Chapter 25
"Why don't you go away and leave my niece alone?" shouted Chrys.
AJ, seeing the mess Harm was making, turned to him and told him he needed to leave.
"Your mother died two years ago, sweetie, but she would be proud of the young woman you are growing up to be," assured Chrys.
"He said mom was murdered, is that the truth?" Mallory asked.
"Mallory, Harm should never have said that in front of you, but it might be best that you knew the truth. She was killed a little over two years ago, I'm sorry," AJ told her, as he put his arm around her shoulders to comfort her.
"Did they catch the person that killed my mother?" asked Mallory.
"Yes, he is in jail," replied AJ.
Mallory turned to AJ and asked, "Did she ever talk about me?"
"No, darling, she never talked to any of us much, she just did her job and went home at the end of the day."
When things finally settled down, AJ suggested that they all go to the back patio and eat. He asked how people wanted their burgers cooked, and also offered hot dogs to anyone that didn't want beef. Harm always knew there would be enough side dishes that he wouldn't go hungry even though he didn't eat meat at all.
Bud was first in line when the burgers were ready, his bun was laid out on his plate and he approached the Admiral with it in one hand and the ketchup bottle in the other. When AJ placed the burger on Bud's bun, Bud gave it a large squirt of ketchup, managing to get quite a lot on AJ's shirt as well as the burger. Trying to apologize above everyone's laughter, Bud was so embarrassed! AJ just laughed and said he would be back as soon as he changed his shirt. Before he left, he put Sturgis in charge of the food on the grill.
Walking into his bedroom, AJ stopped short when he saw the suitcase in the middle of the floor where he couldn't miss seeing it. Wondering what it meant, that Chrys had brought her suitcase into his room and left where he would be sure to see it, he felt that he should ask her if she really want to sleep with him while Mallory was staying with them. Changing his shirt, he moved the case to the side of the room and the rejoined the people on the patio.
By the time he returned everyone was seated at the tables scattered around the patio. Mallory called him over, saying there was a seat for him next to her. Chrys was sitting on her other side. AJ approached and Mallory scooted over so he would be sitting between her and Chrys instead of having the teen between them. Chloe and Mattie grinned at how well that part of their plan had worked and gave the younger girl the 'thumbs up' sign.
Seeing the interplay between the girls over the seating arrangements, AJ wondered if they might have had something to do with the suitcase in his room as well. Knowing that he and Chrys had agreed to wait until Mallory was home with her grandparents before beginning their sexual relationship, he felt that she would not have changed her mind about that without talking it over with him first. Then a gleam came into his eyes and he thought he might be able to have some fun with the situation. Leaning closer to Chrys he whispered in her ear, "I liked the surprise that you left me."
"What surprise?" she asked.
"Playing coy, are you?" he teased.
"Umm not really…" she said totally confused now.
"Okay, I can play the game too. I didn't see what I saw!" he told her.
"Didn't see what?" she demanded.
"Right!" he answered.
"AJ!"
"Chrys!"
"Albert Jethro!" she exclaimed loud enough to attract the attention of all at the table.
"Chrysanthemum!" he responded, making sure that everyone heard that too, he waited to see her reaction.
Giving him a swift kick under the table for revealing her real name as everyone laughed and asked if it were true. Reluctantly she admitted that it was, but to get back at him she announced to the table, "Well, his name is Albert Jethro!"
To be continued…..