Page 20 of Ghost

P atty had brought a big pot of jambalaya, a pan of cornbread and a pecan pie for lunch. Nick brought a couple more folding chairs so that they’d all have a place to sit while they ate, using the top of the cooler as a makeshift table.

While they were sitting there, after eating, Patty asked Paul and Mitch when they were heading back to Atlanta.

“I’ve got a new job starting the following week, so I’m heading back on Wednesday,” Paul answered. “I’ll need to get everything sorted and the kids would have driven my poor wife crazy by now.”

“I’m going to follow him up,” Mitch added. “I’ve got a job starting the same week as Paul and I need to get permits pulled and that sort of thing.”

“When are you thinking of moving in, Mason?” she asked.

“As soon as possible,” he replied. “If I don’t have to pay another month’s rent on the apartment, it will save me money that I can use on starting upstairs here.”

“How long will it take you to get your bathroom put back together?” Nick asked.

Paul, Mitch and Mason had unloaded all the supplies needed to redo the walls in the bathroom as well as a few other things before they’d had lunch.

“If I get right on it, and stay on it, not long at all. Maybe three full days?”

“And after that you can start on the apartment over the store?” she inquired.

“Yeah sure.” Mason took a drink of his water. “As long as I have a place to live, then I can start.”

“Do you have a lot to move?” Nick asked.

Mason shook his head no. “I mean, most of the stuff that I brought down was tools. I have a small sofa, a bed, a dresser and a few odds and ends and then only clothes. Most of my stuff is still in boxes.”

Patty looked at Nick. “You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?”

Nick slowly nodded. “I think so.”

“What?” Mason asked.

“You never mind... for now.” Patty stood up. “You three,” she said pointing to Mason, Paul and Mitch, “get up off your lazy ass’s and get that bathroom finished. You got at least five hours you can work today and then all of tomorrow and I expect it to be done.”

“Do what?” Mitch asked startled. “Two days? Finished?”

“You heard me, now get on with it.” Patty held her hand out, palm up. “Give me the keys to your apartment.”

Mason knew better than to argue with the woman. “Uh... do I want to even know?”

“Probably best you don’t ask, Mason,” Nick chuckled. “I know my wife and patience isn’t one of her virtues.”

“The hell you say?” Patty said walking away. “I’ve put up with you for nigh on thirty years; I’d say I’ve got the patience of a saint!”

The three men decided it would be easier if Mason and Mitch cleared out the bathroom with Paul sorting out what could be salvaged and what would go to the dump.

Mason sighed at the amount that was going to have to disposed of.

Within a few hours, the bathroom was stripped down to the studs, only a few needing to be replaced.

“You guys going to be making much more mess in here?”

Mason turned around to find three women standing beside the back door, one holding a mop bucket, mop and broom. The other two held boxes of cleaning supplies.

“Who are you?” Mason asked, wiping his hands off on his shorts.

“Hi! We’re the cleaning crew. I’m Molly and this one here is Maggie and there is Martha,” she said pointing to the other ladies. “We’re the Mighty ‘M’s’,” she giggled. “Friends of Patty’s. She told us to hustle on over here and get to work, pronto .”

The one named Molly said, “You don’t question Patty. When she says move, you move.”

Mitch laughed. “We got that impression. She gave us only two days to get this bathroom finished.”

“Sounds like her.” Martha pushed her way forward. “She’s a bossy bitch, but a lot of fun too.”

“Wow,” Maggie said turning around. “This place is amazing.” She ran her hand across the granite counters. “I’d love a kitchen like this.”

“Look at this, girls,” Martha said as she came out of the new living room. “You’re not going to believe this!”

The three women ooed and awed over the apartment, while Mitch gave them the grand tour.

Of course, he was making eyes at Molly, who was quite the looker.

He explained all the things that they’d gotten done.

Paul eventually had to go and pull Mitch back into the bathroom, telling him to get back to work.

The ladies were cleaning every surface, while Paul cut the concrete board and Mason and Mitch put it up. They were all making good progress. They were about to take a break when a young guy of about eighteen showed up with a box.

“Where you want this stuff?” he asked.

Mason came out of the bathroom. He saw the box and some of his stuff sticking out of it. He blinked a few times and then pointed to a spot in the dining area.

“No, not there,” Martha quickly said. “We’ve not mopped there. Put it over by the stairs.” She looked back at Mason. “You, get back to work.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Mason replied, figuring it was best to just stay out of the way.

While he and Mitch were putting up the waterproof membrane in the shower area, more of his stuff and more people showed up. The traffic coming in and out of the doors, both the front and the back, was a little chaotic.

Mitch and Mason finished with the waterproofing and decided to take a little break and get a breath of fresh air. The fumes from the glue used to get the membrane up didn’t smell very good, and they needed to let it air out for a bit.

When Mason stepped out into the back courtyard, he saw Paul talking with Nick, who was standing in front of a large charcoal grill. “What in the hell?” he said, coming to an abrupt stop.

Mitch pushed him all the way out of the doorway. “Damn, we havin’ a party?”

“Sure, looks that way,” Mason answered.

There were several long tables set up with chairs. Tiki torches and more coolers.

“Hey, Mason... Mitch,” Nick called out.

Mason and Mitch walked over to where Nick and Paul were. “What’s going on?” Mason asked, looking around again.

“When you ask folks to help, it’s usually a good thing to at least feed them, don’t ya think?”

People, mostly women, started coming in from the side gate, setting things on the table. Following them, were a few guys carrying Mason’s bed.

“Nick, who are all these people?” Mason asked quietly.

Nick clasped Mason on the shoulder. “These are your new neighbors, Mason. They are all wanting to meet you too.”

Mitch wandered over to one of the coolers and lifted the lid. He was about to reach for a beer when Molly slapped his hand away. “There’ll be no drinking until the workday is done.”

Mitch blinked a few times and then smiled sweetly. “But it helps me work better.”

Molly raised her eyebrows in a not-very-friendly manner.

Mitch sighed. “Okay. Okay,” holding his hands up in surrender.

“And you’d best not let Patty walk in and you not be working, so I’d get back to it if you know what’s good for you,” she said, putting both hands on her hips.

Nick set about lighting the grill while Paul, Mitch and Mason measured out how much tile they had left.

They decided they had enough to do the entire shower to the ceiling, the wall where the vanity would go and partway up the wall where the toilet would fit.

Mason had an idea of what to do for a vanity that he was secretly excited about.

They decided that since Paul was the biggest of the three that he would be in charge of cutting the tiles this time around, while Mitch and Mason placed the tile in the small room.

They were pushing things, they knew it, but were afraid to stop in case Molly came back in and started fussing at them again.

Mason had just put the last tile on the floor when there was a loud bell ringing. “Quittin’ time!”

Mitch groaned as he stood up. “Damn, I’m exhausted. That woman is a slave driver.”

“You got that right,” Mason agreed.

They walked out and Patty was standing there with a cowbell in one hand and a beer in the other.

The ladies known as the three ‘M’s’ handed each of them a beer. Molly smiled sweetly at Mitch. “You deserve a cold one; you’ve been working hard.”

“Thank you. I sure do need this.” Mitch tipped the bottle and drained it. He handed the bottle back to Molly. “Can I get another one?” He smiled. “Please?”

“Yes, you may have another one.” She took Mitch’s hand and led him over to the cooler.

Mason looked at Paul and Paul looked at Mason, then they both started laughing.

“I have a feeling that Mitch may have just met his match,” Paul said grinning. “I want to see how this plays out.”

“It will be interesting,” Mason agreed. He also tipped his beer and drained about half of it. “I’m with Mitch, though; I needed this beer.”

“Alright, y’all,” Patty yelled out. She was standing on one of the coolers so she could be seen as well as heard. “I want to thank y’all for stepping up for our new neighbor, Mason Montgomery. I think he is going to be a great asset to our little community!”

There was a round of applause. Patty waited a moment before shushing them. “Let me introduce you. Come here, Mason.”

Paul pushed Mason towards her. Mason was looking around at all the people, his courtyard nearly full. Everyone’s eyes were on him.

“Come on, now. Don’t be shy.” Patty pulled him up to stand next to her, although it was a tight fit for them both to be on top of the big ice chest. “This is Mason, y’all. If you need any work done on your homes, you’ll need to be calling him, but only after he’s all done with my house first.”

There was another round of applause and some whistling.

“Nick and I’ve got some hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill, and many of you fine folk have heeded the call for sides, and I see there is plenty of. So, let’s eat!”

Another big round of applause erupted, and people started grabbing plates and lining up next to the grill.

Mason was standing there, his mouth slightly ajar. “Close your mouth, honey, you’ll be drawing flies,” Patty said giggling.

Mason was surrounded by well-wishers. He was introduced to so many people that there was no way he was going to remember anyone’s name. The only thing he could do was shake hands, accept their welcomes and nod.

Without notice, the crowd suddenly went quiet, with only a few whispers.

Mason looked around to see what was wrong when he saw a small, older woman, dressed in black, and he instantly thought of Queen Elizabeth II.

There was no way he could have guessed her age.

She seemed ageless. The crowd parted as she made her way towards Mason.

“Ellen?” Mason heard Francis say from behind him.