Part 1Four Years After I Died, My Grandma Called My Toxic Ex

Four years after my death, Nana dug out my old cell phone and called Olivia.

Olivia: "It’s been exactly four years, and you finally thought to call me?"

"What, did your sugar mamas run out of cash? If you're broke, just go find a few more women to sell yourself to. Don't play the victim with me."

"Let me tell you something: I don't ever want to see you again, even if you're dead!"

On the other end of the line, Nana froze, her hunched back looking especially frail and lonely.

She clutched the phone and asked cautiously, "Livvy, did you and my Ethan get into a fight? I can't find him."

After saying that, Nana stared blankly across the empty room. As if suddenly remembering something, she murmured, "Oh, right. Ethan is dead. He's gone. How could I forget again..."

* * *

Maybe it was because I couldn't bear to leave Nana behind, but I stayed by her side as a spirit after I died.

Unfortunately, Nana had Alzheimer's, and she often forgot that I was dead.

This time, she had another episode. She wandered off to the park by herself and forgot the way home.

The stubborn little old lady sat on a bench, muttering to herself, "It's okay if I can't find the way. When Ethan realizes I'm not home, he'll definitely come out looking for me."

My soul was hovering right beside her.

Even though she wasn't far from home, she couldn't hear me, so I had no way to point her in the right direction.

As the sun began to set, my ghostly form started pacing around frantically.

An eighty-year-old woman spending the night alone in the park—she wouldn't be able to handle the cold.

Fortunately, Nana seemed to realize this too. Looking at the thinning crowd, she finally stood up.

She walked up to someone, grabbed their arm, and asked, "Have you seen my grandson, Ethan?"

I knew that as long as she asked someone, they would chat with her, realize she was lost, and probably take her to the local police precinct.

Once she was at the precinct, she would get home safely.

Unfortunately, Nana asked the wrong person.

Because the person she grabbed was Olivia.

Olivia looked down at Nana, a hint of impatience in her voice. "Where did Ethan go? Why are you out here alone?"

"It's so late and he just left you sitting in a park? He's probably out messing around with..."