The 7th Birthday Party: A Ghost Mystery Story (Second Hand Ghosts Book 3) Read online

  Chapter 1

  “Look at all this rubbish! There’s tons of it,” Carol said.

  I crouched down next to her and peered into the cupboard. “Rose kept everything,” I said.

  “She kept a load of rubbish,” Carol tutted. “It will take ages to clear it all out. When she left us this shop I didn’t realise she was leaving us a shop full of old tat.”

  “It’s not old tat, I’m sure some of it will be very useful,” I said. I pulled out a box and opened it. “I’m sure we’ll find something valuable, things that we can sell in the shop.”

  Carol sat back and looked at me as I opened the box. I reached in and pulled out … a pair of old fashioned bloomers.

  “ I hope those are clean. That’s more rubbish we need to throw away. What else is in that box?” Carol said.

  “I think I might put some rubber gloves on first before I look any further, I don’t know what else I’m going to finding in here.”

  “A load of old tat,” Carol repeated. “We should just hire a skip and throw everything into it.”

  I walked towards the kitchen. “What if there was something really valuable hidden away in there? Something you could sell at a great profit?”

  I smiled to myself as I heard Carol mutter, “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to look through everything.”

  I went into the kitchen and opened the cupboard under the sink. I took out two pairs of rubber gloves. I thought Carol could use a pair. I also grabbed a roll of bin liners. We could separate the items into things to sell in the shop, things to donate to charity and stuff to throw away.

  I went back to the shop. I looked around, feeling satisfied.

  “We’ve done well in the last few months since we took over the shop,” I said to Carol. “And I’ve noticed our takings have gone up as well.”

  “That’s down to my excellent business sense,” Carol said

  I crouched down next to her and handed her a pair of gloves. “I’ve done my fair share, you know that.”

  Carol gave me a little smile. “I know, you’ve come up with some good ideas. Now stop chatting and get on with clearing out this cupboard. I can’t seem to find the end of the cupboard with all this rubbish in the way.”

  I put my rubber gloves on and looked further into the darkened area. There were lots of small boxes. It was almost like an Aladdin’s cave, I wasn’t sure what I was going to find.

  “Rose must have been collecting all these things when she first opened the shop,” I said.

  “I think she was the sort to put things away with the aim of sorting them out later. It looks like she forgot about the sorting out later part,” Carol said. She opened a box and gingerly peered in. “Biscuits! Look at this, packets and packets of biscuits!”

  She pulled out a packet and looked at the date. “These would have been lovely 10 years ago. Why on earth would she keep boxes full of biscuits?”

  “Perhaps she just forgot she had them,” I suggested. I remembered how much Rose had enjoyed her chocolate biscuits during the tea breaks that we had together. I still felt sad that she was no longer with us.

  We opened more boxes and found further items. I was beginning to agree with Carol about the old tat label that she’d put on the items. We found lots of pens and pencils, heaps of old newspapers and even more biscuits. Rose must have been worried that the local shops were going to run out of her favourite kind.

  “Finally,” Carol said as she looked inside a box. “I think I might have found something that will be useful. To you at least. Look at all these birthday celebration items. You could use them for Emily’s birthday party.”

  “Let me see,” I said and I pulled the box towards me. “This is amazing. Just what I was looking for. Banners and plates, even pink balloons. They’ve even got number seven on them. This seems a bit of a coincidence. I wonder why Rose put this box in here?”

  Carol shrugged. “Rose had her ways. Maybe the box has been here for a while. Or maybe Rose collected these things ready to give to you for Emily’s birthday party.”

  I had a funny feeling about the box. If a customer had come in and donated the items why were they still all wrapped up in cellophane? It seemed to me that they were bought for a girl’s birthday party but for some reason that child never had a party. I didn’t like the sound of that.

  A shiver went down my back. Did these items belong to a family who had lost a child? A girl who was going to be seven? A child that had perhaps died?

  “I don’t want them,” I pushed the box back to Carol.

  She gave me a quizzical look. “Why not? This will save you having to go out and buy them.”

  I looked down at the floor and said, “I’ve just got a feeling about them, that’s all.”

  Carol lifted her hands away from the box and said, “Don’t tell me there’s a ghost attached to this box. I told you before that I don’t want anything to do with ghosts.”

  “I can’t feel or see anything at the moment,” I said.

  Just before Rose died she asked me to take over her job of helping ghosts. Ghosts that were somehow attached to items in our second hand shop. Ghosts that had unfinished business and needed someone to help them. Since then I had helped a few ghosts and found out that I was quite good at talking to them. The thought of talking to a ghost child filled me with sadness. Especially one that was the same age as my daughter.

  “Well?” Carol said. “Are you going to take them or not? If there isn’t a ghost here with the box then there’s no harm in taking them, is there?”

  I leaned over and touched the box. Normally I get a tingling up my arm if there’s a ghost attached to anything. As I ran my hands over the box I didn’t feel a thing.

  I took another look at the items inside. They were bright and colourful. It would be a shame not to use them for such a happy occasion as Emily’s birthday. And what if Rose had bought them for Emily’s party?

  “Okay, I’ll take them,” I said. I picked the box up and placed it on the counter, ready to take with me when I went to pick Emily up from school.

  “Are you still expecting me to come to Emily’s birthday party tomorrow?” Carol said.

  “Of course,” I smiled at her. “I know how much you love children.”

  Carol pulled a face. “I like your Emily but I don’t like other children. They’re so noisy and full of questions. And some of them smell funny.”

  I laughed. “I can tell that you’re going to be the life and soul of the party.”

  Chapter 2

  When it was time for me to finish work I picked up the box of party things and took them to my car. A few minutes later I arrived outside Emily’s school.

  I waited with the other mums to collect our children. I could hear Emily before I saw her.

  “Don’t forget it’s my party tomorrow! You’re still coming to my party aren’t you? I’m going to be seven tomorrow! We’re having cupcakes and games! I’m going to be seven tomorrow!”

  Emily ran over to me and flung herself into my arms.

  “I’m going to be seven tomorrow, Mummy!”

  “I know,” I said. “I was there seven years ago when you were born.”

  Emily took my hand and started walking towards the car. “Have you got everything ready for my party? Have you got the cupcakes? Have we got enough pop? Have you sorted all the games out?”

  We arrived at the car. I unlocked it and opened the back door for Emily. She climbed in and buckled up her seatbelt.

  “I’ve got everything we need. Don’t you worry about anything. All you
have to do is have a good time.”

  “Is Auntie Carol still coming to my party? Will she bring me a present?”

  “Yes, she’s coming, and I’m sure she’s bringing you a present.”

  Although I wasn’t sure what present Carol would bring. She got on really well with Emily and treated her as a grown-up. Last year, Carol got her a voucher for a garden centre.

  Luckily, the garden centre sold books and toys so Emily was able to use the voucher. I had no idea what Carol was going to give her this year.

  I got into the driver’s seat and started the engine. “Is it still six girls who are coming tomorrow?” I asked.

  Emily was looking at the seat next to her and smiling.

  “Emily, did you hear what I just said?”

  Emily glanced up at my reflection in the rear view mirror. “What did you say, Mummy?”

  I repeated my question. Emily nodded.

  As we drove along Emily seemed to be chattering to herself. She was probably reminding herself of what she needed to do at the party tomorrow. She still hadn’t decided which outfit to wear. Or what music she was going to play. We’d been planning her seventh birthday party for months now. I was looking forward to it, but I would be glad when the last child had gone home. Thankfully, Emily’s friends were too young to have a sleepover as a group. The thought of seven little girls running up and down stairs all night didn’t fill me with joy. One little girl was enough.

  Emily was talking again.

  I glanced back at her through the mirror and asked, “Are you talking to me?”

  Emily giggled and said, “No, Mummy.”

  “Were you talking to yourself?” I said.

  Emily giggled again, “I was talking to my new friend, Charlotte.”

  I frowned. I hadn’t heard Emily mention the name Charlotte before. She was looking at the empty seat next to her and nodding. Had she got an imaginary friend? How do I deal with this? Do I play along?

  “Who’s Charlotte?” I asked.

  Emily pointed to the empty seat and said, “She was already in the car when I got in. She said she wants to come to my party . Can she come, Mummy?”

  “What does Charlotte look like? How old is she?”

  That was a bit of muttering and then Emily said, “She’s nearly 7, like me. And you know what she looks like, Mummy. You can see her. She’s a ghost.”

  I quickly pulled the car over to one side and stopped. I turned around to look at Emily.

  I could only see Emily. I couldn’t see a ghost.

  Chapter 3

  I managed to drive home safely. Emily didn’t notice my hands shaking slightly as I drove. She continued chattering away to Charlotte. Not only could I not see Charlotte, I couldn’t hear her either.

  Had my ability to see ghosts stopped? Would I have to get Emily to talk to them for me?

  One thing I was sure of was that Charlotte must have been attached to the box of birthday things.

  I pulled up outside our house. Emily jumped out of the car and ran up the steps to our home. She waited for me to open the door.

  I opened the boot and took out the box of birthday things. I locked the car up and walked over to Emily.

  Emily noticed the box and put her head to one side as if she was listening to someone. Then she said, “Those are Charlotte’s things. She never got to have her seventh birthday.”

  I opened the door and we both went inside. I put the box on the kitchen table.

  I turned round to Emily and said, “I can’t see Charlotte. Where is she now?”

  Emily pointed to her left. “Charlotte looks sad now, Mummy. She’s sad that she never got to have her seventh birthday party. I think she might feel better if she stayed here with us and then she can share my birthday. Is that okay?”

  I said that was okay. I didn’t want to ask any more questions at the moment. I was still concerned that I couldn’t see Charlotte. Perhaps if she began to make herself at home she might relax a bit and show herself to me.

  “Shall we have our tea now? Then we can start getting things ready for your party,” I said.

  Emily put her hands up in the air and twirled around. “It’s nearly my birthday! Can we have some party food now? Then I can practice eating it for tomorrow.”

  I smiled down at her hopeful face. “No, the party food is definitely for tomorrow. How about fish fingers and chips? That won’t take long to make.”

  I still wasn’t entirely sure if Charlotte was a ghost or an imaginary friend so I said, “Would you like me to make some fish fingers and chips for Charlotte?”

  One of my mum friends had told me that her son had an imaginary friend and she had to set food out for him at every meal. The son always ate the extra food.

  Emily began laughing. “Don’t be silly, Mummy. Ghosts can’t eat. You know that. Can we go up to my room? I want to show Charlotte some of my toys.”

  “Go ahead,” I said.

  I heard one set up footsteps running up the stairs. I put the oven on and placed the fish fingers and chips on a baking tray. I put them into the oven and then switched the kettle on. I needed a cup of tea.

  I opened the box of birthday things that I’d taken from the shop. I took things out and placed them on the kitchen table. Who was Charlotte? Did she live locally? And how did she die?

  My experience with ghosts had taught me that they attached themselves to items because they had unfinished business.

  I still felt peculiar about using these party things, especially now that I knew who they belonged to. Although, Charlotte might like to see them being used.

  I really hoped that I could get to see her soon. I didn’t want Emily to have to find out the reason why Charlotte had attached herself to the party things.

  What would I do if I couldn’t see ghosts anymore?

  Chapter 4

  It took forever to get Emily to go to sleep that night. She was so excited about her birthday.

  “Do you think I’ll be taller in the morning, Mummy?” she asked.

  “You might be, if you go to sleep and let your body grow,” I said.

  “Do you think my hair will be longer? Will my nose is bigger? Will I have new teeth?”

  “Maybe you’ll stop asking so many questions when you’re seven,” I said to her and kissed her on the nose.

  I tucked the bedclothes around her and casually asked, “Where’s Charlotte now?”

  Emily pointed to the floor, “She’s playing with my dolls. She hasn’t seen dolls like those before so I said she could play with them all night.”

  “Doesn’t she want to go to sleep? There’s plenty of room in your bed.”

  Emily frowned, “I don’t know if ghosts go to sleep. Do they, Mummy?”

  “I’m not sure either,” I replied. “Now try and get some sleep.”

  I went into my own bedroom and climbed into bed. I needed a good night’s sleep before the big party tomorrow. I knew that Emily would be up early to make sure everything was perfect for her party.

  I was too tired to think about Charlotte and whatever her problem could be. Hopefully, we would sort everything out soon.

  It seemed as if my eyes had been closed for two seconds before I felt someone jump on my bed and grab me.

  I opened my eyes to see Emily’s grinning face one inch away from my face.

  “Is it still night time?” I yawned.

  “No! It’s morning! It’s my birthday. I’m seven now. Do I look any different?”

  I looked over at my clock. 6 am. I knew there was no point in trying to get back to sleep.

  Emily jumped off the bed, pulled the covers back and grabbed my hand. “Come on, Mummy. We’ve got lots to do. People will be arriving for my party soon.”

  I stumbled out of bed. “Nobody is arriving until 12 o’clock. We’ve got plenty of time.”

  “Can I open my presents from you?” Emily asked. “Can Charlotte watch me?”

  So Charlotte was still with us.

  “Of course you
can.” I took Emily’s hand and we walked down the stairs together.

  Emily loved the presents that I’d got her. Lots of books and loads of creative activity sets. She’s always happy with her nose in a book or when she’s making something.

  We had breakfast and then started to get the house ready for the party. We pinned the birthday banners up.

  Emily said, “Charlotte’s really happy that we’re using all of her things.”

  “Good,” I said. “Where is Charlotte now?”

  Emily pointed to her right. I still couldn’t see Charlotte. Not even a shimmer.

  At 12 o’clock guests began to arrive. Six giggling girls rushed into the house, presents tucked under their arms. They ran into the front room and soon music was blaring out.

  “What a terrible noise ! Am I supposed to listen to that awful racket?” Carol arrived. “Where is the birthday girl? Can’t I just stay for ten minutes then go? I can feel a headache coming on.”

  “No, you agreed to help me out so make yourself useful and take this plate of cupcakes into the girls,” I said.

  “I hope you’ve got some food for me. And not this tiny party food either, that won’t fill me up,” Carol said.

  “I’ll put the kettle on. I’ve got grown up cake, just for us. Thank you for helping, Carol. I really appreciate it.”

  Carol shrugged and headed towards the living room. She called out, “One at a time and don’t even think about pushing me!”

  Carol and I never did get to have our cup of tea and cake. The girls were very demanding. Not only did they need constant feeding, they needed constant supervising with the party games, music and arguing over which films to watch.

  I didn’t know little girls could be so demanding!

  Emily seemed to be having a wonderful time. She was especially polite when Carol gave her a present.

  “It’s a book on learning how to drive. You’re never to young to learn the basics,” Carol told her.

  “Thanks Auntie Carol. When I’m older and I’ve got a car, I’ll give you a lift to the supermarket. If you’re still alive then.”