Chapter 29: Offerings for the Dead
A slow, loud clap brought the ghosts' activity to a halt. Every ghost working on the roof, those mixing cement, and the assistants turned their attention toward the sound.
There, standing atop the rubble, was Mikel.
"Everyone, attention," he raised his voice, waiting until every ghost on the site was looking at him.
Confusion quickly appeared on their faces—at least for those who still had faces or heads. Arthur, standing nearby, furrowed his brows.
"Mikel, what's going on?" Arthur asked.
Mikel's mouth stretched into a forced smile. "I know I bailed on you guys early last night, and first, I want to apologize for that."
Some of the ghosts chuckled, while others showed their appreciation for Mikel's honesty. A very few didn't share their sentiments.
"Don't worry too much about that. As the only living being in this renovation, the physical strain must have been too much," Arthur said aloud, his tone polite. "Don't beat yourself up for that."
"Arthur already told us what happened last night!" another ghost yelled from the roof. "You should rest more, boss! Staying up late for a kid will stunt your growth!"
"Boss is already tall, though," another ghost remarked, while a headless ghost raised a thumbs-up in agreement.
"Don't apologize, boss," the old engineer chuckled. "We're just glad you gave us a chance to resolve our regrets and unfinished business."