Suddenly Last Summer
MA (for MATURE ADULTS ONLY)
The characters in this fiction are owned by Charlaine Harris and Allan Ball. I just like to take them out of the box to play with them a while.
Sorry in advance for any mistakes. They are all my own.
Chapter 7
I was ready for a coffee by the time the co-pilot Stan came to see if the two of us needed refreshments. I was chatting away with Stan when I realized Quinn was bein' very quiet. I had been deliberately ignorin' him 'cause I really didn't want to deal with his nasty mouth and dirty mind. When I turned in my seat so I could look at him proper, I had to give a chuckle. The cold pack that was on his eye was now in his lap and he was lights out. Stan noticed what had got my attention and was goin' to take the cold pack away but I signaled to him he should probably not disturb my guest and his big ol' egocentric ass. Maybe by the time we reach Billund. Mr John Quinn will need a magnifying glass and a pair of tweezers just to pee… serves him right.
Stan served me up a delicious cup of fresh brewed coffee along with a salad wrap and a piece of baklava. I was too nervous to eat when I got up and I wasn't sure when I would get my next meal or what it was going to be, so I made sure to eat just in case things got busy with setting up and I had to skip lunch. There was a small washroom on board so I made sure to make use of it. Even though Bart had told me there were adequate toilet and wash facilities, I had no idea what level of adequate that meant. Like - was it adequate for a Viking in the year 800AD or adequate for a farm bred waitress from Bon Temps – now Shreveport, Louisiana year 2012AD. I sure hoped there was at least a proper toilet 'cause I had lucked out and got my period yesterday. I did not want to sit out the back of the long house waiving to all and sundry trying to cope with my secret female business in a waist high box while balancing over a pit - Nope, definitely not goin' there.
I must have been lost in my toilet tirade 'cause before I even got 'round to contemplatin' are we there yet, the Captain was tellin' us to prepare for landin'. Quinn still hadn't woken and I didn't bother with him. Stan helped me disembark while the Captain said goodbye to me at the exit and I was on my way to meet the people waiting for me when the pilot called out.
"Miss Stackhouse… I do believe that you have forgotten something… pardon, some… one!" Drat's I almost got away with it. I turned around so he knew I heard him and returned his huge smile. He disappeared for a minute and then Quinn's hulkin' frame was taking up all the tiny doorway, holdin' up his hand again to shelter his eyes from the beautiful mornin' sun (even though he still had his sunglasses on), carryin' a fresh can of Coke and somehow his shirt was undone down to his navel again. I couldn't help but double over laughin' when I took in the size of the wet patch from the condensation off the cold pack on the front of his pants… Classy.
When Quinn had staggered half way down the steps, the Pilot and Co-Pilot came to the doorway again and I waved farewell to them and turned my attention back to the people waiting to greet me.
I don't know how Uncle Des did it but all of my paperwork was already in the hands of the customs man that had come out to meet us, so I only had to show my passport and let him check my luggage (which he had a chuckle at how much there wasn't, considering I was going to there for up to a month). When he had finished with me he moved on to Quinn and I got to introduce myself to the tall and obviously stressed Scandinavian beauty that was here to collect me. I held out my hand, planted a smile on my face and prayed she spoke English.
"Hi, my name is Sookie, pleased to meet you." I was happy to see the stress fall from her features to be replaced by a brilliant friendly smile.
"Sookie, Sookie… Welcome to Denmark. My name is Inga and I will be looking after you during your stay at Bork Haven." She boisterously greeted me. "Come, let me carry something for you. You don't have much but you look awkward there." I had to agree with her 'cause my coat was bulky. Inga easily grabbed my knapsack and drum bag and we made our way to her SUV.
"Hey Babe, wait up!" Quinn called out from behind us. I didn't turn 'round. My name wasn't Babe. Inga looked to me for my response. When I gave none she asked –
"I'm sorry Sookie is he with you?" Giving Quinn a quizzical look.
"Well he's with me but not 'With me' if you get my meanin'. That's John Quinn." I didn't need to say any more. Inga recognized the name.
"Hey Babe!..."
"Mr Quinn to whom are you speaking? My name is Inga and you have already met Sookie – No?" Inga gave him a look that gave her the appearance of a strict teacher reprimanding a naughty school boy.
"Baaabe." Quinn tried to turn on the charm but neither of us was havin' any of it. We started getting in the car. "Look, Sookie… I know we didn't start off so well." I shut my door in his face. "I was a bit out of it back there. Can't we start over?" He hopped in the back seat. "I'd really like us to be friends. We do have to be in each others' company for some time and I don't want there to be hard feelin's between us just 'cause I was hung-over this mornin'." Inga was havin' tones of trouble stifelin' her laughter as she took in Quinns' reflection in the rear vision mirror.
"John, I don't know you 'ceptin. what I saw this morning and quite frankly I was not impressed but I will hold my judgment on our friendship until I get to know you better. That's all I can offer." Inga nodded once lettin' me know I'd done good and I just knew La La would be proud of me. Thinkin' of La La that reminded me I had to text him and Uncle Des that I arrived safely. I got out my phone and sent my messages.
"You know you will have to turn that in when we get to the Harbour – Yes?" Inga was smiling at me. I nodded happily. Little did she know I pretty much hated mobile phones and would quite happily be out of range for the next month. From the sounds Quinn was making behind me, losin' his phone would be more like havin' an arm amputated for him.
I was startin' to get high on the excitement now. All my senses were sparkin' with the new sensations surroundin' me. The scrubby scenery was totally different from the dense green woods of my backwater home town. The air was clean and fresh and the sun was shining in a perfectly blue sky and I was goin' to take it as a good omen for this; a whole new experience in my life.
While I was eagerly watching out the windows tryin' to take everythin' in, Inga was tellin' me and Quinn just what to expect once we arrived. It seems Quinn has missed out on some important sessions while he'd been 'chasin' investors' in Cannes. Like Rowing 1.01 also the guys were to have been there three days ago to basically 'set up camp'. The theory, them being some type of advanced party and while they were readying the encampment for habitation it gave the male cast a chance to bond as the team which they would need to be when sailing a Viking longboat.
The advanced party has been learning what buildings and articles are around the camp and their purposes. They will be helping Inga and her fellow trainer (and husband) Frederick with the new arrivals orientation. Today they have been learning how to split wood for boat building. Apparently by the time the cast leave here they will have had hands on experience with every aspect of Viking life including constructing a longboat, not necessarily actually building one. For the movie Bart wanted the actors to be able to turn their hands to doin' things like they did them every day, so if they at least had some foreknowledge he wouldn't have to show them how the Vikings would have fixed a leaky boat for example. The crew would hopefully automatically work to fix whatever or make a maneuver or even just stand up on the boat without falling overboard. He also wanted authenticity when it came to handling tools and wearin' clothes. I was excited 'bout bein' a part of the project. It was goin' to be amazin'.
I was lookin' forward to learnin' how to make glass beads if they let me – 'cause it was a man's occupation back then, they may not. I already know how to swing a sword. My training in self-defense had included the use of the Katana as well as other huntin' weapons like the bow and arrow and a variety of guns. I could also tie me some mean knots too but if their goin' to stick to the letter I probably won't have any use for any of those skills. Well I'll just have to wait and see.
We were getting' close to the Settlement now and Inga was readin' Quinn the riot act about getting' his butt into gear as soon as we arrive and go find Frederick and have him show him where his kit was.
"Sookie I will take you to where you will be housed for the first few days and we will organize your kit. I didn't do it beforehand because I did not know your sizing. We don't have much planned for today but we are expecting more of the cast to arrive over the next few days. So today I will show you around and get you comfortable." She started to roll the window down. On a side road just ahead was some kind of road block. I wonder what this is about.
Inga started indicating her intension to turn at the road block and when the very professional looking guard realized it was her at the wheel, he began pushing on the end of a small boom gate, making it lift so we could enter the road. We stop just after we went under the bar just so Inga could introduce us and didn't I get a shock when I realized the guard was none other than my self-defense teacher Rolf.
"Cheese and rice Rolf, what are you doin' all the way over in Denmark?" I was real happy to see a familiar face.
"Hey Sookie… Mr C thought you would feel more comfortable with at least one familiar face. If you need me just holler or here… He gave me a whistle. "I believe you can't have a phone so you carry that and blow it. I won't be far from you. I knew Rolf was top in his field (which was personal security) and nobody would be getting' past him.
"Thanks Rolf. I really do feel more comfortable already. Maybe if there's time in my schedule we can work-out?"
"I'd be more than happy to work-out with you Babe." Quinn's deep rumbling voice piped up from the back seat. "You can do better than the hired help." I rolled my eyes at Rolf tryin' to let him know Quinn was just a big ol' jerk.
"Mr Quinn was it?" Rolf asked calmly. "Maybe you would like to join Miss Stackhouse and myself for our work-out? I'm sure we could work to a lower standard to enable you to keep up." Rolf looked to me with such an innocent expression that if you didn't know him you would have sworn he hadn't known he'd just insulted the mighty Quinn. I put my hand over my mouth to suppress my giggles and Inga snickered outwardly.
"You cannot speak to me like that. I'll be speakin' to your boss and getting' your insolent ass kicked to the curb. Do you have any idea who you are speakin' too? I'm the star of this movie… Ya hear?" Rolf moved to the open back window where Quinn was sittin' spoutin' off and calmly replied…
"Mr Quinn, I'm sure Miss Stackhouse will be quite happy to listen to your grievances however even though she pays me (and very well thank–you Miss Stackhouse - He turns to me - I can finally buy that Dojo I've been talking about – he turns back to Quinn) Her lawyer Mr Desmond Cataliades does her hiring and firing as far as her security goes and I know for a fact my position is secure as long as Miss Stackhouse has no problems and you don't… do you Miss Stackhouse?" I am soo glad Quinn can't see my face from where he's sitting behind me, otherwise I'd be havin' a real hard time tryin' to keep the large smile off my face. I just shook my head to the negative 'cause I knew if I opened my mouth I wouldn't be able to stop a full blown belly laugh erruptin' from little ol' me.
"Rolf gave me a relaxed salute and said you know the drill Miss." I nodded my ascent and he knocked the side of the car and said "Welcome to Viking Harbor and waved us in."
"What an Ass." Quinn mumbled from the back. Inga and I looked at each other and rolled our eyes and both said "Yes" with a great deal of conviction but we weren't talkin' about Rolf.
The next update should be soon because Eric is very upset with me that Quinn got to officially meet Sookie before him.
Thanks for the kind reviews and welcome to my new readers. I appreciate any and all support – Tynee23
