Day Two - Cosmos
Soft morning light streams through the lace curtains of the dining room as Calvin and I sit reading our books.
Calvin has been a guest for a while now, a young man with round glasses. Over the weeks we’ve developed a morning routine where I sit at the table reading my fiction book of choice with a cup of tea and he reads his choice of non-fiction. His subject of choice recently has been everything space. This morning he’s reading a book about galaxies and cosmos. Something he didn’t get to experience in his lifetime.
I have my teacup pressed up to my lips about to take another sip when Theo comes bounding down the stairs. I’m still getting used to the sounds he makes. I could hear his snore through the house last night, I swear it was shaking the walls.
He stands in the doorway of the room and scans the table as if expecting to see something that isn’t there.
He ruffles the hair on the back of his head, a puzzled look on his face. “Did I miss breakfast?”
My stomach drops. Of course he needs to eat, this is a bed and breakfast after all. Even if our guests don’t typically eat.
I stand up quickly, causing my teacup to clatter in its saucer. Calvin looks up from his book and gives me a side-eyed glare.
“I am so sorry,” I say and begin making my way to the kitchen, “I’m not used to having to prepare breakfast. We’ve got some bread if you’d like some toast and coffee, or tea. What would you like?”
Theo shakes his head, he gestures for me to sit down again. “Ah don’t worry about it, I should have reminded you that I eat too.”
My eyes go wide and all I want to do now is turn and run into the kitchen.
Theo must see this and is quick to interject. “That was a bad joke. It’s no problem, I’m happy with toast. The kitchen is over here?” he points to the door behind me.
I nod.
As he scurries past me I catch a whiff of his scent, like pine and firewood. Another thing ghosts don’t have is a scent. Theo’s smell is a welcome change.
Cupboards bang open and shut in the kitchen and I hear cutlery and dishes rattle. The sound of the toaster lever going down, and the sound of toast popping up again. The scrape of a knife against the crusty surface. All the noises are a welcome comfort to me.
“He’s so loud.” Calvin says in an exhale he probably thinks I can’t hear.
I shush him and he gives me another glare before turning back to his book.
Theo comes rushing back into the room, his plate stacked high with multiple pieces of toast all dripping with jam and peanut butter. A cup of coffee in his other hand. The smell of coffee is also something I haven’t experienced in a while, another comfort. He goes to sit down at the table across from Calvin.
“What are you reading?” Theo asks me as he lifts his first piece of toast to his mouth.
I look at the cover of my book, a different one from yesterday. “It’s a romance, a woman falls in love with a vampire.”
Theo nods, continues to chew before swallowing. “And what’s it reading?” he points to Calvin who’s just flipped a page.
“I’m not an it.” Calvin says with a hint of distain in his voice.
“That’s Calvin, he would prefer that you refer to him as such.” I say.
Theo goes to pick up his next piece of toast. “My bad, sorry, Calvin. What are you reading?”
Calvin lifts up his book to show Theo the cover.
“Oh, space stuff. My brother was all over that too.” He says, thinking for a moment. “Have you heard about the latest findings on Mars?”
Calvin immediately closes his book, “There is news about findings on Mars?” he asks, suddenly very interested in what Theo has to say now.
Theo reaches for his phone from his pants pocket and is about to slide it across the table when I interrupt him.
“I wouldn’t do that. Ghosts and technology don’t go well together.” I say quietly. There’s a reason why I don’t keep any electronic devices around our home. “They have a way of getting unintentionally broken.”
Theo takes his phone back and Calvin looks thoroughly disappointed. Most of the information about space he’s been able to gather has been in the form of the books I could get him from the library. Nothing is too up to do date there.
“Well I can tell you about it,” Theo say enthusiastically while still having a bite of a toast in his mouth. That’s the most energetic I’ve seen him yet. He seems quite relaxed talking to a ghost he can’t see.
Calvin smiles a little but then turns to me, “Can you tell him I’d love to if he’d stop talking with his mouth full?”
I giggle.
“What? What did I say?” Theo asks.
“Calvin would prefer it if you’d swallow you food before you talk. But he’d love to hear more about what you have to share.”
Theo grins wide and begins to tell Calvin everything about Mars that he can. Calvin and I listen intently when the bell from my front desk rings.
I get up from the table, excusing myself, and go to greet our new guest.