Chapter 112

It was Christmas Eve. I was up at 7, just restless I guess. I made coffee and went to the gym. I opened the gate and set the heat up. I left the door unlocked so anyone with a membership card could get in if they wanted to work out. I did warm up exercises and enjoyed a peacefully complete workout, my first in days. Oh, I worked out a lot but we had been so busy they had been stop and start with distractions and interruptions. It felt good to feel the muscles burn and sting all over my body from one good workout.

I left a note on the inside door for anyone that might come in before we started the shift today to feel free to work out until we got over there. I also left my cell number in case they needed any help with anything.

Back over at the house - after a good cup of hot coffee - I started breakfast for the group. A very large frying pan of fried potatoes with finely chopped onion and green peppers with a little bit of olive oil was on one burner. On the other side of the stove was a two-burner griddle for sausage, scrapple and bacon. I placed another griddle for pancakes and another frying pan to just cook eggs. That left me with one free burner for whatever. I set a full loaf of bead by the four slice toaster and everything was ready.

I started with the sausage; it would take the longest to cook. I put 2 pounds on the griddle. Scrapple takes a while to cook but cold scrapple is yucky unless you cook it until it is rather crispy. The rest of the house was coming alive. A pound of bacon went on the other end of the griddle. Jenny came in to help. Toast was buttered, eggs went in the pan and pancakes started coming off the other griddle. In fifteen minutes the ten of us were all setting at the table with a hot breakfast with coffee or orange juice. Wendy and Carl came in and joined the group. They were followed shortly by both our parents and Joey. They weren't expecting breakfast but joined in. The men never turned down a hot breakfast. I don't think our mom's were much into cooking breakfast for two any more. The big dining room table was filled with people and breakfast food.

Jenny was sitting beside me and put her arm around me and whispered into my ear, "Our family."

"Yes and it's a big one," I said as I returned the hug. We socialized for an hour before everyone heading different directions to finish up last minute things. Marcy and I went to the gym. Jenny and Jeanna went to Ctown to pick up Marcy's new truck. There were a few people in the gym doing their workout routine.

I had plenty of time to lay out the ground work about starting a security company as part of our business. I gave her everything I had, the contract, the layout of the college grounds and what I knew of the new security system that may work for us. I even discussed the potential use of the cabin that the men were looking to buy. We had a good discussion about the pros and cons. It would mean more investment. We both felt sure that Qt bank or Mid West would finance the equipment and if we got a 5 year instead of a 3 year contract we could definitely make a profit.

Marcy was on board with the idea so the next challenge was Jenny with all the legal questions. Then after that we would lay it out to the whole gang before we worked up any proposal. Jenny and Jeanna came in at the end of the conversation. I could tell that they were tickled that they had pulled off getting the new truck backed and parked without being seen.

All the paper work was still all over the table. I took the opportunity to explain everything again. The questions this time were more detailed and in depth. I managed to get through them without stumbling too bad with my ideas. Jenny expressed concerns but as we talked they soon became non-issues. Jenna on the other hand was immediately on board and looked at it as a growing business venture. With Jenny and Marcy on board we would present it to the rest of the girls and begin the necessary ground work.