Free Siren Spirit by Elizabeth M. Hurst Page B

friends.
    Emma had a sudden longing for a sibling, someone who shared her upbringing, someone who could help her. She was grateful to have a friend like Meredith, yes, but Meredith had two brothers and a sister. She didn’t know what being an only child was like.
    Meredith planted a kiss on her forehead.
    “Honey, I really should go now. I said I’d visit my mother. I think Grace will be okay for tonight. I suspect she’s probably shedding her own tears in the astral plane somewhere. If you need me, call and I can escape. Don’t sit here and sob your heart out alone.”
    Emma coughed. “Thank you so much. For everything.”
    “Hey, thank you. This is a learning experience for me too. We have more to learn about dear Grace, but now we know who she is, perhaps you can do a little research and we can find out why she’s still here in this world. I’ll have a think about the next steps on a spiritual level. You, my lovely, need to get some rest.”
    ***
    Emma relaxed into the indulgent, fizzing soap suds with an audible moan of pleasure.
    “Oh, this feels so wonderful, Lily.”
    The cat blinked from her perch on the wicker linen basket and nonchalantly licked a paw.
    “Well, I guess baths aren’t really your thing, are they?”
    Emma took another sip of wine and giggled.
    “I think I deserve this, I really do.”
    She missed her life as a married woman. Not Paul. She didn’t miss him at all, but she hated coming home to an empty house after a stressful day at work, with no one’s arms to fall into. Companionship. That was what she missed most of all.
    Her mind wandered back to Lewis. Perhaps her hot neighbour would fill the gap in her life? The night they had spent together had been hasty, she knew, but she didn’t regret it one little bit. In fact, it had made her feel so wonderful again, after the heartbreak of Paul. She did regret the fact that he lived next door though. How was she going to face him again after that?
    ***
    The doorbell rang just as dusk was settling on the village. Even before she got to the door, Emma knew it was Lewis.
    She hesitated a little before letting him in, studying his face for clues as to whether he was disappointed in her.
    “I’m really sorry.” It was all she could say.
    They sat down on the sofa and she took his hand and stroked it.
    “I’m so not ready for a relationship right now,” she said eventually.
    “Me neither. ” Lewis looked relieved.
    “Something has happened which has made me question some things and also brought back a lot of painful memories and emotions.”
    She took a deep breath. Lewis sat in silence, patiently waiting for her to continue. After a long pause, she decided just to tell him everything.
    She started with the ring, the perfume and the seduction. She left out most of the details, except that it had felt like a human, not some kind of ethereal being from another dimension, and definitely not dead.
    She told him about what had happened with Meredith and her breakdown afterwards. She mentioned how Grace’s story had given her a chance to focus on someone else and not get too bogged down in herself.
    Lewis listened carefully, staring at her. She couldn’t tell if he believed her or not, but she considered that to be his problem, not hers.
    “Well, I think you’re right about not wanting a relationship,” he said eventually. “There’s way too much other stuff going on here.”
    He took a sip of coffee and breathed a deep sigh.
    “Friends?”
    Emma beamed with delight.
    “Yes, I’d like that, of course!”
    “In which case, it’s high time I was heading home. You go back to work in a few days, yes? So, let’s try and get to the bottom of this mystery before then. That is, if you’d like me to help?”
    “That would be great, thanks.”
    Emma smiled in genuine gratitude. It had been easier than she had expected, but something didn’t feel quite right. Her head knew she’d made the right decision, but what of her heart? It seemed