When Mrs. Magpie Came for Tea

I had met Mrs. Magpie when I was a child. I had moved to an old victorian-styled house with my mother and saw the pale lady with the tightly pinned bun and the tiny brows that always made her look surprised.

She had told me stories of the wonders of the world back in her day, all about great wars, wonderful ladies, and beautiful dancing. She was the one who taught me how to make tea and was the first one to hear the stories I came up with. Ever the captive audience, she would always float closer while I rambled on about whatever story came to my mind.

Mother thought that I had been talking to an imaginary friend, and like all mothers do, she smiled and said that was nice. Until she deemed me too old for an imaginary friend.

"Honestly Mable, darling. you're seven years old. That is too old for imaginary nonsense."

I tried to argue that Mrs. Magpie wasn't imaginary, but she would have none of it. We shortly moved to a city apartment, far away from our quaint and quiet country home. I still saw people who were like Mrs. Magpie, I had just decided to keep them to myself.

I was twenty-three when I saw Mrs. Magpie again. I had moved back to that neighborhood I grew up in. I decided to visit my childhood home, if only for the memories.

Rocking on the front porch was the elderly lady with the too-tight bun and surprised eyebrows.

"Mable Matthews, Why I never thought I would see you again!" She smiled. She stood up and smiled.

"Come in, come in. I've kept the house in ship-shape." She crowed.

"Mrs. Magpie. It's so nice to see you again."

"Come, come. I'll make some tea and you'll have to tell me everything I missed."

I told her all about college, my new job, my crazy coworkers, and all of the other spirits in the big city.

"There are more than you would think," I explained. "I guess it would make sense, there are lots of people living there so of course there would be lots of spirits. But they are all so unique you know? Not all of them are as friendly as you Mrs. Magpie."

"I can imagine. When that city was brand new, some of the most eccentric and unsavory people moved there, all searching for their fortunes."

"Believe me, it hasn't changed a bit." I laughed.

We chatted until the sun began to set swapping stories and trading rumors. I waved goodbye and promised to meet her later.

This led to many more tea time visits. She talked me into running favors for the dead, it became a much more profitable business than what I was currently doing. Through her, I reconnected old friends past lovers, and old partners each dying to see the other one last time.

I didn't really understand any of these spirits. Sometimes they would disappear after catching up with their friends, sometimes they would hang around. During one of our afternoon chats, I asked Mrs. Magpie about this.

"Mable, when a person dies, they become ghosts, as you obviously can see." She pointed to herself. "They have some earthly ties left that keep them rooted to the earth, but eventually those ties become severed. We all pass on eventually."

"Where do you go?" I asked.

"Heaven I suppose. Or if you were particularly nasty," She shrugged.

I was nervous, I hated leaving Mrs. Magpie when I was younger, she assured me that she would still be there waiting for me when I would come back and she had yet to break that promise, but if her earthly ties became severed while I was away. I refused to think about it.

The next afternoon tea we had I had some exciting news. I had my own business as a respected medium. I was a licensed practitioner of the paranormal sorts. This meant that I could help grieving families and ghosts reconnect and pass on.

"I can do so much for both worlds now, Mrs. Magpie." I beamed.

"Mable, darling, there is only one world." She laughed.

I cocked my head in confusion, 'Then why can't everyone see you?"

"Most of them are only looking through a closed curtain, only a select few have the curtain drawn. You've seen newly formed ghosts, yes? They are so disoriented because they were, how do I say this, Thrown out the door?" She giggled.

"So you're saying I can see the entire world?" I wondered.

"well maybe not the entire world, I would lie to think of it like this. The living people live in the house while the dead and other not quite living creatures live outside of this house. Most people have all of their windows closed, others have one open. It is very unlikely that you'll run into a person with more than one window open. Each window lets you see a different aspect of the outside." She explained.

I was thirty-eight, living with a family of my own, training my own daughter to see and communicate with these spirits. I had brought her to one of my tea times with Mrs. Magpie. When we got to the house, I saw a notice on the house. They were going to be demolition the block to make way for a new mall. I was extremely distraught.

"Mrs. Magpie!" I called out, "Mrs. Magpie they can't do this!"

"Do what?" She asked, her voice was calm and a little sad.

"They're going to destroy your home, they can't do this." I fumed.

"Why not? No one has lived here since you first moved out thirty-one years ago. I'm surprised they didn't do it sooner."

"You're not upset?" I asked.

"I have had years to be upset, my dear. I've come to terms with the fact that I won't be here forever. Forgive me, Mable, but this tired old woman is a little excited to see what lies ahead."

"What do you mean?"

She smiled and patted my cheek, "This house was me and my husband's pride and joy, second only to my children. I built this house with him and when I died, I was willing to let everything but this place go. I admit it was very selfish of me. I had come to terms with the fact that my children would be safe, I would see my husband again, but I was still afraid of death. I clung to the one thing that I was unsure about. This house. I have been stuck here for many years."

"This was your earthly tie?" I asked gesturing to the house.

She nodded. Then she turned to my daughter who hid behind my legs.

"Who's this?" She smiled.

"My daughter, Hazel."

She bent down and smiled at Hazel.

"Would you like to come in for some tea, Hazel?"

She nodded and I let Mrs. Magpie teach her how to make tea inside. I looked at the date for the demolition and frowned, tears stung my eyes and left streaks down my cheeks. I wouldn't be able to be there, Mrs. Magpie would pass on without anyone there. I got the feeling she wouldn't have minded that.

The sun began to set and Hazel was in the middle of telling Mrs. Magpie a wonderful story.

"Hazel we're going to have to go soon," I said sadly.

"Okay!" She chirped. She quickly finished her story then went out to the car.

Mrs. Magpie turned to me and smiled, "You have such a lovely daughter. She reminds me of you."

I hugged her and felt the tears come flooding down my face.

"Don't worry dear, I'll be fine and so will you." She said gently.

"I'll be missing you terribly, Mrs. Magpie." I wept.

"I know dear, but you'll see me soon when you pass on yourself. I'll be one of the first spirits there welcoming you to wherever we end up."

I said my final goodbyes and watched as Mrs. Magpie smiled and waved farewell. I knew that this wouldn't be the last time I would see her.