Page 54 of Ghost
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?”
