By Paula Bianchi –

As Emma clung to the necklace, Lucy left as a sign from the other side, she said, “I miss you so much, Mom.” Then more tears fell from her cheeks.

Lucy put her arms around her daughter. She hugged her tightly, and when she did, she knew Emma was aware of her energy wrapping around her, like a warm blanket, causing her body to feel tingly all over.

“I can feel you, Mom.” Emma said, out loud. “Thank you so much for letting me know you’re still with me.” She opened the clasp to Lucy’s necklace and put it on. “I’m never taking it off.” She pinched the letter ‘L’ sliding it back and forth along the gold chain, then, she kissed it.

Tears began to gather in Lucy’s eyes after seeing this small gesture for her, and she could feel the energy of Emma’s love filling her up.

Emma became very calm. She wiped the tears from her face and smiled before she picked up her plate, then plopped down on her bed to eat. She kept looking at the necklace around her neck, which made her sigh with contentment.

Lucy could feel her daughter’s energy of gratitude charging her. For a split second, she thought of heaven, but she immediately pushed the thought away because she wasn’t ready to go there yet. Not for a very long time.

When Emma finished her sandwich and milk, she grabbed her phone, so she could call her best friend.

“Hello.” Stacy answered.

“You’re not going to believe this!” Emma’s voice was filled with awe.

“What happened?” Stacy asked.

“My Mom just sent me a sign that she’s alright, and I know she’s with me.” Emma touched her mother’s necklace.

“I know. She talked to you on my Ouija board.” Stacy sounded like nothing was new.

“No. That wasn’t my mom in the cemetery, when we snuck out that night. After what just happened to me, I’m convinced of it.” Emma sounded so sure of herself, which made Lucy so happy.

“Carl followed Emma from the cemetery!” Dobson exclaimed.

At the mention of his name, Lucy peered out of the window to look down at the street below, and the first thing she saw was greasy Carl staring back at her, standing under the street lamp. He sneered and waved to her. Seeing him, made a shiver run down her back. Knowing he was just biding his time, waiting for a chance to come back into the house, was weighing heavily on her shoulders.

“So, tell me what happened.” Stacy’s curiousity was piqued.

“When I came home from school, I found an opened book on my floor, so I just picked it up and tossed it on my bed, then, after I went down stairs to make a snack, when I came back to my room, the book was opened again, but this time, I found my mother’s favorite necklace lying across the page.”

“Wow. What does the page say?” Stacy asked, with amazement.

Lucy clapped her hands. “Thank you, Stacy.” She felt more than ecstatic for her daughter to finally read her sign and use it to protect herself from Carl.

“Oh. You know, I forgot to check. Let me see.” Emma pulled the book closer to her, so she could read the page Lucy had left for her. “It’s a prayer of protection. I guess my mom wants me to use this.” Emma deduced. “I’m going to write this down.” She opened the top drawer of her nightstand to grab a pen and paper.

Taking a hold of Dobson’s wrists, Lucy spun him around the room. “I did it! I did it! Emma found and understood my first sign.” After putting him down, Lucy couldn’t help but feel a little proud of herself.

“It was so weird, Stacy. I swear I could feel my mom hugging me.” Emma shared.

“She knew I was hugging her!” Lucy exclaimed, as she shook Dobson up and down with joy.

“That sounds so amazing.” Stacy’s voice had a hint of envy. “I guess my brother was right. Now, I don’t care if he stole my Ouija board. He can have it.”

“I know I’m done with them. I’ll never touch one of those boards again.” Emma stated. “After tonight, I’ll recognize if I’m feeling my mom or not.” She paused for a moment. “Hey! Maybe that’s why Mom wanted me to find this prayer of protection.” She put two and two together.

Lucy hugged Emma again to let her know she was right on track.

“Oh my God, Stacy! It’s happening again!” Emma looked down at her arms as her skin began to bubble up with goosebumps. “I can feel my Mom’s energy. I have a feeling she’s telling me that I’m right.” She glanced around the room hoping to catch a glimpse of her mom.

 “Hey! Anyone home?” Michael called out from the foyer. “I could sure use some help with the groceries.”

“I gotta go, Stacy. I’ll call you back later tonight. Bye.” Emma left her phone on her bed, then ran down the stairs to help her dad.

Lucy and Dobson changed into orbs and followed her down to the foyer just in time to see Michael carrying in a couple bags, filled to the brim, with groceries into the kitchen.

After all the bags were brought into the kitchen, Lucy watched her husband and their daughter putting the groceries away. It felt like old times listening to them. In this moment, Lucy wished she was still alive.

“You look chipper today.” Michael noticed.

“I am very happy today.” Emma smiled, then she touched the necklace around her neck again.

Michael stopped in his tracks. “That’s your Mother’s necklace.”

“I know. She gave it to me.” Emma put some cans of soup away in the pantry with a dreamy look in her eyes.

“When did she do that?” Michael asked. “Because, I just saw that necklace on her nightstand this morning.” He looked quite perplexed.

Lucy read Michael’s thoughts, and she was surprised to find that he was upset with Emma, for he believed, she took the necklace from his room.

“Today.” Emma answered, while she was putting the cereal away.

“Why did you go in my room and take it?” Michael stopped what he was doing waiting for an answer.

“Well, I know you won’t believe me, but I found this necklace lying on top of a page with a prayer of protection in my book. I’m positive it’s a sign from Mom.” Emma was honest with her dad. Now, she just had to wait to see if he believed her.

Lucy knew this was not going to sit well with Michael. He was a skeptic through and through. Without any proof, he’ll be hard pressed to believe what he can’t see.

“If you wanted her necklace, all you had to do was ask. You didn’t have to sneak into my room, while I’m at work.” Michael turned, feeling a little miffed, while he continued putting things away.

“I didn’t take it from your room!” Emma exclaimed. “I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.” Tears were welling up in her eyes as she tried to keep moving, so her dad wouldn’t notice.

Michael took a deep breath, so he could keep his emotions in check.

Lucy wondered if he could feel one of her hugs, so she wrapped her arms around Michael and squeezed him, with her spiritual body and mind, as tightly as she could.

Suddenly, Michael had to catch himself from falling by grabbing on to the island counter top in the center of the kitchen.

“Are you okay, Dad?” Emma stopped what she was doing and rushed to her Dad’s side.

“My heart feels like it’s going to beat out of my chest, and I’m feeling light headed too.” Michael said, as Emma guided him to one of the stools on the other side of the island, so he could sit down.

Lucy immediately knew the skeptic in him would never truly believe that it was her who made him feel woozy. But, how could she get him to believe? Then, a thought occurred to her, telling her to hug Emma too, to let her know it was her, so she did just that.

Emma smiled from ear to ear. “Hi, Mom.” She said, with much reverence.

Michael spun around looking for his wife, then, he felt foolish for doing so.

“You know Mom’s gone, Honey.” Michael reminded her.

“Mom’s here, Dad.” Emma touched her necklace once more. “She just gave me a hug, and I think she hugged you too.” Her excitement shone brightly on her face.

Lucy felt encouraged because Michael’s thoughts were leaning towards believing what Emma was saying, but the skeptic in him would shut it down. He was at war within himself, then, he had another thought. What if this was just a way, Emma had found, to deal with the loss of her mother. This thought made him decide to pacify her.

“If you feel she’s here, I believe you.” Michael patted the back of Emma’s hand.

“Thanks. I know Mom’s still here with us. She proved it to me today.” Emma put her arms around her Dad and gave him the biggest hug.

Michael melted at his daughter’s touch. His kids were his everything now, and he loved them so much. He had to make them feel like he was there for them, when, they needed him. The time had come for him to move on to the next stage of his grief for the sake of his kids, and to do that, he knew it was time to let go of Lucy’s possessions.

Lucy could feel that just thinking about doing that, pained him to his core.

“I’ll be going through all of your mom’s stuff this weekend. Would you like to help me in case you see something you would want to keep?” Michael felt it was important to include her in this next step of their grief.

“Sure. I would like that very much.” Emma took his hand and gave it a little squeeze. “Do you feel better now?” She asked.

“I do, but that was such a peculiar feeling I had. Never felt anything like it before.” Michael slowly stood up waiting to see if the odd sensation came back.

“He can feel me!” Lucy cried out with excitement, as she gave Dobson a high five.

“Let’s finish putting this stuff away, then, I’ll make us a pot of spaghetti.” Michael said.

“Umm. That sounds so good right now.” Emma smacked her lips.

Lucy loved watching them being a family. She never wanted that to change for them. At least, she can watch them as they find their way back to each other. She knew, in her heart, that this process would lead Michael to helping Justin.

In that moment, Lucy started to formulate the perfect plan for leaving a sign for Michael. She knew it was going to have to be something big to get his attention. Something that will knock his socks off.

Come back on Tuesday for the next episode of: Lucy in the Afterlife, to see what Lucy comes up with. Thanks for following Lucy’s story. Hope to see you again soon. Thank you for your time and your visit. Bye for now.

Email: Remyel@hotmail.com

If you would like to read Lucy’s story from the beginning, click on this link: Lucy in the After: The Beginning. Stay safe.

Picture courtesy of: Pexels.