Free Who I Am With You by Missy Fleming

ghosts.
    Anna answered the door, ever-present smile plastered on her face. “Morning, Olivia.”
    “Good morning. I made this late last night. It’s not much, but I wanted to show you I appreciate all you’ve done.”
    The nurse closed her eyes and breathed deep. “Oh my, this smells amazing. How long have you been baking?”
    “For the last two years I worked at a bakery in Santa Monica. The owner, Autumn, was kind enough to teach me all about breads and pastries, but I love to experiment on my own.” She patted the loaf, neglecting to mention Autumn’s patience when Olivia went to rehab or the many days she didn’t show up at all. “It’s organic. You said Catherine doesn’t eat many solids, so I hope you enjoy it.”
    “She might be able to try a nibble. I’ll slice some up.” She smiled wide, revealing a gap between her front teeth. “You’re in luck. Today’s a good day for your grandmother.”
    Curious as to what a ‘good’ day consisted of, Olivia stepped cautiously into Catherine’s bedroom. Her heart soared at the sight of her grandmother sitting up in bed with color in her cheeks. Granted, the oxygen tube remained in her nose, but her hair was combed into a chignon and she wore an elegant set of pearls.
    “You look wonderful, Grandmother.” Olivia couldn’t help herself, she leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “Sorry I didn’t stop by yesterday. I needed a meeting.”
    Delighted surprise flashed through the woman’s eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. “And you are too happy. Have you been snorting your drugs again?”
    “Trust me, you’d know if I were. I simply had a good, sober evening.”
    “No doubt you met up with that liberal friend of yours.”
    “Be nice, and yes, I was with Natalie. I met her and her new boyfriend for drinks. Don’t worry, I had water,” she teased. “Also, I ran into someone I never expected to see again.”
    Olivia wasn’t sure why she let the part about Duncan slip. For so long, he’d been a secret she held close to her heart. She hadn’t told Catherine what happened that day, never had a chance to. They were both too grief-stricken to do anything other than argue.
    “A character from your sordid past?” A tiny smirk slipped and Olivia suddenly realized the older woman was enjoying their banter. Well, that’s new, she mused.
    “I saw the man who saved my life on September 11 th .” Olivia’s good mood evaporated when the woman flinched.
    “Who? And what do you mean, ‘saved you’?”
    “Do you want to hear this? It ventures into forbidden territory and it’s unpleasant, but I’d like to share it with you.” Catherine gave a dainty shrug, so Olivia continued, “When the first building collapsed, I was standing right at the base, in its shadow. Out of nowhere, a firefighter ran towards me and pulled me into a deli. We were trapped there until after the second building fell and shook loose the debris blocking the door.”
    “You saw this man last night? This same firefighter?”
    “Yes.” She paused, rubbing a thumb across her wrist. “Such a random, unexpected encounter.”
    “I, I had no idea you were there, too,” Catherine said softly as the significance of the story sank in. “I assumed you were in class and ran down to the towers when you heard. You came home covered in dust and ash, with that broken arm, but you looked the same as everyone else on the news. And I ordered you to a board meeting of all things. A board meeting. How cold of me.” Her last words faded into a strangled whisper.
    Determined, Olivia straightened in her chair. A familiar ache flared to life in her gut, spreading into her limbs and weighing them down. She touched her grandmother’s arm. “We were both hurting.”
    “And my Anderson? Melinda?”
    “Mom and Dad were in the tower the entire time, the second one that was hit. Up until it fell, I believed they’d make it out.” Olivia’s throat closed, but she had to get through