“Maaayybe.” Drawing out the word. “What are you asking?” Marie is rolling her eyes at this.
“Depends on the person. If it is you, then of course you get the ‘friends and family’ discount rate.”
“Which is?”
“One dollar a month. Plus other valuable considerations.”
“Such as?” Why is everybody always so suspicious of me?
“You keep our cars running doing oil changes and all that. Just let me know what parts to get.”
They quickly looked at each other, but I knew the deal was done.
“Okay, but you said there were two things you wanted to show us. What’s the other one?”
“Follow me.”
We walked down to the second property I had purchased. It was less than 50 yards away. I produced the keys and let them in. It was a nice little house with one large and two small bedrooms plus a bath and a half. Marie did the typical chic-appraisal thing. I could see her mentally judging the kitchen and other rooms. I knew that in her mind she was measuring everything and comparing it to how her furniture would fit in each room. Good. Sometimes I have to remind myself that she wasn’t really born a girl. She is much more ‘domestic’ then I will ever be.
This time she took the lead. “Nice place. What’s up with showing it to us?”
“I am going to rent it out. I know you don’t like some of the comments and looks you get from the crackers who live next to you. I thought maybe you would like to live here instead. Just an idea.”
Marie didn’t even wait to look at him. “How much?”
“For you guys $650 a month. Plus other valuable considerations of course.”
Rico wanted to say something but she held up a finger to shush him. It is amazing how a comparatively little woman can keep a really big guy in line simply by lifting one well-manicured finger. Obviously it must be true love.
Inside I was smiling. I knew what the answer would be. Now we were just two women negotiating terms. Rico was wisely keeping quiet. I always said he was smart.
“The ‘valuable considerations’ are simple. Just keep the place up and looking decent. If something needs to be fixed then do it yourself and I will take it off the rent. If you need to call someone like a plumber go ahead and do it. If I am here I will pay for it right away or I will reimburse you for everything as soon as I get back.”
“Deal.”
Ann and I decided that I would be in charge of paying all of the bills until she got back on her feet (pun intended) and could work again. She also decided to change her career field from taking off her clothes for people to being a fitness instructor. Hooray!!!
I also had to agree to begin working out wherever she was working.
Ann did ask me to get her a $300 money order for something. I never asked what it was for. I am renting out the one closet in the ‘Car House’ to a fictitious person and using Sawyers accounts to pay the ‘rent’ for it. That way it is relatively easy to make everything seem legit. Right now I plan to keep milking his accounts for roughly ten years or so, then I am going to direct the payments to some children’s charity. I figure that is only fair.
God I still hate that bastard and what he did.
Between that and the rent I get for the other place we can easily pay for everything we need. I am putting away the money I get working for Beverly. I always feel the need to save for a rainy day. Sooner or later something else will come up. Things always do. I also started up a Roth-IRA in Ann’s name, but she doesn’t know it yet. All the money she will pay for rent is going in there. I’ll tell her about it in forty years or so. After all even the closest sisters get to have some secrets, true?
* * *
“Stop! Please, please stop! I’m begging you…”
The rest of the words from the rear of the cell were muffled by the sound of a beating and the laughter of his gang. This new fish was a wuss. He might have gone by the name Bobby when they checked him in here, but he would have a new one if he ever left. Jason might never have bothered with him except for the letter. The hand writing looked like a woman’s but he had no idea who it was. It was three pages that just rambled on like they were supposed to know each other.
He almost threw it away until he saw the part about the party. It seems this new guy had gone after some chic named ‘Sarah Collins’ with a bat and was going to kill her. Seeing how beat up he looked when they brought him in here it was obvious things hadn’t gone his way.
‘That’s my girl’s work.’ was the proud thought that crossed his mind. It was easy to get this idiot to confirm the story. This wuss was not going to make it for more than a year, tops.
The $300 deposited in his canteen fund was nice, but not needed. Before the others started with the new guy Jason had broken several of his fingers and looked in his eyes when he did. When the rest of the guys were done having their fun he was going to go break some more on the other hand, or maybe something else.
This was personal. He loved Sarah and he always would. The same as he had always done everything he could do to protect her. And he always would.
* * *
We asked everyone to come for a ‘home cooked’ Thanksgiving in our new place. I got up early that morning to help Ann in the kitchen. We almost forgot to put the turkey in the fridge to thaw yesterday and it still felt as if it was frozen inside. I put it in the oven on a high heat and began doing my studying thing.
I was engrossed in the different types of taxable derivatives when I heard Ann cursing in the kitchen.
This is from a woman who seriously does not like to swear. I peeked around the corner and saw her looking in the open oven door. I also smelled something that was far from enticing coming from the recesses of the stove. Oh crap.
“Hey Ann. I didn’t want to bother you so I let you sleep in. Is everything all right in there?”
She had a blank stare on her face. I never can read that look.
“Why did you set the oven so high?”
“Some of the turkey felt like it might be still frozen inside so I wanted it to cook all the way. Is it all right?”
“Where did you put the bag of stuff from inside the turkey?” Why is she looking at me with such despair?
“What bag?” The odor is getting worse now. “What’s that smell? Did you burn something?”
How was I supposed to know there was more to it than just putting it on a pan and shoving it in the oven? Who makes all of these rules anyway?
We decided instead of hosting our friends in our home we would meet everyone at this great little restaurant in the Warwick Village shopping center called Rick & Libby’s. Ann made the calls while I opened windows to help air out the kitchen. All I can say is ‘at least I tried’.
Roland couldn’t make it which was disappointing to me. I really look forward to the times I see him. Ann just has that smug smart aleck grin when I say something like that to her.
Rico and Marie got there almost the same time as Cindy and Phil. The owners had Thanksgiving specials on the menu and everything was wonderful as always. Libby makes wickedly good deserts, especially her own recipe for what she calls ‘Butter Bars’. Even Ann says they’re good, which is high praise.
Cindy said that it was too bad that the two Airforce guys had turned out to be such jerks then Rico got that look he gets when he is trying not to laugh.
“Sarah, I could have told you they wouldn’t work out for you.”
“Really. How is that ‘Oh wise one’? You never even met them.” Why is he trying not to laugh?
“Simple Sis, like Tom Finlandia says: ‘You like the ‘Rough Trade’.”
When he said this Marie, who had been sipping on her drink, began to choke on it. She was gasping for breath while trying to breath and laughing at the same time. Ann was in the same condition. They leaned against each other for support. Phil and
Cindy were open mouthed with astonishment at what he’d said and were also on the verge of breaking up.
I looked at them and asked “What’s so funny? And who is this guy Tom?” That’s when all of them began to lose it.
No one would answer me. I love my friends but sometimes they are just so strange.
Afterwards Ann and I went home and planned to relax and keep drinking. There is neither school nor work tomorrow so I figured why not?
When we were about three quarters of the way to being blitzed she decided we should play a game she called ‘truth or lies’. We each get to ask embarrassing questions of each other, while trying to guess if the answer is the truth or a lie. Who guesses right gets to make the other one take a shot.
Ann started it off. “Where is the strangest place you have ever had sex?”
“In the Bonaventure cemetery. On the Thomas’s grave site.”
“I call B.S., take a drink Sarah.”
This went on for a while, I ended up drinking much more than she did. Does that mean I am winning or losing?
I decided to slow down and change the subject. “Tell me about when you were a little girl.” At first she looked at me and I thought I had asked the wrong question. Then she started to talk. She told me about how wonderful her Mom was and how difficult it had been to move into her Dad’s house after her mom passed away.
She told me about her first boyfriend and how the relationship turned abusive after they moved to Florida. After she went to the Coco Beach magistrate and had a protective order sworn out against him he found her and beat her so badly she ended up in the hospital.
Then she had been with someone else who treated her even worse. That time when the hospital released her she went to a women’s shelter. There she met a wonderful person who was a dancer and taught her the trade. When her ex came looking for her again she had run back to Virginia and ended up where I met her.
When she was telling all of this to me there was no emotion in her voice, just the echoes of pain. Then she looked at me and simply said “Your turn.”
Where do I start?
Maybe more importantly, where do I finish?
I told her a bit about my childhood.
Then I told her about working in my first convenience store and what I had done to earn ‘tips’. I talked about coming up here and how I felt when I was abandoned by my mother. Ann sat and listened.
Once I started I kept going. Not sure where this talk will end up, but when it’s done there will be no more secrets between us.
I explained how I had set up the night clerk and stolen his job and how I had made a deal with the owner Mr. Parcel because I desperately needed a place to stay. I told her how I met Jason and that he was really my first true love. I also told her how I had set up Braun.
Then I told her about finding the van full of cigarettes as well as the things in the little blue suitcase.
Thru all of this she sat next to me. Staring and not saying a word.
Mentally I took a deep breath and told her about finding Sawyers body and what I had done with it.
In my head was the thought “This is where I lose her. This is where she gets up and walks out of my life.” I began to break down and cry. Sobbing like my heart would break. I did not know what I would have done if she had left then. She is the only family I have ever felt I had and I do not know what I’d do without her.
Then she started to quietly talk again. “I’m glad you finally told me all that. I really am. Did you remember I was dancing at Boston Blackies in Ivor the night you said someone broke into the freezer you kept on the porch? I remember it because I saw your car over there. I recognized it from the big dent in the side. I was curious so I decided to follow you, at a distance of course. I watched as you dug that hole. Then you left and I waited until you got back and saw you drag Sawyers body over to the hole and cover it back up.”
I am in shock and nearly having a break down.
She moved over next to me and put her arm around my shoulders. I ended up sobbing “I didn’t kill him! I swear to God I didn’t kill him!”
She whispered “I know you didn’t. Ssssh. There, there now. Stop your crying, it’s going to be all right. I ‘know’ you didn’t do it.”
Something about the way she said that began to sink in.
“But how do you ‘know’ that I didn’t do it?”
The two of us are literally eye to eye.
“I know you didn’t kill him, because I did.”
Ann’s Chili Recipe
This is a delightful dish that I truly hope that you will enjoy. Personally I believe it is best made in the cooler months from mid-October to mid-April.
The first thing you need to do is gather all of your ingredients in one place. After all it is no fun going out to the store halfway thru preparing it. True?
2 ½ pound of ground beef
(Do not worry about getting the lean kind. For this recipe it
really doesn’t matter so save your money when you can.)
1 Baseball size onion (A softball size will also do)
3 15oz cans of dark red kidney beans. (Stock up early
when they are on sale)
8oz can of mushrooms pieces and stems.
McCormick’s Hot Chile Seasoning 1.25 oz. each.
1 Jar of Old El Paso Hot thick and chunky salsa.
Cans of Del Monte Mexican style stewed tomatoes. They should be about 14.5 oz. each.
1 Bottle of sweet red wine (nothing fancy)
1 pound of Lil’ beef smokies.
1 oz. red Hot Cayenne pepper sauce.
Morton’s Garlic Salt.
Morton’s Nature’s seasoning.
Morton’s crushed red peppers.
oz. of Sweet and hot peppers.
1 oz. Hot pepper rings.
8 oz. V-8 Hot Vegetable juice.
Several old plastic margarine tubs.
A shot glass.
A good size pot to cook things in.
Music with a really good beat.
(If you think this is a lot of things you are correct. But remember since it is against the laws of God and man to make a small pot of Chile, let the cooking begin.)
Are you ready? Good…. Let’s get started.
Open the wine and pour about 4oz. in a glass.
Turn on the music. (If your hips aren’t swaying in time to the beat then change the tunes.)
Take your first sip of wine and begin to brown the ground beef in the cooking pot. Chop it up real fine over a medium heat.
While some people like draining off the extra grease I do not recommend it.
Open the three cans of Dark Red Kidney beans and let them begin to drain. (Sip some more wine)
Drain the can of Mushroom Pieces and stems.
Do not forget to keep an eye on the ground beef you are cooking. (Do not be like my sister!)
Now for the onions. Make certain to shred the brown coverings off of them, then slice them and dice them to your hearts content. Having big pieces of onions in the Chile does not make it better. Smaller pieces help add their own mix to the flavor without being over powering.
Check the ground beef.
(Sip some more wine.)
When the Ground beef is completely browned turn the heat down to ‘simmer’.
Toss in half of the onions and stir. Now add in one of the McCormick’s Hot Chile seasoning. (Go ahead and take a whiff to see how it smells.) Stir things clockwise.
When everything is well mixed and blended add the jar of Old El Paso Hot thick and chunky salsa. Add it slowly and do not simply plop it in. Now stir things counter clockwise.
When everything appears to be well blended put in the rest of the onions and slowly stir (either direction this time).
Now add the other packet of
McCormick’s Hot Chile Seasoning. (Stir with one hand while sipping wine with the other one.)
Rinse out the El Paso jar and its lid so you can save pennies and other spare change in it.(Do you need to refill your glass of wine yet? If so now is the time.)
Open the three cans of Del Monte Mexican style of stewed tomatoes and slowly add them one at a time while stirring everything up and making sure to get around the edges of your cooking pot.(So far so good?)
Remember the cans of Dark red kidney beans you left to drain? Add two of them now and continue stirring.
Next add the mushrooms. When you stir always do it slowly.
Now add the final can of kidney beans to the pot. (Place the empty cans in the trash, recycle when you can.)
When everything is nicely mixed then one at a time add the Chile powder and the nature’s seasoning plus the Garlic salt. Only add enough to lightly cover the surface. Always stirring well in between ingredients.
Open the bag of Lil Smokies. (Enjoy some more wine.)
Cut up the Lil Smokies into about four pieces each.
Slowly add them to the mix. (You know by now to keep slowly stirring.)
Use the shot glass to measure 1 oz. of Cayenne pepper sauce and add it to the mix. (I would recommend against licking out the inside of the glass)
Add a spoonful of the crushed red peppers.
Next comes the sweet n’ hot peppers. Slice these up but not too small.
Also add one oz. of juice out of the Hot pepper jar. (Go ahead and use the same shot glass. Be sure to clean it thoroughly in the sink afterwards or someone might get a rude surprise next time you are drinking.)
Let everything simmer for about 45 minutes. Stirring about every 10-15 minutes. At the first stirring add the V8 spicy vegetable juice.
Use this time to help clean up your kitchen and finish your wine. When everything is done to your satisfaction then turn off the oven and move the pot to an unused part of the stove so it can cool.
Use the empty margarine/butter tubs to help store most of this either in the refrigerator or the freezer for later on in the winter.
Opening the Door Page 23