Petey and Rachel lingered over a last cup of coffee after the partner's made their exit. Rachel looked at her watch and debated for a moment on leaving to check on Dory, but the moment passed and she stirred some creamer and sweetener in her refreshed cup. When she looked up, Petey was looking toward the door of the lounge and Rachel followed her gaze. A tall, exquisitely beautiful black woman waltzed through the doorway. Her skin was the color of mocha tinged caramel. Her hair was cut close to the point that it looked shaved but it wasn't. It accented her high cheek bones and the beautiful strong jaw line. This woman looked like she just walked off a runway in New York. She was dressed in form fitting white jeans, a white leather front-tied bodice with a camel colored jacket. She wore buckskin colored knee high laced up leather boots and was absolutely stunning. She had a pair of shades perched on top of her head and every eye in the Lodge was on her. Petey stood up and walked quickly over to the woman and bear hugged her. “Taylor, I didn't expect you until next week?" Petey smiled as she held her friend and looked her over giving an appreciative wolf whistle. “I adjusted my schedule...... just so I could see you," Taylor teased Petey as she slid her hand around Petey's waist and kissed her affectionately on the cheek. “Come over here, I want you to meet someone." Petey led the way back to the table where Rachel was waiting. “Rachel, this is Taylor Larkin. She is the niece of our chef Louise. And.....she is one of the teaching Professors at the Culinary School of Arts." Petey introduced the exotic woman. “It is a pleasure to meet you," Rachel said warmly as she watched the interplay between the two women. “Thanks, I took a little early vacation; I surprised my students last week with their final exams. So they got to go home early and I got to leave for the summer early," Taylor laughed easily. “I bet your student's just loved you for that?" Petey smiled. “Not really.....they were kinda pissed off because it came after a big party night...." Taylor shrugged her shoulders. “Oh you are soooo bad....you had that planned didn't you?" Petey gasped. Taylor rolled her eyes devilishly and smiled an "I'll never tell" smile. It was then that the swinging doors to the kitchen burst open and Louise walked toward her niece. Although Taylor was taller than Louise by almost a foot and a half, she lovingly bent down and hugged her Aunt. "How's it going Auntie Lou?" she warmly greeted the chef. "Baby gurl I have been just waitin' for you to show up. We got ourselves some work to do this year! I'm probably gonna have to teach you how to cook all over again" Lou huffed. “Auntie!" Taylor exclaimed. “I know you teach all that froo froo cookin'" Louise admonished her niece. “Here at Labinky's we cook old school!" to which the crowd of sister's that were enjoying the morning brunch clapped and wolf-called in agreement. Louise basked in the warm acknowledgement from the diners. “God knows these women expend a lot of en-er-gy here in doing everybody I mean er...everything," Louise discreetly coughed and rolled her eyes. The sisters just laughed at her dig and continued to enjoy the food. Taylor pulled out a chair and sat at the table. Louise signaled for a waitress to bring coffee and joined the three ladies. She reached over and patted Taylor's cheek in pride. “Gurl you just get more beautiful every time I see you." Louise said lovingly. “That’s because I take after you.” Taylor laughed. The comment caused Louise to swell with pride. “Yes, that is my blood!" the chef radiated with love. Petey slipped her hand into Taylor's long and elegant fingers and brought them to her lips in a gentle kiss. Taylor brushed her shoulder against Petey's at the gesture. Rachel was beginning to feel like the fifth wheel in this reunion. But even though she witnessed the easy affection between Taylor and Petey, she still did not have a sense of what exactly their relationship represented. The moment was interrupted when the waitress set down some fresh cups of coffee for the foursome. “Are you hungry Hun?" Louise asked as she pinched what she considered thin arms of her niece. “No. I'm good. I just need some help getting settled in." Taylor declined her aunt's offer. “Well, ummm....this year" and she looked pointedly at Petey. "I have made arrangements for you to have your own trailer. You won't have to bunk with any....ummm one this year." Louise looked sideways. “Jesse helped me set it up. It's a little smaller than what you had to deal with last year, but it is farthest one away from Lindy that I could get!" Louise eyes snapped when she mentioned the L name. Taylor laughed and hugged her aunt. “Auntie Lou, you don't have to worry bout Lindy getting to me." Taylor teased. “No Way, No How, No Ma'am!!!" “Louise, I'll help get Taylor all settled in." Petey offered. It was then that Rachel realized that she needed to make an exit. Petey looked up as Rachel's chair scraped back. “Louise the brunch was wonderful," Rachel complimented the chef, “Now I think I need to go take a nap." Rachel graciously tried to leave the table. “Taylor it was really nice meeting you. I hope to enjoy some of your froo froo dishes." Rachel winked. “It was nice meeting you too, Rachel. Trust me. This time tomorrow Auntie Lou will have me slaving over the cook tops." Taylor smiled easily. After Rachel left the table there was some ruckus going on in the kitchen and Louise fished out a key from her chef's jacket and handed it over to Taylor. “Your new digs kiddo" Louise laughed and she was off in a flash to investigate. As she headed to the swinging doors, she called over her shoulder. “I’ll see ya at dinner Tay" “So where are you parked?" Petey asked her companioned. “Right out front." Taylor smiled as she tossed the key from her Aunt in her hand. Taylor drove to the assigned trailer with the top of her sports car down. It was sassy and fitted her perfectly. Sleek, styled, and damn right sexy. It was Taylor to a T. Petey followed in her own company issued pickup truck. Once they found the trailer, Taylor popped the trunk and grabbed two of the garment bags neatly stored inside the compartment. Petey picked up the two larger bags. Taylor opened the trailer and smiled at the interior. Though it was small, it looked like an efficiency apartment. She could see her Aunt's touches everywhere from the matching towels in the bathroom to the soft satin comforter on the bed. Petey struggled to drag the bags into the trailer. “Damn Taylor, did you bring your whole fuckin apartment?" she laughed. "Hmmmm......not really..." Taylor hummed. She pointed to the larger bag and pointed to the small closet “Those are just the essential clothes for the summer." “What the hell is in here.....it feels like a ton of bricks..." Petey hefted the bag up with both hands. “That!" Taylor smiled seductively “Is the Toy Bag!" Petey perked immediately. “TOYS!" "Oh Tay.......you are so...sooo....good!" Click On The River To Continue To Chapter 40 Labinky Park 2008 Labinky Park Enterprises 2008 Favorite Links OURCHART AFTERELLEN Writer's Blog Sign The Guest Book See The Slide Show See The Labinky Park Painting Come To Life By D. Stone |
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Chapter 39