I’ll be honest, I kind of thought this might be a 3-parter. It’s fun to have Maria and Tina hanging out together, so I’m not going to apologize! And here we have the sisters in the most haunted city in America…

“I’m just sayin’” Maria slurred just a little bit, took a sip of her third Sazerac, then continued, “We’ve been on the The Ghosts of New Orleans Tour, the Ghost and Vampire Walking Tour, and the Voodoo & Cemetery Tour and we’ve learned exactly two things — I mean, you know, aside from all the haunted shit and murders and stuff… Two things,” she held up two fingers to enumerate her points. “One, you are shit at making small talk with ghosts. And, two, my feet are killing me! You’re lucky you’re dead!”

“I’m surprised you can even still feel your feet with as you’ve drank!”

“Hey!” Maria said, “Just because you can’t drink–”

“Who are you talking to?” interrupted a man wearing an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt staring at the empty barstool next to Maria.

Maria opened her mouth to retort but was cut off by “She’s talking to her dead sister!” It was the bartender with the short blonde hair, numerous piercings and gorgeous sleeve tattoos on both her arms. The man was about to say something but the bartender cut him off, “give her some peace!” The Hawaiian shirt guy looked taken aback and walked away.

“Thank you!” Maria said to the bartender. “You get it!”

“I’ve got you, girl,” she said to Maria. “I’m Kati,” she said. “Let me know if you need another round.” As she stepped away to help another customer Tina made eye contact with her and Kati winked.

“Oh my god, Maria! She just winked at me! I think she can see me! She’s really cute!”

“Slow down there, girl,” Maria said. “She’s way too alive for you!”

Tina sighed. “Oh, to your point about me not making small talk, you know I’m naturally shy! And what am I supposed to say to a ghost that’s been dead since the eighteenth century? ‘Hey, how’s it going? Want to go for a buggy ride?’”

“I mean,” Maria said, “It’s a good first step… But you’re seeing ghosts around, right?”

“Holy crap, M, this town is packed to the gills with ghosts! It’s like 2-1 ghosts to the living in this bar alone!”

“I mean, this place has been here for like two hundred years… I mean, you wouldn’t go into Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop.”

“Oh, hell no!” Tina blanched. “There are so many ghosts in there I’d be all pressed up like that rave you didn’t tell mom and dad about when you were like 16.”

“Our secret!” Maria said. “Still, though, you haven’t spoken to any of them!”

“Seriously, sis, you have no idea about age difference!”

Maria rolled her eyes and downed the last of her drink.

“You good?” Kati asked pointing at Maria’s now-empty glass.

“Yeah,” she said and settled up her tab.

“You girls have a good night!” Kati said. “Don’t be strangers!” When Tina thought she might swoon because the cute bartender addressed both of them Kati said directly to Tina, “Keep her safe, okay?” Maria was already halfway out the bar but had to come back to get her sister who had gone all moon-eyed.

Out on the street Maria was grateful for the cool air that took the edge off her growing inebriation.

“Are you going to call a Lyft?” Tina asked.

“You know, I think I’ll walk,” she said. “Ooh, wanna get beignets?”

Tina nodded, smiling. She was glad her sister was having a good time. As they walked past Jackson square, Tina asked, “Are Martin and Christy doing okay?”

“Oh yeah,” Maria said. “When I called him earlier, he was loving his father-daughter time.”

Tina nodded at a tall ghost with striking blue eyes they passed.

“Good evening,” he said with a thick New Orleans accent as he tipped his felt hat.

“Good evening to you!” Tina stood blushing as the man smiled broadly and continued down St Peter.

“Did you say something?” Maria asked a few steps ahead.

Tina hurried to catch up, “Just saying hi to a cute ghost.”

“Atta girl, T! Way to go!” Maria said grinning. “Boy ghost or girl ghost?”

“Boy, err, man ghost. You have to ask?”

“Our bartender Kati seemed like she made your knees weak. I’m just saying!”

At Café Du Monde, Tina made small talk with the ghosts of two soldiers who said they died at the battle of New Orleans while Maria listened to Tina’s side of the conversation as she tried eat the pastries without covering herself in powdered sugar.

They were walking down Royal towards their Airbnb on Elysian Fields when Tina stopped suddenly in front of a three-story stone building.

“Weren’t we here earlier?” Maria asked.

“Yeah,” Tina said quietly. “It’s the LaLaurie Mansion.”

“Oh,” Maria said casually, then, as she remembered the terrible history that transpired there she said more gravely, “Oh!”

“Yeah.”

“Who’s here?”

“The slaves. They’re upstairs. I can hear them.” She let the tears that had welled up run down her cheeks.

“Delphine LaLaurie?”

“Uh huh,” she said with a touch of anger. “Part of me wants to go in there and smack the shit out of her,” she said balling her fists.

“But?”

“She’s… it’s hard to explain… she’s a ghost, but she’s… not. She’s more like… evil in a ghost suit. Super scary, even to me.” She looked up at the scared faces staring out of the third story windows and shuddered.

“It’s hard, isn’t it?” a creole woman in a nineteenth century dress said from behind her.

“I’ve…. I’ve never experienced anything like it,” Tina said.

“Well,” she smiled sadly, “fortunately there’s not a lot of places where things this terrible took place. The way Delphine LaLaurie tortured those poor people…” She shook her head.

“I’m Tina,” Tina said, admiring the woman.

“Pleased to meet you, Tina. I’m Edmée.”

“Edmée,” Tina said, rolling the name around her mouth. “That’s really beautiful!”

“Thank you,” Edmée smiled at her. Tina really liked her smile.

“Oh,” Maria said. “Do I need to let you and this Edmée have a little alone time?”

“Don’t mind my sister,” Tina said to Edmée.

“It’s sweet you two have each other.”

Maria didn’t think she’d ever seen her sister smile as broadly as she was right now at whoever this Edmée was. It warmed her heart. “I’m going to head back to the house,” she said. “Take your time.”

“Thanks, Maria,” Tina said without turning.

“Would you like to walk by the river?” Edmée asked.

“I really would…” Tina said and without thinking took Edmée’s hand and the two ghosts started for the Mississippi.

To be continued…