#elsewhere

"Yes you do, but yours is a rarity these days" He says.

Lillian Viola Hughes does have good penmanship.

"Alas. Sad but true."

Zara's head jerks up. "Hello?"

"Mm?" He says "I didn't say anything."

"No. Ah... Dr. Hughes?"

"Nurse, pardon. Though if measured by skill and not Victorian bigotry..."

"Of course I can hear you. You are dead."

"So I've learned." she admits "But the only one who has come close to hearing me is some blotto who hit the professor up for change."

Earl slows and mutters "dead?"

"Not you, love. Our guest."

Delight at a thought. "Did you die of the flu?"

"Yes. I suppose it's not surprising. I became victim of it myself. The penmanship you praise isn't nearly so neat in the last chapter."

"A pity, to be so robbed."

"Well, I am Zara and this is Earl. He cannot hear you."

"Nay. I am kin to the dead, and a dream of shadows."

"Well, I am not precisely... well. I am different."

"Have you business that holds you hence?" Heading home as they chat.

"You'd think after all this time, I wouldn't. but in point of fact I..."

there's a pause, then, "I fell in love with the wrong guy."

A gentle tut. "Unfortunate."

"Mmm. Perhaps you can tell me of him?"

"Fine, but I don't want to be judged for who I fall in love with. He was a good man, he was a great man actually. Brave and kind and ..." energy builds

"Aye?"

They are at their house. The shroud is a bit thinner here and Lilian Viola Hughes's voice is a bit stronger.

An eyebrow. Her fingertips graze the mezuzah before she enters. "Jewish. You don't say."

Oh she's agitated.

Zara's mouth quirks into a smile.

Earl shivers with surprise. She's actually managed a cold spot.

"So - you wish to know what became of him?"

"I hope he was happy. I hope he lived long and had kids. I mean, I wish we had married. If I'd been braver, maybe we would have? But then the Spanish Flu hit things and I was needed, and there was a war."

"But not knowing is bothering me. I mean, I get it might be sad. You think I don't know sad? But better to know.. it's the not knowing that cuts."

"Agreed. What was his name?"

"Ah, and fair warning - my brother will most like be able to hear you, also."

"Runs in the family huh?" One can almost hear the interested smile, "Ira Aaron Scwhartz" A sigh "Aaron got more of a pass among the gentles, but I always liked Ira."

Her eyes widen. "Schwartz?"

Zara darts to the bookshelf, pulling out an album.

"Yes." She says and starts to spell it "S-C-H..."

"I know how it was spelled. Papa was named for his grandfather... it couldn't..."

Flip flip flip - old photos, Aaron pre-beard...

"Oh my stars, that could be his brother or something..."

Toddler Aaron with a VERY old man...

Earl watches amazed, "Wait, is the ghost a scwhartz?"