lay with you?”

“Didn't we already do that this afternoon?”

“I guess, kind of.”

“Are you naked?”

“Does it make a difference?”

“I guess, no, not really, since I can’t see or touch you. Can you see me?”

Chelsie climbed into the bed, drawing her legs up to her chest and relaxing against the headboard.

“Oh yes.” Mark breathed deeply. “I can see you so very well.”

“Then why can’t I see you?” Chelsie pouted.

“That doesn’t get to happen very often, despite all the ghost stories you hear. It has to be a very special occasion usually.”

“I want to see you, Mark. I need to remember you the way you were…are, not the way you looked the last time I saw you.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Mark replied, his voice low. “I promise.”

Chelsie twisted towards Mark’s voice, winding the blankets around her slender legs. “Gev wants me to dance with him.”

“I know.”

The tone of his voice caused Chelsie to look up. “You don’t sound too thrilled about that.”

“I just…I can’t hold you back Chelsie. I’m here for you, but...Gev really likes you.”

Chelsie started to tear up at hearing the pain in Mark’s voice. “I like Gev too, but...I won’t stop loving you Mark.”

“You need to dance with him.”

“Mark.”

“It will be magic, dance with him, please.” Chelsie could tell Mark was trying not to cry.

“Where are you?”

“I’m right beside you. Chels, I want you to find someone. You can’t live your life wishing I were still alive. It’s not fair to you. It’s not fair to Leilani.”

“What are you trying to tell me, Mark?”

“I can’t say very much, just, follow this through and see what happens. Dance in the show, dance with Gev and dance for me.”

Chelsie tilted her head in the direction of Mark’s voice. “How do you know Gev is the one?”

Mark was silent for a moment. “I can’t say, but he does really like you Chels, he’ll be good for you. Leilani loves him.” Mark’s voice held that sad note once more.

“She’ll never love anyone as much as she loves her daddy.”

“I know.” Mark sniffed. “I know she loves me. I just wish…I want to hold her, just once. I have a beautiful little girl that I never got to kiss or hug.”

“Well, if they let me see you, maybe they’d let you hug Leilani?”

“I don’t know. I just don’t know.” Mark’s voice held a tone of defeat. “I hate this.”

“No matter what happens, I will always love you. Please know that.” Chelsie reached her hands out. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Chelsie.” Mark sobbed.

Chelsie pushed her legs under the blankets and lay down. “Can you stay or do you have to go?”

“I can stay.”

Chelsie held her arms out. “Then stay with me, Mark. Spend the night with me."