| |
Sady didn't go to D'A-Z's on Thursday. She stayed at the office to help contain the violent storms that blew through the office. In the morning, Emily decided she and Suzy would drop in for a surprise visit.
After a near brawl in the front office, Emily slipped past Amanda. Harry looked out of his office to see what caused the commotion. After one look he jumped back and slammed his door, hoping Emily hadn't spotted him.
Emily rushed down the hall, looking for Matt's office. Amanda was hot on her heels when Suzy unloaded a bomb just outside CJ's door. CJ opened the door, stepped in the pile, and slipped. Her eyes went from angry to atomic in seconds as she grabbed the wall for support.
"You want me to call the police and have her arrested for trespassing?" Amanda asked CJ. "Or should I just bounce her out the back door? I'd be happy to do either," she said with a glare. "Once she's finished cleaning up after herself."
Emily picked up her dog and yelled for Matt. He opened his door, saw the scene, and closed his eyes. He sent a crabby scowl to Sady who laughed from her office door.
"I'll start with that little rag," Amanda told CJ, reaching for the dog.
Emily shrieked and rushed out the back door. Matt supervised as she put her dog in the bed of his truck. She pouted when he refused to let her put Suzy in the cab. She stood by the truck while he returned to the office.
"I'll be up front if you need my services," Amanda told CJ. "But after lunch you're on your own. I have the afternoon off, remember?" CJ nodded, and Amanda went to the supply closet. She gassed the hall with air freshener.
"You better get on that mess, Stubbles," she told him. "Before it leaves a permanent stain. Not to mention that smell. I think it's killed her brain cells. How else can you explain a person being so stupid?" She blasted a long shot on the pile, then went to her desk in the front.
"I hope you paid for a bed liner," Sady told him. "I think that dog's by-products are nuclear."
Matt's face was red with frustration. Then CJ tossed her shoes into his office, returned to hers, and slammed the door.
"Guess you have doo-doo duty," Sady teased. "No, I think that's double doo-doo duty. You have a mess in the hall, and CJ's shoes. I'd offer to help, but I don't think Emily likes me very much. She probably wouldn't approve of my waste handling techniques. I'd start with the source of the odor which is now in your truck... you fool."
It was quiet. "She's standing behind me, isn't she?" Sady asked. Matt nodded and grinned.
Sady grinned as well. "That's my cue to leave. You two have fun now." She left her office door open so she could hear the conversation.
"Emily, what are you doing here?" he asked. Stupid question, Sady thought.
"That's a stupid question. We came to see you, and watch you work, silly!" Emily giggled.
"I've already told you that you can't just drop in whenever you want," he told her. Sady could imagine the pouting look on Emily's face. She heard loud sniffling and couldn't resist the urge to look into Matt's office. She peeked around the corner and covered her mouth.
Emily had plastered herself to Matt and cried on his shirt. "It's been boring without you. Suzy and I have missed you. And my father still has that job opening in his company whenever you're ready to come home."
Matt shot Sady a desperate look. She gave him a small wave. Emily blubbered and, to Matt's horror, Suzy started howling. It could be heard through the walls of the office. Sady put her hand to her ear, then held up one finger, indicating Matt should wait. Sure enough, Hurricane Amanda returned.
"What on God's green earth is that noise? It sounds like a flock of geese are being strangled by the hounds of hell. Meadows, why am I still smelling what that woman left in the hall? Get out here and clean the mess. Or better yet, make her do it." Amanda stood in the doorway with a her hands on hips.
Emily had miraculous tear ducts. They dried on command. Instead of clinging to Matt with tears, she now stuck to him in fear. Amanda marched in and peeled her off him. "Missy, you've got cleaning to do. Starting in the hall. That stink is giving me a headache, and if I get a headache, I'll get cranky. Do you want to see me cranky?"
Emily shook her head, and Amanda snapped, "Good. Now get yourself to that supply closet and find the cleaner. When you're done in the hall, then you clean these shoes. I'll inspect them before you leave. Oh, and when you're finished, you're taking the used paper towels with you. We don't put out that kind of trash here. We're a respectable business."
She turned to Matt. "You- mute that mop in the back of your truck, or I'll pull her yapper out through that oversize sphincter I know she possesses. There's no way a dog that small should produce that much waste. It should be regulated by the EPA. If this was California, it would have a Proposition 65 warning stapled to its butt!"
A few minutes later Emily had the floor cleaned, but she was reluctant to clean the shoes as well. She and Amanda glared at each other. Finally, Emily asked, "Do you know who my Daddy is?"
"Yeah, he's the fool responsible for your existence. His latest mistake was in assuming you're an adult and allowing you and your little sister out of the house. Sadly for us, he let you take a field trip to Michigan. Now- those shoes aren't cleaning themselves, so move it before CJ needs them."
Emily paled at the thought of a face-off with CJ. She cleaned while Amanda watched. Amanda handed them back twice before she was satisfied. When Emily finished, she was ready to leave.
"Pack your rags before you go," Amanda instructed her. She gave her a paper fast food bag, and Emily shoved the used towels into the sack.
"Someone has to drive me back," Emily announced. "The bus driver banned me from riding public transportation after Suzy tried to bite him."
"Well, it's your lucky day all around, isn't it, Stubbles? I'd offer since I'm leaving early, but I'm allergic to dogs, and it would have to ride in my trunk," she lied.
Matt grabbed his keys with a huff at Amanda and Sady. He didn't hold the door for Emily, which resulted in a tongue lashing. Amanda laughed. "If he can't figure out how to shut them up, then he deserves to listen to them whining."
Harry stuck his head into the hall. "Is it safe?"
Amanda sniffed the air. "You'd better give it another twenty minutes just to be sure. That smell could put hair on your head, and ruin your good looks, handsome!"
Harry ducked back into his office. When Amanda was in a mood to flirt, it wasn't smart to be out on the target range.
Amanda looked at her watch and turned to Sady. "I have to leave to get ready for the dinner party. I should have given Blue Eyes enough of a lead so our paths cross when I drive into the ramp. After dealing with the rat pack I want to ring his chimes. I'll see you tonight."
Sady took over at the front desk after Amanda went home. She knew when Matt returned by the slamming doors. All the worker bees seemed content to stay in their own little hives, behind their own doors... and plot revenge on their enemies.
Sady took a deep breath and smiled. It was so peaceful and quiet. No yapping from Suzy, Emily, or Daisy. Life was good... until the front door opened and a woman entered. Sady looked up with a smile and asked, "Can I help you?"
"I'm Louise Knight, and I'm here to see my son," the woman stated. Sady's smile slipped as she examined the woman in front of her. Uh, oh. Harry's mother. She had only one head, despite CJ's claim. No tentacles or black, pointy hat. Sady looked down at her feet. Nope, she apparently walked like the rest of the human race, and didn't slither. Hmm... she seemed like a normal motherly type. Maybe she had a hidden secret weapon, like a forked tongue or retractable claws.
The woman seemed amused at Sady's inspection. "Is Harry in the office?" she asked. Sady nodded and didn't move. "Should I yell down the hall, or would you prefer I just open random doors and search for him?"
"Neither!" Sady replied with a shake of her head. "Sorry, you took me by surprise. We already had one unpleasant... oh, boy. Let me get Harry before I have both feet in my mouth and have to roll."
It was too late. CJ stuck her head around the corner and both women bristled. "I thought I smelled brimstone," CJ muttered. Without another word to the women she yelled, "Harry, your mother's here!" Then she stomped back to her office.
"I hope they have invested in heavy duty hinges," Sady said under her breath. She and Louise both jumped when the door crashed. Louise heard Sady's comment and smiled.
Harry looked like a condemned man when he came out to greet his mother. Louise hugged her son, and Harry introduced Sady. The women smiled at each other. This time Sady didn't lie when she said it was nice to meet her. CJ's issues with Louise didn't involve her.
"I want to take you to lunch," Louise told Harry. He shot a desperate look at Sady. He was in a quandary because he'd already eaten, and he didn't want to hurt her feelings. But mostly it was because he and CJ were on good terms, and he didn't want chop off the root of that onion again.
"Well, maybe a cup of coffee," he offered. Louise frowned, and Harry seemed to shrink before Sady's eyes. Poor Harry! One of the nicest men Sady knew was a pawn in an ugly competition for his loyalty. Sady interrupted, before she could talk herself into staying out of the matter.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Knight, but I really need his help on a case right now." She hooked her arm around Louise's and dragged her down the hall to Matt's door. She knocked once, then opened the door to see Matt's grumpy look. He saw Harry's mom, wiped off the look, and replaced it with a smile.
"Well, it's Harry's mom. How are you Mrs. Knight?"
"It's Louise, and... I'm hungry," she said.
“Matt would be happy to take you. I know he hasn't had lunch yet, have you, Matt?” Sady didn't feel guilty for throwing him off the cliff. “Harry's already eaten, and you know I have a meeting with him this afternoon.”
Matt wanted to refuse, and say something he felt worthy of the situation, but Louise was cramping his language. He bounced off the cliff walls a few times before landing at the bottom of the canyon. He felt like Wile E. Coyote at the end of the cartoon. Well, Louise couldn't be any worse than Emily. And she didn't have an annoying pet draped over her arm. He stood and held out his arm. "It would be my pleasure."
Louise was all smiles now. Harry looked relieved and quit glancing anxiously at CJ's door. As they left Louise patted Sady on the cheek. "Thank you, dear. You're such a sweet and thoughtful young lady." They all pretended not to hear the sound of something heavy hitting the inside of CJ's door.
Once Matt and Louise left, Harry grabbed Sady and steered her into his office. "Thanks for the save," he told her.
"That's okay," she grinned. "I think Matt could use a little fawning attention right now. And not Emily's kind either! Your mom seems nice."
Harry looked at the ceiling and sighed. "My mom is nice- just not to CJ. I guess that works both ways, though. You'd think that after over twenty years they could learn to get along with each other."
Sady laughed. "I never realized having no parents is a mark in the plus column of marriage eligibility. An actress once said her two main requirements in a man were a dead mama, and a cowboy butt."
"I guess she'd tear me out of her little black book," Harry joked.
"Only because you're over-qualified," Sady teased him. "Harry, I can say that because you know I love you like a brother. I'd say uncle, but that might hurt Uncle John's feelings."
"Great, do you think I need another sister? Well, I guess that's okay, just as long as you're not another mother." His gloomy look was back.
"As your sister I want the story- what's up with those two?"
"My mom expected me to marry a sweet woman, settle down, and have kids. She's disappointed that we never had children, even though my sisters all gave her grandchildren. She blames CJ for that. In case you haven't noticed, CJ's not exactly a little lady, or the maternal type," he gave a halfhearted laugh. "Their relationship started bad, and it's plummeting on a one-way fast track. I try to keep them apart, but the inevitable happens." He rubbed the back of his neck.
"No one has ever told me how you and CJ met," Sady said. "How about it?" Harry gave her a 'look,' and Sady knew she'd never get the full story.
"Okay, so you met while working for my uncle." She waited, then said, "That's your cue to pick up the story, Harry."
He gave her a cautious look, and she continued, "You might as well tell me, because I won't give you any peace."
Harry said, "Yep, you qualify as a sister. Okay, I'll give you the edited version, and you'll have to imagine the blanks. The job I was on had gone... very bad. I was praying for a fast end then everything changed. When I opened my eyes, I saw a little woman with a big mouth, and the greenest eyes I'd ever seen. She was issuing orders and bossing her crew like a dictator."
"That doesn't take any imagination," Sady laughed.
"Well, they hauled my half-dead carcass out of that hellhole, and saved my life. I chased CJ for almost two years before she agreed to marry me." Harry pulled out his wallet and handed Sady an old, worn photo.
"Harry, you had hair! And so did CJ- she was a blonde? Look at how cute she is! Aw, such a sweet couple." She returned the photo reluctantly.
"CJ would kill me if she knew I told you. She might take off a limb or two for that photo, as well," he grinned. "I always keep it with me."
Sady gave him a quick hug as he tried to return the photo to his wallet. "I'm sorry things aren't good between them, Harry, but you made the perfect choice. Even though I know your mom must be a special person too, or she wouldn't have a son like you."
"I won't offer the standard suggestions like talking, or counseling. But have you considered crying, throwing a tantrum, or breaking things?" Harry chuckled and shook his head. "How about a hunger strike? Curb hopping with your Harley?" More head shaking. "How about bed wetting? That will get their attention."
Harry laughed out loud, “I don't think that's the kind of attention I need.”
Sady grinned, "Well, I tried. Is there any chance I can get a copy of that picture?" She received another look and said, "You can't blame me for trying!" She left his office wondering out loud if CJ had one she could 'borrow.'
Someone must have sent a text to Matt asking him to keep Louise out of the office because when he returned over two hours later he was by himself. "Have things cooled down?" he asked Sady.
"That depends. You don't have 'Momma Knight and the Howling Duo' stashed in your truck, do you?"
"Don't remind me," he breathed. "Louise is a nice woman, and we had a good lunch. I showed her a few local sites, then dropped her off at the Knight's. And I'd rather not to talk about the other incident."
"I hope you made sure Emily didn't toss those poop wipes in your trash," Sady said. Matt's ears turned red, and he closed his eyes. Sady snickered and said, "You'd better show her the dumpster in back of the building if she's going to be here much longer."
He ignored her and went to his office to finish out the day.