As if I don’t have enough to worry about.
So, last night The Hubs worked late.  I got the Rowdy Boys to bed, did my workout (Day One of Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30–and can I just say: amazing!), took my shower, and settled down on the couch to work on editing. 
My in-laws bought The Toddler a “Jake and the Neverland Pirates” pop-up book, which came with a flashlight/music playing…uh…stick thing that you push buttons on and it makes noises or plays songs from the show.  For example, you press the picture of the Tick Tock Croc and it plays “tick tock, tick tock” as it does on the show when Captain Hook sees the Croc.  And yes, I realize that was a really, really long description of a toy.  Whatever.
I was editing, half watching television, when the “tick tock, tick tock” sound started.  I glanced over to the loveseat where I had tossed it during my frazzled clean up efforts earlier in the evening, thinking maybe something…I don’t know, fell from the sky and was hitting the button.
Nope.  It was just sitting on the loveseat.
I went back to my editing.  Okay, so, maybe it was some kind of environmental shift or something.  A flux in the ozone.  We had this creepy stuffed dog toy that would do that: it would randomly go off whenever it felt like it.  You’d be sitting on the couch, minding your own business, when you’d hear “You’re my best friend!” from the toy box.  Or laying in bed and hear “Can you give me a hug?” from the other room.  Creepy.  We took the batteries out.  I assumed it was just broken because, seriously.  I have Hambel luck.  If it’s going to be broken, malfunctioning, have sleeves of different lengths, or spoil before the expiration date, chances are I’ll be the one who bought it.
Anyway.
I edited a few more paragraphs and then, again, heard “tick tock, tick tock.”  And then again.  And then again.
At this point, it was more annoying than anything.  I looked over at the flashlight and sarcastically said, “Okay, great, I know you’re here.”
It stopped.
Okay, whatever.  Weird.
Tick, tock.  Tick, tock.
I’d had it.  I looked back over at the flashlight and again, randomly said, “Okay, really, I know you’re here.  But I’m a little busy right now trying to do this.”
It stopped.
Understandably, I was a little weirded out by this.  My brain suggested, “You should ask if it’s still here or something like they do on Ghost Hunters.”
No.  Freaking.  Way.
I worked on editing in silence for quite some time and then, out of nowhere, it started ticking again.  Tick tock, tick tock.  But this time, it didn’t just play through the cycle: it kept repeating over and over, frantic.  It didn’t shut off.  It was like a creepy little alarm system–ticking and tocking and restarting again as soon as the cycle ended.
And that’s when I heard The Hubs vehicle coming up the driveway.
The second he walked in the house, the flashlight stopped.  And never started again.
One of my friends suggested it was my dad stopping by to say hello.  No.  I don’t care if it was my dad–I don’t care if it was Jeb Stuart himself hanging out in my living room–I have to finish editing my novel.  We can chat over cake later but dude, right now, I’m busy.  Busy. 
I’m not sure ghosts take no for an answer.  But I guess we’ll find out.