Chapter 31

We watched the red pickup rumble out of the lot and head south. Kay said it sounded angry. It did, at that, and I wondered if Jake had built the engine as well. I looked at Kay, and said, "So what's your preference for supper?" She turned to Suzy and Richelle and asked for their druthers, and they both said the choice was up to us. So we locked up and headed for The Crab Shack. It's a dumpy-looking place, and that makes it one of the prime reasons for the phrase "Looks are deceiving". And it's so far from the bay you wonder how they came about that name. But they serve the best gumbo in the state, along with all manner of seafood and, believe it or not, excellent gyros and souvlaki! Owner is a Greek guy, name of Jimmy, who came here by way of Baltimore and New Orleans, and picked up the best of those worlds on the way.

Richelle saw where we were headed and just moaned. "Last time I was here I hurt myself."

"That bad?"

"That good! I got a menu just to pin up on my closet door, to remind myself why I can't wear a couple of my dancin' dresses."

"Must have been before I met you," said Suzy, "I never was here, and you never said anything about dancin'."

"Just don't go near the buffet."

Kay hadn't ever been here either, but she was game to try it. We found a spot in the parking lot and pulled in and piled out of the Escape. I locked it up as usual, and turned and followed the girls. Richelle was just saying it was a good thing we were parked on the downhill side of the lot, so we could just roll her in that direction after she got done pigging out. Kay looked at me and rolled her eyes, "No way this place can be that good! And if it is, how come I've never heard about it?"

"Well, for one thing, it's away from the water, and for another, look at the front of the place." I pointed from one side to the other, "What's missing?"

She stopped and looked at where I was pointing and shook her head, then, "Wait! No beer signs! Just Coke and Iced Tea. No booze?" I shook my head. "Then how do they stay in business?"

"Jimmy's brother has a little place like this up north, only he got a liquor license. They got a little thing goin' over who's got the best food, and Jimmy said his brother's is good, but he needs the booze to make it pay. So they made a little bet, and Jimmy opened this place without it. There's a little note in the menu that explains it all. So far so good."

"It ain't all been hearts and flowers, though," broke in Richelle, "Cap says that a couple of distributors tried to lean on Jimmy a little, to beef up their own businesses, but he leaned back, and a couple of friends of his from up north came down and 'explained' things to 'em. Nobody got hurt, but they tippy toed for a little while. Now it's kinda neutral territory, and they're all good customers. Maybe hopin' he'll change his mind."

We headed on in, registered our party of four, and they told us it would be a fifteen minute wait, so we settled back and just chatted for a while.

"So, you do a lot of dancin' back in your skinnier days?" Suzy was grinning as she said it.

Richelle growled, "You'll get skinny! I'll turn you every way but loose!"

"Oh, be still, my beating heart! I hope so!"

Kay just grinned at me as the two of them headed for the ladies' room. "Looks like she's getting back to normal -- that's good!" We sat down and looked at the menus we'd been given. "What's souv, souvl,"

"Souvlaki?"

"Yeah, I guess, is that how you say it?"

I nodded, "It's marinated pork or chicken pieces, wrapped in pita bread, with tzatziki sauce on it." She gave me a blank look. "Tzatziki sauce is yoghurt with real finely chopped cucumber and mint leaves, and a few other seasonings in it. It's really good, too. Told ya this place was kind of a fusion -- southern, seafood, New Orleans, Greek -- place! They do an authentic souvlaki, and also a very good spanakopita and gyro too." I pointed them out on the menu.

"I know spanakopita is spinach pie, but I never heard of those other things. What's this kakavia thing? Says fish chowder?"

"Ohhh yeah! I'm thinking that's what I'm gonna get. It's a chowder like what the Greek fishermen make on their boats when they're out working. I dunno if they make it with seawater here or not, but it's good stuff."

Our two bodyguards rejoined us, and Suzy asked, "So what's good tonight?"

Kay pointed at the menu, "Here's what we're havin', this kakavia, with a Greek salad, and, ummm," she flipped over to the beverage section, "an iced tea with mint. Unsweetened."

Suzy just looked at her, "Kaka what?"

Richelle giggled, "Kakavia! Fish stew! Even I know what that is, and it's good, but I've had my mind set on their Fisherman's Pasta since we got here. I had it once before and it's to die for!"

"Okay, babe, you order for me. You know what I like."

Another grin, an eye roll, and a lascivious, "Yeahhhh, I guess I do at that!" Got swatted, just as the signal went off, calling us to the waiter's station.

We were seated at a nice table, and the waitress ran through their specials list, but we were all ready to order, and did so. Got our drinks and salads, and settled down to a very nice, relaxed meal. I remarked on that, that it was the first time in several days that we could sit and enjoy a meal without worrying about somebody messing it up for us. Got scolded that I shouldn't "jinx us," but everyone agreed that it was good to sit back and enjoy ourselves for once.

I heard, "Hello, Robert!" and looked to see the owner heading over our way. "It's good to see you, my friend! What brings you down this way? Surely you didn't come to check on my computer!"

I just smiled and said, "No, I know you would have called me if you were having problems with that, Jimmy. You should be good for another six months on your licenses, and they're set to automatically renew for your backup stuff."

"That is good, my friend, and do not worry, I will call you if anything crashes." He looked around the table and back at me, "Umm, Robert, how does one old computer guy end up with three beautiful young women?" We'd jibed back and forth before on our ages. When I showed up to set up his network he had said he'd expected an older man.

"In the end it will be just one, Jimmy, meet my fiancé, Kaitlyn Sanderson." Kay blushed and said hello, and Jimmy beamed at her.

"Ahhh, my friend, then we must celebrate! I will return after you have dined! Kali orexi! Enjoy!" And he was gone as quickly as he had arrived.

"Kali what did he say?" Suzy wanted to know.

"Kali orexi," said Richelle, and I must have looked bemused, because she said, "What? I can't know something in Greek?" She looked back at Suzy, "Means same thing as 'bony ape titty' does in Fran-say," and she stuck her tongue out at me over her deliberate mispronunciation of the words.

Kay was snickering, and I started laughing too, as the waitress came to check on how we were doing. She refreshed our iced teas, and said our entrees were nearly ready. Then she looked right at me and said, "And it's nice to see young folks enjoying themselves, isn't it?" I huffed and sputtered, and acted outraged, but I'd spotted Jimmy looking around the corner, laughing, then I remembered her from before. She'd been in on the age thing, too. The girls just cracked up some more, and they were still picking on me when she brought out our entrees.

Kay and Suzy just looked, and sniffed at the wonderful aromas wafting from the plates and bowls in front of us, while Richelle and I dug in. "It's even better if you taste it!" So they did. And they loved it!

Meanwhile, a few miles to the south, Jake(y) is in trouble ... he just don't know it yet!

The truck is running sweet! Pop had 'em clean it up, and he went over it and set everything up just the way we figured when we built it. He asked about it when we stopped so they could say hi to Laurel, and we double checked the throttle linkage and the tube to the vacuum advance. Said it was running a little rough, and he had found a crack in the old one. Runs good now!

I had a hard time getting Laurel away from Mom and Renee, though. But I guess they got a lot to talk about, considering what almost happened. I'm just thankful she got to Rob and Kaitlyn and kept it all from happenin'. Thank the Good Lord for them being there in the first place. Ain't no coincidences, so I know He had it under control. Still, if baby sis had got hurt, well, there'd have been a couple dead white boys in town. Still might be, if they don't know enough to back off. Ain't a threat, it's a promise. Pure and simple. And I figure I owe them for what they done to Laurel, and almost to Kaitlyn, too. Only known these two for a couple days, but Kaitlyn seems like family already, and Laurel, well, she's, oh lord, what is she?