19 Yellow Moon Road by Fern Michaels

Author:Fern Michaels [Michaels, Fern]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-10-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Pinewood

The sisters started arriving around five o‘clock. They planned to have something to eat before the seven o’clock conference call with Alexis, Maggie, and Yoko. Like with any other arrival, Lady and her pups greeted their guests with yelps and tails wagging, as the sisters hugged one another, patted the dogs’ heads, and gave them treats. Myra hugged everyone hello and feigned scolding them. “Too many treats! They’re going to get fat!”

“Speaking of eating,” Charles interrupted the boisterous gathering. “We should get started if we want to be finished by seven.”

Setting the table was like synchronized swimming. Everyone knew her task, and the table was ready in minutes. With a minimum of eight people and several dogs in the kitchen, it was a wonder no one tripped, bumped, or dropped anything. “Kitchen choreography,” Charles had once called it. If only the rest of the world acted with such competence, cooperation, and precision.

The women took their seats while Charles and Fergus carried the large bowl of fettuccine carbonara, Caesar salad, and garlic bread to the table.

“Smells divine,” Myra exclaimed. They all held hands and said grace.

With Maggie absent, Charles asked, “Who’s going to be first?” Everyone looked around the table.

“I guess I’ll go,” Nikki offered.

“I’m sure Maggie will appreciate your taking the lead,” Annie said gleefully. Snickers and giggles followed. “But I can tell you, she is not going to be happy that we’re having one of her favorites tonight while she’s eating hotel food.”

Charles reddened. “I hope she doesn’t get her knickers in a twist. I should have remembered.”

Myra patted his hand. “I’m sure she’ll understand.” Then she lowered her head, and whispered, “Unless we don’t tell her.”

“You know she’s going to ask,” Annie reminded her.

“I suppose you’re right.” Myra sighed.

“I’ll vow to make it again the next time she’s here,” Charles promised.

“Whew.” Nikki grinned. “I’d say to freeze some of it, but that would be gross.”

“No such thing. It has to be fresh or not at all.” Charles waved his fork like a symphony conductor’s baton.

They passed the bread, chatted, and polished off the two pounds of fettuccine. “Good thing Maggie wasn’t here! We’d have run out of food!” Nikki noted gleefully.

“Not in my kitchen,” Charles protested. “I would have tossed something together.” Everyone giggled, knowing how proud Charles was of his culinary accomplishments.

Myra stroked her pearls. “Shall we?” With that, everyone stood and cleared the table, dishes, pots, and pans. It was similar to the ballet they had performed getting the table ready. Complete and total organization. Just like everything else they did.

With the kitchen spotless in under thirteen minutes, they descended the stone steps to the War Room, each saluting Lady Justice as they passed by. The sisters took their seats while Charles and Fergus powered up the electronics. No matter how many times they convened in the War Room, they still stood in awe of the technology at their fingertips. It was like being on the set of the television show NCIS, except this was their own private Multiple Threat Alert Center.

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