Page 106 of Ghost

“Enough!”Mason shouted again.“Gerald, what are you doing here anyway?”

He turned on Mason.“I was here on Ellen’s behalf.She wanted me to ask this one here what kind of flowers he would like for his damn casket!And you,” he said pointing at Mason, “yougot my wife drunk!”

Mason blinked a few times and then started laughing.“Oh, I think you may have that the other way around, Gerald.Your wife gotmedrunk!”

Gerald frowned.Looked between Francis and Mason.“Oh, the hell with both of you.”He disappeared leaving Francis and Mason alone.

Mason walked over to the small sofa and plunked himself down.“Oh hell, my head.I need some aspirin.”He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, his arm draped over his head.”

“Mason, do I make you miserable?”Francis’ voice was close.

“What?”Mason opened his eyes slightly.“Why would you ask that?”

Francis was sitting next to him.He looked away.“That is what Gerald said.He claimed that I was making both Cousin Ellen’s and your life miserable.Is this true?”

Mason groaned.“Of course not.”He sat up and then it hit him and hit him hard.“Okay, maybe a little, but not in the way you think.”He stood up.“Let me get some aspirin and water and I’ll explain.”He looked at Francis.“Don’t go jumping to any conclusions and don’t go anywhere.”

He got some aspirin from the kitchen cabinet and a glass of water.He took two, and drained the glass of water and refilled it, this time adding some ice.Mason had just walked out of the kitchen when there was a knock on the back door.“Oh hell, now what?”

“Patty.Nick.What are you two doing here?”

Patty pushed her way in, carrying a box.“I brought you some snacks for tonight.”

“Hi, Mason,” Nick said, his usual jovial self.He then looked more closely at Mason.“Are you okay, Mason?You don’t look so good.”

“Yeah, I’m okay.Just a little under the weather is all.”

Patty was instantly in front of Mason, her hand on his forehead.“I don’t think you have a temperature.Maybe I should have made you some chicken soup.What’s wrong with you?”She leaned in a little closer and wrinkled her nose.“I’d say a good ol’ fashioned hangover is what’s wrong with you.”

Nick snickered.

Patty had her hands on her hips.“Drunk in the middle of the day, are we?”

Mason held up both of his hands.“Guilty, but it’s not what it seems.”

“Okay, then what is it, Mister?”

“Ellen got me drunk.”Mason took a long drink of water.

“Ellen Trudeau?”Nick asked, aghast.“She gotyoudrunk?”

Mason nodded.

Patty tilted her head back and roared with laughter.“Why am I not at all surprised?I knew that ol’ gal had deep waters.”

“I don’t even know what to say to that,” Nick commented, scratching his head.“I’d never have thought that of Mrs.Trudeau.”

“Take some aspirin and then have some of this food I brought you,” Patty said, a big smile on her face.

“Just had aspirin,” Mason groaned.“Thanks for the food, but what’s it for?”

“The opening Olympic ceremonies, you big dummy.”Patty thumped Mason in the chest with the back of her hand.“Go curl up on your couch and try not to be too miserable.”She laughed and shook her head.“Come on, Nick.Let’s get home and settled in so we don’t miss anything.”

“Uh...bye, Mason.Feel better.”Nick smiled at him and then followed his wife out the door, shutting it behind them.

Mason went over to the box.Inside were several containers, wrapped in aluminum foil.He could smell garlic and pork.He pulled back the wrap and peered in.“Oh, yum.Pork ribs.”He explored a bit further and found potato skins, some nachos and little cocktail wieners.There was also a bag of rippled potato chips and some onion and sour cream dip.“That was so nice of them.”

“I had forgotten about the Olympics,” Francis said from behind Mason.“They are very good friends to you, Mason.”