Next morning I found myself standing in front of Target Center. I couldn’t believe that I got up at 6 am and snuck out of the hotel just to come back here. I looked down at my wrist and checked the time; the tour busses were off to Bonner Springs, Kansas in an hour. I slowly shook my head and walked towards the entrance of the center. I kept asking myself over and over again why I chose to come back and help a stranger, a ghost stranger for that matter.
The security guard from the entrance asked me what my business was inside the arena. I told him the answer that I rehearsed on the way here; that I lost something valuable last night and I just wanted to check if I left it in the dressing room. I must be pretty good in lying ‘cause he believed it.
I walked inside the arena and asked myself how I should look for Patty? Should I just walk around until I see her or should I call her name? I walked around the whole arena and checked every room but she was nowhere. I gave up and decided to go back to the hotel when I got tired from walking.
“I’m really sorry, Patty.” I whispered hoping she would hear me before I headed to the exit.
“I knew you’d come back.”
I slowly whirled around when I heard that familiar voice. Patty was smiling at me, she looked so happy.
“Guess what happened last night when you left,” She squealed like a high school girl who just been asked by his crush to the prom. “I met Michael!”
“Oh, now you have someone to help you with your problems.”
“Are you jealous?” She teased “Michael is a ghost like me, and he taught me how to get out of this place. Guess where I went to last night?”
“To your Mom’s house to find a way to tell her you’re already dead?” I raised my eyebrow and folded my arms.
“Nope,” She shook her head “To your hotel room, I spent the night there.”
“You what?” I tried to remember if I saw her last night, but I didn’t. I was sure she was not there.
“I was there watching you the whole time, and I actually felt guilty that you were not able to sleep. I saw you tossing and turning in your bed, and even heard you say ‘Damn you, Patty’ five times.” She giggled again like a teenager. “And I hope you don’t mind that I rode with you on the way here.”
“What? I didn’t see you in my hotel room last night, even in the taxi cab this morning.” I was surprised that I didn’t freak out knowing a ghost was in my room last night and shared a taxi with me this morning. I’m afraid I was becoming comfortable with this whole ghost thing.
“Another thing Michael taught me.” She smiled and disappeared. After a while she appeared in front of me again. “See, I’m good at it now.”
I smiled at her “That’s good, so you don’t need my help anymore?” I was relieved to know I didn’t have to tell her Mom the bad news.
“I still need your help, Nick,” She said in a low voice while her smile slowly faded “Michael told me that I can’t do that myself and I needed someone else’s help. “
I let out a deep sigh “I came here to get your Mother’s home address, but I am not promising you anything. I’ll try my best to relay the bad news but don’t count on it. I could be knocking at your Mom’s door and when she answers it I might chicken out, you know.” I sheepishly smiled.
“Don’t worry about it, but I hope you don’t mind me tagging along.” She looked at me expectantly
“I guess that would be fine, but don’t force me to do it if I tell you I can’t do it.”
“No problem.”
“And please, don’t talk to me when there are other people around us especially the guys.”
“They won’t hear me.” She reminded me
“I know but I could forget you are a ghost and answer back. It’s just a safety precaution, last thing I need is for the guys to think I’m crazy or explain everything to them.”
She raised her right hand and did the swearing thing. I hoped her fingers were not crossed behind her back.
“So, where do you live?”
“Longmont, Colorado.”
I stopped walking and looked at her “Colorado?”
“Yes.” She answered nodding “Don’t you think there would be a way for my Mom to know if I was living here in Minnesota?”
“We won’t be in Colorado until the 1st of February.” I informed her “We still have a concert in Kansas later tonight.”
“I don’t mind watching another Backstreet Boys concert.” She grinned “I enjoyed your new songs last night.”
“Just don’t talk to me when there are people around, ok?”
“I already promised that, didn’t I?”
I nodded and started walking towards the exit. I spent my last hour in Minnesota trying to get any evidence that would prove Patty died in 2001. I called up my publicist and asked her to research about the accident that happened in Target Center on the night of the Black and Blue concert. I was thankful that my publicist didn’t ask any questions, and just did what I told her. Forty five minutes later she e-mailed me the information I needed. The name and address of the hospital where Patty was brought after her body was discovered in the rest room. She said that the hospital still had the records of the unclaimed body. She also mentioned that the hospital had a picture of that unclaimed body, and they would only show it to people who would come there personally.
Patty and I went to the hospital to check if that was really her or not; the hospital could be referring to someone else’s body. I was thankful that the hospital staff did not recognize me nor asked me questions regarding my relationship with Patty. He just showed me the picture, and put the record back in the drawer after I confirmed to him that I knew her. He told me to contact Patty’s family and tell them to bring something to prove that they are related to Patty. He assured me that one of the doctors would to talk to Patty’s mom to explain what was the cause of death, and where the corpse was.
Patty was smiling from ear to ear when we left the hospital.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks Lore! :)
