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The Call - Thirteen in this morning and saw that your skin had turned a bright golden-yellow, I knew what it was. “But what I don’t understand is that we’ve already done three tests for hepatitis, and the results all came back negative these past three days. That just shouldn’t have happened. At least we now know what’s wrong with you. While we treat you, you’ll have to be kept in isolation upstairs, and you’ Il need total bed rest for at least a month. If everything goes okay, we’ll talk about sending you home after that.” And so began a long, slow process of treatment during which time Ted was effectively locked away from direct con- tact with the world. Visitors had to speak to him through a protective shield, and only briefly at first until Ted’s strength began to return. Ralph came for frequent visits and told Ted that he’d arranged for his girlfriend to stay in the house at night so he wouldn’t be alone. “There are only two more weeks left in the semester, anyway,” Ralph explained, “and she’s agreed to stay over until my exams are finished.” The month of recuperation finally passed, and Ted was improved enough to go to his parents’ home for three more months of recovery. Ralph was one of his first visitors there, telling Ted that at last he had completed his master’s degree. “So I’ve got all that behind me now,” he smiled, “and I’m ready for whatever is next. The only thing I’m wondering about now, my friend, is when you'll be able to move back to the house. You’re looking pretty good now, so what do you think? I’ve got your old room ready any time you decide to come back. You’ve really been missed, buddy.” “T don’t know,” Ted hesitated. “Do you think that’s such a good idea?” “Sure,” Ralph said. “I really want you to come back. My girlfriend was great to stay with me and keep me from going crazy, but she just can’t do it any more. Besides, like I said, I’ve missed you. Everybody has. But I told them, no wild welcome-home parties until you’re one hundred percent again. Then we’ll get back to the fun, what do you say?” “Don’t you remember what Miss Flowers told me?” Ted reminded his friend. “She said that I was not to move back in Masquerade of Angels 124 The Call-Thirteen with you after my illness.” “Yes, I remember,” Ralph nodded, “but, heck, I’m not even sure I believe all that stuff really happened now.” Ted looked at him questioningly, and Ralph shrugged. “Well,” he finally said, “if you’re not going to come back, I doubt that I’ll continue to stay there, then. It just isn’t any fun living in a place like that by yourself. A place like Miss Flowers’ home needs laughter, and fun. Guess T'll just go over to Atlanta and visit some friends for a while, and we’ll talk again when I get back. I’d really like for you to move back, though. I could start on the doctoral program. Anyway, don’t forget, it’s inexpensive to live there, and you won’t want to stay with your folks forever. I wish you’d reconsider it, Ted.” “But Miss Flowers was right about me getting sick,” Ted argued, “and after what we went through that night, the anniversary of her death, I don’t think we’d better cross her.” “Do you really believe what she said?” Ralph asked. “Don’t you think it might all have been just some hallucina- tion or something?” “T don’t know,” Ted replied. “We'll just have to see when you get back.” Ralph gave up for the moment and left Ted to rest. He went to Atlanta for the next month, and when he returned he had surprising news. “You’re not going to believe this,” he said. “While I was in Atlanta, I reconnected with an old girlfriend who’s just coming out of a divorce, and we really hit it off great. She wants us to get back together, and I’ve decided to take her up on that. I’m going to stay in Atlanta. I’ve already got a job, a really good job. So all I have to do now is contact the people at Miss Flowers’ church and tell them I’m ready to sell the house.” “Congratulations!” Ted grinned. “Everything worked out, didn’t it? And Miss Flowers was right, after all. She said you needed to get on with your life, and it looks like that’s what you’re doing. Guess she knew what she was talking about, huh?” “Yeah,” Ralph agreed, “I guess so. Who would have Masquerade of Angels 125