The other side Chapter 5

Bernice didn’t give Julie the chance to express herself in distress and shock. She varnished to thin air, leaving Julie so clueless as she watched Jack in his drunk state.

“Oh my God, what do I do? Where do I start from?”

She was totally confused. She approached him and picked up his drink to see what he had gulp down his throat.

He raised his head and startled Julie who still held the glass cup.

“Hmmm, my cup is flying…”

He pointed out, trying to examine the cup. 

Julie gently placed the cup back to the Table and attempted to give him space when he called out.

“Julie?”

She froze and slowly turned.

“Julie is that you?”

Wait, he could see her? She stopped and walked up to him, waving her hands before his drunk eyes.

“Why are you waving your hands at me you bitch?”

She withdrew in shock.

“You…you can see me?”

She paused, he wasn’t staring in her direction. She wondered what was wrong, it took her another 1minute to realize he wanted to throw up.

He fell to sleep immediately, after he had soiled his sitting room with beer.

She thought of the last time she had a good night rest. Now she couldn’t sleep, ghost don’t sleep, she’d figured out.

She could move things now, so she moved him to his bedroom. It was a two bedroom flat, a perfect fit for a bachelor.

She looked to his kitchen. It was in a mess.

Though she was classy and all that, she mustn’t forget that she grew in a poor home, and there alot of stuffs she can do.

She tidied up the kitchen, his room and virtually the whole house. Next she search to see if he had foodstuffs. Gracefully, he had a few. She quickly made jollof rice. She was careful not to make much noise. Good thing is that, he was drunk. So she was certain he would not hear a thing.

The next morning Jack woke up late. She wondered if he didn’t have a place to go. She thought wrong.

“Jesus!”

He sprang up and dashed into the bathroom.

He didn’t notice the room she put in order at first. And she could only mutter

“Ungrateful bastard”

He was out from the bathroom when he began to take note. His pace became less, till he finally stopped to observe his room.

“Hmm, strange”

He walked to the next room, to the sitting room. Julie followed with smiles on her face.

“What’s going on here? maybe she came around yesterday”

He concluded and Julie couldn’t believe what she heard.

Wait, who is the “she” he referred to? His girlfriend or what? She fumed in anger again. She wouldn’t let anyone ruin her mission. He didn’t even notice the food she prepared for him.

“Hey Jack”

He didn’t respond and she only fumed the more.

“Jack!”

He wasn’t responding. With an hiss she marched to him and attempted to smack him but her hands simply went thru him.

“Oh my God”

She gasped and tried touching something else. With ease she touched the cushion and the centre table. She was greatly relieved. And then she whisked to Jack again, but still, her hands went thru.

“Jack!”

She realised he couldn’t hear, see nor feel her. She fell to her knees. This was Bernice’s doing, to make sure she failed.

He simply went thru her, out of the house to the his car he parked outside.

She ran after him. There must be something she can do to make him hear her. She couldn’t understand, just yester night he could actually see her. She remembered the stories she had back when she was still human. About the drunk able to see ghosts. So it was Indeed true.

But she can’t follow him around unnoticed. She moved to pick the newspaper that laid on the car rest, so he could notice her presence. But then, she thought of the accident he would encounter. And her mission would end even before it started.

His phone rang, and she couldn’t clearly she who was calling. He saved it as “baby”
“Hey babe”

He called out.

“Where are you nah…?”

The female voice rang from the other side. The voice sounded familiar but she was too angry to pick the voice.

She tried to snatch the phone but her hands went thru him.

“Ahhhhh!”She exclaimed in hurt and confusion. “How can I make him love me like this? What kind of prize is this… Bernice?”

Her calls and endless pleas without a reply, showed that she was on her own on this one.

He got to Prada designers and alighted  from the car. Now she was keen on knowing who he really came to see in her company. She followed, till he got to her office and slowly pushed the door. Her eyes went wide, It was Siera on her seat. Her anger was not compared to the shock she felt next, when Siera hurried and hugged Jack. She kissed him and muttered.

“Oh baby, I’ve missed you”

©onyeneke Abel .November 2017 all rights reserved.

The other side

Continues…