Chapter 5 #2
“It started as a suggestion from Pru, but everyone is on board with it, especially Erin. Oh, if you ever have an idea, but don’t think it will work, talk it over with Erin, that’s how most of her operations came to fruition, through a thought.
This building I just mentioned is a community pantry.
” She pulled out another list and handed it over to him.
“This is a list of things that will be purchased today to be stored in the pantry. This is from Erin, in addition to her normal list. We are supposed to have a hard winter, and with this extra stuff, if we can’t make it to the store, we’ll have it stored in the pantry.
Also, there is a restaurant sized walk-in cooler and freezer.
It’s late in the season, but just last week, Erin sent three cows to slaughter.
We already have our meat for the winter.
Or we will when it’s done being processed. ”
“But she sent them in case we get snowed in. I’m assuming that’s in case we get snowed in and use what’s in our homes. The extra will be stored in this big freezer?”
“Correct. Did anyone tell you that we work as a family?”
“Yes, Manny mentioned it, and I can see how that would work.” He nodded and they headed into the grocery store, but just before the arrived at the service counter, he took Lois aside. “What’s up with Ryan not eating peas at his house?”
Lois laughed, and gripped his forearm. “It’s cute actually. You’ll learn, but everyone both men and women have a story. You know Marcia’s, correct?”
“Yes, I was literally right there beside her and we hit that mountain together.”
“Okay, well, Pru was in the Air Force, her helicopter crashed, she was the only survivor, but she didn’t walk away without any injuries.
She has TBI. Some days she’s perfectly fine, others she spaces out, and yet others she’s full of energy.
She hates peas. I mean if she sees them, she gags.
One day, Ryan was on a special mission and saw her in the store getting her groceries.
She was packing a produce bag with pea pods.
As he talked to her, he filled a bag with asparagus, and another one with broccoli.
He put those in her cart and took the pea pods for himself.
She never realized it. Another time, she opened a can of veggies, and started gagging.
Ryan saw they were peas, and quickly set them outside.
Her TBI makes her slightly forgetful at times. ”
“Oh, wow.”
“Oh, and Erin hates green beans and anything with them in it. She has soup on her list, and there is only one specific type we can buy.”
“Let me guess, the others have green beans in them.”
“Yes, come spring, when I start canning, I have several recipes that I can make up for soups and stuff that won’t have those particular items in them. Oh, and this isn’t as big as the others, but I do believe that Naomi isn’t a fan of pumpkin. I’ll have to look into that further.”
“I bet the soups would be cheaper and healthier for everyone if you made them.”
“They will be.” Lois reached up and patted his cheek. “You’ll learn. Because of Marcia, I know a little of your story, and maybe you can help me out in the spring if you are able to bend without falling over.”
“That’s my goal,” he said with a grin, and they headed to the service counter to get their first item on the list.
Several hours later, after putting the last cart of groceries in the back of the SUV, Tony returned the cart to the rack in the parking lot, and climbed into the vehicle. He looked at Lois with a shocked expression.
“Holy hell.” He didn’t know what else to say to convey the shock of what he had just experienced with the older lady.
“I know, right?” Lois laughed as she reached for the key to start the vehicle. “Hungry?”
“Starving, but I didn’t see any fast-food joints.”
“There aren’t any. If you want something to eat, we can go to Maggie’s Diner, which has everything, or we can swing by Kora’s.”
“Which is?”
“A bakery.”
“Do they have sandwiches?”
“I believe so.”
“What do you want?”
“Kora’s,” Lois said with a laugh. “I called and placed an order this morning for some donuts and muffins.”
“Ah, sneaky.”
“Yep,” they laughed together as they headed toward downtown, which wasn’t excessively big, and Lois pointed out all the things of interest. When they arrived at Kora’s she parked and he hopped out and rushed around to open her door.
Once inside, he paused and closed his eyes to take in all the smells.
They stepped up to the counter and when the woman behind there saw them, she grinned.
“Do you want your order now, Lois, or are you going to get something to eat first?”
“We’ll have something to eat. I’d like a cup of your Chai tea, and an egg salad sandwich on a croissant.” Lois turned to Tony with a raised brow. He quickly ordered, but insisted on him paying. They took their drinks to the table, and waited for the sandwiches.
“Lois, it’s good to see you,” a deep voice said from beside their table, and Tony looked up to see who had spoken.
“Jake, it’s good to see you too.”
“What brings you to town?”
“Monthly grocery shopping.”
“Oh Lord, I hope you were successful?”
“I was. Jake, this is Tony Jacobs, he’s new out at the ranch, and will be working at New Double. We returned his rental truck and he graciously volunteered to help me.”
Jake snorted a laugh. “Let me guess, she followed you to the rental place, and if you didn’t ride with her, you wouldn’t be able to get back out to New Double?”
“That about sums it up,” Tony laughed and held out his hand. “Anthony Jacobs.”
“Sergeant, with the National Guard out of Pennsylvania. Injured from a failed parachute.”
Tony stared at him in shock, and Jake nodded. “Jake Cogburn, I’m in charge of the Brotherhood Protectors. I do background checks on people that Erin wants to hire. Now that Manchester is there, we both do them. You passed with flying colors, or you wouldn’t be here.”
“Thank you. I only gave Erin the information yesterday, but did she contact you about a man by the name of Shay Hall?”
“Not yet, but if it’s someone to do a check on, Manchester does his first, then passes along what he has. Then I do mine.”
“Got it.”
“What can you tell me about this guy?”
“He’s a great guy, he’s still in the Guard. Planning on retiring in about nine months. He’s a commander with my old unit. He’s the one that gave Burrows his Article 92, then all hell broke loose.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry to hear that. How are you doing?”
“Good. Eleven operations, and tons of hardware in my body. I won’t be flying anywhere soon, I don’t want to break their machines when it goes off as I walk through them. I was finally given my walking papers from the National Guard, then I made plans with Marcia and Lloyd to come here.”
“Welcome, I’m sure Erin will put you to work. Just don’t overdo it.”
“I won’t, thanks.” When he left, he turned to Lois, but didn’t say anything because their sandwiches had arrived. “Who is he again?”
“He’s in charge of Brotherhood Protectors. They protect people. There are branches in Montana, Yellowstone, here, Hawaii, and down in Louisiana. Hank Patterson is the brains behind it, and he’s over in Montana.”
“But who are they?”
“Oh, sorry. I forget you guys are all former military. With the men that unloaded your truck this morning, everyone that works for Brotherhood Protectors are former military. Like you guys, someone had an injury, or just retired. Jake is actually missing the lower part of one of his legs.”
“Oh wow, I never would have known.” They ate their lunch in silence, enjoying the meal and the company, and when it was time to leave, Tony asked if he could drive. He said that if he drove, he would easily remember things because he would have to pay attention behind the wheel. Lois let him.