Free Gifted: Finders Keepers by Marilyn Kaye

of conversation. When he tried to talk to her, she acted like the whole thing had been boring. She just kept shrugging her shoulders and saying, ‘Whatever’. He’d asked her if she was worrying about her operation, and all she said was that she hoped she could get a manicure at the hospital! She was like a different person from the one he’d gone to the seance with. Maybe Jack was right, and she just wasn’t into him. Maybe she’d decided his ‘gift’ really did make him a freak.
    When he emerged from the pool, he saw that Lucy had arrived. She was setting down her bag beside a table and chairs, and she was alone. He ambled over to her.
    ‘Hi.’
    She looked up. ‘Oh, hi, Ken. How’s Jack?’
    ‘Fine,’ he murmured, hoping no one he knew could overhear their conversation.
    She pulled out a chair for herself and one for Ken. ‘Sit down.’
    He did.
    ‘I was just wondering, what’s it like, talking to a dead person?’
    Ken couldn’t meet her eyes. ‘It’s hard to describe.’
    ‘Did you contact more dead people at the seance?’ she asked.
    ‘Some people did. Not me.’
    ‘Do you ever talk to dead people besides Jack? Anyone famous?’
    ‘No, nobody famous. Listen, Lucy, I really don’t like talking about this, OK?’
    She nodded. ‘I can understand that. Because most people aren’t as open-minded as I am. They’d think you were nuts.’
    He couldn’t argue with that. Just then, Lucy’s handbag started to beep.
    ‘Ooh, I’ve got a text message,’ she said. She fumbled in her bag and pulled out her phone. She punched some buttons and looked at the screen. ‘Yay!’ she exclaimed.
    ‘Good news?’ Ken enquired politely.
    ‘Simon Dowell wants to know if I’ll go to the basketball game with him on Tuesday evening.’
    ‘Oh.’ He scratched his head. ‘Are you going to go?’
    ‘Sure. Why not?’
    ‘Um, well . . . you know, Simon has a reputation. I’ve heard he’s kind of a player, if you know what I mean. Do you really like him?’
    Lucy shrugged. ‘He’s OK. But if you don’t think I should go out with him, I won’t.’
    He wished he could tell her it was Jack who was concerned, not him. ‘Well, I can’t tell you what to do. I just wanted to warn you.’
    ‘Thank you, Ken. Listen . . . what are you doing later?’
    ‘Later?’
    ‘Mm. Like, tonight.’
    ‘Tonight?’ he repeated stupidly.
    ‘I thought maybe you’d like to come over to my place.’ She lowered her eyes demurely. ‘My parents are going out.’
    Ken swallowed. ‘Uh, thanks, but, no, um, I have to do something. See ya, Lucy.’ He jumped up and hurried to the boys’ locker room. Once he was safe in all-male territory, he leaned against the wall and let out the breath he’d been holding. Oh, great . She thought he was interested in her – and not in a big brother way. What had Jack got him into? Man, if his best friend wasn’t already dead, Ken would have killed him.
    Maybe Jack heard his thoughts, because he didn’t try to contact Ken the rest of the weekend, and Ken could think about more important subjects. Like the next seance on Monday.
    He’d decided he was definitely going back. That Cassandra, the medium – Ken didn’t have any experience with mediums, but she seemed like the real thing. Her voice, when she related the messages from Margaret’s mother, sounded sincere to him. Like she was really listening to another voice, and like she really cared.
    That poor Margaret! He hoped the medium would be able to help her. Maybe if she knew her mother was OK, in heaven or whatever, she’d feel better and be able to get on with her life. The older woman, Dahlia – she seemed a little nuts, but it was possible she actually had experienced other live s. Lots of intelligent people believed in reincarnation.
    But the one who had really touched him was Stevie. The boy really cared about his family, and he was desperate to help them.
    Ken was dying to talk about this, to share the experience. But he