Josey bounced her leg on the floor. The speaker had promised to cut a long story short, but that was an hour ago and he had not yet reached the crescendo of his address.
"This is insufferable." Aurora hid her face behind the programme.
"Being eaten alive by a shark is insufferable. This is just boring."
Aurora smirked. "You know what I mean. All I can think of is how good a cosmopolitan is going to taste when we finally get out of here."
"Would you shush?" A man behind them snorted. "I came all the way from the other side of town to hear him speak."
"Sorry you wasted your time."
Josey shot Aurora a look, and then tried to stifle her giggles. "Let's just go. I no longer care whether he has anything interesting to say."
They gathered their bags as quietly as possible and planned their escape. There were three people they needed to get past, so it made sense to do so in relay. Aurora went first.
"Can't see."
"Put a sock in it, old boy."
Aurora apologised as she clambered over three sets of knees. She threw Josey a triumphant look and a thumbs up. She'd wait for Josey at the hotel bar. With a large cosmopolitan.
After two minutes, Josey shifted into Aurora's seat and began her apologetic lap hurdles until she too was free. The old man sniffed in her direction. She could almost taste the cosmo. She leant on the exit door and slipped out. The lights flickered around her. A fizz and pop left her in the dark. Trying not to panic because she couldn't see, Josey reached for the wall. Her hand landed on a cold shoulder.
"Don't go looking for ghosts where there aren't any."
It was hard to tell whether the voice came from the figure or whether it was only in her mind. Either way, it left her shaken and she backed into another cold body. The same sentence filled her ears.
"Don't go looking for ghosts where there aren't any."
She felt a hand on her cheek.
"Josey, are you OK?" Aurora was staring down at her.
The lights were on and she was on her back. A bell hop hovered.
"Do you know what, I think she's OK. Probably just low blood sugar. Right Josey?"
She managed a nod. "It happens sometimes. I'll be fine."
The bell hop looked relieved. "Would madam like assistance to the nearest chair?"
"We've got it, thanks." Aurora shoved a bill into his palm before helping Josey up.
The bell hop muttered something about being available if they needed him and left.
"What happened back there? When you didn't show at the bar I came looking for you."
"I'm not really sure. I came out of the auditorium, the lights went out and someone or something frightened me. I must have blacked out after that."
"Jeez, Josey. You need to switch to romance novels. All those thrillers you read are making you jumpy for no reason."
"You're probably right." Josey smoothed her dress. "How about those cocktails?"
Apparently they weren't the only ones who needed a drink. The bar was buzzing with the after-work crowd. By the third cocktail, Josey had almost forgotten about her earlier ordeal.
"Hmm, that pianist can tickle my ivories any night of the week." Aurora raised her eyebrows in his direction. "I've always loved a man with beautiful hands."
"If I remember correctly, the last man whose hands you dated had long fingers too."
Aurora laughed. "Ah, Josey. Thank goodness you're here to stop me from dreaming about that man's hands all over..."
"Spare me." Josey turned back to the bar and sipped her drink. When she looked up, she saw a reflection that made her unsteady. "Do you see what I see?"
"If you're talking about that delicious man at the piano, then yes."
Josey turned Aurora towards the mirror. "Look at that."
Aurora stared. "All I see is us. And thanks for telling me that my hair looks flat." She rolled her eyes at Josey and returned her attention to the rendition of 'Imagine' on the other side of the room.
Josey blinked hard. It was still there. The apparition from earlier was staring at her from the mirror with its fish eyes. "What do you want?"
"I told you. That man's hands all over..."
"I'm going to the bathroom. Watch my drink."
"Oh, I will try. He's just so distracting."
Josey locked the stall door and sat on the toilet. Everything she touched felt clammy. Her breath was shallow. She closed her eyes and willed herself to forget the face in the mirror. She felt bilious.
"Why is this happening?" Josey rasped her question at the advert on the back of the door. The lights began to flicker. she heard the ping and hiss of the fluorescent bulb above her. She gripped the walls and waited. Then there was darkness. Her breath escaped in small puffs that left a white trail. She could feel it coming.
"Don't go looking for ghosts where there aren't any."
"What do you want with me?"
"We want you to remember."
The roar in her ears made it difficult to hear her own voice. "I don't understand."
"Remember the house."
Josey's frown relaxed as she was plunged into a memory.
"That was twenty years ago."
"Remember."
Obeying was easier than resisting. Her mind flooded with images of her and Rory skulking around Mr Benson's house. He lived on the edge of town by the lake and kept to himself. She and Rory spent their afternoons at the lake during the summer. Her jaw clenched. One day she'd dared him to climb the tree over the lake and go out on a limb over the water. Rory bragged that not only would he do that, he'd come and claim his prize - a kiss - from her when he came down.
Except that never happened. The branches were rotten and Rory fell into the lake, hitting his head on a rock. He was dead in seconds.
Josey opened her eyes and saw Rory's face through her tears. He looked the way she remembered: vital and full of mischief.
"It's time to forgive yourself."
Josey shook her head.
"It was an accident."
She wiped her eyes. "It was my fault."
"No. It was mine. I was so in love with you that I felt I had to prove it."
"You didn't."
"I know that now."
Josey relaxed her shoulders. As bizarre as it was to be faced with Rory again, she knew that it was all right to stop feeling guilty. She'd carried the blame like a dead weight for twenty years. It was time to put the ghosts to rest.
"Goodbye Rory."
The lights came back on and two enthusiastic voices filled the bathroom.
She found Aurora where she'd left her. "I think I am going to call it a night."
"Why? It's still early."
"I'm just tired, that's all. Are you staying?"
Aurora held up a napkin. "Only until I can get my phone number to the Piano Man."
Knowing Aurora, that's exactly what she'd do.
"See you tomorrow then."
Aurora put her hand on Josey's arm. "Hey. Are you sure you're OK?"
Josey smiled. "I feel lighter than I have in a long time."
"That's what happens when you drink. Stay a bit longer and eat something. You'll feel better."
"Thanks, but I am going to walk. Clear my head, breathe the air, you know?"
"Fine, but if I don't hear from you in thirty minutes, I'm sending a search party."
"I don't think that will be necessary. For the first time in a long time I have found myself."
"Good lord, you're drunker than I thought. Are you sure you won't stay?"
Josey kissed her cheek. "Good night."
Aurora stared after her. She couldn't help but notice something electric about her friend. Why else would the lights flicker as she walked past? She shook her head and scolded herself for being silly. She could almost hear her mother warning her not to chase ghosts where there weren't any.
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