Christian was in a better mood than he should have been, considering the fact that his son was dead.

    Maybe it was because he was back at home, with his wife and things were better than ever. He hated thinking that something good might have come out of Matt’s murder, but Christian saw no other explanation for how well things were going at home.

    Well, almost well. Christian didn’t quite understand, why Michelle didn’t seem to want Wilbur to come back to live with them. And, unfortunately, Marcie, the realtor he’d performed plastic surgery on, in exchange for the good deal on the house, had told him that this house might be difficult to sell. Especially with Matt dying in the house and all.

    Christian refused to believe that! He did some research and found that there was a lot of interest in their ‘Murder House’. A Historical Society of sorts, had shown some interest when he contacted them, as well as a developer, who was looking to tear down the house and buy the empty land on the other side of the home, in order to build some kind of group home for wayward teens.

    It was now the day of Matt’s funeral and the idea of where Wilbur was going to live, was getting to be a sore point with Christian. It wasn’t right to have Julia and Sean shuttle him to his school, all the way from where they lived. Plus, Julia expressed some concern about the way Wilbur reacted to Matt’s death. He just didn’t seem to believe it was true, for whatever reason.

    So Wilbur was coming home today, before the services. Christian and Michelle were going over to Julia and Sean’s to pick him up, bring him back here, where Moira would look after him, before then leaving for the cemetery. It was decided that maybe this funeral would be a bit much for the youngster.

    While Christian worked on his tie, via a mirror, Michelle was downstairs, talking to Moira and Marcie.

    “Christian seems to think that some historical group might want this house.” Michelle said matter-of-factly. “So it’s not like unloading this place would be impossible.”

    “Michelle,” Marcie said in a low tone, “their offer is crap. Let’s wait and see what the developer says. I have to get going. I’ll give you a call if I hear anything. Sorry for your loss.” Marcie said, referring to Matt.

    Michelle just nodded, then watched as Marcie left the kitchen. Moira flipped a pancake just as Christian walked in.

    “Was that Marcie that just left? I wanted to tell her that maybe we could get the military to buy this place.”

    Michelle eyed him.

    “The military? Uh, I don’t think we’ll have to go that far. I mean that historical society really sounded interested.”

    “Yeah, but I think we’ll get a lot more from that developer.” Christian said, helping himself to some coffee that Moira had fixed.  “The point is, just because normal people don’t want to live here, doesn’t mean we can’t unload this house on someone.”

    Christian then pulled out his phone and began looking on it. Moira and Michelle exchanged a look, before Christian looked up again.

    “There’s a text from Detective Stanton.  No leads on those fake Harmon bastards. But I do plan to tell him that I think Constance could’ve been the one that poisoned you.”

    Michelle and Moira exchanged looks again and Michelle stood up! She glanced over into the study and saw Ben sitting on the couch, as if he were waiting for her. Michelle looked at Christian again.

    “Why would you think that? I mean she saw something was wrong and picked up Wilbur.”

    “Michelle, no one called her to pick up our son. She just did it. Like she knew you wouldn’t be well enough to do it.  Plus I didn’t like the way she disappeared from here the other night when Matty was killed.”

    Moira coughed! Christian eyed her.

    “Yes?” he asked snippily. He was still not convinced keeping her on was the right idea.

    “I think you may have a point, sir. If I may be frank, I’ve noticed that she’s rather attached to you, Mr. Troy. I don’t know if you knew this, but the police never thought her husband just left with another woman. They think Mrs. Landgon killed her husband and this woman--who was a maid that I knew. I just don’t think it’s beyond the realm of possibility, that she could’ve been involved.”

    Christian shook his head!

    “Is everyone on this block batshit crazy?! So they never could prove anything on Constance?” Christian asked, now unsettled by the idea that he’d let that woman give him a blow job!

    But something about the story didn’t sound right--coming from Moira, Michelle thought.  Especially since she had seen how young and desirable she had looked, in her ‘dream’.

    “This maid was a friend of yours, Moira?” Michelle asked.

    Moira nodded.

    “Mrs. Langdon’s husband used to chase her around and she fell into an affair with him. This woman confided in me that she wanted out of the affair, but that Constance’s husband wouldn’t let her. I just always believed that Constance found out  and got rid of them both.”

    Christian looked away from Moira to answer another text from Detective Stanton. He then looked up.

    “Moira, you may be right. Detective Stanton just texted me and says that ‘because of past facts concerning Mrs. Langdon, she is now someone they are looking at’. Damnit, I can’t believe we let her in this house.”

    “Well, you know, Dr. Troy, the woman manages to just find her way in here. After all, she did used to own the house.” Moira revealed. Michelle sighed. Uh oh...

    “What?!” Christian snapped. He then looked at Michelle.

    “Did you know that?”

    “I found out the night Matt was killed.  From Vivien. Ben confirmed...”

    “Fake Vivien and Ben! Constance used to live here and...” Christian suddenly looked at Moira again.

    “Do the police think that Constance killed her maid and husband in this house?”

    “Yes. And I do too.” Moira told him.

    “Nice! You know what? First thing I’m going to do is rip those implants out of Marcie’s fucking chest! No wonder Constance acts so at home in here!” Christian hissed, as his phone rang again. He saw it was Sean and left the kitchen to answer it.

    Meanwhile, Michelle folded her arms and glared at Moira.

    “Is ANY of that true?”

    “You heard your husband, Mrs. Troy. The police have it on record.”

    “Yes, but YOU said you worked for the last five families that lived here. if that’s true, than YOU were that maid Constance killed, weren’t you?” Michelle asked suspiciously.

    Moira turned away and began wiping off the counter, just as Ben stood up from the couch in the study and walk into the kitchen.

    “Moira?” Ben said gently, “I think Michelle deserves to know the truth.”

    Moira stopped wiping the counter and faced Michelle.

    “Yes. It’s true. I was the maid.”

    “Oh. My. God.” Michelle said, looking her up and down. “Well why do you altar your appearance in that way? I mean I saw your true appearance when I was poisoned.”

    “Moira drugged you.” Ben revealed. “She wanted you to see what was going on here. We all did, so that you could defend yourself. Sending Wilbur away was a good, first step.”

    Michelle could still hear Christian talking. She glanced in his direction before speaking.

    “Yeah, but I don’t know how much longer that’s going to last. Christian doesn’t see why Wilbur can’t stay with us until we sell the house.”

    “It doesn’t matter,” Moira said, “as long as YOU understand that there are ghosts here that will not let you leave this home alive, much less sell it.”

    Michelle looked from Moira to Ben.

    “Okay, but what am I supposed to tell Christian? That there are ghosts that are going to kill us if we don’t make a baby and...” Michelle trailed off.

    “What?” Ben asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

    “These ghosts would expect me to LEAVE a baby here? Have they lost their minds? You know what? I want to meet every, damned ghost that wants a baby so badly!” Michelle huffed.

    “Michelle, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Ben warned.

    “Why?”

    “Because you’ll be leading them on. Making them think that this is going to happen.” Ben said.

    “Well why not? I think I should know just what type of ‘personalities’ my family is dealing with. Look at Constance: she comes and goes in this house and could seemingly care less about what ghosts she runs into here. This is my house and I won’t cower in fear. Ben, Moira, will you help me with this?” Michelle asked. They nodded and Ben disappeared, just as Christian came back into the room.

    “That was Sean. He’s just telling me about some problem with Wilbur, when Julia picked him up from school the other day.”

    “What?” Michelle asked.

    “Someone had written ‘fuck you teacher’, all over his math homework. I know damned well, Wilbur didn’t do it.”

    “His homework from when he did it here?” Michelle asked. Christian nodded.

    “I guess. Look, this funeral is going to be hard enough for our son to understand. I don’t want to bother him with this homework thing. Obviously some kid did it when he left it on his desk or something. Let’s just try and get through this day.”

    Michelle nodded and kissed him, before watching him leave the kitchen and head back upstairs. She then looked at Moira.

    “Which ghost would’ve done that?”

    “I’m thinking of a particularly nasty pair of red headed twins.” was her answer. Michelle threw up her hands and began to leave the kitchen as well, when Moira called out to her.

    “Mrs. Troy? You hardly touched your breakfast.”

    Michelle touched her stomach gently.

    “My stomach is a little queasy this morning. Funerals do that to me, I guess.” she said and left the room.  Ben reappeared and Moira gave him a look.

    “Pregnancy will do that as well. I wonder what Mrs. Harmon is going to say about this? Chances are she’ll want the baby for herself as well. Especially since you’re probably the father.”

    Ben said nothing to that, for he suspected Moira was right.

                                                                        ****   

    Michelle’s queasy stomach slowly descended into barely restrained nausea, when she and Christian arrived at Sean and Julia’s to pick up Wilbur. Good God! Michelle could’ve sworn she began to feel even sicker, once they left the house!

    Christian could see she was ill, even before she ran into Sean and Julia’s bathroom to puke her guts out! Julia thought it was stress, Sean agreed but Christian suspected something else, but kept it to himself until they could confirm what he hoped would be wonderful news.

    Michelle struggled to pull herself together to greet Wilbur, then get back into Christian’s car. Michelle closed her eyes and listened to Wilbur go on and on about playing with Jenna, school and how fun it was being with Sean and Julia.  But as soon as Christian turned into the drive of their home, Michelle felt much better, with only her stomach remaining queasy.

    Wilbur hurried up to the front door, just as Moira opened it and reached down to give the boy a big hug! She then stared out with concern at Christian, who had his arms around Michelle.

    “Do you think you’re pregnant?” Christian whispered to her, as they neared the door. Michelle’s eyes widened.

    “Hell no!”

    “You don’t have to say it like that!”

    “Christian, I didn’t mean anything, it’s just that I’m usually pretty careful. And we really weren’t together much at the apartment.” she said slowly. She had been so angry after catching Christian with Julia, she hadn’t let him touch her. Really, maybe there was one time...but most sex had taken place in the short time they had lived in this house.

    So no, Michelle didn’t think she was pregnant. She thought she was stressed out from finding out that she was living with ghosts, and that one of them had fucked her twice, plus someone died recently in her home.

    Yes, it was stress. Not pregnancy.

    Constance suddenly appeared in the doorway next to Moira, holding a pregnancy kit!  Jesus!

    “I hope you two don’t mind,” Constance drawled, as they reached the doorway, “but Moira said you were unwell and I can just sense when a baby is coming. I took it upon myself to get you a nice kit here.”

    Christian smiled gratefully at the woman, that he still thought was demented and a poisoner! But at least now, he wouldn’t have to run out before Matt’s funeral to find out if he and Michelle were going to be parents again.

    Michelle, however, thought Constance had a hell of alot of nerve! But she said nothing as they actually got inside the house. Suddenly, Michelle felt stronger than ever.

    “I feel much better,” she told everyone, “so I really don’t think this is necessary.”

    “Nonsense,” Constance said, shoving the kit at her, “we’ll all just wait down here for you. Wilbur is in the kitchen eating some cookies.”

    Christian smiled encouragingly at her and Michelle realized she really would have to take this damned test to get everyone off of her back! She held the kit, then turned and walked upstairs. Christian looked at Moira.

    “I think I’ll have some of those cookies as well. Constance, get out!”

    “Why Dr. Troy...”

    “Look, I’ve been in contact with Detective Stanton. Did he clear you?”

    “Clear me?”

    “I think you poisoned Michelle.”

    “Oh that. Yes, that nice Detective did question me. But he couldn’t prove a thing. And I did not poison your lovely wife. But he thinks maybe the ‘Fake Harmons’ did it.”

    Christian pulled out his phone and dialed Detective Stanton’s number, while mouthing the word ‘out’ to Constance. He left the room and Constance, instead of leaving, settled into a chair. She wasn’t going anywhere until she had confirmation that a new baby would be joining their little family here.

                                                                     ****

    “Oh God...” Michelle moaned as she looked at positive result on the test strip. She then jumped, when she saw Vivien’s reflection behind her in the bathroom mirror!

    “This baby is Ben’s, isn’t it?” Vivien asked quietly. Michelle shook her head wildly!

    “This test is wrong! It’s a mistake! I’ll take it again.”

    “And it will come up the same again.” Vivien told her. “We have to decide what we’re going to do.”

    Michelle put down the test strip and faced Vivien.

    “If I’m really pregnant, then there is no ‘we’ Vivien. This  baby is Christian’s. There is no plausible way this child could be Ben’s in so short a time.”

    “Ben’s a ghost. I’d say the word ‘plausible’ goes right the hell out of the window, Michelle. Listen to me: you can’t afford to have Christian discover that this baby might not be his. Have it, then leave it with Ben and I. We’ll raise it...”

    “You’re ghosts! Ghosts that can’t even leave this house, so how are  you going to ‘raise’ my child? And this baby IS Christian’s!” Michelle yelled, her voice now shaking.

    “I know this is a lot for you to take in. I’ll leave you so that you can sort it out. But other ghosts are going to lay claim to this child as well. You won’t have much time.”

    “I have nine months!”

    Vivien smiled sadly.

    “Probably not. Which is why Christian will eventually become suspicious.”

    Now THAT scared Michelle! And worse yet, Vivien disappeared after throwing out such a damning statement. What the hell did that mean? When would she be giving birth if the baby was...

    It wasn’t. It was Christian’s and that was that. Michelle closed her eyes, wondering if she could find out something about what to do, on the internet. Were there any sites about women getting pregnant by sexy looking ghosts?

    Then again, she could ask Constance. For all Michelle knew, she’d had a couple of ghost babies herself!

    When Michelle opened her eyes, Ben was in the bathroom with her.

    “I know you’re scared....”

    “Scared?! Vivien has just told me that this baby might come before nine months! Tell me she means seven or...”

    “Five.” Ben said quietly.

    “Oh my God! Well...well...that’s if it’s yours, but it’s Christian’s! It has to be!”

    “Why?”

    “What do you mean, why?”

    “Why does it have to be his? Because you love him? Or because you don’t want him to find out that you had sex with a ghost?”

    “Both.” Michelle said firmly.

    Ben slowly walked over to her and closed the space between them.

    “I would never let anything here harm Wilbur, yourself or our baby. But this is my child and you are going to have to accept that.”

    Michelle wrenched away from him!

    “You are a ghost! You can’t make children! So stop playing around here! Go to Vivien and work out your problems and stop dragging me into them! We’re leaving this place so don’t get too attached to...”

    Suddenly, Michelle screamed! A man dressed in a rubber suit appeared behind Ben! Ben got in front of her!

    “Go! She doesn’t mean any of it!”

    The rubbersuit guy/Tate said nothing, but tilted his head, staring at Michelle, before slowly disappearing. Suddenly, there was pounding on the bathroom door!

    “Michelle!” Christian yelled. “What’s wrong?! Michelle?!”

    Ben grabbed Michelle’s shoulders and shook her slightly!

    “Answer him! Tell him it was the shock of finding out you’re pregnant! Say it!”

    Michelle found her voice.

    “I’m fine. It was just the shock of finding out that I’m pregnant...that’s all.”

    “I knew it! Open the door! Let me in!” Christian yelled urgently.

    “I have to let him in.” Michelle whispered. Ben rested his forehead against hers.

    “Tell me you don’t hate the idea of having my child.” he whispered.

    “Michelle!” Christian continued pounding. “Michelle, if you don’t open this door I will kick it in!”

    “Say it!” Ben continued to whisper, his lips now kissing a trail down her neck. Michelle began to close her eyes and give in to the feel of his lips burning into her skin.

    “I want you to come to me tonight. Please?” Ben begged softly.

    The door suddenly swung open and Michelle jumped, her eyes now open! Christian looked around, as if he had expected to find someone else in there with her, then pulled her into his arms.

    “I know this isn’t what you wanted for us right now. I know we have problems to work through. Just tell me you don’t hate this?” he moaned against her.

    “I don’t hate it.” Michelle finally said, but her eyes were connecting with Ben’s. He had reappeared and was standing behind Christian, in the bathroom doorway. Michelle closed her eyes and leaned into Christian, only to open them again and find Ben gone--for now. She had told him she didn’t hate the idea of carrying his child. Whether she could fulfill his other request of her, would have to remain to be seen.