Chapter 154 – Finishing Getting Lunch Ready
Nathan turned off where Jack had said. The car followed. They came to a high fence with barbed wire on the top and a large sliding electric gate. Jack got out of the truck and went to the keypad. He entered his code and thumbed the lock. It opened and he motioned for Nathan to follow. The gate started to close, but Jack quickly entered a second code and again thumbed the lock. He turned to David to hurry. As soon as David's car was through the gate, Jack walked through and hit the close. He also turned the electricity back on.
As Jack was walking back to the truck, his phone rang.
"JP, this is Andy Cutter." He said.
"Hey Andy." Jack said. "Before you ask, yes it was me that just opened the gate back here. We were trying to avoid the press. We have undercover security, that was the second code."
"How are you going to get up to the house?" Andy asked.
"We are going to take the old path." Jack said. "I am sure that Grandpa wouldn't mind. It won't be a regular thing. Grandpa, Gran and Grandpa John should be along shortly. They will come to the main gate. I think Bill Avery is already here. Father Mark is also coming."
"Yes." Andy said. "The Averys arrived. I will keep an eye out for the others."
"Thank you." Jack said.
Jack stopped to talk to David for a moment, then he went and got back in the truck.
"Sir." Andrew said.
"What." John said.
"I was just going to let you know the kids got back safe." Andrew said. "There was a minor confrontation with Lacy Pennybaker and Trip Steele. Chris handled and Rob made sure the kids got away safely. However, there is a large press corp camped out near the main gate. We think that it was Pennybaker and/or Steele that called them. The Averys arrived safely and the kids went into the breeding facility storage."
"Damn it." John said.
"Already on the phone with Marcus and Ryan." Peter said.
"Who is Daniel?" James asked.
"Daniel Lowenstein is the Chair of the New York State Commission of Judicial Conduct." John said. "I have filed formal complaints with them about William Pennybaker's behavior. Daniel called me and we have spoken at length about things. He wasn't happy to hear what Pennybaker had been doing. They have launched a formal investigation into him. Tomorrow he is going to be served with papers to that effect and he will have a hearing. He will also be put on administrative leave until the investigation and hearing are final. Best case for him, he retires with his pension. Best case for us, he is prosecuted for criminal behavior."
"Oh." James said.
"I told you I wasn't going to let him and his family continue to affect our business." John said. "However, I don't want to talk about this today. I want to have a nice family afternoon like you said."
"Are you staying tonight?" Gran asked.
"If you don't mind." John said. "I want to get through today and then sit down with JP in the morning. I know that he will have to practice and he has a meeting with security about the show. I also have decided that I want to sit in on that as well."
"Thank you." James said. "I know that the kids are working hard, but I would feel better with your input as well."
"Not a problem." John said. "I figured I would leave sometime tomorrow afternoon."
When Jack was buckled back up, Nathan looked at him.
"Now where?" Nathan asked.
"I got it." Doug said.
Doug directed Nathan where to go. Nathan drove around the side of a huge building and toward the woods. Doug had him turn and drive along the woods for a moment and then turn onto a path. They came to another gate. Jack got out again. He motioned for David to get closer. Then Jack opened the gate and both cars went through. Jack slipped through the gate before it closed and then got back in the truck.
"Stay on this path." Jack said. "It will come out near the stable, you can then drive up to the house."
"Got it." Nathan said.
Nathan slowly made his way toward the house. Once he pulled out by the stable, he pulled around and was able to drive up to the garage. Once Nathan pulled into the garage, David continued on toward the main gate. The boys came into the house and Cody immediately ran to Jack.
"Hey buddy." Jack said. "Have you been good?"
"Yes." Cody said. "Horsies."
"After we eat." Jack said. "Why don't you go back to your blocks. I will come to play in a minute. I have to change."
"Otay." Cody said.
Jack put him down and he ran back to his blocks that he poured out on the living room floor.
"Kathy is outside with the grill." Abigail said. "Do you need me to do anything?"
"If Kathy didn't chop the onions." Nathan said. "I need about five of them chopped finely and started in two skillets, divided evenly with a bit of oil."
"Got it." Abigail said. "Go change."
"Okay." Nathan said. "The grandparents should be here shortly."
Abigail nodded. The boys and Elizabeth headed downstairs to change. Abigail and Becky started chopping onions. Bill was on the phone in the library, but he had heard the group come back. It wasn't long and Nathan was back upstairs. He went to the kitchen and washed his hands.
"So what are we making?" Becky asked.
"It is called bacon jam." Nathan said. "It is bacon, onions, brown sugar and some balsamic vinegar. We are adding maple syrup to one as well."
"Cool." Becky said. "What do you eat it with?"
"You can put it on pork chops like we are today." Nathan said. "Or on burgers. My sister and I even ate it with crackers when we were younger."
"So I assume we are making a large batch." Abigail said.
"Yes." Nathan said. "Normally it is one pound of bacon chopped and one medium onion. Gran had this five pound bag of chopped bacon so she said I could make the whole thing."
The three of them made quick work of the onions. Nathan got them going in two skillets on the stove. Once the onions were cooked, he added the bacon. While that was cooking, he talked Becky through mixing the rest of the ingredients in two bowls. By the time they were done with that, the grandparents had returned. Gran immediately went to talk to Kathy. When Gran came back in Nathan had the bacon jam on simmering in the skillets.
"What else do you need?" Nathan asked.
"Kathy has the pork chops going." Gran said. "The corn has been shucked and in the cooler cooking. It needs about fifteen more minutes. The pork chops have been moved to the upper rack and the heat turned down. The only thing left is to do the potatoes. Since we are here, she is going home since she has other things going on as well."
"That is fine." Abigail said. "We have plenty of hands. What do you want for the potatoes? We can quickly get them sliced and into a skillet to cook."
"We got this." Nathan said.
"I have a couple packages of breakfast potatoes in the freezer." Gran said. "She was just going to do those. We can do them on the grill or in the skillet.
"I can do that." Abigail said. "Becky, grab another skillet and start it heating with some butter."
Becky did as her mother asked while she pulled the potatoes.
"Margaret." Abigail said. "Go change. We got this."
"Fine." Gran said.
"Becky when you are done there." Abigail said. "Please go get Jack and the others from downstairs. They can be up here helping as well."
"Go." Nathan said. "I will watch the butter."
Becky went downstairs. About that time, Bill came out of the library and John and James had returned from changing clothes.
"Are we eating here or outside?" Bill asked.
"We had talked outside." James said. "What do you think?"
"I think we will be fine." Bill said.
"Then we need to get the two tables from downstairs and some more chairs." James said.
"We can help." Chris said.
"Let's go do that." John said.
"The others are coming up to help." Abigail said. "Margaret is changing. We should be ready to eat in about fifteen minutes if you guys can get the tables and chairs. We can start setting the table."
"We got it." Bill said.
Bill, John, James, Chris and Rob headed downstairs to get the tables and chairs. Jack, Lee, Doug and Elizabeth all came up with Becky. Katie was with them as well.
"We can get the plates and silverware out so it is ready." Elizabeth said.
"How many?" Becky asked.
"Let's see." Katie said. "I will name them and you can count. James, Margaret, John, Jack, Elizabeth, Doug, Lee, Nathan, Rob, Chris, Peter, Andrew, Father Mark, Abigail, Bill, Peter and you and I."
"So how many did we get there, Becky?" Nathan asked.
"I counted nineteen." Becky said.
"So did I." Nathan said. "So I think we are good."
Elizabeth and Becky started counting plates and cups.
"Jack or Doug." Abigail said. "Please check the wine fridge and if needed please make sure we have some."
"Yes, Abigail." Jack said.
"Lee, can you help Katie make sure we have silverware counted?" Abigail said.
Lee nodded and helped. Nathan was working at the cook top with the skillets. Abigail started pulling salt and pepper, extra butter for the corn and other things from the fridge. As people finished their tasks, they helped. Gran came back out and saw a ton of people in her kitchen, so she took a seat.
It wasn't long and the men had the tables set up. They decided to bring all three up, so they could set the extra food on one. Once Jack and Doug learned that the tables were up, they started to carry stuff out. Gran went out to oversee that it was set as she wanted. As everyone was getting lunch set up, Father Mark finally arrived. He had to field several calls once he had gone back to the house. He also knew that he had to call the Bishop, but he didn't tell them that.
"We are almost ready." Nathan said. "I think most of the others are outside."
"I will head out in a minute." Father Mark said. "I was going to ask if you guys had any problems getting back this morning?"
"You mean Lacy Pennybaker and Trip Steele trying to ambush us as we left or the press outside the front gate." Nathan said.
"Any of it." Father Mark said.
"Chris and Rob dealt with the troublemakers." Nathan said. "We bypassed the press by coming up through the breeding facility."
"That works." Father Mark said. "How are you doing?"
"Better." Nathan said. "I am looking forward to a couple of easy days. The last couple have been pretty hard."
"I can imagine." Father Mark said. "I think I might have everything done and will be able to go with you to Toronto on Wednesday and Thursday."
"Sounds good." Nathan said. "I haven't talked to Jack about it more than to know he wants to go and look at a couple of horses and then take Elizabeth on a proper date as he said. I am not sure where we are staying or anything."
"I am sure that it will get talked about today." Father Mark said.
"What will get talked about?" Jack asked, coming in.
"The Toronto trip." Father Mark said. "It is looking better that I can go. I should know for sure tomorrow night."
"Just let me know." Jack said. "I still need to sit down and talk to Grandpa John about it."
"Is everything else ready?" Nathan asked.
"Yes." Jack said. "We are just waiting for you. I came in to grab the lemonade and wine."
"Potatoes are done, I just need something to put them in." Nathan said.
Mark got up and grabbed a pan for him to put them in. He also grabbed a couple of jars for the bacon jam. Nathan got everything dished up and they carried the last of the meal outside. When they put the stuff on the table, Gran directed them to have a seat.
A/N Here is another recipe. This is one of my absolute favorites. I make this a couple times a month and keep in the the fridge.
Bacon Jam
Ingredients
2 tablespoons oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 pound bacon, chopped
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons water
Directions
In a hot skillet with the oil, pan fry the onions until translucent, about 5 the bacon to the pan, and cook until crispy, about 5 in the brown sugar, vinegar, and water, then let the jam simmer for about 10 minutes. Refrigerate the bacon jam in a sealed container.
*Note* I like to use sweet onions or mix the two. Sometimes the red can be strong. For the maple flavored one you use half the vinegar and the rest pure maple syrup. You can also do that with Bourbon. A maple Bourbon you could use and third of a cup of each and then also an third of a cup of the vinegar for the acidity. if it is too thick add more water one tablespoon at a time until it reaches a good consistency.