Surprise Call

Bobbie got ready for her day, fed Fossy, went down to check on the restaurant and have breakfast. She found George sitting at a small table. He was wearing tan jeans and a rust coloured golf shirt. Gold wire sunglasses hung in his collar. He always had such style she thought. “Hi George, I almost forgot you were staying here with us. How’s your renovation going?”

“I’ve been pretty busy with work and helping the contractors a bit so I haven’t been around much. I think I’ll be another month or so before the reno is finished.”

“I hope you are enjoying your stay. At least the breakfast is good.” Jessica set a biscuit sandwich down in front of each of them.

“This a great place to stay. The staff is very friendly. It seems like a big family.”

Bobbie’s phone rang just as she had settled in with coffee and she apologized, stood and said goodbye.

She answered and a voice said Katherine Fox calling for Roberta Orlov. Bobbie told them it was she and Katherine came on the line. “Good Morning Bobbie, I hope I caught you before you began your day. I’m planning a trip to do some business in Citadel City tomorrow and I was hoping to take a side trip and visit your little motel this Friday and Saturday.”

Bobbie already had the reservation app open on her computer. “That’s wonderful news Kathy. I have one of our suites available for you and I look forward to showing you around.”

“Lovely, I’ll have one of my assistants forward our flight information.”

Maybe I’ll reserve the room beside it too, thought Bobbie . Katherine would be in the first floor suite that Tate was in so it was freshly cleaned. She would get a welcome basket with some tourist info ready.”

She finished her coffee and grabbed her gardening clothes and went out. It was a hazey hot day. She walked around to the garden and put on her boots and her gardening tool belt. She looked around. It actually looked really good. Apparently the kitchen staff, the housekeeping staff and Brit were all working to keep the garden weeded. Things were growing like mad. There was irrigation in the beds and Mark was running fertilizer through it on a schedule his father gave him. She sat on a chair and looked out over the garden and the view of the highway and ocean beyond. She could see big ships heading towards Cit City or beyond.

Johnny came around the corner. “The garden looks good.”

“Yes it does, I game out to give it a good weeding and maybe pick potato bugs but I see no weeds or pests to wage war on.”

“I’m headed over to work on the market stalls so I’m just going to load up some scrap wood and my tools and head over. You can come if you want.”

“Sure Johnny, I’m all dressed for work anyway. She grabbed her bag and followed him down the hill. They looked at the counter tops that had been drying in the shade and Johnny decided they were pretty hard. “We can probably get them on the stalls and let them cure the rest of the season, then clean and seal them in the fall. Lets load 6 of them in the truck.”

They climbed in the cab and Bobbie said. “Those are not as heavy as you’d think. They are going to look nice on the market carts.”

They got to the Tubing /Market property and saw two of the pergolas had an asphalt roof and Chuck and Beau were on top of the third one.

Bobbie looked up. “You guys will get sunburned if you don’t put shirts on. The view is kind of nice though.”

“We’re calling my union, were getting harassed on the job.” Yelled down Beau.

“I’m talking about the view you’d get from the roof.”

Johnny moved over to the back of the building and started wheeling out the carts. “We’re here to finish off a half dozen market stalls the guys were working on them yesterday. Come on Bobbie, they are pretty easy to move, help me wheel them over to the pergola.” All the dressers were installed in the frames Johnny made and were sanded, primed and ready to be painted and have the tops installed.

Brit came out of her trailer. “Good morning guys. I’m ready to paint those. I worked on them the last two days. Don’t they look great?” She walked over and opened a drawer, revealing paint brushes and paint. They proceeded to paint each stall contrasting colours. Some had red frames and blue or yellow or green backs and some had red or blue or yellow frames and so on. They unloaded Johnny’s counter tops and piled them beside the carts. Brit said she’d get the tops on when the carts dried. They all brought the rest of the carts over and Bobbie and Johnny delivered the rest of the tops.

Around noon, Johnny said. “Lets go get some food, I’m starved.”

“Johnny I’m in my gardening clothes that are now full of paint, I can’t go to a restaurant.”

Brit walked over. “Are you guys getting food?”

“Fine.” And they piled in Johnny’s truck and drove over to the Treat Shoppe.

They sat down and the waitress filled their mugs and they ordered the full breakfast.

“So Bobbie, I was wondering what you planned on doing with your storage crates now that you’re almost finished your motel. I was thinking I’d buy one off you and take it down to my land so I can have a home base while I build.”

“My Dad wanted to know where you got those empty shipping crates too. I was thinking we could park one right behind the stage, for storing stuff over the winter. It would act as a back wall for the stage too.”

“I wish I could give you each one but I need one to store motel stuff. My Apartment used to be motel storage. Rocco knows where to get them. I’ll treat you to brunch though.”

Brit beamed and Bobbie had an odd maternal feeling, like she and Johnny could be her parents.

“How many more dressers do you need to finish the 24 carts Brit? I have 2 in my other storage bin. I can’t fit them in my house so you can have them.”

“If you have 2, I need 4 more.”

“Well lets hit the thrift stores and finish this project.”

They were successful at the thrift store so Brit and Johnny dropped Bobbie off, collected all the wood and dressers they’d need and went back to the Market to finish things off.

It was around 2 and Bobbie walked in her door and got an email saying Mrs. And Mr. Fox were arriving at the airport on Friday morning on an 11AM flight. The email was from Kathrine’s executive assistant so Bobbie emailed back that the suite had 2 bedrooms and how many other rooms they’d need and if they had dietary or physical considerations.

The assistant emailed back saying the suite is fine, on the first floor is optimal.

That was taken care of thought Bobbie. She was a bit tired from all the lifting and painting so she decided to relax and put on a robe and lay down on her bed. There was a warm breeze and she dozed off.

She was at Trixie’s apartment with Johnny. They just finished a show in Cit City and were sitting on Trixie’s couch. Johnny leaned in close and pushed her hair aside. “You are as beautiful as the day I first met you Bobbie.” And then he kissed her. She felt his calloused finger tips brush her cheek and unbuttoned his shirt and ran her hands over his chest and kissed him back. Then they were laying on the bed and he was touching her. She was starting to respond when she looked at his face and it was Alex.

Bobbie woke with a start. Her heart was racing and she was soaking wet. Was that a bad dream or a daydream. Whatever it is I am going crazy and I think I had a hot flash or flush or something.

She grabbed her phone and texted Trixie and asked her to meet for tea. Then she had a quick, cool shower and got dressed and went to the restaurant for high tea. She sat down and in a few minutes, Trixie arrived. Mink had a break so she joined them.

“So what’s up Bobbie?”

“Katherine Fox and her husband are coming Friday for the weekend.”

“Kathrine Fox the oil baroness?”

“She’s the CEO of an oil company. So yes.”

They laughed. “So we have to have a nice art gallery experience and an inspired high tea and I don’t know how else to keep her entertained. I’ll have to have a fancy Friday night dinner. Maybe with no kids though.”

“Mink could serve at the Friday night dinner.” Said Mink

Bobbie smiled. “Thanks Mink, I would love that. I’ll get the good dishes and everything. Maybe we could try a french service. I’ll get Mark to hunt down a couple of big prime rib roasts, Oil people like prime rib.”

Mark was freshening the sweet table and heard them. “Lets make a big hodge podge to have with the roast to make it seasonal and more homey. I’ll cook, deliver and then carve the roast and Mink will bring the hodge podge.”

“Oh thanks Mark that’s such a good idea, I’ll make a pavlova for dessert.”

“You have enough on your hands Bobbie, I’ll get Gina to make the pavlova, she’s made it before.”

“It’s like you are hosting a special event in your house. Am I invited? Asked Trixie.”

“Of course. I’ll invite you and Greg, Barb and Johnny, Mom and Dean and Jamie and Jarrod. Oh God, I should tell Ambrose.”

“You haven’t told him yet?”

Mink and Mark went back to the tea service and Bobbie said. “Well I had a really weird dream where I was kissing Johnny and then he turned into Alex.”

“That’s messed up.”

“I know. Do you think it means I should cool it with Brose?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you ate a bad oyster or something. Seriously, You’ve been hanging around Johnny a lot maybe some old feelings are resurfacing. And you obviously have old feelings about Alex.”

“I’m texting him anyway.” “Hi Sweetie, have you any plans for Friday night? I’m having Katherine and Lester Fox over for dinner and thought you might like to join us.”

A moment after she sent the text, she got a reply. “I’ll see you tomorrow around 8.”

Bobbie smiled when she got the text and right then she knew that being with Ambrose was the right thing. She was so happy and excited to see him it had to be right. Trixie could see it in her face.

“Are you glad you texted?”

“He’s coming tomorrow evening.”

“Are you going to meet him at the door wearing only a trench coat.”

“I’m going to pick him up at the airport wearing only a trench coat.”

On his end, Brose buzzed his assistant Brock. “Clear my Friday and book me the 6 o’clock flight to Crow Harbour tomorrow please.”

Brock came into the office. “You have the presentation to the Trade Committee on Friday.”

“I have been invited to a private dinner with Katherine Fox, hosted by my friend, Bobbie.”

Brock’s eyebrows shot up. “I’ll reserve the flight right now.” As he left Brose’s office he thought it might be a good opportunity to figure out Bobbie Orlov the widowed, retired computer programmer.