Ch 2

Kendall had just finished unpacking the box of books in the small study in the upstairs of her new house when she heard the doorbell ring.

"I've got it," Hannah called.

"Ask who it is first," Kendall called back.

"Yes, Mom."

A few minutes later Kendall went downstairs herself after she'd folded the boxes up so she could store them out in the garage. "Hannah? Who was at door?" She asked as she made her way from the great room, where the stairs were, to the front door. She stopped dead in tracks when she saw Myrtle Fargate in the doorframe. "Oh my God."

"Kendall?"

"Mom?" Hannah sounded a little worried.

Kendall focused on her daughter. "I'm fine sweetie. Would you do me a favor? I left the folded boxes from the books at the bottom of the stairs. Could you put them in that storage closet in the garage?"

"Sure," Hannah said agreeably. She went to do as her mother had asked and Kendall faced Myrtle again.

"Come in Myrtle," Kendall invited quietly.

"Thank you," the older woman accepted the invitation and closed the door behind her. "I must say it's a surprise to see you in Pine Valley again. But Hannah is an even bigger surprise." Myrtle smiled wistfully.

"What?" Kendall asked, seeing the smile on the older woman's face.

"When she first opened the door, her eyes struck me as being so familiar but I couldn't figure out why till you came in."

"I don't understand."

"She has Mona's eyes, as do you."

Kendall tilted her head, "Thank you. I think that's the best compliment I've ever gotten."

"Well, you're welcome. Does Erica know you're here?"

"No. I- No, she doesn't know I'm here," Kendall said with a bit of difficulty.

"Well, it won't be long till she finds out. I mean Greenlee will find out when you go back to work at Fusion."

"Oh Myrtle, I won't be working at Fusion."

"Why not?"

Kendall smiled, "Come over here. I want to show you something." She led Myrtle back into the great room and stopped to the left of a fireplace. "That's why I won't be working at Fusion."

Myrtle looked at the framed document and then at Kendall. "You're a doctor?"

"I just finished my residency. I start at St. Paul's on Monday," Kendall said proudly.

"Mona would have been so proud. Both of her granddaughters are doctors."

"What?"

"Bianca started her residency at PVH in July. She matched, is that what you call it, in psychiatry."

"She'll be good at it. How is she?"

"She's better. She's much better."

"Good," Kendall nodded. "Do you want some tea?"

"You read my mind."

~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~

"How's the hangover?" Simone Martin asked as she sat down across from Aidan Devane at S.O.S.

"Peachy. What can I do for you?"

"I was just getting lunch and I saw you over here."

"And you decided to be sociable? Thanks Simone. Now go away."

"Ooh. Aren't we in a mood?" Simone smiled.

"Why are you talking to me? Mia divorced me, remember? I'm public enemy number one around you girls."

"Well, actually, my lunch date just canceled on me so I thought I'd torture you while I ate," Simone smiled.

"Oh? Hubby busy at the office?"

"No I was supposed to have lunch with Carolyn but she just called me and told me that Jake wants to talk to her about something."

"And did your dear sister-in-law sound worried?"

"Why would she be worried?"

"Mia's a free woman again. Jake never did seem to get over her."

"You're crazy," Simone rolled her eyes. "No way would Mia ever take back someone who lied to her."

"Ouch," Aidan feigned an injury. "Direct hit, Simone. You've got great aim."

"So Tad tells me," Simone smiled.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Thanks," Kendall told the pizza delivery guy before she shut the door. "Guys? Dinner," she called as she went past the empty dining room and into the only room with a table at the moment. She settled onto the couch of the family room and put the pizza down next to plates, cups, and a bottle of soda.

Erin was first and then Hannah. Tyler was last to arrive. He took the empty space across from Kendall as he settled onto the floor.

"You guys all settled into your rooms?" Kendall asked between eating.

"Yeah. Erin and I are in the rooms that share the bathroom," Hannah said after she finished chewing.

"Oh. That's good. Sharing a bathroom with a guy is a messy experience. No offense honey."

"Well, it's not like I want to share a bathroom with someone who's going to be leaving make-up everywhere in a couple of years," Tyler groused.

Kendall smiled before she continued speaking, "So, tomorrow we get you guys registered at school. There's a good Catholic school a few blocks away. That's okay, right?"

"Uniforms?" Erin, the fashionable one, groaned.

"Sorry Er, but the public school on this side of the tracks isn't that great and I'd rather have you safe than trendy," Kendall said, settling back against the couch with her soda.

"Okay," Erin consented. "Maybe we can go to a public high school," she ventured hopefully.

"We'll talk about that when the time comes. You've got about five more years before that becomes an issue. Anyway, after we get you registered, we should get some more furniture for this place. But before that, we'll have lunch somewhere. Sound good?"

"Okay. Hey Mom?" Tyler asked.

"Yes?"

"Can we check out the park if we have time?"

"I think we can manage that," Kendall smiled.

~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~

"Ryan?"

Ryan looked up from the article he was reading. "Hey Brooke, what are you still doing here?"

"That's my question. It's nearly ten o'clock. What are you doing here? Go home."

"Giving Greenlee ample time to get her furniture."

"I thought she was all moved out."

"Nope. It would seem her furniture is still there," Ryan said quietly.

"What happened to Italy?"

"She says that Fusion needs her too much right now."

Brooke nodded in sudden understanding, "A ploy?"

"Something like that. I don't know what her game is but I'm not in the mood to play it. You got any articles that need reading?"

"No, that's the last one for the night. Go home after you're done. If Greenlee is there toss her out."

"Good idea," Ryan smiled lightly. "See you in the morning Brooke."

"Night Ryan."