Read Patricia Rockwell - Essie Cobb 04 - Ghosted for Free Online

and brought it to her along with a handful of pills.  “Here you go!”
    “No, ‘meek’ like ‘shy,’” replied Essie.
    “Oh, meek like a lamb!” said the young woman, her sprightly pony tail bouncing as she spoke.  “Hmm, can’t think of any, Essie.”  Essie downed the pills and juice in a few gulps and returned the glass to her aide.
    “I’ve got this one empty part in my puzzle and it’s just driving me crazy!”
    “Oh, I doubt that!” replied the young woman as she turned to Essie, hand on hip.  “You’re sly like a fox, Essie.  Not crazy.”
    “I don’t know , after last night…” Essie mumbled to herself.
    “What happened last night?”
    “Fright Night!”
    “Oh, the big Halloween tall tales!” said DeeDee, nodding.  “I heard about that.  Mrs. Gravanti told Sharon she thought she was going to pass out during one story.  I heard Santos pulled a prank too.”
    “He did.  I almost peed my pants!”
    DeeDee laughed warmly. 
    “There was one man who told a story—a true story, I believe—about a horrifying event that happened to him during the war.  He was a pilot.  He’s this tall, muscular gentleman with a full head of white hair and a mustache.  He looks a bit like Mark Twain.”
    “Who?”
    “Mark Twain, you know, Samuel Clemens.  The author who wrote Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.”
    “No, I mean, who is this gentleman?”
    “That’s what I was hoping you’d know.  He must be a new resident.  I pride myself on knowing everyone here at Happy Haven, but I don’t know this man.”
    “You must be right; he’s probably new because I can’t think of anyone who fits that description.”
    “Believe me; if you’d met him you’d remember him.”
    “Essie, are you smitten?”   DeeDee bent down beside the recliner so she could speak to Essie face to face.
    “What?”  Essie twisted around in her recliner and glared at her aide.  “What?  Oh, DeeDee, of course not!  Lorena said the same thing!  He’s just very attractive—and intriguing.  He had everyone just glued to their seats during his story.”
    “I guess it’s good if they’re glued to their seats,” said DeeDee with a giggle, “then if they get a little light headed, they won’t fall on the floor.”
    Essie huffed and motioned with her index finger for DeeDee to come closer.
    “DeeDee, ” she whispered, “I may have to go on that haunted house field trip and I was wondering—”
    “Oh, Essie!  How wonderful!  It would be so nice for you to get out with your friends and do something.  I mean, I know your children take you places, but I really think you’d enjoy going with the residents on some of the field trips.”
    “I don’t know, DeeDee,” Essie said, cringing.  “When you’re on that bus, you just can never tell when you can get to a bathroom…”
    “Just wear one of those adult diapers!” said DeeDee , patting her hand.  “You have boxes of them in your bathroom!”
    “That’s just it,” whispered Essie.  “I don’t want to.  The very idea of having to use those things just makes me sick!”
    “I ’d wear them,” said DeeDee with a casual shrug.  “Who cares about a little drip or two if it means you can get out and have some fun!”
    “I’ll think about it,” replied Essie , looking back down at her puzzle.  She certainly admired her aide’s cavalier attitude about bladder control, but Essie came from a different generation that valued self—and body—control.  The very thought of wearing what amounted to diapers out in public simply did not sit well with her.
    “What’s to think about?” said DeeDee , giving Essie a little hug and a smile as she stood and sauntered back to the sink to rinse out the glass.
    Suddenly, the door to Essie’s apartment opened and Claudia and Pru entered , followed by three young men.
    “Hi, Mom!” greeted Claudia.  “Oh, hello, DeeDee,” she added when she saw Essie’s morning aide by the sink.  She walked