Masters of Lavender Hill Mansion Ch. 06

"What? Ghost stuff? No one has come up and said boo to me yet. No creepy horror story stuff either. I don't know, maybe the ghost doesn't want to do anything with me."

"That's good. Everything go alright out at Vernon House?"

"Oh yes. It does look in bad shape, from what we could see from the outside. Bet it was nice in its day though. It has a nice style to it still."

"That it does. Sebastian tells me he stopped and helped you with a flat tire out that way. Had a young woman with you he said, seemed all upset about something or other."

That threw Olivia off immediately, having to explain Josie in the back seat with her.

"Oh, that was my niece. She called and told me about her and her boyfriend breaking up and me being the understanding aunt and all, she needed to talk about it, so we were driving around showing her the countryside when we got a flat."

"Ah, yeah. Young love. Hurts, don't it?"

"Yeah, poor thing. She really fell for the guy and he dumped her for another girl."

"Yeah, that happens, don't it?"

"So, that's who that was, that Sebastian saw, that is."

"I gotcha. Haven't been back to the place since that day, have you?"

Olivia almost visibly shook and swallowed with a nervous smile. She wasn't sure if she should say she did or didn't go, when Lisa finally came out of the kitchen and broke the stalemate between them.

"Hey Joe, great seeing you again. Just got a pot of coffee made, if you want some. Not sure how good it'll be, but we needed some kick butt caffeine today."

"I can go for some java. Can't be any worse than what we made in the army."

"You were in the war, Joe?"

"Nah, never saw combat, just did some time in the armed forces and learned some. Better than getting in trouble and winding up in jail or worse. Coffee wasn't that easy to make in a helmet and didn't taste all that good either, but the caffeine kept us going and that's what we were looking for in the first place."

"Well this shouldn't be too bad, We had to use pantyhose as a filter. Worked pretty good too, doesn't look like any gritty stuff got through."

They saw the look on Joe's face and they had to laugh, Olivia putting her hand on his arm.

"Clean ones, Joe."

"Ah, yeah, you know, just..."

"I know."

They all had a chuckle over Joe's embarrassment and went into the kitchen. Chelsea was standing there poking her nipples in, trying to get them to go down and stopped with her fingers pushing them in, when they all walked in on her.

"Ah, yeah, that's a bit embarrassing."

Olivia covered Joe's eyes so he didn't see what was happening, until Chelsea fixed herself so her nipples weren't showing so profusely. When she was presentable, Olivia took her hand away and introduced an red faced Chelsea to him.

"Hi Joe, sorry, just fixing myself and wasn't expecting you to come in. Nice to meet you, Olivia's told me so much about you already."

"That right? Nothing bad, I hope?"

Joe gave a little wink and a smile and Chelsea smiled big, back at him.

"She said you were a Godsend, so that must be pretty good to be called that."

Joe looked at Olivia and smiled warmly at her. Lisa poured the coffee and let everyone put milk and sugar to suit their taste. They went out on the front porch and stood in the shade of the porch roof, enjoying the fresh air. The oil truck could be seen and heard from a distance and they watched it come down the road and slow to a stop. Vic backed the truck in with Joe's help to guide him, taking him to the back of the house and the large oil tank.

The girls stood and watched, sipping their coffee, as the men ran the hose out and hooked it up. Vic started the pump and the hose filled with oil, sending the heating oil into the tank.

"Won't take long to fill it up, Ms. Masters. Have you with hot water in no time."

"That's terrific, Vic. I'll go get my chequebook and write you that check. How much is it?"

"Three hundred seventy five, that's including the taxes and such."

"Wow, oil isn't cheap."

"No ma'am. Not many using oil any more. Most switched to gas long ago."

"Joe was telling me I should switch too. Go with on demand water heaters."

"That would be my suggestion too. I have a whole slew of those new heaters at the shop. Been installing them like mad, last few years. You want, I can convert the place over to gas right easy and instal them."

"How much would that be?"

"Units aren't cheap, run a couple thousand each, but two would do this place fine. Run new lines and such and of course, switch out tanks from oil to gas. Looking at close to ten thousand for a complete conversion. Government will rebate a bunch and save you there. I could sell you the units and such at cost and save a few more thousand. Probably knock four, five thousand off that way."

"Seriously? You'd do that for me?"

"Sure. Why not? Things aren't doing me much good sitting in my shop. Always ways to write it up in the books to look good for folks that need to see it. My wife is good at that, Marlene's a right good bookkeeper."

"Yep, does my books and keeps things square."

"Well, let me think on that, Vic. I know if I do make this into a bed and breakfast, I'll need lots of hot water to handle everything."

"True that. Might also want to make sure you have a good enough water supply to handle the load. Not sure about the pump handling a bigger load like you're thinking."

"You think I'll need a better water pump too?"

"Maybe. I can have a look and see what it's like. Joe, you want to watch the gauge for me and I'll go look at the water pump for Ms. Masters?"

"Sure thing, Vic."

Joe stood by the pump and watched the gauge for the number of litres that went in. Vic went over to the trap door in the ground and pulled it open. The rusty hinges creaked and groaned loudly, moving for the first time in decades. A great deal of scurrying went on, as the fauna that occupied the well head dashed for safety.

"That didn't look all that good. Looks like half of nature made their home in there."

"That's typical. Nothing that'll bother the pipes or pump anyway. So, let's look at this and see what we have."

Vic read the service plate to know the flow rate and capacities it could handle. He closed the trap door and brushed his hands off on his pants.

"It could handle it, how long I'm not sure, but it would be running at full capacity all the time and that puts a big strain on it. Not sure how long it would last, going like that."

"Yeah, that could be big trouble, couldn't it?"

"Like I said, it works, but for how long, is anybody's guess really."

"Ten thousand you said, right? To do the gas conversion and heaters."

"No, said it would be close to ten, but me knocking off here and there and rebates, probably looking at four, maybe five, give or take."

"Oh, that's easier to take, okay, so how much for the pump and installing it?"

"New one to handle what you're looking for, run you twenty two hundred for the pump, do the re and re for say fifteen even. Do cash and I could get Marlene to do some fancy bookworking to make it less."

"Cash I can do. Talk to Marlene and see what she'll let you do it for. Any where I can save a buck or two sure helps. I need to get as much done as I can with the money I have for it. I got told straight out it would need the main things like water and hydro to be upgraded and it's no surprise there then. At least I know the old girl will have some new life in her and go for a long time to come."

"That she will. I can't wait to see her all done up again. I saw it as a kid before it started looking bad and it was a grand home, even then."

"So you know what it looked like before what it does now?"

"Oh sure, most people around here my age do. What it looked like when Captain Masters built it, that's anyone's guess really. No one old enough to know now. I do remember some, before they passed, saying it was a bit of Eden to see driving past. My gramps was a farm hand here for a while, until everything was shut down totally. It was back in the fifties that the lady of the house wanted the colours changed from what it was, to what she wanted and he helped strip the old paint off. I remember him coming home with bits of it stuck to him and I'm pretty sure it was some light purple colour. Said he hated the new colour she had them put on and it didn't seem to last all that long, before it was fading away to what it looks like now."

"I bet it was lavender purple they had. It's a light purple and seems to go with what Livy's diary said in it."

"You read Olivia Masters diary?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, Joe. I was up in the attic and found a bunch of stuff under sheets and in crates and boxes. I found a couple of her diaries and it mentions her being called Livy by her friend, Josie. I think she was around nine or ten when she wrote in it. I haven't read very much actually, been too busy cleaning and taking care of everything."

"Yeah, I forgot to tell you there was a bunch of stuff up there that belongs to whoever, don't rightly know who exactly, just made sure it was okay and covered up. I have some keys for the locks back at my place somewhere. I'll drop them off to you soon as possible. Not really sure which key goes to which thing, but they're all there on the ring."

"Great. I found some keys actually, not very many, but they opened several trunks and cases, the really old ones. I found the diaries in one of them and had a chance to glance though one of them with Lisa."

Joe had a curious look, wondering just how much she read and knew about the past of things. He knew what he knew about it all and his interaction with Livy Masters. He was somewhat protective of her, knowing of her past and how she came to be. Over the years, she had become something of a daughter to him and looked after the place for her. There wasn't a lot to do to make a ghost comfortable, but he gave the bedroom the semblance of something livable to be in. Livy wanted to be where her father had spent his time and chose the master bedroom, despite her mother having shared the same room.

"I'm sure it's the ramblings of a young girl and all the silliness they think of."

"I don't know if it was silly ramblings, Joe. Livy seemed to be a pretty detailed writer of her feelings and thoughts and things that happened. I know my diary was more like silly ramblings to be honest."

"Yeah, I read it, Joe. It was pretty silly sounding sometimes."

"Lisa! Anyway, I'll have a chance to read more later and see who Olivia Masters from over a hundred years ago is. It's so cool finding out your family history."

"Suppose it is. Okay, give me a minute to shut this off. Your tank is full and I'll let Vic do a start up on it to make sure it's running right."

Joe disconnected the pump hose and shouted down to Vic waiting in the basement. Joe rolled up the hose and got it ready for Vic.

"You're good people, Joe. You help everyone out and do so much for them."

"Awww, thank you for those kind words. Everyone around is like that mostly. We all know it takes a helping hand to get things going and keep them that way, so we share work and keep everyone happy and fed."

"See, that's why I love it here so much. I hope I can help everyone like you do."

"Oh sweetie girl, you already are. Got me more jobs to do, got Sebastian extra work he's been looking for. Going to help out with those girls doing stuff and hey..."

Joe stood closer and whispered to Olivia.

"Don't mind those girls much, okay?"

Olivia whispered back.

"What do you mean?"

"They're, well, together, if you know what I mean?"

"Together? Like like friends, you mean, or something else?"

"Something else. They're uhm, getting married, that sound a little something else to you?"

"You mean they're lesbians?"

"That would be them."

"Oh. No problems there. I work with a couple lesbians and a few gay guys at my place now. Really nice people really, so no, no problems if they're like that."

"Good. Really are nice girls otherwise."

"Thanks for letting me know, I know you're just watching out for me is all. That's so sweet."

"You're welcome and don't go saying I'm all sweet and everything, makes me feel all funny and don't know what to say, rightly."

"No need to say anything, Joe. Just know that you are and don't change a thing about yourself."

Joe took a bit of a blush to his cheeks and smiled and bent down to yell in to Vic.

"We got us a heater, Vic?"

"Looking good. Just adjusting the settings to make it run proper. Should have lots of hot water in an hour or so, burner is running great still."

Joe smiled.

"Looks like you'll have your hot bath tonight finally."

"Fabulous, I know the girls will be dying to get in that tub and relax. I'm glad we have two of them."

"There'll be more than enough to fill the both and another besides."

"It'll be like a palace then. By the time the three of us have washed and scrubbed everywhere, this place will look more like the grand old dame she was."

"I want to be here the day she's all finished and looking like she should. I bet most of the town will come out to see her."

"Really? People really want to see this place that much?"

"Of course. This was a place people would drive by in the old days, just to see what grand living was like. The grounds were well maintained and made for quite the scene to see. This beauty sitting amongst it all just captivated the imaginations of everyone to know what it would be like to live here."

"That's so incredible to know that. I really do want it to be a place where everyone can enjoy its beauty and be a place of prominence again. I keep hearing what it was like back then and I can see why everyone would like to see that again, instead of calling it the haunted house."

"Hard to say if it is haunted or it isn't. Enough folks swear they heard a ghost and some say they seen something moving in there when nothing is supposed to be."

"Well, I haven't heard anything and nothing but us are moving in there. I haven't so much as heard a creak that one of us didn't cause. Honestly, I said it before, I don't think there's really a ghost here."

"Guess we'll see what's what then, you living here now. Anything shows up, you'll get a chance to see it or hear it."

"I doubt it, but if it does, I still don't think I'd be frightened by it. If it was a mean ghost, it would have chased me away some how by now, so if there is a ghost, it's probably a nicer one that just makes noise and stuff."

"Maybe. All anyone said it did, that I know of."

"Anyway, enough talk of ghosts. I'm just going to make this a beautiful place again and hope whatever ghost likes it."

As Joe and Olivia talked, the scent of lavender wafted about them strongly. Olivia showed a recognition to it and so did Joe. They looked at each other and there was an understanding they both knew what that smell meant.

"You know it's Livy, don't you?"

Olivia knew it was useless to lie and feign ignorance, but it was too understood to deny it.

"Yes."

"How long have you known, Olivia?"

"Since the first day. She made contact the second I walked in the front door. How long have you known?"

"Over twenty five years. I was the only one who didn't get scared by her showing up, like the other guys did. I talked to her for the longest time, before she finally spoke to me."

"She spoke to you?"

"Sure did. Made me near soil myself right then and there when I heard her. I didn't and kept on trying to get her to say more. Took me two years of coming here by myself at times Nd even tried to get Sebastian to come in hope she'd say or do something so I knew it was real and not me just imagining things. Never did come, but I talk to her often and now she's sort of like my daughter in a way and I try to take care of her what ever way I can."

"Joe, are you serious? You really talk to the ghost and do things for her? Like what? What do you do for a ghost?"

"Your room is like it is because I tried to keep it nice for her. She likes it and I figure she lives in it mostly, not really sure what she does in there. I'll speak to you later, your friends are coming over."

"Okay Joe, I do want to hear more about that."

"Hear about what, Ollie?"

"Oh, just talking to Joe about the old days and what the place was like before he remembers it. How it used to be a focal point for people to drive past on drives and stuff."

"Oh yeah, cool. You're dying to know everything you can about back then. I hope those girls can make it look like back then, again. I'm getting all caught up in the dream too and this place will look so amazing."

"I can see why. I've only been here a few hours and it feels like home sort of already. You know, you just get that feeling when you're in some place and it feels comfortable to be there. This place is like that."

"There you go, Joe, Not much to fret about here, is there?"

"Guess not."

"Oooh, there's that lavender smell again. I love that so much about this place."

"It is wonderful to smell, makes you feel all sorts of things, right Lisa?"

Lisa saw Olivia using facial signals to look at Chelsea and as soon as she did, the prominent nipples were back in action. Lisa quickly put her arm around Chelsea and guided her into the house.

"Come on, we need more coffee and get some cleaning started."

Chelsea didn't argue with more coffee and knew cleaning was why she was there, so she followed along and went inside.

"So Joe, it looks like we have some notes to compare on what we know about Livy. Oh, it's not just Livy any more. We brought Josie here too. That's why we were out there again and that's who Sebastian saw in the back seat with me. It's way too complicated to explain and some how I'll try, but just know your little girl is very happy right now and we both love her immensely. It's beyond my understanding why and Lisa doesn't understand it either, but she uses us to become real looking, like we can touch her and she can touch us. Don't ask, it's way too weird to even begin an explanation for it."

"You've seen my Livy? You know what she looks like and sounds like?"

"Yes and she so adorable and oh so pretty. Both her and Josie are and they're adorable, the pair of them."

"I would give anything to see her and hold her, just once."

Olivia could see the emotion straining in Joe, his love for her so clear and heartfelt.

"I'll see what I can do about that. I know how much it means to you and I owe you so much already for all you've done for me. This is truly something that would repay any and all kindnesses to you, so let me have a chance to talk to Livy in private and see what we can do to make that happen."

Joe was at a loss for words to say and Olivia saw his lower lip quiver from the emotional impact of what she offered him. She hugged him and Joe held her tight, letting a few sobs go in relief.

"Thank, thank you, sweet child. I will be eternally in your debt if you can grant me that one wish."

"Consider your wish granted, Joe. I just need to figure out how to do it with you there and let you have as much time as you can with her. It only lasts so long, maybe an hour or so depending and then she vanishes again."

"Well, whatever it is you do, please do it and let me see my Livy. I will never say or word or judge whatever it is you have to do, if it brings my little girl to me to hold. I'd like to meet Josie too, if I could. Livy speaks so much about her and how she misses her."

"Might be able to swing that too. Joe, I have to tell you, your little girl, she's like Jess and Lou are. She and Josie are in love and have been since they met. It was their love for each other that caused their deaths and I feel so bad that they had to face that because of loving someone their parents objected to."