Chapter Ten
By 8 a.m. on a bright and shiny Saturday morning, it almost looked like the proverbial "clown car routine" at the circus. Four young ladies were putting four suitcases in the trunk of Marci's Honda Civic. Can somebody tell me why they have to have at least two changes of clothes to go to Elmhurst, Georgia and back the same day? I don't know. It must be a girl thing.
They were just about to toss a coin to decide the seating arrangements, when Marci's phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and smiled. It was Brian. She greeted him by saying, "Well, did you finally decide to get out of bed? We've been up since 6."
"We?" asked the voice at the other end.
"Yes, the ladies and I have taken up Mrs. Piatrowski's offer of free room rent for running the little cafe down the street from the dorm. We were just about to squeeze into my Honda Civic and slide on down to Elmhurst for the day.” She noticed Bert making fun of the smile on her face and playfully slapped at her. The others couldn't help but laugh.
"What's Elmhurst got to do with opening a small cafe?"
"Eddy's Hamburger Emporium, that's what. We decided to make it a hamburger and chili parlor because that's what the guys always like to eat. AND, one of my high school chums has a list of distinguished hamburgers that just might make the cafe the hot spot on campus. A-n-n-d, having a bunch of guys fumbling around at your feet might just cure some of the hangovers these girls have got, if you know what I mean."
"Y-y-y-e-s-s!" shouted Fred as she raised her fist in the air.
"Why don't I come over and pick y’all up and drive you there and back in my Ford Explorer. That'll give everybody plenty of room. I'll take care of the gas. Now, before you start saying that I don't need to do that, I have wanted to get a chance to talk with Arthur's parents. I've got some information to share with them plus a couple of secure web sites and a phone number. For me it would be a business trip.......... as well as getting a chance to be with you."
Marci turned away from the girls to try to hide her smile. Why was she smiling? And why did she turn her head? Doesn't she know that that was just an admission of guilt?
Sheila said out loud, "She's smiling, Brian. She tried to hide it from us but we know she is. Her hair is peaking in the back of her head."
Oh, what a shriek of laughter. Brian had to hear that. The people at the bus stop two blocks away heard it. Marci turned around and demanded, "Alright that does it.” She walked around to the driver's side of the car, reached in and popped the trunk. She was half-way laughing when she began, “I am not about to cart you giggling bunch of monsters to my home town. They'd never me let back in.”
She started laughing but they already knew something was up. "Brian's gonna take us in his Explorer. He wants to talk to Arthur's parents anyway," she explained.
Roberta looked at the other two girls as she said in a sing-song manner, "O-o-o-o-o-o-o. He's gonna ask for her hand in marriage, how sweet."
"Now stop it," demanded Marci but the smile never left her face.
Brian offered, "Well, I didn't think it was such a bad idea."
Marci snapped back, "Oh, now, don't you start or even dare try anything like that. Olivia Hollis would tear you......she......the FBI wouldn't be able to find you. All of the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Brian Roberts back together again."
"Whoa, looks like I need to take along an employment application and pick me up a partner. Well, let me get off the phone and get going. I'll be there in about thirty minutes. I'll gas up before come over.”
He hesitated a second and then asked in a much softer tone, "How are the earrings doing?"
Marci put on a smile as she answered, "Oh, they're fine. You should have heard the girls when they saw them. They went nuts. They're still a little bit heavy, but I'll get used to them."
"Have you found a hiding place for their box?"
"Oh, yeah. That's.......uh....I did that yesterday."
"OK, then. Why not put them in their box and I'll bring you a starter pair of earrings that won't be so conspicuous. I don't need those to accidentally get lost and they need to rest and recharge, anyway."
Marci had to quickly think of something to say to tell Brian that she understood and to give the girls a reason for why he's bringing the new ones. She responded, "Oh, Brian, that's so sweet of you, but you don't have to. It's not like their tearing my ears off or anything. I've just never had any. Bu-u-u-t, you know, since we're going to be around Arthur's mom that would probably be a good idea. She's going to wonder any way. Let me let you go and we'll get a pry bar and get everyone's bags out of that tiny trunk and be waiting in the parking lot for you."
Well, it was the female thing to do, I suppose. Four overnight bags were snatched from the meager Honda Civic trunk and carted back to room 304 of the ladies' dorm. Since they were going to be able to ride in a Ford Explorer, that meant they could take at least one more change of clothes for the trip.
As they got ready to go down stairs, Roberta looked at Sheila and Fred and asked, "Do you girls mind going on down ahead of us? I need to ask Marci something."
Fred opened the door and responded, "Marci, don't give her any edge over which one of the guys.......you know.” Then she and Sheila left the room laughing. It was going to be one of those days.
Roberta put her bag down and looked at Marci without smiling. Marci had never seen this look from Roberta before. It seemed that she was sad and somewhat apprehensive about something. Was Roberta in some kind of trouble? Whatever it was, Marci was ready to listen. She, too, put her bag down and asked solemnly, "What is it Bert? Are you OK?"
She started off rather timidly but with a resoluteness in her voice that meant she expected a straight answer, "I don't want to talk about me. I want to talk about you."
That was a shock. Marci couldn't help but stammer, "Me? Bert, what do....have.......have I done something wrong? Have I done something to offend you?"
She looked as if she were on the verge of tears as she started, "The others are waiting so I need to cut to the chase. Last night, I came into the living room to get my glasses. I knew where they were so I turned my bedroom light out before I opened the door so I wouldn't disturb you or Sheila. I heard you........crying last night.” Before she finished, a tear slid down her cheek, "And, girl, don't lie to me... I...want to know for real. But, if it's none of my business.......but, it is."
'Oh, my gosh,' thought Marci, 'how can I get around this. I can't lie to her. No matter what.' She started to say something.
"Wait a minute," Roberta stopped her. "Before you get mad at me, I've got to tell you that I also looked into your room this morning while you were taking your shower. I saw your Bible open on your bed where you left it. It was opened to Psalm 37 and I saw a few tear stains at the bottom of the page. You had underlined verse five that says to commit your way to the Lord and trust Him. I know I don't act like it sometimes.......well most of the time I know I don't act like it. But I used to teach Sunday School and I know what that scripture is all about. Especially when I hear my best friend crying and I see tears in her Bible. Marci what's this all about?"
Bert wasn't in hysterics but she was on the verge of blubbering. Marci stepped toward her to give her a hug to console her but found out that it was she that needed a hug and some reassurance, also. A tear or two found their way out of their hiding place as she rested her head on Bert's shoulder.
She pulled herself together, pulled away from Bert to look her in the eye and explained, "Brian and I have made a few decisions that have been pretty tough to make. And, they are decisions that for sure, we can't back out of. I can't tell you about them right now. And, then we've been discussing our futures, and there's more decisions, more choices, more planning. And, it's just a bit overwhelming that's all.” It wasn't all of the truth but none of it was a lie, either. Some things just couldn't be said right now.
"Honest, Marci, everything's OK?"
"I didn't say that, Bert, but I can say that God is working on i
t," she said. She stepped to the coffee table and snatched up a couple of tissues for Bert and herself and continued, "I trust this means that I have another prayer partner that I can count on. That would mean a whole lot to me right now."
"You'd better believe it. And.....and whatever you want to share with me doesn't go anywhere else," she assured her. "You can trust me."
"I know it won't, Bert. I believe I can trust you. When anything DOES come up, I'm glad to know that I have somebody close by that I can call on. Right now, we'd better bust it on down to the parking lot before they get too suspicious and start asking questions."
"You betcha," agreed Bert. "You know, Marci, now that I'm away from home for the first time, I was ready to go out and just 'do my own thing'. You know? But, hangin' with you kinda helps me to tough things out with Jesus."
"That's what prayer partners are for," Marci replied. Then she thought to herself, 'Tom always told us that life would bring us around some treasure that Jesus would want us to help Him polish. Guess I've found mine. Father, help me to be faithful.
They grabbed their bags and headed on down to the parking lot. Brian had just gotten there and Sheila and Fred had already loaded up and claimed their riding places. Fred took the back seat so she could lie down and snooze on the three hour trip. Sheila took the captain's chair behind Marci and before Marci could say anything, Roberta called for the captain's chair behind Brian.
Sheila commented, "Yeah, we know that Marci would much rather sit up front.” There were giggles all around.
To throw fuel on the fire, Brian reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out the starter set of earrings. Have you ever heard of the lull before the storm? Well, that's how quiet it got when they saw Brian hand Marci a black box.
As he handed it to Marci, he suddenly realized how awkwardly funny the situation was. He put his other hand over his mouth and tried to look out the window to keep from laughing.
Marci just held the little black box in her hand and looked toward the back and tried to explain, "It's just a starter set of earrings, girls. Jeesh.” She opened the box and took one out and said, "See?"
Fred eased between Bert and Sheila and asked, "Did some solution come with those?"
Brian said, "Oh, yes it did.” He reached into his brief case and pulled it out and handed it to Marci. "Here you go. I didn't even think about it.” He looked at the girls in the back as he tried to explain, "I don't usually go around buying earrings for young ladies."
"Uh-huh," came the twittered reply from the back.
Fred suggested, "Marci, would you mind if I help you with those? Before that hole heals real well, you might just scratch your earlobe up by trying to put them in. It takes a little getting used to."
"Good idea," Marci replied as she opened her door to step out.
Fred stepped past Sheila and out into the parking lot and did her matronly duties as Marci held the implements in her hand like it was a dressing table. Fred busied herself cleaning the rings and Marci's ear lobes like she was Marci's own private nursemaid. That was Fred for you. She was always fastidious. There was always a way to do things and the way she did things was always the 'right' way. Know what I mean?
Marci could see it coming as she looked at Bert. First of all, her eyes gave her away. Then it spread to that cheeky little grin. Then a hand came up to cover her mouth. "You may as well say it before you explode, Bert," she finally suggested. "You're dying to say it whatever it is."
At Marci's encouragement, Bert finally exploded, "I've heard of engagement rings but this is the first time I've heard of a set of engagement earrings."
It was the biggest laugh any of them had ever heard come from Bert. They laughed more at her than they did at her line. Brian even doubled over the steering wheel as he did his dead level best to stifle the laugh.
Fred stumbled into her Explorer cave in the back seat while Marci climbed back into the front seat with just a glimmer of a smile. That sent a new wave of laughter through the vehicle. She looked at Brian and calmly said, "You couldn't have chosen a more opportune time to give these to me, could you?"
Brian just stumbled, "I didn't mean.....I just....I just," and continued laughing.
Marci crossed her arms and looked at him with that same faint little smile. She glanced at the back as everyone finally calmed down. As she buckled up, she made the following declaration, "OK, ladies and gentleman, we have a ground rule to cover as we get started on our way. If you have any more cracks you want to make about me and Brian, get them over with right now. Because, when this vehicle stops in Elmhurst, I want nothing in anyone's conversation to even hint at our relationship.
"You'd better believe that Arthur's parents are going to be at the Emporium. As you would expect, his mother has been planning, praying, hinting, believing and whatever else-ing that Arthur and I get married.”
She turned around to face them and held up one finger for emphasis as she demanded, “If ONE WORD is said that would cause a hint of a tear to come to that precious lady, I'm gonna be on you like white on rice."
As Brian pulled the Explorer out of the parking lot and out onto the highway, he mockingly agreed, "My little Marci is right, y’all. Why, our relationship and what we mean to each other is no one else's business, is it, Honey?"
"And that goes for you, too, you hateful little bozo," she said as she poked that very same finger into his ribs. "Let me tell you. Any of those rednecks in Elmhurst has got a piece of chain or rope in the back of their pick-up trucks. Any of them would gladly let me hold a piece of one to drag a mangy 'furener' out of town with.” She topped off her comments with a couple of wags of her head.
The girls giggled about it of course. Brian caught Roberta's eye in the rear view mirror and made a face as if he was terrified. Roberta laughed out loud and immediately covered her mouth as she looked back in the mirror at him. He looked back at her for a moment and she saw the cutest twinkle in his eyes. No wonder Marci......just what was it between these two?
Bert sat there and thought about it for a moment. They didn't act all lovey-dovey like you would expect sweethearts to do. Yet, Marci wasn't the typical guy-crazy college girl either. They had a great relationship with each other. It was fun to watch them kid around.
She watched him in the mirror. He was a pretty handsome guy to look at. He glanced up and caught her watching him, so he looked back and smiled. She quickly looked down and put her hands over her eyes. Playfully she spread her fingers until she could peek through. He had been watching and winked at her. Her hand slid down over her mouth to cover her giggle.
Most of the conversation on the way to Elmhurst was just chit-chat. Since she was going to be the main cook, Fred was eager to learn about all of the different types of burgers that they served at the Emporium.
However, she was more than perplexed when Marci described her favorite, the old goat burger. This is a burger that Jake stuffs with bleu cheese. Now, in case you don't know, bleu cheese comes from a cow. Feta cheese comes from a goat. Fred went on and on about how much it doesn't make sense to name it the old goat burger. Marci just let her go off on him for a while. When Fred finally stopped, Marci told her that that was Jake's peculiar brand of humor. He loved to do and say things that just did not make sense. You know, kinda like off the wall humor.
"Do they have any normally-named hamburgers?” Fred asked a little frustrated. "I'm more of a by-the-book type chef. You know, steps 1, 2 and 3 then cook and eat. This figure it out as you go along thing is new to me."
Marci chuckled as she gave her answer, "Yeah, they have the volcano burger."
Sheila playfully tapped Marci on the shoulder as she said, "I'll ask, Marci. What is a volcano burger?"
Marci was trying to keep from full-blown laughter as she replied, "It's a burger stuffed with pepper jack cheese, served in a bowl with hot chili on top of it to look like a volcano. Jake has a special chili recipe that really brings in the business. He puts on the menu that hot chili is the
only kind that he serves on the volcano burger. Tough guys and tough guy wannabees never fail to order it."
"And all he's got to do is say that hot chili is the only thing that they will serve it with?" Fred asked.
"Works like a charm. It's like when you tell a kid, don't touch that. You'd better believe that it's the first thing they are going to do when your back is turned," Marci explained.
Fred crossed her arms and legs, leaned back in her seat, and passed judgment, "It's definitely a man thing." Then with a look at the rear view mirror, she added sullenly, "Sorry, Brian."
Brian testified, "It's true. I've got to admit, my love of hot chili makes that one that I would like to taste."
Marci offered, "They also have the pizza burger and the taco burger, and they taste just like they sound."
"That's a relief," Fred replied somewhat tongue-in-cheek. "It would be interesting to find out just how he gets a hamburger to taste.......oh, wait a minute. The pizza burger. He makes a cheese topping. Melted mozzarella, tomato sauce, pepperoni, maybe olives.” The light was beginning to come on. Her brain began to pull in combinations of ingredients that contained endless possibilities.
She unfolded her arms and legs and leaned forward as she continued her conversation with Marci. "What about the taco burger? How does he make a topping that tastes like taco and gets it to stay on top of the burger?"
"I don't know," Marci answered. "You'll have to ask him that when we get there. He said that he would be glad to share all of his secrets except one."
Uh-oh. Was that a gauntlet I just heard being thrown down? Fred had a smidgeon of a smile playing on her lips as she began to rub her hands together. Brian shifted his eyes to the mirror and caught it. As if she were favoring a choice cut of rib-eye steak she asked in a very devious voice, "Which one is that?"
"The chili," Marci answered. "Before we left, he was playing with a bacon stuffed burger and one with french fries in the middle but he never got around to naming them."
"Ah, french fries in the middle, sounds yummy to me," Sheila commented. "I'll take that one no matter what he calls it."
Fred got focused. She crossed her arms and legs and leaned back in her seat again. A crooked little smile played across her face. She caught the movement of Brian's head. He was looking at her through the rear-view mirror. Her smile broadened as she nodded her head slowly and methodically.
Brian thought to himself, 'This is going to be one fun afternoon. Oh, to be a fly on the wall of that kitchen when Fred gets there.'
Chapter Eleven