Terri woke up and stretched, normally the smell of coffee would be filling the trailer. She looked over at Jess and saw the dark circles under her eyes. She could see the laptop sitting up on the small table in the kitchen. It was then she knew that it had not been a good night for Jesse. Terri went to the bathroom, washed her face and hands, brushed her teeth and combed her hair, then stepped back into the main living area and began to make coffee. While it was brewing, she sat down at the laptop and was not surprised to find that Jesse had been apparently researching alternative cancer therapies. On a pad by the laptop Jess had a list started of sites, with treatment options, everything from chemo to foods. Terri bookmarked the latest site for Jesse and then logged onto their joint banking account. She smiled as she saw the deposit that Jesse had made on Saturday morning. Jess had put the whole Thirty thousand in their account and it lay to rest some unsettling doubts that had begun to gnaw at Terri. Satisfied that she didn't have to ask any questions, she logged off the laptop and grabbed a cup of steaming hot coffee. Jess was just beginning to stir and Terri went in and sat beside the bed and brushed Jesse's hair out of her eyes. "Mornin’ sleepy head", she kissed Jesse's forehead. "How'd you beat me up" Jesse yawned and stretched under the comforter. “It was easy; I slept instead of being on the computer all night." Terri nodded toward the laptop that was sitting on their kitchen table. Jesse looked out at the table and back at Terri. “You know how it is when I can't sleep, I gotta surf." “Yeah, well how bout surfin yourself up and we head up to the Lodge for some breakfast." Terri invited. “Now that is a great idea, I wanna go talk to Louise anyway." Jesse all but jumped out of bed and headed for the bathroom. “Just give me bout ten minutes and I will be ready." she called back over her shoulder. Terri smiled and shook her head, set her coffee down on the small bedside table and began to get dressed. In less than the ten minutes she planned for, Jesse was showered, dressed and ready to head out the door. Terri was slipping on her boots and tying them up. Jesse went over to the laptop and grabbed her pad of paper and was in go mode. Terri grabbed her cup of coffee and the keys to the Mule and out the door they went. It was a beautiful Sunday morning. The sunlight was dappling down through the newly budded and leaved trees. The temperature was not too chilly. On the drive toward the Lodge they could see the remnants of the parties from the night before. The campfires were smoldering coals and there were bodies everywhere, some were sleeping in hammocks, lounge chairs, some were half hanging out of tents. Yeah the sisters had partied long after the Lodge had closed its doors last night. Terri parked the Mule and Jesse headed up the steps toward the dining area. She motioned for Terri to get them a table and she headed straight through the kitchen's swinging doors. Louise was overseeing the kitchen crew, stirring a pot, watching the grill cook and giving orders to the bus girls. When the chef looked up to see Jesse standing at her office door she took a good look around and relinquished the overseeing duties to the cook on duty. It was a good time to take a break. Louise opened the door to her office and welcomed Jesse in. “Whew gurl, you knew just when to come and give ole Louise a break." the chef laughed as she sat down behind her desk. "Now just what can I do for you today Miss Jesse." Jesse smiled at the chef, she loved Louise. Loved her style, her cooking and her sense of humor. "I need some help Lou." “You need me to fix you and Terri a romantic dinner?" the chef chuckled warmly. “No, but you and I will be discussing a dinner celebration for her birthday in about a month. No, this time I need some expertise in the field of cooking for cancer patients." Jesse broached the subject. “It’s pretty experimental from what I have read in the Dietary Journals," Louise pursed her lips as she read over the list that Jesse handed her. "I take it that this is for Sara?" Louise looked over her half- rimmed glasses at Jesse. “I know that it is not our usual fare. But I would like for you to take these foods and combine them in smaller portions. It's important that she gets as much nutrition as she can. The drawback is that she is barely eating anything at all now, the cancer has taken away her appetite and the medications have all but eroded her taste buds. So when I was doing the research, I read that the best way to meet her needs would be very small portions, with as much high protein and vitamin value as we can get. I know that this won't cure her......nothing will at this point...I just want to help in this small way....to make it easier for her...." Jesse looked away and struggled to fight back the tears. Louise bit her lip and put the pad of paper on her desk. “Jesse you know that I will do anything I can to help. I will attend to it personally." the chef offered. “There is just one more thing. This is not to go through your regular Kitchen budget. I want you to separate this and invoice me directly. And I want deliveries to Sara to begin tomorrow morning. That is also to be invoiced to me directly." Jesse instructed. “The food I will invoice, but the deliveries. That will be from me. My little contribution." Louise proposed. “Now that we have taken care of that business, I have something else to bring to your attention." Louise said as she rocked back on her swivel chair. “And what would that be?” Jesse asked knowing what the reply was going to be. “Lindy!" The chef all but snorted her name. Jesse shook her head, “Okay, who has she done this time?" “CarlyAnn!" Louise spat out bitterly. “She’s just a kid..... she's all of what.... seventeen?" Jesse gasped. “No....she just turned eighteen about two weeks ago. Good thing for Lindy, or she could get hauled off for molesting a minor. I cooled her ass down this time with a pot of cold water, but I am telling you, she messes with any of my girls and I will cut her tits off." Louise narrowed her eyes and rocked forward in her chair again. “Lindy is in for a world of hurt if she thinks she can fuck with me." “I will let Nell know, for some reason, she is the only one that gets through to Lindy.” Jesse said as she stood up. “Jesse, you and me....we will take care of Miss Sara" the chef promised as she heaved herself out of her chair and walked with Jesse back through the kitchen. “Now git outta my kitchen and git yourself something to eat. I don't need you gettin' sick on me too." Louise shooed Jesse through the swinging doors. Terri had already ordered coffee and juice and it arrived as Jesse sat down at their table. Terri stirred her cup of steaming brew and sipped it. “So what do you want this mornin'?" Terri asked as Jesse looked over the breakfast buffet. “Buffet." Jesse smiled as she picked up her plate and headed toward the scrambled eggs. Terri was right behind her, heaping her plate with home fries, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, pan cakes and French toast. Jesse beat her back to the table and marveled at the food that Terri had on her plate. Terri considered her choices and placement on the plate as a work of art. Which she soon began to hungrily devour. Jesse barely ate the eggs and toast, though she did drink all her juice and was working on her cup of coffee as Terri headed back for seconds. The Lodge was beginning to fill up when Nell walked in. Kim was no where to be seen. Jesse waved and Nell started over to their table. The waitress delivered a well timed cup of coffee to Nell's seat as she joined Jesse and Terri. “Damn, Louise hired herself some good waitresses this season" Nell soft southern voice proclaimed with pride. “Where is Kim?" Jesse asked after Nell settled in. “She is sleepin' in this mornin', and I have learned along long time ago, to let sleeping Kimmy's sleep." Nell chuckled. It was then that Petey strolled in; she took a look around and smiled at all the hung over sisters that crowded the dining area. Terri waved to her and she also headed to the big back table that was usually theirs on Sundays. A smiling waitress brought her a menu which Petey waved away as she nodded her head at the buffet. She ordered a glass of orange juice and black coffee. Both she and Nell headed to the buffet as Terri made what she called her dessert trip. While overlooking the buffet, Petey turned and almost ran into Rachel who was searching to find a seat in the crowded dining hall. Petey smiled as Nell invited her to join them at their table. Once the women were all back at the table and seated enjoying their breakfast, Jesse raised her coffee cup slyly to her lips and smiled. “Ok. Question of the day! Who got laid? Raise your hand." Jesse laughed as she and Terri put their hands palm down on the table. Nell hooted as she raised both hers, one for herself and one for the absent Kim. Petey put her hand on the table palm up and shrugged her shoulders as she announced “Alas," she said as she lovingly looked at her hand, “I was with my oldest and dearest friend." Rachel blushed as she laid her hand on the table, palm up also. Petey looked at Rachel and was both surprised and secretly pleased. "Well for someone who didn't get any last night, you sure look like hell" Nell observed as she pointed to the dark circles under Jesse's eyes. “You feeling OK?" she inquired as she ate her breakfast. “Nothing for you to worry about Nell. It was just a sleepless night." Jesse tried to laugh off the question. But Nell knew better, especially after last night, that when Jesse didn't sleep, it wasn't a good sign. Nell started to say something until she noticed Terri shaking her head and she let it drop for now. “What do you gals have planned for today?" Nell threw the question out to the table. “I’m not sure." Rachel said as she sipped her coffee. “I’m not expecting Dory to wake up until sometime this afternoon. What is the big attraction here for Sunday?" "Depends." they all answered in unison. Rachel laughed as she asked “Depends on what?" "Well..." Nell's distinctive drawl explained. “It depends on one of four things, A: if you have a hang over, B: if you are nursing someone with a hang over, C: if your horny and D: if you have to pack up to go home. Usually about 80 percent of the residents pack up and head back to their real lives." “Well, let's see, I don't have A. I am letting B take care of it's self. D, I don't have to pack to go home so that let's C." she laughed. Then it was Petey's turn to blush. Click On The River To Continue To Chapter 38 © Labinky Park 2008 Labinky Enterprises 2008 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 37
