Page 87 of Halloween Town

“That’s not tru—” Ruby started, testily, then stopped. Because maybe it was. Dammit.

“You wanted her to leave Thom, to be on her own, to choose herself, because you didn’t.” Ruby started to protest, but Millie held up her hand. “Honey, you never needed to fix her life; that wasn’t your job. You need to fix yours.”

Millie passed her hand through the dying flames of the bonfire. “Ruby, the reason you’ve never managed to let go, to move on, is because you’ve never forgiven yourself.”

“What should I forgive myself for?” Ruby demanded. She knew, but she needed Millie to confirm it.

“Why don’t you tell me?”

She started to curse, then pulled it back. Millie was too much of a lady to swear in front of. “I’m mad at myself for staying with Connor when I should’ve walked years before. For trying to earn what he should’ve given to me freely or not at all. For running after him, for begging him to love me. I thought that if I just gave a little more, bent over backwards, he’d finally choose me and put me first.” Ruby’s laugh was sharp and held no amusement. “It just made him respect me less.”

Millie’s smile was full of love. “I knew Poppy would run here, just as I knew she would find Thom here. Most importantly of all, I knew she would find herself here. This place, Thom, were always hers. She just needed to realize that she’s worthy of him, more than worthy of her grandfather and me, too worthy of her family and Benji.”

“Amen,” Ruby muttered.

“Besides, Madame Calliope told her she would become Mrs. Sheffield, and she’s never wrong.”

Ruby shook her head, grinned.

“But I also asked you to give her a shove, using the bathroom mirror because you needed my help, even more than she did, darling girl. A two for one, if you will, because you were both looking for something that could only be found within yourselves.” She tipped her head and smiled sweetly. “I might be wrong, but I sense you might be ready to move on.”

Poppy looked at the ball of light drawing closer to Millie and knew that she was right. She could let go of her past and move forward to the next stage. Because while this was still an enjoyable existence, just, she guessed, different, maybe it was time?

Ruby knew that if she took Millie’s hand, she could cross over with her friend, holding her hand for support for whatever came next. Then she remembered Naomi and Lila and winced. “Do I have to go?” she asked.

“You don’t want to?”

She shook her head. “Not yet. I think I want to hang around here a while longer, be with my friends, have some fun.”

Her words, and her feelings toward leaving here felt … well, right. She wasn’t avoiding the future, she wasn’t scared of what she might find on the other side. It just felt like her time here, with Lila and Naomi, was unfinished. This time she wasn’t acting impulsively or running, trying to get ahead of her thoughts and insecurities. No, like Poppy, and after a lifetime of reacting, to men, to love, and to fear, she was very deliberately choosing.

“There’s no rule that says you have to move on,” Millie said, then smiled. “But keep your haunting hijinks tidy, Miss Ruby.”

Ruby nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

Millie nodded. “Maybe it’s a good thing that you are staying, Ruby, darling. You guys will need to stick together to help Hayes and Hadley.”

“Help them with what?” Ruby asked, but then the ball of light, not white, but all colors at once, rolled over her and swallowed Millie up.

“See you when I get there, dear Millie,” she said, feeling lighter and brighter than she had in decades. You could always, she decided, whether it was on this side of the veil or not, get by with a little help from your friends.

Chapter Nineteen

Poppy

A week later, Poppy rubbed her damp hands on her denim-covered butt. She hadn’t seen Thom since the night of the bonfire, and his text message late last night asking her to meet him at Solstice Deep after work the next day was a surprise.

After complete radio silence for days-that-felt-like-months, it was obvious they were over—what could he have to say? Then again, maybe they should meet and clear the air… They were both living in the same small town, it would be super awkward if they couldn’t greet or talk to each other.

Poppy rested her forehead against Solstice Deep’s front door—she didn’t feel comfortable using the kitchen entrance—and gently banged her head against the solid wood. Man, had she missed his deep voice, his scent, the solidity he represented. His steady nature, his big brain, the way he made coffee, the way he loved her…

Thom was her first love, and the man she suspected would be her only, and last, true love. But love couldn’t be demanded, it couldn’t be forced, and if he wasn’t ready, for her or anyone else, there was nothing she could do to change his mind. Maybe, in time, they could find their way back to friendship, but right now, they needed time to get used to living apart and having minimal contact.

And that was why she was surprised by his request to come to Solstice Deep…

Poppy winced at the icy wind blowing off the lake; the weather had turned colder, and the days shorter. With the light rapidly fading, it would soon be dark on this porch, and when the sun disappeared behind the mountains, the temperature would drop even further. She had two choices: knock on the door and see what he wanted, or make the cold walk back down to her cottage on the other side of H-Town.

Devil and the deep blue sea…