Bobbie made coffee and started texting her staff. The reporters had doubled down on the Townes Carson photo and she decided to lay low so she apologized that she couldn’t go meet with them but asked if things were going OK. Effie answered back that Roger said all the people hanging around was like a fair. He’s right, thought Bobbie; It is sort of a fun, charged atmosphere. Maybe I’ll go take a couple selfies.

She came back in feeling a bit better. At least, here at the motel, when there were no reporters, it was OK. She relaxed a few minutes before she started to prepare for Mark and Eddie’s lunch.  She ordered some Chinese food. Eddie would pick it up and she would have leftovers for 3 or 4 days. She took some napkins and silverware out to the deck but it looked overcast so she decided to go take a leaf out of the table so it felt more intimate in the dining room. She unlocked the elevator and sent it down.

“Delivery for Bobbie Orlov.” Eddie came out of the elevator with the bags of Chinese food.”

“Hi guys, I’m so glad you could both get a couple hours off to come over. Thanks for picking up the food.”

“It was all paid for, I felt like a teenager again, picking up Chinese food for Friday nights.”

“It was amazing you guys would still sit down for dinner at all back then. It must have cramped your social life.”

“You let us bring our friends, Mom.”

“True. I think it’s going to rain so we’ll eat in the dining room.”

They unpacked their food and took it into the dining room.

“You made the table smaller, that’s nice. You sure get a good view of the clouds hanging over the mountains through that big window. So, what’s been going on with you Mom. We seem to talk to you even less than when you lived in Cit City.”

“I’m sorry Charlie. You are right. It was different before I retired. We talked a lot after your Grampa died. That really helped me. I still miss him sometimes but it’s more that I’m sad he’s not around to see things or see his grand kids grow up. When your dad passed away so suddenly, everything changed. I was so unsure about things.”

Eddie swallowed a bite. “I think we were lucky to have our grandpas as long as we did. Grampa Orlov would give you anything you could ever need and Grampa McNally could fix any mess you could ever get yourself into.”

Charlie nodded. “I wouldn’t have made it through my nursing degree without them.”

“They were so proud of you two and your kids. I came here to get the motel going and stayed with your grandma at first, she needed help establishing a routine with out grandpa. Now she has Linda staying with her and of course Lorne and seems to be doing much better.”

“And how about you Mom, are you doing better?” Asked Eddy.

“Oh Eddie, I’m doing some things right and some things wrong and all I know is it would be so much better if your dad was here. I know it looks like I went crazy and tried to find a boyfriend. George was just nice to talk to and when I found out he was once married to Sam and then Mom started seeing his dad; I just didn’t want to lead him on. Ambrose was a mistake. I’ve known him since I was 15 and thought he could be someone that… I think I wanted him to replace your dad. I realize now, I can never do that.

“I’m glad you are done with him. He was nothing like Dad. I actually liked George better.”

“He’s almost your uncle now. George has totally moved on. Ambrose must have sensed that I was having reservations because he did a few things that caused the media problems I’m having right now. He orchestrated the poison threat at the motel and a little GIF of me that went viral. That started the hashtag thing and I’m still in the middle of having that trouble. I’ve even had threats because so much attention is being given to the Plan Parenthood Gala.”

“That’s awful! He was pretty stalky Mom and he spoofed the terror threat? No doubt that’s illegal. That could be a movie of the week.”

“Well, I’m not going to vote for him.” Said Charlie and they all laughed.

“I broke up with Brose and almost immediately, started missing your dad again.”

“Aww Mom.”

“I thought about this really hard, I think I left you guys out of all the motel stuff a little.”

“We came to all the tastings and parties and the market too; you didn’t leave us out completely.”

“Of course, I want to share all my happy occasions with you.”

Eddy shook his head. “But you didn’t involve us with the renovation. When you had the rooms finished, you didn’t call us. Or when you found all the kitchen stuff, you didn’t tell us.”

“I couldn’t shake the feeling that you didn’t want me to renovate this motel at all and I felt a little guilty about that and I may have avoided you.”

“I’m sorry Mom, I think we were just dealing with Dad’s sudden death and wanted to hold on to the past and the family home and all that.”

“What could I have done instead? I could have stayed in Cit city for a few years alone and ended up going back to work my old job on contract and eventually move to a nice bungalow here in Crow Harbour near you guys. I could have a little swimming pool in the back and a tomato garden in the front and be on the kid’s way to school so they could come for lunch and…”

Charlie smiled. “When you put it that way…”

“Well, let’s talk about something else. The kids are ready to get back to school.”

“Laura and Niko are in the same class and the boys are in grade three. They are mostly excited. The boys have a regatta next weekend and they would love it if you could come and make it a big thing Mom.”

“Oh, I can make it a “big thing”.”

“That’s your specialty”

They were just finishing up when Bobbie saw Johnny at the door. 

Johnny burst in. “Hi, Oh Hi guys. I need some help downstairs I think Rick has overdosed. I went to check on him and he’s passed out.”

“What did he take?” Asked Charlie, getting out his keys. “Johnny, I have Naloxone in the glove box of my car. We’ll meet you in his room.”

Johnny was gone and Bobbie grabbed her manager key and they went down to Rick’s room. He was passed out on the bed and there was a small mirror, a cut off straw, some crushed pills and an empty pill bottle on the side table. Charlie and Eddie picked him up off the bed and put him on the floor and Charlie started CPR.

Eddie picked up the bottle. “He must have been on these time release opiates for the sore leg. Crushing them up makes them not so time released and makes it easier to overdose. Johnny came into the room and Charlie took the Naloxone and administered it. Rick’s eyes fluttered and Charlie got off his chest.

Rick sat up and said I’m going to be sick. Bobbie handed him the garbage can beside the bed.  Then went into the bathroom to get him a drink and collect her thoughts. She came out and Rick was sitting on the bed sheepishly apologizing for making such a fuss and thanking Charlie for bringing him back.

“Was there some reason you had to give yourself such a high dose? Are you in more pain or do you think you may have an addition? An addiction causes a serious pain too. Of course.”

“I got a new walking cast and may have overdone it because I had a lot of pain so I took a bit more medicine. I ran low so I snorted the last pill and it worked instantly and I could pull through. I refilled my prescription but the last couple days I was snorting them…for the high, I guess.

“Oh, Rick it was probably the retirement party I made you attend that pushed you over the edge.”

“Don’t worry Bobbie I was pretty far gone buy then.”

“I’m sure it didn’t help.”

“It doesn’t matter what started this.” Said Eddie. “We have to finish it. Do you have any pills left.” Rick shook his head no. “But you still have pain and opiates are an effective treatment for pain most of the time. Just not if you become addicted. This hasn’t been going on too long. I think you can refill your prescription and just get Johnny or my mom to dole the pills out for you. They’ll have to help you come off the addictive side of things. I suspect Johnny has experience with that.”

“Well, I helped a few people come down from some bad trips “

“I don’t want to cause any more trouble.”

“It’s no trouble Rick, you’ll be doing all the sweating.” Said Johnny.

“We’ll let you get some rest Rick; you won’t have any pills until tomorrow when you get a new prescription. So, prepare for a rough night and keep hydrated.

Johnny said he’d check on him a little later and they left a tired Rick.

“It must be pretty easy to slip up and start abusing those pills. I think we should just give him extra strong regular pain killers”

“It’s best if you don’t fill the prescription, just destroy it.”

Eddie nodded. “You’re probably right, I don’t usually have to prescribe this because most of my patients leave me right after surgery.

“I see the fallout from those pills in the Emerg. All the time. Those are the kind of pills you beat up your granny for, they suck. I had the Narcan in the car because I was taking a first aid kit to the paddling club for Eddie. It does occur to me that you should have a defibrillator and a first aid with some Naloxone and some epi pens here at the motel Mom.”