Gene's Story or How I Gained a Cousin A novel by Karen Lockhart Copyright 2016

CHAPTER 62

The food came in only thirty minutes, the aroma making my mouth water. We received a variety of dishes, Sesame Chicken, General Tso's Chicken, Pork Lo Mein, Spring Rolls, and Pork Fried Rice.

Even with three hungry girls, there would be some leftovers, hopefully enough to provide lunch for Ginny and I the following day. I dug out some Oolong tea bags and we were all set.

After eating, the subject of Tina's father came up again, the three of us playing detective. Was Vinnie dumb enough to set out in a 30foot outboard after a storm that bad? The peak of the storm is when they would've arrived at the Marina, but someone did, since the boat was found north of Peddock's Island. With a north-east gale, the boat must have been quite a long way off shore.

How big were the waves? In the “Perfect Storm” they were almost fifty feet high in this area. How would it be possible to be in a boat in those waves? Would it be possible to transfer from one boat to a larger one, and how big would that boat have to be?
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These were all questions we came up with, no answers though, so who would we ask? Was this something for which Captain Smith would have answers?

If no one did, how could the thought of murder have any credence? What would be the other choice, suicide? There are easier ways to kill one's self without going to sea in a small boat in a storm. Also where was Vinnie's friend Ernie, did he commit suicide also? A hundred questions, but not one answer.

After the news, we decided Tina would stay overnight again. Ginny got extra pillows and blankets out of the hall closet while I opened up the sofa bed. This would call for a bathroom plan in the morning; well Tina could have her shower after Ginny and I had ours.

A terrible noise woke me up at 5.30am, my alarm! I rushed into the shower beating Ginny by a hair. As she showered, I dressed warmly for the day. Then I headed for the coffee maker, passing the sleeping Tina on the sofa as I did so. Ginny soon joined me for coffee and bagels, and with Tina still sound asleep, Ginny left her a note and the office phone number.

We took Ginny's Honda, it was her turn to maneuver around ice and pot holes. We passed the first u-turn choosing instead to stop at Dunkin Donuts for a Box O'Joe (ten 10oz cups) and a dozen jelly doughnuts, in case Steve dropped by.

I sat there staring at snow banks, wondering where I would go this winter. Usually, we had a project working somewhere. Oh well, Steve's office was in Lynnfield, not far away. I could work on costs for bidding on a new project in Peabody. Ginny could be 'laid off' and stay home in the condo, planning meals for me to cook. That's like teaching a fish how to fly! Hmm, is that similar to fly fishing? What was in my coffee that morning? I seemed to be acting a little strangely.

I heard Ginny laughing in the other room at the computer. “Ellen, come see this on Youtube, you won't believe it.”

I obeyed orders, sitting beside her watching people intentionally jumping from roofs into snow banks, some of which contained parked cars and rubbish barrels. Other people were sliding off roofs sitting on a lid from a steel trash barrel. Dear Lord, these people vote and have children! This was all planned, after all, since some one was recording it. Were they trying to win money on that 'Funniest Movies or Videos' show?

After lunch, I called Steve to ask him what I should do, stay on the job, or head to his Office?

Surprisingly, he said to stay where I was. He had found a long range weather forecast saying warm air was coming up from the South bringing some rain with it.

I went back to my laptop and searched for the weather underground site. Sure enough, they felt the temperatures would rise well above freezing and maybe two days of steady rain was likely early next week.

I told Ginny it looked like she'd still be employed through Christmas, and maybe her surgery might be paid for through her insurance.

We really felt that with Morales missing she might be safe, after all $50,000 is chicken feed to the mob, (I always wanted to say that). If Vinnie was in trouble for that small amount being missing, he could look under a rug and come up with it. I think those two Boston cops were doing Morales a favor, just trying to scare me and the foreman into telling where Gene went to.

We arrived home early, even after stopping to pick up groceries for the weekend's dinners. As we brought the bags into the kitchen, Ginny found a note from Tina on the refrigerator door.

She thanked us for our kindness and said she was heading to the house in Andover for a while. She had called Cathy, saying she would miss the next two lessons, because of her father's probable death, but would be there just before Christmas to see everyone. This took a burden from our backs, allowing us to relax and plan our Christmas without the worry of Morales or the mob.

Ginny's cell phone rang as she was getting things ready in the kitchen. It was Kevin wanting to take us both out for dinner. I told her to go; I'd have a chicken pot pie, a baked potato, and solitude for a while. She could fill him in on the Vinnie front.

Kevin picked her up at 7pm. He tried to get me to join them, but I was looking forward to my book and a nice log fire. I probably wouldn't turn on the TV until it was time for news.

I got a fire burning, put the potato into the microwave for eight minutes, then the the chicken pie for seven minutes; the potato was still hot enough when I removed the plastic wrapper. I sat at the counter with a cold Sam Adams and couldn't be happier, alone at last! Not since April had I really been by myself. After doing the dishes, just a fork and knife, I curled up on the sofa with an Afghan knit by my ninety year old aunt, and my book.

I woke to a gentle shaking of my shoulder by Ginny, “Hey, Ellen it's eleven o'clock, do you want to watch the news?”

I mumbled something, wiped the drool from my chin, and sat up. Looking around, I asked if Kevin was here or just her.

Ginny laughed, “No just your cousin tonight, hows the book?”

“Rats, I only read a chapter before falling asleep, again.”

We watched the news, which again warned us to clear catch basins and snow covered roofs before the rain on Monday.

As we went to our separate beds, I heard Ginny say under her breath, “All these years, I never worried about snow on the roof.”

I just chuckled to myself as I put out the light.

The next morning, I reminded Ginny of her appointment with Doctor Braun the psychologist in the afternoon, and did she want to go to a Dollar Store before the appointment?

She thought that was a great idea. There were two on the way to Dr Braun's office, so we went to the new one in downtown Lynn. After picking up things like wrapping paper and Scotch tape, we headed to the office. Cool as a cucumber Ginny was nervous as a cat with two tails in a rocking chair factory. She wouldn't admit it, but she was worried the doctor wouldn't give her a letter of okay for the clinic in Montreal.

I stayed in the waiting room reading year old magazines. I looked up as she came out of the examination room with tears streaming down her face. 'Oh,no!' I thought.

“Doctor Braun gave me my letter! I'm all set!” she cried.

To be continued.