Chapter 31

Present – Liz and Bernie – At Leadville airport

We approach a taxi at the airport but unlike the taxis we are used to riding in, this taxi doesn't have a meter so I ask, "How much to take us to a drugstore in Leadville?"

The driver thinks for a moment and says, "Well, since the airport is so close to town, I figure three dollars should cover it."

I answer, "Great, after that could you take us to the cabin that just burned up?"

He thinks a bit more and answers, "You mean the old Blaine place?"

I nod my head and he continues, "That would be another ten dollars because it's a ways out of town."

Bernie motions to our luggage and says, "Let's go."

The driver loads the luggage into the trunk, Bernie and I slide into the back seat and the taxi heads toward town.

The taxi driver takes us to the drugstore and I decide to ask, "We will only be a few minutes, would it be possible for you to wait for us."

The driver surprises us with his answer, "Yeah, I will wait for ten minutes if I can charge you an extra three dollars."

I look at Bernie, he smiles at me and then he says to the driver, "Great, we will be out in ten minutes or less."

We walk into the drugstore, the pharmacist looks up from behind his counter, smiles and says, "Howdy folks, is there anything I can help you with?"

I answer, "We were wondering where you keep your home pregnancy tests."

The pharmacist amazes me with his actions and his answer. He comes around from behind the counter and says, "Well, if the test is positive let me be one of the first to congratulate you. Follow me and I will show you where they are."

He takes us to an aisle that's half full of home pregnancy tests and then he amazingly offers, "If you don't mind I could make some recommendations."

I look at the selection and answer, "That would be great because there are so many different tests here that it's overwhelming."

He takes one off the shelves and says, "This test is the most accurate, however it takes a bit longer than the others to generate the results. In addition, there are two tests in the box in case you mess up the first one."

I answer, "This one will be fine." We walk to the cash register, pay for the test and the pharmacist asks, "Now, do you understand how to use this test?"

I smile and answer, "I just pee on a stick and wait, right?"

He adds a bit more information, "Yes, but don't forget to use the enclosed wipes to clean first to make sure the result is accurate."

We head toward the door and the pharmacist says, "If you have any problems, feel free to come on back."

We get outside and Bernie remarks, "Now that's what I call customer service."

I laugh and remark, "It's a far cry from what passes for service on the East Coast."

We get back into the taxi, the driver takes off toward the cabin and asks, "Did you both find what you were looking for?"

I answer, "Yes we did, thank you for asking."

Bernie and I hold hands and enjoy the drive to the cabin. The joy turns to sadness when we finally arrive and see how it's once again totally destroyed.

I suddenly come up with an idea and I decide to see how far this customer service goes so I ask the driver, "I don't suppose you could wait for us..."

The driver interrupts, " ... I can't wait for you here at this cabin, but what I will do is give you my cell phone number so you can call me when you're ready to leave. It will only take me about thirty or forty minutes to get back here to pick you up."

I inquire, "What would you charge us for coming back to the cabin?"

He thinks for a few moments and answers, "I figure ten dollars to come back out here and then another ten dollars to take you back to town is fair."

I snap up that offer in a New York minute and say, "When you come back we'd like for you to take us to a realtor's office."

He smiles and offers, "I know just the person to take you to see - she's great. And let me say, this is a great place to live even though the winters can be a little harsh."

He hands us a business card with his phone number on it, takes our luggage out of the trunk, sets it on the ground and waves as he leaves.

I punch Bernie in the arm and say, "Look who's over there."

Present – Samantha – at the cabin

I'm doing my report on the cabin as a taxi drives up and Liz and Bernie exit the back seat. Liz sees me so I motion to the cameramen to stop the video. They stop the video, then I see Stacy head toward Bernie and Liz. It makes me happy that she's going to handle it so I motion for the cameramen to continue...

Present – Stacy – at the cabin

I've been thinking and have come up with a couple of plans. A taxi drives up and I watch as Liz and Bernie exit the back seat. I head toward them, smile and say, "I wondered when you two were going to arrive. It's a travesty what the girls did this to the cabin and I have my people out looking for them as we speak."

Liz agrees, "It's more than a travesty it's pure evil - especially after all Ben and Jens did for them."

I ask, "So, are you two moving into the tunnels?"

Liz holds Bernie's hand and Bernie says, "No, we're just here to settle some things then we're going to stay in the hotel for the night and start looking for a house."

This is surprising news for me as from what I understood Liz and Jens were practically joined at the hip. I add my opinion, "Leadville is a great little town - the people here are very helpful and friendly."

Liz concurs, "Yes, the level of customer service they provide is..."

She seems to be searching for the correct word so I assist, " ... exceptional? Yes, it reminds me of the days I spent growing up with my Grandmamma when I was a little girl."

Liz agrees, "Yes exceptional is the perfect word. It's like we went back in time to the fifties or sixties."

I'm done with the small talk and bring them back to the thinking about the cabin, "I sure hope that Ben and Jennifer's (I can barely make myself say her name) wedding survives the loss of the cabin."

Liz gives me a puzzled look and asks, "Stacy I don't understand your statement, why shouldn't it survive?"

I smile again (yes my face is getting tired from all the smiles) and reply, "Well Jennifer (there's that name again) has always seemed to me to have some serious mental problems."

Liz smiles and answers, "I wouldn't worry about that. Jens' mental problems were all resolved when she married Ben."

I inject some doubt, "Liz, your support of Jennifer (UGH) is admirable, but I think you're too close to her to really look at things objectively. After my rape, I had extensive counseling and therefore it's easy for me to notice Jennifer's problems."

I can tell my words have struck a possible chord when Liz creates a diversion and asks, "Damn, I wonder who hired Samantha?"

I smile and answer, "Liz your friendship and love for Jennifer have clouded your judgement. If it had been anyone else's bodies other than Jennifer's mother, you would have ordered Samantha to immediately do the story. And once you fired her, I had no choice but to hire her."

Shock masks Liz's face when she questions, "Stacy, what do you know about running a television station?"

I truthfully answer, "Liz, I have no idea either how to run or what to do with a television station. But I'm sure I will eventually figure it out if I hire the right people. It is a shame however that you lost your ace reporter Samantha."

I can see Liz thinking then she asks, "Stacy, can you give Bernie and me a few minutes to talk."

I smile point toward the van and say, "Sure Liz, I will be right over there if you need me." I turn, and smile as I walk to the van...

Present – Liz and Bernie – at the cabin

Stacy is different than I thought she would be and has given me beaucoup things to think about. I'm sure that some of it is bullshit, but some of it is probably the truth. I look at Bernie and say, "Bernie, I'm going to ask you something difficult to answer and I want you to promise to tell me the truth."

Bernie complains, "Damn Liz, you're going to put me between a rock and a hard place."

I don't have the time to care because I need Bernie's honest evaluation of something so I just blurt it out, "Bernie, do you feel it was a mistake for me to fire Samantha?"

Bernie waffles, "Well Liz, it's sort of like..."

I interrupt, " ... Bernie, I can tell by your inability to answer what your real answer is. Now what do you think about Stacy hiring Samantha."

Bernie has no problem voicing his opinion when he emphatically states, "Liz, I have to think of you and also think of the Truth Network. I have to honestly say that it's not good for the network that we lost Samantha, and it's even worse that Stacy hired her. She has enough money that she could damage the Truth Network's ratings."

I suggest, "Perhaps we could hire Samantha back from Stacy?"

Bernie chuckles and says, "Liz, those two are as close as you and Jens so I don't think there's any way that Stacy would let us hire Samantha back. And if she did, you need to realize that you would have no control over Samantha."

I postulate, "I don't know, it seems to me from the way she was talking that Stacy was giving us an opening to possibly rehire Samantha. And you're right, I wouldn't have any control over Samantha but I do feel bad about quashing the story about Evelyn. Hell, Samantha did exactly what I would have done when I was younger."

Bernie chuckles and agrees, "Yeah I can remember those days and how much trouble you got us into."

I laugh and counter, "Bernie, I remember you stirred up the hornet's nest several times yourself."

He laughs with me and says, "Liz, take a good look at Samantha. When did the two of us get so damn old?"

I counter, "Speak for yourself old man! Let's head over to Stacy and see if we can negotiate with her."

Bernie wisely cautions, "Liz, let's just make sure we don't give Stacy the whole farm."

I tease, "Bernie, I thought we were getting a house? Now you want a farm?"

Bernie chuckles as we walk hand in hand toward Stacy...

Present – Stacy and Samantha – at the cabin

I was concerned that Liz might not come over to talk to me, especially since she and Bernie seemed to talk forever. I smile internally when they begin to walk toward the van hoping the seeds I planted were going to take root.

Liz walks up, looks at me and doesn't beat around the bush when she asks, "Stacy, what would it cost for us to hire Samantha back from you?"

Good this plan has seemed to work so I reply, "Liz, I think that's a subject that's better discussed with all four of us together." I motion to Samantha, she stops her report, comes over, looks at Liz grins and says to me, "You called me boss?"

I smile at Samantha and mention, "Samantha, I think that Liz is having some misgivings about firing you."

Liz shakes her head and adds, "Yes, that's correct. I was premature in firing you. We should have talked about it more."

Samantha plays hardball when she says...

I am a little confused since I thought I was going to work for Stacy and now Liz want's me back with the Truth Network. I am looking forward to working for Stacy, but I did love working for the Truth Network. I look at Liz and answer, "Liz, you didn't fire me. If you remember I quit after you bitched at me about my story on the bodies found at Ben and Jennifer's wedding."

Stacy catches my eye and I can tell from the look on her face she doesn't like my response. Liz replies, "Samantha, I think we are both at fault: Me for trying to protect Jens and you for doing the story and then sneaking it onto the air."

I think that Stacy is running one of her plans, so I decide to tone it down some and reply, "Liz, I'm sorry that I snuck it onto the air, but sooner or later someone was going to tell the story so I figured it might as well be me."

Liz says, "Well I took care of Jens finding out about the story on her honeymoon, so no damage is done there."

Stacy voice catches slightly as she asks, "Liz, how did you take care of that."

Liz chuckles and answers, "Oh, I forgot to tell all of you. They went to dinner one night and someone told them about the cabin. Jens called me and wanted to know what happened so I gave her the details. I called Jens back after I found out about your story on Evelyn and told Ben about the story. From what I understand Jens is practically holding him hostage in the honeymoon suite, doing what she called 'someeeething'."

I notice a few tears in the corner of Stacy's eyes and know she's really hurting. I want to go and comfort her so I cut to the chase, "Liz, I will come back to the Truth Network as long as you never ever pull a stunt on me like you did on the story about the bodies."

Liz smiles and says, "Samantha, welcome back to the Truth Network. Now, we're going into the tunnels so I can deal with some other problems."

I move to Stacy's side and hold her as she begins to cry...

Present – Jack, Masha and the children – On the C 130

I remember hearing about how my Jack's back was injured on the flight to Ramadi, how the terrible Captain M covered it up so he wouldn't get in trouble for it and how Ben once again helped Jack by coming up with medicine for his back. However the medicine presented some problems of its own.

With Ivan holding Veronika and singing to her, both she and Ivan have settled down. Now I need to take care of my Jack. I kneel beside him on the floor, begin to massage his lower back, feel a massive number of knots in the muscles and realize no simple massage can cure his problem.

I tell Jack, "Honey, my massage isn't going to fix this so I'm going to get you a pain pill and a muscle relaxer from my purse."