Sunday Aug 11

Bobbie woke up early, dressed and put coffee on. She ran down to the restaurant and got some muffins.

She got back and could hear Jenny in the bathroom. Bobbie stood by the island wondering what to say. She didn’t like that Jenny came home with her. She felt it was always better for the family to stay together through rough times. The kids would worry if they woke to find Mom gone. Eddie and Jenny had changing schedules and was really not her business so maybe she shouldn’t worry.

“Hi Jenny, I made coffee and we have muffins. Do you have to go right to work today?”

“Thanks Bobbie, I’m sorry for landing on you like this. Eddie was so angry. I thought it would be better to make myself scarce. I’m not scheduled to work until noon today. I’ve been awake for hours. I might go in early.”

“Well, you can stay here as long as you like. Fossie seems to like you. Will you get a chance to talk to Eddie today?”

“That’s why I should go in early. I’m just so confused. I was getting pretty close to a guy from work we just hired. I showed him around and even had him over for a family dinner. Everyone liked him. He is so easy to talk to. I’m starting to have feelings for him and I feel worse because he and Eddie are getting to be work friends too.”

“I had people from work that I got I little too close to but they never met my family. I used to talk about my family stuff and they talked about theirs. There was definitely an attraction though. I’m no saint and not really a relationship expert.” Bobbie thought about how bad her judgment was about Brose.

‘But you’re an Eddie expert. You know it’s worse because he and Mac are friends.”

“Did you sleep with Mac?”

“I did. I regretted it right away and so did he. We both agree we wish it never happened. Last night, Mac was  at the club and we decided to tell Eddie, together, how bad we feel and we would never do it again and could we all move on. We didn’t get too far. Eddie wouldn’t talk to me in the car and I’m not sure what to do? We still both have to work with him.”

“Alex and I had some rocky times too. It was different though. Alex didn’t know who I slept with. I imagine he’s been rolling in his grave though. It was actually Brose.”

“You cheated on Alex with Brose?”

“I’ve known Brose a long time. Alex slept with a co-worker. It was more like you; he was spending too much time with her and she had a crush on him.”

“How did you make it through?”

“We had to slowly re-gain each other’s trust. One step at a time. I met the lady he slept with and later we were pretty friendly. We had other things in common. It was weird a long time. We leaned into the kids’ activities and tried to spend more time together.”

“We don’t spend any time together. We try to alternate our schedules so at least one of us can be there for the kids. And when we are together, he’s so critical. I can’t seem to do anything right. He didn’t even congratulate me on my promotion. I had to make the dinner reservations last night, he didn’t really want to be there”

“Oh no, it can’t be very fun living with someone like that. With the new arrangement at Charlie’s and Laura going to school, you may be able to work on your schedules; and your relationship.”

“Maybe. I’m now a department head, I will work more of a nine to five. I will teach some modules at the university too.”

“That’s great Jenny, I’m sad that your bad news is overshadowing your good news.”

“I wish you could come with me when I talk to Eddie.”

Bobbie laughed cynically. “That’s a terrible idea. You’ve got this. I would send a message asking how his morning was going and let him know you want to meet.”

Jenny sent the message. “What if he doesn’t even want to talk to me?” Her phone pinged. “He wants to meet here.”

Bobbie’s eyebrows rose. “What time? I’ll make myself scarce.”

Jenny went back in the guest room to get dressed. The dress she had worn the night before was crumpled on the ground. Bobbie brought her a pair of nice shorts and a t- shirt. Jen was grateful that Bobbie was so understanding. Plenty of mothers in law wouldn’t be. “Thanks Bobbie, I think you are easier to talk to than my own mother.”

Bobbie decided to give Jenny her space and went down to the restaurant to check in with Mark about the Sunday brunch. She sent him her spreadsheet last night and wanted his input.

“Good morning, Bobbie, I was looking at what you sent me and I see what you mean about omelette ingredients and salad fixings overlapping a bit. It makes the brunch easier to prep. I’ve tweaked it a bit and think we could even try for next Sunday. Mink said they and staff can seat and serve. Brit said she’ll bus and do dishes for a couple hours and Sipho said he and Denny would be there to help with the buffet. I’ll cook the omelettes out front.  With the popularity of high tea, we have outgrown what the college can supply for confection. I’ve been using that German lady’s cheesecakes; They are the best in town and I get a couple deliveries from the other bakeries in town too.

“All this was happening when I wasn’t around. I’m sorry this landed on you Mark? You came through very well.”

“That’s why you pay me the big bucks. Chase handles all the bar and coffee and tea orders, which have skyrocketed and Mink is in their element managing the waitstaff and the restaurant floor. Don’t be too freaked out. You pay us to take these responsibilities.”

“Maybe you all need raises; we are starting to see bigger profits on food. I know you are all working hard. As if you don’t have enough to do, have you ever thought about baked beans and molasses bread for the Saturday Market? I’ll see you later, I have to check on dates for Barb’s retirement.”

Bobbie got a message on her phone on the way to the reception area. It was Joan she wanted to chat. Bobbie went back to the pool and sat in a lounger. She called Joan. Hi Joan how’s retired life treating you?”

“Hi Bobbie, thanks for calling. I’ve been busy trying to organize a catering business out of my kitchen. A little bird told me that Barb was retiring and I was wondering if she was going to have a reception at the motel.”

“Yes, I think so, I was just going to firm up the dates to use the gallery. It’s an evening thing and if it’s nice I might set it up poolside. I’m thinking September for the party. I hope you can come. I’m sorry I got so messy at your retirement party. I hope I didn’t ruin it.”

“I saw what was going on the next day on the news. You sure attracted attention.”

“I’m no good in the public eye, I was dating a politician and we broke up over it.”

“Your Motel is doing a great business and I hear Planned Parenthood donations are through the roof so it was not all bad Bobbie. Anyway, I was wondering if you would hire me to do the catering? We could meet closer to the event to discuss details. I have my own wait staff and everything. I may need to borrow your dishes though. I haven’t got mine yet.”

“Will we be your first job? I’d love to have you. It will be a great surprise for Barb. You could have access to our kitchen if you need it and there is a nice kitchenette in the boardroom upstairs if you’d rather.”

“You’ll be my first, let me know when you have a date, I’ll set up a meeting soon. Thanks Bobbie.”

Bobbie smiled thinking that this was excellent timing on Joan’s part. Her kitchen staff were at their limit with the weekday breakfasts, lunches at SPOKES, high tea and Saturday Market and now Sunday brunch. They were all coping with it so well. She went upstairs to check on her numbers and think of some more questions for Frank.

She went over to the reception desk. Lacey was in the gallery and Joe was at the desk.

He motioned her over. “Hi Bobbie, reservations are really picking up. I see that Frank Jones wants one of the suites for a few months. What are we going to charge him. Ray and Quinn are just moved out last weekend. We can put him in there for 600 a week. That’s what we charge Mink and Chase for one of the other suites.”

“Sounds good, that’s a little more than Quinn and Ray paid.”

“They got a family rate.”

Joe laughed. They talked about Barb’s retirement party and agreed that if they could have it by the pool, it would be nice.

“I’ll double check with Barb and finalize the date this afternoon.” Bobbie said Hi to Lacey and left just as a group of people started to look like they were talking about her.

She went back to her place, into her office and checked the numbers in her financial software. She was making a weekly profit that was almost triple what it was before her misadventures. She had to check with Effie to make sure housekeeping was not overworked. She walked around back and up to the laundry room.

Effie was there, sitting at a sewing machine. “Hi Effie what are you making?”

“ Hi Bobbie, this is Roger’s mom’s sewing machine. Believe it or not Roger brought it to do a little mending. Some of our sheets have a faulty seam and he was resewing it as they came in to be washed. He’s out with Mark in the garden now so I’m just fixing this last seam.”

“Wow, I’m impressed that Roger can sew. And you too.”

“His mom taught him. She wants him to have the skills to support himself if anything happens to her. He taught me.”

“Good for you guys. So, Effie how are things going. We have been busier than usual, is your staff still coping well.”

“Everything is going smoothly. We get all the rooms done in the morning and work at all the extra cleaning at the end of each day. Today, I’m in the laundry room, Drey is cleaning the pool and Roger is in the garden.”

“Thanks for the update, let me know if you need anything. Oh, Eddie will be staying with me the rest of the week and we might have him and his kids on the weekend. I’ll take care of making the beds. Eddie can help me get the rooms ready”

“OK, Bobbie whatever you need.”

“See you later Effie.”

She walked back to her apartment while she texted Barb about when she wanted her retirement party.