Page 42 of Ghost

Patty rode up in the truck with Mason. Both of them were sweaty and hot. Mason didn’t turn on the air conditioning. He wasn’t going to be in the vehicle long enough for it to do much, so why bother.

“Oh, lawdy, it is sure a hot one,” Patty commented as she used a kitchen towel to wipe her face.

“That it is. I’ll take this over snow any day, though,” Mason commented.

“You got that right.” Patty turned in her seat just as Mason was backing his truck up to the gate. “Do you really not know what’s going on?”

Mason glanced at Patty. “Not a clue.”

Patty chuckled. “I have a feeling this is going to be a wild night. I hope you’re ready for this madness.” This comment concerned Mason.

By the time Mason turned the truck off and got out, the hordes of people who were there had already unloaded a good portion of the supplies from the back of the truck, including Alfred, his former landlord.

“Hey, Alfred.” Mason greeted the man who had a small cooler in his hands.

“Hi, Mason.” He turned and looked at the crowd.

“Nice turn out. You sure have brought this neighborhood together. There are people here I’ve not seen in many, many years.

I just ran into one of my school buddies from years ago.

” The man smiled. “It’s really good to see a neighborhood come together.

” With that, he hustled off, with a little coaxing from Patty, which granted, didn’t sound a bit like coaxing but more like barking orders.

Mason smiled and shook his head. Nick was huffing a bit when he got to the courtyard entrance, LD Three right there with him, a look of concern on his face.

“Go have a seat in the shade, Nick,” Mason suggested. “I’ll get you something cold to drink.”

“I’ll have a Dr. Pepper, please,” Nick said, whooshing a blast of air from his lungs. “This heat really gets to me nowadays.”

“Sure, I’ll get it for you.” Mason looked at LD Three and nodded his head towards the shade of the upstairs balcony. LD Three nodded his understanding and walked with Nick.

Mason rushed over to Patty. “You know where there’s some Dr. Pepper?”

She stopped. “For Nick?”

“Yeah.”

“Where is he?”

“Over under the balcony sitting down. He didn’t look so good,” Mason said softly, not to be overheard.

“That damn man.” Patty looked about for something. “There in that green cooler.”

She and Mason went towards it at the same time. “Let me put it towards the front,” Mason said. He got the cooler and put it more in the shade and got one of the soft drinks out. Patty took it out of his hands.

“Okay, old man, and yes I am calling you old.” Patty put the drink in Nick’s hand. “You are going to take it easy for the rest of the day. No one expects you to be twenty or even thirty years old.”

“You’re just as old as I am,” Nick said, after a long gulp of his drink. “And I’m not above admitting my age, woman. How about you?”

Patty’s eyes narrowed. “You just try that and see what that gets you.” She took the towel she had stuffed in her back pocket and wiped his face. “I’m going to get you some ice to put on your head. Cool you off.” She trotted off not waiting for a response.

“I do love that woman,” Nick said with a little smile pulling at one corner of his mouth.

“I’d suggest you do as she says, Nick.” Mason chuckled. “That’s one woman I wouldn’t want to spar with.”

Nick laughed heartily. “You know what? She’s all bark and no bite really. She sounds mean but she’s sweet as pie.”

“I’ll not try not to test your theory there, Nick, if you don’t mind.”

“You don’t have anything to worry about, Mason. She really likes you. Took to you right off.”

“I like both of you, too.” Mason looked around. “I should probably go and find out what’s going on. I don’t have a clue about what’s happening in my own house.”

Nick laughed again. “You go on then. Here comes Patty. I’ll be fine.”

“Okay. If you need anything, just send for me or holler.”

Nick nodded.

“Here, put this around your neck,” Patty said, placing the wet towel with ice in it around Nick’s neck. “Now you just sit there and behave. I gotta go and knock some heads together. If people would just follow directions....”

“Orders, you mean,” Nick said smirking at his wife, his eyes alight and sparkling.

“Oh, hush up.” Patty shook her head and marched off, arms pumping.

“Yeah, all bark and some bite is more like it,” Mason said, laughing. “I’ll catch you later, Nick.”

Mason went through the backdoor of the basement where he now lived. It was hard to believe that it had only been a week since he moved into his own house. A house that was a dream he’d never thought possible.

He stopped for a moment and listened to all the footsteps overhead. How many people are up there? And where has the day gone? I feel like I’ve been chasing my tail all day long. He turned towards the back door, seeing the scurrying people and the sun beginning to slip lower into the sky.

Mason was about to climb the stairs to find out when Francis appeared right before him. Mason jumped and in doing so, fell from the first step and landed on his ass.

“Mason,” Francis yelled out and was immediately by his side. “Are you alright. Are you hurt?”

“What have I told you about doing that?” Mason stood up, rubbing his behind. “That hurt, ya know?”

“I am truly sorry. Are you all right?” Francis asked again, looking very concerned.

“Yeah, yeah, no thanks to you.” Mason huffed at Francis. “Want to fill me in on what the hell’s going on here? Do I not have any say so? This is my house, after all.”

Francis grinned. “Ellen has been very busy, and I think you will be quite pleased. I think that she has gone to all this trouble for us both.” He stopped for a moment.

“I hope she has not overdone it. She looks a little tired to me.” Francis looked at Mason.

“You tell me your opinion and make her stop... if possible.”

Mason smiled. “Yeah, that’s iffy at best. I don’t know of anyone, alive or dead, who could stop that woman.”

Francis smiled and nodded his agreement.

“Okay, let’s go see.”

Francis disappeared and Mason climbed the stairs, feeling it get warmer and warmer as he made his way up and into the front hall. What he saw astonished him.

From behind the door to downstairs, he could see into the dining room.

The light fixture he’d bought was installed and hanging over a large dining room table with ten chairs.

The was also a matching mahogany buffet and a china cabinet, full of china and crystal.

Sitting on the table was a set of matching silver candelabras, and two more on the buffet.

He was standing on an oriental rug that filled the entire entryway. It had to be an antique but was still beautiful. Next to the front door was a splendid hall tree, with space for umbrellas and or walking sticks.

He looked up and saw a light fixture there and he had not bought it. He turned and saw that the light for the stairwell was in place, offering a nice glow. It looked as if it had always been there.

He looked into the small parlor, the one he intended to use as an office, and it also had been furnished.

There was an oak rolltop desk, a leather chair in front of it and a small settee along the inside wall, and a bookcase full of books on the wall next to the door.

A small chair that matched the settee was placed in the corner with a small, white, marble-topped table.

He looked closely and it appeared to be cherry.

Mason stopped and shook his head. This can’t be real.

He turned and looked across the hall into the formal parlor. The light fixture he’d bought for this room had been installed cleaned, bright and shinning. There was another rug in the center of the room, that was just as beautiful as the one in the hall.

When he entered the room, he saw Francis standing in front of the window facing him, a huge smile on his face.

Next to the window was a wing-back chair and small table, this one mahogany.

Along the other wall, under the window was a large swan back sofa, in front a mahogany table.

He turned and on either side of the entry, two very large bookshelves, full of books and they wrapped around each corner, making four in total.

Mason looked back to Francis, who nodded his head towards the fireplace. On the mantle was an antique clock, silver candlesticks and a box. Mason looked back to Francis. “What’s the box?” Mason whispered.

“A custom-made cigar box my father had commissioned.”

Mason turned and looked at the bookcases more closely. “Are these all your books?

“No. There are more in my bedroom.”

Mason walked towards Francis. “A big reader then?”

“I was.” Francis laughed. “Now I watch television.”

Mason rolled his eyes. He looked around the room again.

“There used to be a portrait of my mother over the fireplace, but I wouldn’t let Ellen even bring it in the house. I asked her to burn it, but she refused. She has said that she was going to donate it to the museum or historic society. I really don’t care where it goes but not in this house.”

Mason shivered as he remembered her screeching scream and bad smell and taste. “Good call.”

Francis looked quizzically at him.

“I’ll tell you later.” Mason looked into Francis’ eyes. “Is there more?”

Francis smiled, quite pleased by the look of it. “Yes. There is more for you to see.”

Francis walked from the room and down to the dining room. He then gestured for Mason to look over the mantle.

Mason gasped. “Hobonny,” he whispered. “This painting is... magnificent!” He walked closer.

“I... I don’t know the words to describe it.

I think it is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.

” He looked closer at the name signed in the bottom right corner.

“Is the artist famous?” He turned to look at Francis, but quickly looked back at the painting.