I was never one to believe in the paranormal. Growing up in a Catholic family, it was never really brought to my attention. Sure, I believed in life after death, but someone sticking around on Earth after they’ve passed on? I don’t think so.

It was a cold, February night as I put my one month old daughter, Jessica, to bed. She was swaddled up in a pink knitted blanket my mother made for her. We had a ton of those blankets around. It was the only thing my mother used to do to keep her mind off of my father who died last year. I gently reached down and combed her hair back before slipping out to join my wife, Linda, in our room.

“Is she asleep?” Linda asked as I climbed into bed.

“Like a rock.” I took off my watch and placed it on the nightstand next to the picture of my father holding my son, Nicholas. “Linda,” I started, “do you think my father knows about Baby Jess?”

She leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Of course he does, Joey. Now get some sleep. You have work tomorrow.” She shut off the light on her nightstand, and we were in darkness. I laid my head on my pillow and closed my eyes.


“Joey! Joey! Juju! Juju! Wake up Juju!” Juju? No one ever called me that except for-

“Dad?”

“Yes Juju. Now get up. Ma wants to see the baby.”

I looked up to see my father standing at the foot of my bed. This is impossible. My father died last May of mini-strokes. He could barely move or talk when he died, yet here he was, looking like he was fifteen years ago.

“Joey, come on. You don’t want to keep your grandmother waiting, do you?” My grandmother? She’s been gone since I was a child.

“Joey!”

“Okay, okay,” I whispered as I slowly made my way out of bed. I looked over to find Linda still fast asleep. I made my way over to my father, who patted his hand on my back. This was real.

“Good to see you again, Joey.”

I grinned at my father. I wasn’t sure what was happening, but somehow my best friend was back. “You too, dad.” We made our way to the nursery to find Jessica awake for some reason, but quiet. My father shut the door behind us as I picked up my daughter. My father pulled a pipe out of his pocket and examined it. He looked at me, and then the baby for a long time before putting it back.

“Joey, can you do me a favor? Can you tell Linda I heard what she told me about Jessica when I was sick?”

I nodded my head as I fiddled with Jessica’s blanket. “You should feel privileged. She told you before she told me,” I chuckled, “and to think I’m the father!

He smiled and turned towards the door. When he opened it, I didn’t believe what I saw. My father led me into a completely white room, from floor to ceiling, and in the center of it was the woman I haven’t seen in so many years.

“My grandson, Joey, I’ve missed you so much!” My grandmother pulled my head down and kissed the top of it. “Let me hold my great-granddaughter.” I passed Jessica over, and this rush of calmness came over me. Seeing my grandmother with my daughter was something I never thought I would see, but right here in front of me was this beautiful, tender moment.

“Okay, Mom, he has to go now.”
How long I was there, I didn’t know. Wherever I was, time didn’t matter. My grandmother kissed the top of Jessica’s head, and then handed her back to me. My father shook my hand one last time before him, my grandmother, and the entire room faded away.

I sat in the middle of the hallway, Jessica held up to my chest. “You know, kid, I was afraid about the fact you were going to be the only grandchild who never met Grandpa Joe,” I chocked out. “I was afraid you weren’t going to have the childhood like I had, but I’m not upset anymore.” Jessica, with her toothless grin, smiled wider than I’ve ever seen a baby smile, and with her tiny, fragile hand, she reached out and touched my heart.