Lonesome Spirits

By Foxglove Lee

My life wasn't in great shape when I showed up at my parents' farmhouse. I'd just been dumped, my best friend wasn't speaking to me, and I'd sublet my apartment to a stranger. You'd think a dose of parental affection would make me feel better. Problem was, my mother and father were heading out the door just as I arrived, leaving on a world tour I knew nothing about.

So here I am, alone and friendless in a town that doesn't know my name. I've got nobody to talk to except the ghosts who haunt this place, and I'm starting to think their intentions toward me aren't exactly friendly...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rainbow Crush
• Release date: Jun 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005037154

Foxglove Lee

Foxglove’s fiction has been called SPECTACULAR by Rainbow Reviews and UNFORGETTABLE by USA Today!Foxglove Lee is a former aspiring Broadway Baby who now writes fiction for children, teens and young adults. She tries not to be too theatrical, but her characters often take over. Her debut novel, Tiffany and Tiger’s Eye, is set in the 80s and features an evil doll!

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Lonesome Spirits © 2021 by Foxglove Lee

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system.

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover design © 2021 Foxglove Lee

First Edition June 2021

Lonesome Spirits

from the

Queer Ghost Stories

series

By Foxglove Lee

Chapter One

I showed up on my parents’ front step with a suitcase in each hand.

They opened the door with baggage of their own.

Three large cases sat inside the front hall, and I was like, What's all this? Who’s going where?

For a second, I wondered if Mama had kicked my dad to the curb. Or vice versa. Could have gone either way, although I doubt they’d ever divorce. Maybe separate for a while, but never divorce. They were solid, those two.

My mother seemed shocked to see me. Truly. Shocked. She pulled me into an awkward hug before saying, Nikola, what are you doing here?

My parents are pretty much the only people on the planet who still call me Nikola. To everyone in the city, I’m Nik. I’m non-binary. But that's a lot to explain to a pair like my mother and father. Anyway, I’d never been able to pin them down long enough to explain what non-binary means.

We live in different worlds, me and my parents.

Except I’d just fled the city to stay at their farmhouse in the middle of nowhere, so maybe our worlds would meld. After 32 years as parents and child, it would be nice to live in the same world. Finally.

That’s probably why my guts twisted with disappointment when Mama said, I wish you’d called first. Your father and I have a plane to catch.

I was so confused. Like, A plane to where?

My father’s frazzled voice rang out from the top of the stairs. He was on his way down with more luggage, a suitcase in each hand. We’re crossing the Orient!

"We don’t say Orient, my mother chastised him. Not anymore. It’s Asia now."

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. You’re going on a trip to Asia? For real?

My mother left me for the dining room, where she sorted through paperwork at the table. Never did take her long to abandon me. She said, I thought we told you this. Evgeny, did you not email Nikola about our trip?

You said you would tell her, my father responded.

My mother reflected, briefly, and then shrugged. I meant to. It’s a good thing you stopped by, Nikola, or you’d never have known where we’d gone!

I’m not just stopping by, I told my parents. The school year’s over. I planned to spend the whole summer here with you.

My father headed back upstairs after dropping his suitcases in the hall. He didn’t stop to hug me. Didn’t even shake my hand! He just said, It’s a shame your trip was wasted. But there’s more for you to do in the city. Nothing going on around here.

I can’t go home, I said, feeling slightly more panic-stricken with every second that passed. I sublet my place for the summer. I have nowhere to stay. Where am I gonna go?

Feel free to stay here, my mother said—easy, breezy, beautiful MotherGirl. We won’t be around to entertain you, that's all.

That sucks, I whined—yeah, I admit it, I was becoming a whiny child and I didn’t even care. I was really looking forward to spending the summer with you two. I wanted to do stuff, all three of us.

My mother walked past me like I wasn’t even there and cut a path up the stairs. Evgeny, did you pack those papers we talked about? They’re not in the stack.

I know the ones, my father answered. They’re in the carry-on. All set.

My parents were magic, that way. They could reach into each other’s minds. When they were in a room together, there was nobody else in that room. Which was sweet. Which was nice. Unless you happened to be a child of theirs.

I couldn’t believe this. All I wanted was to spend two lousy months with my parents. At this point I’d settle for two weeks. Two days! And I wouldn’t even get two hours.

They hadn’t thought to ask what brought me home.

They didn’t care.

I hung around as they prepared to leave, feeling like the child I once was… the child I would always be… wanting their attention and only ever feeling underfoot.

When the car came to pick them up, my father said, "It’s a good thing you showed up, Nikola. We asked a young man from town to look in from time to time, and take