Chapter 18

That was the oddest job interview I'd ever been invited to, not to mention that I felt funny being there when I wasn't the one doing the hiring or the one looking for a job. Come to think of it, I'd never really had the kind of job you needed to have an interview to get.

Oh, I'd had a few job interviews, but none of them had involved any meaningful conversation. Whenever I'd applied for a job, the interview was mostly a kind of last minute get to know the guy type thing for the one that was going to be my boss. I showed up at his office, we shot the shit for a few minutes, I did my best not to say anything stupid, and I was hired.

Maybe that was the attitude Ethel had used for this. She'd already snooped around on her gossip network and been convinced that Jaycee had the skills she needed, and more really. So she'd invited Jaycee out to see if she thought they'd get along. Ethel went with her instincts and that was that.

Meanwhile, back at the boner, I was coming to grip with the fact that Ethel had hired the closests thing to a sex bomb I'd ever seen in real life. The only trouble with that was Jaycee didn't act like a sex bomb, she just looked and dressed like one. That's the way I saw it anyway. Maybe I was just the type of old fashioned guy who didn't understand these kids today.

Understanding that Jaycee was beautiful and built wasn't a problem though, and she was more than the sum of her parts. Said parts were spread over a five-eight package that was obviously in excellent physical condition. She moved almost like a cat and I liked the little bit of her personality I'd seen so far.

Ethel had pretty much dismissed us and we stood and headed for the door.

"So, what are you going to show me first?" Jaycee asked.

Somehow I managed not to say that I was the one wanting her to show me something. Something hell, I wanted to see everything, now. Instead I steered her outside toward the truck, intending to show her the medical facilities.

"Damn, that's a hell of a taxi," she said, seeing the Western Star was going to be our ride.

"It is at that, but it's Meka's favorite way to get around and I don't guess it hurts anything to use it for errands," I said.

"And Meka is?" she asked.

"Meka is my daughter, my adopted daughter I guess I should say, but she seems like she's a part of me now. She likes the truck because she can raise the seat and see out better," I said.

"Will I get to meet her at your house? You said the first aid station was there."

"No, she's with Doctor Jorge, studying, in the house there," I told her, pointing back to Ethel's house.

"Oh, I see," she said, but from her tone I could tell that she didn't see at all.

At least it meant that the don't ask too many questions fog that They had used on her must be thinning now. Apparently They approved too and she was probably going to be able to question a few things that she couldn't have otherwise. I just hoped I could answer the questions she was able to ask.

She seemed familiar with the workings of air seats when we got in, since she had no trouble adjusting hers.

"Have you been in this type of truck before?" I asked.

"Yes, I learned to drive them in the army. Army trucks don't usually have air seats though, but a few did. I believe the Generals think standard seats keep their captive drivers from going too fast. It's another bit of army wisdom," she said.

"It sounds like it's a piece of carefully hoarded and preserved stupidity to me," I said.

"Right in one. Like I said, the Generals thought it up," she said, and laughed.

Driving down to the house, and forgetting until the last second that she was probably going to be amazed, I'd just turned onto the drive and was about to give her a little warning, but it was too late.

"God almighty, what is all this?" she asked.

"Well, it's my house," I said, trying not to sound sheepish.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude," she said.

"Well I'm the one that was rude, I should have at least said something about it. It's just that I'm used to it by now," I said.

"The first aid station is here, in your home?" she asked, obviously trying to change the subject.

"Yes, it's in one end of the house."

Pulling to the curb, I parked and we got out, heading for the front door. Immediately I saw that Jaycee was probably going to be moving in. I could plainly see a new glowing handprint for her by the entrance. I didn't mention it though and when we approached the door it opened on it's own.

"Wow, the house knew you were coming?" she said.

"Yeh, it's nice after you get used to it. Would you mind putting your hand on that slightly glowing handprint?" I asked.

"Oh, ok, I guess," she said, doing it and then looking at me with an unspoken question.

"It's so the house will recognize you and let you in," I said.

She seemed mollified by the explanation but I could tell that it wasn't going to last for long. I'd have to just go along and see how things went, deciding that I'd have to rely on George's view that I wouldn't be able to even think of saying anything wrong.

When we got inside she was even more amazed and I was comforted by seeing another glowing handprint. Jaycee was going to get the tour of the basement too it seemed.

Leading her down the hall, toward what she was calling the first aid station, I braced myself for her reaction. I'd always thought of it as the operating room but I guess it would have been better to call it a clinic. We'd see what she thought about it.

As we walked down the hall, I got a little thrill when I saw another handprint for Jaycee near the bedroom door next to mine. Ethel hadn't said anything to her about moving in but I knew it was a done deal now. Too damned bad her handprint hadn't been beside the door to my bedroom. At least I had something to work on.

Who was I trying to kid? It hadn't come up, but Jaycee couldn't be a day over twenty-five and probably wasn't that old. I counted my chances of bumping fuzz with her as slim and none. It was probably more likely I'd get a royal straight flush for the next five poker hands I was dealt.

Sensory overload was my guess about what Jaycee felt when we walked into the first aid station. She just stood and gaped. Without trying to talk I watched her look around. Shortly she started roaming and looking more closely and I followed and let her see it for herself.

She spent nearly an hour examining things and thankfully she didn't ask any questions. I knew she had some, or should have had some, but I guessed that they were being put on hold somehow. When she'd seen it all she turned to me.

"This is much better equipped than I thought it would be. In fact, it's hard to believe," she said.

Recognizing an excellent chance to change the subject without the embarrassing questions I was sure I wouldn't be able to answer, I took my shot.

"Ready to see the other parts?" I asked.

"There's more?"

"Much more," I said, and when she nodded her head I turned back to the house, heading for the elevator.

It was either something They were doing or else something about the army way, but Jaycee didn't ask many questions. She took the elevator in stride and didn't even gasp when we walked out into the giant basement. She was shocked again when I showed her the armory though, but she was able to maintain. That's mainly the way things went through the whole tour.

After we toured the barn it was getting close to lunchtime and I suggested we stop and head back to Ethel's.

"That would be great, I was too nervous to eat this morning before I came out for the interview," she said.

"You were? That's a little surprising," I said.

"It can't be nearly as surprising as the job, or the salary. I probably shouldn't say it but I would have signed on for a lot less," she said.

"Don't worry about it. Ethel is glad to have you and I'm sure you'll earn your keep," I said.

"Maybe, but so far I still don't know what I'll be doing," she said, letting it trail off as if she hoped I'd elaborate.

By now I knew exactly what George and Ethel meant when they said they just couldn't think of what to say, because I couldn't either. I could understand that I wanted to tell her the whole story but the words just didn't come into my mind. So I kept my mouth shut and drove us to lunch.

The train horn was a surprise for Jaycee, and she actually squealed. It was a becoming reaction but I didn't have time to dwell on it, because Meka came flying out the back door, holding Tutsie, and no doubt expecting me to get on the ground and pick her up. I did.

Jaycee came around the truck to join us and I did the introductions. There was the usual misconception on her part. The surprise for me was that Meka was now ready to handle it, kinda.

"I'm glad to meet you, Meka. Who's that you're holding?" she asked, nodding her head toward Tutsie.

"This is Ch'uht'uh dìitsi?," Meka said, the she giggled when she saw Jaycee's reaction.

"Meka's getting to be quite the little trickster. She doesn't speak much English yet, but she's catching on quickly," I said.

"His name Tutsie. Ch'uht'uh dìitsi? is fuzzy dog you talk," Meka said, explaining.

"Exactly what language is that? I've heard a lot of different languages but nothing ever sounded like that at all," Jaycee said, and I was worried about how I could explain things.

"I Caddo Indian," Meka said, solving the problem, for a while.

For some reason Tutsie was very glad to see me. He gave me a thorough licking all over the face. Meka laughed about it after a minute and then let me in on the joke.

"Tutsie glad see Daddy. Mean lunch time," she said, and Jaycee helped her laugh at me then.

Meka was probably right. Tutsie knew that food was on the way when I showed up. We went inside then and since most everyone was already sitting at the big table we headed that way.

Jaycee's seat ended up being to my left, between Ethel and I. I could tell that she was a little surprised at the crowd that showed up to eat. She'd get used to it.

Thankfully Ethel did a good job of keeping Jaycee company during the meal. Pig that I am, my concentration was on the fried chicken, cream potatoes, black-eyed peas, and later on the German chocolate cake. I did have time to notice that Tutsie's chicken had been removed from the bone beforehand. He didn't seem chagrined in the least to be missing out on a bone to gnaw. He was too busy eating more chicken than could have possibly been good for him.

Somehow Ethel managed to steer the after lunch conversation well clear of Jaycee's new job, and especially, clear of what it might involve. She also did yeoman's service when something else came up.