*****

Later in the day, after meandering about town, Natalie returned to her new house on Riverside Road. Before she went back inside her empty abode, she looked over to Eileen’s place, up at the statue, trying to hide a small smile. She looked back and forth a few times, trying to decide whether to approach it or not. Just as she placed one foot closer, she saw three other people walking her way. She jumped, not expecting to see more people so soon. She jogged over and leaped onto the veranda to meet three of her four Riverside neighbors. They smiled, and so did she, but once she got a good full look at Eileen Pritchett, everything inside her dropped, and her heart started racing.

Eileen gasped as soon as they locked eyes again, “It’s you!”

She and Eileen flinched and jumped back a step. Natalie’s eyes widened again, and a rushing wave of remorse flashed back inside as memories of last night dumped onto her.

“Oh my god, I am so sorry about last night, I didn’t know that was your house. I was taking a hike after I moved in, and I must have gotten lost. I shouldn’t have run away like that. God, I am so sorry. I’ve had a very stressful week.”

With how much Eileen actually talks about her life with her friends, Vivian and Dawn were clueless as to what they were talking about. Still, it didn’t sound good. While Dawn always tried to see Eileen as a gentle giant hiding in thirty pounds of spiked armor, Vivian tended to see her as a sorceress wearing a gentle giant’s pelt like a coat. There was no predicting how Eileen would react to reencountering an embarrassing situation, so Vivian instinctively braced herself for whatever trouble was surely going to brew.

It was even worse than she thought.

The notorious Eileen smile was never a good sign. It was the kind of smile she would make when someone insults her. The kind of smile she would give when a waiter gets her order wrong. The kind of smile the Welsh would call a glas wen: a smile filled so much to the brim with hatred, sarcasm, and bitterness that its bite ignores all outward feelings and cuts right into the heart.

“Oh no, don’t worry about it!” Eileen said. “Hikers get lost in the woods all the time. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve seen Cliffe Rhubis wind up in my yard instead of his log cabin.” She handed her a box of cookies and introduced everyone. “Anyway, I’m Eileen Pritchett, and this is Dawn and Vivian Fay—” the two politely nodded their heads, “—aaaannnnd…” she pointed behind her, “Matt Kennett wants to meet you too, but… he’s a bit busy right now.” The smile stayed plastered on.

Natalie was confused to say the least, but she nonetheless accepted their sweet gesture and sweeter gift. “Well, thank you, that’s very nice of all of you! I’m Natalie, by the way. I hope to see you all around!” She saw them off as she politely waved and gently slid back through the front door.

“That was underwhelming,” said Vivian once the door closed. “Does she not want to hang with us?”

Eileen turned around to the other two and kept that same smile. Then she shook it off and serioused herself. “That’s who I was talking about, Vivi.”

Vivian racked her brain as to what she meant. The idea hit her not like lightning but more like a single droplet of rain. “Who, the person who… clearly didn’t want to steal anyone’s soul?”

“Look beyond the appearances, Viv. There’s always something going on inside someone.”

“You looked so happy to see her though!” Dawn added. “I saw that bright cheery grin you always give me!”

Eileen blatantly ignored Dawn. “Although, I didn’t really get the same feeling the night of the encounter.”

“Probably ‘cause you actually met her this time,” Vivian suggested. “First impressions are usually wrong.”

“Yeah, if everyone had that kind of mulligan, no one would ever care about anything,” said Eileen.

“How about you look at this logically and realize spirits are a bunch of bullcrap!”

“Vivi,” Dawn whispered like a disappointed parent. They lightly grabbed Eileen’s shoulder before Eileen lightly dragged it off, “Eileen, even if they were after you, they would have already done it. No one held back during the Marley incident.” Their voice grew much more silent and secretive as they mentioned it.

Eileen sighed in relief. “You’re right.” She wrapped her arm around Vivian and patted her on the back, looking straight at Dawn. “I’ll just give her some space for now and let fate decide the rest.”

“That’s the spirit!” said Dawn. Eileen flinched.

Eileen left the group and made her final door-close in her own house, Dawn remembered and leaned in closer to Vivian.

“So… not to play devil’s advocate or anything, but Natalie is a lefty.”