Sully pulled her into his office in the back of the bar and sat her in one of the chairs in front of his desk.
"Dollface, I can't have you crying, not while you're tending my bar." He leaned back in his chair, the back creaking under his weight.
"I'm sorry Sully." Janet said, embarassed. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand.
"Don't be sorry, just get better. You take the rest of the week off, you hear?"
"Sully, I can't..."
"You can, and you will. I can't have my best bartender crying whenever a customer looks at her sideways."
"But Sully, I have bills, the mortgage...I have to buy diapers and groceries. I can't afford to take a week off."
"You see all this paperwork?" Sully continued once Janet nodded. "You take all home with you, see if you can figure the damn stuff out. I'll pay you, regular wages, plus half your tips."
"I can't take tips when I'm not working for them."
"Yeah you can, and once you figure out what a mess these books are, you'll be begging to come back to work. No one can do my books better than you."
Janet accepted Sully's terms and headed for home loaded down with several ledgers and a box full of paperwork.
The coffee pot in the kitchen chimes, announcing the end of the brew cycle. Janet is just about to go pour herself a cup when she hears the bedroom door open. Eddie walks across the room in just a pair of boxers and collapses on the chair across from Janet. He yawns as he runs his hand through his hair.
"Do you know what time it is Meadows?" He folds his arms over his bare chest.
"I know it's early. Did the coffee wake you? The music?" The stereo is on and Janet knows she should have put on the headphones, but gave up when they didn't reach to the table.
"No, but what the hell are you listening to?" Although the volume is low, the band pouring out of the speakers is loud, wailing, and not Janet's usual fare.
"Pizza Girl made me the CD a few weeks ago. It's her favorite band. I thought I would listen to it, since she keeps asking what I think."
"It's terrible." Eddie grimaces.
"I kind of like it." Janet ignores Eddie's smirk. "You know, a few years ago when the band broke up? Pizza Girl drove all the way to Portland to watch their final show. "
"So? Big deal. Portland is only two and a half hours away. The way she drives? Like an hour and forty five."
"No, not Portland in Maine, Eddie, in Oregon." She says emphatically. "She didn't even have a place to stay, just got in her car with only her tickets and just drove. I think that's amazing."
"It's something all right, I'm not sure about amazing.
"Janet, " Eddie says after a few moments, "aren't you tired? After last night, I think you would be exhausted."
Eddie wasn't that surprised when Janet returned home shortly after leaving for the bar. They had turned on a stupid movie about an orphan who turned out to be a musical prodigy. Eddie had rolled his eyes plenty during the movie and was glad when Janet turned the TV off after the credits rolled and deemed the movie two hours they could never get back. He had been tired, and even though it was after midnight, and he had to be up early to start ordering the windows for the new job at the library, he had been in the mood for a quickie, but all hopes of that were dashed when Janet wanted to make love long and slow, complete with an endless amount of foreplay.
"I don't know, I just couldn't sleep. I figured working out this mess of Sully's would make me tired, but it hasn't."
"I think I have something better to wear you out."
Janet rests her gaze on Eddie's lap, realizing what he has in mind. She smiles and stands up, taking his hand. "You sure are a horny man, Latekka."
He kisses her mouth, his hand moving down her back. "Like you don't love it."
She returns his kiss. "I do."
As they make their way to the bedroom, Eddie pauses by the stereo. "This? Really bad. Tell that to Pizza Girl." He presses the power button on the stereo before shutting the door behind them.
During her week off of work, Janet attempts to get back to normal life. She wakes early each morning, puts on her sneakers and takes a long walk with the dog, some music, and her thoughts. She reads countless books to Maddie, sits with her on the floor to play with dolls and push cars around, and revels in her sweet baby smell each night when Maddie falls asleep in her arms after her bath. She and Hannah go to lunch several times and linger over coffee and deep conversation. Pizza Girl persuades her to go to the salon for haircuts one afternoon, and Janet is pleasantly surprised when she emerges from her salon chair minus all the colorful extensions, her hair cut into a stylish bob. She talks on the phone with Emily and bakes pie and cookies one rainy morning at the Rowans as the kids play together in the living room. Each afternoon, Janet drags out her cookbooks and prepares elaborate meals that are on the table by six for Eddie. She slowly becomes Janet Meadows again.
At night when the dishes are washed, dried and back in their place in the cabinents, Janet joins Eddie in the bedroom. They lie on their sides, facing each other to talk. Janet asks Eddie about his day, and in turn she answers all his questions and tries to explain her heartbreak. They talk for hours and then slowly make love. It never rivals their sweatiest or sexiest nights together but instead a sweetness comes from that lovemaking that Janet finds herself craving. She can almost feel Eddie picking up the pieces of her broken heart and easing them back into place.
Now Monday morning, she's back at work. She unlocks the door to the bar, hoping the morning will be slow so she can finish Sully's books.
"Please, please, please tell me you have coffee here."
Janet looks up from the ledger she's balancing behind the bar. A pretty, thin brunette woman is making her way across the bar, her heels clicking on the wooden floor. She's dressed smart, cute. An argyle sweater vest over a crisp, white dress shirt and a short, but not too short, black skirt. The kind of oufit Janet would wear if she didn't think she would look ridiculous. She sets a large white mug down in front of the woman and she turns to grab the pot she just brewed.
"Thank you..." The woman says to her as she pours her a cup.
"You're welcome, I'm Janet."
The woman sips her coffee without the addition of cream or sugar. "Oh my God, you're not Janet. " She says, after swallowing. "You are Queen of Coffee, Queen Of All That Is Right In This World. This coffee is almost as good as my husbands, and if he heard me say that, I would be cut off. "
Janet smiles. "Hungry?"
"Uh, try famished. Is the food good here?"
Janet nods, handing over a menu. She picks up her order pad, fully expecting the woman to order something low cal or non fat. She's willing to bet she's going to have to send back a highly specialized order back to Joe.
"What to have...hmmm...Pancakes? Eggs? Hell, I'll have the works, bacon, eggs pancakes...bring it on."
Janet giggles. "Really?"
"Yeah, you should see me eat, it's truly disgusting. I have horrified several small children, I don't think they will ever recover."
Janet refills her coffee cup and puts the order on the rack for Joe.
"So Janet. Do you know everyone in this town?"
"Pretty much. They all end up here drinking at some point."
"When I was driving in this morning, this guy was walking down the street. Tall, lanky, awkward looking with a funny little mohawk?"
Janet laughs. "That's Rooster."
"Rooster huh? Does he have a brother?"
"No, not that I know of. Why?"
"Dead ringer for a guy in my town, well minus the hair. I swear I almost took out a sidewalk full of people doing a double take."
"So what brings you to Knight's Ridge?"
"Well. I am meeting my daughter here. She's pulling a Jack Keroauc and I rarely get to see her. We were supposed to do this whole mother/daughter bonding thing this summer, you know go to all these different amusement parks, ride the rollercoasters, eat really bad food and try to win hideous stuffed animals by knocking bottles over. But, she got this job, it sort of just fell in her lap, and before I knew it, she was off on her little adventure. I only get to see her once in a blue moon. We talk everyday on the phone and text like crazy, but it's totally not the same. I miss her face."
Janet has to concentrate to keep up with this woman. She is talking a mile a minute and her hands gesticulate wildly to emphazise her point. Janet is willing to bet this woman slows down for no one.
The bar door opens, and Nick, Owen, Ikey and Eddie, holding Maddie in his arms, pile in, loudly.
"Janet!" Owen yells, waving.
"Ooh, now that's a nice looking bunch of men." She looks at Janet, who is smiling at Eddie. "Please, tell me one of those is yours?"
"Yeah," Janet actually blushes. "The tall one, in the flannel." She realizes there's a lot of flannel going on in their circle and adds. "The one with the kid."
"Cute." Janet's not sure if she's referring to Eddie or Madison. She's almost afraid to ask.
"Janet." Joe yells from the kitchen. "Order's up."
Janet brings several plates over and sets them down. The guys are at the end of the bar, staring, as she sets the plates down. "Can I bring you anything else?"
"Mmm, this looks great. I think it's all here. Go help them, I am going to stuff my face like a pig." She says this almost gleefully as she pours a large amount of syrup over her pancakes.
"Dude, who's the lolly?" Ikey whispers loudly when Janet reaches their end of the bar.
Janet sets coffee mugs on the bar as she fills them. "She's from out of town."
"She's hot." Owen says.
"Yeah? Well, she's married and she's meeting her daughter here." Janet leans over the bar to kiss Maddie on the head.
"I bet her daughter's hot too." Owen laments
"Dude, gross. No way does that chick have a daughter that's legal." Ikey counters.
"Oh, she's legal boys. And she's pretty...and smart."
Janet rolls her eyes and mouths "sorry" to the woman who just smiles and raises her mug to the boys.
The bar begins to fill up as Janet hands Joe another order for the guys. She's glad when Emily comes in for her shift, immediately ties on her apron and with a pot of coffee makes the rounds. She chats amicably with all the customers and Janet's happy, not only for the help, but that Emily decided to stay in the Ridge, if only to see where her relationship with Ikey was headed.
"Rory!" Janet hears as she's restocking clean mugs. She drops the mug that's in her hand, and it shatters on the floor behind the bar. Slowly, she turns around and searches the bar for the blonde, long legged beauty. She lets out the breath she didn't realize she was holding as she sees the woman embracing her daughter. Looking over, she sees Eddie smiling at her, his eyes twinkling as he offers Maddie a bite of pancake.
"See boys?" The woman calls over to the table as she smooths her daughters hair with her hand. "I told you...pretty."
"Mom, gross." She pushes her hand away. "I'm like five seconds in the door and you're already auctioning me off?"
"Shush, come...sit, sit. Are you hungry?"
"Like you wouldn't believe. All I had to eat yesterday was a stale bag of chips and a Snickers bar."
"Sounds like a good day to me. Let me look at you. You look older, wiser, taller. Did you get taller?"
"No. "
"You look taller. Unless..." she looks down. "AHA! I was wondering where those shoes were. You rat!"
"But they're comfy. I love them."
"I know! Why do you think I bought them?"
Janet brings a mug over to their end of the bar, breaking up the footwear fight. "Coffee?"
"Oh, yes please." Rory nods.
"Janet, this is my daughter, Rory."
"Nice to meet you. And I don't think I caught your name."
"Gah! My manners are crap today. I am Lorelai."
"Rory, can I get you something to eat?"
"I'll have what she's having, extra pancakes please." Rory looks around the bar. "Wow, mom, did you look around? It looks like Luke's closet threw up in here."
"Uh, hello? Eating. Can you refrain from talking about vomit please?"
"Yeah, sorry." Rory grabs a fork and reaches over. "Hello pancake." She says, happily, as she shoves the large bite in her mouth.
"So, Janet. Spill it. What was with that mug destruction over there?"
When Janet blushes, Lorelai continues. "It's got to have something to do with Flannel Boy over there."
Janet giggles, and nods. "I am so calling him that from now on."
"Oh my god!" Rory exclaims before lowering her voice several decibels. "Janet, is that Nicholson Garrett over there?"
Lorelai whips her head around. "Where?"
"That's him." Janet confirms.
"Mom, remember? 'Turtle on a Snare Drum'? I love that book." Rory sighs.
"Now that's putting it mildly. You read the thing six thousand times. In a week."
"I can't believe he's sitting over the...oh wait! Knight's Ridge, I didn't think it was a real place."
"Do you want to meet him?" Janet asks.
Rory shakes her head. "Oh, I don't want to bother him if he's eating."
"Trust me, it will make his day. He's old hat around here now." Janet yells over to Nick, waves him over.
"Nick, this is Rory, she's a big fan of your book."
A collective groan comes from a table across the bar. He turns around extending his middle finger.
"Now that's class Nicholson." Eddie yells out.
"Nice to meet you Rory." Nick says, turning back around.
"Can I go all geeky on you and ask some questions about your book?" Nick nods and leads Rory over to a table on the other side of the bar, far from the ribbing and snickering of his friends. They are soon deep in a conversation about all things literary.
"Ok, so let me get this straight." Rory says, pointing to the table as she and Nick return to the bar. "That's Freddie Venetta and that's Kevin Levin?" Nick nods.
"Hey." Lorelai asks. "Who's the other guy, the one in the Sox hat? Who was he in the book?"
Nick leans in, whispering. "He wasn't in the book, he's still creased about that."
"Creased! I can't believe you really say that! Thank you Nick, I appreciate all your time."
"Any time Rory, and next time I'm in New York, I will look you up."
"Well, well...look at you missy." Lorelai starts as Nick returns to his table. "Rubbing elbows with all sorts of celebrity. Working for Obama, talking books with Nicholson Garrett. Am I even good enough to sit here? Should I even be in this restaurant?"
"Hush. Hey, thanks for all the food Janet, I'm starving."
"So who were you in the book Janet?" Lorelai asks.
"Me? I wasn't in there. I didn't know Nick until a few years ago. But I did happen to steal Freddie from Tori."
"And Tori is really..."
Janet nods, "Rory."
"Evil, we hate her already." Rory says around a mouthful of eggs.
"Yeah! Down with Rory!" Lorelai adds. "Well, except for you sweetie."
"Thanks."
Eddie comes over to the bar. "Hey Janet, can you take Maddie for a second? I need to talk to Sully about something."
"What do you need to talk to..."
"None of your business." Eddie interrupts, his tone joking.
Lorelai turns on her stool to get a better look at Eddie. A small smile forms at the corner of her mouth as she takes him in, head to toe. "Hi. I'm Lorelai." She extends a hand which Eddie shakes. "And who's this cute thing?"
"I'm Eddie...Latekka." After a second, after Lorelai blinks withought saying anything, he adds. "Oh, this is Mads...Madison. Say 'hi' to the pre...the nice lady Mads."
Madison waves as Lorelai fawns over her dress. Janet is amazed that Eddie, a man who basically wears the same outfit on a daily basis, always turns out such a well dressed kid.
"Eddie, give her here, but hurry. Sully's not going to be happy when I am walking around waiting on customers with a kid on my hip."
"I will." He slides Madison over the bar. "It was nice to meet you Lorelai. " Janet notices Eddie's eyes linger on Lorelai's legs a moment too long, and she makes a mental note to wear a skirt sometime that week.
Janet trudges around the bar, clearing plates, talking to the customers, letting them coo over Madison. It was hard enough to bus that many tables quickly, but with a toddler on her hip, it was next to impossible. She prays Eddie makes it out of Sully's office alone, she doesn't need her boss pissed off once he sees all the tables in the bar are a mess. As she's pouring coffee for another table she hears Sully's voice boom behind her.
"Janet. Get over here."
"Shit." She says under her breath, and Maddie repeats the word. "No, no Maddie, don't say that." She turns around and walks towards Sully and Eddie.
"Let me see that little girl." Sully takes Madison from Janet and holds her up to his face. "Hey there you pretty thing. I'm gonna steal her for a second, we got some important things to discuss. And Eddie, you can drop that box of stuff off at my place later."
"Sure thing Sul." They watch as Sully sits at the table with Nick, Owen and Ikey, and starts chatting away with Madison.
"All what stuff?"
"Huh? Oh. First a kiss." Eddie says.
"What?"
Eddie taps his cheek. "Kiss, right there."
Janet kisses his cheek, noticing how good he smells. "What was that for?"
Eddie smiles. "I got you a week off."
"Eddie I just had a week off."
"And now you have another. It took some bargaining, but I did it. We're going away. Cradle Bay, one week."
"Eddie." Janet's voice lowers to a whisper. "We can't afford a week in Cradle Bay."
"We can, we aren't paying for anything but food and the gas to get up there, which will all be split."
"Split?"
"Yeah, we're going with Nick, Hannah, Sam, Owen, Allison, the kids...maybe Ikey and Phiz if Pizza Girl can do some major convincing."
"And we are staying where?"
"Sneaky Pete's old vacation place. He left it for the Commander"
"Oh Eddie, all of us crammed into a little shack doesn't sound like a vacation to me."
"Shack?"
She whispers again. "Not to speak ill of the dead, but Sneaky Pete was a cheap bastard. He never tipped when he drank here and he left behind a huge bar tab. So I can only imagine the palace he willed to the Commander."
"Janet, where is your sense of adventure?" Eddie shoots her a big toothy grin.
"And just how did you convince Sully to give me another week off?"
Eddie smiles again. "I got him a date with Lila."
"Lila? The clerk at the library?"
"Yup, she's lonely, and Sully has always been sweet on her. Now that her husband's gone, I did a little matchmaking."
"And he agreed to those terms?"
"Well, sort of. I had to throw in all my back issues of Playboy too."
Janet throws her head back and laughs. "Really?"
"Yeah, what's so funny. It's not like I need them anymore." He winks at her, pulling her close. He kisses her deeply. "Come on Meadows, what do you say?"
"Ok. Yeah, I'm in."
"Janet?" Janet turns around. "Thanks for everything. The coffee, feeding us."
"You're welcome, my pleasure."
"Here." Lorelai opens her purse, pulling out her business card. "This is my number at the inn. If you ever find yourself in Connecticut, you have a place to stay."
"Thanks, and hey I may just call if I have any questions about the catering stuff I was telling you about."
"Call. Anytime, even if you just want to chat." She hugs Janet. "Bye boys." She waves to the table as they wave back.
"Who's that?" Sully asks. "She's hot."
"Come on Rory, we got us a town to explore."