Althea walked up the stairs to try to find the other inhabitants in the house. She walked into an empty room that looked as if it were a library.
“Hmm books?” she said scanning the shelves for anything that she had read before.
“Do you see her?” said one of the ghostly sisters to the other. “Power seems to surround her, ooo what book is she picking out?” Aspen said watching Althea grab one of the large book off the shelves.
Althea looked down at the large book and whipping the dust off the cover. ‘War and Peace’ she read. Althea was about to open the cover when she stopped and looked around the room, there was a presence in the room and she couldn’t quit put her finger on where it was coming from.
“Hello?” she said turning around. She looked in the direction Aspen was floating and looked directly at her.
“Can she see me?” Aspen said with a start.
“Yes.” Althea replied.
Aspen and Is mouth’s dropped to the floor with surprise.
“You can see us?” Is exclaimed with shock.
Althea nodded with a smile as she examined the two girls ‘floating’ there before her.
“My name is Althea... if you did not know that already.” she said placing the old book back on the shelf.  Althea has had encounters with specters prior and they did not startle or scare her. She often tried to help them with passing on into the next life. Ghosts could typically read strong thoughts; Names were the easiest to come by for them, since the race of man practically screamed their name into the darkness trying to be the number one presence in the universe.
“Nice to meet you.” Aspen spoke softly. “My name is Aspen and this is Is.” she said cheerfully.
“ASPEN!” Is exclaimed “Don’t talk to the her!”
“But... but why?” Aspen asked turning to her older sister.
“Come on lets go.” Is said grabbing her hand and disappearing into nothingness.
Althea scanned the room to see if she could see them but they were gone.
“Hmm... well bye.” she shrugged. She giggled softly thinking that she had never found a ‘shy’ ghost before. “Well, I am sure they will come around.” she smiled walking out of the study.

She went back down stairs and she heard the patter of little feet. Althea stopped to see a snow leopard.
“Well hello little fellow.” Althea smiled softly kneeling down.
“Meow?” the cat said coming closer and walking up to her. He flicked the tip of his tail twice at her and she smiled wide.
Althea gently probed his mind to locate his name and realized it was Tiger.
“Nice to meet you Tiger.” she said soothingly to him holding out her hand for him to sniff her. If cats could smile he did. He took in her scent and began to purr as he rubbed up against her leg. Althea picked him up gently and began to stroke his fur, from the head to his tail.
“You are a good boy aren’t you.” she said soothingly.
You got that right, babe.
Althea giggled reading his thoughts. “Babe huh?”
Mm yep! He spoke to her in his mind. He had a big cheesy grin on his face or as cheesy as a cat could look.
“Iris is your provider, correct?”
Tiger flicked his tail as if he were saying yes.
“Well let’s see if we can locate her and my drooling brother.” she smiled.
“Meow...” Tiger purred. As long as you continue to stroke me, I will go with you anywhere. He purred.
Althea giggled softly as she continued to pet Tiger as she walked into the kitchen. Adrian was trying to calm Iris down as if she were upset about something.
“She is at an age where they want to rebel, and with her past she is adjusting to new ‘rules’.” Adrian spoke softly soothingly.
"Yea" Iris sighed softly, her tension leaving "I'll give you that."
“Don’t tell him that.” Althea said interrupting “He will get a big head and think he is always right.”
“Althea.” Iris and Adrian said.
“That is me.” she smiled.
“I didn’t hear you come in.” Iris said standing up.
“Neither did I?” Adrian said giving his sister an odd look. Was she being quiet for a reason or was he tunning out the world. He hoped it was the first thought, cause if he was tunning out everything but Iris that could not mean something good.
“Oh you found Tiger. It seems he likes you.” she said walking over and petting him behind the ears.
“He kind of found me wandering the halls.” Althea smiled to her. “He is a beautiful animal.”
"Shhh...he's got a big enough ego, he think's I'm his, all his." Iris winked up at her stroking Tiger gently.
If she only knew. Tiger said to Althea flicking his tail.
Althea giggled softly.
Iris advised them of the up coming ‘family’ dinner, explaining that the dress was casual and what the menu consisted of. Dinner was served at the large table in a buffet style and Althea got to meet more of the residence. Iris and Adrian couldn’t keep their eyes off of each other and made idle chit chat amongst themselves. Althea snuck pieces of the meal to Tiger that rested at her feet.
“Um...” Althea said trying to interject between Adrian and Iris. “I will go bring a plate of food to Twinx.” she said gathering a little bit of everything on a plate and grabbing some silver ware. She walked over to the fridge and grabbed a ‘Coke’ for her to drink. Althea shook her head, as neither of them seemed to notice her, and they were lost between each others words. “Let’s go Tiger.” She said looking down at the snow leopard who seemed to become her new ‘best friend.’
Anything you say, babe. He looked up at her and twitched his tail.

Althea and Tiger walked out to the ‘Carriage House’ and she knocked lightly on the door as Tiger went through the ‘doggy’ door. The door opened to reveal the teen standing there with head phones on.
“Yes?” she said looking at her with question.
“I brought you some food. While it is hot.” she smiled at her.
“You are?” Twinx said not sure if she should let her in or not, and how she knew that she was out here.
“Althea.” she smiled. “My brother and I just moved in tonight, and Iris explained you both stay out here.” she continued to smile offering the food, reading her hesitation.
“Oh,” she said turning away.
“Can I come in?” she said watching her leave.
“Sure what ever.” she said waving her hand over her shoulder as she listened to her iPod.
“Are you hungry?” she said coming into the house and shutting the door behind her.
“Not really.” she heard her call from her room.
“Oh, come on... I know when I was younger I used to have an appetite that would rival a sumo wrestler.” she smiled walking back to her room. “Oh, nice place.” Althea said peeking into the room. She saw posters on the wall along with a computer on a small desk. “Ooo technical in here.” she smiled seeing all the equipment. “You and Adrian would hit it off nicely.” she smiled to Twinx. Twinx was not looking at her but staring at her computer but and listening to her iPod.
“Hmm...” Althea said. “Can I put this somewhere?” she said referring to the plate of food she still held.
“Ya, put it on the desk there.” she said waving it away.  
“Oh, okay.” Althea said putting it down for her. “Oh I brought this too. I wasn’t sure what you would like to drink.”
“Thanks.” she said. “We have a refrigerator here though.”
“Oh.” Althea said thinking about giving up on trying to talk with her. She turned to leave Twinx along.
“Hey.” Twinx called after her.
“Ya?” Althea said stopping.
“Thanks.” she smiled up at her from her book.
“You are very welcome. Oh, and if you ever want to talk, I am willing to listen. I may not know everything but I can always offer some advice.” she smiled sweetly to her.
“Thanks again.” she said softly.
Althea left Twinx to her studies and Tiger meowed at her as she was leaving.
“You stay here and watch her.” she said to the snow leopard. “I think she may need a friend.”


Althea started to move into her room in the back house. She sighed heavily as she hung a painting on the wall remembering what it meant to them. She smiled softly as she stepped back and admired the painting. There was a soft rapping on the door.
“Come in.” she said softly brushing her long hair over her shoulder.
“You busy?” Adrian said coming into the room.
“Not to busy to chat with my favorite brother.” she winked at him.
“I am your only brother.” he said back.
“Exactly.” she chuckled. “That makes you my favorite.”
Adrian just shook his head at her and then looked up at the wall. “I see you hung the picture.”
“Of course.” she smiled. “I wouldn’t leave home without it.”
“Home.” he said softly. That one word held enough emotion to wash over Althea’s skin to cause her to shiver slightly.
“Anyways,” she said turning to look at him. He was staring out the window to over look the garden in the back yard. “What can I do for you brother of mine?” she said sitting down on her four poster canopy bed. The heavy burgundy drapes were pulled back with silver draw string cords.
“Nothing.” he said turning away from the window.
“Oh no.” she said standing up and placing her small hand on his large broad shoulders. “You are not going to come in here, acting like you have a question and then just blow me off by saying, Nothing!” Althea said bitterly.
Adrian looked at her and sighed heavily. His stormy colored eyes seeming to get darker by the minute.
“Is this ‘nothing’ have anything to do with Ms. Iris?” she smirked up at him reading the main thought on his mind.
Adrian’s face began to color slightly as he looked away from her.
“Oh, it does!” she clapped her hands. “What can I help with Adrian?”
“I would like to get her something.” he said quickly. Almost to quickly but Althea was able to catch it.
“Hmm... get her what?” Althea said placing her hands on her hips looking into her brothers eyes. They reminded her of liquid steel; most people were unable to look directly into his eyes for long periods of time, but Althea got that talent mastered and she could stair him down with the best of them.
“That is what I am asking you for.” he said stating a point.
“Well... women like jewelry, or clothes... but since we don’t really ‘know’ her size we can’t get her clothes. Hmm.. Maybe something for the restaurant? I don’t know... I know she likes chocolate. That is well known, she loves creating new devious delicious delicate sweets.” she smiled remembering the last taste of chocolate she had as she rambled on. “But anyways, I would get her maybe jewelry. I am not sure though, what she might like. Maybe a necklace? Don’t get her a ring, we just met her and we don’t want to freak her out. I know it would freak me out to have a ring from a guy that I have only known for a week...”
“Okay... okay...” Adrian said trying to interrupt his rambling sister. Once she started to talk it was sometimes hard to get her to stop. “Thank you.” he finally said.
“For what?” she said looking up at him.
“For giving me ideas.”
“Oh, sure.” she smiled. “Anytime.” Althea watched her brother walk out her door. “Oh hey! What are you wearing to dinner tonight? You know where we meet everyone?”
“My Armani suit, what else.” he said walking down the hall.
“Ya, well WHICH ONE!” she called out after him. Adrian didn’t respond as she watched him disappear into his room.
“Men.” she said with a sigh. “Can’t understand them, and can’t bury them.” she smiled at her star struck brother. “He sure has it bad.” she shook her head. The last time she saw him this head over heels for a woman he got his heart stomped on, pulverized and then some. She just hoped Iris would be kind to him. She seemed like a nice person and Althea hoped the best comes out of this meeting. Maybe this might be the reason Acheron sent them here. She turned around to see Tiger on her bed.
“How did you get in here?” she smiled at the snow leopard.
My little secret. He smiled up at her.
Althea just smiled and shook her head.
“Just as long as Iris doesn’t get mad. I am ok with it.” she nodded.
He flicked his tail at her as he curled down on her soft comforter.
“Well at least you look rather comfortable. Go ahead and make yourself at home.”
Thanks I will. Tiger said half a sleep.
Althea turned to look at her walk in closet and sighed again. She had no idea what to wear to this ‘family’ gathering. She knew it was casual but then again they never looked casual. Always as if they were worth a million dollars. Well actually they were worth a lot more than that, but that wasn’t the point. She rummage through a few of her outfits and finally settled on a 3 piece pin stripped pants suit, that she enjoyed to wear with her black stilettos boots. She through the suit onto the bed with a swish just missing Tiger’s paw. He looked up at her lazily.
“Sorry.” she smiled to him as he rested his head again.
Althea went into her private bathroom to get ready leaving Tiger to ‘guard’ her room.

“Wow...” was the soft sound as two male ghost’s appeared. “Did you see her?”
“Yes brother I did.” he said softly back.
“Can we keep her?” the first said to the other.
His brother began to chuckle at his childlikeness. “The question dear brother is, will she keep us? I sense a lot of power from her aura.”
“So, what does that mean?” the younger one asked.
“It means, Alex that if we are not careful she may ‘ask’ us to leave. She is a medium.”
“She can see us?”
“I believe so, I just don’t think she has ‘sensed’ us yet.”
“Really?” Alex said softly looking at the snow leopard on the bed. His eyes got dreamy well as dreamy as a ghost’s can get. “So if I appeared before her she would talk to me?”
“Well, in theory yes.”
“Brian you are so smart.” he said looking up at his older brother with starry eyes. “I am going to go talk to her.”
“No wait!” he said watching his brother disappear into the bathroom.

Althea was in the shower washing her hair when she felt a sudden chill in the air. She had felt that sudden chill before as she got the feeling that she was being watched. She quickly rinsed her hair, shutting off the water and grabbing the towels hanging on the wall next to the curtain. She wrapped one around herself and then wrapping the other in her hair.
“Hello?” she said peeking her head out to see a young man standing before her. He looked as if he were 18 or so, but he was a ghost. “Oh hello.” she smiled softly.
“You can see me?” he asked softly.
“Yes, I can see you.” she nodded. “But um, why did you decided to come visit me while I was taking a shower?”
“He was excited.” said another voice from outside the bathroom door.
“Oh?” she smiled. “Well if you would excuse me for a moment while I dress...” she hesitated to wait for his name but he did not give it. He just had a large grin on his face and his eyes twinkled with excitement.
“Oh, sure!” he said cheerfully. “I will just be waiting out here, in your room.”
“Okay.” Althea nodded. She watched him disappear and quickly dried herself and slipped on her clothes. She came out wearing the pants white blouse and the vest. She still needed to lace up her boots. Her hair was still slightly damp but, she pulled it back with a Celtic clip that she had on the dresser.
“Well my name is Althea.” she said softly looking at the two ghosts in her dresser mirror as she fixed her hair.
“My name is Alex.” the younger cheerful one said.
“And I am Brian.” the other said shortly after.
“Well nice to meet you both.” she smiled brushing out her long dark wavy locks of hair. “Are you the only two in this building?” Althea asked out right.
“No.” Brian spoke.
Alex just shook his head he looked like he was going to bubble over with something he just needed to say.
“There are others.” Brian said. “But it is not our place to say who.”
“Are you going to get rid of us?” Alex blurted out.
“Alex.” Brian said.
Althea stopped what she was doing to turn to look at him. “Do you want to be gotten rid of?”
“No.” he shook his head. “I like it here.”
“Well then you answered your own question. But if you would like to move on, I will help you.” she smiled to them.
There was a knock on her door and Althea turned to look.
“Yes?” Althea said. “Come in.”
“Althea, where you talking to someone?” Adrian said peeking his head into her room.
“Yes...” she turned around to point out the brothers but they were gone only one left was Tiger. “Just Tiger.” she smiled to him.
Adrian shook his head softly with a smile. “Dinner will be starting in 15mins.”
“Thanks, I am just about ready.”
Adrian shut the door behind him and the brothers returned.
“Who is that?” Alex asked softly.
“Oh, that? He was my brother, Adrian.”
Brian just nodded in understanding.
“Well Alex, and Brian I am sorry to cut our meeting short but I must head over to the main house for dinner. Is there anything I can get for you while I am there?” Althea knew that ghost’s typically could not leave the structure that they ‘haunted’.
“Ummm... no.” Alex said shaking his head.
“No thank you.” Brian said.
“Ok, well I will be back soon.” she smiled to them. “Make yourself at home.” she said opening the door. “Tiger are you coming with me?” she said to the big kitty on her bed.
Bring me back some goodies. He said groggily.
“Will do.” she giggled as she shut the door behind her.

Althea met Adrian in the parlor near the front of the Back House. He was working on his lap top.
“Are you ready?” he said looking up from the screen.
She nodded softly as she watched him shut it down.
“You look nice.” he said to her picking up a small box of the end table. Adrian stood and brushed the creases out of his pants. He had been waiting for her for a bit. He wore his dark Armani suit with dark gray shirt underneath. The suit was one of his favorites; it brought out the dark gray in his eyes.
“Thanks. Is that what I think that is?” she asked.
“Yes.” he looked down at the midnight blue box. It sparkled different shades of blue and purple in the light as if the paper it self was mystical and rare.
“Are you sure you want to give it to her tonight?” she asked. She was happy that Adrian was giving her a special gift but she wanted him to choose his timing well.
“You don’t think the timing is right?” he asked her.
“You really don’t know much about women do you?” she smiled at her brother placing her hands on her hips.
He shook his head. “You are the only woman I really know and well... you aren’t like most.”
“You got that right.” she winked. “But I would wait on the gift. Maybe a special time when you both are alone.” she nodded.
“Maybe you are right.” he said putting the box in his jacket pocket. “Shall we?” he said holding out his hand to her.
“Of course I am right.” she said taking his hand.

Adrian and Althea walked into the large dinning room. People were already seated and his eyes settled on Iris’s smiling face. Twinx was sitting to the left of her.
“I apologize that we were late.” Adrian spoke softly. His voice carried on the wind sending a slight shiver down Iris’s spine.
“Oh, no. You aren’t late. Right on time.” she smiled up to them. “Please take a seat and we will go ahead and get started.” she said looking around the room. Everyone was there, that has joined their family thus far. She smiled softly as everything came together as she hoped it would.
Diner went well and there was idle chit chat amongst the group as they ate desert.
“This is very good Iris, my compliments to the chef.” Althea smiled to her hostess.
“Why thank you, Althea.” Iris said blotting the crumbs off the right corner of her mouth.
“If you excuse me.” she said softly standing “But I think if I don’t return to my room soon, Tiger may take it over.”
Iris smiled softly, her snow leopard sure had taken a liking to her. “He sure does like you, doesn’t he.”
Althea nodded. “I am not sure what he see’s in me exactly, but ya.” she giggled slightly. “I hope you do not mind?”
“No, why would I?” Iris said softly.
Althea pushed in her chair and started to clean up her spot.
“Oh, hey Althea.” Twinx said.
“Yes, Twinx?” she stopped
“I was wondering if you could help me with my biology project? I mean since you are a doctor and all.”
Althea smiled wide at the teenager.
“I would love to Twinx, bring it by any time.”
“Thanks!” she said happily. She stopped before she reached the back door. “I forgot, if anyone needs any medical assistance my door is open.” she smiled to the group. “No charge of course.” she winked.
“Thank you.” Iris spoke for the group.
Althea looked to her brother and then exited the room, she knew he would be there for a while to help Iris ‘clean’ up.