Page 40 of Ghost

Mason and Francis spent a quiet evening at home, watching some of the Olympic events on the TV.

Neither of them said anything about what was coming up the next week.

They were trying their best not to discuss anything of real importance.

Only commenting from time to time about the competition that was unfolding in front of them.

Mason was about to call it a night and go to bed when the phone rang. He looked at his watch. “Who would be calling me at ten o’clock on a Saturday night?”

“Hello?”

“Mason, my man.” It was Mitch. “How’s it hanging?”

“Hey, Mitch.” Mason didn’t really want to talk to anyone, and it sounded as if Mitch had already had a few, or knowing Mitch, more than just a few. “I was about to go to bed.”

“What? It’s Saturday night, man.”

“Yeah, and I’ve had a few really long days.”

“Getting all our new clients lined up?” Mitch burped loudly.

“You’re such a pig.” Mason had to smile slightly. “You just call to chat or was there a purpose for burping in my ear?”

“Yeah, yeah. You love me.” Mitch burped again, this time on purpose.

“I just wanted to let you know that I expect you to be here with your truck a week from this coming Monday. Sorry for having to move things up a few days. It’s been totally crazy around here with all the Olympics and shit. You okay with that?”

Mason quickly calculated the schedule in his head. Leave here on Wednesday. Bury Francis on Saturday. Get ready to leave on Sunday and then hit the road early on that Monday. Perfect. Maybe it will get me out of my own head.

“Sure thing. I’ll leave out of here early Monday morning.”

“Why not come up on Sunday, if you get here in the afternoon? We could then pack up and leave Monday afternoon.”

“I’ve got something going on and can’t leave till Monday morning.” Mason rubbed the top of his head, still trying to get used to the bristly feeling.

“You got a main squeeze or sumpthin’?”

Yep, he’d definitely been drinking. “Something like that. Listen, Mitch, I’m really beat, and I need to get to bed. I’ll see you that Monday afternoon.”

“Okay, I know when I’m being blown off,” Mitch grumbled.

“Not blowing you.” Mason couldn’t help but give him a bit of a dig. “I’ll see you then. ‘Night.”

He hung up before Mitch could respond with some kind of snide remark. He just wasn’t in the mood.

When Mason got to the bedroom, Francis was laid out naked on the bed, a smirk on his face. Mason stood there looking at him for a moment and smiled.

“It’s not every day I get to see a hunky naked man in my bed.”

Francis winked. “I had hoped that you would appreciate my boldness.”

What Mason wanted to say was ‘I’d like you naked in my bed forever’ but didn’t. He knew that would open up a can of worms that didn’t need to be opened.

That night, Francis made love to Mason in his special way. Mason was so exhausted, he fell asleep with Francis talking to him. The last thing he remembered was Francis declaring his love for him.

* * * * *

The next morning Mason woke up with his nuts sore, mouth dry and in desperate need of some strong coffee.

It was comfortable. It was their routine.

Mason would get out of bed, go to the bathroom.

Make coffee and then go and sit with Francis in front of the television that hadn’t been turned off in so many days.

He had to smile to himself as he brushed his teeth.

Francis is a TV addict. Who’d have thought that a ghost would be such a TV junkie!

“Morning,” Mason said as he entered the room. Francis was completely engrossed in a news segment. He only waved his hand for Mason to be quiet, his focus never leaving the program.

Once Mason sat down, he could see why. It was a local Sunday morning news broadcast, and they were doing a story on local fisheries, of which there was one.

From what Mason could gather, the man that was being interviewed was only just starting out.

His primary focus at that particular moment was only fish, not oysters or any other mollusks.

When the interview was over, Francis turned to Mason. “He is going to fail. He has no sense of business.”

“And good morning to you too,” Mason smirked and took a sip of coffee. “Yes, I slept very well, thanks for asking.”

Francis smiled. “I do apologize.” He leaned towards Mason. “Did you rest easy, Mason?”

Mason sputtered a dribble of coffee down his chin. “More like passed out from exhaustion. My balls ache, by the way.”

“Should I take that as a compliment to my abilities?”

Mason rolled his eyes. “Take it however you like. I was just stating a fact.”

“Perhaps we could return to your boudoir and let me attempt to give you some reprieve from the soreness?”

“Uh... that would be no. I don’t think my poor, shriveled nuts could take any more abuse this morning.”

Francis leaned back, a fake expression of surprise and hurt. “I have been spurned by my one true love. How will I ever live?”

Mason laughed. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, there Francis, but you’re already dead.”

“You do make a valid point.” He sighed dramatically.

Mason took another big sip of his coffee.

“I would like to see Ellen and Gerald,” Francis stated quite frankly. “I would like to discuss the future of Hobonny.”

“They will be here tomorrow.” Mason stood up. “I need more coffee.”

Francis was waiting for him in the kitchen when he got there.

“Do you have any idea how unsettling that is? I just left you in the living room and here you are in the kitchen before I can even get here.”

Francis waved his comment away. “Why tomorrow? Can it not be today?”

Mason turned towards the coffee maker and topped up his coffee.

Without looking at Francis he said, “Your remains are being delivered here tomorrow.” His voice was low and soft.

He chanced a glance at Francis to see his reaction.

He didn’t seem upset. Solemn yes, but not angry or anything else, just solemn.

“I see.” He tried to smile, but it looked forced. “It can wait until tomorrow.”

Mason only nodded and proceeded to go back to the living room. This time Francis followed.

“What are your plans for today?” he asked Mason as he sat down next to him.

“Well,” Mason took a sip. “I was thinking that I’d clean the upstairs parlor for you. Can’t have a bunch of cobwebs and dust messin’ the place up.”

Francis looked towards the TV and then back to Mason. “That was probably my favorite room here.”

“I know.” Mason leaned forward a bit, closer to Francis.

“Ellen has all of your books. As soon as I get the upstairs completed, I’ll make sure to put them back.

Maybe you can tell me how things were arranged in there?

” Mason stood up. “And I have a surprise for you.” He smiled brightly.

“Let me put some clothes on and I’ll go get ‘em.”

Francis also stood. “What have you got?”

Mason stopped for a moment. “I’d like to say keep your pants on although I’d really like to see you out of them, but that will have to wait.” He smiled broadly at Francis and then waggled his eyebrows at him. “I’ll show you.”

Mason went and unloaded his truck of all the things he’d bought the day before at the salvage yard. Mark Hempstead had really done him a favor in calling him first. He thought they were the style of the house, and they were perfect.

“Well?” Mason asked Francis who was looking at all the light fixtures and a few other things, like light switch covers along with other small things.

Francis looked at Mason and then back at the collection. “These look...” Francis waved his hand over everything. He looked back up at Mason. “These are the same as were here?”

“I don’t think so.” Mason scratched his head again, startled when he felt the short hair. “He didn’t say where they came from, only that he thought they would be like what was here. You think they are the same ones?”

“Only the candelabra. It looks identical.” Francis bent over and looked more closely.

“Ah, not quite identical. The tiny little cherubs were not on the one I remember.” He stood up.

“The one in the dining room had rosettes instead of the cherubs.” He smiled.

“However, had I not looked at it closely, I would not have known.”

“So, you think it’ll work in the dining room?”

“Oh yes, certainly.” Francis shook his head slightly. “I am glad that you are taking such special care to choose things that would be like it had been when I lived here.”

“I... want it to be like it was.” Mason wanted to say he wanted Francis to be comfortable here in his own home but choked it back.

Francis turned to face him. “Mason, this is your house now. You do as you wish.”

“I know.” Mason was having a difficult time trying to avoid Francis’ gaze. “What about the one for the stairwell?”

“It is not the same, but it does look of my time.” Francis looked at the rest of the fixtures. He pointed to one of the larger light fixtures. “That is for the main parlor?”

“Yes,” Mason answered. “The other smaller ones are for the bedrooms. He only had the two that looked right. He’ll try and find two more. What was in the master bedroom?”

“There was one in the middle of the ceiling, not too dissimilar than the two you have here, and then two on either side of the interior wall. My mother had her dressing table between them.” Francis leaned over for a closer look. “They were, of course, gas lit back then.”

“A lot of older homes kept the originals light fittings and just had them wired for electricity. That was pretty common in parts of Atlanta, too.”

Francis nodded.

Mason had put all the things he’d bought in the other, smaller, front parlor, which would have been considered the ladies’ parlor.

Mason motioned around the room. “I’m thinking I might make this my office. It’s just big enough for a desk and some chairs.” He giggled a little “I’ve decided to take your advice and invest in a cell phone and a computer. Ellen said I should take your advice since you knew how to make money.”

Francis laughed. “My dear sweet cousin. It is true, however, I was very good at business. I learned a lot from my father.”

“What other advice do you have?” Mason was suddenly thinking it would be a good idea to keep Francis around if for nothing else than advising him on business matters.

Francis scowled for a moment. “Always keep up with your record keeping and keep your ledgers balanced. One small mistake can cause many problems down the road. Always look at new ideas and keep up with the changing times.” He nodded and looked into Mason’s eyes.

“I have no doubt, whatsoever, that you will make a very astute businessman if you follow those simple rules.”

A tear appeared rolling down Mason’s cheek. “I really don’t want you to go.”