She wished she could give him an answer. “I don’t know.”
Evidently tired of listening to the adults and ready to get to her own mission, Prissy tugged at Celeste’s arm. “Is that him? Are you Dax? The one who’ll take me to Daddy? I need to make sure he’s okay, and I want to tell him and Mama goodbye.”
Celeste tried to focus on the little girl and not on Dax, but Adeline Vicknair’s words kept whispering in her thoughts.
“Twelve hours at best, but more likely six.”
She didn’t have time to waste, but they had to help Prissy get to her parents. What if that took all the time she had? And what if she never could get back again? She wanted to talk to Dax, really get to know him, learn as much as possible about him before she crossed. And she wanted to make love with him.
“You’ll help me?” Prissy asked, and Celeste put her own fears at bay. Hopefully, she’d still have at least a bit of time left after they helped the little girl. Maybe not enough to experience everything she wanted to, but she wasn’t going to worry about that now. She had another chance to be with Dax, and she was grateful for whatever time they got. As soon as they took care of Prissy, she’d spend every minute, every second, with him.
“Yes, I’ll help you,” Dax said to Prissy, then he gave Celeste a soft smile. “I can’t believe you’re here. I thought-well, I didn’t think I’d see you again. There’s so much I want to say, but-” he looked at Prissy and smiled at the eager expression on her face “-I need to get you to your folks first, don’t I?”
She nodded, and Dax crouched down to eye level with her. Then he looked up toward Celeste. “You’re here? I mean, you aren’t leaving anytime soon?”
“Six to twelve hours,” she said honestly.
His smile slipped, but then he nodded. “I’ll take what I can get.” Then he turned his attention back to Prissy. “I will help you see your parents again, okay?”
She nodded enthusiastically. “Okay.”
Celeste noted how at ease Dax was with the little ghost. He obviously knew that crouching to her level would make her more comfortable; he was the type of guy who would remember those kind of little things, the type of guy who paid attention to details. Celeste wondered if that trait carried over to other aspects of his life. Was he always that in tune with what people needed? Would he be that in tune to what his lover needed?
She swallowed. Yes, he would.
She could hardly wait.
Prissy, oblivious to the sensual tension filling the room, rattled, “My sister, Cassie, she went over already, you know, to see Granny. But I just want to see Mama and Daddy one more time, and maybe hug them, if I can. Can I?”
“Yes,” Dax said, his voice thick with emotion-for the little ghost, or for Celeste? Or both?
“Ms. Adeline said you can help me get back to them. I was scared to come down the dark path at first, but then Ms. Adeline found Celeste, and she kept me from being afraid.”
“I’m glad she did,” he said, then those hazel eyes focused on Celeste once more. “Very glad.” There was no denying that his words were spoken more to Celeste than to Prissy, and the desire in his tone was unmistakable.
“Do you know them? My daddy and mama? My daddy’s name is Stanton, and my mama’s name is Rebecca.” Prissy’s pigtails bobbed with every word.
She wore clothing similar to what her twin had been wearing, except where hot-pink bows had adorned Cassie’s head, bright yellow ones topped off Prissy’s brown hair. And where Cassie’s dress had been yellow trimmed in pink, Prissy’s was hot pink trimmed in yellow. Celeste imagined the twins together, in their matching dresses and identical angelic faces, and was sure that, in their parents’ minds, they were unique treasures.
Celeste wondered where they had been going when they died. They were dressed up, maybe for church?
She glanced down at the glowing white satin gown that covered her body. Last time she came to Dax, she’d had on the jeans and tank that she’d been wearing when the bus crashed. Why had she changed? And how?
Prissy continued talking, but Celeste wasn’t listening; she was surveying the way the young girl’s body glowed. A bright, almost golden-yellow light illuminated Prissy’s entire body; in contrast, Celeste’s body was cloaked in a pale, creamy luminance.
Was the difference because she was an adult, and Prissy a child? Or was there more to it?
Prissy’s sobs quickly yanked her away from her thoughts. “I miss them.”
Celeste’s heart ached for the little girl’s parents, specifically for her father, who Adeline had said was driving the car when it crashed.
“Can you see them now?” Dax leaned toward the girl, but didn’t reach out to touch her, Celeste noticed. She wondered if that was why she’d been called to help Prissy, and Chloe, with crossing. Right now, as Dax spoke to the little girl, her hand gripped Celeste’s, as though she was fearful to let go. It had to be scary for these young children to try to complete these tasks on their own. Even with a medium to help, they’d need someone who could hold their tiny hand, someone…like Celeste. She returned Prissy’s squeeze and smiled down at the little girl.
Prissy nodded at Dax. “I saw them as soon as we got here,” she said. “Right after Celeste and I left Ms. Adeline and then came here, I could see them. And I need to talk to them.”
“Where are they?” Dax asked, still at Prissy’s eye level.
“At the hospital,” she said, her black eyes glittering. “Ms. Adeline said to tell you it’s the one where your brother works. That’s where Daddy is.”
Dax nodded. “Where Gage works. That’s Ochsner, in New Orleans. Tell me something, Prissy. Can you still see them, right now? Because if you can see your parents now, you can go to them at the hospital. All you have to do is think about wanting to be with them, and you’ll go directly to that room. You can stay beside them and try to comfort them.”
“But they won’t know I’m there,” she said. “Not unless you come too, so you can tell them.”
“Some people don’t realize when a spirit is near, but most do, particularly if it’s someone they care about and love, the way your parents love you.”
“But I need you to come, so I’m sure that they know I’m there. I want them to know,” she said, her small face set with fierce determination.
“I’m going to leave right now to go to the hospital,” he assured. “But Ochsner is a good hour’s drive from here, so it’ll take me a little time to get there. If you want to come with me in my car, you can, or you can go on ahead and stay with them, until I get there. When I’m there, I’ll help you communicate with them.”
“Then I can talk to them, you mean?”
He smiled. “Yes.”
“Okay. Then I’d like to go to them now, please,” she said, and tilted her head toward Celeste. “You’ll come too, won’t you?”
“Of course I will. I won’t leave you,” Celeste said calmly, though her emotions were in turmoil. An hour’s drive. Another hour of her time with Dax.
Prissy turned back to Dax. “So we’ll see you in an hour, right?”
“I’ll see you in an hour.” He stood and looked pointedly at Celeste. “Six to twelve hours, right?”
“That’s what Adeline said.”
His smile faltered slightly. “Okay. Then we’ll make the most of them.”
“Yes.” She swallowed. “Dax, after we help Prissy…”
He waited. When she didn’t continue, he prompted, “After we help Prissy…”
“I need you-”
“Come on, I see them!” Prissy excitedly pulled on Celeste’s hand. The two of them instantly left the plantation, and Dax, and arrived at the hospital room.
Prissy ran to the man in the bed, and the woman sitting at his side, while Celeste’s head reeled from the rapid change in scenery. Her body suddenly felt as if she’d run a marathon. She moved to the opposite side of the room, found a chair and sat down. She was exhausted, already tired and drained from her brief time here, and she hadn’t even touched Dax yet.