Page 79 of Proof
“Luna! What is going on?” Gail was huffing to catch her breath.
Luna was also breathing deeply. “I . . . I could have sworn that was Brendan’s laugh.”
“Oh, sweetcakes.” Gail put her arm around Luna. “I know it’s been a big shock, but he’s gone.” She turned Luna to face her and looked straight in her eyes. “I know you want to believe he’s still alive, but you saw it with your own eyes this morning.”
Luna heaved. “Maybe I’m losing my mind.”
“Doubtful. He’s been on your mind, so it’s only natural you’d draw similarities. Come on. Let’s get some lunch. How about Oak Creek Brewery?”
They took their time heading to the restaurant. Once they were seated, Luna said, “I could use a beer right now.” She checked the menu. “I think I’ll have the Steamboat Rock BLT.”
“Ah. Bacon! Never met a slab I didn’t like.” Gail chuckled. But she could tell Luna was still rattled by that haunting laugh.
“Don’t you think it’s kind of strange that we were just talking about the Day of the Dead, and then I hear Brendan’s laugh?” Luna asked.
“That’s what I was talking about. Maybe he was sending you a message. He was laughing, right?”
“Right.”
“Come on. You of all people. How many times have you said to ‘pay attention to the signs’?”
“A zillion.” Luna stared into her empty mug. “Even his gait was like Brendan’s.”
“I’m going out on a limb here, but I didn’t see anyone or hear anyone.”
Luna gave her an odd look. “Do you think I imagined it?”
“No. But I think maybe it was a message, and you should take it at that.” Gail reached across the table and grabbed Luna’s hand. “It’s okay. Wherever he is, he knows you cared about him and you miss him.”
“And there is nothing I can do about it,” Luna replied.
“Exactly. So try to shake it off and think of hearing that voice as a good thing. It was a message, just for you.”
Luna’s eyes filled with tears. “Sometimes I think I’m losing it.”
Gail’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean, ‘losing it’?”
“A few weeks ago, I felt haunted by something I couldn’t put my finger on. I tried meditating and drawing and came up with a question mark. Then my brother had my old dresser delivered. It was almost like a wave of... well, that’s just it. A wave of I don’t know what. Not necessarily a bad wave. Fog. Fog is probably the best description. Like I’ve been in and out of a fog.”
“Hormones?” Gail asked.
“Could be.” Luna shrugged. “I don’t remember ever having fog PMS.”
Gail chuckled. “F.O.G.P.M.S. Fear of getting PMS!”
Luna had to laugh. “I think it’s everyone’s fear. Especially men. They certainly don’t want to be around when it’s happening.”
Gail signaled for the check and asked, “Ready, Freddy?”
“Did you know that expression came from a mid-twentieth-century comic strip called Li’l Abner? Al Capp, the cartoonist, used it throughout the series, until it was revealed that Freddy was the local undertaker.” Luna paused. “Hmm. More death stuff.”
“And you know this because . . .”
“My brother. He finds all sorts of old stuff restoring old pieces of furniture. He bought a dilapidated highboy that was filled with newspaper cartoons. Filled, as in hundreds of them.”
“That’s kinda cool. What did he do with them?”
“Sold them to a collector, but not before he read through a bunch of them.” Luna remained pensive.