“I’m sorry. I don’t…” Jess glanced around with furrowed brows. “I don’t think I understand?”

Lady Belweather gave a sad smile. “No. Most people do not.” She patted the seat of the chair next to her. “Come, Terrance. Take a seat.”

Jess was no less bewildered when the cushions of the chair seemed to squash and deflate. Oh my God. He’s a ghost. She paled considerably, blood draining from her face as a dreadful understanding soaked in.

“We have tried to hire so many different tutors in the past,” Lady Belweather continued. “Some refused outright. Not that they can truly be blamed. Others start but… Alas. The scares and frights appear to be too much.”

How do you even teach a ghost?

“All we ever wanted was the best for Terrance. For him to have a chance at a normal life.”

A bit late for that.

An awkward silence settled upon the group as Jess fought to find words. She wasn’t sure whether she should address Lady Belweather or the empty (but not actually empty) chair that Terrance sat in.

Eventually, Jess settled upon a question but she addressed the person that she could see. It was too unnerving to speak to the ‘boy’ for the time being. Her heart was still racing at the implications of his presence.

“How old was Terrance when… When he… You know…” Jess broke off, giving a nervous cough. She couldn’t bring herself to say the words.

“It was two years ago. Not even a month after his fifth birthday,” replied Lady Belweather. She offered a hand, palm up, to the chair beside her with a warm smile. “He was playing in the grounds when it happened. He found an unusual patch of mushrooms and, knowing how excitable his father can be about plants, picked one to show us.”

Jess’s heart panged. Bad enough to lose a child, but not like that. Not to an innocent whim.

“By the time he reached us, it had already happened. My poor baby boy.”

Jess could feel the tears beginning to well up. “It must be so difficult.”

Lady Belweather turned back to Jess and nodded. “It truly is. We make the best of it though,” she said, before turning back to the chair beside her. “Don’t we, Dear?”

“Yes Mama,” said the voice.

Jess licked her lips nervously. “Would it be alright if I asked you a few questions?”

Lady Belweather nodded her acceptance.

“Is anyone ever able to see Terrance?” Jess asked. The idea of some horrific bloated child appearing was enough to send chills down her spine. She could only imagine how much carnage there would be if that happened in the middle of a classroom full of children. Pandemonium. Utter bedlam.

Lady Belweather shook her head. “Not since that day. Truly, that is the worst of it. Knowing my darling boy is growing but unable to see the man that he will grow into. The doctors assure me that he is in perfect health though.

He’s in… what?

The blank expression that Jess sported seemed to worry Lady Belweather and the calm façade cracked slightly.

“Obviously they are unable to see Terrance! But they have taken every other possible precaution since he was cursed. They have measured his pulse. His height and other measurements are observed regularly to ensure that he is growing. Most importantly, the doctors have assured us that his condition is not contagious! He will not be a risk to your other students, Miss Harper,” Lady Belweather babbled. Beads of sweat began to rise on her forehead.

The word vomit washed over Jess, but one word stood out from the rest. She blinked, uncertain, before asking, “cursed?”

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Her question was answered with a solemn nod from Lady Belweather. “Indeed.”

Jess breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank goodness!” she exclaimed before clapping both hands to her mouth, mortified by her insensitivity.

This time, it was Lady Belweather who sat blank-faced and stunned into silence.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean it like that!” Jess desperately apologised. It felt as though the heat of her cheeks that radiated out from between her spread fingers could start forest fires. Perhaps they would be visible from space, vibrantly glowing like flares or twin landing beacons.

Please let the ground open up and swallow me!

“I must say, Miss Harper,” said Lady Belweather slowly, “that is a most unusual reaction to hearing of Terrance’s condition. I hope it is not indicative of the outlook of people in the city?”

Jess grimaced. “No. Just my own careless thoughts.” Her eyes darted towards the empty chair and back again towards Lady Belweather. “I need to apologise to both of you. The way that you spoke of his condition and how it can affect previous tutors, I may have leapt to the worst of conclusions. I foolishly assumed that Terrance had actually passed away.”

“Passed away? But how then would he…” Lady Belweather raised a polite hand to her mouth to hide her shock as realisation bloomed. “Oh, my goodness. No wonder you were looking so pale!”

“Mama, I don’t understand?” Terrance spoke up, unseen but far less terrifying to the senses now that the truth had been revealed.

With great determination, Jess steeled herself and spoke to him directly. “I’m sorry Terrance. I thought you were a ghost.”

“A ghost?”

Jess nodded, staring at the chair. It was an odd feeling, knowing he was there but unable to see him. She worried briefly about what he must be feeling.

“Like a real ghost?” the boy asked.

Jess was starting to feel unusually hot, despite the cool breeze, and gave a flushed smile while nodding. It was so difficult trying to guess what mood the boy was in without being able to see his expressions. She couldn’t tell whether he was upset, angry or just confused.

A delighted peal of laughter erupted from the boy, giving evidence that he was none of the above.

“That’s so silly!” He giggled. “Ghosts don’t need to go to school!”

His laughter, like that of so many children, was infectious and Jess found herself laughing too at her foolishness.

“You’re right, you’re right. I admit that I was definitely mistaken here” she said with a smile. “I’ll tell you what. How about we start fresh? Right from the beginning.” She held out a hand, ready for a handshake, in the boy’s general direction. “It is very nice to meet you, Terrance.”

The hand that took hers was reassuringly small and warm. “Nice to meet you too Miss Harper.”

“Now then, Terrance,” Jess said. “Would it be alright if I asked you a few questions?”

“Yes, Miss Harper.”

“Have you ever been to school before, Terrance?” Jess asked.

“No, Miss Harper.”

“Are you accident-prone, Terrance?” Jess said, before adding, “and by that, I mean, do you think you have more accidents than other people might? Things like getting hurt by accident or tripping.”

“I don’t think so, Miss Harper.”

“And how are you at drawing? Can you hold a quill or chalk without any problems?”

“Yes, Miss Harper.”

Lady Belweather interjected. “He’s very good at drawing for his age. The last schoolmaster viewed them while we attempted to enrol Terrance.”

Jess smiled. “Well, that all sounds very promising. There’s just one more question now, Terrance, and it’s the most important question.”

“Y-Yes, Miss Harper,” the boy stammered.

Jess paused for a moment, letting the tension build. “Well. My final question is this: How do you feel about making lots of new friends?”

The awkward silence was not what Jess had expected. “Nervous?” Jess asked.

“A little bit,” Terrance said quietly. “What if the other children won’t want to play with me?”

Jess tilted her head in an exaggerated way. “What makes you think they won’t?”

“It’s just that… well… I can’t play most games. I can’t play catch or tag. I can’t play hide and seek. The other kids can’t see me.”

Poor kid thought Jess with a heart that melted with sympathy. “I’ll share a little secret with you. If you promise not to tell a soul.”

There was a pause before Terrance’s quiet voice was heard. “I promise. Except Mama.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t dream of leaving out your Mama,” said Jess. “It’s just that I heard that the Padfeet children were complaining that when they play tag or hide and seek, it’s just too easy and they get bored.”

“Too easy?”

“That’s right. They can tell what direction you’re in just by sniffing you out.”

“They can?”

“That’s right. Powerful noses. And then they’re so fast that when they see you, it’s no challenge at all. They catch the other children straight away.”

“They wouldn’t be able to see me though, would they?” Terrance said in a voice that sounded considerably brighter.

“That’s right. I bet they would have so much fun trying to catch or seek you,” Jess said following up her words with a smile. It was a lie, of course, but a believable one. If Colin’s words were to be trusted, the children might even find seeking Terrance an easy task.

“Mama!” Terrance called out suddenly. “Please Mama, I want to go to the school.”

Lady Belweather’s smile could have melted glaciers with its intensity. Her teary eyes flitted between Jess and the space where the boy was standing. “I think that we can arrange that, my precious boy.”