Free A Ghost of a Chance by Evelyn Klebert

realized what the stickiness had been.
    Samory chuckled beside him, “Looks like you’re going to need a napkin old boy.”
    Hallie added, her voice now having a definite nasal quality to it, “Sorry, I have a little bit of a cold.”
    Monica whispered in his ear, “Sure you don’t want to leave now lover, before little Miss drippy over there ruins anything else?”
    Jack smiled forcefully and patted his suit with the napkin he’d taken from the table. “Not at all,” he said sitting down, “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” He noticed Samory’s swarthy face perceptively frown and that delighted him immensely.
    They all had half-eaten plates of Mexican food in front of them, all except Hallie. It seemed that the cold had not dulled her appetite in the least. In fact, she was the only one of the four who was really putting away the tasteless fare. He tried hard not to watch her eat. It was obvious to him now that someone was working overtime tonight to present her in the most unattractive light. “Oh, this just is such wonderful food,” and then another spoonful and that awful noise that she made because her nose was all stuffed up so much like the snort of a . . .
    “ Gosh Hallie, you’re eating like a pig tonight,” Monica giggled.
    She shook her head, “I don’t know why I’m so hungry.” And then she stopped suddenly, becoming aware that everyone’s eyes were on her. Her spoon froze in midair and she looked around sheepishly, slowly letting the utensil descend back to her plate.
    “ You know what Jack,” Monica cooed next to him. “I would love a dance.”
    “ Dance? I don’t remember there being a dance floor here.”
    She smiled, “Right over there.”
    He followed her gaze and saw that the wall that had been on the other side of the room when he entered was now gone, revealing a small bandstand filled with Mexican gentlemen playing soft Spanish music. “Come on Jack,” she was nuzzling him with abandon in front of everyone, “Monica wants to dance.”
    He frowned, and then Samory chimed in, “Yes Hallie, I would love to hold you close on the dance floor and move to sweet mariachi music.”
    Hallie turned red, “Uh, I’m too stuffed Samory.”
    “ Me too Samory,” Jack jumped in. “Why don’t you take Monica. She’s more than ready. “
    Monica opened her mouth to decline but then Hallie added, “Go ahead Samory. Monica’s a wonderful dancer.”
    Monica grimaced looking trapped, and Samory grumbled in his foreign accent, “All right one dance. But I can’t bear being away from you too long Hallie.” Hallie smiled tentatively and then sneezed in her food, wiping her already red nose aggressively with her napkin. Samory added without conviction, “I’ll be back soon my darling.” Hallie nodded, still miserably wiping her nose.
    With desperate flourish Monica threw out the parting line of, “Now don’t you try to steal my boyfriend Hallie.” Hallie just looked up at her with apparent confusion and a little irritation. As the pair made their way to the dance floor, Jack wasted no time in moving into Samory’s chair next to Hallie. He grabbed the unused napkin in front of him and handed it to her.
    “ Oh thanks, I should have brought some tissues but for some reason I didn’t plan this evening very well.” She rubbed her nose hard. “Gosh my nose itches.”
    He smiled, trying desperately to be charming. “That means someone wants to kiss you.”
    She shook her head missing his intended hint completely. “Oh well, I guess its Samory, but I don’t know why. I wouldn’t want to kiss me right now.” He grinned. It was still Hallie. Under all the subterfuge, beneath the curlers, the old bathrobe, the cold, it was still Hallie, “ACHOOOO,” as unappealing as she might be at this moment.
    “ It really is nice to meet you Jack. I mean Monica has told me how crazy in love she is with you. You know, I don’t why she told me not to steal you,” she rambled on almost to