FSOG: Girl in The Garden
Adults Maybe Sometimes
"The three musketeers" or "the three inseparables"
Ray-pov
Sitting in the dark, in this uncomfortable hospital's 'supposed lounge' chair. Fading moonlights thru the window tells me dawn's still hours away. I silently fume, rage, and just wallow in self-loathing and despair. I failed my daughter; again. She didn't trust me enough to call me and let me know what was happening down here at college. Those bastards would never have laid a finger on her or Junior. If she'd just called me or Senior. What were they thinking? Too adult to need daddies help? To independent to need me: Like that is ever going to happen; while I breath. Now that boy's, in the picture.
I knew one day this would happen; I just thought with Annie's lack of interest in boys and the whole dating thing. I had more years to have my daughter to myself. Now! The boy! Already I hear rumor of moving in, Job at his company. I raised Annie to stand on her own two feet, not suck-up or ride the coattails of some kid billionaire!
Watching them in bed; the nurse refused to separate them, some bullshit about her vitals spiking whenever their apart. Wanting to separate them, beat money bags into a coma like Junior. But I can't.
The sleeping smile on Annie's face speaks more than any words can express. I've not seen that smile since before Carla ran off with that bastard Morton. My daughter is happy and I can't bring back the scared little girl ever again. I just can't! I'll have to make some accommodation with the boy.
A spike of muted light slices the room, must be another nurse's check. Ignoring them. I watch, waiting for my daughter to awake. Feeling a caring hand on my shoulder; looking up.
"Ray, get some sleep." Grace whispers to me.
"I can't while Annie; not till she wakes up."
"Her vitals are good and stable; both of their vitals are good and stable." Graces tries to reassure me.
"I still don't buy that horse shit about them not in two beds: separate beds in separate rooms!"
"Ray?" Grace huffs at me. I deserve it. My guilty from not being here to protect her is making me irate at lover boy, everyone. I need to be outside, hunting the last two creeps. But no one is letting Senior or me unleashed. Needing to let that go and concern myself with getting Annie better. So I sit here in the dark and worry, pray and wait for Annie to wake up.
Besides; I must not screw up Annie's first boyfriend. She deserves all the happiness in the world. My special girl!
"Daddy?" Whispers from the bed. Leaping up, getting to her side of the bed. The boy's still tucked under her chin, hand on her stomach. Spooned to her side. I long to break that hand, rip him from her bed.
"Annie?"
"Daddy. Behave." My daughter schooling me again, like always. Feeling Grace at my side.
"How are you feeling?" I ask, maybe if she's uncomfortable, I can move the boy.
"Head hurts, hand hurts, everything is good. Chris feels good."
"Do you want me to move him?" I beg, Grace grabs my arm. Warning me.
"Hell no! I just got him. Chris is everything. I love him."
"Annie? You just met him?"
"Yea, but I've been waiting all my life for him." Annie smiles in her half-awake face.
"You'll find someone else?" I say knowing that's never going to happen; My daughter has picked her soulmate, and neither hell or high water will stop her from keeping him. One failure on his part; I'm burying him so deep in the woods, it'll take years just to get to the site.
"Daddy! Behave. Who's the lady?"
"Anna. I'm Christian, Chris's mother. Grace."
"Cool; Chris is Christian, it suits him. Sir Christian de Sagramor le Desirous(1). No, Sri Christian Breunor le Noir (the Black) falls for little me, Bienpensant ("Well-thinking")." Annie day dream out loud, a common fault of hers. Makes for a lot of laughs. I have to smile. My girl is going to be ok!
"Lady Anna Mesdisant ("Ill-speaking") I think?" Grace giggles next to me. I wish I understood the conversations their having.
"Mom! That Anna Bienpensant ("well-thinking"). She uses to be Anna Mesdisant ("ill-speaking"). She's with me. Dagonet, Christian Dagonet. Who are you? Anna's dad?" Christian mumbles, as Annie giggles. Kissing his hair. He purrs.
"He's Raymond Steele; and your brother: Your older brother is Dagonet: the family clown and court jester." Grace interjects between the two kids whispers and giggles in the bed.
"She means Elliott?" Annie whispers
"Yea, lunker-head Elliott Dagonet with Kate Mesdisant" Christian whispers
"Well? Chris we are sisters. Live with it?"
"Ok, tired, sleep?" Christian mumbles wandering back to slumber
"Sleep; bye daddy, Grace." Annie's out again. But at least they woke up; that's a good sign. Turning to Grace.
"That was a good sign, awake, thinking, interactive. Very good signs. Ray. Get some sleep." Grace commands.
Walking back to the torturous chair; I can get comfortable enough to sleep. The time in the Army has allowed me to sleep damn near anywhere.
"Grace, did you understand what they were talking about?"
"I'll text you the story link; its Arthurian, The tale of La Cote Male Taile. Kinda Romeo& Juliet without the suicide." she says leaving me alone with the kids.
Watching them slumber; somehow, I feel better. If Jose(sr.) And Carrick are to be believed; Annie caught a good guy; not perfect but a guy who knows he got flaws and working overcome them. I'll think on it. Letting the happiness, she woke up in lull me to sleep.
(1)Mark Twain character Sir Sagramor le Desirous
(2) Breunor le Noir (the Black), characters in The tale of La Cote Male Taile (Malory's version)
(3) Bienpensant ("Well-thinking") Mesdisant ("Ill-speaking") same lady in The tale of La Cote Male Taile (Malory's version)
(4) Dagonet, Arthur's court jester
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Emmons-pov
"Dad?" Kate asks in the dark of the hospital room cuddled up to Elliott Grey. Cuddled to Elliott Grey the man-whore of Seattle. I always wanted better for my daughter; always thought she'd choose somebody like her brother Ethan. Solid, boring, stable, never dreamed: She'd picks someone like herself or me.
She hides behind a façade; she hides behind a mask. Like I do, everyone thinks me the great media whore. Always seeking the limelight, the cameras, the attention. They don't see the scared petty little man behind the mask, who just wants to be seen for his merits.
Kate is more like me; hard on the outside, soft on the inside. With a healthy dose of Katherine's lust for live, the daring to forge her own path. The hard nose reporter, the good time party girl, are just characters she plays. When she graduated high school: I thought that was all she would ever be, shallow characters in her life's great play. Didn't think anyone or anything could change her. My daughter was headed to dark side, forever. Then those first days of college; I worried!
She met and really connected with Anna; two weeks later that mean girl character from high school was gone for good. And the daughter Cate and I love; stood before us. With Anna she finally had a friend who saw the inner girl, accepted the outer facades faults; Showed her a better path to take.
Strange, fate the capricious nature of the gods; that my daughter would meet Anna in college. Stranger still, six degrees of separation bullshit. Grenada: The Hollywood movie war directed by Reagan. The first time I met Jose and Ray. The first time I tasted fire and brimstone, war. We each saw the others real person and not the mask. I know they made me a better man. I hope I made them better men? I think I did?
We would meet on and off over the next few years: the South American Bush/Cartel Wars, the conflicts in the Near East, Far East, Asia. Then the Gulf War, the First Gulf War: Embedded with Jose and Ray's unit. Special operations teams, deep forays into the empty desert.
The long nights, the screams of the dying and wounded enemy, the brutality, the horror. We bonded over those long days and unending night. Karma, fate, that we were all reborn in wars. losing parts of hearts and mind and gaining more humanity. A we were all raised within 100 miles of each other in Washington state.
Jose left the army first; his wife Maria couldn't take the punishment of him being away and in danger. Ray left the army; when Carla abandoned him. He always felt guilty about Lambert death. He was a good guy, but I didn't know him that well. But Anna was a doll. By then Catherine and I had Ethan and Kate. Anna and Kate are just months apart in age.
I remember when Annie came back to Ray. Catherine and I went down to see them. Ethan and Kate were at summer camp. Looking back, it's strange that girls never met till college. Maybe if they had met earlier Kate would've been better in high school. Catherine and I; thank God they finally met.
Then Junior showed up. And the trio was formed. I remember the pain of finding out Maria was gone; cancer took her, Junior's sophomore year in high school. How that devastated all of us. Sent Cate and me into bad behaviors; nearly destroying our marriage and lives. The Kids meeting in college helped us to get help and counseling. Making our relationship and marriage better and heather.
Now sitting in the dark, in this hospital room. Lost in thoughts of how do all we move forward; if we can. We all need Jose Junior, still has not woken up from the attack. To wake the damn hell up. We fear permanent damage. He was in surgery until almost midnight: They had to drill a hole in his head to relieve the pressure.
Senior is holding onto his sanity by a thread. Any more bad news; we fear Senior will never come back. Catherine is sitting with him in Jose's room. Senior and her have always had a bond: Maybe it was Maria. Maybe it was because Senior and Ray are her only true male friend. Senior and her seem to have experienced the similar things in their teenage years. Their friendship means more to them, than anything else. All of us adult cherish and work hard to hold the relationships together and sane.
After counseling; we decided to have an open marriage, stop the secret cheating. Stop damaging our children with our petty war for attention. The last few years while the girls attending college; Senior, Ray, Catherine and I socialized more, mostly just hanging out. I can do the guy things I love with them, without having to hide my simple pleasures. Made us realize, what's really important: friends, our children, been honest and true to each other.
"Daddy" Kate whispers.
"Yes, Katie" I ask.
"Jose? Anna?" She asks. She's more like her mother every day. Thinking of her friends before herself.
"Anna and Christian, are awake; Jose hasn't woken up yet."
"I don't understand daddy; why? They had already lost everything; why attack us and keep attacking us? It doesn't make any sense daddy?"
"Drugs, ego, who knows. I don't care why they did it. I'm only caring that they're punished for it: an if Junior doesn't wake up: Senior and Ray will never see the inside of a prison. How're you doing?" Changing the subject before I lose my sanity and run amok.
"Better, I thought: I had lost Elliott. He left me for the same fears: Marriage, commitment, monogamy. You and mom screw us kid's up pretty good. When he left me, all my old fears, all my old insecurities came back with a vengeance. I don't know why I went crazy; I don't know why it hurts so bad at the time. Looking back now, our love was so deep; it couldn't help being self-destructive when we denied it. When he came back to finish the building project, I hated him, and every second I hated myself more. We both did things that hurt each other: Hurt ourselves." I see Kate shake in the dark. "Then the attack; I remember looking over the wall, at the ringleaders crashed at the bottom of the slope. Anna giggle was strange: I asked about Chris, we didn't know it was Christian then. He was just 'hot jogger,' Anna did not tell me till later, he was stalking her. When I saw him, I thought an archangel had come down: an we're screwed. Turns out; we're rescued. Standing at the wall, Anna looked at me, and said 'hot jogger is mine.' Then when she met him at the movies: I knew what love was: I knew Elliott was it for me. All my fears were gone. All of his fears were gone. This man in my arms is it for me. We may never marry, but we will always be together. Your blessing?"
"Kate, ask me in 30 days. Your mother and I will give you an answer then." I say shaken.
"OK. You think Anna and Christian will marry?"
"Without a doubt!" I answer without thinking. Is that the truth? I think it is. "I'll leave you two alone. I need coffee" I get up and leave the room, needing the air. Stepping out of the room. Security is still tight. I start for the waiting room; I know coffees there. Suddenly Jose's rooms door opens; Catherine's head sticks out
"Emmons? Senior's bolted. I think he had a flashback of Maria. Tomas when after him. Please?"
"Catherine, I won't let him get in trouble." I say, heading to the elevators. In the elevator going down.
Think about us. I'm like an open can of gas waiting for a spark; Ray is a claymore mine, primed, ready, and willing all it takes is a sufficient trigger; Catherine like Maria was fire and ice; Jose, both Jose's, are cumulative. it's neither trigger nor the size of the spark. It's that last piece of straw falling on them.
Once Senior enraged, nothing will stop him, even if it destroys himself. I've never seen him this close to that ledge as he was last night, when Junior came out of the surgery. Not even Marie's death pushed him that far. Or that night in the desert.
Remembering the desert night during the Gulf war: forty miles behind the Iraq's back. We came across a freshly dug, still burning pit: Maybe 20; maybe 30 kids; Most not old enough for high school or middle school for that matter. We couldn't tell: Male or female; just body parts. They threw fragmentation grenades, white phosphorus, fuel oil into the pit. All you could tell, they were kids. Young kids: Jose and his fire team dump their gear and took off running into the night. We found them at dawn, we don't know if these Republican Guard did it; It didn't matter, this unit would never do anything like that again. Seemed very officer heavy.
Jose and his team had attacked with knives shovels: they'd taken may be a tent pole, maybe a rifle cleaning rod; and rammed it through each ear. Stringing the head between burning vehicles. They never said whether they cut the heads off first. We never asked. That the closest I've ever seen Jose to madness. Till last night; waiting for Junior surgery to end.
Coming out of the elevator; One of our security guys points to a side door leading into a site parking lot, were the smokers hang out. Exiting the hospital, I see Tomas and Jose. They're arguing about car keys. Heading to them. I need to diffuse Jose, before we lose him. We can't afford to lose both.
"Jose, baby what are you doing here" a pint size ball of energy engulfs him.
"Emmons? What are you doing here" A siren calls me from the side, turning "Lana?"
"My nephews in the hospital; What are you doing here?" Lana says. Catherine and I: We're referred to her bed and breakfast for therapy. We spent a lot of weekends over 6 months there, during the girls second freshman semester. Lana and Lulu helped save our marriage. We became good friends. I know with that old house: Their friendly with every Carpenter, Glazier, Plumber, and Craftsmen in southwest Washington State.
"What are you doing here" Lulu ask
"Anna, Junior, Kate's boyfriend was attacked yesterday. Junior's not woken up yet." I say, tearing up. Lana hugs me, comforting me. I let the tears fall in the safety of her embrace. Lulu is cradling a crying Jose.
"My nephew was attacked yesterday?" Lana asks questioning. Oh god please don't let her nephew be one of the druggie football players.
"Your nephew?"
Bitterly answering me "Yes, my nephew was attacked by a bunch of roid-raging football players." An evil glint in her eye.
"Are you related to the Grey's?"
"No, Elliott's birth father was my cousin. Why?"
"Elliott is Kate's boyfriend."
"Elliott's Kate is really your little Katie?" Lulu asks.
"Yeah?" I say unsure what is going on. Lana's nephew is Elliott Grey? The gods are really throwing dice hard today. First Kate and Elliott; Anna and Christian; now Lana and Lulu. What next Ethan and Mia Grey?
"Does Catherine know?" Lulu asks
"Yes, she's sitting with Junior upstairs, he hasn't awoken yet. Anna and Christian woke up a couple of times last night. Carrick and Grace are upstairs is well. Mia Grey's due this morning."
"Guys? We need to take this inside. The paparazzi is taking an interest in us, out here." Tomas says. They start herd everyone inside away from the cameras. That the last thing we need; the press.
"I'm not going. I'm going to hunt down those bastards and make them wished their parents had never been born to have them." Jose barks.
"Jose" I bark.
"Jose! Go inside." Says a commanding voice behind us. Turning its Paul, deputy commander VFW Washington State: Our buddy, our trusted pal.
"Paul?" I ask?
"Jose, there's no one to hunt." Putting his big ham fist on Jose shoulder. "The last two, carjacked the wrong grandma outside Sacramento. They'll need buckets instead of body bags. A Desert Eagle 50 with extended fifteen round magazine at close range all below the waist: Doesn't leave much, particularly with wad-cutters rounds. California Highway Patrol just notified me as I was pulling into the parking lot. The boss, Charles (commander VFW Washington State) sent me here, to keep the three of you off the warpath."
"Positive ID?" Jose begs, Lulu holds him firmly.
"I wouldn't have said so if not" PAUL says.
"Can we move this inside?" Tomas demands. We all head inside. Jose is leaning hard on Lulu, barely moving. Seeing tears continue to fall. He doesn't cry, not publicly: Lulu must be somebody he trusts. Hell, I trust her, and Lana. Arriving back on the floor; a hard guy with a scar across his forehead stops us. Won't let the girls or Paul in. "Where is Taylor?" I demand.
"Gail, took him to the house: food, shower, nap" forehead scar says
"Sawyer?"
"Sawyer took princess to the house?"
"Princess who?'
"Miss Mia Grey about a half hour ago." Forehead scar says
"Who is Sawyer and why is Mia Grey with him" Lana asks
"I don't know. I don't care. I'm the boss when they're not here. My name is Sutter." He barks. Jose turns reaching out, almost slow motion; till forehead scar Sutter slams into the wall. Collapsing in a heap on the floor. Blood tickles out of his mouth in between groans.
"You should have known better: Welch, Taylor, Sawyer, Ray, me, Carrick, Emmons: then Gail, Cate and Grace, then him. This is about family. Our family." Jose commands. Lulu whispers in his ear, they head out to Jose's room. Taking everyone else into the waiting room.
We walk into Graces, sitting with a cup of coffee starring out the window. She turns as we enter. She morphs into a big bag mamma grizzly bear. Lana step sideways turning into another grizzly bear. OK what is going on?
"Grace? Lana?" I ask confused; Can this morning get more confusing?
"Lana? Grace? So good you're here. Jose just woke up; Lulu and Senior are with him. The nurse is getting the doctors" Catherine says entering the room. Ignoring the intimate maternal violence about to commencement.
"Ladies? Catherine, how did Junior sound?"
"He's awake, he knows who is, he knows where he is. He's upset; something about a missed exam after dinner. He is more afraid of Anna's disappointment: Then being nearly killed. I told him, I'd talk to the Professor and the Dean, as well as Anna." Catherine laughs. We all laughed, the heat in the room drops considerably. Grace and Lana step back from the battle royal.
"Grace, Gwen called us. Elliott is my nephew. He is a Grey, your son, period. We both love him."
"Lana I'm sorry. With everything yesterday and the last few months. I've not handled this well." Grace says sitting back down. She looks defeated, before I can do anything. Catherine and Lana encircle her hugging her. Grabbing Paul sleeve; towing him back into the hallway. I notice Sutter's gone. "Paul?"
"Like I said it Emmons; my job is to keep you three: No, you five off the warpath and out of the papers (all media)." Paul says hugging me. I let all my worries and soak his chest. Paul is a good guy, a solid. None of us: Is the thinking straight right now.
"Five?"
"Ray, Jose Senior, you, Carrick, and Christian: Charles and the governor to say nothing of both state senators; do not want you five, getting out of hand. We don't want a repeat of you guys; like after Carla's last wedding: Demanding Anna pay and furnish the whole thing, in Georgia. Sent you guys into a frenzy. Ray buying a thousand round of ammo to be picked up in Georgia; You know they lost it then. Grace's parents arrive about 11 AM; After the governor, an both states senators meet with them in Seattle, before they fly down."
Paul looks around to make sure we won't be over heard; We've moved to the dead end of the hall, to a small seating, waiting area next to picture windows looking down on the rapidly growing parking lot of TV trucks.
"The implications go beyond Kate articles and the assaults. State police are taking over the college police department as we speak. Two of the football players parents are in Federal custody: The steroids we're some designer custom batch meant to evade testing; one parent created it, the other marketed. They both used their sons as guinea pigs. The College's Chief of Police and his two Senior lieutenants; We're the main steroid drug dealers. They had coaches and trainers in the conference, local college staff as their mules. That is why the Chief of Police and a Senior lieutenant encouraged. Hell! They authorized the assault Monday. The college police's most senior lieutenant arranged coverage Friday afternoon in the parking lot. They even blackmailed Jose's Junior ex-boyfriend, Lance something or other. To setup Jose and Anna for the ambush in the parking lot. They were supposed to kill everyone; but Anna's defense, Juniors' toughness, and Elliott Grey's determination; scared them off."
"All this pain and misery! A Frigging steroid drug ring got scared?" I ask incredulous: All this shit because the masterminds thought druggie football players were stable and not about to go amok. Well, they went amok and now we have to clean up the mess. I'm going to call my editors, and unleash hell on these people.
"I am calling my people!" I bark, my rage is in full bloom. Turning, I must get to a phone. My in a charger in Kate and Elliott's room.
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near 8am.
I wake up, in a hospital bed handcuffed, wires attached all over me. Looking left Carrick is in bed with wires attached; Grace sitting next to him, up right but a sleep. Looking right, Catherine is head back asleep droll soaking her blouse. OK what happened? I remember Paul? Did he taser me? Seems the weapon of choice here on family members gone amok. "Catherine"
"Your wake, good, are you going to behave?"
"Yes, what happened?"
"Paul told you no press: We have an exclusive tomorrow morning. Beatrice is writing the article as we speak, all the inside stuff. The FBI believes some 40 people stateside and another 50 offshore will be in custody by tomorrows dawn." she sighs.
"The two geniuses who cooked up this garbage didn't trust anyone; so, they videotape everything. The police didn't trust anyone and they videotape everything. The idiot football players taped everything from the gang rape Kate covered to a dozen other rapes and assaults: All on tape. The mules knowing: They're being blackmailed; taped everything. The Police have close to eight hundred hours of tape. They were using the old gym, Elliott was tearing down to store supplies, cook the shit and dump the toxic waste. How these idiots operated for close to year I don't know. The state police are going to charge them with six murders. Two of the rape victims committed suicide. The other four are football players: Besides the two outside Sacramento, one died in the hospital, heart defects, one of the football players jumped in front of the semi on Highway Five right after escaping from Kate's condo. Questions?"
"No, everyone's covered everything. Jose?"
"Juniors' awoke and is still awake; all his test are good; that Dean granted him a waiver for the miss exam. Senior is doing good under Lulu and Lana's Care. Anna is forcing Ray and Christian to play scrabble. So far, at last check: She's ahead 5 games to zero. Elliott is awake and whining whenever Kate is gone. They are watching a series of Rom-Com's with some car movie series: fury, fast something or other tomorrow. Mia apparently spent a month with Sawyer bouncing around the French Alps. They broke up, some misunderstanding or something. Their back together: Her and Gail are bringing lunch in a couple of hours. Taylor is arranging for most of us to go to our compound outside Grey Harbor. The press, not ours, tried to break in five times today. They even rented a cherry picker and try to get photos thru the window. Right now, if you behave I will uncuff you." Catherine leans over and kisses me.
"OK I'll behave. What is with the wires?"
"After your temper tantrum: The doctors noticed an arrhythmia. They are monitoring you overnight. So I arranged with Grace." Cate smirks in that naughty little girl way that harden my man. "We're watching British television sitcom Watching: all 56 episode and both specials. Ready for immersion into Merseyside? Well, we ladies don't care. Grace ready?"
"Hell yes. Let me call Barney to roll tape. Carrick wake up, your faking; Brenda and her sister Pamela and Malcolm are waiting on you. Every episode your eyes are closed: We will repeat it at least twice." Grace laughs
"I'm awake. I'm awake!" Carrick screams "Cruel woman!" She kisses sour puss.
"Hey, don't I get a kiss for behaving?"
"Why yes you do. If you really nice I might even un-catheters you." Cate kiss me. Shit I'm tubed. No sex tonight, unless I can sweet talk her into it. Maybe. I like Watching, can relate to Malcom's bird watching.
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Jose Jr-pov
Watching the moonlight filter thru the window pane. Lines of rainbow colors refraction's disturbs the dark room. I hear Dad and Lulu snoring in the arm chair next to the bed. How did I get here? Lance, that frigging turncoat sold me out to the football players. That revenge smile as I fell forward. All I could do was try to protect my head and spine. Pray someone would come to my aid.
Walking into the parking lot with Kate's emergency sex kit from her editor's desk drawer. She texted me to get it into Wanda before Anna heads out to her dinner date with Hot Jogger. We feel that if Anna's losing her v-card; it'll be with this guy tonight. So, I took the kit from Kate's desk and hurried to Anna's Wanda. I need to beat feet; I have my last exam in less than hour. My final in structural engineer code and forms. With an A; I can get hired: A part time intern or even as a part time second engineer. With Elliott back in the picture, I might get a job with Grey Construction. That would be so cool!
Plus, the money would lessen the burden on Dad. I know, he's working extra shifts at the Cabinet shop and making side pieces with Ray to help pay for our school. I have a dozen pictures under consideration for a gallery opening. Mostly landscapes from Kate, Anna, and mine last summer trip to Humboldt State for seminars on publishing, media, and visual arts. I know Kate's parents footed the bills. I did up a really good picture album for their last wedding anniversary. Lana and Lulu helped Kate's parents stop the bullshit cheating and move into an open marriage and more importantly rekindled their romance. That's gone a long way to calming Kate.
Flashback kicks my ass: Lance was waiting next to Wanda. I thought to beg me to take him back; that wasn't going to happen. When I caught him trying to sell photos of the girls to the Tabloids. Mr. Kavanaugh lawyers are slamming the little twerp twink. I doubt he'll be able to stay in college much longer, between Kate's family and him failing all his classes including Art history. How the hell do you fail Intro to Art history.
He smiles as I walk up to him. Kate's BMW, four cars over from Wanda; go swoosh into flames. Staring unbelieving what I'm seeing. I never see the guys jumping me. Just Lance's evil smile, walking away. I guess he got his thirty pieces of silver. Remember dad's advice; cover my head and neck the best I can. Blood red cloud my eyes; and screams that can only be me; echo in my ears.
Looking up thru the haze and distortions. Hey! Eight Annas.' Bloodied and shaking holding me. Crying, Kate and even Jogger boy. What happened. As the EMT's load me. I see the fire department hosing smoldering wreckage of Wanda. What happened?
When I woke, Cate; Kate's mom told me the footballers ambushed me, and Anna. Trashed the condo and caught Elliott walking in. Did a lot of damage to him. That two escaped: Everyone is hunting them. That security is tight and they're never getting in here. That we are safe. I can believe it when a heavily armed guy's escorted Dad and Lulu in to the room.
People will probably jump to the wrong conclusion about Dad and Lulu. Lulu was moms' best friend in Ohio, despite the age difference. I loved Grandma Narvaez, but she wasn't much in the save money way. Lulu was the one who helped Mom go to college. Lulu, the youngest daughter of a power couple, who couldn't be bothered by their very late in life birthed daughter.
Her mother was over forty when she had Lulu. All of Lulu siblings were already in college. She had no friends her own age, so she grafted on to mom, the ten-year younger daughter of the housekeeper next door. They were inseparable in many ways. With Mom, Lulu had someone she could count on to love her without motives or gain. A Mom had a sister, she could talk to, complain to, and even scream at. Who would never abandon her, like her birth father did. Lulu gave me my first camera when I was seven. A little 110 with a case of film.
When mom's health failed from the cancer, it was Anna and Lulu who held dad and me together. Ray helped us as well, but he couldn't empathize like the girls. Mom knew Lulu would never betray her trust. Which is why I know they don't sleep together; I know some of Lulu's friends sex up dad when he needs it. Her and Lana were too good of friends to mom to do that.
I feel heavy and yet awake; Anna is wake and with Jogger, who turns out to be Elliott's brother. Cool! If Ray doesn't beat him to death on fatherly principle that 'no one is that good for my daughter.' Anna's been shining since Chris helped Monday; was it just days ago that happened. I think it was.
I feel a hand touch my face, a kind lady looks at me, must be a new doctor. She has such kind eyes.
"Jose, I'm Grace. Elliott and Christian mother."
"Cool!"
"Anna wanted me to check in on you; How are you feeling?"
"Cool! Feel good, the drugs are great. My head hurts and my feet are still asleep. But the pin pricks hurt, the doctor said it would wear off. How Elliott and Anna? Dad won't tell me the truth."
"Junior! I told you what I know. I didn't sugar coat it?" Senior whines; Great he's awake.
"Elliott surgery when well, they repaired the tore lung, the broken rib, arm and leg. Unfortunately, we couldn't convince the surgeon to remove his horse's ass funny bone. He's already got Emmons upset with his humor." She smirks in the low light. I like her and she has Elliott pegged to a T. I laugh, it hurts my head and heals my heart.
"Anna on the other hand, has Ray ripping up the turf, by keeping Christian in bed with her. Your dad had to tickle Ray to prevent mayhem. Now? Have you been annoying Senior and Lulu?" She laughs.
"Yes, I have. Lana said she was Elliott cousin?"
"Yes, my children are adopted; Lana is Elliott's last blood relative." She sounds unsure about Lana or Lulu.
"Lana and Lulu are cool ladies. Mom, my mother thought the world of them; they stood by us when Mom died. When Anna came home. When I broke my ass falling in the semifinals BMX America cup when I was eighteen. So, get over whatever doubts you have about them. Ok?"
"I'm working on it. Now I have to return before my husband wakes and annoys the nurse. Can I get you anything?"
"Yes, balloons for Anna and Elliott. Anna it's a boy. An Elliott it's a girl or clown or both. Also get Senior one of those CPAP machines. He snores worse than Lulu. I need my beauty sleep; can't have lines and dark smudges under my eyes. What with the horde of tabloid photo bugs waiting to snap my Clark Gable good Latino hotness?"
"Junior!" Senior admonishes.
"Senior? How you had such a delusional ugly son; from such picture's perfect parents. Obliviously Junior takes after your side of family. Marie was an angel. Snore loud indeed; I have allergies." Lulu laughs.
"Why Lulu I couldn't agree more. Senior, Junior, I could recommend a good plastic surgent to make you passable." Grace laughs
"Junior shut up! Their no winning when the ladies' bond together to humble us poor males. Your mother used to joke that she was happy not to have a daughter for fear she would look like my sister, your aunt Roseline." Senior laughs.
"Ok, Ok! Everyone leaves, I'm a sore loser when I'm injured. Sent in the prettiest male nurses to sponge bath me. Everyone leaves. I want my Florence Gay Nightingale to massage my love pump." The ladies laugh leaving me. Till a female nurse older and more horse than Aunt Roseline enters with a basin and towels. I just can't win this week.
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8pm Sunday night: Welch-pov
I've just come from a conference with the doctors. The Police have had to call in the national guard for press and crowd control. Already false and inflammatory thing are flooding the air waves. The worse is the former college chief of police. He's screaming some conspiracy from the Greys and Kavanaghs to take over the college and ruin the football program.
While screaming that at every reporter; His lawyer is shopping a sell everyone-else-out deal around law enforcement agencies. The others are trying everything to not do hard time. The football players are brain fried. Most are now sedated. In padded rooms; after three of them tried to break out of jail by using a fellow prisoner as a batter ram on a door. When that failed; they tried to smash thru the steel security door like some really bad B-movie or cartoon. Running into the door until all three were knocked-out.
But that was earlier; right now. We need to get the families out of here. The hospital's shut down. Ambulances are having to reroute to Portland because they can't get thru the crowds. The arrangements I've come up with will not make anybody happy. But it's the best Roz, Gwen, John Tunney, and George Wells COO and head of Security for Kavanaghs, and me.
With the medical input; it should work. Walking into the waiting room to face the families. Good everyone is here. This is going to be a riot or cake walk. I'm betting on the riot; as the families are wound-up tight; anything could ignite them.
"Ok! I just came from the doctors; they have signed off on the moving of the kids out of here. This is how it is! And how it will be!" I check everyone is nodding. Ok, now the first match strikes the box.
"Elliott, Kate and Jose are going to the Kavanagh compound in Gray Harbor. Fully vetted qualified medical staff are waiting. With the Kavanaghs will be Carrick and Grace and Senior, The Trevelyan's." No one is complaining yet; ok the next match flares
"Ray, Anastasia, Christian, Jason and Gail are going to Aspen. Amelia with Marko as her new CPO."
"Welch?" Amelia and Sawyer bark, together, how cute. Amelia turns to him, hand on his chest. Searching his eyes.
"Luke? Your choice is CPO or head of detail and fiancé?" I give him the option: What will it be kid?
"Fiancé. Markos solid and we get along. Not a problem. Sir!" Luke says wraps Amelia in his arms.
Amelia and Luke are going to Orlando." I say here comes the Molotov's.
"If you think I'm going to Disney while my family needs me!" Amelia starts. Her phone rings. She ignores it.
"AMELIA! YOUR BOSS IS CALLING YOU. TAKE IT IN THE HALL!" I bark, haven't need that range since First Gulf War victory celebration in Forward CENTCOM HQ. She looks at her phone, answers it walking into the hall.
"Welch?" Carrick demands
"The only way we handle this: is to separate the family and force the press to follow. Now! Kavanaghs COO John Tunney will issue press statements from his office in Tacoma for Gray harbor. Ros will issue press statement for Aspen. Amelia is taking over for a senior elderly cooking school instructor with non-existent English skill for two-week training over Christmas, around Orlando; including Disney, Universal, and several high-end restaurants. Her Boss, La Chef is telling her right now. She will have a full PR team and CPOs out of Grey House Atlanta. Andrea, Grey's PA, has booked them in the Disneyworld Animal Kingdom Lodge Presidential suite."
"Why?" Cate Kavanagh asks.
"She will be the voice of the Families. The press will mob her; she has the talent and backbone to do it well. The press will soon tire outside the compounds; Public Amelia Grey is better press and the only speaking family member accessible. We hope to spread the press out." I huff.
"Main stream yes; but the fringe?" Eammon asks
"Without the cover of the regular press; We can neutralize each one. Besides Gray Harbor has nearly a mile buffer zone, Aspen has nearly a two-mile buffer zone. Anyone stupid enough to trespass; Well Carrick buddies in the judiciary might not take kindly to that. Especial with the tabloid press screaming special treatment for the footballers bail hearing Friday morning." I ask, everyone seems ok.
"Lulu and Lana?" Senor interjects.
"They will go to Gray Harbor; if they want to go home or visit? Not a problem. Ladies you will have a CPO's: an both PR teams would like a sit-down or secure phone conference?" They both nod.
"When does this happen?" Carrick asks, calmer better. Ok!
"Tomorrow morning at 3am: Motorcade-One will leave here for the airport with Anastasia, Christian, Amelia and crew. Amelia will drop off the bulk at Aspen and continue on to Atlanta and pick up her team. Enroute to Florida." Looking around.
Four National Guard ambulances with Motorcade-Two will leave with two as decoys will head to Seattle and Tacoma: while two with Elliott and Jose head to Gray Harbor. I've arranged with the police, hospital, and FAA for the families to fly out to Gray Harbor. The doctors refused to allow Jose or Elliott to fly. They did clear Anastasia. I've arranged press leaks and had your houses in Bellevue and Tacoma prepped for arrival." I take a deep breath this is going better than I thought. "We're hoping that Motorcade-One will draw the press away in a feeding frenzy. As we will show Christian carrying Anastasia to the Up Armored SUV. I've arranged several groups to mimic family getting into the other SUVs. Questions?"
"Vehicle security enroute? No Princess Diana!" Ray barks.
Motorcade-One will have twenty-eight SUVs; Fifteen Police cars and motorcycles, and four Washington State Air Guard Military Police M1117 Armored Security Vehicles at the Pearson Airfield to block the press. The Governor was most helpful when he'd heard the hospital was shut down by the rabid press. Half the SUVs will be decoys headed by road to Seattle. Christian plane will land minutes before we get to the airfield and take off with minutes of boarding."
"The Press is that bad?" Ray demands
"There are at last count four hundred accredited press crews and five-hundred-part timers or tabloid scum with about hundred protester and counter protester outside as of 7pm."
"Shit!" Most everyone says. Before anymore can be said Amelia and Luke reenter.
"Chef as asked me to take over a cooking seminar in Florida. Chef Soyer is elderly and caught a very convenient cold. So I have to fill in. I think he just didn't want to speak thru an interpreter or two one to translate his French dialect into understandable French and the other to translate to English." Amelia huff, while Luke is trying hard not to laugh. His normal stone face is lite-up like Christmas in Vegas.
"Chef Pierre did have a very heavy accent. And he is elderly, and Paris does have a Flu problem. And last I heard Orlando has mid-70s and dry weather this time of year." Grace says and the other lady's nod. Getting Mia in a better mood.
"I've arranged secure encrypted cell phones and video calls for everyone" I sweet the blow
"Mia, get Carol to have a wardrobe waiting in Atlanta for you. I'll even pay." Carrick says smiling at her.
"Dad! For the last time. Mia is dead. I'm Amelia now. Chef Amelia if it helps you remember old man." Mia laughs, faking a huff and a lightening the room.
I turn and head out to arrange the final moves. I have body double going to Aspen. With the real people going to one of the safe houses I created when I took over Grey Security and realize the danger his lifestyle could cause if made public. The Goat ranch north of Tahoe is the best bet. The Kids will fly out of Grove Field on a rented jet landing at Sierraville-Dearwater field just after dawn. The Goat ranch is just up road 650 past the Hot springs.
I wonder if the kids will partake at the hippy hot springs; But they have their own hot spring pool at the ranch house overlooking Lands and Sardine peaks. The closest the press could get is Bear Valley Campground. Below and nearly three miles away, nearly two miles from road 650. All the land controlled by or owned by Grey family trust thru two anonymous holding companies. The Goat ranch turns a nice profit providing fire suppression goat herds around California, Arizona, and Nevada. Nearly eight herds of between hundred to fifty goats each. The ranch does kids and endangered goat species breeding.
In fact, all six of the Safe Houses; I created around business are making a profit. From the Aquaculture in Louisiana and Florida and Maine to the heritage stock breeding ranches in Montana, California. To the newest experimental wind farm in on Guam's Mount Lamlam eastern slope. Studying typhoon resistant wind generation while providing fifty percent of the Hagåtña power needs. Already several patents have yielded large licensing fees.
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Monday 7am
Sitting in The Plainsman, waiting for my meat lover's omelet with hashbrown and a side of bacon. Sucking my first of two Bloody Mary's. Everything when like clockwork. The press bit and screwed up. The breakaway of one SUV to Grove when un-noticed. The Motorcade-Two when off without a dent or scratch and the families are unaware of my Aspen deception, I told Jason and Luke at the last minute. An Amelia's cell phone won't work till after Atlanta.
This is my last time in the next sixty days to eat or drink like this. The Doctor and Bailey's (Roz and Gwen) are putting me on a healthy diet and limiting my alcohol. I need a cigar; but my crew's corrupted by Gwen to deny me that pleasure till my blood pressure get below 100 for a month. How in this job is that even possible? "Waitress, my next." holding up the empty Bloody Mary glass.