I watched as Evangeline's eyes grew wide.

"Oh my God!"

She turned to me.

"She is real."

.

I nodded, pouring myself a drink.

"Meet my daughter, Eva."

.

Whisper was now fully visible to Evangeline. She was wearing a long white dress, with stylish shoes. Her hair was over one ear and held in place with a headband.

.

She looked down at herself and then at me. "I love the dress Daddy."

She spun around in front of Evangeline.

.

Evangeline looked at me. I passed her a drink.

"She is amazing."

She sat back on the couch. Her eyes were wide.

"I don't believe this. There is a ghost standing in front of me."

.

"You aren't going to faint again, are you?" I asked her.

.

Evangeline drank her scotch and passed me the glass, shaking her head.

"I can't guarantee anything, at this point."

.

I took the glass, but did not refill it. I knew she would not need it now.

I sipped my drink and watched her.

.

Slowly, she leaned forward and just as slowly, she put her hand to Whispers face.

"I can feel her. At least, I can feel something."

.

"Then you are very lucky. There are only a few that have been even able to see Whisper, let alone ..."

I searched for the right words.

"Let alone, experience her."

.

Evangeline looked at me. "She is so beautiful."

.

Whisper put her hand on Evangeline's face and gently turned it toward her.

"Talk to me Evangeline. I can see you and I can hear you."

.

"You are so beautiful," Evangeline said, putting her hand back to Whisper's face.

The light on Whisper's face got brighter.

"Is she blushing?"

.

I nodded. "I believe she is."

.

Whisper shook her head.

"Its just a little warm in here, Daddy, that's all."

.

I laughed.

"You don't feel the heat or cold, little lady."

.

She simply smiled and looked at Evangeline.

.

"You are such a beautiful young woman. No wonder Will is in love with you."

.

Whisper turned to me again. "I love my Daddy."

She looked back at Eva. "Daddy loves you so much. He thinks about you all the time."

.

"He does?," Evangeline smiled.

And just how would you know that?"

Evangeline looked at me quickly and then back at Whisper.

"Did he tell you that?"

.

Whisper giggled. "No, I can read his mind."

.

"Not any more young lady."

I quickly shut my mind down so Whisper could no longer read my thoughts.

.

"Daddy?"

She whispered to Evangeline. "He just turned off his mind. I can't hear him now."

.

"Oh, did he now?"

.

I laughed, as I stood up.

"I have had more than my share of embarrassing moments, because of Whisper's ability to read my mind."

I bent down and kissed Evangeline on the lips.

"And if you were smart, you would do the same thing."

.

"She can read my mind too?"

.

Whisper giggled.

"I will shut it off, for now, until you are able to do it yourself. I promise not to read any of your thoughts."

.

"I am going to leave you two alone. I think you need some time together."

I took the scotch bottle and a glass. I then took a pack of White Owl cigars from my new humidor.

.

Evangeline was standing behind me when I turned around.

"I don't know what to say to you. I should never have doubted you"

.

I smiled.

"I have one question."

.

"What?"

.

"Do you love me?"

.

She put her arms around my neck and held tight.

"More than life itself."

.

I kissed her gently on the lips.

"I am going outside for a while, so you two can talk."

.

She kissed me on the cheek and walked back to the couch, where Whisper was sitting.

.

"I love both of you very much," I said as I walked off.

.

I could hear Whisper giggle, as I closed the front door.

I walked the length of my garden and stood near the gazebo.

I lit a cigar and poured a glass of scotch.

.

"Youse be still drinking' dat parfume?"

.

I laughed.

"Hello, Franklin."

.

"I knows youse wants to be alone, Will, but Ise just popped by to say 'ello."

.

I walked up the stairs of the gazebo and sat on the bench.

"Come and join me, Franklin."

.

He appeared on the bench across from me.

"I see dat yer missus is back."

.

I nodded.

"She is talking to Whisper."

.

Franklin puffed on his pipe.

"I sees. So, I be s'posin' dat she sees the little one now?"

.

"She does."

.

"I saw'd da mess dat Whisper made of yer 'ouse, dere, Will.

My old man wud 'ave taken a switch to me ifin I had done such a ting."

.

"Well, Franklin.

I guess in a way, I understand what Whisper was going through. I don't know if I would have went through the extreme that she did, but ..."

.

Franklin laughed.

"Well, dere in lies da problem, I guess, Will.

When ya pisses off a Spirit, dey have a tendency to git jest a little out of 'and."

.

I joined him in laughter.

"That was considered a little out of hand?"

.

Franklin nodded.

"Yes boy. We Spirits don't always be knowin' our own strength, sometimes.

Me tinks, Whisper gots a little carried away.

But I managed to calm 'er down a wee bit."

.

"Well I thank you, Franklin."

.

He nodded, staring at my cigar.

"Yuse tink I could be 'avin' one of dem, Will, me son."

.

I held up my cigar.

"You can smoke these."

.

He showed me his pipe.

"Ise been smoking' one of dese fer years, boy. I figures I could be 'andlin' one be dem."

.

I passed him a cigar.

I watched in amazement as he bit off the end, wetted it and then put it in his mouth.

I lit a wooden match and he lit the cigar.

.

"Now, me son. Dis be a nice change."

.

"Well, you are welcome to have one any time, Franklin."

.

He nodded.

"Sorry I be'd in yer 'ome, when youse was gone, Will, but I thought the little one could use some calmin' down."

.

"That's quite alright," I assured him.

"You probably saved my house from being even more damaged."

.

Franklin laughed.

"She were more den a little pissed, Will."

.

"I saw that, my friend. So, for that reason alone, I thank you."

.

There was a moments silence, as we both enjoyed our cigars.

.

"Youse knos dere be more of us, don't ya, Will?"

.

I finished my scotch and poured another one.

"I saw some others at the cemetery."

.

"Dat be right. So youse did."

He sat forward.

"Dey really likes Whisper, ya knos and I 'aves a feelin' dat more will be movin' soon."

.

"Moving?"

.

"From da graveyard. Dey wants to be out and around, like da humans."

.

I let out a long breath.

"I don't know exactly how people will react to that."

.

Franklin laughed.

"Dis be Maynard's Rock, Will.

People 'ere are used to us Spirits. Dey jest don't be talkin' bout it dat much."

.

"Well, I did get that impression from a few people."

.

Franklin drew deep on the cigar, nodding his head.

"Dey knos, Will. Youse can be sured of dat.

But me question is to you, Will."

.

"What question?"

.

"'ow ere youse gonna feel, with more Spirits around?"

.

I stood up and leaned back against the opening of the gazebo.

"A couple years ago, Franklin, I would have laughed at anyone who told me they believed in ghosts."

.

"Spirits, Will, boy. We be Spirits."

.

"Sorry. Spirits.

Then I came here and found that I was living with the Spirit of Jennifer Nicole Dove. That kinda changed the way I looked at things."

I pointed to the cliff.

"You know it was right there, that she fell over, into the ocean."

.

"I knos boy. She be tellin' me dat before."

.

"I saw it all, Franklin.

The fire. I saw Calvin and Alice perish and then I was outside. I watched as that little girl fell."

I wiped a tear from my eye.

"There was nothing I could do. Nothing."

.

"Youse weren't s'pose to, Will. It 'ad already 'appened, me son.

Nuttin' youse could 'ave done."

.

"I know," I admitted sadly.

"It made me feel so useless."

.

"No, boy. Don't be feelin' dat way.

Youse gave 'er another chance, Will."

.

"And now, I just might lose her."

.

Franklin stood up and patted me on the back.

"Youse made a connection, Will. A rare connection.

Dat connection can never be broken."

.

"Well I think there are forces at work here, Franklin, that are far beyond you and me."

.

"Dere always is, Will, but ..."

He finished his cigar and threw the butt over the cliff.

"Once dat connection is made.

It be always dere."

.

With that, he disappeared.