Chapter 31

After hearing Kevin make that comment about the point he knew that Kevin was on to Bron’s game.  I guess I should at least give her forewarning he thought.  “Bron, you’re playing with fire and you’re gonna get burned,” Jake spoke to her.

Bron walked to the phone and picked it up.  She turned to Jake, “Oh Jake, Kevin is in for a real rude awakening.”

“Bron, what are you doing?” as he watched her.

“I’m calling my sweetie to come and get me,” she chimed.

“He’s probably still in Pittsburgh,” he replied matter-of-factly to her.

Bron picked up the phone and dialed nine for an outside line and the phone went dead.  She did the same thing three more times.  Bron looked at Jake, “I must be doing something wrong.”  Punching zero for the operator she heard a voice on the other end.  “Hi this is suite 816.  I’m trying to place a long distance call.  Could you help me?” she asked.

Jake jumped when he heard her yell.  “What do you mean the long distance is blocked at the request of Mr. Richardson?”  Jake watched her slam the phone back in the cradle.  “Fucker!” she yelled and stormed to the bedroom.

Jake sat there in the chair shaking his head.  “Oh, Kev, you should get two points for that.”  Jake went to the desk in the suite, grabbing a piece of stationary.  He drew a T on the paper, labeling one side Kevin and the other Bron.  Placing two points under Bron’s name and three under Kevin’s, you’re winning by one Kevin, but can you stay there he reflected.  Gently he folded the paper and placed in his shirt pocket.  This should get very interesting he snicker.

Bron came back a few minutes later as she cooled down.  “I can’t find my cell either.  Do you have it?”

“No, Mc probably does,” Jake told her.

Jake would you go to the store for me?” she asked him.

“I can’t and you know it.  If this is part of your little game, forget it.”

“Please, it’s just a small list,” as she handed it to him.

A knock came at the door.  Jake walked over and opened it.

“Hi Jake.”

“Hi Nick.”

“Bron here?”

“Where would she be Nick,” he answered in an irritated tone.

“Stop it Jake, Nick didn’t do anything,” Bron snapped at him.

Nick smiled sweetly at her, “Can I come in Bron?”

“Sure!” she smiled.

Jake didn’t move from the door to let Nick in as he tried to step into the suite.

“Jake he didn’t say I couldn’t have company,” she groaned.

Jake moved to let Nick in.

“Whatcha doin?”  Nick asked her.

Bron ignored the question figuring if I tell him, he’ll tell Kevin.  I need an ally.

“Nick what do you guys do on Sunday if you’re off?” she inquired. 

Nick shrugged his shoulders, “B-Rok will go to church and then he’ll meet up with us.  We usually find a game on and crash in someone’s room.”

Bron’s eyes started to twinkle, “Humm, when is the last time you guys had a home cooked meal, not cooked by a chef or a cook?”

“Oh man, it’s been awhile.  I’d kill for non-restaurant, non-fancy food,” he sighed.

Jake was watching her very carefully.  He quickly glanced at the list and saw turkey before she grabbed it away from him.

Bron went to the desk for a pen and wrote more things on the paper.  To Jake it looked like she tripled the list.  She walked up to Nick, “Nick how would you like a Thanksgiving dinner to go with that game?”

“Huh,” he stared at her blankly.  “It’s February.”

Bron rolled her eyes and shook her head.  “I know that, does it say anywhere you can only eat turkey on holidays?”

“Turkey!” he exclaimed as his eyes glazed over and he licked his lips.

“Yeah Nick with all the trimmings and dessert too,” she added, waiting for the right response.

“You can do that here, without cooks?” he asked her.

“Yes I can, but I have a problem,” she promptly pouted.

“What?” slightly upset at hearing that, he asked her.

“I can’t go to the store to get what I need.  Jake won’t go for me.”

“Hey no problem.  I can’t either but I know who can,” as he grabbed the list from her hand. 

Nick bolted for the door and Bron called to him.  “Wait, let me get my wallet you need money,” as she headed to the bedroom for her purse.  Bringing it out she searched through it but didn’t see her wallet.

Nick turned back with a beguiling smile on his face.  “You’re kidding right?” as he walked out the door.

Bron looked at Jake, “I can’t find my wallet have you seen it?”

“No but you did earn a point for that little stunt,” he said.

Bron giggled at him, “Thanks Jake.”

“What are you going to do poison him?”  Jake laughed.

“Damn, I knew I left something off that list.”  She chortled.

“I got the impression Kevin wanted a little personal time tomorrow, ALONE.”  Jake smiled at her.

“Yeah, so did I.  Let’s see how alone you can be with eight other people.  Alone time is not going to happen Jake.” she wrinkled her nose up and grinned.  

“I gotta give you another point Bron.  He’s gonna have a fit.”

“Yeah I know,” a little he-he escaped from her as she resumed her search for her wallet.

“Where is it?  Dammit, I have to find it.  Maybe its in my luggage.  I’ll look for it in a minute.  I hope I didn’t lose it somewhere.”  She paused out of frustration,  “Jake would you check the bus for it?”

“No” he retorted.

“Jake please, I won’t leave, I promise.”  She begged.

Walking to the door he spoke, “Okay, but don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”

Jake left while Bron ripped her luggage and the bedroom apart.  She figured she would call the laundry service while she was searching since she didn’t have any clean clothes left.  She continued to Sort clothes and search at the same time.

Where is it?  It has to be here.  I need my calling card to call Mc.  I can’t find my cell.  What the hell is going on?  She spoke to herself as she furiously searched.  Well it must be on the bus.  Glancing at her watch shit, it’s nine-thirty all ready.  My head hurts again.  I’m going to take a bath.

Once the Jacuzzi was filled, she settled in it.  Her headache was coming back quickly and very strong.  The stuff Mary gave me must be wearing off, she muttered.  On top of it her cell and wallet were missing.  How the hell am I going to get out of here without my damn wallet.

She was sitting with her head on her knees because she didn’t want to get the stitches wet in the back of her head.  Damn my head hurts so bad I could cry.  She heard Jake come in and yell to her.  “Did you find it Bron?”

“No, did you?”

Jake ambled back to stand inside the bedroom door and surveyed the hurricane that hit.  “Whoa Bron, what a mess.  What are these bags?”

“Did you find it Jake?” she spoke raising her voice slightly.

“No I didn’t.”

“Well, where the hell is it?  It doesn’t have feet and walk away,” She growled.

A knocking on the suite door interrupted them.  “Jake, that’s the laundry service.  I hate doing this but I don’t have any clean clothes left.  Now I have to figure out how to pay for it, dammit.”

Jake went opened the door and told the young man to wait one second.  Walking back to the bedroom, “Which bags Bron?”

“The three on the floor.”

“Think you brought enough for a two day stay Bron.”

“Shut up Jake, my headache is back.”

Picking up the bags, he walked back out to the door and handed them off to the young boy.  As he was passing the bags Kevin came back down the hall.

Cocking his head sideways pausing by the door, “Wassup?”

“Laundry,” Jake answered.

“Oh, thrilling,” he quipped.

Kevin treaded into the bedroom to get his brief case and saw Bron sitting in the tub.  Looking at her he started to worry immediately.

“Headache back?” he questioned her.

“Yeah, big time my eyes even hurt.”

Kevin walked over and sat on the ledge of the tub.

“Are you gonna be all right?” continuing his questioning of her.  It took some gusto to actually recover from the hit she received today, let alone be up and moving.  He was concerned about the repercussions.  He thought that maybe it would have been best to leave her with Dr. Shaw until they knew for sure she would be okay.  Then he kissed her and that though left his mind.

“I don’t know,” she whispered.

That answer shocked him, she has always been straightforward with him.  Idly he watched her as he picked up the bar of soap and washcloth off the ledge of the tub.  He dipped the washcloth in the water and pulled it out.  Soaping up the washcloth he began to wash her neck and back.  As he rinsed the soap off her, she never said a word to him.  Setting the washcloth down he stood up and dried his hands.  “I’ll go get Mary,” he stated.

“What are you doing here anyway?  I thought you had business to take care of,” she said wryly.

“I do.  I forgot something ok,” he answered sarcastically.

Kevin strode out to Jake, grabbing his brief case on the way.  Setting it down on the couch he flipped it open and started speaking to him.  “Jake keep an eye on her she doesn’t feel good.  I’m going to go get Mary right now.”

Jake glanced at Kevin as he absorbed what he said.  “Ya know the mess in the bedroom is caused from that,” he whispered.  Jake pointed to Kevin’s brief case where Bron’s wallet and cell sat nestled in the corner of it.

Kevin smiled, “Look at this way, no money, no credit cards, no calling card, and no phone.  What can she do, but stay with me.”

Jake reached in his shirt pocket, pulled out his piece of paper, and unfolded it.  After unfolding it, he made a hash mark on it.  As he was folding the paper back up Kevin grabbed it from him.

“What’s this?” as he unfolded it.

Jake mumbled, “Damn.”

Kevin grinned, “Tie huh.  I can fix that,” as he grabbed Jake’s pen.

“Hey Bron?” he giggled.

“What?” came from the bathroom.

“Any long distance calls while I was gone darlin’?”

“Kiss my ass Richardson,” came from the bathroom again.

Kevin put a mark under his name, folded the paper and handed it back to stunned Jake.  “I’m not going to lose,” he said ruefully. 

“I think I’ll have A.J. start a pool.  You want in Jake?” he asked as he snapped his briefcase shut and then headed for the door.

“No way, I can’t bet against a lady and I always bet to win,” Jake snickered.  Kevin was going for broke, if he won he would keep the prize, Bron.

Kevin winked at him, “I’ll ask Mary to come down in a minute.”

“What are you up to anyway?”  Jake inquired.

“Nothing,” he replied.

“Yeah right, Kevin don’t hurt her.”  Jake whispered to him.

“Never Jake, Never,” he spoke quietly.

“Promise?”  Jake sighed.

“Promise,” Kevin answered.

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