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><b>Glad as I am that you had that wonderful vacation, >I am sorry you had to end it by going back to .... >work. Nothing like being gone for a week or two to >ensue chaos. Maybe the building didn't burn down, but >your routine is slap dab gone. Hope it gets back to >normal soon!</b> > >>Excerpt from <U>Old Dogs</U>, copyright 2008-2009, >>Debi Matlack, all rights reserved. Posted for sharing >>and critique purposes only; does not constitute >>publication. >>---- >>This takes place the follwoing mroning after the scene >>where valerie was down with the flu and Daniel >>volunteered himself to stay with her. >>You gotta love family...;-) >>********** >> >>“Knock, knock.” >> >>Daniel turned toward the front of the house where the >>voice had come from. Vanessa came in, laden with >>grocery bags. He took some from her and they made it >>to the counter in the kitchen. >> >>“Thanks. How’s the patient?” Nessa caught an apple as >>it rolled to the edge of the sink. >> >>Daniel nodded toward the bathroom. “She’s >>decontaminating as we speak.” He started rummaging in >>the bags and putting things away in the fridge and >>cabinets. “She had a pretty high fever last night, but >>once I started dosing her with ibuprofen it seemed to >>help.” >> >>Nessa brushed a stray lock of pale hair behind her ear >>and nodded, rooting for a pan and setting out eggs and >>sausage. “Did she have nightmares?” >> >>Daniel watched as Nessa sprayed the pan and put it on >>the burner, reaching for the sausage. He nudged the >>package closer. “One time, but it was all right, >>though for a moment I was starting to wonder at the >>wisdom of my declining your offer to come over.” >> >>The pan began to smoke and Nessa dropped the links in. >>“Val’s had night terrors since we were kids. Don’t >>know why, our childhood wasn’t particularly traumatic. >>She just never outgrew them. They’re worse when she’s >>under stress.” >> >>“Like a fever.” >> >>“Or a bad marriage.” Nessa smiled, throwing a quick >>glance over her shoulder toward the hallway, making >>sure Valerie wasn’t eavesdropping. “She’d call me >>about once a week, usually a wreck because she wasn’t >>getting any sleep.” > ><b>Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match...*G*</b> > >>Daniel made a sympathetic face as he plugged in the >>toaster. “That’s terrible. Cassandra and I had rough >>patches, everyone does, but we always worked things >>out.” >> >>Nessa snorted. “Ben was interested in Ben and whatever >>was most advantageous to Ben. He’s from an old-money, >>Old South family and does whatever Mother tells him to >>do. Their entire marriage, Val was their project, to >>mold her into something they could be happy with.” She >>turned the burner down under the pan, rolling the >>sausages around. “Damn, I think they’re scorching.” > ><b>I take it Vanessa isn't going to challenge Giada De >Laurentiis in the kitchen? *G*</b> > >>Daniel was feeding slices of bread into the slots of >>the toaster. He had a look and suggested, “Pick the >>pan up off the burner for a moment.” The links were >>rescued and returned to the stove to cook a little >>slower this time. He couldn’t contain his curiosity. >>“So, Valerie actually stayed married to him for… how >>long?” > ><b>Ooh, I hope she doesn't walk in on them!</b> > >>“Eight years. It was okay to start, but he didn’t want >>her to work, she needs to stay busy, she wanted to go >>back to school, he didn’t see why she should, he >>thought he should be able to go and do whatever he >>wanted whenever he wanted and she was expected to be >>wherever he thought she should be at any given moment >>and blah, blah, blah…” Nessa made a face then grinned >>at him. “In case you hadn’t noticed after all this >>time, our family is a little rough around the edges.” >> >>“If you mean honest, yes, I’ve seen that.” > ><b>I truly love the way Daniel phrased that! Funny >how the way society takes honesty and makes people >feel they should apologize for it, like Nessa saying >"rough around the edges." I like the Roarks!</b> >> >“Blunt, opinionated…” >> >>“Cranky, mean-spirited…” Valerie stood in the hall >>doorway, rubbing her wet hair with a towel. Nessa >>turned to her with a grin. > ><b>Evidently, Val didn't overhear that ex-husband and >his sainted mama conversation...</b> >> >>“Evil incarnate…” >> >>“I resemble that remark,” Valerie countered without >>malice, stretching. > ><b>That's one of my husband's favorite sayings!</b> > >She sniffed and smiled, closing >>her eyes in bliss. “I can smell that, and it smells >>wonderful.” She came further into the kitchen and >>Daniel pulled a chair out from the breakfast bar for >>her. “Why thank you, sugar.” Her accent was heavy on >>the moonlight and magnolias again and Nessa snickered. >>Valerie turned to her with a darker expression. >> >>“Why do you feel the need to yammer about my failure >>as a societal pillar and human being in general?” > ><b>Well, maybe she did. LOL. She must've been sick, >because I'd have expected her to at least attempt to >slap a piece of duct tape over Nessa's mouth as she >yelled at her. *G*</b> >Without waiting for an answer, she turned to Daniel. >>“Please excuse my sister’s boring stories.” Valerie’s >>expression grew tragic. “She can’t help herself, the >>lying is pathological. The doctors don’t know why she >>does it. They think maybe it stems from her being >>abducted by aliens as a child…” >> >>“Val, shut up.” >> >>“Sweetie, the sooner you admit to yourself you have a >>problem, the sooner we can face it and get you help.” >>Nessa turned on her sister with a spatula, a mixture >>of annoyance and amusement on her face. Valerie was >>actually wringing her hands like a silent movie >>heroine tied up on the railroad tracks. >> >>“Now girls,” Daniel warned with mock-sternness, “you >>two behave or I shall have to take steps.” > ><b>Bwahaha!</b> > >>“She started it.” Nessa’s voice was childish as she >>swatted Valerie with the handle of the spatula before >>turning back to the pan. >> >>Valerie’s wail was belied by the big grin on her face. >>“Ahhh… she hit me… make her stop!” >> >>Nessa turned and wiggled her index finger near >>Valerie’s face, her voice sing-song. “I’m not touching >>you, I’m not touching you.” Then she stuck her tongue >>out at Valerie. “Now who’s a liar? Nyah!” > ><b>LOL! Sisters!</b> > >>Daniel couldn’t hold it in any longer. Their banter >>had him smiling; their regression into childhood made >>him laugh. >> >>There was a knock at the door and Taser began wagging >>and barking. >> >>“Come in!” the sisters chorused over the noise. >> >>Alan peered around the door, Kelly by his side and Kim >>in a baby carrier in his hands. Valerie held up her >>hands to ward him off. >> >>“Alan! I’ve been sick as a dog—“ >> >>“Good thing I’m here then—“ >> >>“The baby, Father of the Year. You want her to get >>sick, too?” > ><b>Oh, I love the way she referred to him as Father of >the Year! LOL!</b> > >>Alan set Kim on the floor by the dining table, nudging >>it to rock with his toe. Taser licked her face from >>chin to brows then turned to prance toward Kelly, who >>held a balding tennis ball. The baby wrinkled her face >>and laughed. >> >>“It’s all part of building a healthy immune system. >>Breakfast ready?” He went to Nessa at the stove, >>patting her rump like a prize steer and planting a >>sound kiss on her lips. >> >>Nessa popped him in the belly with the back of her >>free hand even as she accepted his kiss. “Who said you >>were invited?” >> >>Valerie glanced at Daniel, shrugging at the chaos >>milling around them. He met her gaze and smiled. > ><b>Again, I'm so envious of your dialogue skills. >Even with nothing more going on than breakfast prep >and a bit of gossip, I'm as engrossed as I would be if >a car just rolled down an embankment. And it's >because of the way these characters interact with each >other. I love the matter of fact way Nessa gives >Daniel the 4-1-1. And the interplay between the >sisters is priceless! > >Hugs, >Page</b>
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