EXCERPT

“Camille.” Gail gave a healthy diphthong to the last syllable of my name. “Hal called.”

I glanced at her then continued to help the lady who wanted to buy the vintage lace doilies. “You’re going to love these,” I said as she admired the intricate stitching.

“They remind me of things I used to see in my grandmother’s house.” She pronounced house to rhyme with dose, like many Virginians.

“I’m glad they’re going to a good home.”

She grinned as if she were adopting a puppy. “I have the perfect spot for them,” she assured me.

After she’d left, I turned back to my sister. She was smiling at me, most likely trying to figure out how a guy like Hal Caleb could be interested in me.

Even though my heart was still beating doubletime that he’d called, I calmly dusted off a few of the crystal and brass doorknobs lying on the front counter.

“He said he’d be in Richmond next week and wanted you to know.” She stretched out the last word just to irritate me.

I pretended not to be interested at this news. I’d never even been out on a date with him, but I was very tempted. I ran the feather duster across the set of ladderback chairs sitting in the front window. His phone call meant he’d be paying me a visit.

“Think he’ll invite you to go on one of his digs this time?”

She was probably jealous a world-renowned archaeologist with tons of earned and honorary degrees was interested in a college drop-out like me.

“I don’t know,” I said. He’d invited me on countless digs, but I only went when I could afford it. Hal always offered to pay since, in addition to being well-mannered, smart, and interesting, he was also rich. And, dang it all, with that jet black hair and cat-like amber eyes, he had more women than a dog had fleas.

I could feel Gail’s eyes on my back. She wanted to pry, but knew better.

The phone rang breaking the tension. Gail scampered into the back room to answer it.

A tingle ran up my legs as I imagined Hal on the other end. But I couldn’t let anybody know how much he turned me on. I was convinced if he found out he’d see me as just be another bimbo following behind him across deserts and Grecian ruins.

Gail appeared in the doorway separating the sales room from our work area with her eyes wide and her mouth gaping open.

Gail wasn’t easily surprised especially after she up and married a ghost.

“It was the people from the DNA project,” she said.

Recently Gail had become interested in knowing more about the female side of our family. Some of us, like Gail and my Aunt Ruby, had the ability to see the dead. I’d accepted it, well, sort of. More than anything, I’d wanted Gail to forgive me for having her committed to a loony bin. What was I supposed to do? My sister was talking to people who weren’t there. Eventually I’d given in and acknowledged Gail’s and Aunt Ruby’s imaginary spouses. “You won’t believe it,” Gail said as she pushed her short dark hair behind her ears. “There’s a lady who’s a match to our mitochondrial DNA.”

I was very interested in genealogy and researching the family, but finding a link to kinfolk who imagined things didn’t sound very interesting. As if in answer to my thoughts, Gail turned and kissed the air beside her. “Zeb, they’ve located our relatives.” She paused to listen to something he was allegedly saying. “Isn’t that great?” She gazed into his imaginary eyes. “I know. We’ll have to visit her,” she answered.

I could only guess what her husband said. I’d never heard him speak nor had I ever seen Zebulon except for a photo taken in 1861.

She turned to me. “When do you want to go and meet our cousin?”

“Gail, that is your interest, not mine.”

“You know. You’re thirty-three and you could start to start perimenopause fairly soon.”

I gritted my teeth.

“So, you don’t know if you have ‘the gift’.” She raised her eyebrows. “You could be just like Grandma, Aunt Ruby, and me all rolled into one.” I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. “I think I’d know if I had ‘it’ by now.”

Gail gave me a look you’d give a little boy who just proclaimed he’d never be interested in girls. “Maybe this long lost cousin has the gift too.” Just what I wanted – more insanity in my life.

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