Chapter 43 - Delia and Goodwin?

Delia began the long task of planting and tending the seeds she found and was getting frustrated.

She had half of the ‘cure’ with the fish, but the plants grew excruciatingly slow and Francisco was right.  She was growing very interesting plants, but so far none of them were the right one. Alex was already supposed to be in school and she still didn’t have a life plant.  She couldn’t send him to school in his ‘condition”.  But he didn’t seem to mind.  He seemed to prefer being alone and easily entertained himself.

At the end of the day, Alex was a normal, healthy boy, with normal needs, even haircuts as Delia discovered, except he couldn’t go to school.  He played on the rocking horse, painted pictures and Delia read him bed-time stories.   

Because he was getting older, he was beginning to understand just how ‘different’ he was.  Delia set him down and they had a long talk.  She told him she was working on a cure but it was going very slowly.  But as soon as he was back to ‘normal’ he would be able to go to school and do anything he wanted.   He seemed to be okay with that.  He knew nothing different. Of course she didn’t tell him his father was a ghost.

Alex might have been okay with it, but Delia wasn’t. She opened a bottle of wine, poured herself a drink. She needed someone to talk to. She pulled the card out of her purse that Goodwin Goode, the young man from the Elixir store, had given her.  She turned it over and looked at the phone number. It had been more than 2 years since that day in the store. After a couple of drinks, it was very easy to dial the number. She needed some reassurance and he said to call if she needed anything she rationalized. 

Goodwin said of course he remembered her and would be happy to come by. She was a bit nervous, she knew nothing at all about him.

When he got there, Delia offered him a drink. As they shared more wine Delia poured out her heart. He was very understanding; maybe a bit too understanding.

As they sat on the couch talking, he pulled her to him to comfort her.
It was so easy to lean into him and let him hold her. Then chemistry took over and one thing led to another. Soon they were making out like a couple of teenagers. Delia pulled herself together and asked him to leave before things got out of hand.

It felt so very good to know she was still desirable but she could have easily been swept away by the moment and the alcohol.

After Goodwin left, Delia couldn't get him out of her mind. She decided a long hot bubble bath might help clear her head and think about what just happened. The one thing Goodwin did for her was to reassure her about Alex. He promised her she did have the right plant growing and it will eventually produce fruit, she just needed to give it TLC. But it may be another year before that happens. Then she can prepare the life-restoring Ambrosia and Alex will become normal once again. He was sure of it. 

But here she is again; lying to someone she might begin to care about. She had poured her heart out to Goodwin sitting on that couch. But not about everything. She hadn’t told him Alex was BORN a ghost baby. She let him believe he got sick and became like that – stuck between two worlds.  She didn't dare tell him she was impregnated by her dead husband’s ghost or that she was really 133, not 33!  Not to mention the basement full of potions and elixirs, If he knew the truth he would run and right now she desperately needed someone real, in this world, in her life. Yes, she thought, she would like to see more of this Goodwin Goode, but for now, she must make sure that plant grows and not allow herself to get distracted.

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