The Greatest Story Ever Written - Part 6

Sarah E. Stevens takes over from Judy Meadows to give us this installment. 

Nick straightened his shirt collar and glanced at his watch. Still ten minutes early. The waiting was killing him.

Clarisse spoke in his ear and he jumped. "She'll be here soon. Relax."

"I still say she's going to think I'm pushy for calling her right away."

"And I still say women love to be pursued by a confident and interested man. That's why I made you call her last night and set up dinner for today. She said call her anytime. Strike while the iron's hot." Clarisse floated to the front of Nick. She pushed back her hair and tucked it behind one ear.

"Do you know what's the worst thing about being dead?" she asked.

"No, what?"

"I'm stuck wearing this outfit every single day." She gestured with a grand swoop down her body. "You'd think there would be some sort of option for ghosts to change their appearance. A supernatural shop. Something."

"Are there...many of you? Ghosts?"

"Oh goodness, I have no idea. Haven't even thought about it. I'm the only ghost who matters to me."

Clarisse gave him a saucy smile and Nick found himself grinning in return. She really was a gorgeous woman, though old enough to be his mom. Sleek blonde hair cut in a sharp bob right above her shoulders, pink lipstick that still looked fresh. She wore a shimmery silver top embellished with pink seed beads that precisely matched the pink of her tailored pink pants.

Then Ronnie walked through the restaurant door and Nick forgot about Clarisse and everyone else.

He bolted to his feet as she approached.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi, hope I'm not late."

"No! Absolutely not. Thanks for agreeing to dinner on such short notice."

Ronnie brushed her long hair out of her face and gave a smile that made Nick's stomach thrill. Out of scrubs, Ronnie looked even more beautiful, if that was possible. She wore a straight black skirt and a turquoise sweater exactly the shade of the darker ring around her blue eyes. More important than her looks, however, was the genuine, open quality of her face. She radiated kindness and understanding. Nick wanted to fall into her arms, but instead made a courtly gesture and they both sat.

Clarisse hovered behind Ronnie, but Nick tried to ignore her as much as possible. Why had he agreed she could come on this date, anyway?

After they engaged in conversational preliminaries and ordered their food, Ronnie said, "On the phone, you told me you wanted to talk about something. Is it Clarisse Heartfelt?"

"Yes. Kind of." Nick looked at her for a moment before his next words came out in a rush. "Ronnie, do you believe in ghosts?"

"Nicky! What are you doing?" Clarisse frantically waved from the other side of the table. "She's going to think you're crazy."

Ronnie frowned and looked down at the table for a moment before she answered. "I'm not sure. I've definitely never seen anything like that. Why do you ask?"

"Because the ghost of Clarisse Heartfelt is following me around. And talking to me. Actually, she's right there beside you." Nick pointed.

"What?" Ronnie whipped her head to the side and stared. "Nick, is this some game you're playing? I don't understand."

"No. No games." Nick reached across the table and took one of her small hands. Her fingers curled around his as if they were meant to fit together. Her touch felt warm against his skin. "I know this sounds crazy, Ronnie, but I have to tell someone or I'm going to go insane."

"Hey. Lover boy." Clarisse raised a hand. "You can talk to me, you know. I'm right here. You're not going insane."

Nick averted his gaze from the romance writer, looked at Ronnie instead. "Maybe I am going insane. Clarisse Heartfelt died right in front of me, even though I tried to save her. And before she was even pronounced dead, I looked up and she was right there--looking at me--talking to me. Her body on the ground, her ghost standing right there."

"This is pretty hard to believe, Nick."

"I know. She's been following me around ever since, though. And talking to me. She wants to teach me how to write with passion. She wants..." Nick hesitated, knowing this was the craziest bit. "She wants me to finish her last book."

"What?"

"I know. I swear I didn't steal her purse or anything like that. You saw her brought in, right? She had her purse with her? You saw me leave the hospital and I wasn't carrying it. Right? You saw?"

Ronnie frowned. "She had a big pink purse. I peaked into her room at the hospital. I just wanted to see her one time in the flesh. Her books have meant so much to me."

"Somehow, her purse showed up in my taxicab. Now it's at my house. Clarisse says it has her final manuscript in it--and she wants me to finish it."

"Nick, everyone's going to think you stole that purse." Ronnie looked worried.

"I didn't!"

"I know. I believe you. I don't know why and I don't know how, but I do believe you. I have a good sense about people. And I know. I know that you wouldn't lie to me. You'd never lie to me. So even if I don't understand, I know you're telling the truth."

Joy flooded into Nick and he pulled Ronnie's hand closer to him, then laid a kiss on her knuckles. A soft kiss, full of promise.

"I am so lucky," he said.

"What?" Ronnie playfully pulled her hand back from Nick. "Lucky that you have a ghost following you around trying to make you famous?"

"No, lucky to find someone like you. You're amazing."

She laughed. "You hardly know me."

"Your spirit shows in everything you do and say. I do know you. And I can't wait to get to know you better." Nick's voice dropped to a husky low and he saw a blush rise in Ronnie's cheeks.

"Wow, not bad!" Clarisse said from beside him. "If only I had a pad and pen, so I could capture some of this. My character Dexter might say the exact same thing. Goofy and suave at the same time. Very nice."

"So, Nick," Ronnie said, reaching across the table to join hands again. "You have the unfinished last manuscript of Clarisse Heartfelt?"

"Yes," Nick said. "It's hard to believe she still wrote longhand, but I guess all those interviews with her told the truth. It must be the only copy."

"Are you going to finish it?" Ronnie said. "Uh, with the help of her, well, ghost, if that's really what it is?"
"I'm not sure." Nick frowned.

READERS: What do you think?
Should Nick:
A) decide to finish Clarisse Heartfelt's book, knowing it will be a bestseller?
or

B) decide to finish his OWN manuscript?

Voting ends Tuesday night at 11 pm! 

Please share widely!