Page 17 of Monkey Business

“Not one damn word.”

CHAPTER NINE

“Gus, are you doing alright?” asked Mary.

She walked slowly toward the ghost, who was seated in the grove of their little island. She didn’t want to startle him. Mary almost laughed at that. The thought that she might startle a ghost seemed a bit odd, but then again, this was Belle Fleur. Grace, Faith, Lauren, Erin, and Alexandra were with her, smiling at the man.

“Oh. Oh, hello, ladies. Please forgive me for earlier. I’m not sure what came over me,” he said, shaking his head.

“You’re confused, Gus. We do strange things when we’re confused,” said Lauren.

“I wish I could remember it all. But I can’t,” he said with a sad expression.

“Why don’t we start with your sister?” said Mary with a smile. “Will you tell us about her?”

“Elizabeth was a beauty,” he smiled. “She was ten years younger than me, a surprise baby for our folks. But she was the apple of my eye and our parents.”

“She sounds lovely,” smiled Lauren.

“She was stunning. Dark hair and eyes, beautiful complexion. But she was smart, too. Not like me.”

“I’m sure you were very smart, Gus,” said Erin.

“No. No, not me. I always had trouble learning. Always had trouble in school. Teachers even said I was dumb. My parents sent me to a special school. They were much kinder there, and I was able to learn important things so that I could help people and make a difference in the world.” Faith looked at the other women, then back at Gus.

“Gus, did you have a learning disability? Were you dyslexic?” asked the beautiful woman.

“I-I’m not sure. I was taught to do everything in love,” he said, staring at them. “Am I really dead?”

“I’m afraid so,” said Grace, smiling at the man. “But if we can find out why you haven’t transitioned yet, then maybe you can move on and be with your parents and your sister.”

“I’d like that,” he smiled. “I’ve been very lonely. At least, I think I have. Elizabeth, she married a man named Hector and moved to Mexico. I never liked him much. He called me retarded.”

“That’s awful!” said Alexandra. “We don’t use that word here. Not ever. You might have had some learning challenges, Gus, but there was nothing wrong with you.”

“I wish someone had said that to me when I was alive,” he said with a sad grin. “I got my trucking license, so I guess I wasn’t totally stupid. I finished high school, got a diploma and all. I think I went to a different school after that. I just had trouble understanding things sometimes. People confused me.”

“People can be confusing,” smiled Faith. “If you were able to get your trucking license, you were able to read well enough. Did you often fix your truck?”

“Oh, yes. All the time,” he laughed. “I couldn’t afford mechanics to do things for me, so I learned to fix most things myself.”

“See, you’re smart. I can’t do that,” said Alexandra, “and I have a high IQ.” Gus laughed, shaking his head.

“Elizabeth was smart like that. She wrote to me every week telling me about how she was doing. Then it all stopped,” he frowned.

“Why? Why do you think it stopped?” asked Grace.

“I’m not sure. I decided to drive down there and see her. I didn’t take the trailer, just the truck. I wasn’t hauling anything, so it wasn’t a problem getting through customs. She said she lived in a real nice area, but when I got there, it wasn’t nice at all.”

“Do you remember the name of the town?” asked Faith.

“Ures,” he said. “Hector was meaner than before. He was angry at me for coming down there without calling them. I noticed that Elizabeth was pregnant and wanted to stay with her for a while, but Hector made me leave.”

“Why?” asked Mary.

“I don’t know. Before I left, I gave Elizabeth some money and told her to find a way home. I hate myself for that, for leaving her there alone with him. I should have kidnapped her and made her come with me.”

“It wasn’t your fault, Gus,” said Lauren.

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