“I also have a message for you,” Ayanna said. She thought about what she had wanted from Olivia for all these years. She leaned her head back, let her eyes flutter, made her body quake dramatically, kicked out her legs, then sat up again and made her voice deeper. “He—I want you to live a full life. You are continuing my legacy and beginning your own in the ways you help people. Diversify. Pollinate. Use love. Use kindness.”

If you need something to worship, Ayanna thought and knew it was a rare person who didn’t need money, God, or attention as something to follow, let it be gratitude. She would have been embarrassed by the earnestness of the thought if she hadn’t been so fed up.

“Jason,” Margot breathed. “What do you think of the movie?”

“I’m proud of you. You could have gotten a handsomer guy to play me but I’m proud of you.”

Margot was crying. Ayanna made herself quake harder. “I’m proud of you,” she said again. Her eyelashes fluttered and she moved her mouth into different shapes, then sat up abruptly.

“Whatever I said in the trance was meant only for you,” Ayanna said. “Please don’t tell me.”

Ayanna wiped at her eyes. Pretended to feel a little lost. “This always takes me out a little.”

Margot nodded. She rolled up her sleeves and looked around the house. They went downstairs, gathered some of the flowers and incense. Together, they left flowers in each area where Margot had mentioned a negative encounter, put some in the vase, and lit sticks in each room. Margot still seemed on the verge of tears, but Ayanna felt like she had already done enough. When the ritual was over, Margot clasped her hands together.

“The house is different now. I’m different,” she said. “I’m going to change the world. I feel so alive. I deserve life.”

Margot paused. “I deserve a life.”

“I’m glad I could help,” Ayanna said, and walked out into the evening. Outside, the world smelled like humidity and spilled trash. Her hair stunk of the incense she had used. Inside, as Ayanna had been gathering her things and putting on shoes, Margot had already started scripting and practicing a new video. “Hello, followers, I’m here to remind you that life is worth living.” She kept saying this, practicing her smile differently each time.

25

It had been months since Ayanna had seen Jane in person. There was her friend, tall with barely a bump despite being in the eighth month of pregnancy. She hugged Jane, said hello to her, also said, “Hello, baby,” and then they went to breakfast talking about how it was ridiculous that a death was the thing to bring them back together.

“Is CeCe coming to the funeral?” Ayanna asked.