This is the last chapter before we leave on our trip. I apologize that it's so short, but I wanted to give you some more of the story while I can. I'll post when I have more and have Internet access.

Chapter 75.

"Wait until I tell you what Nina said!" Jess had a gleam in her eyes and a grin on her face as we walked to the garage at the end of the day. There was even a bounce to her step.

"Got a lot to tell you, too, but you can go first." What she said might answer some of the questions I had about her sister. Besides, she seemed to be bursting to tell me.

"Well, she didn't even think about her organizing abilities until I reminded her of the fabulous parties we used to have when Mother was still alive."

We'd reached the car and got in.

Jess buckled up, sat back and then went on. "She seemed reluctant at first to even consider the idea, said it reminded her too much of our mother and how much fun she could be. It does me, too, but we all have to get on with our lives."

I nodded.

"Then she brought up the problems with staffing, with getting the word out that she was available, with planning multiple parties at the same time. She thought of so many obstacles to success I was beginning to rethink the whole thing myself. And then I said, 'you can do it as a tribute to mother, advertise online, and use a hiring agency'. Well, then she really surprised me by asking, 'do you really think I can do this?'. My sister, the confident one, the one with everything going for her, was asking me to encourage her!"

"So, long story short, she's going to do it?"

"She's going to try."

"Well, that's one down." I nodded, my eyes swiveling to her briefly.

Jess looked at me through narrowed eyes.

"Ellie wants to stay here, too." I glanced at her to see her reaction to that.

She just shrugged, as if it was something she expected. "Well of course she does. Chase is here."

"And she wants to find a job."

"Ah, the plot thickens." She was silent for a full minute while I maneuvered the car into the street and turned toward home. Jess must have been thinking about Ellie because she said, "Well, she has lots of experience as a waitress. Maybe Nina can hire her."

"I hadn't even thought of that. Chase has been urging her to try for work at a daycare center, since she has to find one for Christopher anyway."

"Either way, I don't think she'll have a problem getting something."

I nodded again. She had a point. "And then there's Petey." I could feel her eyes on me but I needed to drive around a truck that had stopped to make a delivery.

"What about my brother?"

"He's decided that, if you and Nina are staying here, he will too, but then he'll need to find some kind of work. I sent him to the hospital HR to see whether they need an orderly, but I have no idea how well he'd do with that."

"Nina could use him too. He hated the parties as a kid, but he was a wiz at things like napkin folding, writing place cards, and even flower arranging."

"Petey? You're kidding!" We stopped for a traffic light and I looked at her.

She chuckled. "No, actually I'm not. He was also a great taste tester for the food she was going to have. I'd completely forgotten that about him!"

"Well, even if the orderly thing works out, he could probably still help her when he's not working."

Jess nodded. "Good point. I'll have to mention that to Nina, remind her how she was afraid he'd be underfoot when Mother insisted she let him help, but instead he proved quite useful."

We were moving again. Traffic was heavy but no worse than usual. "There was something else I wanted to ask you about."

"Go on."

"Has Nina ever expressed interest in women?"

"Huh? Are you asking me whether she's a lesbian?"

I shrugged. "She must be giving off some kind of vibe, because Thirteen's interested in her."

Jess pursed her lips. "Hmmm. She's dated a few men, of course, but never been serious about any of them."

"Wilson's going to take a shot at her, too."

I saw Jess grin out of the corner of my eye. "Oh, this will be fun! I bet you're already envisioning the whole thing."

I couldn't deny it. "So you think there could really be a love triangle? I wonder, though, how it might work out."

She nodded. "Either way, it'll give her another reason to stay here."

"The other thing I wonder about is how your father will react to having all of his children out from under his thumb."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about that. Or should I say worrying." Her smile was gone.

"Why? What do you think he'll do?"

"That's just it. All I have to go by was his reaction to Petey after the accident. And he sent Nina to convince me to return to Dorsey." She shook her head. "He's capable of anything, I guess. I remember once when Ed Liddy tried to open a competing hardware store. Father used all his pull to keep it from happening."

"You think he'll try to force the issue?"

"I think he'll find a way to make life difficult for all of us, but I can't be sure."

We'd reached our street and I looked for a spot close to the condo. "We'll handle him when we have to." I knew that did little to reassure Jess, but since I didn't know what Pete Sr. might do, there was no point in dwelling on it. Of course, we could make some contingency plans. "Do you think he'll go after Nina or you first?"

She turned to me, her hand on the door handle. "Knowing Father, he'll attack us both if he can. We have to anticipate what approach he'll use and be prepared."

"Can he do more than take away your access to your trust funds?"

"Oh, yeah!" Jess took a deep breath and let it out. "He's got a long reach in this state. He may not have the clout in Princeton that he does in Dorsey, but that won't stop him. I just hope this doesn't brim over onto you and the hospital."

We walked to our door and went in. I dropped my bag on the floor but Jess put hers on the small table nearby. I strode into the living room and collapsed on the couch. What Jess had said was food for thought. I'd dealt with overbearing and arrogant people before, and not always well. But this was Jess' father we were talking about. I'd have to tread carefully.

"Should I make us something for dinner or do you want to order in?" Jess' voice penetrated my thoughts. If there was something that could distract me, aside from sex that is, it was my next meal.

"What did you have in mind?"

She puffed out her lips. "Um, I think we might have some pasta and spaghetti sauce." She went into the kitchen and I heard a cupboard opening. Then Jess called back. "Guess not. The cupboard's bare."

"Let's just get some Chinese food and you can come cuddle instead of slaving over the stove."

"Right." I heard her voice as she called in our order. She didn't even have to ask me what I wanted.

She joined me on the couch. "The food won't be here for at least a half hour."

"Whatever will we do?" Soon we were doing more than cuddling. "Do we have enough time to christen another room in the house?"

Jess laughed. "We'll make time."