Rebirth Into My Second Chance

The car screeched to a halt, jerking Claude from his tipsy slumber against my shoulder. I thought he sought comfort there, but then I chastised myself for such wishful thinking. After all, I was dead. What more could I possibly hope for?

Once Claude stumbled back into our house, he clumsily went upstairs, shedding his prized suit and tie with a defeated grace. Standing before our empty bed, I could feel his hesitation. He probably loathed the idea of sleeping in a bed I had once occupied. In the past, any

bed I had slept in would be discarded the next day with me on it.

I thought he would retreat to his study for the night. However, against all expectations, he slowly approached our bed. His usual cleanliness was gone. He didn't even shower before collapsing into bed.

Soon after, he sat up, rifled through his jacket for his phone, and dialed my number, the so-called "Grim Reaper" he had taunted me with in life. I had become his haunting spirit after I died, as he had wished.

"You have reached a number that is currently off."

He tried to call me, but couldn't get through. Frustrated, he threw the phone forward, which passed right through my forehead. I felt nothing.

But then, in a drunken frenzy, he picked up the phone again. This time, he called Richard.

"Richard, did you hide Claire away? Tell her not to bother returning if she doesn't want to. If she dies out there, I won't even claim her body."

ever contacted you!" Undeterred, Claude furiously typed something into his phone and tossed it onto the nightstand

concern. [My mother's birthday is the day after tomorrow. If you

the bed. I thought, 'I can't return, Claude. This time, you'll never be bothered by me again. Once you find out about my death,

stay by Claude's side, perhaps because I'd slept on this bed every night. Overcome by weariness, I lay

night. In that flash of lightning, Claude's

see me. But then his hand fell through me, a stark reminder of my

his gaze tightening as he surveyed the room. He

irritable, as he

of his

beauty of his face, which I

en

outside the bathroom, the phone rang several times, with calls from Kate and several

emerged in only a towel, water droplets tracing down his neck to his chest. He casually returned one

Claude Hart, husband

caller was a police officer based on the