Emmeline watched the hug and the brief kiss shared between the two humans. She touched her palm to the window and when she pulled away the window was frosted. The room was growing cooler by the second even she could even feel the iciness of the room. She bowed her head and put her forehead against the glass. What was happening to her? She was losing all semblance of control and it only got worse since her crossing the perimeter and ... and that girl. "Erin" she said out loud laced with pain and anger.
She always knew this was coming, but why did time have to move so quickly? Couldn't it just hold up and their happy little family remain unchanging? He was turning 17 soon. Emmeline thought to herself, she was 17 when she died. That Erin girl was 17. Her heart sank and she felt the tidal wave of desperation. Next year Matthew and Erin would be 18 and Emmeline would still be 17.
She shook her head at the thought. What was her problem?! She was being selfish. After the girl had left and Matthew had retired to his room, Emmeline walked downstairs to clean up the kitchen and dining room.
"A headache, eh?" Gregory spoke quietly his eyes intensely watching hers.
"No, of course not. I just wanted to excuse myself in a way that would not raise an alarm or suspicions with the human girl."
"Hmm. Where are you going?" Gregory called out to her as she walked towards the dining room.
"I left the kitchen a mess, I'm going to clean it up." She stated as it was obvious.
"Emmeline wait. Just wait for a bloody moment! Why won't you talk to us? Why won't you tell us what is going on with you? Maybe we can help? We are here for you and we are your family! We are the ghosts of the Octagon House!" Gregory kept his voice even, but it was overwhelming powerful.
Emmeline paused just before the dining room turning around and before she knew it she ran to his embrace, "I don't know what's happening to me. My emotions are out of control and if I don't taper them it will consume us all." She thought to the frosted window and the freezing room upstairs.
Gregory held her tighter and spoke softly next to her ear. "We will always be here with you. We will never let you go. And, we don't want to see you in turmoil."
"Maybe you should, maybe you should let me go. What if I am the reason keeping you here. I shouldn't be your unfinished business." She whispered her voice wavering. Emmeline however, did not try to escape his embrace despite her words. She dug herself further into him wanting to meld with his body.
"I cannot speak for Ania although I suspect she feels the same way, but we will not leave you, not until we can all through the veil." He paused for a moment, "together." As he spoke he lifted her chin to have her eyes meet his. "I do believe that my unfinished business is you. Somewhere within me I felt more at ease when I stumbled upon the Octagon House and its' two residents." He released her chin and he nestled into the crook of her shoulder. "I was a mess when I arrived at your doorstep. I was dead and a mess, you helped me. You tamed the anger that I felt towards those that were still living. I owe my afterlife to you." Whispering into her ear.
Everything that she was feeling she could feel dissipate into the air and blow away with the summer breeze. "Thank you. I needed to hear that. I guess I didn't know how angry I was with my death. I am dead and I can't change that. No matter how badly I want to. I just have to try and do better."
"Emmeline, we are not angry with you and we definitely do not think you 'need to do better'. We are concerned for you. Your emotions have been erratic." he quickly added before she had a chance to pipe up, "and there is nothing wrong with that, but it is not like you. I think your erratic emotions have been impacting you, such as the flickering and the dropping things."
"Mmm." she looked up and stared into his eyes. "I think I am better now."
"Really?"
"Really, truly. I think I am, for now that is." Emmeline smirked.
"Thank goodness!"
Emmeline raised her brows, "hmm?"
"Well, I can feel the cold spot from here! If you kept it up it would probably start snowing and turn to the frozen tundra!" Gregory joked.
Emmeline's mouth dropped at the statement and she lightly slapped him on his chest. "Thanks." she whispered her mood infinitely better than it had been a mere hour ago.