The Long Story

[ticky]

lil bit more...


Glenn sat on the sofa next to Lisa and cradled her in his arms.
“What do you mean sweetheart? Who’s Papa Palmero?”
Lisa’s face was still ashen and she clung to Glenn like a life preserver.
“My mother was just 17 when she came to America from Ireland. Her mother had died of some mysterious illness and her father was a drunk. She came her looking for a better life but found nothing but more poverty and crime. She finally took a job for very little pay working as a cleaning girl in a huge mansion for Papa Palmero. It was alright at first, she worked mostly nights, cleaning floors and scrubbing out the ovens and fireplaces. Then one day one of the day maids didn’t show up for work and she was promoted.” Lisa’s face wrinkled in disgust at the word. “She began serving Papa his meals and cleaning up after him. He was pig! She never worked harder in her life and all she got for her trouble was constant groping. She was okay as long as someone else was around, but that wasn’t always possible. Eventually he caught her alone and he raped her. After that she was his favorite and it happened often till one day he came to her and told her to get out. No explanation, no good bye, just $100,000.00 cash to shut her up and a ride to the middle of no where. He never even knew she was pregnant, or at least I thought he didn’t, but now…” She turned a worried face to Glenn. His face was sullen and serious as he stared blankly into the carpet. He turned to her and smiled softly. “It’s okay, we’ll figure this out together.” He caressed her cheek and kissed her softly.
Joe sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “In the mean time I think it’s safer if you two stay away from Eaglesville for a while. Maybe this Thomas is just after the café, maybe he’s looking for Lisa, either way, you’re safer here.”
Glenn looked sternly up at Joe. “There is one more possibility. The Palmero’s may be after me.” Glenn turned his face to Lisa. She was stricken. Glenn smiled softly again. “Don’t worry. We’re safe as long as we stay away from Eaglesville.”
Joe was looking confused. “Uh, Frank? Care to elaborate?”
Glenn smiled and chuckled. “First of all, I'm Glenn, not Frank. The guy you know as Glenn back in Eaglesville, that’s Frank. We traded places when the Palmeros threatened to kill Frank because he refused to kill another man. He ran to Eaglesville looking for someplace to hide out and we figured they’d be less likely to be looking for a guy named Glenn who runs a hotel. We traded identities and it didn’t take long for everyone to forget who was who. Only my brothers and Frank and I know the truth.” Glenn grinned at Lisa, “Well and now my wife,” He paused, “Oh, and you. The Palmeros are bad people and not to be messed with. It’s too dangerous for you to go back to Eaglesville. Besides,”

Cathy leaned forward and put her face in her hands then suddenly looked up.
“I think I’m going to throw up… or pass out…”
“WHOA there sweetheart!” Fiddler jumped forward on his knees and placed his hand on her back forcing her to lean forward and put her head between her knees. “now take deep breaths, slow, good, in through the nose, out through the mouth… good girl.” Cathy began to relax as Fiddler rubbed her back.
“Does it say how much?” Her voice was kind of muffled from her head being between her knees. She heard Fiddler rattle the paper in his hands.
“Uh, yeah, here it is. Three point five billion.”
Cathy began to hyper ventilate. Fiddler sat her up and cupped her hands over her mouth. “Slow down there sugar, it’s alright.”
Cathy shot a worried glance at him over her cupped hands. She tried to say something but her hands muffled the sound.
“Just a second, baby. Breath deep, slow.”
Slowly her color was returning and she was starting to relax. Soon she was able to lower her hands and speak clearly.
“I didn’t even know the man! I’d heard about him, tales my Mother told me but we’ve never met. I knew he was rich but…”
Fiddler smiled and shrugged. “Well, family is family and if you’re the only family he’s got, know him or not, it’s all yours. How’d he make all that money?”
He helped Cathy to her feet and slipped a supporting arm around her waist till she was sitting safely on the small settee in the living room. “let me get us some tea and you can tell me about it. We’ll figure this all out, don’t you worry.”
Cathy sat looking a little stunned on the settee. “My Mom said he’d invented CheezeWhiz but I always thought she was joking.” She could hear the clinking of the tea pot and running water as Fiddler worked with the delicate tea service. He really was a surprising man. He was the roughest toughest cowboy you’d even want to meet who could whip up one hell of a pot of Darjeeling and scones. Fiddler peeked around the door. “Cheez Whiz? You mean that spray can cheese stuff? I LOVE that stuff!”
Cathy looked at him astonished then shrugged. “I’ll buy you a case.”
He chuckled as he set the tray with the teapot, two cups and a plate of scones on the small coffee table. “Nahh, my sister’s is better.” He poured a cup of tea, poured in a little honey and added lemon. Exactly how Cathy liked her tea. It made her happy to know he’d remembered.
“Your sister makes Cheez Whiz?” Cathy was only half aware at what she was saying. She was feeling sleepy now and comfortable with Fiddler.
He laughed and looked at her surprised. “No cheese. Her cheese is better.”
She smiled. “Right, it is.” She leaned back into the crook of his arm and he cradled her. She yawned “I'm sorry about spoiling your plans for tonight. I’m just so tired.”
He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “No worries, sweetheart. I’d much rather spend a quiet evening at home snuggling with a multibillion dollar heiress then going out on the town. Let’s just pretend we’re on vacation. I like the way that sounds.”
Cathy snuggled in closer and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Yeah, me too.”

[eaglesvet]

OK, Cath, goin' from milkmaid to multibillionaire...what gives??

[Peekaboo]

This story just keeps getting more and more interesting. I love it!!

[Prettymaid]

Cheez Whiz!!! 3.5 billion!!! I like the way that sounds!!!

(BTW Ticky, nice reference to Last Good Time there at the end...)

[TimothyBFan]

Cheez Whiz

[Glennsallnighter]

Gosh Rhonda. I can see why I draw to a complicated life! It seems to be hereditary! Great sequel!

[ticky]

Okay, I got inspired. Here's something new for ya'll! Happy uhh.. Monday *G*

**************************************

Shirley had just finished the rooms on the bottom floor of the main building and was headed up the stairs to the second floor when she heard the shouting. It was Thomas’s voice. She had almost turned around and headed for the old chair and mirror… just to check on him, make sure everything was alright… she told herself. But she stopped and listened. He was arguing with someone on his phone. She felt kind of bad for him. He’d been here a while all alone and certainly not popular with the locals. Everyone knew Lisa and her situation. Everyone was protective of her, but no one really knew who Thomas was or why he was here. She figured that out of all the others in the town, she knew him best. Maybe that was why she felt so drawn to him and why she now wanted to protect him. Lord knows he was definitely a man who could look after himself, but still there was something about him, something fragile and vulnerable. She shook her head to clear it. Vulnerable indeed! He was a gangster who was here for some kind of unsavory business with her dear childhood friend! Why in the world was she having these feelings? Hormones, she thought. It’s got to be hormones. She was just turning around to go back to her work when the fighting stopped and it was very quiet.
She heard his door open quietly and close, but she didn’t hear the familiar tinkle of the front door bell. She waited, but nothing. She came out of the back to check. He was sitting in the old chair with his head in his hands. Right now he truly did looks small and vulnerable. Something twisted in Shirley’s heart and she couldn’t stop herself from setting down her cleaning supplies and going to him. She sat on the settee across from him.
“Are you okay?”
He exhaled and his voice was deep and gravely. “Yeah, I'm fine… just… fine.”
She sat with him for a moment quietly.
“Well, alright. Let me know if you need anything.” She began to stand.
“It’s just that…”
She sat back down and leaned forward to listen.
“I mean, what do you do when you find yourself stuck in a life you hate, you’re surrounded by evil and hate and the people who are supposed to love and understand you are cruel bad people?”
Shirley was pretty sure he was being rhetorical but the pleading in his eyes and the desperation in his voice urged her to answer.
“You father?”
Thomas laughed a bitter chuckle.
“He’s not my father. He’s the devil. He wants me to… well what he wants me to do is bad, evil and I cant do it.” He pounded his fist on his thigh to emphasize this last statement.
She began to notice now how pale and thin he looked. Now that she thought about it, the café was closed, he didn’t know anyone in town and he rarely went out.
“When was the last time you ate a decent meal?”
He looked up at her and met her eyes for the first time since they began to talk.
“I don’t need food.”
Shirley sighed. Men were so stupid when it came to taking care of themselves. Did they all think they were superman?
“Look, I don’t know what it is you’re supposed to do or what you want to do, but you’re shaking so bad right now I would guess you couldn’t hold a pen, gun or knife. So let’s get you some food and at least steady those hands so you can do what ever it is you decide to do.”
He sat there for a while just looking at her then shook his head and chuckled.
“Right. Lead on.”
Shirley stood and held out her hand for him. He looked at it as if she were handing him a gun then took it. He stood and looked at her.
“Who are you? I mean, do you know who I am?”
Shirley released his hand when he was standing.
“No idea, but you are a guest in my hotel and you obviously need some help. That’s why I’m here. The café across the street has good burgers. I’m buyin’”
“Isnt that place closed?”
Shirley grinned. “Yeah, but I know the owner. She and I kind of have a deal.”
They walked out the door and towards the road and Thomas stopped. He was looking at a small tree near the parking lot laden with fruit.
“no way. Cant be.”
He walked towards it grinning like a Cheshire cat. He untucked his shirt and began to pick the wrinkled greenish brown fruits cradling them in his shirt like rare gems. Shirley walked to him and looked at his bounty. His shirttail was filled with the plump little fruits and he was smiling widely.
“I don’t know why I hadn’t noticed these before. These are wonderful.”
Shirley wrinkled her brow.
“What are they?”
“You’ll see.”
He nearly ran to the café, excited like a small child at Christmas. Shirley chuckled and shook her head. He was full of surprises today. She followed him to the door of the café, produced a key and opened the door.
“Does everyone in town have their own key?”
Shirley paused for a moment and thought.
“As a matter of fact, I think they do. See, Lisa, she’s the owner, she’s late a lot and most everyone who comes here needs to be somewhere early. So, since Lisa knew everyone and everyone knew Lisa, we just all got our own keys. It’s all on kind of a honor basis.”
Thomas gently deposited his load on the counter. Shirley walked in and flicked on the lights.
“We’ll probably be having company soon. Just so you know.”
Thomas started at this reaching for his hip. Shirley suspected he had a gun there under his jacket. She smiled.
“Relax there cowboy, I mean as soon as anyone turns on the lights here, it’s kind of a call for social hour. People show up to visit and have a cup of coffee.” She stopped and turned. “Speaking of which…” Shirley stepped behind the counter and started the large industrial pot brewing. She sighed. “I'm not much in the kitchen, but I can fry up a mean burger, does that sound okay?”
Thomas had been watching her and now he smiled widely.
“Would you mind terribly if I had a go at it in the kitchen?”
Shirley shrugged. “Go for it, Hot shot.”
Thomas grinned at her. He slipped behind the counter and into the kitchen. He found a colander and lifted his fruits into it treating each piece tenderly and taking them to the sink. He rinsed them, then carried them to the cutting board. He seemed completely at home and instinctively knew where everything was. Within a few minutes he produced a plate filled with the small fruits quartered and shining with some kind of glaze. They were a rich pink inside and smelled sweet and fresh. Shirley hesitantly picked up a piece. The juice and glaze dripped down her hand and she tasted it. Sweet and tart and fruity. It was like nothing she’d ever tried before. She bit into the fruit and all of her senses came alive. It was soft yet firm, sweet yet sour. Small seed like spots popped in her mouth releasing an almost bitter taste that made the sweet tartness come to life.
“OH my God, what ARE these?”
Thomas grinned at her through the pass through.
“Pink figs, fresh and very ripe. I drizzled them with warm honey. Do you like them?”
Shirley’s eyes rolled back in her head and she moaned. Through a half full mouth she said “How did I not know these were out there?”
Thomas was still grinning but had found a white apron and was busy chopping and slicing and mixing. Something was sizzling and the smells coming from the back made Shirley’s stomach growl in anticipation.
“Not many people realize what they have when they’ve got a fig tree, and the pink ones are even more rare.”
Shirley was watching him with curiosity. He’d found his element and was happier them she’d ever seen him in his short time here. Watching him was a show. He flipped things and tossed knives and when he told her to, Shirley would open her mouth and he’d flip a tiny morsel of heaven into her mouth.
The café had started to fill up much to Shirley’s surprise. She hadn’t heard the bell ring on the door. James and Sheriff Soda were the first two through the door sniffing the air and looking confused when they saw Shirley mesmerized at the counter and Thomas in the kitchen. James poured he and the Sheriff a cup of coffee. The Sheriff leaned towards Shirley and asked,
“What’s he making?”
Shirley looked at her startled. “Oh hey Sheriff. I have no idea but it smells wonderful. OH! Try these.”
She held out the plate of figs to the Sheriff and James. They each took one and looked at them skeptically. With the first taste they also were hooked.
“Where’d you find these?” James asked through a full mouth.
“He picked them in the parking lot of the Hotel! That old tree that’s always dropping fruit and making a mess. The one Frank wanted to have cut down.”
James had another slice of fig in his hand.
“Well, it’s not going anywhere. I’d forgotten how wonderful fresh figs are.”
Sheriff was licking her fingers. “What’s on them?”
Shirley smiled. “Warmed honey.”
Sheriff’s eyes went wide. “Wow.” She leaned close to Shirley and whispered, “Why do these remind me of sex?”
Shirley giggled. “I know what you mean. I don’t know why, but…” She smiled
The bell on the door rang again and Cami and Jessie walked in.
“OH man! What is cookin’ on the grill!?” Jessie looked a little like a hound dog on the scent.
Cami cried out in surprise. “Fresh figs! I love these! Where’d you find them?”
“Evidently the tree out in front of the parking lot is filled with them.” The Sheriff said taking another bite.
Cami slipped a piece in her mouth and relished the flavor. Jessie was watching her and practically drooling himself.
“Oh man…”
James leaned over and whispered in his ear. “I know… what is it about these things?”
Jessie grinned at him and chuckled.
“Heads up!” Thomas shouted from the kitchen and three plates slipped through. Shirley jumped up and caught them faster then anyone could see. She picked them up and distributed them among the friends. Thomas produced three more and all were served. The smell of garlic and caramelized onion were the first things to hit, then the beautiful whitish sauce with flecks of red pepper and green herbs topped a golden brown breast of chicken sliced thinly beside a mixture of steamed vegetables. Groans of pleasure and the sounds of cutlery on china were the only sounds heard for the next 30 minutes.
James finished first and leaned back in his seat.
“Thomas? That’s your name, right?”
Thomas’s mouth was full but he was relaxed and smiling. This was a different man from the one who’d come in to the café days before full of unspoken threats and violence. He nodded and swallowed his food.
“Yeah, I'm sorry.” He reached out his hand and took James’ hand in a firm handshake. “Thomas Palmero. Nice to meet you.”
James shook his hand.
“you too Thomas, I'm James Frey. I can tell you, I'm more then a little surprised at all of this. We were under the assumption that you meant harm to some of our citizens and the café here.”
“Oh, I do… uhh… did.” He set down his fork and wiped his mouth on a napkin. “My father had plans for this place. Evidently he knew the former owner. When he’d heard she’d passed, he had plans to claim the property.”
“But this property belongs to Lisa now.” The Sheriff had put on her official demeanor and was ready for a fight if the need came.
Thomas’s face went sullen and serious. “I know. I hadn’t known about Lisa. My father hadn’t known about Lisa. I need to talk to her. If I’m right, she’s my sister.”
Shirley stopped in midfork and looked at him a gasp as did the rest of the group.
Thomas shook his head as if to clear it. “It’s a long ugly story as are most of them that involve my father. Needless to say, He wanted me to… well do something I couldn’t do. I told him to go to Hell.” Thomas looked up at the small group and smiled shyly. “That may have been a mistake.”
Sheriff Soda sighed deeply and leaned back in her chair and looked at James. “I’ve heard of the Palmero’s. Telling Papa Palmero to go to Hell is definitely a mistake.”
James furrowed his brow and firmed his upper lip. Then he turned to Thomas.
“What I don’t get is, how does an amazing talent like you, end up as a flunkey for your father?”
Thomas grinned down at his plate.
“You try telling Papa you don’t want to go into the family business. Especially if you’re the adopted son he never wanted.”
James grimaced and nodded. He turned to the Sheriff. “So, what do we do now?”
Sheriff Soda grimaced and looked into her coffee cup. “We prepare for war.”

[TimothyBFan]

Hmmmm, and the plot thickens!!! Just don't leave us hanging for long please!

[Peekaboo]

I'm so glad to see The Long Story up and running again. This story is just so interesting. I can't wait to read the next addition.

[eaglesvet]

I know...I love this thread. I'm forgetting how we came to know that Thomas and Lisa are siblings? Was that a recent revelation?