Author Note: …poor Kitty….sidelined like that! What was this author thinking? Now she needs to be tended to….who can do that better than…..

Chapter 06 – You Want Me To What?

T7S

New Year's Day dinner consisted of a cold bucket of fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy and coleslaw. Kitty looked at the lump of congealing gravy on her plate and gave Red the saddest expression. "You couldn't have just grilled me a cheese sandwich?"

Red sighed and carefully sat down on the cushion next to his wife. "Honey, there's been a little situation I need to talk to you about and if you think about it….it's going to work out for the best."

She sipped her tepid tea and frowned. "Just spit it out Red, there's nothing wrong with my head. Just my back."

Red rubbed his palm over his balding head. "Well, I made arrangements for Jackie to stay here." He held up his hand to prevent Kitty from protesting. "You need…you need a girl around to help you with your girl….stuff. I mean look at Eric, he nearly passed out getting you to the bathroom."

Kitty glared, "Like you were a shining star yourself." It made Kitty feel a bit better to see him look somewhat shamed.

Red took the affront calmly, "Jackie will be here during the day to take care of you and then she's getting as part time job in the evening. I told her she could stay in Laurie's room since Tonto packed up her belongings and kicked her out of the teepee."

Kitty couldn't help but grin a little bit. Heartened, Red continued. "Now, Eric is working on getting a part time job also, but in the morning so that he can help you at night while Jackie is working. See? It works out perfectly."

She looked up with a critical eye, "And what will you be doing in the meantime Red?"

"Oh!" He knew she was going to ask that, he just wasn't ready to answer, "I'm getting a job also to offset some of the hospital bills. Oh, and the best part?"

Kitty winced as she tried to straighten up, "There's a best part?"

He leaned over the tray and kissed her cheek, "I get to take care of you at bedtime."

"Oh Red!" Kitty exclaimed excitedly. "I never thought about that. I mean you never seemed interested…"

Red put his fingers over her lips so the dumbasses in the kitchen wouldn't hear. "I didn't mean THAT, I meant….whatever you need when we go to bed….Red Forman is your man."

She seemed a tad disappointed but smiled, "Well, it looks like you thought of everything. I just have one question."

Red arched a brow. "I have your answer."

"Who is going to be cooking? Because this dinner is horrible and you can tell the Colonel to take his bucket and shove it up his ….." Again Red's fingers stifled the insult that was coming. "Honey," he said in a soft voice, "We are going to learn. It might not be the best food you ever ate, but we will cook for you."

"…and clean! Oh, and I can't take the stairs so someone has to do laundry."

"…and that's why we have Jackie and Eric working staggered shifts – to help you dear. Now why don't you rest and watch some television while I make sure those two haven't killed each other."

-o-

"You know, if you keep call me an attempted murderer, I might just try to trip you the next time I go down the stairs."

Eric held up one pointed finger, "Aha! You just confessed!"

Blasé, Jackie stirred her mashed potatoes around the paper plate. "Eric, if you really want me to do something mean to you…..keep it up. There is no limit to my devilish ways….you think I'm an evil midget? Let me show you." Of course she didn't mean any of that but she had to get his head out of his ass. "Do you honestly think I broke up with Fez just so I could disable your mother and move into your sister's room? Seriously?"

Eric swallowed some of his cola and thought about it. "Well….when you say it like that I guess it was just an accident. Last night was really different."

Jackie speared a biscuit with her fork, "I know! I never pass out on a staircase. I mean the steps would leave line marks in my skin."

"I let Kelso sleep in my bed while I slept on the floor …..what was that about? I didn't even drink!"

While Jackie and Eric were recalling the strange events of the prior evening, Red came into the kitchen. "Okay, I talked to Kitty and explained how this is all going to work and she's good with it. Jackie, I have a friend that works for an ambulance service and they need a dispatcher. Since you like to talk and have a relatively nice speaking voice….I think this would be something you're good at. There's a business card on my desk in the den."

Red waited until Jackie had left the kitchen until he turned to Eric. "I know this guy on the city council that has an opening for a driver for animal control. You'll get a truck and a shovel...all the tools you need."

Eric's eyes widened, 'But I'm not good with animals. Think about Mr. Bonkers and Schotzie!"

Red smirked, "That's why you are perfect for this job. You'll mostly be getting dead animals off the road. Easy job, easy pay and it is part time so you can take care of your mother. First thing in the morning go down to City Hall and ask for Mort Herzerger. Pays minimum wage."

Jackie came back from the den with the business card. "Hey Mr. Forman! I rode back from the hospital with this guy! He was cute too!"

Eric rolled his eyes. Jackie gets to work with someone attractive while he gets to scrape carcasses from the side of the road. This certainly wasn't going to be something he would share with the rest of his friends!

Red brought out all the paraphernalia from the hospital. "I need both of you to study this stuff. It's all about the slipped disc and how she needs to be lifted and moved and showered and things like that. Right now I'm going to try and get her upstairs to bed and Jackie….I'm going to need you to help her get a shower."

Jackie blinked. "Excuse me? You want me to what? Give an old lady a shower?"

Red glared at her. "I think there's a motel at the edge of town with an opening."

She squelched anything else she was going to say and replied, "I'll be glad to help."

Red looked at the faces of the reluctant partners and grinned, "Glad to see we're all on the same page."

Eric had unfolded a long paper which illustrated a human spine and all the specific bones. It looked like a vulgar "S" and a red wax pencil circled the area where Kitty Forman's disc was slipped. It was at that moment that Eric realized the severity of his mother's injuries. Had his mom fallen at any other time and in a different position, she literally could have broken her back.

T7S

Previously:

As the Gypsy's chant ended, the candles at each corner of the table flamed so bright it was visible beyond the sapphire curtains at her window. With a flick of her wrist, the Tarot cards on the table took flight and drifted, free falling to land on the waxed linoleum floor.

Tatiana fell back against the soft cushions thoroughly exhausted.

-o-

After a short invigorating nap, Tatiana awoke feeling fresh and hopeful about the return of the king. She saw her Tarot cards scattered on the floor like errant children. The Star card was propped against the trailer door, the poor little confused woman. Tatiana looked across her sofa and saw the Sun lying face up as if she was perplexed.

Aw, the Hierophant, or as the Major Arcana deck liked to call him, the Pope, he was a funny little card. Liked to dress up in robes and such and Tatiana found him sticking out of the bottom of her closet.

Stretching and taking a cleansing breath, Tatiana sat up to find her other missing cards. "There you are Temperance." She chided softly. "You have so much potential and yet you frustrate yourself. Why are you lying by my bed?" She picked up the card and wiped the tiny painted face. Then she spotted the Chariot lying on the bed covers looking proud but all alone. Why wasn't he on the floor with the others? Always failing but still trying.

Tatiana smiled when she saw the Wheel of Fortune in the very center of her trailer just as he was earlier on the table. This was a good sign. But she was still missing a card. Her satin ballet slippers lightly touched the floor and as she whirled around she found him. The Hanged Man was lying under her table. Why was he there and not with the others of the deck? This little under achiever really needed to sacrifice to rise above his station in life.

With her Tarot family back in their deck and her crystal ball carefully put away, Tatiana decided to take a walk and commune with the moonlight.

Point Place was a blessed place.

She could feel it.

They would come.

Not all at the same time, but they would come.

Tatiana had a good sense about these things.

T7S

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A/N: ….just to reiterate….the author is not a Gypsy but does live near a bayou where some weird shit happens and of course there is all the voodoo-hoodoo that goes on in New Orleans or Nawlin's as locals like to call it…..

Mardi Gras is over - get back to work! :)