Chapter 232

By 8 PM Friday we were done with the enrollment process. There had still been up to ½ hour waits at Warrington and Rochester but that was behind us now. The teams were on planes headed home. By 10 everyone would be here.

The security groups went back to regular work shifts with the afternoon shift today. A holiday weekend right off and the first week of classes next week would seal the deal.

I was antsy; I couldn't wait to see my mates. The four days seemed like forever. There would be no orgy tonight, just quiet time together to make up for the week apart.

Jason and the Judge were going to take most of next week off and go fishing at Frost Borough. Courtney had found a house a mile closer to the college than the hunting cabin.

She had found a nice small almost-new house that was easy on her budget that she liked, and moved in just before the enrollment started. Jason and the Judge could hunt and fish at their pleasure.

Jason might need the time to be alone and ponder about being a grandfather after our announcement on Monday. Jenny had been getting more nervous as the day grew closer.

The events of the last few weeks, the mall incident, the death threat and the pipe bomb scare somehow had changed her a little. The four of us - Jenny, Lorrie, Marcie and me - in the same bed had allowed us to have really good talks and relationship building time.

Jenny was ready to spill the beans. We even had a plan on how we were going to tell our parents on Monday and then our coworkers on Tuesday before Jenny left for the trial.

Friday night was rewarding, calm, and emotional. We had all missed each other. There was no business talk, just about Ching Lee and Vicky's experience at Elmira and who was in charge. For the most part I just listened and repeated over and over how glad I was that they were home and close again.

For one night there was no thought about pipe bomb, mall shootings or the other news that was a distraction. We spent time in the hot tub with wine coolers and a six pack of beer. Jenny's doctor had given the maximum temperature that the tub could be for her and we went a couple of degrees lower just to be safe.

Crash walked out on the deck to get a beer from the refrigerator where we kept half a dozen brands in. I knew he could see plenty of floating boobies. He simply smiled, raised the beer in the air and said, "Evening Ladies," as he walked back inside.

We slept in for a while Saturday morning, then I made breakfast for all of us. We split up with Marcy, Vicky and Jenny going to the Food King with a big list.

Ching Lee, Lorrie and I moved everything out of the four car garage and gave it a good cleaning. The weather forecast was calling for rain on Monday. We then set up all the tables and chairs in the garage and gave them a complete disinfecting. The grills could be just outside the entrance, if the rain was light.

We would put the paper tablecloths and disposable silverware and paper goods out before the food. We used paper tablecloths because when eating crabs, there was so much mess that you just rolled everything up and put it in the trash to have less clean up. Dad had ordered 5 bushels of number I crabs with the local favorite 'Old Bay' seasoning.

By the time we were finished, the other girls were back. It made quick work with all of us taking the carload of groceries in the house and putting them away.

After a light lunch we made up the crock-pot of home-made beans and let them simmer. They would be checked off and on all day. Then I made two big bowls of the cucumbers and onions salad and put them in the fridge to season. The rest of the girls made potato and chicken salad and it also went into the fridge.