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61
Kris
“Speaking of one brain, who decorated this place? It’s worse than your cabin.”
The laughter at my expense carried on through the evening. Gill made it his mission to embarrass the hell out of me at every turn. When I hit the music scene before the accident, it was Gill that steered me clear of most trouble. He was like the Den mother for us. A dad you could party with, but that at the end of the night, made sure everyone got back safe and intact.
When the dust settled from my downward spiral after the accident he was the only one that didn’t desert me. Well him and Cliff, sort of. Cliff stayed in touch, but took off to greener pastures when I went to have a nice rest. A nice rest, that’s celebrity speak for mandatory rehab. Gill came to see me every week, and it was him that gave me the idea and the seed money to start Vagrant Soul Records. I wanted him as my partner, but he said this was for me, then promptly retired and went to have a life and raise a heck of a kid.
Nicolette is sitting on the bed, fresh from the shower, putting lotion on her legs as I come in from brushing my teeth. She’s been eyeing me suspiciously all night, but I’ve managed to avoid her in relation to the ownership of this place.
“So, you’ve just met the closest thing to a wayward parent I have, he’s a handful but good people.” I say of Gill.
“I think he’s pretty cool. I had fun chatting with him. I can see where Gillian gets her personality.”
“Which she passed right on down to Piper Lyn.” I pul back the covers, and before I can even think about patting the mattress, Bowzer and Cat are taking up residency on the crisp clean bamboo sheets. “Seriously?” I chuckle.
Nicolette smiles. “I think they missed us.”
I grab Cat, making him yowl. “Prayers, furball.” He gets quiet, and sits perfectly still. “I swear if he could he’d put his paws together.” I get an eye roll from our girl as she sets her lotion on the nightstand. “So-tomorrow, what would you like to do?” I figure if I can keep the conversation on her, then it won’t turn to me. I know that she will be upset about my buying this place, because I did it again. Made a me decision that would have been a we one. But hell if we didn’t need a place that she didn’t have to climb like fives sets of stairs just to take a nap.
“There’s not much I’m allowed to do for like the next week. You heard the doctor. So, I don’t care as long as it’s not in a bed. You’re lucky I’m not sleeping on the couch.”
“But-but-” I whimper. “I got us the good mattress. See? It has just the right bounce and smush.” I press down on the bed a few times.
“I was stuck in a bed for days, Pan. I hate it. Besides you have your first chef coming tomorrow, right?”
“We, have our first chef coming. His name is Clarence Taylor, and he was classically trained in France. Or at least that’s was what Michelle said when she set it up. She put out a low key call and we already have like six people who are ready to audition.”
“Do they make everything or just specialty stuff?”
“I guess we’ll find out in the morning. I did have a question, well-Michelle said I should ask. Did you want to hire a nutritionalist as part of the entourage? Someone that deals in prenatal and cardiovascular health? I also think we need a pastry chef, cause you and me, we like cake.”
Nicolette breaks into a fit of laughter then grabs her pillow popping me with it. Bam! Dome shot!
“Hey, what was that for?” I get up, two pillows at the ready. “You don’t wanna do that again. This bull’s got horns.” I wink, diggin my foot into the thick rug like I’m ready to charge.
“I’m so scared, I’m shakin’ in my boots!”
“What boots?” I snicker thwacking her arm. I want to play, but I also know that we need to be careful.
“Get that look off your face right now. I’m okay. They said I was. As long as the pillows hit me from the boobs up or hips down I think we’re okay.”
“Oh-ho, you’re about to get such a booty pilliowing, it’s not even funny.” I move around the edge of the bed, and Bowzer inches to the center. Yipping and bouncing. Seems he wants to play too.
Nicolette gets on the bed, up on her knees, swatting at me. I laugh as she’s still shorter than me. “Your reach is pitiful.” I tease, cracking her on the ass, before dropping to my knees on the rug. “Is this better? More fairly distributed? How does it feel to be the taller one for a change?””
“You’re so mean.” She says just before she smacks me on the head with her pillow. I go to get her, but Bowzer grabs the pillow, and I am now in a tug of war with him. “Hey, let-it-go!” I deand as the pillow splits. I fall backward and watch as the feathers fly. Seems those really were actual down pillows.
By the time I get up I see Nicolette laying on the bed laughing hysterically. “My hero.” She pats Bowzer on the head. “Oh my God! It’s so hot in here.”
I wipe off the feathers blowing one into the air, as I reach up to pull the chain for the ceiling fan. “With how you were up and down in the hospital, I figured this was a good investment.” I finish as I join her in the bed. “Too hot to cuddle your man tonight?”
“Investment? Did you buy this ugly place? Why?” She sits up looking at me expectantly.
Open mouth, insert both feet.
