Free Patricia Rockwell - Essie Cobb 04 - Ghosted by Patricia Rockwell

in orange juice.”  She got out a glass and plopped a tablespoon of the powder in and then poured in some juice from the refrigerator and brought the concoction along with Essie’s nighttime pills over to the recliner.
    “Ick,” said Essie, gulping down the pills along with the powder -filled juice.  “A lot of yuck.  I hope I don’t have to take this stuff for long.”
    “Just swallow it all at once,” said Lorena.  “Believe me, there are worse things to drink!”
    “I can’t imagine what,” sneered Essie.  Lorena tousled Essie’s white curls and then cleaned up the glass and put away the meds.  “Okay, now, Missy, let’s get you ready for bed!”  Essie sighed and followed Lorena into the bedroom.  She hated to miss her show.

CHAPTER NINE
     
    “Just like a ghost, you’ve been a-hauntin’ my dreams,
    So I’ll propose on Halloween.
    Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you.”
                                              ––Classics IV
     
    Essie slept blissfully.  She dreamt about her husband, specifically the night he was made Vice President.  All of that closet cleaning had probably joggled her memory, she mused, and those long dormant memories just came rushing back.  Oh, blathering boomerangs!   She certainly didn’t mind having such pleasant dreams about John.  Nightmares were common enough and to wake up feeling happy and refreshed was fine with her.  John was an appreciative husband, she recalled.  She could almost feel his arms around her, hear his voice, and smell his breath on her neck…
    “Essie!  Miss Essie!” cried a voice disturbing her pleasant dream.  “I can’t believe you’re still asleep!”  Essie’s eyes popped open to find her morning aide DeeDee staring down at her from above.
    “Oh, DeeDee!” said Essie sleepily.  “I was having such a nice dream.”
    “It must be,” said DeeDee, “for you to be still in bed after seven!”
    “Seven!” cried Essie, sitting up abruptly.  “It can’t be that late!”
    “It is, Miss Essie,” replied DeeDee, lifting the coverlet like a big sail from Essie’s bed, and pulling the little woman’s feet over to the edge of the bed in a graceful, much practiced movement.
    “We’d better hurry!” said Essie with alarm.  “I don’t want to be late for breakfast.”
    “Oh, don’t you worry, Essie,” replied DeeDee.  “You know I’d never let that happen!”  She smiled warmly and gave Essie a little hug and then quickly exchanged Essie’s bed clothes for underwear.
    “Oh, my!” said DeeDee as she opened the top drawer.  “Where are all your bras?”
    “My daughters threw out most of them!” replied Essie.  “I only have the beige one I had on yesterday and the white one.”
    “I guess that’s okay,” said DeeDee, helping Essie stand, leaning her over and carefully fitting her breasts into Essie’s favorite bra from the chair.  “Since you only really wear these two anyway.”
    “That’s not true, DeeDee!” cried Essie, standing as DeeDee snapped the bra shut behind her back.  “I wore that black one once.”
    “When?  On Halloween?”  DeeDee had wandered off into the closet to select an outfit for Essie to wear.   “Oh, My Lord!  Essie, where are all your clothes?”
    “I told you, DeeDee,” said Essie as DeeDee returned looking aghast.  “My daughters gave almost everything in my closet to charity.”
    “ There are only a few tops and pants left,” said DeeDee, her brow furrowed.  “Your closet looks like it’s been burglarized.  They took everything!”
    “They say they’re going to get me some new things.”
    “They’d better do it soon, because that closet is bare as a baby’s bottom!” 
    “Oh, I think I’ll manage, DeeDee,” said Essie reassuringly.  “I can wear the brown trousers I had on yesterday.  And maybe that blue flowered top?”  DeeDee shook her head and headed back into the