Ghost In Red

---    

"Did you get it, Syd?" I asked my girl as she walked out of the establishment with a piece of paper in hand, and she smiled at me before answering.    

"Yup, they gave me… her recent address. Veronica Dawson. The latest mail she got was yesterday, Oj. That's great news, isn't it? We are damn sure that it's where she lives right now. It's in a condominium building about a fifteen-minute drive from here. And I hope she's there right now. It would be okay if we would wait, though." She said with happiness, making me breathe in relief with the good news she brought.    

We finally found Mom, and I can finally see her again, hear her voice again, and I can finally tell her how much I missed her and how much I needed her.    

Sydney and I walked away from the Post Office to head to the street and wait for a taxi.    

When there was a car that stopped for us, Syd opened the backseat door and went in as she told the driver our destination.    

"I'm so excited to see her, Syd. What do you think she looks like now? Does she have a new family? Kids? Oh, my gosh! Will I know that I have more half-siblings? Damn, I don't even know how she would react, knowing I am like this. I'm indeed nervous also." I rambled as I felt so anxious about meeting my mother for the first time after more than a decade of being apart.    

"I'll bet she looks like an older version of you. Just relax. Let me do my part and my best to get her convinced of your presence. It's going to be okay as I have plenty of plans. I even have your father's number for us to call him right away, or Mimi's, to prove that I wasn't lying." Syd assured me while trying to tone down her voice so the driver won't hear and think she's going nuts, talking to no one.    

"Alright, that's a great idea. I know Dad won't be expecting such a surprise call from his ex-wife. Let's hope for the best." I remarked and comfortably sat on her right side, and I smiled when she reached for my left hand.    

"I know we can get this mission accomplished in no time." She whispered and winked at me, and I softly chuckled as she wiggled her eyebrows with a grin on her face. I just love seeing her looking so happy.    

"Oh, thank you so much, Syd. I don't know what I'll be without you." I praised and looked her in the eyes in gratefulness, and she smirked and said, "Dead?".    

Damn, right!    

"Definitely!" I let out and laughed as I couldn't agree more. She is undoubtedly my lifesaver.    

---    

While on the road, we were chilling in the backseat, and Sydney had been texting her friends and telling them about the great news that we found my mom's address. Then I suddenly noticed that the driver, who looked about forty-ish years old, had been giving weird looks at us through the rearview mirror. I wonder what's his problem with my girlfriend. Did he never get someone so gorgeous riding his cab before? Hmm. He better not…    

And I was cut off of my train of thoughts when the man spoke.    

"Hey, Miss Blondie! Are you going to pay for your company's fare?" He asked, and Syd stopped with what she was doing with her phone to look at the guy with a face of bafflement, the same as I did, and she asked him, "Uh… wha-what do you mean, sir?"    

"The lady in red? Who's going to pay for her fare for getting on my cab? I believe she doesn't have money with her. And nothing is free nowadays. You know that?" He answered, turning his head to us, and then he looked me in the eyes, and I looked back at him with my wide eyes in surprise.    

"Oh, shimmy! Can you see me? Syd, he can see me! Wow, that is awesome!" I squealed in fervor and saw Sydney lightly nodding her head.    

"Okay. That is so... cool. But yeah, I'll pay for her fare. Don't worry." My girl assured him, and he laughed and shifted back his gaze on the highway.    

"Nah, I'm just kidding, girls. I'm used to ghosts riding my cab for free. I have known five of them, my regular hitchhikers. They actually have become my friends throughout the years of me in this field of work, and they ride with me almost every day. They really chose my taxi. And it's a good thing since I can't get bored when I have no passengers." He chatted and stepped on the brakes when the traffic light at the crossing turned red.    

Then I suddenly felt chills when I looked at the road ahead of us. It looks exactly like the place where I got into an accident back home. That was one hella horrifying experience.    

"Wow, that's… that's so nice. I'm Sydney, by the way. And this is Olivia." Syd told him, and he looked back at us through the rearview mirror.    

"I'm Wilson. And I'm glad to meet you both." He replied and kept chatting with us about his experience as a driver and his ghost friends while taking us to the place we were heading.    

---    

When we had finally arrived at our destination, where my mother resides, we bid goodbye to Wilson.    

"Good luck with your journey here in Chicago, girls! And I hope we meet again. Bye!" He waved us farewell and drove along the highway, and my girl and I looked at each other, and we both laughed.    

"That was… insane. I never thought we would meet another person who could notice me." I uttered and looked around the amazing place we were at.    

"Yeah, it's another proof that I ain't delusional or paranoid seeing you and talking to you, Oj. And I'm glad he gave us both a free ride." Syd replied and began walking to get inside the enormous building before us.    

"Uh-huh. Now, that makes me wonder who those ghosts he was talking about are. Do you think they are people who are in a coma, too, Syd? Or are they dead already?" I curiously asked her, and she stopped in her tracks to look at me.    

"I… I'm not so sure. But I have read this one book. Well, I don't know if it's true or not, but it said that some of the ghosts here in our world are those who died and killed and didn't get the justice they deserved, while some are lost souls, and there are others who have not accepted that they are dead already. But I am not really sure about it, alright? It's just an article, a theory with no proof." She explained and continued walking inside the building, and I let out a sigh as I realized something.    

"I think I belong to the latter one you have mentioned, Syd. I don't want to die. I can't accept that I am dead. But maybe I really am---" I said sadly, but she cut me off, saying, "No! I told you. It's not proven to be true. And we're not going to talk about it now. Wait for me here. I'm going to ask the front desk people about your mom if she's up there in her unit or has gone out."    

Sydney left me in the hallway, wondering about what she had said about ghosts. What if… I really am dead already? But I don't want to accept that. I believe I can still go back into my body as I could feel a connection with it even if I am far away from it. Time. That's all I need. And that is what we need to tell my mom.    

I walked to where Sydney had gone, and she bid goodbye to the woman in uniform behind the desk and turned to me.    

"She's up there. Let's go. Twenty-first floor." She told me and walked ahead to the elevator, and I followed behind her, feeling all nervous and excited.    

"Now, what are you going to say to her?" I asked my girl as she let out a deep breath, and she pressed the button in the elevator to take us to our destination.    

"I… I don't know. I would tell her… I am… I knew your daughter, Ma'am. And she's… she had been looking for you. Oh, I really have no idea what to tell her yet, Oj. But I'm sure I could figure that out when I see her." She stuttered and shook it off, and then she took out the pictures of my mom from the front pocket of her black sling bag. Mm, that's great proof that it's me who's looking for my mother as I know that she knows that I have these pictures. She left them for me.    

After waiting for a few moments, the elevator bell rang, and the door opened. Here we are now on the twenty-first floor.    

Mommy, I'm coming to you!    

"Come on, Oj. Ninth room." Syd called me, and we both walked down the hallway.    

"This is a cozy place. I bet Mom got herself a new family. And that would be good for her. I'll be happy." I let out and followed Syd walking right and straight to the last portion along the hallway.    

"Yeah, that would be fun if you have more younger siblings." She remarked and stopped in front of a door.    

"Haha, of course! I will be thrilled to meet them." I giggled and clasped my hands together at my core to hold in the extreme emotions I felt while my girl pushed the doorbell button.    

This is it.    

"I can't explain the anxiousness I am feeling right now, Syd," I muttered and looked at her, and she showed me a bright, encouraging smile.    

"It's okay. That is actually the feeling of joy and excitement combined. It's the same with what I am feeling." She said and breathed in deeply, and we both looked at the door when it finally opened slowly.    

"Who's there? Hi!" A woman about sixty or seventy years old asked Sydney with a friendly smile.    

"Hi! Umm… I am Sydney Roswell. We… I mean… I am looking for Veronica Dawson. Does she reside here? Is she home? Am I in the right place?" My girl asked, sounding pretty nervous, and the beautiful old lady nodded her head in response.    

"Yes. You are in the right place. I am the she whom you are looking for. What can I do for you, dear?"    

When I heard what the woman said, I looked at her with my eyebrows meeting each other in confusion, and I turned my head to look at Sydney, who was wearing the same expression as I am.    

"You… you are… you are Veronica Dawson?" Syd asked her in disbelief, and the unfamiliar-looking woman nodded her head.    

"Yes, I am. Do I… Do I know you? What are you here for? As far as I remember, I didn't order anything. So, I was not expecting someone to come. Are you… are you okay, Sydney?" Veronica said and asked the stunned girl at her doorstep, and I think we are… doomed.    

She's not my mom.