Chapter 656: 05:00
Sunday, May 12th, Morning
(Fire and Ice Cafe)
The cafe didn't have parking, but Eilish had a pass to park in the nearby lot. Once the car was settled in, she got out and grabbed her backpack. If she had downtime, she would do some reading for her course; Eilish attended UNC Wilmington and was in her junior year.
Once she reached the rear door, she unlocked it and turned off the alarm. Eilish locked the door behind her and headed to the small kitchen. As per her habit, she started warming up the grills and stoves. Next, she wandered to the office and turned on the lights.
Everything lit up and heated up; Eilish opened the safe and counted the drawers. Once that was done, she carried one of the drawers to the front and put it into the cash register.
Eilish stood behind the counter, sighed, and looked around the room. Her eyes settled on a picture of Robert Frost, her mom's favorite writer. Eilish smiled and turned on the coffee machines.
A knock on the front door shook Eilish out of her moment of silence. She looked to the front door to see the cook, Ira, waiting there. Eilish smiled and let Ira in. After locking the door behind her, she returned to the counter to do inventory.
After getting together a list of what she needed, Eilish headed to the storeroom. It took two trips to restock the front. Once she finished, She checked to ensure she had enough mugs for the past church rush. Pleased with what she found, Eilish returned to the front and started a pot of regular and decaf coffee.
As per her ritual, Eilish walked over to a glass case. In the case was an autographed first edition of her brother Lock's first book, Ravens and Rivers. It was opened to the page where Eilish was born. Next, she looked at another first edition, this time a book set here, Anna Becca's Girl who Always wore Purple. Eilish smiled and went back to opening the cafe.
(Beaulieu Manor)
The orange and purple aurora hurt her eyes as she drove over the bridge to Beaulieu. Ellie knew she had stayed out too late. If she weren't at breakfast at eight, Brooke would go apeshit, and that was never something Ellie wanted to be on the receiving end.
The sun's glare and tired eyes got worse as she turned towards the parking area of the East Range. Three hours before breakfast, she could catch some sleep, eat breakfast, and fake working on her article. There was also a meeting with her contact.
Ellie parked her car, killed the engine, and got out. Slowly, she crossed the gravel to one of the minor entrances to the East Range. Using her key, she let herself in and went up the stairs.
The gallery lights never went off, so Ellie found herself bathed in LED light. It's too bright for her tired and buzzed eyes. Half blind, tired, and dragging ass, she half covered her eyes until she came to her bedroom door. Opening the door, Ellie stepped through the door. Closing the door behind her, Ellie looked over the basic guest room.
Ellie stretched and started to get out of her clothes. Once naked, she walked to the bathroom, washed off her makeup, and dressed for bed in a thong and a hockey jersey. The jersey was something Trin gave her; it was a Hurricane's Jersey. Ellie quickly brushed her hair out, then looked at the bedside clock.
Ellie climbed into bed and set the alarm on her smartphone. Plugging her phone in, she put it on the nightstand. Ellie pulled the covers around herself, got comfortable, and fell asleep.
(Seaview)
The phone rang on the nightstand. Dr. Meggy Reuter, MD, grabbed the smartphone from under the covers. She pulled it under the covers, and she answered the phone.
"Doctor Reuter," Meggy said.
"Meggy, it's Gray," the voice on the other end. Doctor Graysen Siddell, MD, worked at the hospital with Meggy.
"What's up, Gray?" Meggy asked.
"Remember that broken hand you set earlier?" Gray asked.
"Vaguely, teen girl, basketball player, had a boxer fracture," Meggy said, "So, we assumed."
"Yeah, you casted and sent her on the way. The ortho consult you asked for just came back," Gray said.
"Thanks," Meggy said.
"Why did you send for the consult?" Gray asked.
"She's an athlete, and I wanted to see if she needed PT for her hand," Meggy said.
"Okay, but Doctor Kelso wants to talk to you," Gray said.
"Why didn't he call?" Meggy asked.
"He wanted you to sleep in," Gray said.
"Alright, I'll head in and talk to Kelso; let me shower, dress, and have some coffee," Meggy said.
"Alright, I'll see you soon," Gray said.
"Okay, bye," Meggy said, hung up, then threw off the covers.
Meggy got up and headed to her ensuite bathroom. She started the multiple showerheads of the shower. Meggy had this built for her and now ex-husband to share, but he never moved down here from Baltimore. The man decided his mistress was more important than his wife or son. She got off lucky; he didn't want things to get out. Meggy sighed; just great she had to go to work on Sunday. What the hell!