“Nell!”

It’s all I remember shouting over and over again as one of the guests, a physician, offered her mouth-to-mouth. Nell was carted off to Honey Hollow General Hospital in a whirlwind, and Noah and Everett drove me over in a show of support. There might have been a tiny argument on the way there. Noah offered profusely to drop Everett off at his house since it was on the way. But Everett, knowing all about my supersensual standing and the fact that Nell was about to give me some cold hard answers, insisted on coming along to support me in ways that Noah couldn’t—his exact words. I cringed when he used that verbiage, but he did apologize for it. But on a chaotic night like tonight, I can’t hold anyone accountable for anything. I just need Nell to be all right.

Noah and Everett hang out in the waiting room with Keelie, Naomi and me, and William and his three daughters all about my age. Becca is the only one allowed to stay with Nell while she undergoes a bevy of tests. Noah has already alerted the doctors to the fact there was a similar incident earlier this month with another woman who dropped dead after being drugged with tetrahydrozoline. And I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs at the thought of somebody hurting Nell that way. The doctor assured us toxicology would find everything.

After what seems like hours of waiting, I excuse myself for the restroom. On my way back, I note a familiar looking woman in a red coat lurking in the hall, and as soon as she spots me, she opens the door to the stairwell and takes off running.

“Hey!” I call out as I run after her and swing open the door, only to meet with the echo of her thumping footsteps as she trots to the bottom. “Are you following me? You stay away from me! And stay away from my bakery, too!”

A pair of strong arms pulls me back, and I twist to find Noah holding me tight.

“Whoa. What was that about?” His head cocks to the side just as the waiting room drains of all the people that were at Nell’s party, and he hitches his head that way. “Family is free to see her now. Keelie says that includes you.”

“I have to go.” I bolt down the hall and catch up with the crowd just as we make our way into Nell’s dimly lit room. A soft glow emits from above the bed, and the peachy light makes Nell look like an angel. Her arms are limp, she has tubes running out of her arms and nostrils, cords and wires are strapped to her chest, and she looks darn right feeble. Instantly, everyone in the room begins to tear up.

“Nell.” I try to make my way to her, but Becca, William, Keelie, Naomi, and their cousins have all enwreathed her. The only space that’s left for me is down by the foot of the bed. And I suppose that’s the way it should be. I’m not really family, not in the way they are at least.

“You gave us a scare.” Keelie sniffs into her tissue. “Don’t ever do that again, Grammy.”

“Never!” Naomi barks it out like a harsh reprimand, and for once I happen to agree with her on something.

Her cousins all break out into a similar appeal, and Nell offers a weak smile.

“You know I”—Nell whispers the words out, wincing before she can finish—“love you all.” She looks to Becca. “Where is she? Where is Carlotta?”

Becca leans in. “She’s not here, Mother.”

“I’m right here!” I raise my hand and all but jump up and down. “Nell, I’m here. I would never not be here. I love you so much.”

Her tired eyes slowly make their way over to me. “Lottie,” she says it lower than a breath before motioning everyone out of the room. “Just Lottie and me.” Her fingers flick my way.

“What’s this?” William looks to his sister. “Who’s this girl?”

Becca clicks her tongue at her brother. “Keelie’s best friend. She and Mother are very close.” Becca lands a kiss to Nell’s cheek. “We’ll gladly give the two of you a moment.”

The room empties quickly, and I make my way closer, taking up her hand as I lean in close.

“Nell, you’re going to be just fine. I know it.”

“Oh, honey”— she gives my hand a weak squeeze—“open your eyes and look around. It’s my time to go.”

“No, you can’t go anywhere. There are so many people who love you. We all need you. Honey Hollow needs you.”

A soft laugh bubbles from her as her head seems to press deeper into the pillow. “Nobody needs me anymore on this earth, child. My time here has come to fulfillment.”

“Nell, stop talking like that.” My voice hitches with every other word—it’s like pushing past a boulder in my throat just to evict them.

A shimmer of pale blue light catches my eyes at the foot of the bed, and I can’t seem to take my next breath when I see it. Slinking forward is a fluffy black cat with glowing green eyes, and it curls up right over her chest. Another shimmering blue kitten emerges from seemly nowhere at the foot of the bed and does the same thing, then another and another until the entire bed from Nell’s neck down is filled with beautiful fluffy beasts, each purring away contentedly, their glowing eyes all feasted her way.

A gentle laughter emits from her as she struggles to touch the one nearest her fingers. “I have always had cats and, my goodness, here they all are. It’s true, I have never played favorites.”

“They’re beautiful,” I say, stunned as tears roll down my cheeks without any hope of stopping.

“Lottie, there have been many things I have withheld from you. One of which I promised I would not tell—but the person responsible has given me her word that she would indeed deliver the truth to you.”

“Who? What is this about? What about the gift? The transmundane? Supersensual?”

“Aw, yes, the gift.” A lengthy sigh expires from her. “I’m glad you see it that way. It was never intended to be a curse. Your ability to see into the next world is something to be treasured, an avenue that leads you toward your true destiny. And, in a way, you’ve already found it.”

“I have? Is it helping track down killers? My God, am I going to be staring death in the face my whole life?”

A weak smile flexes over her glowing face. “Yes, unfortunately, you are. But don’t fear it. Embrace it. You can do things that others can’t. And that’s exactly what makes you so very special.” Her body bucks with a weak cough. “I’ve left you a letter in the event I don’t have a chance to say everything I needed to. It’s with my lawyer.” Her lids begin to close, and I jostle her hand without meaning to.

“Nell, stay with us, please. You were going to tell me something important, remember? Something that I must never do.”

“Oh, yes.” Her lids flutter open as she struggles to remain conscious. The felines purring over her bed begin to brighten as if someone were turning up their electric blue illumination. “Lottie, be sure to never interfere with the natural order of things. You must never claim any of the beasts for yourself. They have a master who they must return to once their job here is done.”

“Claim them? I’ve hardly done that. Dutch has sort of claimed me. And I can’t help but love him. I’ve always wanted a large dog.”

“Then get one. That dog belongs on the other side. His owner is waiting for him.”

“What if he doesn’t want to go? What if I’ve already claimed him?” I know for a fact that I’ve already claimed him in my heart.

“Something will be taken from you. Something you dearly love. It doesn’t always mean death, Lottie. But it can be a very, very bad thing.”

“Like a run of bad luck?” Honestly, it’s the best-case scenario.

“Like extremely bad luck.” She flicks her finger and blinks. “Come closer.”

I lean until my face is hovering over hers. “I will try my best to always be there for you. I let you down in this life. I’ll try not to do so in the next.”

“Nell, you could never let me—”

“I love you.” Her voice is softer than the rustling of a leaf. At once her entire body lights up bright as the sun, as do those cats glowing over her bed, and in a quiet nuclear burst of energy, they evaporate all at once. The room grows eerily dark, and I’m still holding Nell’s hand, but it’s lifeless.

Nell—she’s gone.