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Kate Bishop was different.
She knew that.
She knew her ability set her apart from the day-to-day Average Joe’s, an ability her mother always said made her unique.
Well, unique wasn’t the word Kate would use. Frightful, intriguing, annoying, and hindering were adjectives she’d use to describe her gift…in that order.
It all started when she was five, her oldest memory. Kate remembered sitting in the waiting room at her pediatrician’s office, having a lovely conversation with a very old woman worried about her grandson. Kate didn’t notice the others' disconcerting stares or hushed murmurs in the waiting room, but her mother certainly did.
Other times, a young Kate would wake up in the middle of the night and see strange figures standing in the corner of her room. She’d scream and cry until her dad ran into the room, flipping on the lights, and they’d disappear in the blink of an eye.
Over the years, Kate learned not to be frightened of the things hiding in the shadows; instead, in her teenage years, she grew fascinated, discovering why they were still here and what she could do to help.
That was her first mistake.
The older Kate got, the more she understood what she saw and wished she never offered her services. She’d get stopped randomly on the street walking home from school, in the freezer aisle grabbing a box of bagel bites, in the bathtub having some “Kate Bishop Time,” and even in the wee hours of the morning while trying to sleep.
Kate could deal with the mounting annoyance of entities stopping her randomly on a daily basis. Still, the moment a man popped out of her desk in the middle of a critical geometry final, screaming at her to call the police because he’d just been murdered, Kate knew her gift was an impediment.
In case it wasn’t clear, Kate Bishop could see and speak to ghosts, and she hated it.
She’d done her best to squash her ability throughout her young adult life. Kate would flat-out ignore them; if she were alone, she’d scream at them to leave her be.
Even now, as she rolled her cart behind her, the homemade metal trinkets jingling softly in their cases, she could feel the telltale prickle on the back of her neck.
Someone or something was watching her.
It distracted her from the seasonal beauty of Bryant Park and its yearly winter market.
The village typically sported as a pocket of warmth against the crisp air blowing through the city, offering a festive, small-town feel huddled between giant skyscrapers. The towering Christmas tree near the skating rink glowed with thousands of twinkling lights, its ornaments catching the reflection of skaters gliding in rhythmic loops.
Kate meandered through the wooden chalets lining the park’s pathways, each brimming with handcrafted ornaments, artisanal chocolates, and unique trinkets. She typically loved the smell of spiced cider and roasted chestnuts tempting her as she passed, but the thought of reaching her booth before being stopped by the unseen took over every facet of her mind. She hardly heard the vendors calling out cheerfully, their voices competing with the hum of conversations and the soft strains of holiday music drifting from a nearby live band.
She shoulders through groups of shoppers, bundled in scarves and coats, clustered in the middle of the path, clutching paper cups of steaming cocoa as they admired displays of knitted hats and scarves, painted ceramics, and jars of homemade jams.
She ignored it all, her head twitching to the side as she finally saw him in her peripherals.
Unfortunately, that infinitesimal glance was enough for the specter of a man to hurry over. He walked with purpose, uncaring for the crowd around him, passing through them like the breath of a whisper, a slight, unnoticeable gust of wind on a chilly night.
“Damn,” Kate grumbled, picking up speed as she turned down a new path, her empty chalet booth in sight. The wheels of her crate clacked behind her, the box shifting and swaying as it traveled over bumps and cracks in the concrete. She hurriedly unlocked the gate, barely nodding hello to her neighboring vendors, and barricaded herself behind the shelving.
Her efforts were wasted, of course. They always were.
He glided through the solid wood as if it didn’t exist, staring at Kate with a gaunt, pleading expression. His form was semi-transparent, the passing pedestrians barely visible through the gray shimmer of his torso.
Against her wishes, Kate felt her heart pang at his appearance. She had learned that the more faded a ghost appeared, the longer they had wandered this plane of existence, unable to move on.
“You can see me?” he asked. His voice was slightly garbled, as if they stuck their heads underwater, trying to speak to each other.
Glancing around, Kate thinned out her lips, moving them as little as possible. “Yes,” she said lowly, appearing busy unpacking her tray of metal charms.
“Can you help me?”
Sighing, she ran her fingers over the charms, straightening them on their plush beds. Kate had taken up the hobby of making unique metal trinkets as a diversion from the droning work as a cyber security personnel. She specialized in miniature arrows.
“Not right now,” she murmured, even though no one was looking in her direction. “But what is it that you need help with?”
“I can’t find my daughter.”
That made her pause.
Kate looked up, fully taking in the spirit before her. He was pale with a neatly trimmed mustache. His hair, combed neatly under a tall hat, was slicked with grease. He wore a form-fitting dark suit, his shoes shiny even in their ghoulish form. “What year do you think it is?”
The man frowned. “1905.”
Kate’s stomach dropped. “How old is your daughter?”
“Twenty.”
She nodded slowly; these were always tricky cases. “I’m sorry to tell you this, but your family has most likely passed on. You should, too. Join them.”
His form flickered violently. “What are you saying?”
Kate gestured around her. “Look around, look at how everything has changed. This is the year 2024. I’m sure your daughter had a long and wonderful life, but if the two of you haven’t reconnected yet, she’s most likely moved on.”
He spun smoothly in a circle, and Kate could see his eyes widening. A softly startled look settled over his countenance, and his gaze flicked between the varying garments worn by those in the crowd, the bright lights, all of it.
“I see,” he said sadly, pivoting fully back to Kate. “She would have found me by now. I know it.”
Agreeing, Kate closed her crate with a final click. “Then, perhaps it’s time for you to find her.”
His form shivered, and he glanced solemnly around himself, reminding Kate of her dog, Lucky when he finished the food in his bowl. “How do I do that?”
Kate shrugged. That was a question she was always asked, which she never had an answer to. “You’ll know when you see it. Just think about her and your family, and look around. What do you see?”
He did so, sealing his eyes tightly and scrunching up his face in intense thought. When he opened his eyes, they immediately fell on the tree in the center of the park, and if he were alive, Kate was sure she could see the lights reflected off his pupils.
“It’s so beautiful,” he whispered. “It shimmers and shines.”
“Then go toward it, it’s calling to you.”
He did, floating down the path, his stare fixed ahead of him. He crossed through people and shops until Kate blinked, and he was gone. She also noticed the tree looked slightly dimmer than when she first arrived.
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Thankfully, once Kate got her stall up and running, the spirits kept themselves at bay, and she could enjoy her evening. The hustle and bustle of the Christmas market only got busier as time passed and the sky grew darker, customers of all ages attending her stall with all sorts of reasons for buying a charm.
“I’m going to buy matching ones for me and my best friend!”
“The little pram would be the perfect pregnancy announcement.”
“I’m looking for a way to ask someone to be my bridesmaid. Do you have anything of the sort?”
Kate loved hearing the different stories and helped them all find the perfect one to suit them. Some designs naturally sold more than others, more generic ones such as hearts and stars, but her arrows were a top contender for matching friendship gifts.
As the night went on, a woman with bright red hair approached Kate’s stall. Kate smiled at her, greeting her and asking if she was looking for anything specific. When the woman said she was just browsing, she left her to it, completing a couple more orders before returning to her.
“Can I get you anything tonight?” Kate asked.
“Can I get the hot sauce bottle and the spider web ones?” The woman pointed them out, and Kate grabbed each little plush pillow they were on and placed them in separate black boxes.
“Very specific, any reason?” Kate implored, tying little bows around the boxes. “Did you want them in separate gift bags or one?”
“One, please. And just a little thing between me and my sister,” she smiled, and Kate returned the gesture. “Actually, I need to ask a little favor,” the woman continued after Kate told her the total and held out the card machine. “See the blonde woman behind me by the honey stand?” Kate looked up, saw the woman in question, and nodded.
“I need you to keep hold of the charms for me, and when she passes, can you give them to her? Her name is Yelena, and she will also pay.”
“Of course,” Kate answered, but a little frown appeared on her face. Why couldn’t the woman give them to the blonde herself? “And who am I saying they’re from?”
“Another favor: can you whistle?” the redhead asked, and Kate nodded while retaining the form. This was getting weird. She was getting a gift for her sister but making her sister pay for it and collect it herself.
“Perfect, can you whistle this tune for me?” The woman then proceeded to whistle a tune, a high note followed by a low note, and she smiled when Kate repeated it in the same manner. “You’ll do it for me?”
“I will,” Kate nodded, and with that, the woman ventured into the crowd. “That was weird,” she mumbled, but she continued with the task.
About thirty minutes after her interaction with the redhead, her sister approached the stall, her eyes roaming Kate’s products. Kate quickly handed over another customer’s bag, wishing them a good holiday before quickly grabbing the bag left by the redhead. “Excuse me, Yelena?” She got the blonde’s attention, the woman looking slightly startled. Luckily, no one was currently at her stall, so Kate got out from behind the counter and stood in front of the other woman.
“These were left for you to collect,” she said, handing over the bag and watching Yelena open it. “They left a little message.” Kate smiled, trying to maintain her customer service charm. She wet her lips and cleared her throat, repeating the high-low tune. She expected Yelena’s face to soften or a smile to appear on her lips.
But the complete opposite happened.
Yelena’s face dropped, her bemused expression turned to one of anger, and suddenly, Kate was being dragged around to the back of her stall.
“Who the fuck told you about that tune?” Yelena demanded, but Kate kept her professionalism.
“I believe it was your sister who- woah, what the fuck?!” Kate was pinned against the hut, Yelena’s small but surprisingly strong stature holding her, a forearm against her throat.
“What sick fucking joke do you think this is? Huh?!” Yelena pressed, and Kate’s eyes frantically looked around, spotting the redhead from before holding her stomach while she laughed. The woman walked towards a lamppost before Kate could shout out to her. And then directly through it.
That’s why she didn’t pay for the charms and why she couldn’t give the charms to her sister. She could see it now: the slight glow around her body, the too-perfect skin that a single blemish hadn’t touched.
She was a ghost.
“You think this is funny?” Kate called out, making Yelena pause her assault and frown.
“I do; good to know my sister still has her feistiness,” the redhead answered.
“Who are you talking to?” Yelena asked, looking in the same direction Kate was, but she couldn’t see anything.
“If you don’t mind getting off of me, I will explain,” Kate told her, and after a moment of thought, Yelena stepped back. Kate quickly checked her stall, asking the woman in the stall next to her to keep an eye on it before she walked back to Yelena. “OK, this will sound batshit crazy, but please believe me. I can see ghosts,” she admitted, Yelena’s face dropping for the second time that night to a look of bewilderment. “I really did speak to your sister.”
“You can see ghosts?” Yelena reiterated, and Kate nodded. “Are you OK? Do you need help?”
“Trust me, I wish I couldn’t see them, but I can. Maybe since birth, but definitely since I was five. Your sister, red hair, your height, intimidating as fuck, is standing by that bench and thought this altercation was hilarious,” Kate explained, and to give her credit, Yelena did listen. The blonde whipped her head back around, staring at the bench Kate pointed out, and she watched as the sadness took over Yelena’s body. She looked down at the bag Kate had given her before she snapped back into reality, and that sadness was replaced with a stoic and expressionless demeanor.
“I have to go,” Yelena decided, taking off before Kate could say anything. Kate looked back at the redhead, the woman making her way back over.
“I’m sorry. When I realized you could see me but didn’t realize what I was, I had to play along. I’m Natasha,” the woman introduced herself. Kate nodded and reciprocated.
“Given your sister’s reaction and the fact you’re quite a prominent ghost, it wasn’t long ago?” Kate asked. She had learned over the years to not mention a ghost’s death unless they did. Some people didn’t like talking about it, which Kate understood too well.
“It was a year last weekend. My sister hasn’t been coping well with it since it happened. She has always been self-sufficient and preferred her own company, but it’s become unhealthy since then. I just- I don’t want to leave until I know she will be OK,” Natasha explained, and Kate felt the pang in her heart, which she had felt so often but was even more amplified. Yelena seemed to be around her age, and before she knew about all of this, she had to admit Kate found herself attracted to the blonde.
“And you thought maybe the charms would bring her some peace?” Kate concluded, and Natasha confirmed her theory. “Well, I’m not sure it had the initial effect, but hopefully, when she goes home and sees them, she will see comfort?”
“Hopefully. Anyway, I'd better go. Thank you, Kate.” Like her sister, the redhead moved at lightning speed, disappearing before Kate’s eyes. She placed her hands on her knees, bending over, and let what had just happened wash over her. Speaking to the dead was draining at times, but this whole situation weighed on her more than usual.
The voice of the woman in the stall next to her brought Kate out of her reverie. Kate straightened up and rushed back around just in time to see a customer wanting to buy an item.
“Sorry about that!” She said as she got back behind the counter. “How can I help?”
The rest of the night went smoothly, and by the time the next day rolled around and she headed back to the park to start over, she had almost forgotten about the incident from the night before. But it all came rushing back when she opened the front shutter and found a little card on the floor.
I’m sorry. Can we maybe talk about… everything?
Tomorrow at nine, coffee at Bryant Park Café if you’re free before the market opens?
Yelena
Kate thought about Yelena, about what Natasha had told her about her, and decided she would go. Kate knew what grief felt like, both personally and second-hand, through the many ghosts she had spoken to. Kate couldn’t always help them, but she could help Yelena. She often felt her power was a hindrance, but for once, she would take advantage of it and use it for good.
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Wrapped up in a black beanie hat and scarf, her long gray checkered coat, and black combat boots, Kate and Lucky headed to the park, arriving just after the agreed time and spotting Yelena at an outdoor table. She already had a cup of coffee, the blonde playing with the heat protective sleeve as she waited.
Kate walked around her, making sure she came into view first and not to make her jump. “Hey,” she said, holding up a hand in a little wave. Yelena softly smiled in response, her eyes drifting to the retriever at her feet and smiling even more. “I hope you don’t mind; I usually take him on a long walk around this time as my evenings are taken.”
“I don’t mind,” Yelena told her as she bent down to fuss over him. “He’s gorgeous.” Kate watched as Yelena continued to fuss over Lucky, the dog lapping up the attention and rolling on his back for tummy scratches. She then asked if Yelena needed another drink, heading up and ordering her own when she said she was OK.
When she sat back down, Yelena straightened up, and Kate handed her a little pot of cream to give to Lucky. Lucky seemed to bring a little spark of happiness out of Yelena, so she decided to hold on to that a while longer. When Lucky was finished and settled under the table, Yelena finally faced her, a look of uncertainty and nervousness etched into her features.
“So um- I’m sorry for just taking off last night,” Yelena started, once again fiddling with her takeaway cup. Kate noticed her fingers looked sore; cracked, and picked skin present around her nails. “And for leaving without paying for the charms. I have the money here.” She reached into her bag, but Kate stopped her, telling her to have them on her.
“Don’t apologize; it’s weird to hear someone admit,” Kate reassured her, sipping her latte. “I’m sure you have questions, so fire away, and I’ll try my best to answer them.” Kate watched as Yelena tried to find her words, determining which question to ask first.
The first one was, “Is she here?” Kate’s eyes moved to behind the woman in front of her, and she found the redhead standing at the side of the coffee shop.
“She is,” Kate confirmed, Yelena sighing at the answer.
“I wish I could see her. What I’d give to see her one last time.” The blonde’s grip around her cup tightened, and Kate fought the urge to reach out and place her hand on top. She didn’t know how Yelena liked to be comforted or if she wanted it at all. “How does it work, you seeing the afterlife?”
Kate told her about the first time she saw a ghost and how she and her mom navigated her power and incorporated it into her everyday life. “I don’t know how it happened, why I, of all people, can see them. And I’ve never met anyone else who can see them, too. But I try to embrace it as much as it can be an intrusion in my life.”
“What do they look like?”
“The same. Or at least, I assume the same.” Kate smiled, making Yelena’s face soften slightly. “But they have a little glow around them, an extra look of smoothness. To me, your sister has never experienced a breakout on her face in her life.” That made Yelena giggle. It was quiet, but it was genuine. “She’s also very prominent, which usually means they’re new to the afterlife. If they’re heading towards transparency, it tends to mean they’re older and are holding onto something in the real world. At least, that’s what I’ve learned.”
Kate watched as Yelena took the information in, bending down to stroke Lucky’s soft fur as if attempting to ground herself. Kate took a moment of silence to admire Yelena’s features. She was beautiful, with a little flurry of freckles over her nose, a little scar on her chin, and green eyes with golden flecks that swam in sadness and despair framed by dark circles.
Kate wanted to take away her pain and help her feel happy again. She was clearly struggling to come to terms with her sister’s death, and Kate wished she could let Yelena see what she saw.
“Has Natasha told you why she’s hanging around?” Yelena started again, the sadness from her eyes traveling into her voice.
“She wants to make sure you’re OK before she leaves,” Kate admitted, looking over at Natasha and receiving a little nod to tell her it was OK to reveal what they discussed. Yelena let out a shaky breath, nodding with tears filling her eyes.
“Of course, she’d make sure of that. My protective big sister.” Yelena wiped a tear away, a little sniffle as she tried to control her wave of emotion. Kate’s eyes followed Yelena’s hands, watching as her fingers played with a charm bracelet, and Kate recognized the hot sauce bottle Natasha had picked out a few days ago.
“Natasha and I, we bought charm bracelets for each other when we were younger. When she left for college, she purchased one first, and it had a simple heart charm. So I made it my mission to save my pocket money and buy her one with the same charm on it. From then on, whenever we saw a charm that reminded us of the other person, we’d buy it. I love hot sauce and would have it on anything and everything. The spider’s web is because Natasha had a spider when we were little, and I hated it. One day, it got out of its cage, and I woke up in the middle of the night to it crawling over me.” She paused, laughing at the memory she was reliving, and Kate couldn’t help but laugh.
“That must have been terrible.”
“It was! I screamed so loud that I woke our parents up, and Natasha just laughed at the whole thing. She got grounded, but it became a treasured memory over time. I, um, I have her bracelet now. The spider’s web is on there,” the blonde explained, sighing again and repeating that she’d love to see her one more time.
“As sad as it is, it must be nice for you to see ghosts if you lose a loved one. You could have a few more moments with them,” Yelena theorized, and while Kate understood why that would seem a good perk, she couldn’t help but feel resentment rise in her body.
“Not always.” Now it was her turn to play with her now near-empty cup. “I lost my dad when I was eleven, and I had the exact same thought as you. While I was devastated to lose him and tried my best to be someone my mom could lean on while she grieved, I didn’t start my grieving process. Considering my mom knows about my ability, I was anticipating we’d have a little more time with him through me. Through his spirit. But I never saw him again,” Kate admitted, and it was Yelena’s turn to offer her support.
“He never came back?”
“Nope,” Kate said through her teeth, the anger her eleven-year-old self felt at that moment bubbling up. “I expected to see him almost instantly, and when I didn’t, I thought, ‘maybe they need to be laid to rest before they come’. Like I said, the rules of the afterlife are ones I’ve learned along the way. So I waited, day after day, week after week, for him to at least come and say goodbye. To tell us we would be OK and that he was safe and sound in the afterlife. But I had nothing.”
As if he could sense her unease, Lucky stood up and rested his chin on her lap to comfort her. She bent down to kiss him, hearing Yelena huff out a short giggle.
“He knows his mama,” she said, Kate managing to smile and nod. After all these years, Kate still hasn’t figured out why her dad never came back. Why didn’t he feel like he had anything holding him back from this life? While Kate always encouraged the ghosts she encountered to move on, the selfish part of her wanted her dad to stick around, even just for a while.
“Did he know?” Yelena asked.
“Yeah, he knew.”
“Well-“ the blonde paused, tying the right words in her mind before she spoke them. “Maybe he didn’t want to prolong the initial grief of losing him? Even you said it yourself: you didn’t start grieving when you initially lost him. I know it’s different for everyone, but this process is painful; he may have seen him staying more painful in the long run and wanted to make his loss as quick as possible.” Kate looked at her, realization washing over her as a stranger explained a reason for something that had bothered her for over a decade.
“That- that sounds like him,” Kate offered, a smile gracing her lips as she suddenly felt lighter. She, of course, didn’t know if that was the reason, but for once, she had some sort of answer. She cleared her throat then, ridding her emotion and focusing back on Yelena, the real reason she was here. “Was there anything else you wanted to know?”
She stayed with Yelena for another hour, the pair getting another hot drink and continuing their conversation on the road, with Lucky trotting along happily in front of them. Natasha walked alongside them, but Kate only stole one or two glances at her, her focus on Yelena as the blonde opened up more and more to her.
Kate told Yelena about her business and how she fell in love with metalwork as a way to express her feelings and vent without needing words. She even offered Yelena a class to make her own if she wanted. When Yelena asked what design was her favorite, Kate told her it was the arrows, which represented her love for archery.
Yelena told her more about Natasha. They were adopted back in Russia and brought to the States, starting their lives in Ohio before they grew up and went their separate ways for college. Yelena hadn’t seen her parents since she moved to New York for school, but she and Natasha stayed close until her death.
“They know about Natasha, but I just can’t bring myself to reach out to them yet. Deep down, I want to—life is too short not to hold people close. But I just—not yet,” Yelena tried to explain. This time, Kate followed her urges and reached out to take Yelena’s hand, squeezing it when Yelena didn’t flinch.
“It’s natural to feel conflicted, and it’s OK that you don’t have the answer yet. But you’re right about holding people close to you. If there’s no real reason why you don’t speak to them, it might be a good time to create a support system again,” Kate offered, and this time Yelena squeezed her hand back.
“And, if you want someone removed from your personal circumstances and needs to vent, I’m more than happy to be a shoulder.” They stopped walking then, Yelena still holding onto her hand as they faced each other.
“You’d do that?”
“I would. When people come across abnormal things in their lives and say, ‘oh, that’s so and so letting me know they’re here,’ you know, like seeing a robin or having a feather floating in front of them, those things, you know?” She waited for Yelena to nod before she continued. “Those really are signs from a passed loved one. Your sister could have sent those if she wanted you to know she was there. But she came to me instead, so I’m taking that as the sign she’s trying to send: that she wants me to help. So if you want the help and want me to be around, I’ll be there.”
Yelena’s eyes began to grow watery again, but she smiled through them and let out a soft chuckle like she was relieved. “I’d like that, Kate.” They stood staring at each other for a moment longer, offering reassuring looks before Yelena told her she needed to leave. They exchanged numbers, and Kate mourned the loss of her hand when she let go. The blonde fussed over Lucky as she said goodbye, taking off and getting lost in the city.
As Kate started her journey back to her apartment, Natasha closed the distance and matched her stride for a few seconds. “Thank you,” she told her, moving off just as quick as she arrived, and Kate watched her ghost form divert onto the path Yelena took.
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Over the next few weeks, Kate and Yelena spoke every day. Kate continued working at the park, using PTO and additional time off from her main job. Any unpaid days she took off, she made up the money and more in what she sold at her stall, so she wasn’t losing anything.
Kate met with Yelena multiple times, the blonde cashing in on that metalwork lesson a week after they first met. Yelena struggled at first but soon caught on and made a little heart. They had a great time, and Yelena laughed multiple times during the workshop, which Kate could only imagine wasn’t common since losing her sister.
Kate went to Yelena’s apartment another time. She frowned at the lack of Christmas decorations and coerced her into getting a tree and some decorations. Yelena was initially reluctant, but Kate could see the glimmer of joy appear as she stared at the tree.
Yelena came by her stall multiple times during the lead-up to Christmas, bringing Kate a hot chocolate every time and even some food on a few occasions. It soon became the highlight of her day, and Yelena even came when the stall was closing to help Kate take her things home. Each and every time she met up with Yelena, Natasha was there, watching as she and Yelena grew closer and closer.
But it wasn’t until a few weeks in, the week of Christmas, that Kate noticed something different: Natasha was drifting. First, Natasha always stood close, a mere few feet away from them. But over the weeks, she had grown distant: on the other side of the road, on the opposite side of the markets, letting them walk on and hanging back on the sidewalk.
Kate also noticed that she was starting to fade. She wasn’t as prominent or glowing, and she kept looking at something, like someone was getting her attention. But there was no one around, no other ghost that Kate could see that Natasha knew. But she was still watching over Yelena, laughing and smiling when she saw her sister enjoy the little things in life again.
When it finally reached Christmas, Kate and her mom spent the day with Eleanor’s fiancée, Jack. And Lucky, of course. At first, Kate thought he was a little odd, a collector of knives, which Kate found concerning. But he was full of facts and often engaged in a friendly fencing round with her. He was still odd, but his heart was in the right place and made her mom so happy after years of being alone.
She messaged Yelena to make sure she was OK. Christmas was always a tough time, but being without company exposed the lost feeling much more. The blonde promised she was OK, having reached out to a friend in the city during the time she and Kate had spent together. The two of them were reconnecting. Kate felt relief, knowing Yelena had someone and that she had made the first step to regaining some of her old life.
On one occasion, when Jack had stepped out of the room, Eleanor asked about the stall and how it had gone. Kate still had a week to go amidst the holidays, but the holiday rush was over.
“Really well! I’ve sold the majority of my stock, which is way more than I could have asked for. I reckon I have a chance of clearing everything, but if not only having a dozen or so charms left,” Kate explained, her mom congratulating her. “I’ve also been helping this woman,” Kate continued, telling the older woman everything that had happened since Natasha attended her stall.
Her relationship with her mom was close. Ever since Kate knew she could see ghosts, her mom has always been in her corner. They navigated her ability together despite Eleanor only having a one-way mirror into the world Kate could see. When she lost her dad, Kate and Eleanor became everything to each other. Her mom was her rock, and even now, Kate couldn’t keep anything from her, even if she didn’t ask about it.
“So this Yelena, she’s becoming someone special to you?” Eleanor asked, and Kate flushed.
“Yeah, she is,” Kate confessed, her feelings towards the blonde growing each day.
“Just be careful, sweetheart. I’m not saying she’s not genuine, but grief is a funny thing. I just don’t want your kind heart being taken advantage of.” Kate leaned into her mom, resting her head on her shoulder as she tucked her legs underneath her.
“I know, and I’m always careful. But I don’t think that’s what this is. She’s- she’s special, mom. Real special.” She stared into the flickering fire, letting the warmth from the heat and light fill her body, the twinkling lights of the tree in the corner.
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Kate was working at her stall on New Year’s Eve. However, the markets shut at four o’clock, allowing sellers to get home in time to see the ball drop. She was on track to have a clean sweep—four more days to sell fifty charms. Easy.
As she was packing up, Yelena texted her to ask what she was doing that night. Kate told Yelena she had nothing planned, and her mom was at a fancy ball she attended yearly. Kate had gone a few times but decided to pass this year due to being so busy over the holiday period. But when Yelena offered to have her and Lucky over to her apartment to see the new year in, Kate couldn’t say no.
They had seen each other almost daily during the week between Christmas and New Year, and Yelena had become even more open. They were definitely more than friends, and their last few walks ended with them holding hands without even realizing it. But Yelena was the one grieving and in a vulnerable position, so Kate took the back seat and let Yelena navigate their relationship.
So she went home, packed everything from the day away, and repacked for the evening ahead. She got all of Lucky’s things together, her own stuff, as Yelena had offered her spare room and a few things for them to eat and drink. She and Lucky made their way over, buzzing Yelena’s apartment and making their way up. Kate was thrilled to see the tree and decorations were still standing when she walked inside; Yelena was fussing over the retriever before standing up and hugging Kate.
Natasha was there, settled in the armchair tucked in the corner, and Kate waved at her.
“She’s here?” Yelena asked, Kate nodding. That was another thing she had noticed over the last few weeks: every time Yelena asked if her sister was near, the pain became less and less apparent on her face. Kate could tell it still bothered her that she couldn’t see her sister, but it hurt that little bit less each time.
They sat on the sofa, beer bottles in hand, discussing their Christmas break. Kate learned more about Yelena’s friend Sonya and how they spent the entire day reminiscing about the times they had before. Kate told her about the day with her mom and Jack, and Yelena told her they sounded like wonderful people.
“You’ll meet them soon, I’m sure,” Kate told her, and the smile on Yelena’s face was one Kate would remember for the rest of her life. Yelena then announced she had a present for her, quickly getting up and grabbing a small box before handing it over to Kate.
“It’s a little rough around the edges, but I tried,” she told Kate, who untied the bow and opened the black box, revealing a hand-crafted arrow on a silver chain. The arrow shaft was a little wavy, one side of the fletching bigger than the other, but it was perfect.
“I love it,” Kate grinned, giving the box to Yelena and turning around. Put it on for me?” she asked, moving her hair out of the way. Yelena reached around to place the necklace on her chest. Her breathing turned shallow as she felt deft fingers grace her bare skin. She felt Yelena clip the necklace into place before she let her hair fall.
“I, um, I actually made something for you, too,” Kate told her, pulling a similar box from her coat pocket hung by the door. My next project is rings, so I thought I’d try something different for you, seeing as you like them,” she explained as she gestured to the array of rings on Yelena’s fingers. Yelena opened the box, revealing a silver banded ring with a little crafted sun in the middle.
“It spins, too. Forgive me, but I noticed you often play with your fingers.” Kate gingerly took one of Yelena’s hands, softly caressing her picked-at fingers and bringing them to her lips to kiss. “I hope it helps, and it’s also to remind you that, should you ever have a dark day, the sun will shine brighter the next day.”
Yelena took the ring out of the box, sliding it onto her left index finger and twirling the sun with her thumb. “It will help a lot. Thank you; that’s so thoughtful.” Yelena put the box to the side, almost launching herself into Kate's loving hug.
“Soppy bitches” Kate heard Natasha say from her armchair; Kate just stuck her middle finger up behind Yelena’s back and ignored the laughter from the other side of the room.
They grew closer throughout the night, Yelena ending up on Kate’s side and practically laying on her. It was a comfort, and Kate couldn’t resist kissing the crown of her head every so often.
“I contacted my parents,” Yelena told her, and Kate ran her fingers through the silky hair spread out on her chest.
“Yeah? How did that go?”
“A lot of tears on the phone, a lot of apologies. But they’re going to come and visit sometime in the new year. It won’t be an instant fix with us, but I think we’re all determined to restore some of what we had,” Yelena explained, wrapping around Kate’s waist to seek comfort.
“You should be so proud of yourself, Yelena. You’ve come so far just in the short space of time I’ve known you, let alone when all of this started. I’m sure they’ll work hard to get you back in their lives.”
Yelena looked up at her then, eyes drifting quickly to Kate’s lips before reconnecting with her eyes. “I owe a lot of it to you, Kate. Thank you for showing me how to embrace grief but not to let it consume me. I’ll still have bad days, and I don’t think they will ever disappear. But it’s OK to have a bad day.”
“It is. Never be ashamed to have a bad day, and you can always lean on me if you do. I got you,” she mumbled, the vulnerability of exposing her feelings seeping through her words. She then looked at the time, realizing it was two minutes until midnight. “Oooh, quick, turn the TV on!”
They both sat up. Yelena turned the TV on to watch the ball drop, and they made their way to the window to watch the fireworks light up the sky. They joined in on the countdown, wishing each other a Happy New Year and tapping the necks of their bottles together before they both turned to watch the wonderful colors outside the floor-to-ceiling window. Kate wrapped her arm over Yelena’s shoulders, the blonde’s arm around her waist with her head on Kate’s shoulder, both basking in the feeling of welcoming in a new year.
She felt Yelena lift her head, which made Kate look down. She found Yelena’s gorgeous eyes boring into hers. The desire to kiss her was paramount, but Kate held off. Her promise to herself to let Yelena take the lead was forever present in her mind.
“I can’t wait to see what the year brings for us,” Yelena whispered, leaning in and placing her lips onto Kate’s. The kiss was so sweet and tender, and Kate gently moved her hand to cup Yelena’s cheek as they engaged in kiss after kiss. After a few moments, Yelena leaned away, resting her forehead against Kate’s.
“Is she still here?” Yelena asked, making Kate quickly look up to find Natasha. The redhead was still there, but only just. Her figure was barely an outline as she focused on Yelena’s tree, the star in particular.
“She is, by the tree,” she told Yelena, the blonde turning and facing where her sister was standing.
“Sestra,” Yelena got her attention, and Natasha turned towards the couple. Yelena returned to their initial position, her arm around Kate’s waist with her head on her shoulder. “I’m OK, I can do this.” She took a shaky breath. “You can go.”
Natasha walked over to them, standing next to Yelena and smiling fondly.
“Goodbye, sestra.” She leaned in to kiss her sister’s head, the blonde not feeling anything, but Kate was sure to tell her later. “I love you.”
The redhead then looked at Kate. “Look after her.”
“I got her,” Kate told Yelena, smiling and pulling her in tighter. Kate then watched as the remains of Natasha’s spirit moved away towards the tree and disappeared into the star. But unlike the man she ran into all those weeks ago, the star shone brighter, and Kate pointed at it.
“That’s her,” she told Yelena, the other woman gasping at the sight of the bright star on her tree. Both of them had tears running down their cheeks as they turned to look at each other again. Kate leaned down, kissing away the salty tears on Yelena’s cheeks before quickly wiping away her own.
“I miss her,” Yelena murmured.
“I know, and you always will. But there will come a day when you’ll think of her and smile. You’ll think of the good times rather than that moment. Tears will still be there, I’m sure, but they’ll be filled with love rather than sadness,” she told the shorter woman, running both hands through Yelena’s hair from her front hairline all the way to the ends.
“You’re so beautiful in every way,” Yelena said, reaching on her tiptoes and giving her another kiss that Kate was already addicted to.
Grief was never easy to navigate, and no two experiences were the same. But Natasha had caused Kate’s and Yelena’s paths to cross for a reason, and Kate knew Yelena had entered her life for her own benefit as well as Yelena’s. They would ride the waves of grief together and become each other’s solace.