Chapter 13: Molly's Dinner Recruitment

Molly watched her new friends drive away. When they were out of sight, she turned back to her mother. She stepped back in to her mother's arms and gave her a hug. Stopping the hug, she looked her mom in the face.

"Mom, how about pizza tonight?"

Kathleen looked at her baby, and she felt complete again as she realized the hole in her heart was once again filled.

"What ever you want sweetie, the number for Pizza Hut is on the fridge like always."

Shaking her head, she replied, "No mom, we're having Salaneo's Pizza, tonight," as she walked towards the phone.

She smiled at the memory of the last time, she had Salaneo's pizza. It was at her bosses wedding engagement party.

"Honey, I can't afford Salaneo's."

Laughing, Molly stopped and went back over to her mom, and gave her another hug.

"I'm buying, Mom, so go get dressed. I have some calls to make. I have a bet with Ken that I plan on winning."

Kathleen looked at her daughter with concern. "A bet? What did you bet?"

Laughing at her mothers look, she said, "Nothing like that, Mom. I bet Ken I could recruit over one hundred people in the next four weeks. If Ken wins I have to make him a lasagna dinner, if I win, he has to take me to Paris for dinner."

"You devious little girl, you,"" Kathleen kissed her daughter's cheek and walked towards her bedroom, as she said; "Ok I will go change. However, I want a supreme pizza."

Molly walked over to the phone and picked it up. "Ok Mom." Reaching down, she pulled out the phone book and looked up Salaneo's Italian Restaurant. Entering the number in the phone, she listened for it to be picked up.

"Salaneo's Italian Restaurant, this is Stella, how may I help you."

Molly grinned as she heard her friend's voice, and said, "Hi, Stella, I see your mom and dad got you working in the business."

"Who is th ... MOLLY? Oh my God! Where have you been? We have been so worried about you!"

Listing to the excitement in her friends voice she said, "I can explain later, but I have a question for you. Is the back room booked for tonight?"

"Let me check the book, I don't think it is."

The phone went on hold, and some soft music came on. While she waited, she pulled out her mom's family phone book, and flipped it open.

The music stopped and Stella's voice came back on the line.

"Hey, Molly? No, the room is free. Why, what is up?

Molly grinned, and responded, "Can I reserve it for tonight?"

"Molly the room is seven hundred a night. I know you..."

Molly interrupted her friend, and said, "I have the money for it. Put it in my name, and I will get back to you on how many people will be coming. Oh, by the way I want you there too, as my guest."

"I get off at five, so I can be there. It is so good to hear your voice. Give me a call when you know how many are coming."

Molly listened to her friend talk and grinned. "You too, we will talk more later. Ciao baby."

"Ciao."

The phone went dead as she listened, and then she hung it up. Opening the book, she first started to call her cousin Jamie, but instead flipped the book closed, and dialed a number she knew by heart. Waiting for the phone to be picked up she looked at the clock and knows he would be reading in his study. A gruff voice came on and she smiled.

"Hello, Kathleen."

Smiling at her grandfather's assumption that it was her mom, she said, "Wrong, Grandpa Allen."

"Molly! Where the hell have you been? I ought to come over to your house and spank your ass young lady! You scared the whole family. We thought you were dead."

She listened to her grandfather rant, and then said, "Sorry, Poppa. It was not my fault. I promise. I was wondering how you would like to join us for dinner tonight. Say ... at six tonight?"

"You're damn right I will. I want to know where you were. Where is this dinner?"

"Salaneo's. Be there and I will explain. It is under my name, so no bugging the girls," she replied.

"Ok. I will see you there. You better have a good reason for scaring your mother."

With a small sigh, she quickly replied, "Mom knows what happened and she is accepting it. I will see you then, and I want a hug from my favorite Medal of Honor winner."

"Ok, see you there ... Molly, I love you."

"Love you, too, Poppa. Now I have some more calls to make."

Hanging up the phone, she opened the book and dialed the number for Jamie. Waiting for it to be picked up, she sat down in the easy chair.

"O'Neil, residence this is Jamie speaking."

Listening to her cousin, she said, "Hi, Jamie, its Molly. What are..."

"Molly! Where have you been?"

"I will explain later. Dinner tonight at Salaneo's at six o'clock, bring Tony with you, along with Cindy and Tammy O'Shea. Talk more later."

Hanging up the phone Molly spent the next twenty minutes making calls. She was now realizing she had never really noticed before, how much her family looked out for each other. Of the fifty-six people she called, fifty agreed to be there.

Getting up, she walked into her bedroom, and pulled out an emerald green blouse and her stonewashed jeans. Going onto the bathroom, she took a quick shower and cleaned up. After putting the clean clothes on, she walked out into the living room and she was picked up in a bear hug from behind.

A voice said in her ear, "Damn you Aunt Molly, where have you been?"

"James Sanders, put me down right now, and don't call me your aunt! Just call me Molly. How many times have I told you that?"

As she was set down on her feet, she turned and hugged her eighteen-year-old nephew.

"Hi, James, I missed you. How have you been? Are you going to dinner with us?"

James looked at his aunt and replied to her questions, tapping his right forefinger against his the fingers of his left hand to count the questions.

"Hi, back, Molly ... Not as much as we missed you ... I have been fine, especially now that you're home ... and where are we going for dinner?"

"We're going to Salaneo's for dinner, and it's on me. So go change, they won't let you in wearing a tank top and shorts."

Hugging him again, she kissed his cheek and turned him around.

"Go!" she said, giving him a little shove.

"Ok, Ok! I am going, Boss! Give me five minutes and I will be ready."

Walking into his bedroom, he quickly changed.

Activating her com, she said, 'Amy can you hear me?'

'Yes I can, Molly, what can I do for you?'

Biting her lip, she said, 'Think I am going to need some money, and someway to prove myself to my family. What do you suggest?'

'I am way ahead of you. In your pack, you will find two bundles of cash, totaling fifty thousand dollars. There is also a holographic emitter and your personal force field, along with your medical kit and diagnostic board. Will that work for you?'

Grabbing her pack, she opened it up, looked through it and found the items. 'Yes they will, Amy, thank you.'

'You're welcome, have a good night with your mom. I hope she decides to join us.'

'She will. I will talk more with you later. Ciao.'

Breaking the connection, she walked into her room and grabbed her large purse. Stuffing four thousand dollars into her purse, she then stashed the rest in the secret compartment in her bed frame. Taking the remaining items, she put the plasma pistol, med kit, and diagnostic board in her purse. The emitter and shield box went on her belt under her shirt.

"There, all done."

Turning, she looked in the mirror and grabbed her brush, quickly brushing her long, flowing red hair. Her mother walked into her room.

"Hi, Mom. I am almost ready. James said he is coming, too."

Kathleen stood there and looked at her daughter and then it dawned on her.

"Molly, how did your hair get down to your butt? You've always kept it shorter because of the headaches you get."

Smiling at her mom, she said, "I know, but that problem has been fixed, and I am so glad. I had Amy adjust the length of my hair to what it is now. I like it this way, now that I don't have the headaches from the length and weight of the hair. My hair barely weighs anything now, or that is the way it feels. It is the nanobots in my system that have latched onto the hair follicles and are holding them instead of the roots of my scalp. It's like microscopic tractor beams preventing the full weight settling on my skull."

"Well it's beautiful, it looks like a red cape on you, and it highlights your eyes." Leaning over she kissed her daughters cheek and continued. "Come on, I'm hungry."

Setting the brush down, she turned and said, "Ok, Mom, I'm ready."

Turning, she looked at her mom standing there in a pale green dress.

"You look beautiful, Mom."

"Thank you, now come on."

Turning, she walked out of the bedroom, and Molly followed.

Seeing the closed door to her nephew's room, she banged on it, and said, "Come on James, we're leaving."

From inside the room she heard, "Ok, coming."

Then the door opened and her nephew was standing there.

"Wow, you look nice," Molly said.

James was wearing blue slacks with a sky blue shirt, and his black dress shoes.

"Thanks, Molly." Offering his arm to his Aunt Molly he continued, "May I walk you out?"

Reaching up she touches his cheek and said, "You know, you're such a sweet young man."

With an impish grin, he looked at Molly and said, "Well, blame your mom for that."

They walked out and joined Kathleen in the living room by the door.

Kathleen looked up as she heard her daughter.

"You know you two are a handsome couple. I wish you two would date each other."

Molly came to a stop, and said, "Mother! That's gross! He's my nephew."

"Only because I married his grandfather, it's not like you're related by blood," she said. With a sigh, she looked at them again and continued, "But I know what you are saying."

Handing her keys to her grandson, she said, "You're driving, James."

"Ok, Kathleen. I will play chauffeur."

Opening the door for them, they went out of the house. He locked up and walked them to Kathleen's 2002 Mercedes.

Opening the back door, for them he said, "Ladies."

He then helped both of them into the car and closed the door behind them. Walking around the car, he climbed in and they headed for the restaurant. Ten minutes later, they pulled up to the front door of the restaurant and he started to let them out.

Molly leaned forward and said, "Let the valet park the car."

"Ok, Molly."

He handed the keys to the attendant. He turned, took both of the women's arms, and walked them in.

Inside the restaurant, the first person they saw was Stella Salaneo. She was helping another customer, and did not see them standing there.

Stella knelt and handed a small packet of crayons to a four-year-old boy, and smiled at him.

"Now, Jimmy, you be a good boy and draw me a pretty picture for the wall."

Four-year-old Jimmy Tomas looked at the crayons and grinned at 'Aunt Stella', as he calls her.

"I will draw a cat."

She looked into the small boy's face and saw he had lost a tooth. "Jimmy, you lost a tooth. Did you put it under your pillow?"

"Yeah! And I got a whole dollar for it!"

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled a silver dollar out.

"See?"

"Wow! You sure got more then I ever got! All I ever got was a quarter," she said. Touching his nose with her finger she continued. "Now you be good, and Cindy here will get you extra paper."

Clutching his crayons he said, "I be good. I'm always good, or else momma'll get mad at me."

"Well, we don't want that." Stella leaned over and kissed him on his forehead. "Now enjoy your dinner."

"I will, bye, bye."

Reaching up, he took his mothers hand, as they were led across the dining room.

Stella looked at the small boy and shook her head. Turning around, she saw Molly standing there. Running to her, she hugs her best friend.

"Molly, where have you been? You'd better have a good reason for disappearing like you did. My God, you look great, you've lost weight and your hair has grown out."

Molly hugs Stella back, and managed to reply, "Thanks Stella, it's good to be home. I am sorry I didn't call, but there was no way to call from where I was. Now that I am here, I have the most fantastic news for everyone when they all get here. Will you be joining us?"

"Damned right I will," Stella glanced at the clock, and continued, "In fact I am off duty, now. Come on. The room is all set up, as soon as you pay Daddy."

Grabbing Molly's arm, she drags her over to the cash register. Spotting her father in the dinning area, she shouts across the restaurant.

"Hey, Daddy! I said she would be here."

Alberto Salaneo looked up at his daughter yelling across the restaurant and apologizes to the customers. Walking over to them, he looked sternly at Stella and then smiled warmly at Molly.

"Where have'a yu been little one? You have'a scare your poor'a mama by disappearin' like'a that! She should'a took'a you over her lap an'a spank'a yu bottom!"

Molly blushed at Mr. Salaneo's words, and replied, "I am sorry, I really am. I had no control over what happened to me. However, I am home for now, and I have the most wonderful news for my family and friends. I will share the news after we all eat." Opening her purse, she pulled out seven one hundred dollars bills and handed them to Alberto.

"Here you go Mr. Salaneo, seven hundred, just like you always charge for the room."

Alberto took the money and looked at the new bills.

"Where ... Never'a mind. Let'a me check'a them and then Stella can'a show you to the room."

Pulling out a special pen, he used it to check the large bills. He swiped it across the bills and confirmed they were real.

"Your monieze is'a no'a good." Handing the money back to Molly, he continued, "Stella take 'em to the room, and serve 'em anythin'a they'a want. Its on'a the house."

"No, Mr. Salaneo! I can pay," replied Molly as she took the money.

"Not this'a time, bambino! It's'a my welcome home to you."

Turning Molly, he pushed her towards the door, "Go, Stella."

"Yes, Papa."

Stella took Molly's arm, and led her to the back room.

Molly stopped at the door and said, "Stella, put this in your fathers cash register. I don't need the charity."

Placing the seven hundred dollars in Stella's hand, she closed it up.

Stella looked at the money in her fist, and responds. "Molly, I can't."

Molly watched Stella's dad go in the back. "Yes you can. Your father is running a business, and you don't pay the bills by acting like this."

"All right, I will do it after we close, but only then," she said. Placing the money in her pocket, she continued, "Now let's get you all seated."

Turning Molly around, she opened the door and they walked into the dark room. "Damn it, let me find the light switch. Don't move."

Walking over to the wall switch, she switches it on.

"SURPRISE! Welcome home, Molly.'

Molly stood there surprised, as she looked at all her family and friends. Tears ran down her face as Alberto walked over to her.

Alberto picked Molly up and gave her bear hug, and said, "That's'a why I said I'm'a not gon'a take'a yu money. Welcome home, Molly." Guiding Molly over to the head of the table, he sat her down. "Now, Molly, I have'a made a big'a dinna' for'a yu. We hav'a good food for'a yu'."

Molly looked around and saw her Cousin Jamie sitting in her electric wheel chair with her boyfriend beside her. Jamie sat there crying. Molly got up, and walked over to her and hugged her. Whispering in her ear, "Jamie, I love you, and I have a great secret to share with you."

Opening her purse, she pulled out her med kit and opened it. Pulling out a nano injector, she loads it.