It’s ridiculous to think ghosts could be about in sunlight, but there she was. I had seen her before and I watched her out of the corner of my eye, while I sipped my coffee. She was openly studying me, so I turned to give her my full attention. Perhaps she was twelve or thirteen years of age, she was dressed in jeans and t-shirt, with a steady gaze and soft brown eyes. Daylight, no sheet, I could just see my husband's eyebrows rise in that supercilious way if I told him that there was a ghost wearing jeans, in our kitchen. The kitchen clock said 10.20am, I could read it through her shirt. I wondered if I reached out, would my hand go through that shirt? The ghost smiled, as if she could read my mind. That wasn't in any movies I thought and the ghost smiled again.
“Now look here,” I said, "I don't think you should be able to read my mind if I can't read yours.”
"What makes you think you can't read mine?" The question was there but the girl hadn't spoken, I could hear her voice in my heart.
“How did you die?” My words came more easily. “Do you have unfinished business?” Surely all those ghost movies couldn’t be wrong.
"Well no, I haven't died," she said, "but I haven't been born either', her spirit sounded small and lost. "I need your help because I want to live".
“I don’t understand, who are you?” I asked.
"I'm your daughter, or I could be if you will help me."
I gasped at her reply.
“How could you be mine?" If she could read minds, she would know I take contraceptives.
I studied my bruised cheek in the window reflection, how could I possibly bring any child into this marriage?
“I’m not your mother and you wouldn’t want him as your father.” My voice sounded harsh, “I couldn't protect a child from him. I’m sorry," I continued more gently, "I wish you were mine.”
"You could be my mother, but only if you leave before he comes home.” Her eyes were warm and pleading. "Leave and I can be your child in the future, stay and he will kill you tonight."
“I can't leave, he will come after me.” I panicked, “You can't want him as a father, you would never be safe.”
"He won't be my father, my father will be in your future. A safe future, if you leave now."
This beautiful girl could be my child , I stepped closer and saw her image waver.
"Hurry, leave now," her voice insisted.
“How will I know your father?” I asked, grabbing the case I had hidden in the broom cupboard after yesterday's beating.
I turned, the child had vanished, but her reply came with laughter.
"I have his eyes."
“Now look here,” I said, "I don't think you should be able to read my mind if I can't read yours.”
"What makes you think you can't read mine?" The question was there but the girl hadn't spoken, I could hear her voice in my heart.
“How did you die?” My words came more easily. “Do you have unfinished business?” Surely all those ghost movies couldn’t be wrong.
"Well no, I haven't died," she said, "but I haven't been born either', her spirit sounded small and lost. "I need your help because I want to live".
“I don’t understand, who are you?” I asked.
"I'm your daughter, or I could be if you will help me."
I gasped at her reply.
“How could you be mine?" If she could read minds, she would know I take contraceptives.
I studied my bruised cheek in the window reflection, how could I possibly bring any child into this marriage?
“I’m not your mother and you wouldn’t want him as your father.” My voice sounded harsh, “I couldn't protect a child from him. I’m sorry," I continued more gently, "I wish you were mine.”
"You could be my mother, but only if you leave before he comes home.” Her eyes were warm and pleading. "Leave and I can be your child in the future, stay and he will kill you tonight."
“I can't leave, he will come after me.” I panicked, “You can't want him as a father, you would never be safe.”
"He won't be my father, my father will be in your future. A safe future, if you leave now."
This beautiful girl could be my child , I stepped closer and saw her image waver.
"Hurry, leave now," her voice insisted.
“How will I know your father?” I asked, grabbing the case I had hidden in the broom cupboard after yesterday's beating.
I turned, the child had vanished, but her reply came with laughter.
"I have his eyes."
