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Date Posted: 16:46:03 11/18/02 Mon
Author: CCCook
Subject: Re: Studs, Texas - Book Two - New segments
In reply to: CCCook 's message, "Re: Studs, Texas - Book Two - New segments" on 15:40:58 11/18/02 Mon

From Sue:

Disclaimer- I've included some language in this segment that may be offensive to some. I apologize if I offend anyone, it was not my intention.

Josh made a final cursory glance down at his watch admonishing himself as he quickly exited his
recently parked car. H.T. was a stickler for punctuality and he was already 15 minutes late.
Taking the fellowship hall’s steps two at a time, he entered the front passageway slightly out of
breath. In the distance he detected voices in conversation, and turning towards his left he moved
towards the rectory office door. From his brief glimpse into the room, he caught the familiar
sight of the Reverend Johnson seated at the head of conference room table in his ample leather
swivel chair. To his right and now speaking was Teddy St. Clair, a plump, slightly balding man,
who was seated next to the mayor, he couldn’t place, but he did recognize Monsignor Ricardo
Alverez from his work with Bobby. And speaking of Bobby he completed the ring seated around
the table...save for the empty spot which he was suppose to fill. The men were in deep and
somewhat heated conversation as he entered, almost incognizant to his hasty arrival. Coming
into the room he made a small mumble of acknowledgment as the conversation came to an
abrupt halt and all eyes turned towards him. H.T’s . deep voice resonated through the now quiet
room in greeting. “Good of you to join us, Josh.” He echoed, though the touch of annoyance
that shone in his eyes did not reach his voice. Josh returned it with only a brief nod of
affirmation before the stilted conversation resumed and he took his seat. Glancing around the
table he couldn’t help notice the brief glimpse of amusement in the younger priest’s eyes across
from him, before Bobby reverted his attentions back towards the conversation at hand.

“I’m not sure the citizens of Studs will go for that H. T.” Teddy replied.

“Yes. We need to handle this matter delicately.” Added the plump gentleman to his right.

Noticing the look of non recognition that filled his young colleague’s eyes, H.T. took it upon
himself to cut in. “Joshua, this is Mason Feldman.... he’s the commissioner of the Studs’
Zoning Board.”

The older man took H.T.’s moment of introduction to reach across the table and extend a hand
towards the younger reverend. “Mr. Feldman...” Josh replied as he took the other man’s hand in
greeting.

“Mason, please...” the other man acknowledged

Not allowing the younger man further word, H. T. cut in again. “Seems that Mason and Teddy
here are none too thrilled with the prospect of the halfway house we’ve proposed to open up on
the property the town’s churches have acquired at the corner of Stiltson Street.”

“Now don’t go putting words in my mouth, H. T.” Teddy countered , trying not to sound
disgruntled, knowing his old friend was doing his best to get his goat when Mason cut in.

“The town council has nothing against providing services for those less fortunate in our
community...it’s....well it’s just that some of the citizen’s of Studs might not be to...well
welcoming at having an establishment such as this ...well let’s say so close to their own humble
abodes... though that might not be considered the Christianly thing to do.” Mason added,
feeling slightly uncomfortable as some of the communities more consequential reverent eyes
stared back at him.

Speaking up for the first time since his arrival, Josh listened to the monsignor answer this
declaration. “The Lord himself told Peter to take care of his sheep. I don’t think he expects
anything less from the townspeople of Studs.”

Both the mayor and his committee man remained silent to this response and a twinkle of
amusement filled the older reverend’s eyes as the monsignor continued. “The council of local
parishes have a small working budget. We provide what we can with the resources we have at
our means. With Esther Herandez’s passing and her leaving her house at our disposal...we must
take the gifts the Lord and his flock sees fit to give to our use....” As if in added measure he
concluded with yet another scripture passage to plead their case. “For as our Lord spoke to his
disciples shortly before his triumphant entry into Jerusalem.. “For even I, the Son of Man came
here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom to many.”

Both Feldman and the mayor glanced back at each other self-consciously, neither bothering to
rebut the elder priest’s arguments. A glint of satisfaction filled H.T.’s eyes as he caught Teddy’s
bright blue ones, noticing the unusual absence of their normal sparkle. The brief hint of
disapproval the other man shot back at his long time friend said it all. He also caught a slight
glimpse of irritation that if to retort to the contrary, he might be threatened with eternal
damnation. Teddy hated this. He very rarely allowed himself be backed into a corner, but this
time he was dealing with two sweet talkers even more proficient in their manner than he by
using the guise of religion to sugar coat their case. He’d be damned by the voters of Studs if he
supported this legislation and damned by the Stud’s religious community if he didn’t: perhaps
eternally.... Swallowing the frustration threatening to choke him, he put on his best political
smile before reaching across the table to extend his hand toward the elderly monsignor and then
taking the hand of his life long friend, he uttered. “We’ ll bring it up at the council meeting
next Tuesday, Henry...” Using his given name as emphasis, before adding. “...I can’t make any
promises.”

“That is all we can ask for, Mayor St. Clair.” Replied the monsignor. “...we will pray that God
gives you proper guidance while making this important decision.”

As the meeting broke up and the older gentlemen moved towards the doorway, Bobby drew Josh
to the side commenting lightly. “Well we’ve been rewarded seeing the maestros at work...”

Josh only stared back at him questioningly as the other man elbowed him before adding in
explanation. “They took them to the mattresses...” He replied, noticing Josh’s smirk of
acknowledgment. “Hey, have you got a few minutes? ...” Bobby continued. “I need a favor...”

“Well I need to be at the Pear by 3:30 to pick up Justin for Hope.”

“I’ll have you there with time to spare.” Bobby answered with a smile, before placing his arm
around his taller friend’s shoulder and guiding him out of the room.
********************************************************************************

Sunny wiped her sweaty brow with the back of her forearm. Glancing down quickly at her
watch , she uttered an imprecation. She didn’t have much time and to top things off she was
sweating like a freakin pig. Moving towards the lone small window the attic offered her, she
tried to push it open wider. The temperature of the attic this spring afternoon must have risen at
least 10 degrees in the last hour which only served to increase her irritation. “Damn” she
muttered again looking over at the all the boxes she had yet to go through. When she agreed to
take over the boarding house for Nick, she didn’t realize it would include going through decades
of saved up junk. No other word, but pack rat could adequately describe Martha Eastwood
better at this moment. How could one human being over the course of a lifetime collect so much
meaningless junk? Perhaps junk was too harsh. Sure most of this stuff could be put to good use,
but unfortunately for her she didn’t have any immediate need for most of the stuff she unearthed
since beginning this momentous task. Complaining about her lot to Randi earlier in the week,
she decided to take the other woman’s advise and donate most of what she could to the local
thrift organization run by the council of parishes. The note of amusement that rang from the
other girl’s voice over her predicament did not please her, and being one to procrastinate when
faced with something as unpleasant as this, she stared back at the third of the attic that she had
yet to touch. “Damn!” She muttered once more before wiping her grimy forearm against her
forehead again. The woman she spoke with at the thrift shop said she’d send someone over
between 2 and 4 on Friday afternoon. Glancing at her watch again, Sunny noted it was quickly
approaching 2:30.

Grumbling she worked her way over to the mound of boxes still awaiting her attention. She was
ready to say, “F... it all!” and give the whole kit and caboodle to the men who showed up to
claim it, if it weren’t for the fact that Nick might throw a hissy fit knowing that she did. “Well
he sure as hell is going to give me a raise.... I didn’t accept this damn position to work my ass off
as his slave...He’s got another thing coming if he....” Sunny stopped in mid sentence as she took
notice of a strange looking box.... It wasn’t strange in the odd sort of way...it was just different
from most of the corrugated cardboard ones she had dealt with thus far that had cut at her
fingers and worked at breaking her nails. This one was a garment box, tied with twine. She
studied it for a moment, before shrugging her shoulders and moving to place it with the others
she had piled up against the far wall. But when she turned in movement a modest sound
emanated from the jostled package within her hands. Shaking it , she heard the noise again. It
sounded almost musical. Her curiosity getting the better of her she tried to finagle the cord from
around the container. With little luck and limited patience, she reached for the sheers in her
apron pocket and cut the bindings free. Opening the box she was met with faded blue tissue
paper. Pushing it gently aside, her gaze fell upon a well worn woolen lamb. ; it’s once white fur
discolored with age and use. Picking it up slowly in her hand another note sounded and turning
it over within her palm she noted a small wind up key at the bottom. Winding the key slightly,
she was rewarded with the first few notes of Brahm’s Lullaby. Staring back at the scratched
plastic blue eyes that peered out at her, the melody playing touched a cord within her making
her feel strangely uncomfortable as if she had stumbled upon something intimately private.
Moving the tissue to place the lamb back within the box, she uncovered other previously unseen
items beneath it; a small baseball cap embroidered with slugger across the brim, a blue
crocheted sweater with matching booties, a now tarnished feeding spoon and finally a picture.
Bringing it closer into the light she studied the faded black and white print before her. A small
child sat in a booster chair facing a table. His eyes were wide and bright as he stared at a cake
placed before him with two candles upon it. An arm reached in from the side adorned with a
bangle bracelet as if trying to direct the child’s attentions towards what was before him and no
more. Sunny moved to place the picture back into the box when she stopped. The small child’s
eyes held her attention as they stared back at her; with such seriousness and intensity...not the
normal joviality one would expect from one so young. She remained there transfixed for a few
moments staring down at the picture within her hand until at last she remembered herself and
her purpose up here. She glanced one more time back at the picture in her hand, until she felt
uncomfortable once again as if she intruded upon some secret moment, and carefully placed it
back within the wrappings along with its companions. Moving the lamb the last, it sounded one
final note as if in parting while she replaced the lid. Hesitantly she placed it upon the stack to
her left and moved on. Then as if as a second thought, she picked up the parcel and placed it
among those she planned to keep.


********************************************************************************

Bobby quickly brought the Baptists parish’s pick up truck, he borrowed for today, to a halt in
the street outside the Boarding House. He had promised his friend beside him that he’d have
him back at the Pear by 3:30 which gave him less than 40 minutes to complete the task at hand.
Thelma’s word’s in parting as they left the small storeroom at the back of the thrift shop was
that the lady on the other end of the phone said she had quite a substantial donation for the shop.
Opening his door to get out of the truck, Bobby glanced quickly over at his friend. Josh had yet
to move. Voicing his impatience he uttered. “Hey, you’re the one with the time limit, so let’s
get the lead out of it.” Turning immediately, he didn’t catch the glimpse of hesitation in the
other man’s eyes. Not bothering to make any further comment, Bobby reached the door just as
one of the boarders was on their way out. Making brief mention of his purpose, the man
allowed him entrance without the normal formalities, and Bobby looked back towards Josh
watching as he seemed to lag behind. “What’s up with him?” He wondered, but didn’t place
too much emphasis on exploring the question further as he made his way towards the steps
leading up. Calling over his shoulder he stated. “The gentlemen said we’ll find the proprietor
up in the attic...said she’s expecting us...” As he began his ascent.


********************************************************************************

Sunny was just placing another carton upon the ever growing pile against the wall as she saw a
flash from the corner of her eye before she heard the ever distinguishable sound of shattering
glass. “SH*T!” She exclaimed in exasperation at yet another mess that would need cleaning up
just as a young man in a white t-shirt reached the top step leading into the room she occupied.
He was followed a few moments later by Josh Waleski. Sunny flushed a slight red as she hoped
this last outburst of hers had not fallen upon the latter man’s ears. Her hopes were dashed when
the darker haired Hispanic gentleman smiled at her, a mischievous light filling his eyes as he
took in her predicament. “Rough day?” He ventured.

“You ain’t kidding...” Sunny answered before smiling back at him. “Hi, I’m Sunny, better
known as the choice cook, bottle washer, housekeeper and otherwise brainless slave of this
operation.”

Bobby couldn’t contain his chuckle as he took the hand she offered him. “Bobby...” He began.
“Bobby Morales...” He smiled as Sunny’s blue eyes met with his dark brown ones, and held a
moment longer than felt comfortable, so he added for measure so as to not confuse the situation
“... actually Father Bobby Morales of St. Lucy’s Chapel....”

“Oh..” Sunny acknowledge and slowly withdrew her hand.

Mistaking her intentions Bobby added. “You’re familiar with our parish?”

“No...” Sunny quickly replied as if suddenly uncomfortable. “Well that’s not to say...I don’t go
to church... I do...” She began, immediately becoming tongue tied.... “...just not recently.” The
blush upon her cheeks growing brighter. “ I hope you can excuse my choice of words just a
moment ago...I don’t usually use such language....” She said staring back at him as suddenly her
discomfort seemed to swallow her up again as her words continued to spill on out of her
mouth as if she had no control over them. “...no...That’s a lie...” She continued. “...I do use
foul words occasionally...” And as if to dig the grave she was about to bury herself in deeper,
she added. “Hell! That’s a lie too... I use them frequently when I get frustrated like this.
Sorry!” She exclaimed “Oh God, I said one again!”

Bobby couldn’t help chuckling once again at her predicament before he replied in an effort to
assure her. “It’s okay...” He remarked. “We’re not here to obtain your confession or
anything.... we’re just here to pick up the packages you have for us.”

Sunny couldn’t help but laugh and smile back at him. He had a way about him that put others at
ease. Moving aside Bobby made way for Josh to clear the top step and as if remembering his
friend, he said. “This is Josh...Josh Waleski...”

Sunny’s eyes quickly diverted towards the other man, noticing almost immediately the
discomfort that filled his eyes as much as amusement filled the other man’s. Josh gave her a
weak smile before speaking up. “Are these the boxes?”

Sunny looked towards the pile he motioned to. “Yes.” She replied.

Not hesitating, Josh picked up the closest group and made his way back down the stairs.

“What’s up with him?” Bobby grumbled mostly to himself than anyone else. “I know he’s on a
time limit... but you’d think he could be at least a little bit more friendlier...” He began as he
moved towards a stack of boxes. “I apologize for my friend...” He started to say to Sunny as he
saw a light of acknowledgment in her eyes.

“It can’t be easy for him...” Sunny began to reply.

“How so?” Bobby answered in question.

“Being the one to find Martha and all...”

Bobby stopped dead in his tracks as the realization of Sunny’s words dawned on him. “You
mean....” Sunny only nodded. “Shi*t!” Bobby muttered quietly as Sunny only stared back at him. “I’m
sorry...” He uttered, a weak smile now filling his features. “As you see even the most pious of
us sometimes slips....It’s just that I can’t believe I could have been so stupid....” He began in self
incrimination.

“But you didn’t know...” Sunny began in an effort to appease the young priest.

“But I could have taken a moment to tell him where we were going before I shanghaied him into
this task...”

“It was an innocent mistake...” Sunny answered.

“Yeah...” Bobby replied shaking his head with regret. “...but that doesn’t make me feel any
better...”

********************************************************************************

“I’m sorry Miss Edwards...”, the older woman behind the reception desk spoke up towards her.
“...but it seems Dr. Siddig has been delayed at the hospital with some unforseen emergency.
Hopefully he won’t be too long.”

“Yes.” Hope uttered back with unwilling frustration that her check up visit from her earlier
accident would be even longer than she anticipated. Well at least Josh had offered to pick up
Justin and take him to T-ball sign ups in case she couldn’t make it back on time. It was just that
she was hoping that she’d be there to sign him up for his first endeavor into sports...well at least
she had arranged it with Lena to get tomorrow morning off to attend his first game and
practice....”

The receptionist’s voice cut into her thoughts. “If you don’t mind Miss Edwards,....could you
please update these insurance forms for me while you wait for the doctor?”

“Yes of course...” Hope began as she moved towards the receptionist’s window to take the
clipboard and pen she held out to her.

Twenty minutes later, after finally completing the four page form which practically dictated the
foreswearing of one’s first born son if unable to recompense the medical management agency
for service rendered, Hope handed back the form, clipboard and pen to the woman behind the
desk. Looking behind her into the surrounding office area, there was no promise of the doctor’s
imminent arrival, and Hope moved back towards the waiting room chair. Her eyes scanned the
magazines stacked somewhat haphazardly on the table beside her. “Popular Mechanics, Rodeo
Monthly, and a few trashy tabloids at least two years old.. Why one in fact stated Tom and
Nicole’s marriage was in peril when the fact was, the two had been divorced for almost a year
now...” Her eyes moved about the room around her until they alighted upon the small bulletin
board on the far wall. Most of the notices tacked to it looked weathered and appropriately dated,
but one in a bright teal blue caught her eye. She read its large embossed print marking Stud’s
upcoming San Jacinto Celebration.


“San Jacinto...” Hope breathed. “Could it be that soon already?” Her mind pondered
considering the date. “Sure May was fast approaching she acknowledged as her mind roamed
over past remembrances of this traditionally Texan holiday. “May?” She uttered once again as
her thoughts strayed back.

*** It was dark save for the citronella torches that glowed in the distance. All other lights had
been extinguished in preparation for the fireworks traditionally lit off this holiday night. Hope
had remained behind with her sister Rebecca putting the finishing touches to the dessert table.
Placing the last of the key lime pies next to the other confections, she smiled in amusement as
she recalled shooing Remy away not once but twice as his stray fingers tried to sample the
chocolate icing on one of the cakes. In the darkened background she could hear the hushed
sounds of music emanating from the bandstand which promised to grow more livelier and
raucous as the night commenced . The echoes of talk and laughter reached out to her from the
distance as she wiped her slightly sticky fingers on a napkin before turning to join the others.
She felt more than heard the presence of someone coming up beside her. “Now don’t you go
trying to sneak another taste...I warned you what would happen...” She admonished teasingly as
she turned expecting to find Remy there once again. She was at a disadvantage as her darkened
surroundings acted to keep covert her companion’s identity. “R...” She began as the first of the
fireworks shot off into nighttime sky above them illuminating it with rays of gold, blue and red,
and revealing the identity of the person before her, his blue eyes almost as intense as the
pyrotechnics above them.**

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