Chapter 42

Hi faithful followers - sorry for the delay. Here's chapter 41, i hope you enjoy.

...

"Okay Брат, You handle our lawyer and I handle your witness. Consider him 'handled'."

"Don't under estimate him; I did."

"Well, you are the little Брат so let your older brother bail you out, again." Vasily laughed.

George got out of the car and drew his coat around himself. "Thanks for the cell. I'll head to casino row

to find Dennis."

The brothers shook hands and wished each other good luck.

"Close the door already! Colder than fuck out there!"

George did so and with one last wave, he headed to the bus stop.

Lynn was happy to see the hotel buzzing with activities but she despised the participants. Between their

costumes, lingo and antics, she was ready for the sci-fi convention to be over. She ventured out of her

office only when the group's activities were in full swing to avoid their hi-jinks.

She went to the front desk to check on Abby Dunn. "How you doing? Long night?"

"I'm good. I thought I was hallucinating around three in the morning. I looked up a saw a lightsaber fight

in the lobby. Complete with betting and cheering. Crazy nerds." Abby laughed until she realized Lynn

had no clue what she was talking about. "Ever see 'Star Wars'?"

Lynn shook her head.

"Energy swords, hero vs. villain. Great sci-fi movies." Abby laughed. "It was an amusing show."

"Just don't let the nerds destroy the lobby, please Abby."

"Will do, boss."

Lynn went beyond the front desk, passed the corridor leading to the garden. As she passed, a vision of

Steve's smiling face crossed her mind. She slowed her walk without realizing it. The navy man was in

her life so briefly but changed her mindset drastically.

Reaching the coffee shop, she was pleased to see every seat was occupied with happy nerds eating,

while hungry people were waiting for their turn.

Crossing the lobby, she noticed people were already lining up for the lounge. Checking her watch, she

noted that the lounge wouldn't open for another couple of hours. Lynn stopped at a group of young

adults. "Are you here for the New Jersey Music Night?"

"No, ma'am. Tonight's trivia night! We haven't missed a one since it started." The young man was

definitely the leader of the group. "Only one of us has won a 'Jersey Proud' bumper sticker. We all

want one. But we want to earn it."

"We appreciate your patronage. On the behalf of the Traveler's Oasis, welcome. Enjoy your trivia

contest." Lynn smiled. "I wish you all luck in your quests." That said, she moved on to the gift shop.

"Hello Lauryn." Lynn greeted the clerk. "How are things?"

"Going well, business is good, real good." Lauryn chuckled. "These conventioneers love their little

souvenirs. And bottled water, candy bars, gum and sundries. Thank you for following my suggestion to

stock ear plugs, aspirin, decongestants, and tooth brushes and so on; we're almost sold out." She

reported happily. "Even the stock room is almost empty."

"Great suggestion! Look for a modest raise in your next paycheck." Lynn said with surprised smile. "Be

sure to keep stock and be ready for these little conventions." She started to leave. "Good work,

Lauryn."

Returning to her office, Lynn changed Lauryn's hourly rate, increasing it by .15 cents. Upon further

reflection, she increased her hourly rate by .25 cents. Without George's constant interference, it felt so

good to reward a good employee for quality suggestions and good work.

A knock at her door. "Yes?"

In came Adam Nosimuri.

"Hello Lynn. This convention is wild. Have you gone out to 'experience' it? We have everything from

Buck Rodgers to Flash Gordon to Luke Skywalker. Even Robbie the Robot is here. Whoever arranged

this should get an appreciation award!" Adam seemed genuinely excited. "Why haven't we done this

before?"

"That would be me." Lynn smiled. "George forbade it."

"How did you arrange it so fast?" Adam asked, genuinely interested again.

Lynn was surprised at Adam's reactions to things. She was cautiously optimistic. "They had a hotel all

set up in New York City. It burned down two weeks before the convention so their coordinator reached

out to all the local medium hotels. I saw their requirements and realized we could accommodate them

so I reached out and here we are."

Adam was nothing but supportive. "Wonderful. Why hasn't the hotel done convention before?"

"I tried but George forbade it." Lynn blurted out. She saw Adam's reaction and continued. "He said the

hotel couldn't accommodate such events. No matter how I assured him the hotel and staff could do it,

he wouldn't give us a chance."

"Why did you even involve him in decisions?"

"Because if I didn't, if I did things without his approval, he'd smack the living shit out of me." Lynn

shrugged when she saw Adam's reaction. "You didn't know?"

"No. But I suspected." Adam said quietly. "You aren't that clumsy. I'd talk to George and he'd play

dumb. The man has no honor. I'm sorry, Lynn. I wish you would have come to me."

Lynn shrugged. "I didn't dare. I had a choice: either turn and bite my master or just submit. Either way,

this dog got kicked. So it was the same outcome, so I quit asking. It was easier that way, less painful

too."

Adam lowered his eyes. "I'm sorry, Lynn. I should have gotten involved."

"I should have asked for help." Lynn said flatly. "Oh well. Time marches on. Spilt milk and all that. I

have no time for regrets, I am focusing on keeping this hotel, this business open, thriving." She smiled.

"Walking the lobby today, I saw employees, happy that their suggestions were listened to, utilized,

realized. And it's working: the 'showroom' acts, gift shop inventory and so on. Our coffee shop has

been so busy that we've had to double our last two inventory orders. And the lounge, if things continue,

it will show a healthy profit this quarter instead of being a drag on our bottom line. Room occupancy

has doubled, not including the convention participants and I even have a wedding reservation for the

garden."

"So George being arrested has brought a big silver lining." Adam concluded. "Let's cut him out of our

partnership, permanently. We don't need him."

"'We'?"

"Why not?" Adam sat back and crossed his legs. "Every time George took the lion's share of the

month's profits, I'm the one the kick in the working funds the hotel needed. Out of all properties I share

with George, I live here. I take pride in this hotel."

Lynn found herself sitting tall pride, smiling. "Thank you, Adam. That means a lot, truly."

Steve squirmed.

"Sit still, please." Dr. Charity said yet again.

"Ssorry."

"Every time you squirm like a child, I have to pretty much start all over again." The petite doctor said

softly. "I would think you're hungry."

"Uh-huh."

"Well, if you've healed enough, you may go a soft diet."

Steve's eyes snapped open at the suggestion of food. His lush, blue eyes darted toward Catherine,

pleading for her too be his voice.

"Soft foods, doctor?"

"Scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, soup, pudding…" Dr. Charity suggested while examining Steve's

jaw.

"Bacon?" Steve asked with his mouth hanging open.

"Too crunchy. Soft food, designed to keep pressure off your healing bones." She tsked tsked. "Bacon?

Really? I would think you'd ask for steak.''

"Uh-huh."

"When?" Catherine asked when Steve gestured to his watch.

"Possibly in time for lunch." The doctor said, deliberately vague.

"T'day?" Steve managed even though the doctor made it difficult to speak.

"Uh" Dr. Charity hesitated. "Steve, please, sshhhhh."

He sighed mightily. "O-ay"

Dr. Charity smiled in spite of herself. Steve may be a rough, tough sailor but still a boy at heart. She was

pleased with progress of healing on his jaw. She examined the back of his head. "Even the back of your

head looks good. You have new hair starting to grow."

"Wwill itt cover the ssccar? Iii'm getttting mmarriedd sooooon, ggott tto llook ggood."

Dr. Charity smiled and looked at Catherine, who beamed. "Nobody will be looking at the back of your

head, mustang."

"Besides nobody pays attention to the groom, it's the bride's day." Dr. Charity said as she continued to

examine Steve's head.

"Bbutt wwhenn wwe face tthe alltar…"

"I see your point." Dr. Charity chuckled. "The rate the new hair is growing and the length you wear

your hair, you should be good to go in another four to six weeks."

Steve literally breathed a sigh of relief.

Again, Dr. Charity and Catherine exchanged amused looks. "Do I have your word Commander that you

will not eat anything approved by a nurse. Or me. Will you be a good boy?"

Steve lifted his right hand. "I sswear." He promised in a solemn tone.

"Okay. I'm holding you to your word." Dr. Charity hit the call button. Nurse Jenny appeared within

seconds.

"Yes, Dr. Charity?"

"Miss Jenny, Mr. Steve has given me his word…" Dr. Charity stated.

"His solemn word." Catherine added, ignoring Steve's sharp look.

"…. That he will eat only what we authorize him to eat. Help me take off his jaw stabilizer."

Jenny smiled and moved to Steve's other side. Together, the medical women loosened then removed

the jaw stabilizer.

Feeling free, Steve smiled, then he laughed.

Catherine was happy to see his infectious 100 watt smile was intact and beaming brightly. "Mustang."

He moved toward his fiancée and took her into his arms. "Catty Cat."

With a long, lingering kiss, Steve felt things in his world were finally getting back to normal.

"Welcome to staff, Mr. Azov." Connie shook Vasily's hand. "You'll start on the fourth floor, tomorrow

morning."

"Fourth floor?"

"General medicine, recovery from surgeries…basic stuff. As far as L.V.N. duties, standard stuff. I'm sure

the charge nurses will be happy to teach you things you'll need to finish your nursing degree." Connie

searched around her messy, buried desk while assuring him as she handed him vouchers for scrubs, an

employee I.D. badge.

"I'm sure working here will be quite rewarding. It will make my brother so proud."

"We need to get these info packets out faster."

"Okay, take easy Officer Kelley. We are going as fast as we can. We're police cadets, we help with

searches, canvassing, flyer distribution. We do this all the time. We know what we're doing."

Kelley chuckled. "Okay. When the boss comes in here and chews your asses out, don't say I didn't warn

you."

The cadets collectively rolled their eyes and continued working at their slow pace.

In spite of himself, Chin jumped slightly when Danny brust into the room. "How many boxes of packets

are ready to go?"

Chin leaned against the wall, observing the volcano about to erupt.

"We have twenty five, twenty six packets ready to go." The lead cadet reported.

"Twenty six?! I put you idiots in here forty-five minutes ago. What in God's name have you been doing

in here? I have a friend in danger, this SOB has already murdered. I have troopers rolling out in ten

minutes. If I don't have forty-four packets ready to roll out with the patrol units in…" He dramatically

checked his watch. "I'm going to end some careers before they even start. Get me? Nine minutes."

The cadets all blinked at the lead detective.

Danny lost his Irish/Italian temper. "ATTENTION YOU HALF WITS: I NEED TO SEE ELBOWS AND

ASSHOLES. I NEED NINETEEN MORE PACKETS IN FIVE MINUTES OR I'M GONNA START KICKING

SERIOUS CADET ASS! NEXT TIME, I'LL CALL THE FREAKING GIRL SCOUTS!"

Chin accompanied Danny to the hallway. He barely suppressed laughter as Danny slammed the door to

the conference room.

"You think I'm kidding? I will call the freaking girl scouts." Danny's eyes were angry.

"They are cadets, boss." Kelley pointed out. "Young and learning."

Danny smiled. "Oh shut up, Kelley. I have little joy in this job. Torturing cadets I enjoy. Leave me be."

"Yes sir."

The conference room doors opened. "Here you are sir. Forty Five suspect packets sir." He proffered

the box to Danny with a nervous smile.

"Finally!" Danny took the box from the cadet, who saluted smartly. Ignoring the cadet completely,

Danny quickly made his way towards the patrol roll call room with Chin Ho Kelley following behind.

Lynn and Adam had an early dinner in the coffee shop, surrounded by Princess Leias, Han Solos and

even Starbucks and Apollos.

"Don't these people have lives?" Adam asked as a life sized E.T. walked by their table to meet friends in

a large booth.

Lynn chuckled as she sipped her glass of merlot. "Good thing they don't. This group's organizer has

already made reservation for their fall event to be held here. He gave the deposit this afternoon."

"Amazing." Adam sipped his own wine. "They have two conventions annually?"

"Yes; once every six months. Their director said this only represents a third to half the participants they

usually have. Their hotel cancelling them really hurt attendance and vendor tables. There are minor

celebrities that usually come for autograph sessions all bowed out."

"That's regrettable." Adam sympathized. "Well, as far as conventioneers go, they're fairly quiet, clean

up after themselves. Housekeeping reported no rooms have been trashed. In my opinion, they are a

great group. It would be nice if they spread the word. Maybe we could have day seminars. Perhaps

public seminars on computer skills or a gardening seminar."

Lynn smiled at the thought of her garden. Her mind wondered to Steve, sitting in the rose 'room', sitting

on the bench, with his shirt open…pants undone. She was jarred into the present by Adam, asking

question. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Don't you think we could have weddings in the garden? Close the lounge or coffee shop, reconfigure

and have a reception and dancing. Or reception in the coffee shop and dancing in the lounge. What are

your thoughts?"

"Both are good ideas. We have a deejay in Eric. He's also a singer. Maybe we should get him a band."

Lynn started laughing at the thought.

So did Adam. "My night clerk really blossomed into an entertainer. Who knew?"

"I sent him to the lounge to punish him and instead he starts a new revenue stream for the hotel."

"Why were you punishing him? He's an exemplary employee." Adam asked genuinely surprised.

"I felt he challenged my authority in front of the police." Lynn said matter-of-factly. "I figured he'd

learn so respect from old George." She shook her head. "I was convinced on taking a chance on his

ideas."

"By who?"

"My navy friend; he has some really good ideas."