“Okay, if you could have dinner with anyone who ever lived, who would it be?”

Samantha looked pained as she thought about the question. “That’s such a hard question because… I mean… well…,” she hesitated and then offered, “Top 5?”

Isaac sighed but acquiesced, “Fine – top 5.”

“Okay,” she said, holding up her hand and ticking the names off with each finger. “Jesus, Martin Luther King Jr., Ghandhi, Amelia Earhart, and… ooh, Freddie Mercury!”

“The first four we already sent invitations to – America Earhart was a maybe, the rest were busy. But I like the Freddie Mercury addition!” he started jotting the name down in his notebook.

Samantha buried her head in her hands in frustration. “Ugh, this is worse than when we compiled our guest list for our first marriage! Why do we have to do this again?!”

Isaac took a deep breath and gave her a patient smile. “Because when we got married the first time there was that little clause in there that said ‘Til death do us part’. And, Sam, we’re dead.”

“I know we’re dead, but can’t we just, I don’t know… I guess we can’t live in sin, haunt in sin?”

“Sam, you’re the one who wanted a big wedding…”

“I know, I know…” she said. “Ooh, Aunt Linda – did we invite my Aunt Linda?”

Isaac flipped a page back in the journal. “Aunt Linda, Aunt Linda…,” he traced his finger down the list of names. “Aunt Linda, yes,” he paused and looked up. We already tried to invite her, but she’s still alive.

“She’s still alive? The last time we saw here before the accident she looked like she had one foot in the grave already!”

“I remember!” Isaac said. “Be that as it may, she’s still alive and kicking.”

“She’s half dead but alive, and I’m all dead but more alive than she’s been in, what? Fifty years? Makes me want to haunt her out of spite!”

“Come on, Sam… let’s focus.”

Samantha scowled. “How many ‘yes’s do we have so far?”

“Two… thousand thirty six.”

“Wow,” she said. “Can’t we just elope?”

“Honey, we’re ghosts. Where are we going to elope to?”

“Haunted Mansion? Catacombs of Paris? New Orleans? I don’t know – I think we’d fit in at those places!”

Isaac gave her another practiced patient smile.

“Okay, I give up – I don’t want a big wedding after all. When the guest list could be literally anyone not living… that’s a lot of folks to choose from. Besides, can you imagine an open bar for two thousand people?

“Two thousand thirty six,” Isaac corrected.

“Whatever,” she said. “Let’s just be you and me and the officiant.”

He stepped closer and took Samantha in his arms. “Are you sure? You’re not going to regret not having a big second wedding?”

Samantha wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m sure. I just want to be with you in the afterlife, too. Besides, more time to haunt!”

“I’m so happy to be dead with you, Samantha.”

“And I’m happy to be dead with you, too, Isaac!”