The next day, Michelle awoke feeling strange. Meaning, she felt as if she were coming down with a cold!

    Also, she could’ve sworn she hadn’t had anything on, when she went to bed the previous evening. But now she was wearing an off white lace nightie that she hardly ever put on. Maybe she had gotten cold in the middle of the night or something?

    All thoughts of her night apparel disappeared from her mind, as she sneezed three times, then thought of the previous night’s events, and how her life had suddenly fallen apart.

    Meanwhile, Vivien was in Wilbur’s room, helping him get ready for school. Ben walked in and said hello to the child, before pulling Vivien away from him a bit.

    “You locked me out of our room last night.” he said quietly. Vivien gave him a filthy, dirty look!

    ‘That’s a joke, right?”

    “Vivien, you know why I did what i did with Michelle. Half the spirits in this house want a baby! They would’ve wanted our baby if...”

    “If Hayden hadn’t killed me? Oh and by the way, you didn’t do anything ‘with’ Michelle. You did something TO her. You hypnotized her into having sex with you.”

    “I also hypnotized her to remember today.” Ben reminded her quietly, eyeing Wilbur, who was putting colored pencils in his backpack.

    Vivien squinted at him.

    “You’re hoping for something out of this, aren’t you? You’re hoping that when Michelle does remember, she’ll be happy about it or something, aren’t you?”

    “I did what I did to save Michelle and Wilbur. Every damned ghost in this house wants a baby so badly! Christian is gone. Michelle and Wilbur are vulnerable.”

    “Or,” Vivien said sarcastically, “you could’ve followed my lead and told Michelle to take Wilbur and leave. But you didn’t back me up. Michelle thought I was crazy. Now that Matt is dead, I’m sure she doesn’t think that any longer.”

    Matt suddenly walked into the room! Wilbur smiled and ran over to him. Matt reached down and picked him up.

    “Hey, buddy! Ready for school?”

    “No, not really. But I guess I have to go.” Wilbur said glumly.

    “Well why don’t you go downstairs and see what Moira made for us for breakfast. I’ll be right there.” Matt promised, setting him down. Wilbur waved a goodbye to Ben and Vivien, before running from the room with his backpack.

    Ben shook his head.

    “That was really stupid. What if Wilbur tells Michelle that you’re joining them?”

    “Michelle, from the sound of things, has a cold. So if Wilbur tells her something, chances are she’ll think she was so out of it, that she misunderstood. I guess my step-mother caught a chill, running around bare assed last night with you.” Matt said snidely.

    “I’ll have Moira make her some soup.” Ben said curtly, leaving the room. Matt watched him leave, then looked at Vivien, who was now making Wilbur’s bed.

    “It doesn’t bother you to watch him pant after Michelle like this?”

    Vivien shrugged.

    “I became disenchanted with Ben, long ago. And I suspect that if Michelle does have any interest in him, once she gets to know him, she’ll feel the same way about him that I do.” Vivien said casually, fluffing the pillows.

    “Your husband seems to forget that Michelle already has a husband.” Matt reminded her.

    Vivien turned to face him.

    “And where is he? Huh? You were here last night, watching the pandemonium around here. Christian blamed Michelle for your murder, then left her and Wilbur, for God knows how long. He may never come back.  Ben will have every opportunity now to do what he wants. We all will.”

    Matt folded his arms.

    “What I want is to find the bitch that killed me.”

    Vivien gave him a look.

    “I think we have a lot more in common than just being dead, Matt. Your murderer is named Hayden--the same psycho bitch that killed me. Oh and she’s around here somewhere. Let me finish straightening up Wilbur’s room here, and I’ll help you hunt her down.”

                                                                ****

    Michelle made her way down to the kitchen, where Moira made her a messed up concoction of something, that tasted like spit and ass!

    “Just drink it, Mrs. Troy. Your cold will disappear within minutes.” Moira promised. Michelle eyed the juicer.

    “What is this slop?”

    “It’s an old family recipe.”

    “So I smell! What is it?” Michelle asked suspiciously again, then looked over at Wilbur, who was eating a waffle.

    “Matt’s coming down soon.  Where is Daddy?” he asked.

    Michelle eyed him. Christian had left after Wilbur was asleep. And the other...

    “Honey, we have to talk about Matt. He isn’t going to be living with us.” she said, thinking maybe Christian and her should tell Wilbur together about Matt’s death.

    Wilbur looked confused.

    “Why?”

    “Uh, he left last night.”

    Wilbur furrowed a brow.

    “No he didn’t! He’s in his room! I saw him! And where is Daddy?”

    Michelle was stunned and concerned by Wilbur’s words. But she didn’t have time to even question her son further, because the kitchen door opened, and Constance sashayed in!

    “Good morning! Good morning! Isn’t it a beautiful day?”

    “Wilbur,” Michelle said in a low voice, “go get your books and wait for me in the living room.”

    “I haven’t finished eating! Daddy hasn’t had any breakfast and Matt...”

    “That’s okay, Wilbur,” Moira interrupted, “we’ll take your plate out there.”

    Michelle gave Moira a grateful look, before taking a gulp of Moira’s ass tasting concoction. She gulped, forced herself to swallow, then stood up.

    Constance peered down into the large cup Michelle had set down.

    “What in the hell is that?! it smells like...”

    “Never mind what I’m drinking, Constance! Where the hell did you go last night? Why did you leave after the murder?”

    “I wasn’t about to stick around!”

    “Moira told the police that fake Ben and Vivien live with you! How could you let them stay with you?”

    Constance tried to keep her expression neutral.

    “Fake Ben and Vivien?”

    “We know that the REAL Ben and Vivien Harmon, were killed in this house! They lived here before we did! Worse yet, Hayden killed the real Vivien and is still running loose...or dead herself by now.”

    Constance raised a brow.

    “Why do you think she’s dead?”

    “Because it looks like Matt was involved in some kind of mobster stuff. He was going to testify against some big whig and that may have been the reason he was killed. No one can find Hayden so she was probably kidnapped and killed by this hitman.”

    “Oh.” Constance said. She couldn’t have made up a better story herself! But Michelle wasn’t through with her!

    “Well? Who the hell are these Ben and Vivien wannabes?”

    “Michelle, just calm down. Stress like this can’t be good for...for the body.”

    Michelle took a deep breath, then spoke.

    “Constance, you have to try and understand my position. If these people are fake, then I have sat in THIS house, and told some creep all of my personal business! Hell, I even confided in fake Vivien...who by the way, I think is obsessed with my son.  You need to tell the police where they are.”

    Ben suddenly walked into the room! Michelle gasped!

    “Where did you come from?”

    “Moira let me in.” Ben lied.

    “WHY? She’s the one that told us all about you and your con artist wife! Look, I’m going to give you some time to get a running head start, but I have to call the police. I’m sorry, Ben, but it looks like Hayden was hanging around here, thinking that your wife, girlfriend or whatever that woman calls herself, that you SAY is your wife, was still alive. My step son died because of this.”

    “I thought you said a mobster was after him?” Constance asked, now helping herself to some off the ass drink that Moira had fixed for Michelle. She took out a flask and poured some liquor into it.

    “I  need to speak to Michelle--alone.” Ben said, giving Constance a look. Constance grinned madly again, then walked out of the kitchen. Michelle peered after her. She hadn’t left by way of the kitchen door, so that meant she was wandering about in the house. Why?

    Ben walked up to Michelle.

    “Michelle, you need to be aware of what’s going on here. Vivien and I weren’t until it was too late.”

    Michelle realized that she DID feel better, no thanks to that nasty drink Moira gave her.

    “I don’t know what to even call you. I can’t call you ‘Ben’ and you for damned sure aren’t a doctor.”

    “My name is Ben. And I was a psychiatrist.”

    “Was?”

    “I lost my license. I lost it when I died.” Ben said quietly. Michelle stared at him for several long moments, before speaking.

    “Say that again?”

    “I lost my license when I died.”

    “I heard you I just don’t understand.” Michelle said weakly. Her eyes began to search for a weapon.

    “Michelle, there is a tour of famous houses, that comes down this street, once a week. Today. Take that tour and then maybe you’ll begin to understand what’s going on.”

    “Why don’t you just tell me?”

    Ben reached out and touched her face.

    “Because I don’t think you’re ready to believe me. And you NEED to believe me. It’s imperative to Wilbur and your survival.”

    “Our survival?! Tell me what’s going on right now!” Michelle snapped.

    Suddenly, Constance reappeared with a now empty cup. Michelle looked from Ben to Constance.

    “You used to own this house? What happened? Why did you leave it to move next door?”

    “My husband ran off with another woman. I couldn’t afford it. Simple as that.” Constance shrugged, looking now at Ben. Michelle folded her arms.

    “Ben has hinted that he’s not really alive. That means you’re some kind of ghost? I’m supposed to believe that?” Michelle asked, just as her eyes left Ben’s and moved to someone else’s. Someone else that had walked into the kitchen.

    Matt.

    “It’s true, Michelle and...” Matt began.

    Michelle slipped to the floor in a dead faint.

                                                                          ****

    Christian got the call that Constance Langdon had dropped Wilbur off at school that morning. He had received the notification from a teacher that had taught Constance’s, deceased son, Tate, and had never liked her. So when this teacher saw the woman with Wilbur, she figured someone should know.

    Christian had chosen to sleep at the practice, instead of at Sean and Julia’s. Sean was angry with him and didn’t want him around their granddaughter, Jenna. Christian could understand it, but he had not intention of being kept from Jenna.

    Now Michelle was fucking up with Wilbur! Great!

    Since Wilbur seemed to be safely in school, Christian drove to the house, got out and hurried inside, slamming the door behind him!

    “Michelle!” he yelled. He soon laid eyes on Moira, who was coming down the stairs with a tray. He frowned.

    “What’s going on? Where’s my wife?”

    “Unwell, Dr. Troy,” the sexy maid purred, “we got her upstairs and she’s in bed.”

    “We? Would that be cock sucking Constance and yourself?”

    Moira smiled.

    “No. That would be Dr. Harmon. He really likes your wife.” she said, before sauntering off to the kitchen. Christian blinked! Fake Ben Harmon???

    Christian hurried up the stairs and burst into the bedroom he shared with Michelle. He found no one there but her, but he could see that she was very sick. He hurried over to her side of the bed and touched her forehead. She was riddled with fever!

    “Good God!” Christian hissed. Moira hadn’t noticed how bad off she was?! Michelle was just barely conscious! He pulled out his cellphone and was about to call 911, when Tate, dressed in his rubber suit, came up behind him and put him in a chokehold that deprived him of air! Christian slumped to the ground, passed out.

    Tate looked around to find something to finish him off with, when Matt entered the room.

    “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Matt asked frostily. Vivien appeared and sighed.

    “Tate, have you seen Hayden? We’ve been looking for her.”

    “I think she’s out by the gazebo.” Tate replied coolly, staring down Matt. “She’s been avoiding the two of you all day.”

    “The bitch has been avoiding me since she killed me.” Vivien corrected him, then eyed Christian and Michelle. “What are you planning on doing to Christian?”

    “Nothing!” Matt snapped. “Because I’m not going to let him.”

    Ben came into the room and saw Christian on the floor. He stepped over him and sat down on the edge of the bed, feeling Michelle’s forehead.

    “She’s getting worse. I would call that psycho doctor...”

    “Nora’s husband?” Vivien asked with concern. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

    “Why?” Matt asked. Vivien gave him a look.

    “You don’t want to know.” was all she said, walking over to the window. She could see Hayden in the gazebo and motioned for Matt to join her. He saw her and nodded to himself. Ben looked over at them.

    “I’ll make sure Tate doesn’t hurt Christian.” he said, understanding that they both needed to confront Hayden. Tate disappeared as well. Ben scarcely noticed when they all left the room.  He got up and went into the bathroom. He ran a cloth under ice cold water and began the grueling task of getting Michelle well. He gently patted her face with the cloth, before half turning to Moira, who had entered the room.

    “What the hell did you put in that drink? Constance had some of it as well.”

    Moira smirked!

    “Constance added a half a tub of liquor to it! It won’t have any effect on her at all.”

    Ben glanced up Moira.

    “And Michelle?”

    “You’re right, Dr. Harmon. Mrs. Troy needs to know what’s going on. What I put in that drink, will make her ‘see’ what’s going on, very clearly.”

                                                           ****

    Michelle suddenly found herself standing in her bedroom, looking over at Ben and Moira. Or was that Moira? It had to be a different woman. A woman that looked young and sexy. A woman she would’ve never hired.

    Michelle peered at the ‘maid’ again. Yes, this was the type of woman Christian would fuck, that was for sure. Her mind went from that, to Christian, lying on the floor. What was he doing here? What had happened?

    Michelle walked over and bent down to see to Christian, when she heard Ben say something and looked up.

    “Michelle would’ve understood everything once three o’clock had come and gone.”

    “She would’ve understood that she had sex with you while she was in a trance...oh and let’s not forget the bathtub incident.” Moira said sarcastically. Michelle shook her head. Bathtub incident? Sex with Ben? Fake Ben? Was he Fake Ben or Dead Ben?

    Dead Ben. Dead Matt! Michelle had fainted earlier because she had seen Matt! Something made her walk over to the window and look out. Matt and Vivien had trapped HAYDEN in the gazebo! Everytime she wanted to step out, either Matt or Vivien blocked her way! Matt....why was he doing this? How could he be alive?

    Michelle looked down on the floor at her inert husband. Christian had lied...again! Matt wasn’t dead but was in witness protection or something? She left the room, ran down the stairs and went out to the back, where she could hear the screams coming from the trio!

    “YOU KILLED ME. BITCH!” Matt screamed.

    “YOU KILLED ME TOO, WHORE!” Vivien yelled. “AND MY BABY! SO EVEN IF YOU RECOVER FROM WHAT WE’RE GOING TO DO TO YOU, WE’RE BOTH GOING TO KEEP DOING IT, OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN!”

    “VIVIEN,” Hayden yelled, “I SAVED YOU! DID YOU REALLY WANT TO GIVE BIRTH TO TATE’S BABY?”

    “SHUT UP!” Vivien screamed and leaped into the gazebo, stabbing a piece of glass into Hayden’s neck! Matt ran in with a knife and stabbed her in the back! Michelle gasped and backed back!

    Then, she watched as Hayden slowly removed the glass, and the knife from her body, shoved against Vivien and ran past Michelle and into the house. Matt and Vivien chased after her.

    None of them saw Michelle.

    Michelle slowly sank to the ground. Vivien, Matt and Hayden were dead. Vivien and Hayden for as long as she had known them and...

    Ben was telling the truth. Moira had to be a ghost and Constance too? Suddenly,  Michelle’s head began to pound, as the events of last night rushed in to her head! Walking down the stairs and willingly making love to Ben Harmon while...

    There had been others watching! Someone wearing a  latex suit of some kind! What was happening to her? What was happening?!

                                                                         ****

    The same police detective that was working on Matt’s murder, was outside of Michelle’s hospital room talking to Christian. Detective Stanton questioned Dr. Troy in the waiting area. Sean arrived at the hospital, while Julia took Wilbur to their home.

    “Your maid didn’t see anyone in the house, Dr. Troy. But it is clear you didn’t put yourself in that chokehold. And your wife was poisoned. Though the doctor’s said that the toxin had somehow passed through her system with little damage.”

    “Jesus!” Sean hissed. “Do you think it was the work of this hitman?”

    “I’m going to be honest, Dr. McNamara. The type of hits we’re used to seeing in the crime underworld, basically consist of execution style wounds. The things that have been happening to Mr. and Mrs. Troy are a little...dramatic. I now have to wonder if it isn’t this young woman, this Hayden McClaine we’re looking for. And her alone.”  Detective Stanton said.

    “Which means this is still Fake Harmon’s fault!” Christian hissed. “I mean this psycho bitch is probably freaked out seeing two look alikes of her murder victims.”

    “What’s being done to find those two?” Sean asked.

    “Everything. We actually have Mrs. Langdon down at the station. She knows where they are and we plan to get it out of her.” Detective Stanton said.

    “Good!” Christian snapped. “I’m going to talk to the doctor and see if I can see Michelle.”

    Sean nodded and both he and Detective Stanton watched as Christian walked off. Sean looked at the detective.

    “Do you think that these ‘Fake Harmons’ could be harboring the woman that killed my son? Could they have all been in this together?”

    “Anything is possible.” Detective Stanton answered grimly.

                                                                     ****

    Michelle didn’t protest when Christian insisted on driving her back to the house.

    She did protest when he insisted on staying!

    ‘Christian, I’m fine.”

    “How the hell can you say that? Someone fucking poisoned you and tried to choke me! Really, we should stay at a hotel. Thank God Wilbur is safe.”

    Michelle couldn’t disagree.

    “I think Wilbur should stay with Sean and Julia until we know what’s going on.” Michelle said quietly. Christian raised a brow.

    “Really? I know you hate Julia...”

    “I just want Wilbur to be safe is all.” Michelle said, just as Moira appeared, looking old to her. But Michelle had had a lot of time to think. Julia’s words from the other night kept coming back to her. What she had seen in her dream, or whatever it was, was Moira’s true appearance. Why she pretended to be ugly and old, was anyone’s guess.

    “You! You’re fired!” Christian snapped.

    Moira glanced at Michelle, then focused on Christian.

    “Why?”

    “You know why! And don’t tell me you didn’t see someone come in here and attack me and poison my wife!”

    “I didn’t.” Moira answered simply.

    “Right! Get your stuff and leave!”

    “Christian,” Michelle interrupted, “Moira looks after Wilbur and she’s a good cook. We’re not going to be staying much longer so just let her finish out her time, okay?”

    Christian looked at her like she was crazy!

    “Why?!”

    Michelle moved towards Christian and kissed him in a rather sensuous manner. She then pulled back.

    “We won’t be here much longer. Just let it be. I’ll be up soon, okay?”

    Christian took that for the hint that he never thought he’d get again! He nodded, stunned that Michelle would want to be with him, after what they had been through the past few days.

    “You know it killed me to think that I left Wilbur and you alone here for someone to hurt you.” he whispered, pulling her towards him again. But Michelle gently put him off.

    “Just go upstairs. I’m fine. Wilbur is safe.” she said, kissing him again. Michelle and Moira watched as Christian walked upstairs, before Michelle turned to her.

    “How many of you are dead?”

    “Everyone but Constance.”

    “Figures.” Michelle sighed.

    ‘The basement,” Moira offered, “offers the most danger.”

    Michelle eyed the basement door, but did not respond to that.

    “Where is Dr. Harmon?”

    “In the kitchen, waiting for you.” Moira said. She then turned and walked off. Michelle slowly walked into the kitchen, where Ben was indeed waiting for her. He had poured a glass of wine for her.

    “I thought you might need this. Moira told me what she did. You understand things now.” Ben said, peering at her.

    “You were in the bathtub with me, weren’t you?”

    Ben nodded.

    “Why? Why did you hypnotize me into  making love to you? Why are you even here? Why?”

    “Every person that has been in this house, has failed to produce a child. Each ghost lives with that disappointment and clamors for the next occupant to produce one. When they don’t, they are killed. I saw that Christian and you were having problems...”

    But Michelle reached for his chin and held it.

    “Why, Ben?”

    Ben blinked.

    “Because I love you. Because despite my best attempts with Vivien, she doesn’t look at me the same way anymore. She can’t and I don’t blame her. Then I meet you and you have this asshole husband who doesn’t appreciate you, cheats on you and...”

    “You saw how badly you treated Vivien, hey? You saw yourself?” Michelle asked wryly. “It’s not too late. I can sense love between Vivien and yourself--still.”

    “And she can sense my longing for you--now.” Ben said, abruptly ending the conversation with a kiss. A kiss that Michelle didn’t end right away. But the sound of Christian calling her name, put a halt to it.  She smiled.

    “For a ghost, you kiss pretty well.” Michelle said, turning and walking out of the kitchen. For a ghost he fucked pretty well too. But none of that could ever happen again. And if they were in the danger that Michelle now believed they were in, then they would  need Ben’s help in getting out of this house alive--and without producing a child.

    Ben stared after Michelle, just as Tate stood by his side.

    “She’s going upstairs to fuck him, you know that, don’t you? You should have let me kill him when I had the chance.”

    Ben turned to look Tate in the eye.

    “She’s only going to be with him to distract him. Michelle is one of us now.” Ben said, walking off.  He sat down in the study that used to belong to him. He didn’t need to protect her any longer, for he sensed she was already carrying the child everyone desired, only after one day.