CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
-:- PENNY -:-
Work is slow this morning, and that is purely because Everlee is so efficient.
I’m thinking I’ll not be needed here soon as I’m not sure there will be enough work for both myself and Everlee.
If I drop to three days a week that would be great for me in truth.
I could spend more time with Arabella who I miss so much.
She’s growing up fast, and I’m missing things she’s doing and saying for the first time.
I’m going to speak with Ruger about this before I have the conversation with Lincoln.
Walking to the canteen I give Magnus a huge smile as I enter.
He’s wiping the serving area down, and I’m not sure what he uses, but it always smells good.
Not the lemon smell you get from a lot of cleaning products.
“Morning, Magnus. Can I order two pot pies for tonight, please? Well, if you are making any that is.”
“How come you are taking food home when you live at the clubhouse?” Magnus asks.
“Well, Star eats at the clubhouse or the treehouse with Meat. So, she’s allowed me to use her kitchen. Ruger and I eat there, then I make sure it’s cleaned away before we head back to the clubhouse. It gives both myself and Arabella some family time with Ruger.”
Magnus nods his head. “That’s cool. I’ll have you two pies ready for later.”
Walking back to my office I sigh because I really want our own place and to have our family moving forward. The house I know is nearly finished, and I can’t wait to buy furniture with Ruger. I’m sure it’s going to be fun, well it will be fun for me, not sure Ruger will agree.
Sitting behind my desk I’m reading the report Everlee has handed to me.
It’s showing the kitchen's success thanks to Magnus. He is turning a few ingredients into stunning meals, and the cost is remaining low. It seems everyone is taking meals home during the week, except of course those that eat and sleep here. I think Magnus could be a force to challenge Meat’s cooking, and I’m not sure how that will play out in the future!
My phone vibrates, and picking it up from my desk I see it’s from Nyx.
Nyx: These old farts are up to something!!!!
Penny: What’s wrong?
Nyx: They are whispering between themselves, and that is never good.
Penny: Have you overheard anything?
Nyx: Yes…I heard, ‘We solemnly swear that we are up to no good’!!!! Now, you know they have been reading the Harry Potter series to Arabella, so I’m worried about what they are actually up to?
Penny: Shit…
Nyx: ….
Penny: Are you OK?
Nyx: Gotta go, TTYL
An hour later, I have to make the call. I can’t just leave Nyx hanging, and she has been such a good friend. I need to support her if it’s needed.
Ring—ring—ring…. Now, it is not being answered, and that’s worrying as I know Nyx has her phone near at hand because of the oldies, as she often calls them, and Arabella.
It’s a just in case something happens thing.
I will have to try again later as I have an interview in twenty minutes for the cleaner position.
Everlee walks into the office and I lift my head to smile when I see she’s not alone.
She has a young woman with her, around 5’5” with shoulder-length black hair with blue highlights.
She has stunning blue eyes, which verge on gray as they are so pale.
She is slim, and wearing black pants, a white blouse with a black leather jacket over the top.
“Oh, you must be Jordyn Jackson and here for the interview?” I ask.
Giving me a smile as she steps further inside, she holds her hand out to shake.
I stand from behind my desk and reach over, clasping hands and notice she gives a nice firm handshake.
“I am Jordyn Jackson, and Bentley who works here told me about the job. My brother Zephyr, yeah don’t ask, is besties with Bentley.
I am good for the job and have references. ”
“You should not have said that Jordyn, because now we’ll need to know why he has that name,” Everlee giggles while taking a seat behind her desk.
“Okay, let’s get it over with.” Jordyn sighs and then takes a deep breath.
“When our mother was pregnant with Zephyr, who I call Zep by the way, she suffered with indigestion. Now, that indigestion turned to wind, and I mean farts. Farts that were so bad she couldn’t contain them, and as she walked, she sounded like she was playing a tune.
Or so I was told. I wasn’t born yet, so all this is second-hand hearsay.
Anyway, she got the nickname ‘Windy’, but that led her to look for other names, and hey ho, she found Zephyr.
” Sighing again and rolling her eyes, which has me smiling I have to admit.
But she continues. “Zephyr is described as a gentle breeze or here it comes…drum roll…Greek God of the West Wind.”
I look at her, then Everlee, back to Jordyn, then I can’t contain it any longer.
My giggle turns to laughter, and that laughter to loud and snorting laughter.
I end with my forearms on the desk, forehead on forearms, and hooting for all I’m worth.
Shoulder shaking and I’m tapdancing with my feet under the desk.
This has to be the funniest damn thing, and to be named after a God of Wind… it’s madness.
We take quite a while to calm down from the laughter, and I know all the background checks came back clear, so I’ve nothing to worry about. I’m sure Jordyn is going to fit in well.
We get the interview done, and I offer her the job, which she snaps my hand off for. “I’ll be ready to move out of my brother's place soon. If anyone hears of a small apartment would you let me know?” Jordyn asks.
We obviously say we will, and after arranging for Jordyn to meet and work with Scarlett the meeting closes, and I can’t help the small giggles when I think about her mother.
The phone rings, and picking up my cell I see it is Nyx. I quickly take the call. “Hi, Nyx. Is everything okay?”
“Goddamn these women, they are going to make my hair turn gray.”
“Oh no, what have they done?”
“Well, I told you they were up to no good didn’t I, so they sneaked out with Arabella in the stroller.
I wasn’t far behind them don’t you worry.
They headed for the park, and all the way they were singing, ‘Hey, ho, hey, ho, off to work we go,’ which, as you can imagine had eyes on them all the way.
Some were amused, and some scowled. Anyway, they got to the park, and you know that Mr. Angerstein’s yard backs up to the park?
Well they went around the park with gloves on thankfully, and found every dog turd they could find and flung it into Mr. Angerstein’s yard.
” Nyx sighs dramatically. “Before I could do anything, they took the gloves off stuffed them into a bag and ditched them in the dog poop can in the park. Then as they walked back to the house and passed me, they brazenly stated, ‘Mischief managed.’”
I’m not sure what to say, so I grunt. I’m not even sure it’s the right grunt, so I do another one to try to get it right, much to Nyx’s amusement I have to add. “What did they have against Mr. Angerstein?” I can’t help but ask.
“It seems he wasn’t happy one of the afternoons while we were at the park because Arabella was crying.
He was sitting in his yard trying to read, so it disturbed his peace.
Now, you know my ladies, they take shit like that seriously, and they were not having anyone saying anything against Arabella, so it meant war. ”
“Oh, my, Nyx. Is this going to cause a problem?”
“Well, I’ll be honest with you, Penny. If that old coot has something to say about Arabella I’ll tell Ruger. Ruger is her Dada, so hey, he can deal with the asshole. Talking about assholes, did you hear Blake got into trouble, and Mav paddled her ass?”
“No, I’ve heard nothing.”
“Well, it seems he told Blake to stay in the common room with Mia, but when Star asked for someone to help it was Blake who volunteered. Hence, she was in the treehouse reloading for Meat and Star. She was perfectly safe as she was passing the weapons through the treehouse window space.”
“Oh dear, so Mav had a meltdown about it?” I ask.
“Yeah, but Blake said the ass paddling wasn’t too bad, but when he sat on the toilet all day the next day, she had to sneak out and throw out the evidence she’d put laxative in his morning coffee.”
“No, she didn’t?”
Nyx laughs loudly. “Yeah, she did.”
“I’m not sure grunt is how to respond to any of this, but I’m sure Meat would have an appropriate one,” I laugh.
Nyx giggles, too. “Yeah, he’s the King of grunt.”
After closing out our conversation, I check all is good at reception, then quickly speak with Delta.
I wanted to make sure she was still coming to the wedding.
I stop at Colton’s office door as I hear congratulations being said, and smile when I see Colton and Holt have officially been made Security Team Managers.
They will be rotating day and evening shifts, but liaising with each other.
This is going to work out well for everyone I’m sure.
Mia sends a text and I quickly reply.
Mia: I have all the arrangements ready for the wedding. Can you look on Sunday?
Penny: Yes, I’ll look at the details with you, but I’m sure you have it all as it needs to be.
Mia: I think this is exciting, and I can’t wait to see everyone’s reaction on the morning they have to get dressed.
Penny: I know, but it’s going to be fun, and that’s what I want.
Mia: See you later at the clubhouse. I’ll be around this evening I think?
Finishing the afternoon I clear my desk and see the trash can is overflowing. Not liking to leave that for Scarlett when I know she has way too much to do already, I pick up the bag that lines the can and head to the back door.
“What are you doing, Penny?” I hear and turn to see Wren walking towards me.
“I'm just taking this outside. Save Scarlett a trip to the trash.”
“Oh, let me hold the door open for you because they’ve put a spring on it and the thing keeps closing and then you have to knock for someone to open it as it locks as soon as it closes.”
“I didn’t realize. I’ll speak to Lincoln, Bones or Arrow about it. See what they want to do about it.” I step outside and throw the bag into the large industrial trash can, but stop as I turn when I hear my name called.
“Penny, the man stealer!”
Oh, this is great! Rosemarie turning up here in the back of the property.
Now how did she get beyond the gate? I look up at the camera and see it has black spray paint on it.
Yeah, this is going to be a shitshow. Wren gives me a panicked look, and I dart my eyes at the door for her to go inside, and thankfully she does.
Turning to face Rosemarie I can’t help but be shocked at the state of her. She looks wild. Her hair is filthy and sticks up in thirty different directions. She has streaks of dirt on her face, and her clothes she must have had on for a week, plus sleeping in them.
“Who are you calling a man stealer?” I can’t help but ask.
“You are. You stole Ruger from me, but I’m here to get him back.”
“Are you now, and how do you think you are going to do that?” I calmly ask, stepping to the side of the trash because I need a little space if I am going to make any kind of move on this Pyscho bitch.
“I’m going to get rid of you, and that bastard of yours and then he’ll be mine, all mine…” she cackles, yeah you heard right, like a witch cackle and boy she throws her head back with it.
Slipping my hands around to my spine where I have the holder for my tasers.
It was something Meat got for me when he saw me struggling to hold them both in pockets and keep my pants smooth.
I slip one into each hand and keep my hands behind my back at the ready.
Can I get the mace in my pocket as well?
I’m not sure, so I put one of the tasers back and slide my hand into my pocket.
Grabbing hold of the small spray bottle, I quickly aim and fire that in her face when she drops her head to look at me, and takes that first step forward.
“Ahhhhhhhh,” she screams, and I watch fascinated. Her eyes, nose and mouth are immediately affected, and she also starts to cough. I wait, and as she recovers slightly I make my second move.
I grab the second taser from my spine and take aim, firing both at once.
I blink with shock I’m doing this, but keep the tasers firing.
Rosemarie jerks like a puppet on a string, and after a few moments falls to the ground.
She is still twitching, and I’m making sure I discharge every piece of electric current these things hold.
The door to the building is thrown open, and Bones rushes outside, quickly measuring up what is happening. “Stop, Penny. I’m here and you are okay.”
I look at him out of the corner of my eye.
“This bitch wants to kill, Arabella. She deserves all she gets.” With that said, the tasers stop but I kick her in her side as I walk past, heading into the building.
Just as I am about to enter I turn and look at Bones.
“Can you take the trash out?” I ask him, and he gives me a grunt in reply, which I understand. That one means yes he will!