Haint that a shame, Part II

I'd had an attack of insomnia Sunday night and had moved furniture and painted the master bedroom after work Monday and so was rather pooped at 11:30 when I retired for the night. The Mrs. stayed up wrapping gifts and listening to Xmas CDs. I put in earplugs and settled in and fell asleep almost immediately.

Not fifteen minutes later Cha turned on her bedside lamp. She knows I'm a light sleeper, she knew I was asleep, so this awakening was intentional and made me a bit grumpy. I took out the earplugs and released a kind of exasperated grunt. Her response: "Ma just called me and told me something scary."

I have been concerned about my mother-in-law's health of late and became immediately alert. "What's wrong?"

"She called and asked me who was our guest. I told her we didn't have a guest and she said 'I see him by the door. Daddy told me he saw him in your house behind you and now he is inside the back door. Who is the man?'"

My in-laws live across the alley behind us, and can easily see our place from theirs. When Ma told her this, Cha of course immediately turned on every light on the first floor, including the exterior spots. Nobody--no thing--was visible. The lights were still on when I came down this morning for coffee.

Cha snuggled up closer than usual last night when we went to sleep. I didn't bother checking anything downstairs before drifting off again. I knew who it was--our unwanted incorporeal houseguest.