TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE ... # 187

TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE
# 187
warning...adult content





~
The rehearsal over, they all sat at a table, discussing how it went, over a beer.

"So, ok...tomorrow, the doors open at seven," Kinsey said. "Zach, Terry...y'all start at nine, then a short break. Steve, y'all start your set at ten. Lights out at twelve. Sound good?"

"Yeah, we'll be ready to go," Terry said.

"I have one question, Kinsey," Steve said. "We're wondering how can we set up and sell our CDs and books. Do you have any ideas?"

Kinsey nodded. "Sure, I figured you could just set them up at one end of the bar, and I'll ring them up as they get bought. No problem."

"Sure, Kinsey, that'd be great. We did think of that, but weren't sure if it'd be too much trouble for you," Steve said.

"Nope, not at all."

They kept talking for awhile longer. "One more round, guys, then I'm shutting it down for now. I've got lots to do tomorrow," Kinsey said.

Everyone got another beer, and toasted to a great show. Ghost kept humming the song he'd sang earlier, and Zach was throwing out ideas of what he could wear on stage. Terry and Steve were laughing at his ideas for a stage costume...anything from a superman cape, to a Santa Claus hat. Zach always wanted to put on a show, and be noticed.

R. J. was leaning back in his chair, up against the wall, half asleep, as usual. Kinsey just watched them all. They were all so different, but he considered them to be his family... his family. Just then, Ghost looked over at Kinsey, locking eyes with him.

"What is it, Ghost?" Kinsey asked, noticing the strange look on Ghost's face.

In fact, Ghost had gotten a jolt of a thought, that had been triggered by Kinsey thinking of family.

"You were thinking family..." Ghost said.

"Yes, I was, Ghost...because you guys are my family...I love you all like family..." Kinsey said.

"I love you, too, Kinsey, like family," Ghost said, "but I have a weird feeling tonight...like...there's more family..." Ghost closed his eyes so he could concentrate better.

Kinsey wondered, not for the first time, how Ghost did it. How he could pull feelings, and visions, and thoughts, and truths, out of thin air. He then felt a strange, electrical, tingling sensation. It made the hairs on his arms stand up, and he shivered. Ghost must be transferring some sort of energy through the air toward me...

Kinsey stared at Ghost, and when Ghost opened his eyes to stare straight into his own, a quick flash of an image came to him...the woman he'd met at Disneyland...the one he'd thought might be Steve's sister...family...

"Ghost?" Kinsey whispered. "What does it mean?"

"I think she'll be here tomorrow night," Ghost said. He looked over at Steve, and the connection was broken. Shaking his head, to clear it, he grabbed Kinsey's hand. "Don't say anything to Steve, ok? It might not be true."

Kinsey nodded. This was the weirdest experience he'd ever had. He now had a small understanding of what Ghost had lived with every day of his life. It was entirely too strange for him, though, he knew. He admired Ghost for being able to handle it as well as he did. No wonder Ghost freaked out sometimes, he thought...it must get awfully crowded in his head, and he had to let it all go once in awhile.

Steve was still laughing with Terry. He hadn't noticed what had just happened between Ghost and Kinsey.

Kinsey frowned..."What do you think will happen, if this woman shows up?" he asked.

"I guess they'll see each other, and know for sure if they're family," Ghost said. "But, Kinsey, I already think they are...and Steve's in for a shock...and his life will change in an instant. Either he'll be happy or he won't, but it'll effect him...and me, too."

Kinsey saw that Ghost looked worried about that.

"I mean, it's been so long. She last saw Steve when he was a kid, and she don't know how things happened to him...how I happened to him." He gulped. "What if she don't like me, Kinsey?"

"I wouldn't worry about that, Ghost," Kinsey said. "Yeah, things happened to Steve, to you, and don't forget, to her, too. Every one of you have changed since then."

Ghost nodded, "Yeah, like I said before, we all get changed...every day, a little bit every day."

"I remember you saying that, Ghost...and it's true."

"And, this here one will be a big one. They'll have to get to know each other again." Ghost looked down at the table. "And me...she'll have to know me, and she never even seen me before."

"I know, Ghost, that will happen," Kinsey said.

They were quiet for a minute. "Oh, I almost forgot," Kinsey said. "She had those two little kids with her."

Ghost looked up at that, his eyes wide. "Kinsey, what if they come live at our house? There's no room, and we don't know about little kids," he said, looking anxious.

"I doubt they'd move in, Ghost. She has her life out in California, now. Probably, she'd just come for a visit, that's all. And, even if she did move back here, she'd want a place of her own."

Ghost didn't seem so sure about it, though. "Yeah, ok, but this whole thing is making me upset. I mean, I'm happy...or happy for Steve, if he is...but, if he's not, then I can't be, and all the rest don't matter. Just that, really," Ghost said, his shoulders drooping. He took a big breath. "I don't know what to think, anymore." He rubbed his hands over his forehead.

Kinsey was afraid Ghost was going to get a migraine, or flip out from thinking so hard. "Ghost, don't be worrying about it. It may not even happen, and if she does show up, well, we'll handle it, ok?"

Ghost nodded. Steve looked over at them, then. "Handle what?" he asked.

"Just things in general, Steve," Kinsey said.

Steve looked from Kinsey to Ghost, knowing he wasn't being let in on the conversation. "Ok, whatever...well, anyway, Ghost, are you ready to go home? We have lots to do, too," he said, standing up.

"Yeah, guess so," Ghost said, as he got up from the table.

"Ok, guys...see y'all tomorrow night." He and Ghost headed for the front door. In the car, Steve asked Ghost again, what they'd been talking about.

"Oh, just the show...and family," Ghost said, trying hard not to reveal his premonition.

~
Next part coming soon!





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