****
All four of the hung over spent most of the day either with their heads on their desks or trying not to overdose on coffee and aspirin. Their fearless leader could only chuckle in the privacy of his own office for fear of getting his throat ripped out by one of the hung over.
About 1 in the afternoon, he took pity on them and decided to buy them whatever they wanted for lunch. It was precisely at that time that a soft knock sounded on the door to the nest. At first no one heard it. Monica and Cody were both asleep, Cody drooling just a smidge as Monica had her face covered with a file. Jake was with Alex in the gym and both were preparing to get in a work out with the hopes that some exercise would help their headaches.
It was Frank who heard the knock at the door the second time. He stuck his head out of his office door to suggest someone get the door. At the sight of Monica and Cody, he shook his head with a soft laugh and headed towards the door. If only they realized how sad they looked he was sure they'd have called in sick instead of coming in.
Mandy sighed and stepped back from the doors. This was the address Alex had left with her this morning. She looked around at the neighborhood. It wasn't exactly what she'd call an office location. But then again, Alex did odd work and Mandy had learned not to ask questions. She set the basket she'd been holding down and fished through her purse for a piece of paper and a pen. Quickly she scribbled out a note to leave on the door. 'Alex, tried knocking but no one answered. Guess you're all either dead to the world or out at lunch. Sorry, I should have called first. I suppose everything I prepared can keep until dinner. See you at home. Amanda' She folded it up and slipped it under the door. Picking up the heavy basket, Mandy turned around and headed back out towards her rental car.
Frank put his hand out to open the door when the folded note hit his shoe. He bent down and picked it up. After skimming it quickly, he whipped open the door to see a slender blonde sashaying down the alley looking like she had an armful of something.
"Amanda!"
Amanda stopped dead in her tracks. Slowly she turned around as she heard footsteps behind her. Her heart began beating in her throat and her mouth went dry. That... that was Frank's voice. She watched him walk up to her, a look of amazement on his face. He hadn't changed in the past year. The silver at his temples had become more pronounced and he'd trimmed his goatee a lot closer. But on the whole he was exactly the same. She wasn't sure if she wanted to jump him or deck him.
Frank stared at Mandy. She looked different than he remembered her. Her hair was longer and a darker blonde color, but still looked like tightly twisted fusili. She was more slender, that had to be it. "Let me get that Mandy." he said softly as he reached for the basket in her arms.
Her first instinct was to tell him to go to hell. But she didn't say one word as he leaned forward and took the basket out of her arms. It felt good to have that load off of her. "Frank..."
"Mandy?"
"Don't drop that basket. It's everyone's lunch and I worked too hard making it for you to drop it."
****
All four of the hung over spent most of the day either with their heads on their desks or trying not to overdose on coffee and aspirin. Their fearless leader could only chuckle in the privacy of his own office for fear of getting his throat ripped out by one of the hung over.
About 1 in the afternoon, he took pity on them and decided to buy them whatever they wanted for lunch. It was precisely at that time that a soft knock sounded on the door to the nest. At first no one heard it. Monica and Cody were both asleep, Cody drooling just a smidge as Monica had her face covered with a file. Jake was with Alex in the gym and both were preparing to get in a work out with the hopes that some exercise would help their headaches.
It was Frank who heard the knock at the door the second time. He stuck his head out of his office door to suggest someone get the door. At the sight of Monica and Cody, he shook his head with a soft laugh and headed towards the door. If only they realized how sad they looked he was sure they'd have called in sick instead of coming in.
Mandy sighed and stepped back from the doors. This was the address Alex had left with her this morning. She looked around at the neighborhood. It wasn't exactly what she'd call an office location. But then again, Alex did odd work and Mandy had learned not to ask questions. She set the basket she'd been holding down and fished through her purse for a piece of paper and a pen. Quickly she scribbled out a note to leave on the door. 'Alex, tried knocking but no one answered. Guess you're all either dead to the world or out at lunch. Sorry, I should have called first. I suppose everything I prepared can keep until dinner. See you at home. Amanda' She folded it up and slipped it under the door. Picking up the heavy basket, Mandy turned around and headed back out towards her rental car.
Frank put his hand out to open the door when the folded note hit his shoe. He bent down and picked it up. After skimming it quickly, he whipped open the door to see a slender blonde sashaying down the alley looking like she had an armful of something.
"Amanda!"
Amanda stopped dead in her tracks. Slowly she turned around as she heard footsteps behind her. Her heart began beating in her throat and her mouth went dry. That... that was Frank's voice. She watched him walk up to her, a look of amazement on his face. He hadn't changed in the past year. The silver at his temples had become more pronounced and he'd trimmed his goatee a lot closer. But on the whole he was exactly the same. She wasn't sure if she wanted to jump him or deck him.
Frank stared at Mandy. She looked different than he remembered her. Her hair was longer and a darker blonde color, but still looked like tightly twisted fusili. She was more slender, that had to be it. "Let me get that Mandy." he said softly as he reached for the basket in her arms.
Her first instinct was to tell him to go to hell. But she didn't say one word as he leaned forward and took the basket out of her arms. It felt good to have that load off of her. "Frank..."
"Mandy?"
"Don't drop that basket. It's everyone's lunch and I worked too hard making it for you to drop it."
****
