Background
More on our new cast of characters ... and where Maggie fits in
|
Last post ended with Kato saying in a whisper, “No one will come to pay any respects because they have none to pay.”
And we continue…
Koko stood to his full height and tried to encompass them all, including the cantankerous Kato, with his warmth. The action immediately had Kato cutting his bright amber eyes at the Native American while Peadar rolled his deep green ones in an obvious exaggerated manner.
“Well, the honorable Geoffrey will be there with his lovely spouses.” Geoffrey nodded his agreement as he wiped his nose with his handkerchief. “And we’ll surely see the resourceful Ms. Needham from the law office as well as Gus, the dependable one, from the feed store.”
Everyone had their own personal adjective in Koko-speak.
Lycaois growled again to which Kato joined his own for a chorus, but Koko’s radiating optimism was starting to rub off on Peadar, Geoffrey could see it in the fiery man’s eyes.
“And I’m sure some of the youngsters with whom our beloved Miss Rosemary has been working will make an appearance.” Geoffrey couldn’t help himself but relax as Koko continued – the could-be-Chief’s calming spirit in the face of their tragedy really was infectious.
Geoffrey watched a smile try to tug at Lycaois’ lips – he knew a few of the handicapped children who visited Rosemary for therapy throughout the week had found a special place in her heart, especially the little blind girl who called Freki her puppy. Never mind that the ‘puppy’ was the size of a grizzly bear even though it was supposed to be some sort of Norwegian something or another.
But Kato, in his board shorts and plaid button-up that revealed hard abs where the material struggled to cover them completely, would not be swayed from his pessimism. Not that Geoffrey could blame him. Their small Southern town definitely had a running deficit in the neighborly department with respect to the residents of Rosemary’s unique boarding house.
“Their parents will not let them, you will see.”
But, then again, he was no match for Koko's optimism.
“Yes! Yes, we will see many welcome visitors to celebrate our beloved Miss Rosemary’s life!” Koko had slowly begun to usher their little band of misfits toward the doorway through which Demetrius had exited earlier. “Come, Kato, take us home so that we may begin preparations!”
Kato huffed, very aggravated, as he dug the keys for their Land Rover out of his board shorts. “Crazy-ass cuckoo for KoKo Puffs,” he mumbled to no one in particular.
As the group turned to leave, Peadar stayed behind and turned solemnly to Geoffrey, his gnarly hands twisting his hat nervously as he raised his face to speak.
“I dun mean to git ahead, Mr. Stal’son” - his upward gaze became piercing - “But what of a successor?” Peadar broke the gaze and stared at the floor. “You should know the place needs someone . . .”
Geoffrey reached out to touch Peadar’s hands in reassurance but caught himself; he sometimes forgot that Rosemary’s residents were not the touchy-feely type he tended to be.
Except Koko. He touched everyone…whether they liked it or not because his size allowed him to get away with it. Besides, no one ever seemed to mind.
Except, of course, the beautiful and dangerous Demetrius. No one ever touched Demetrius.
Geoffrey grinned inwardly at his scattered musings and sighed as he forced his wandering mind back to the present.
“Rosemary said she knew of a great-niece that should be a good fit, Peadar.” Geoffrey thought how Rosemary had insisted on making sure everything was in place. She must have foreseen this incident because she should have had many more years before inheritance was even an issue – Hell! Geoffrey had been convinced that she would have easily outlived his entire family!
Truth was, though, that Rosemary had not even known this young lady niece of hers: it seems she was the daughter of Rosemary’s brother’s fourth daughter. She’d only held this grand-niece at her birth and seen her once or twice before she was out of diapers. At that point, some sort of estate or birthright thing or other such nonsense had ended all contact between Rosemary and her entire family.
It had been so odd to him when, after the last holidays were done, Rosemary had appeared, unannounced, at his house and had been adamant that everything be in writing and lawfully airtight for everything she owned or possessed to pass solely to the young woman.
Who apparently she’d never met as an adult.
In the unlikely event of my death, dear Geoffrey.
Yes, she had certainly taken care and then some to assure that the Order – or anyone else, family or otherwise – had no say in anything.
Peadar seemed to tense up, if only in the slightest, and his eyes narrowed as his gaze again focused upward to the lawyer’s face.
“Should?” Peadar was understandably concerned “But, in the past, the Order . . .”
Geoffrey breathed in and out to calm himself. Peadar had no idea what Rosemary had sacrificed for them all to remain under her ‘protection’ as she had called it; Rosemary had wanted it that way. Seriously, though, not even Geoffrey understood the workings of Rosemary’s world – this Order that somehow thought they had owned Rosemary. Could tell her who she allowed in her boarding house. What a crock!
But he had always been her friend first and lawyer second. He had to continue to respect her wishes, that none of her boarders – or any travelers, as they come and go, Geoffrey – be the wiser, even though she was gone.
The entire Order could burn in Hell or whatever it was they believed in for eternal damnation – a vat of boiling quicksand or something, he had no idea, but he didn’t care.
“I doubt the Regional Order will even give Rosemary a ceremony,” Geoffrey managed to ground out.
Then he watched those emerald eyes begin a slow boil, and he unconsciously took a step back. “And I have to find out under which Order the niece is currently a Sister, although Rosemary had never indicated that was an issue.”
He didn’t even know where the young lady lived. He rubbed his forehead.
Again, Geoffrey made himself relax, so as to convey a somewhat peaceful aura for the man in front of him, no need to stoke animosity where there need not be any. And for the first time, Geoffrey sensed a whole lot of animosity there.
“But let’s handle all of this now, yes?” Geoffrey simply gestured in general to indicate the here and now.
Peadar never broke his gaze with the old attorney.
“Aye, fer Miss Rosemary.” There was a hesitation in his voice before he continued. “Fer now.”
It was a clear implication that Peadar considered their conversation unfinished.
“Thank you,” breathed Geoffrey as he nodded to indicate the nurse’s station. “Now, I must take care of the legal aspects of her passing.”
“Aye.” Peadar paused and then his gaze softened. “We thank ye, Mr. Stal’son” - he stood up as straight as his stocky build would allow - “for everything.” Nodding, he placed his hat haphazardly over his wild auburn locks. “We all do.”
Geoffrey got all choked up again, so he simply returned the nod as Peadar turned and jogged to catch up to the others.
Geoffrey really needed to get home to Gary and Charlise; he knew they would both be waiting up for him even though he had told them not to do so. He needed some comforting of his own.
He’d call Stephen in the morning and have him start the search for the young lady; he and Jinx were an investigative powerhouse for it only being the two of them. Hopefully, they’d be able to find this Marguerite Atkinson.
Geoffrey sighed and put on his best face for dealing with the public as he reached the nurse’s station.
Although he couldn’t explain it, the old lawyer could just feel in his bones that this saga was just beginning.
Author Notes
Don't worry -- we'll learn more about these folks very soon...:) ;) Thank you for reading me! :) ;)
Rosemary - (deceased) Sister in some unknown Order; was the proprietor of the 'boarding house'
Geoffrey Staltson - Rosemary's lawyer and friend to the residents of her 'boarding house'
Demetrius - tall, mysterious male resident of the 'boarding house', does not seem to socialize with the others
Peadar - Irish male resident of the 'boarding house', helped Rosemary with upkeep
Lycaois - Goth, warrior-looking resident of the 'boarding house', only female resident we've met so far
Koko - Native American male resident of the 'boarding house', has unending optimism and warmth about him
Kato - large male resident who wears the clothes of a teenager
Charlise Staltson - Geoffrey's wife (they have a three-way 'marriage' - Geoffrey, Gary, and Charlise)
Gary Staltson - Geoffrey's husband
Freki - Lycaois' over-sized pet 'dog'
Stephen - private investigator employed by Geoffrey
Jinx - computer hack/whiz working with Stephen, handles all the tech-forensics for investigations
Image of 'Emergency Department - Waiting Room' from Google images via Stanford Healthcare [stanfordhealthcare.org]
|
|
