Page 92 of Ghost

“I know.”Mason lowered his gaze and began picking at a cuticle on his left thumb.

Ellen took his hand.“He needs to move on, Mason, and he won’t as long as he feels connected to you.There can be no future in this relationship.”

“But it’s worked for you and Gerald,” Mason blurted out.

“Well, yes and no.”Ellen looked out the window.“I was already an old woman when Gerald died.We had many wonderful years together when he was alive, and I was truly grief stricken when he died.So much so that it caused Gerald to stay and not move on.”She looked at Mason.“That was my fault.I was only thinking of myself.Being selfish.I was wrong in allowing him to stay.”She shrugged.“And by the time I saw that, it was...comfortable.A habit.”

Mason nodded.“So, you wish you hadn’t let him stay?”

Ellen also nodded.“That is correct.It’s not natural.There is an order to things, and I upset that balance.The reason why Gerald can leave the house is because I’m the one he’s attached himself to.Francis on the other hand is attached to the house because that is where his trauma occurred.His murder.”

Mason looked out the window, avoiding Ellen’s intense stare.“I think I understand.What I’m not sure about is why spirits seem to linger around for different reasons.”

Ellen tilted her head slightly.“Why are there so many colors of roses?There are many reasons why a spirit may hang around.There are many questions that may never be answered.”

Mason simply nodded.

“There is a very good chance that once Francis is laid to rest, he will have the opportunity to move into the light and he needs to.He needs to move on, Mason, as do you.You have a long life ahead of you and you need to experience all that you can.Believe me when I say this, please.”

In that very moment, Mason realized that it was true: he was in love with Francis.The very thought of his not being in the house made his chest hurt.Then the tears started to flow.

“Oh, Mason.”Ellen reached out and took his hand.“It is never easy to let a love go, but it needs to happen.You will find love again.I promise.”

Mason choked a sob back.“How will I tell Francis?”

“I may have over-stepped a bit.”Ellen cleared her throat slightly and withdrew her hand.“I...well....”She fidgeted with her diamond ring a little.She looked up.“I had Gerald to go over and have the same talk with Francis.”

“You did what?”Mason almost shouted.“What...what if he leaves before I can say goodbye?What if he’s gone and never sees the photos?Why would you do that to me?To us?”

“Mason, calm down.He will be there when you return home.I promise.”She reached for Mason’s hand again, but he pulled it back, away from her grasp.

“How could you do this?”Mason sobbed again.“I can’t....”He started to push his chair back to leave as Kurt showed up with the two milkshakes and stopped.

“Here we go.”He looked at Mason and stiffened.“Is everything okay here?”

“Yes, Kurt, it is.”Ellen picked up the paper napkin and spread it across her lap.“We’ve just had some bad news is all.”

“Okay.”Kurt set down the malted milkshake in front of Mason.“If you need anything, just let me know.Oh, and I’m sorry about the bad news.”He quickly walked away.

“Now, Mason, I know this is hard for you, but it is for the best.It’s the best for you both.”

Mason stared at the dark chocolate and coffee milkshake, covered in whipped cream with a bright red cherry on top and his stomach clenched.He pushed it away.“I don’t think I can drink this.”

“Yes, you can and yes, you will,” Ellen said.“You are alive, Mason.Don’t you forget that.There are a lot of great things ahead of you.You need to be able to live your life fully.”

Mason looked up briefly, then back down.

“And Francis needs to be able to be free from this world and move on to the next.”Ellen picked up the big straw and unwrapped it.“Believe it or not, this is almost as hard for me as it is you.”

Mason’s head jerked up.He hadn’t thought about Ellen in all of this.

Ellen met his gaze.“I adored Francis.”She took a sip of the milkshake.“This is really quite good.”She took another sip.“I still love my cousin, but I’ve been around long enough, and learned a lot about the afterlife, and let me tell you, it is in everyone’s best interest if Francis can finally move on.He’s been stuck here a lot longer than he deserves.”

“I don’t know if I can do this.”

“You have to, Mason.For both your sakes.”

Mason shook his head and then looked at Ellen again.“If anyone would have told me I’d see ghosts, much less fall in love with one, only a few weeks ago, I would have thought they were crazy.”