Chapter Six - The Morning After
Awakened by streaming sunlight, Jack helped Mandy dress and led her in a very limited version of tooth brushing and face wiping; then, curiosity overcame them and they decided to open the door just a little bit to peek out. At that moment, Dennis was heading to the kitchen for a morning booster shot of caffeine and caught sight of the two peering out. "Anyone hungry?" he repeated his question of the night before, knowing the kids always seemed to be hungry. "Yes" again came the chorus, but subdued enough that their mother, still sleeping soundly in the bedroom, didn't awaken. Dennis shushed them with a finger to the lips, then took them in tow to the kitchen. 'This' he thought to himself 'should be a change for Doris. No sense letting her get bored.'
Doris Cook had worked in some really exclusive hotels and restaurants in her career, some of the best, places recognized for their gourmet menu and ambience. She was a rarity, a female in charge in a male dominated profession. Her husband, Louis, was almost equally adept in the kitchen, and at one point had worked under his wife's direction. Their lifelong dream was to operate their own high end restaurant, but the means to do so had eluded them. Louis became critically ill during one point in their marriage, and their funds were seriously depleted. So it came to pass that when Doris' aged mother needed assistance, and the money was tight, they relocated to Conyerville to care for her. Doris hired on where she could find work, which provided needed revenue but little in the way of a culinary challenge.
In the early days of Ryan's ownership of Windmere, since there was no real kitchen staff, Ryan and Mary occasionally took their meals at one of the assortment of restaurants in town. Recalling their original foray to Conyerville, Ryan found the restaurant they had formulated their offer in, and became acquainted with the unassuming, but hugely qualified, Doris Cook. At that point in her life, she had resigned herself more to the hamburger end than to Chateau Briand, but it was a living. Ryan changed all that. With Windmere, Inc. becoming a reality, he needed expert advise on food service and an expert in the kitchen; Doris Cook filled both needs. Wanting to semi-retire anyway, she loved both the demands and freedom "her" kitchen at Windmere allowed. In the process, she had also learned the joy of less demanding cooking for people who simply enjoyed good food well prepared, and genuine friendship. Her kitchen became an informal staff meeting place, always with fresh coffee or cold drink, aided and abetted by a particularly enticing snack or two just out of the oven. And, on those occasions when it was more than one person could do, Louis often joined her in the effort, along with Maria Hernandez, the weekend cook. Since she normally did only workweek breakfast and lunch, she frequently checked the travel schedule, and as on the previous night, left a prepared meal in the refrigerator that took little preparation.
Doris was not surprised to see Dennis, that was pretty routine, but the appearance of two small children with him brought out all her grand-motherly instincts. "Okay Dennis, talk. They look pretty young to be new hires."
"Alice and I went to town and picked them up at the homeless shelter last night; bosses orders. I guess that would include feeding them for the next few days as well. Now you know as much as I do about what's going on. Coffee hot?"
"Of course the coffee's hot, and fresh. Does this look like a fast food joint of some kind? You kids look hungry. Ever eat pancakes?"
And the chorus rang out: "Yes, please, ma'am."
"And polite too. Dennis, find the boosters please, and set them up over at this table so the loafers can't gather." Everyone was accustomed to her accusing them of loafing any time they were in the kitchen, an accusation neither they or Doris took seriously. Kids in place and griddle hot, Doris poured the usual puddle of batter, then poured two small puddles at the top, and one very small puddle at what would be the front of the design. The kids recognized the mouse like figure at once and expressed their joy in syrup swirls and flying forks. Glasses of milk disappeared equally fast, and within a few minutes, Doris knew, if nothing else, the kids were very healthy eaters. She did still wonder about their status, but since Dennis seemed to accept them, she placed them in the "guest" status for now. Maybe they would find out more later in the day; regardless, she would enjoy their openness, and their unfettered appetites.
As the kids were finishing up their breakfast, Franz Smith appeared for the same reason Dennis had been on his way in, caffeine replenishment. In fact, Franz and Doris reprised the earlier routine Dennis and Doris had gone through. The kids, just finishing up stuffing themselves, at least for a few hours, were curious about the newcomer, and his somewhat different speech pattern. Being kids, it was neither good nor bad to them, just different, a curiosity. They were quick to realize Franz was as much a part of this group as everyone else, sort of like a big family of assorted relatives. Although he was a relative newcomer, Franz was indeed considered to be "family" by the others. Born with a slight speech impediment, he had often been treated as someone who was a little "slow" so to speak. To make matters worse, he was of slight build, and grew up in a part of town where being "different", especially with something as obvious as a speech problem, could make life difficult. Franz got by on street smarts and a sixth sense that alerted him about impending danger so he could stay clear. Still, his opportunities had been limited in life, and when Ryan first saw him, Franz was working for a grounds maintenance company. Observant as usual, Ryan noticed Franz handled all of the equipment problems for the company on site, quickly and with a seeming ability to see mechanical problems at first sight. The crew gave him plenty of practice since if the equipment was down, they could power down for the few minutes it took to fix it. With Windmere growing, and their 100% satisfaction policy, Ryan needed not only on-site maintenance, but competent and responsive maintenance. Ryan also saw an advantage in Franz being physically small since he could get in and out of tight places quickly; on top of that, Ryan believed that Franz would cleanup well and would fit into the team he was building. A few minutes of conversation confirmed what Ryan had thought; seeing through the slight impediment, he saw a rather knowledgeable and perceptive man who just took a little longer to make his position known. In the great scheme of things Windmere, a Franz could unobtrusively fill a need, and avoid the appearance of a grease monkey on the loose at the same time. An offer was made, and accepted. Franz truly loved his position where he was pretty much his own boss, and, when he went into town for parts he secretly enjoyed knowing that he was way ahead of those who had treated him, if not badly, at least not as well as they should have.
Listening to the casual conversation between Dennis and Franz, Jack quickly learned that Franz took care of the facilities mechanical needs and cars, and decided this man should be his friend, playmate, and so on. For his part, Franz had no objections to the tag along; he enjoyed company, regardless of size, and reflected back to when he would have appreciated someone to stand with him when he was that age. And when he hinted about other vehicles that might be in the carriage house, Jack was hooked. Finishing his cup of coffee, Franz asked Dennis if there were any plans for the kids that morning. Dennis hadn't a clue, but taking a shot in the dark, said "No, nothing that I know of; besides you have your pager if we need you back for some reason. Road trip this morning?"
"Yes; I need some air conditioning unit filters, and there are some repair parts in for the fairway mowers. Gotta stay ahead in the parts race you know; those operators could break a steel ball playing with it. Anyway, you think there would be any problem if short stuff here went with me?"
"No, but if something comes up, it's on me. I'll let Alice know the deal as soon as she shows up. See you back here for lunch about twelve?"
"You got it. Jack, you ready for a parts run with me? Bathroom check first?"
Jack flew off the booster seat, in and out of the nearby bathroom, and was ready to go in under three minutes. This was more fun that he had seen in a while and he was not about to miss the chance. Besides, much as he liked Dennis, this guy was more his size. And a friendship that las
ted for years was begun in a bouncing 4 by 4 making a parts run.
With Jack and Franz gone, Dennis announced he had to make a security round of the grounds and check on some plantings. "There're two seats in the cart. Anyone around here want to ride shotgun?"
Amanda could hardly get the "Yes" out of her mouth quick enough, but Dennis turned toward Doris: "You hear some noise in here? Sounds like a cricket to me. Well, I have to go make a round now. Too bad I'll be all alone."
Prompted by the big man's seeming disregard, Amanda was bouncing up and down in her seat saying "Me too, me too."
"I'm just teasing; of course you can go, but first: potty check, shoes tied, and you need a ball cap; sun's bright today. I have a cap you can use in the carriage house. Ready?" And after Doris supervised the potty break to make sure Mandy was truly ready to go, off they went in the big ATV.
Laura had been sleeping the deep sleep of the exhausted when the kids had awakened and made good their escape. She was starting to drift toward consciousness when the knock at the door came. Startled to awareness, her heart leapt when she realized her two children were nowhere to be seen. Fearing the worst, she flew to the door, to find the ever calm Alice Hamilton waiting for her.
"Is there something wrong? Where are the kids; are they all right?" the words tumbled out of her mouth.
"Calm down, please, take a breath. Everything is fine. Amanda is with Dennis making a security round of the facility in his ATV, and Jack is with Franz in the Jeep making a parts run to the hardware store. I can call them back here at any time, but suggest for now we leave them where they are. You've met Dennis, so you know Amanda is in good hands; you'll meet Franz later and I'm sure you'll find him to be equally reliable. We do not employ anyone here who could be questionable in any way. Now, are you rested and ready for some breakfast and 20 questions?"
"Let me at least rinse the sleep off my face and get a little more presentable; then I'll be ready for the day. I won't be more than a minute or two. I don't remember when I've had a night's sleep that good; been a while, and I do feel much better now even though I have no idea how or why all this is happening. I'm still very grateful you got us out of that crowd last night."
"Later I'll answer your questions as best I can. For now, freshen up and we'll go do breakfast. I'll wait here." That's what Alice said aloud, while inside she was thinking that this young woman looked better disheveled and unmade-up in the morning light than most women would look all day. Alice wasn't jealous; she had had her day in the sun; was today going to be Laura's? Time would tell.
Laura quickly found the best dress of what little she had to choose from and rejoined Mrs. Hamilton at the door to the suite. "I'm sorry, but I just realized I haven't called my sister this morning. I tried to talk to her last night but she wasn't at home. I really need to let her know we're okay. Could I just take a minute to do that?"
"Sure. Take whatever time you need. Dial one and then the rest of the number. Is she here in Conyerville?"
"Yes, she is, but I couldn't get her husband to understand we were pretty bad off when we got here on the bus yesterday and needed a place to stay. Again, I can't thank you enough for all you've done. This will just take a minute; please come in and have a seat."
Alice did as requested, and tried not to listen to the conversation, but Laura's end was all too clear and Alice was getting a picture of sorts.
"Nancy? It's Laura!?..No, we're fine, and kids and I?..Yes, I heard we were on the TV news last night??Lenny said you had enough problems of your own since the plant closed. I'm sure he didn't understand the rather extreme nature of our problem. Anyway, look, we're doing okay for the moment. We were relocated yesterday evening by some very nice people from a place called Windmere; that's where we are now??Yes, it's a little like a fortress, but in fact, it's been more like a wonderland so far; I'm almost afraid the balloon will burst?..No, don't come out for us?..Let me see if there's a number you can call if you need me for something; I don't have a cell phone anymore, and I don't know where Richard is. It's a really long story I'm not even sure I understand yet, but I'll see if these nice people will let me call again later so I can fill you in a bit on what I do know. I don't think it's a pretty picture, but we're fine for now?..Catch you later, oh, and let the folks know when they get back in the states, okay??..Love you too; take care."
That done, Laura and Alice walked together for the few steps to the kitchen. Doris greeted them as they entered;" Good morning ladies. Alice, I know what you want; I heard you coming down the hall and it's in the toaster. And it looks like this girl needs a running start on her day. Hi; I'm Doris Cook; I assume those two children that nearly ate us out of house and home belong to you?"
"I'm Laura, and yes, they belong to me. I hope they weren't too much trouble."
"Not a bit of it. I get a kick out of seeing them chow down, both of them; we'll see how they do at lunch. But, as for you, how about I clean out the refrigerator and stir you up an omelet? I assume whole wheat on the toast; you look positively too healthy to be hanging around us old folks. Time we put some pounds on you so we don't feel so guilty."
Laura laughed at the cook's accuracy on the toast, but said "Please, not if it's any trouble at all. Sounds great but I don't want to be a bother to anyone."
"Not a bother. I get paid to do what I love to do. Can't beat that with a stick, and not only that, but they aren't a bad lot to know, are they, Alice? I assume coffee with no sugar, French vanilla on the creamer?"
"How do you do that? Do I look like a no sugar, one creamer person or something?"
"Practice, honey. I've been at this a long time. Anyway, I don't know much about how you got here, or why you're here, but in my kitchen, you eat, and your kids eat. You wouldn't want to jeopardize my job over a couple of eggs would you? Now, have a seat while I wrangle the range." and with a twinkle in her eye she turned to the refrigerator and started rummaging for omelet fixings.
Laura complied, sitting across from Alice, coffee with no sugar, one French Vanilla creamer in a large mug in hand. She knew enough about coffee to know this was not your average store blend but a rich perfectly roasted mixture of more exotic blends. The aroma itself was entrancing, and the taste even better, but more importantly, who was Franz, and why was this kitchen so large; what kind of place had a cook on duty just to feed the staff, and who used coffee that good every day? The questions swirled in her head, to be replaced by the aroma of a well turned summer omelet; hunger won out for the moment. Doris Cook was pleased with Laura's obvious relish of the dish; 'one thing for sure, this woman is no scrawny super model, but she sure takes care of herself. I hope she stays around. Wish I knew what was going on, but the boss has a great track record so far; guess we need to trust him one more time.'
Breakfast done and with a fresh cup of coffee, Laura felt for the first time in several days she could face the world, even if it brought more travails; she was ready for whatever Alice might ask. Alice initiated the conversation by answering the first question Laura wanted to ask: "We were sent to get you last night by the boss. Your picture was on the local news and, simply put, you didn't look like you belonged there. That is not to say you were seen as better or worse, just different. Anyway, you're here now. And in case you were wondering, Franz is every bit as reliable as Dennis, although much smaller. That stands to reason; almost everyone is smaller than Dennis," she added with a smile.
"First, I would like to hear, in general, how you ended up in a shelter with two kids and apparently few belongings. I'm less interested in whom may be responsible for what, more the general events."
Laura told Alice about the last year or so, and mostly about their eviction, her brother-in-law's apparent inability or unwillingness to help, and turning to the shelter as a last means of protecting her children. Although it was clear Richard has been the primary cause of their present misfortune, Laura also admitted she had refused to recognize the growing problem when she knew it posed a danger. Alice simply nodd
ed as she listened to the story unfold. Usually a calm self-contained person, Alice Hamilton felt an inner growing need to find Richard Nessing and back-hand him so hard his head spun around; but, none of that was allowed to show through during the interview. Alice did file the thought for future reference, and in a later moment wondered if Dennis ever hired out to "explain things" to people?"
At the conclusion of Laura's narrative, Alice summed up: "Okay, I understand what happened. Second question: now that you appear to be on your own, how will you manage? What can you do, what experiences do you have that you can use to earn a living?"
Laura thought for a moment before responding. What did Alice want to hear, or did it matter? The reality did not seem very bright when she thought about it in those terms. She had found shelter, but now what? Maybe just the truth of the reality needed to be faced. "I wish I knew what to do. People don't rehearse for this sort of thing to happen. We are apparently safe for the moment, wherever this may be, but you're right; I need to support us. I'm willing to do almost anything for my kid's sake, clean, wash dishes, do yard work, and obviously I did those things as a mother and housewife. But, I also ran the home office for Richard's insurance business, keeping the data base current, invoicing, and things like that. The only thing I didn't handle was cash management, but I guess that's rather obvious. Since he was on the road a lot I took some day courses in spread sheet construction and data base management, even threw in one on CAD systems for good measurement. I haven't had much of a chance to apply what I learned, but I'm sure it would come back to me quickly. Anyway, whatever happens, my kids come first; I'll have to find something. I mean, being here is wonderful, but I can't live on your hospitality; I need to stand up on my own."
Again, Alice only nodded in understanding. "This morning is pretty well gone. Let's do this: I need to go see the boss for a few minutes. Why don't you go back to your rooms and do a quick inventory of your immediate needs, for both you and the kids, you know, essential things like underwear, clothes, toiletries, and so on. We have a laundry room here that is fully supplied, so you can skip that part of the essentials for now. But what about shoes? No woman can have just one pair of shoes, so think about that also. Big as it is, I know that duffle doesn't hold enough for three people to live on very long. We'll meet here again at noon; may even find out what the kids have been up to. Okay?"
"Okay. I just hope the kids haven't been too much trouble."
"Not likely, knowing who they're with. Dennis and Franz can be a little mischievous at times, so I think it's pretty much a match. See you in a bit."