Chapter 2

The date was over.

Julian drove Lily home.

In the car, Lily, full and content, was dozing off in the back seat.

I gently, virtually, wrapped my arms around her.

She was five now.

Growing more and more like Julian, except for the shallow dimples at the corners of her mouth – those were mine.

It was such a pity. I only got to spend two years with her.

My chest felt hollow.

Ghosts can't cry. It's truly annoying.

I looked up, and my gaze met Julian's in the rearview mirror.

He glanced, then quickly shifted his focus back to the road ahead.

I floated to the front passenger seat, stretching like I used to.

"You're not getting any younger, Julian. Find someone before you're completely unmarketable. While you've still got *it*, just get yourself hitched!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the wedding ring back on Julian's left ring finger. I didn't know when he'd put it on again.

"Oh, wow."

I leaned closer, examining it.

"When we custom-ordered these diamond rings, you said it was 'just okay.' Why are you treating it like a treasure now?"

"Heh, I guess now that you're older, you're all talk, huh?"

As expected, no response.

I was just talking to myself.

Boring.

Julian and I used to bicker constantly, and it made me quite fond of playful arguments.

Now that I was a ghost, it was truly dull being alone in the mortal realm.

I just stared out the window, lost in thought.

Suddenly, I heard Julian whisper.

"Think I'm old?"

I didn't quite catch it and leaned in curiously.

"What mumbling? You sound like a buzzing mosquito."

Julian said nothing more, just a quick, fleeting curve of his lips.

So weird.

Just as it quieted down, Julian's phone rang.

It was a FaceTime call from the group chat, "The Lily Keepers' Alliance."

I'd named it that myself, back in the day.

He answered, and four people were already in the call: my parents and Julian's parents.

"Julian, how did the meeting go today?"

That was my mom, Brenda.