ghosting ♪ reggie peters [jatp]

15

15. GOODBYES

Eleanor deeply hated goodbyes.  They always left bittersweet memories of what once was and what could've been.  She never said her farewells before she died, and she thought she preferred it that way.  Call it a fear of confrontation, but they brought too much pain for her to deal with.  So instead, she left everything open-ended.

She hated goodbyes so much that she chose to face her unfinished business without giving a hint to her band as to just where she ran off to.  Her parents house loomed before her, the suburban home holding the two people that stood between her and the rest of her afterlife.  The moment Alex informed her of the concept of unfinished business, Eleanor knew that hers was seeing her parents one last time.

When she first materialized back on Earth, one of the first things she did was look up her parent's new address and memorized it so she could find them once she got the courage to do so.  And now, with the boys leaving, she got the final push to face her fears.

Eleanor hated goodbyes, so she took the coward's way out and decided to leave without one.

She slowly entered her parent's house and found her way to the kitchen, where her mother was finishing preparing dinner.  Her father sat at the table with a book in hand, reading intently.  Both remained oblivious to their daughter's presence and continued about their evening with Eleanor always in the back of their minds.  The ghost felt as if she was running on autopilot, watching them intently and trying to ignore her trembling hands.  She focused on her breathing and grounding herself so as not to repeat what had happened the night of the school dance.

"Hi guys, it's been a while," She whispered after calming down, taking a seat across from her father as her mother set a plate in front of him.  "Ooh, spaghetti, my favorite."

"Eleanor's favorite," Her dad smiled softly, to which her mother nodded.  Eleanor couldn't get over how old they looked now.  She had missed so much in the past twenty-one years.

"I've been thinking a lot about her, lately.  Thought this would help," Her mother replied, sitting in the remaining chair.

"I miss you guys so much.  I'm so sorry I ended things the way I did, but I'm a lot happier now.  I'm doing big things.  You guys would've been so proud of me," Eleanor whimpered, her voice breaking as tears began to stream down her face.

Silence fell between the three of them, save for Eleanor's soft cries, as her parents ate and she attempted to hold onto their hands.

"I love you both.  Thank you for everything you've done for me.  I just wish you could see me now before I leave for good."

Nothing happened, although Eleanor was unsure of what was actually supposed to occur when crossing over, so she looked around suspiciously.

"Is this it?  Do I need to say anything else?"

"I thought your little speech was quite lovely.  What more can be said?" An unfamiliar voice asked.  Eleanor tensed as she felt a hand rest on her shoulder and she jumped from her seat.  A man dressed in a black suit and top hat with a menacing smirk stood before her.

"Who in the everloving fuck are you and what are you doing in my parent's house?" Eleanor hissed, immediately untrustworthy of the stranger.

"Caleb Covington.  Lovely to finally meet you, Miss Eleanor.  I've been dying to get you alone after my encounter with your little friends."

"You're Caleb?  Sir, with all due respect, I am about to beat the shit out of you."

Eleanor pulled her arm back and prepared to swing, but her fist was caught in his grasp and a burning sensation on the back of her hand caused her to recoil.  She looked down in terror as she saw an intricate design imprinted into her skin that soon faded away, taking her consciousness into the hands of Caleb.