Standing outside the faded red door Judith waited anxiously for the new tenants to answer. Assuming anyone was at home. If not, she wondered if Jersey would open the door to let her in.

It had been over a year now since she left the property. Would Jersey even want to see her or had even they moved on?

Judith knocked for a second time, hoping anyone would answer. She was tired and weary but ready to face any threat Jersey might impose in exchange for a comfortable chair for a few minutes.

Eventually, a woman a few years younger than Judith answered the door wearing only a dressing gown. She was shorter than Judith and looked very surprised to receive guests.

"Good morning, may I help you?" She spoke politely.

Judith began wondering how Sheridan must have felt when she was in this position before. She adjusted her glasses, a habit when she was nervous, before answering. "Good morning, miss. May I come in? I know this seems strange but I used to live here once an-"

"Judith?" The young woman questioned, cutting her off As if suddenly recognising her face. 

Judith nodded nervously.

"Please, do come in. I will put the kettle on. My name is Mrs Melissa Fitzpatrick, but please call me Mel." She knew stating her name was unnecessary but despite everything she was doing she was still proud to be married and belonging to Sam. Mel pulled the dressing gown tighter to herself and ushered Judith to follow her into the front room.

Judith looked round at her surroundings before stepping across the threshold into the house she had fond and horrific memories of.

"You know me?" Judith asked as soon as she entered the front room behind Mel.

Mel blushed which did not go unnoticed. The image of Judith's face was vivid in her memory of the vision on the kitchen counter. "It was a guess, I know the previous tenant was Judith Ainbridge, and you look like you fit the name." Julie half lied, she knew Judith's face and why she was there but she asked her next question anyway. "What brings you here?"

Judith assumed Mel's blush was something to do with the spirit; the ghost she once called Jersey but now educated, knew it to be a girl called Julie. Judith gulped, she did not brandish the same confidence Sheridan held when she had knocked Judith's door. "I would like to talk about Julie. I think you know who I mean."

Mel blushed again, she wanted to play it dumb but she knew her face was giving away too much already. So she answered honestly. "Yes, I know Julie, the spirit in this house."

It was Judith's turn to turn a shade of red, "And what she is capable of?"

Mel nodded. She entered the kitchen to make tea and Judith followed close behind, she held a brief stare on a certain point of the counter.

"What about your husband, Mr Fitzpatrick?"

"Sam is stubborn and sceptical. He is somehow able to ignore the strange occurrences." Mel felt uncomfortable with Judith in her home. Sure she may have had history with Julie but that was not a good enough reason to be calling now.

"I see," Judith replied.

Mel handed Judith a cup of tea and ushered her back into the front room to take a seat. "Judith, I know what we're trying to discuss is a little personal and uncomfortable but if you're here to see Julie, I can assure you she is fine."

Judith stared down at her cup. "How do you know her name is Julie? I used to name her Jersey, not knowing whether she was male or female. I had to do a lot of digging before coming here to discover the unpleasant truth behind Julie and her death. It was mostly covered up by the police and the assailant's family. How did you come by it?"

Mel shrugged, "She told me, just like she told me you were Judith."

"She talks to you?" Judith gasped.

"Yes, she would have been a beautiful young woman if given a chance at life."

"You see her too? That's extraordinary," Judith let out another gasp. "You have a special gift. I have learnt of people like you. I was only fortunate enough to communicate through touch. We found a way to make things work."

Mel turned her attention to the door and saw Julie stood on the other side of the frame, she looked nervously at Judith. "I'm no one special, Judith, but I have been able to connect with Julie in ways that I could not with Sam."

Judith felt a chill go down her back, she noticed that Mel was staring directly behind her. "She's here isn't she?"

Mel nodded feebly as she watched Julie slowly enter the front room and stand next to Judith by the sofa.

"Good morning, Jersey," Judith said calmly.

"Are you not scared?" Mel asked.

Judith smiled, "I do not come unprepared. Would you be so kind as to give us a moment please?"

"Of course," Mel agreed. She looked nervously at Julie as she passed and left the room.

Judith waited until she heard Mel's footsteps on the floorboards upstairs before speaking. "Jersey, I am sorry for everything. I should not have hurt you the way I did with that device. I thought you were moved on, I am so glad to learn that you are ok."

Julie squeezed Judith's shoulder to let her know everything was ok.

Judith continued, "I miss you, Jersey, or I suppose I better call you Julie now."

Jersey squeezed her shoulder harder and Judith took that as a sign that she preferred Jersey. Indeed, she did prefer it when it was Judith calling her that.

Judith stood to her feet and she felt the cool arms of Julie surround her. Judith closed her eyes to feel the moment. "You seem to be doing well. Mel is gorgeous."

Julie squeezed Judith tighter and the living woman guessed she was missed too. Although, Julie then pushed the boundaries as Judith felt one hand lower and caress her arse.

"Julie, no," Judith hissed.

The other hand came back to Judith's front and she felt Julie squeeze her braless breast through her shirt. A kiss fell upon her neck.

"I said no!" Judith growled and she placed her right hand on Julie's back and for the first time Judith could feel the shape of her ex-lover. Julie screeched, inaudible to Judith, and she was suddenly thrown up into the air.

Mel ran back in at the sound of the screech and just caught Julie evaporating through the ceiling as she disappeared. A thud could be heard by both women as Julie landed in the bedroom.

"What did you do?" Mel screeched herself in horror.

"Relax, I did not hurt her. Just a bit of a shock." Judith showed Mel the ring she wore on her finger. "It's made of a special wax which repels spirits. She will be fine once she calms down." It hurt Judith inside having to use the ring on Julie but she was not going to let it show in front of Mel.

"Please be careful, I wouldn't want any harm to fall upon her."

"I am not here to harm her," Judith did not like how her words were sounding similar to Sheridan's over a year ago. "Like I've said, I have done some research and I think I finally have the ability to help Julie crossover. If she should choose to and if you're ok with that of course."

Of course Mel was not ok with this. Whether it was something Julie wanted or not, Mel preferred the ignorance of being selfish to the idea. She liked having Julie around and had never contemplated the thought of her leaving. She had even started playing dumb to the idea of Sam wanting them to move on to their future forever home.

"I guess if it's what Julie wants. She must have a family on the other side somewhere," Mel said doubtfully.

"Go to her," Judith responded with a knowing expression. Mel nodded and left the room silently. Judith finally took the time to admire the changes in the room since she last left it. Mel had truly turned it into a beautiful home.

Judith entered the kitchen and glanced at the particular worktop once more. Her hand moved to her breast where Julie had tried squeezing moments earlier. She gulped as her other hand slid down the hem of her trousers to feel how wet she had become from the spirit's touch.

***

Word count- 42106

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