Thurs Dec 26

The girls were up and running around early. To escape the chaos; Fossie the cat retreated to Bobbies bedroom. Bobbie could barely keep up because she was distracted, thinking about her party later that day. Luckily, Charlie arrived early to picked everyone up an took them back to his place for the day so Bobbie could get ready.

She sat finishing her coffee and couldn’t help herself, she had a spreadsheet on the tablet and was looking at the tasks. She finished up and went down to the restaurant. Mark and Jane and Rose were already there. “Happy St. Stephens Day everyone. I can’t believe you gave up your holiday to come here and help me.”

Mark looked up from what he was doing. “Give up my holiday? You mean I’m not getting overtime today? Just kidding, I was itching to get back to my kitchen after tiptoeing around my mother’s, yesterday.”

Bobbie grinned. “Well thanks so much guys. Did you see my spreadsheet?”

Rose nodded. “So, Drey, Effie, Roger and his mum are on their way here to set up in the gallery. Is that where we’re having the party?”

“Yes” said Bobbie. We can have the party in the gallery because it’s a holiday and not many people are in the motel and we haven’t rented it out for another event. We’re hosting a big New years Eve Gala with the city and hopefully we can reuse the decorations. The motel will be full, that night, looking at the reservations and the event is sold out. I’m getting it catered.”

Mark rolled his eyes. “I’ve already been talking to Joan.”

“I figured she would reach out. How are the buns going?” Mark was slicing the beef razor thin and then putting it in trays of warm, rich gravy. Then he was layering it on soft sourdough buns and Rose was wrapping them in squares of parchment paper. He offered Bobbie one to sample.

Bobbie took it. “Well, I haven’t had my breakfast yet… Oh my! Mark this is delicious! These will be a big hit. Do you think we can make smaller ones, like sliders for the new year’s thing? They would really impress people and highlight our free-range beef.”

Mark looked thoughtful. “We have enough Beef but that’s a lot of work Bobbie.” His frown eased. “I can get Joan’s people to help. We can absolutely make that happen. That’s a good idea.”

The door opened and Mink stepped in. “Blessed Boxing Day people, Mink has come to help and join the festivities.”

Bobbie went over and hugged them. “Thanks for coming Mink, I hope you had a lovely Christmas. How’s Chase felling?”

“Chase has good days and bad days we had a quiet Christmas. I ordered a fabulous meal from Chez Délicieux.”

Bobbie squeezed their hand. “I was going to set up our pop-up bar in the gallery; do you want to help me?”

It was almost a party just decorating while they got ready for the actual party in the gallery. Lorne and Rocco came. Bobbie figured Lorne would lend is design eye to the decorations. He was hoping to demonstrate his design talents to any potential clients coming to the new years party later in the week. The big art display boards were moved to wall off the gift shop and registration desk, as they did for most events and many strings of fairy lights went up.

Lorn and Rocco wheeled in 6 big wooden planters about 6 feet wide and 30 inches high and pushed them against each window. There were cedar trees, laden with fairy lights, that were at least 5 feet tall in each planter.

“These are beautiful and I can smell the cedar, how long will the cedar trees last in those planters?” asked Bobbie.

Lorne laughed. “They’re fake Bobbie. They’ll last forever. Will commissioned them. we can use them outside near the pool or patio when they are finished here. You probably smell the cedar planters. Look. They are benches too.” Lorne went over to a planter and sat on the bench.

“Well, they look great Lorne. And thanks Rocco.”

Bobbie and Mink set up the free bar and the tables where all the food would be, while Bobbie checked the stage in the corner where Johnny and the uncles and maybe even cousin Russ would be plugging in their amps and instruments and sing and play. Johnny would figure that all out.

It was almost noon but they were mostly ready so she thanked everyone who was there helping and went up to the apartment to change.

This was going to be Maddy’s first big party. Bobbie had fond memories of the big parties her parents had when Bobbie herself was little.

She put on her favourite green cashmere sweater and a pair of black velvet wide legged pants. She wanted to look like a good hostess. She took some jewellery out of the safe and settled on a large emerald dinner ring and big ornate emerald pin on the sweater. A little makeup and she was done. She sighed but perked up when the elevator dinged and she heard laughing kid’s voices.

Laura and Niko came out of the elevator first.

“Hello guys I hope you had a good morning. Is everyone ready to have a boxing day party?”

Charlie came out of the elevator carrying Maddy. “Maddy seems a little warm, we should take her temp and make sure she’s okay.”

Niko said “Hi Gramma, can we go down to the restaurant and help Mark and Gina?”

June was holding Suzy’s hand “Stay on the elevator and we’ll go down and see them.” She looked at Bobbie. “We’ll see you over at the gallery.”

Bobbie took Maddy from Charlie and they went into her bedroom she got the thermometer and they put it in Maddy’s armpit. Charlie looked at it. “It’s a little high, we should give her some acetaminophen to knock it down.”

“I only have 100-gram tablets, no child-sized pills.”

“Just break one in half and remember she got around 50 grams at noon. It’s a safe dose for kids. Just let her rest a few minutes she’s likely just over excited.”

Charlie left to go find June and the girls. Bobbie hoped Maddy would be fine and she picked her up and took her to her bedroom. “Maddy this is the dress I picked out for you.”

Maddy was quiet as she got ready and seemed to perk up when they got to the gallery and people started to arrive. Johnny was there testing the music equipment. Quin and Ray were there with the twins. All the hotel staff were dressed on their holiday best and were milling around. Trixie and Greg came over to say hi and Barb and Bobbies mother followed. Mark brought several bus pans of food over from the restaurant, on a rolling cart, and put them on the table.

Bobbie and Maddy found a table to sit at and Mark brought them over some beef sandwiches and drinks. Maddy just picked at hers. People were coming and going and each one dropped by Bobbie’s table to say hi and wish them a happy holidays and Johnny was with the uncles, singing some holiday songs. Bobbie couldn’t think of a good Boxing Day song to request. Maddy was just picking at her sandwich but was smiling and saying hi to everyone.

Joan sat down and pointed at the beef bun. “Mark told me you want to make sliders sizes of these for New Years Eve. I think it’s a great idea. I was thinking seafood canape’s but I can make a few less of those and have the beef sliders as the main event. The beef is so tasty.”

Eventually Johnny convinced Bobbie to come over, the were going to sing the Simon and Garfunkel song “The Boxer.” Maddy was being clingy and insisted on sitting on Bobbie’s lap while she was singing. They sang a few more songs and stopped for a food break. Bobbie looked down at Maddy and realized she was quietly crying.

Florence was watching the musicians, saw Maddy in distress and came over. She touched her forehead. “This child is burning up. She needs some medical attention, Bobbie.”

Bobbie stood up and shifted Maddy to her hip. “Let’s go upstairs Maddy, we’ll get you feeling better. They went up to her apartment and sat in Bobbie’s theatre room with Maddy. “I gave her 50 grams of acetaminophen around noon.”

Florence nodded. “You treated the fever but why does she even have a fever?”

Just then, Maddy gasped and rolled her eyes and her little body stiffened in a frightening way. When she finally relaxed, she threw up. Bobbie’s eyes grew wide. “That’s a febrile seizure. Eddie used to get them.”

Florence nodded. “Her fever is way up. Give her more meds. I’m calling Eddy.”

Eddy arrived in minutes looking concerned. What’s the problem? Is Maddy not feeling well.”

Florence frowned. “Her fever spiked and she seized so I want to know what’s wrong. She likely has an ear infection this is not just teething trouble.”

“You’re probably right Gramma. I think I’ll call my ENT buddy Ethan, I’ll tell him to bring penicillin and his med kit.”

Bobbie was cleaning the vomit off herself and Maddy. “Thanks Eddy.”

They gave Maddy another dose of medicine for her fever and they all sat in the theatre room while Bobbie held Maddy and rocked. In a moment the elevator dinged and Bobbie herd voices. Florence whet to open it and it was Jen, Mack and Eddie’s kids. Eddy jumped up and hugged them and told Jen and Mac that Maddy was sick. They were chatting by the elevator and it dinged again; it was Eddie’s friend Ethan.

He stepped out of the elevator and looked around. “Wow, is the entire staff of the hospital here? Where is this sick kid?” Eddy told his kids to head down to the party and showed Ethan into the theatre. Ethan picked up Maddy. “Let’s get you into the light miss, I hear you have a sore ear.” Maddy nodded and said nothing. He looked through is otoscope. “She has an infection all right.” He looked in the other one. “This one’s bad too. I think her eardrums are okay. I’m going to give her a shot of antibiotics and here’s a sample pack of the 5-day course of antibiotics. Start tomorrow morning on an empty stomach. Wait 15 minutes before she eats and in 5 days, I want to see her next week for some estuation tubes. That should take care of things.”

Eddy moved over and shook Ethan’s hand. “Thanks so much for the house call, Ethan. We’re having a party over in the other building, why don’t we head over and we can have a drink and a snack. There’s pretty good music too.”

Eventually, everyone went back to the party. Bobbie took the now sleeping Maddy and lay her on the bed. Then Bobbie changed into sleepwear and snuggled in beside her. The party raged on for 8 more hours but Maddy and Bobbie were fast asleep.