Nothing to Ghost About by Morgana Best Page A

café’s al fresco area
and looked for Tara. I didn’t see her in the first sweep. In front
of me was a woman holding a sandwich in both hands. She reminded me
of a possum, the way she was hunched over and nibbling her prize as
if a bigger possum would swoop in and steal it at any moment. Next
to her were a young man and a young woman. Both were dressed very
nicely for lunch, but were oblivious to one another. I figured they
were on a date, but they were busy texting. Perhaps they were
texting each other.
    “ Laurel, there you are!”
Tara called out. “Over here!”
    I made my way past the crowded tables
to Tara. To my dismay, Janet was with her. “It’s so crowded here
today,” I said as I sat down. “Perhaps next time we could try that
new health food café.”
    Janet snorted rudely. “Health food!
Green smoothies break me right out in strange places. Have you ever
had a rash on your…”
    “ The new healthy café would
be great!” Tara interrupted shrilly. She had clearly had enough of
Janet’s straight talking. “Anyway, Laurel, I ordered you a latte
when you texted me, but I didn’t know what you wanted to
eat.”
    Janet poked my arm. “A celery stick,
most likely.” She snorted so loudly that other patrons turned to
look. “Laurel’s a human rabbit. We’ve got to get some protein into
her. That whole lettuce and tofu thing just isn’t
natural.”
    I looked at the half-eaten burger on
Janet’s plate. A charred beef patty, a fried egg, oozing cheese or
some other yellow substance, bacon poking out the sides, not to
mention all the fried onion rings. Janet’s lunch was as far from
natural as it got. I could almost hear the cholesterol sloshing
around in her veins.
    Still, I dared not comment, as I knew
only too well what fried foods did to Janet. She was quite
outspoken about it. I did not want to hear about it
again.
    Janet stood up abruptly. “I have to
go. This is getting boring.”
    When Janet left, Tara slumped in her
chair and sighed deeply.
    “ What happened?”
    “ You don’t want to know,”
Tara said. “Anyway, tell me in detail everything that happened
between you and the mysterious weirdo, Basil.” She leaned forward
expectantly.
    “ He’s not a weirdo,” I
said. When Tara raised her eyebrows, I added, “Okay, he’s a little
strange.”
    Tara grinned. “You two must have made
up if you’re defending him. Did he dump the wicked witch of the
tabloids and proclaim his undying love for you?”
    I snorted rudely. “Hardly!”
    “ So nothing’s changed?”
Tara slumped in her seat, her disappointment obvious. “So what
could’ve happened at the dinner that you couldn’t talk about over
the phone?”
    At the mention of that dinner, my
heart beat rapidly.
    “ Soy latte?” a voice said
behind me.
    I jumped. The waitress placed the
latte in front of me, while Tara raised her eyebrows.
    “ You’re so jumpy today. Was
dinner that bad?’
    I shook my head. “Much worse.” I took
a sip of the latte. It was as weak as dishwater, but as Tara had
bought it for me, I could hardly comment. I only came to this café
when Tara invited me. Their coffee was always bland, and their food
wasn’t much better. “I didn’t want to call you to tell you because
I went to bed as soon as Basil left. John Jones and Ian were still
there. I wouldn’t put it past any of them to listen outside my
door. Plus there was too much to text—that’s why I said we should
meet for coffee.”
    Tara giggled. “John Jones, your future
husband?”
    “ That’s not funny!” I
pulled a face. “He’s unbearable! He’s almost as bad as Mom. I
really need to get that apartment over the funeral home renovated
and move in. I have got to get out of Mom’s house.”
    “ Why haven’t you started
renovating it yet?”
    I rubbed my temples. “I’ve been
consumed with the business. Don’t forget, the business wasn’t in a
good state when I took it over, so I’ve had to build it up. Plus,
as soon as I got