Chapter 154

"So Lois what is it that you need to talk to me about?' I asked it once her door was closed. I knew that leaving the microphone capsule at home would really piss Gwen off, but I didn't care. It would probably be good for her in the long run.

"I know that my lease says that no one can stay in the apartment more than 7 days without being on he lease. But my son is coming to spend the summer in Aster. I would like for him to sleep on the fold out sofa in the living room. Do I really need to put him on the lease?" she asked.

"I think we can make an exception in your case. I put that in the lease to avoid boyfriends, who couldn't be checked out, from staying in someone's apartment. We don't need some types here. I can control to whom I rent, but I can't control who their boyfriends and girlfriends are," I admitted.

"I thought it was something like that. So, as long as I keep him under control everything will be okay?" she asked.

"Just tell me a little about him, only because the other neighbors will ask," I suggested.

"Johnny is a college professor at the state university in Capitol City. He teaches philosophy and some kind of ethics course as well." Something about that set alarms ringing in my ear.

"Ah thats nice, so is Johnny Married?" I asked.

"Divorced, the whole world is divorced," she said.

"Some of us more than once," I said with a laugh. "How old is your son, and is he an only child?" I asked.

"I have two children a daughter who you met, and Johnny." she said. Johnny is the baby. He is 35, some baby. My daughter is 38." she said. After she said it, I remembered that the daughter had come to look at the apartment with her mother. My memory really was shit. I had a couple of concussions from explosions nearby, so maybe I could blame it on that. I would rather blame it on the concussions, than dementia which it probably was.

"Well, I don't see a problem with your son, staying with you. Of course you will have to watch Gwen and Cheryl both are single you know?"

"Yes they are and so are you, but I think he is old enough to take care of himself." she said.

"I certainly hope so, but when it comes to relationships, I'm not sure any of us are." I replied.

"Well, it's getting late, if that's all you need I'm going to call it a night," I said that as I stood to leave.

"That is all. I probably should tell you how much I am enjoying living here. I feel very safe with you and Cheryl living here."

"Oh why is that?' I asked suddenly interested.

"Well I know about you. of course everyone does," she said.

"Yes, I suppose they do," I agreed.

"Cheryl just seems really confident. She has one of those take charge personalities. I mean that in the very best of ways. I feel very safe here. That's important to me." Lois said quietly.

"Well, I'm glad you feel safe. I honestly do all I can to maintain a safe environment for us all." I admitted.

"I know," she said as I slipped out the door.

Back in my apartment I got to wondering why her son would want to come spend the summer in his mom's cramped apartment. It had a really strange feeling. I knew that not all conspiracies are real, but then again some are. I didn't feel threatened, so I didn't make a fuss about it. Besides it was Lois's problem not really mine. I could very easily ignore him.

I had no idea how exhausted I still was until I hit the bed. I slept without the pain meds even though I did feel the leg a bit. I almost got out bed in the middle of the night to take a pill, but I managed to make it through. I had over twenty of the Tylenol with Codeine left. I wanted to save them so I switched to OTC Tylenol. I did it to save the Codeine, just in case I had a really bad night.

The next morning I drove the cruiser to Helen's Place. I had a bacon egg and cheese sandwich on a flat bread roll. The potato fritters were always amazing, They were especially good after I had missed them a few days. "Hello there, sorry I was busy in the back when you came in." Cheryl said when she came to my table with more coffee.

"I didn't know you had a back," I said laughing.

"It's what I call the upstairs. We are storing things there at the moment. Helen and I are trying to decide what to do with it."

"I'm sure you two have discussed catering really small events up there, meetings and the like," I said.

"Also putting in a kitchen up there but I think that is a bit too much trouble. But this place is making a bunch of money. Helen really is glad she listened to us and opened it." Cheryl said.

"That's good, I would hate to have given her bad advice, not that she would listen to me anyway." I said.

"Oh shit Maxine, she thinks you walk on water. When I told her you had been shot, she cried for hours." Cheryl said it almost in disgust.

"Hey, Helen feels things more than you or I. You need to cut her some slack." I said angrily.

"Easy, Maxine, I know you two are friends. It just doesn't do any good to get all teary." she said.

"Well I don't know, if it helped her or not, but knowing that she was concerned helps me."

"Okay, okay, I get it. So are you headed for the mall to walk?" she asked.

"No, I'm headed to the mall to hobble," I said.

"Well get a good workout but not so much that you have to go back to the hospital. In spite of all the tough bitch talk, I like having you around." Cheryl said smiling.

"Good because I plan to keep on being around for a while longer," I replied.