Christian ended up attending Matt’s funeral by himself, wanting Michelle to rest. They also decided to explain Matt’s death properly to Wilbur, when he returned. There was some sort post funeral spread at Sean and Julia’s afterward.

    Michelle wandered into Wilbur’s room, to find Matt and Vivien in there with him, helping him with his homework assignments.  Damnit! Matt couldn’t be showing himself all the time around here! Wilbur just wasn’t going to understand this! And Christian would probably have heart palpitations if he saw Matt hanging around like this!

    Michelle stared at the three of them, and noticed something else...

    Matt and Vivien were giving one another sneaky looks. Michelle didn’t quite know what to make of it, but they stared at one another over Wilbur’s head. Had the two of them become closer after whipping Hayden’s ass? Michelle was about to make her presence known, when shuffling from the hallway behind her distracted her. Michelle peered out the door and found Hayden, with a knife jutting out of one of her breasts, slithering about. Michelle gently closed Wilbur’s bedroom door and confronted her.

    “Hey!” Hayden said in a chipper tone, pulling the knife out of her breast and tossing it to the floor. “I’m Hayden.”

    Michelle eyed the knife on the floor.

    “If you’re going to haunt my home, try not to litter. Get rid of that knife.”

    “Why don’t you ask Vivien and Matt to pick it up? They’re the ones that keep sticking me with it.” Hayden responded coyly.

    “Why am I even seeing you?”

    Hayden cleared her throat and Michelle watched as her breast wound disappeared suddenly.

    “I think you’ll be seeing everyone that’s here, soon. Especially now with you expecting a baby.  Some of us will want to congratulate you. Some will want to offer baby-sitting services. And some may just want to raise the baby themselves.” Hayden smirked.

    But Michelle didn’t bat any eyelash.

    “So I’ve been told.”

    “By Ben?”

    Michelle folded her arms.

    “Is this why you’re here? To give me shit about the fact that this could be Ben’s baby? Because I don’t think it is.”

    Hayden shrugged.

    “I don’t know. I mean I’ve watched the way you fuck your husband, versus the way you fuck Ben. I remember fucking Ben. It was always....grrrrr.” she purred.

    “What is your point, ghost whore?” Michelle asked impatiently. She glanced at her watch. Matt’s funeral had probably ended already.

    “I just think that you just had to have made a baby with Ben, from the way you two went at it...ooops! Sorry! You probably don’t remember it? Or do you?”

    Michelle just stared at her. Hayden finally came to the point.

    “Okay. No more bullshit. I was thinking we could  make a deal.”

    “I’m not giving you my baby.” Michelle replied.

    “No. I’m not interested in your baby. Especially one with Ben. No...uh...you’re husband is FUCKING HOT!”

    Michelle lifted a brow.

    “Your point?”

    “Meaning hire me on here somehow. Get Christian used to seeing me around. Then I’ll take care of the rest.”

    Michelle looked her up and down!

    “Are you asking me to pretend you’re someone to me, to my husband, so that you can fuck him?”

    Hayden rolled her eyes!

    “Oh please! I could keep Christian busy while you spend time with Ben. I thought you would be able to see how much help I could be to you two lovebirds.” Hayden grinned.

    “Ben and I are not ‘lovebirds’. He’s married to Vivien, something you should’ve respected before you ran after him.”

    “Is that what that bastard told you? That ‘I ran after him’? That’s a crock of shit, Michelle!”

    “That’s Mrs. Troy to you, whore,” Constance interrupted, “now go away! Go!”

    Hayden suddenly disappeared. Michelle blinked, then turned to face Constance.

    “What did you do?”

    Constance waved a hand nonchalantly.

    “All you have to do is to tell them to ‘go away’, and you’ll have no problems.” Constance informed her. “Now, I just wanted to congratulate you on the baby.”

    “Hmmm. Thanks.”

    “You don’t seem happy?” Constance noted.

    “Why would I be?! Jesus, every ghost thinks this baby is Ben’s! And God help me if it is!”

    “Why? Dr. Harmon is attractive.”

    “That’s not the point!” Michelle snapped. “You know, Christian and I moved here to save our marriage! My delivering a baby in possibly five months...”

    “Five months? Honey, who told you that? It will probably me more like three or at the most four.”

    Michelle staggered backwards, then found her voice.

    “That’s IF it’s Ben’s. I still think it’s my husband’s.”

    Constance shrugged.

    “Well, either way, the baby will be welcome and wanted.”

    Michelle realized that that was Constance’s way of telling her, that the ghosts in this house wanted a baby--period! It wouldn’t matter who the father was.  Constance could see her unease and moved to touch her shoulder.

    “Michelle, just relax and let us help you through this. Everyone could live happily ever after here. I think that Christian, Wilbur and yourself are the perfect family for this house. And this home NEEDS a family.”

    “It needs an owner to live, you mean.” Michelle said darkly. “And if you really want to help me, then I want you to tell me how to live in this house without my family, or myself, getting killed.”

    Constance smiled her telltale mad clown grin.

    “Why honey, that’s easy. I’ll introduce you to each ghost. At least the ones I know of. You can learn their personalities...their quirks.”

    “Get to know the ghosts?” Michelle repeated slowly.

    “Well there’s nothing wrong with that, dear. I mean you already know that tramp, Moira, Dr. Harmon and his wife Vivien. Your step-son, Matt.  Whore Hayden, oh and two of my children are here....I don’t think you’ve met the owners that were here before the Harmons. A gay couple.”

    Michelle pursed her lips briefly, before deviating away from the subject a bit.

    “First, did you kill Moira and your husband? And secondly...why in the living hell would TWO of your children be ghosts in this house? Huh?”

    “Oh. Well, dear, first of all, no, I did not kill anyone. Yes, I fibbed a bit about my husband running off. He died of a heart attack while he was fucking Moira. Then Moira died of natural causes after he died.”

    Moira suddenly appeared!

    “That is bullspit! You shot us both, then you ground up your husband’s remains and fed him to the dogs! I’m buried on the property somewhere! God, you are an evil bitch!”

    Constance grinned at Moira’s fury.

    “Yes, well, dear, Mrs. Troy and I could use some tea. Please.”

    Michelle gave Constance a look. Constance shrugged.

    “I said ‘please’.”

    Michelle looked at Moira.

    “We don’t need any tea, Moira, but I would appreciate you checking up on Wilbur.”

    Moira nodded, before giving Constance the evil eye and leaving them. Michelle shook her head.

    “Why do you rub her face in it? You killed the woman in this house, trapping her here and then you come over here all the time, grinning in her face. Why?”

    “Now, now, Michelle. Talk like that will just upset you and the baby. Have you made a doctor’s appointment?” Constance asked. Michelle decided not to press the woman about her ghost children, and just answer her question.

    “Yes. I managed to get in tomorrow. Now I want to meet these...shhhh!” Michelle hissed as the sound of the front door opening, then closing, ended their conversation. Christian appeared, glaring at Constance, while kissing Michelle on the cheek.

    “Constance,” Christian said between clenched teeth, “have you been cleared yet?”

    “Why Dr. Troy, why do you keep asking me that?”

    “Because I don’t want to see you in this house until Detective Stanton DOES clear you. So get out!”

    Constance sighed loudly, then looked at Michelle.

    “I’ll see you later.”

    “Not until you’re cleared!” Christian said in a sing-song voice.  Michelle watched as Constance left by way of the kitchen, before turning to her husband.

    “Was that really necessary?”

    “Michelle! The police think she poisoned you and assaulted me! Or even worse she had an accomplice. How else would she have known that Wilbur needed to be picked up? Worse yet those Fake Harmons could’ve been in on it. Detective Stanton STILL can’t find them and I don’t believe that Constance doesn’t know where they are.” Christian groused. Michelle touched his face.

    “How were things?” she asked softly.

    Christian sighed.

    “Sean still blames me for this whole thing somehow...you know what? Forget it. We’re having a baby. I’ll go with you tomorrow for your appointment, we’ll get Wilbur’s school troubles taken care of. Oh...and I think it was a good idea for you to call Burt’s granddaughter. She could be a big help with Wilbur and the baby.”

    Michelle blinked.

    “Burt’s granddaughter? Christian, what are you talking about?”

    Christian began looking through some mail while talking.

    “Holly? I found her waiting outside with her suitcase. She was just about to come in. You called her, remember? I didn’t think you were close with any of Burt’s relatives?”

    That’s because Burt didn’t have any! Michelle peered around Christian and saw Hayden standing there, carrying one of Michelle’s suitcases, like it was her own! Michelle gaped at her, then looked over at Christian, who was still looking through the mail. The police had shown them pictures of what Hayden McLaine looked like, and yet Christian didn’t appear to recognize her as the woman that had murdered Matt in the basement.

    He thought she was her dead, first husband’s granddaughter.

    “I didn’t call her and she’s not staying.” Michelle said coldly. Christian looked over at the two of them and set down the mail.

    “Okay, what’s going on here?” he asked. But Hayden knew more than she let on, from peering at Ben’s session notes with Michelle. She had looked up ‘Burt Landau’ online and deduced some things...

    “It’s alright, Christian. Michelle has every right to be sore at me. I did accuse her of killing my grandfather for his money, didn’t I?” Hayden said, looking right into Michelle’s eyes.

    Michelle rolled her tongue around in her mouth. She couldn’t just call this little bitch out as being Hayden, the woman that killed Matt. She could do anything to Christian at this moment, or worse yet, Christian could discover that she was ghost in some freak way. And with all he had been through today, Michelle didn’t think her husband was ready to learn that.

    But at the same time, she couldn’t go for this shit!

    “Get out!” Michelle snapped.

    “Oh come on, ‘Grandmother’...”

    “Hey!” Christian suddenly yelled, “you heard my wife! And you lied about her calling you here!” He was not in the mood for anymore surprises. Not today.

    But one would come. In just a few moments.

    Hayden turned, still clutching Michelle’s suitcase, opened the front door and appeared to leave. Christian eyed Michelle.

    “You never told me anyone from Burt’s family accused you of killing him?”

    Michelle shrugged.

    “Well, that was a play to get money. The accusation only came up after Burt left me everything.” she lied, not wanting to think about how she had withheld his medication out of anger at him for his pervy ways.

    Christian walked over to the door and peered outside. He didn’t see the Landau relative anywhere. He turned and pulled Michelle into his arms.

    “Are you up to talking to Wilbur right now?” he asked. Michelle nodded, pulling back a bit.

    “I think that’s a good idea.” Michelle said, not really looking forward to it. Wilbur would undoubtedly swear up and down that Matt had helped him with his homework today. Worse yet, once he mentioned Vivien, Christian would freak!

    But Michelle turned and began to walk up the stairs. Christian was about to follow, when some movement in his peripheral vision, caught his eye.

    It was ‘Holly Landau’. Somehow she had gotten back into the house.

    She was still carrying her suitcase.

    Oh, and she was naked.

    Christian took a deep breath.

    “Go on up. I see Moira out in the kitchen and I need to tell her something.”

    Michelle nodded and walked upstairs. When she rounded the corner towards Wilbur’s room, she passed what was supposed to be an empty, spare bedroom.

    But Ben was standing inside.

    He was naked as well.

    Michelle looked around, then hurried into the bedroom, closing the door!

    “Ben! What are you doing?!”

    Ben slowly walked over to her, then reached down to clasp her hands within his own.

    “I don’t want to wait until tonight.”

    “Uh, yes, so I see! Look, Christian and I are about to talk to Wilbur about Matt. Now it hasn’t helped matters that he’s walking around looking like he’s alive.”

    Ben stared into her eyes.

    “Where is he?”

    “Who?”

    “Christian.”

    “He’s talking to Moira about something.” Michelle answered.

    Suddenly, Ben yanked her hand, opened the door and pulled her towards Wilbur’s door! He then gently opened it.

    Moira was sitting with Wilbur, talking to him. Wilbur’s back was to the door and he didn’t see his mother or Ben. Ben then quietly closed the door.

    “Go downstairs, Michelle. Then tell me that you want to continue this sham of a marriage you’re in.” Ben said quietly. Michelle stared at him wordlessly for a moment, then turned to head towards the stairs.

    Tate appeared next to be and watched as Michelle rounded a corner.

    “Wouldn’t it just be easier to kill her husband?” he asked. Ben looked him in the eye.

    “It might be easier, Tate, but it wouldn’t be right.” he said, turning to walk back to the bedroom he had been waiting for Michelle in.

    Meanwhile, Michelle was walking down the stairs, when she heard noises. Frowning, she cleared the stairs and began looking around...

    Christian had a naked Hayden bent over a desk and was pounding furiously into her!  Michelle took a step backwards and looked around, then picked up a vase. She then quietly walked up behind the couple and bashed Christian over the head!

    Hayden disappeared, something Christian noticed in his pain and surprise, as he turned to face his wife!

    “Michelle, it’s not what you think...where’d she go?! Where’d...”

    “Where did your son’s killer go?! She’s a fucking ghost, Christian! She’s not anywhere!” Michelle hissed, just as a searing pain suddenly swam through her belly. She crumpled to the floor and Christian recovered enough to help her up, while dialing 911 on his cellphone.

                                                                          ****

    Sean came to the hospital alone and found Christian getting stitched up behind a curtain. The doctor finished and left them alone.

    “Christian? What now? What the hell happened?”

    Christian looked around, then spoke.

    “Sean...Michelle lied to me.”

    “What’s new about that? And why are you both here?”

    “Could you stop being such a smart ass and listen to me?” Christian countered. But Sean had choice words for him.

    “We just buried Matt today! Matt! And on this day--night, you can’t keep out of trouble. Julia and I needed to be alone tonight. What is going on?”

    Christian took a deep breath.

    “Okay. I deserve that.”

    “You do.”

    “Okay, Sean! You don’t think I’m suffering too?”

    Sean closed his eyes, then opened them.

    “Alright. I’ll lay off. Tell me what’s going on?”

    “When I returned from your place today, a young woman was waiting on the doorstep carrying a suitcase. She said she was Burt Landau’s granddaughter and that Michelle had called her.”

    Sean folded his arms.

    “I didn’t realize ole Burt had had any other relatives?”

    “Neither did I. Anyway, she says her name is ‘Holly’. I let her in and Michelle doesn’t want to see her. Apparently this Holly accused her of murdering Burt for his money.”

    “Did she?” Sean asked suspiciously.

    “Oh for Christ’s sakes, Sean! My wife is not a killer, okay? But here’s the thing: I threw her out and she managed to get back in the house anyway. Without a stitch of clothing on. Michelle was upstairs so...”

    Sean’s mouth dropped open!

    “Tell me you didn’t?”

    “I did. But here is the really fucked up part: Michelle bashes me over the head, the hot little bitch disappears mid-fuck and Michelle is screaming that this girl is Hayden, not some chick named Holly! Michelle lied when she saw her before! She knew damned well who she was!”

    Sean backed back!

    “And YOU didn’t? You didn’t recognize the woman that killed our son?”

    “But MICHELLE did! And she lied and said she was a relative of Burt’s! Why?”

    Sean threw up his hands!

    “Ask her yourself! But after we talk to the police! You’re going to fucking tell them everything, including the fact that you let Matt’s killer get away--again!”

    “She DISAPPEARED from around my dick, Sean! I didn’t let her get away!”

    “Well however you need to explain it.” Sean countered.

    “Michelle is in with the doctor. I need to make sure the babies are alright.”

    Sean eyed him.

    “Babies?”

    “Yes,” Christian said quietly, “once her doctor stabilized her, he told us we were having twins.”

                                                                         ****

    While Sean and Christian spoke with Detective Stanton, who had come to the hospital, Michelle called Constance, who unbeknownst to the three men, took Michelle home, once she was given the go ahead to leave.

    Constance followed her to the front porch, then Michelle turned around and looked at her.

    “I’m fine. Thank you for coming for me.”

    Constance gave her a hard look.

    “I did kill my husband, Michelle. I wouldn’t put up with the foolishness that Christian is dishing out to you. And somehow I sense we’re not that much different. Either you put him out or he’ll end up as a ghost in this house. By your hand. I guarantee it.”

    Michelle watched as Constance walked down the porch steps and over to her property. She then opened the door, stepped in and closed it behind her. Michelle looked around, then walked upstairs....

    Wilbur was asleep. Vivien and Matt were now both sleeping near him. Michelle closed the door, walked down the hall to the room where Ben had been waiting for her and opened the door.

    Ben was still there, without clothes, waiting for her. He had been sitting on the bed but he now stood up and held out his hand to her. Michelle said nothing as she took his hand and let him pull her towards the bed.

    “I shouldn’t be doing this,” Michelle whispered, “I should take Wilbur and leave.”

    Ben slowly removed the dress she had been wearing, then pulled her tightly in is arms as his mouth hungrily sought hers. Michelle wrapped her arms around him.

    “Everything is going to be alright now, Michelle,” Ben whispered between kisses, “you’re going to make it in this house. But not with Christian. With me. And our babies.”

    How had he known she was carrying twins, Michelle thought, as he pulled her down onto the bed--their bed.