Chapter 823: Bobbi-Lee's Cottage
Monday, April 3rd, Evening
There was a surprise knock on her door, and her friends knew to text before they came over. So, getting up from her desk in the cozy loft of her quaint cottage, she went downstairs to the shock of one of her three cats to answer the door.
When Bobbi-Lee Burke, a single woman in her late 40s, opened her front door, she found Damian, her new neighbor, and Jordan, his teenage daughter, standing on her porch. Damian held a large brown paper bag, and Jordan had two soda bottles. The scent of Chinese Food wafted in the air.
"Well, isn't this a surprise," Bobbi-Lee said.
"Yeah, this is; thanks for the help," Damian said.
"You don't need to thank me. I was just being neighborly," Bobbi-Lee said.
"This one insisted," Damian said, gesturing to his daughter.
"Hey!" Jordan said.
"Well, come in. I'm not too proud to turn down free food, and I don't want Rooney to escape," Bobbi-Lee said.
The dad and daughter entered the cozy cottage, and Bobbi-Lee closed the door. Damian went to the dining table and started unpacking; Jordan put the soda down and looked at Bobbi-Lee, feeling the familiar comfort of her friend's home.
"Where do you keep the glasses?" Jordan asked.
"I'll get them," Bobbi-Lee said.
"No, I can," Jordan said.
Damian glanced at Bobbi-Lee, who nodded. "Upper cabinet next to the sink," she said.
"Thanks," Jordan said and headed off to get the glasses.
Bobbi-Lee picked up Rooney and started scratching his head. The cat twisted and turned, getting comfortable in her arms.
"Silverware?" Jordan asked.
"Drawer next to the fridge," Bobbi-Lee said.
Damian finished unpacking and looked at Bobbi-Lee. "I got a selection," he said.
Bobbi-Lee chuckled, "What made you think of Chinese?" she asked.
"A craving, and it's a thing," Damian said.
Bobbi-Lee kissed the back of Rooney's head and set him down. She then sat at the table's head, Damian to her right and Jordan to her left.
Jordan poured drinks, and Damian passed the food around. Bobbi-Lee made up her plate as the various white cardboard containers passed, then looked at Damian.
"So, Chinese food is a thing?" Bobbi-Lee asked.
"Yeah, whenever we celebrate something," Jordan said.
Damian nodded, "Yeah, sort of a Gannon family tradition," he said.
"How long have you been doing this for?" Bobbi-Lee asked.
"As long as I can remember," Jordan said.
Damian chuckled, "That's about right," he said.
"There's a story there," Bobbi-Lee said, in between bites, "Happy Dragon, my favorite."
"Yeah, it was when I was at Fort Carson," Damian said, "It was one of those rough days. Jocelyn had a doctor's appointment, and I was stuck at my unit. I grabbed some Chinese on the way home, and Jocelyn waited for me. Well, she went to the doctor because she was sick and come to find out she was pregnant with that one," Damian said and pointed to Jordan, "We celebrated with Chinese food."
"Dad, I didn't know that," Jordan said.
Damian shrugged, "Yeah, you're the reason we celebrate with Chinese," he said.
"Wow!" Jordan said, her eyes misting with tears as she realized the significance of the family tradition.
Bobbi-Lee nodded, "That's a cute story. Thanks for sharing it with me," she said.
Damian shrugged, "What is a tradition worth if it isn't shared?" he asked.
"Nothing," Bobbi-Lee said.
"Exactly," Damian said.
Bobbi-Lee turned to look at Jordan.
"So, how did your first day go?" Bobbi-Lee asked.
Jordan shrugged, "Good, I guess I missed tryouts for the spring sports, so I'm going to try my hand at something else for extracurriculars," she said.
"Cool," Bobbi-Lee said, "Any ideas?"
"I'm looking into it," Jordan said.
"Who did they buddy you up with?" Bobbi-Lee asked.
"Wendy Kilpatrick," Jordan said.
"Wendy? Really?" Bobbi-Lee asked with a surprised nod.
Jordan nodded, "Yeah, do you know her?"
"Yeah, and her sisters," Bobbi-Lee said, "She's a good welder."
"She welds?" Jordan asked, her voice filled with surprise at this unexpected revelation.
"Yeah, it's a hobby slash job, I guess," Bobbi-Lee said.
"That's interesting," Jordan said.
"Meet anyone else?" Damian asked.
"The group Wendy belongs to is called the Island of Misfit Toys; a guy named Dex, Wendy's boyfriend, and some rather interesting girls named Sawyer, LK, Keni, and Alesha," Jordan said.
Damian looked at Bobbi-Lee. "Do you know these girls?" he asked.
Bobbi-Lee nodded, "Yeah, they're a good lot," she said.
Damian smiled, "Good."