CHAPTER 13
*~* Molly *~*
The kitchen feels peaceful this morning, without a prospect watching me.
I'm now allowed to work without supervision, according to Whack or Breaker.
If they only knew the truth, they would realize that my good behavior is a personal choice, not a consequence of their actions or their ability to make me pay attention to them.
Ribs marinated in the fridge overnight will taste fabulous. The second marinade is for the steaks that one of the brothers requested last week. He’s been on a run somewhere and will be back today. I’m hoping he’ll enjoy the steak as he was polite and I have to say cute.
I have a system in place now, which gives me two hours of free time in an afternoon. I’ve been napping for a while in the afternoon, and as I’m up so early for the breakfast dash, it has been good to just rest a while after lunch is cleared away.
The kitchen door opens from the rec room, and Jamie walks inside, giving me a huge smile as soon as she notices me at the fridge.
“Well, hello, Molly. Get ready; you are coming with me to the practice. I want to show you around while introducing you to the staff. You can see Angel who is working the reception desk today.” Jamie smirks.
“I can’t wait to see what happens when you two meet. ”
Half an hour later, I walk into the practice slightly behind Jamie. The practice building is larger than I expected, but with the number of patients she told me she has I can understand why this extensive building is needed.
“Angel, this is Molly. Molly this is one of our reception staff, Angel.” Jamie is looking from one of us to the other, and I can see she’s waiting to see what happens.
“Hello Angel. Unusual name you have.” I keep my tone pleasant but have a hint of sarcasm, which I’m not sure she understood.
“Your name is common. Too many Mollys in the world,” Angel snips.
“Well, I have to admit I prefer Molly to a stripper name,” turning I wink at Jamie who I can see is enjoying the small banter.
Even though Angel is puffing and blowing and about ready to explode.
“I’ll be checking your work records, Angel, so hope they are good or you could find yourself out of a job. ”
“Jamie, are you going to allow her to speak to me like that?” Angel whines, and it reminds me of Mella at the clubhouse.
“Let’s be clear, Angel.” I step closer to the front of the reception desk so she has no option but to look at me.
Jamie stays where she is and remains quiet.
“I’m in charge. I’ll speak to you as necessary, and if you try to undermine my orders, you’ll be shown the door.
Now, get this reception area cleaned and looking like the professional business that it is. ”
Turning, I signal for Jamie to continue with the tour of the place. I don’t comment on the smirk she has on her face, or the shocked look on Angel's.
Once we have covered the practice we step into what is Jamie’s office. She takes her seat and leans back, with the sun casting shadows across the office, which stops the room from looking as clinical as it is.
I take the notebook that Jamie hands me and sit in front of her desk.
“Your job is the whole organizing of the practice. It's not just overseeing the day-to-day flow of patients and staff. It really extends to strategic thinking, making sure decisions and actions are what we need for the patients and the practice. You will be accountable only to me. We can call it training as you’ve not done this before, but your nursing skills will be enough, I’m sure. ”
I make a few notes in the notebook, questions I want to ask when the opportunity arises; if they are not answered by the time Jamie has finished speaking.
Jamie sees me stop writing and continues.
“Resource management is another part of the job. This includes being aware of adequate staff on whole, and on daily duty at the practice. Equipment and supplies, what money is spent, and basically all resources of the practice are available and used. How you run the practice, Molly, will flow to the practice itself. We need to show we value, respect and can motivate people who work for the practice and come to the practice for treatment.”
“Jamie, can I ask why we are taking this so far? I thought this was a temporary thing to help get me away from the clubhouse.”
Jamie sits straighter in her seat and looks me right in the eye.
“Oh, no, Molly. I need you to do this and to do it to the best of your ability. I’ve had two previous managers, and both were shockingly useless.
I need someone with nursing experience, but you have more than that, and that was obvious to me.
I want someone who can face the likes of Angel and patients who don’t have any patience.
But also, someone who won’t mind being close by living next door, and won’t mind being called to the clubhouse when needed, all without spilling a thing they hear or see. ”
“I’m sure I can do all that, Jamie. I’ll run a meet and greet, but on a one-to-one basis in my office. I have an office, right?” I question about an office as Jamie has never mentioned one to me.
“Oh yes, it’s next door. We’ll go through when we’ve done here.
But make it as you need it, Molly. I need the pressure of the practice taken off my shoulders.
My need to be the doctor that I am is screaming at me, but I spend far too much time on administrative duties.
What I’m saying Molly is that I need someone I can trust to run the practice, be on hand if I need an extra pair of nursing hands, but someone I can talk to about the practice, knowing that they understand what I’m saying, or asking for. ”
“Okay. I’ll do my best. But, Jamie, if I don’t like it, or I’m not comfortable with it I’ll tell you. I won’t dick you around.”
Jamie stands while smiling. “That is exactly why you will be perfect for the practice, Molly.”
We spent another ninety minutes going from my office back to hers where she showed me the computer system functions. I can see everything I’m going to need. It is going to take some time to know everything that will make my job thorough.
Jamie drops me outside the clubhouse compound, dashing away as she has a call to an emergency.
I wave at the prospect on the gate who I think is Neil.
I walk around to the back of the clubhouse as I need to place the cookies into the oven.
I have all the cookie dough ready in the fridge.
I just have to cut, shape, and throw it onto a baking sheet.
Looking across the compound when I hear loud voices, I see Cannon and Griller throw what looks like a body into the back of a van.
Shrugging my shoulders because it has nothing to do with me, I turn to go into the kitchen and bump into Whack who gives me a questioning look.
I shrug again. “You know the three wise monkeys, Whack? See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil? That’s me at this moment in time. ”
Whack smirks at me while giving a nod. I don’t wait for whatever he may say, but breeze past and into the kitchen, where I wash my hands and get to the cookies.
I’ve only just put the first batch of cookies into the oven when Bri and Marcia walk into the kitchen. “Hey, Molly. Where have you been?” Marcia asks as she takes a seat at the table.
“I’ve been with Jamie to look at the practice. You know I’m going to be the practice manager when I’ve finished my punishment here.” I roll my eyes because ‘who the heck gets punishments when they are adults and not even connected with the place? Which technically I’m not.’
“You know you said the last part of that out loud, don’t you, Molly?” Bri giggles.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. I’m ready to get out of here and get my life back. I’m not even going to look for Carrie-Anne anymore because you know she’s like a persistent foul smell…she’ll be back.” I place the last tray of cookies into the oven as I take a tray out.
“You know you are under Breaker’s protection, and he’s the one that will say you can leave, and when,” Marcia states.
“He’s messing with me, and I’m ready to get the heck out of here. I want to move on and get my life back. I helped him when it was needed, and he helped me. I call that quits.”
“You do, do you? But the club got you away from that town, and in turn the Cobras. So, you owe the club,” Breaker drawls as he now leans on the doorframe of the kitchen to the rec room.
“I think I’ve paid my dues, Breaker.” I keep my back to him as I take the cookies off the tray and place them on the cooling rack. “I’ll speak to Whack. He is the President after all.”
“You do that, Molly.” Breaker walks away, and I have a feeling he has something up his sleeve, or a plan in place.
“Shit, you know he sounded like he knew something we don’t?” Bri asks, and I turn my head to look at her. Give her a nod that admits I agree with her. “Hey, you know our punishment is up now. But goodness gracious my punishment was glorious.”
“Give it a rest, Bri. I don’t need to know about your punishment; butt plugs and all.
” I scrunch up my nose at the thought. “You know it’s supposed to be an exit hole only in your body don’t you?
” Bri and Marcia burst into hysterical laughter, and I tell you I showed them my disgusted face right before throwing a cookie at them.
Once all the cookies are cooling, I grab a cold drink and take a seat in the rec room, where it is cooler, and I can relax a moment before I have the last meal to get ready.
Andy and Thorn are sitting at a table, and Andy beckons me over. “Hi, Molly. Are you okay? You are a little red in the face.” Andy asks as I take a seat.
“Yeah, it’s just hot in the kitchen. I’ve been making cookies and have the oven on ready for me to put the meat in for supper.”
“Supper?” Thorn questions.
I grin. “Yeah, I’m going to call it supper from now on, and if anyone doesn’t like that, I’ll refuse to feed them.” I giggle when they both look at me shocked right before checking who is close enough to us to hear what I said.
Thorn sighs, “You are braver than me, Molly. You are not scared of pissing these bikers off.”
“I don’t care anymore, Thorn. I’ve had more than enough trouble in my life, and you know if I die tomorrow then it’s done.
I’m not worried at all about what might happen.
I’m going to live as I want to, instead of worrying about everyone else.
” I lean forward and study the drawing in front of me. “Is this the barbershop?”
“Yes. We are trying to plan out how we want it to be. But make sure we get some cash back on the place. You know the MC is helping us with this, and we want to be able to give them a good profit eventually on the business. But first we have to earn enough to pay for the purchase of the place and then all the equipment that is needed. Oh, and the renovation of the building.” Andy points to the drawing and explains everything on it.
We discuss the plan for forty minutes, and after pointing out that they need things where they will be most easily at hand, the plan is changed a few times. But it seems now they can have three rented chairs instead of two.
“You know the shop next door is up for sale. You could get that and knock through and have that side as a female hair salon? But only rent chairs, so the stylists work for themselves but rent from you. That keeps it all yours, and you will keep control of the place.” I don’t wait for them to say anything. I just leave them with that thought.
Time to get the meat in the oven, and all the side dishes prepared. I hope nobody has touched the cookies because if they have there will be hell to pay.