Chapter 8

The operating theater was feeling rather small to me. Even though we were all Spirits and really didn't take up any space, I felt things were getting just a little too crowded. I'd tried to make that thought secret until I could suggest another place where we could talk. Ah ... the best intentions.

Tammy looked over at me nodded and smiled with a wink. "Hey guys," she said, "Why don't we go somewhere where we have a little more room."

Kim picked up on that and passed over to us a view of the nearby Waiting Room. We collectively agreed and were soon gathered there. As we misted in, all eyes centered on me. I must have looked embarrassed.

"Looking a little crimson, are we?" chided Marilyn.

"OK, OK," I thought.

It felt as if my whole body was as red as a brilliant stoplight. "It was very crowded in there. I just thought a place with more room would be a little better."

I wanted to sink into the woodwork when Valerie chimed in, "A little claustrophobic ... Eh Will?"

"Yeah. OK, OK!" I answered.

"Yeah, I know it's funny.

"A Spirit who's claustrophobic.

"Big whoop.

"Go ahead and laugh at me.

"Look, tight spaces always made me uncomfortable.

"They still do.

"Sue me!"

Just about then, I looked around the Waiting Room. We were pretty much alone. Except for a very pretty young oriental woman laying on a row of chairs, back toward the center of the room. Her face nestled into the backs of the seats. I assumed she was asleep.

Interestingly enough, there was another young oriental woman intensely reading a book, flipping pages as she read. She was sitting in the last chair in the same row the sleeper was in. I thought it a little strange that both women appeared to be dressed identically. From the similarity between them, I guessed they must be twins. Like her sister, she never seemed aware of us.

I casually thought both were waiting for news of Kim's transplant. After all, that late at night, not too many operations would be in progress. I scanned the complex, you know the 'See-Through-The-Walls' thing, verifying nothing else was going on.

My crew had been continuing the debate about Einstein and time ripples. They didn't appear to hear my thoughts or sense what I was seeing. But everyone took notice at my extreme surprise when I distinctly heard, "I hear you," out of nowhere.

Of course, my friends' eyes were immediately riveted on me. They watched as I looked around the Waiting Room as I searched for who was trying to contact me. I scanned nearby rooms and hallways and couldn't see anyone. No one seemed to be paying attention to our group or more specifically, me.

The only people in evidence other than my group of Spirits were the woman reading and her twin lying on the chairs. Nothing had changed. No new Spirit was evident anywhere.

Strange things had been happening all evening so I just took this additional mystery in my stride. Not thinking there could be any harm in answering I gave the neutral non-committal reply, "How can I help you?"

Well, you could have blown me over when the young woman reading put down her book and looked straight at me. As she put down her book I heard, "I love to read."

Forget that the book went, 'Poof!' when she put it down. It just misted away.

I never had the slightest idea, nor would I have ever guessed, Spirits could hold a book and read it by turning the pages one at a time like she'd been doing. Let alone do that with an imaginary Spirit's Book!

Yeah, I'd scanned through many a book while we were trying to figure out who was the culprit in my murder. I knew Spirit reading was way different from the way the living did it. I just figured, "Why would someone want to read the old fashioned way?"

Well, in response to that assumption she repeated, "I love to read." Then added, "It deliciously passes the time."

I returned a laugh to her along with, "I just never thought of it that way."

Surprised, Kim said, "Soon Lee!" Then looking around at us he explained, "She's my girlfriend.

"But how?" he asked.

She smiled a very demure smile. Folding her hands in her lap, she looked down at them saying, "I've been waiting for you a long time."

"Long time?" he questioned.

"Yes.

"Ever since we met.

"I'm clairvoyant so I knew you had a Spirit hiding inside you. I even called out to it many times. I never got an answer."

Raising her eyes to meet his she softly added, "So I've just been waiting."

Soon Lee was radiant. Her whole body glowed. She was very happy at this new turn of events. She floated over to Kim and passionately passed her hands over his hips and locked her fingers together behind his back.

Kim returned the favor, locking his hands behind her back and pulling her tightly to him. He bent his head forward to meet her up-stretched face. Their lips met in a very sensual kiss. I know because I felt it right through to my toes. They tingled!