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Chapter Thirteen–Peter and Jennie’s Love Grows–Volume Three

photorandy2023

What a difference a day makes, in contrast to yesterday When Peter woke up groggy and out of sorts, taking a long cold shower to wake him up, today he woke up totally refreshed and ready to conquer the world. He also woke up famished, so he popped a couple of frozen breakfast sandwiches in the microwave oven. He made short work of his breakfast sandwiches, which he chased down with a nice glass of Florida’s Natural Most Pulp orange juice. He had to admit he loved the feeling of the thick pulp washing over his teeth and tongue. He knew this was weird, but what the hell.

Instead of jumping straight in his shower, he decided to go down to the gym located near the lobby. He had to admit he was measurably with the gym. He knew he could get a pretty good cardio workout here. Since there was no time like the present, he jumped on one of the treadmills. He started off slow and gradually picked up the pace till he was running at 6 minutes per mile pace. He kept this up for 20 minutes, upon which time he started slowing down the speed of the treadmill as he cooled down some and slowed his heart rate a little. He then jumped on an elliptical trainer to get a more balanced workout that would give his upper body a pump. Unfortunately, the gym as the hotel was geared for executives on the go and was limited in weight machines, so the upper body workout from the elliptical would have to suffice.  Once he got his ID’s, he would get a one month  membership at a local gym where he could not only get a more balanced work-out he could also get some swimming in. He loved the invigoration feeling he got when he swam laps.

When he was finished on the elliptical machine, he went back to his room and took a nice shower. After he had completed his morning grooming, he opened up his packages to check out his new clothes. They all looked really nice, so he hung them up with the provided hangers to let any wrinkles smooth out. The hotel provided a small ironing board and iron, though he was hoping that he would not need to use these instruments of torture. He had to admit that he had never really developed a nack for doing this type of work and relied on the local dry cleaners to keep his wardrobe in ship shape. While he did have a washer in the dryer at his house, he only used it to wash his gym clothes, socks, T’s, and underwear. Once they were washed, he just threw them in the dryer, and that was the extent of his skills in this department.

It was still early in the day with several hours of free time  before their 6 pm dinner date, Peter decided that he could not procrastinate any longer, so he decided to start making the calls that he had been dreading. He decided to start off with the easiest one first, and that was the call to his Aunt Christine. While she might agree with the extreme measures of vengeance that he took, she would at least understand them. He knew that she definitely would be against his killing of the three women, no matter how bad they were. When she picked the phone, she was surprised at first on who was calling he then she became overjoyed to finally hear from her wayward nephew. Her mood became more somber as Peter began with his story. The only thing Peter could hear was an occasional gasp as she continued to listen to him as he told about each step he took. He actually heard her cry when he told her about the scene with Yua as she passed away in his arms and she being an animal lover cried when she heard about Jojo being shot and dying in his arms. When he finally finished with his story, there was a long pause, and Peter thought for amoment that the line was dead. His aunt first began with a weak and trembling voice full of emotion, then gradually became stronger and less halting. Peter was quite surprised by what she said.

“Peter, I am happy that you are safe after all that you had been through. While I miss Yua immensely, I was not as close to her as you were, so I can not know or understand what it has been like for you to have lost your sister, so I will not condemn you for your actions, however after saying that I also don’t condone your actions. I know you feel justified in your actions, because you felt that these individuals  were above the law, and that the only way Yua was going to receive any justice was if you were the one that metted it out, but that does not mean that you were wrong in your actions. Having said that, I will need some time to rectify your actions, and I would appreciate it if you stayed away from my family. I want you to know that this is in no way permanent, I just need time. You will always be loved. You are, after all, family, and blood is thicker than water. When I am ready I will call you.”

Peter thanked his aunt for her understanding and finished with one final comment.

“Aunt Christine, while I don’t think that there is anything to worry about, but the sex trade cartel in Europe while is crippled, there are still remnants  left, and to just be careful. Their reach is long. I am the one that they are after, not you and your family. But please be watchful, especially if you see strangers paying too close of attention to your children or you. I know I am just paranoid, but I wouldn’t be doing my due diligence if I did not voice my concerns.”

Aunt Christine finished with “Peter. I appreciate your concern, but I think that you are worrying for nothing. Take care and remember I love you, no we all love and miss you.”

After his aunt hung up, Peter just sat there in a daze holding the dead phone in his hand. During this whole ordeal with Yua, the only time he had cried was when Jojo died in his arms. Now he found himself balling like a baby. His whole body was racked with sobs. Waves of regret and despair just washed over him one after another. When his tears dried up and the sobs subsided, he was totally drained and exhausted. It was only then that he realized how difficult these calls were truly going to be. After he finally placed the long forgotten headset on the base of the phone, he threw himself on the bed and fell into a fitful sleep.

When he finally woke up, it was with a start as he started to panick when he thought that he had overslept and missed out on his date with Jennie. It was with a sense of relief after he looked at the hotel clock on the nightstand that he had only, in fact, swept a couple of hours and still had plenty of time to get ready. After his nerves calmed down some, his stomach began to remind him that he had been very negligent in taking care of business. He looked at his watch this time, not wanting to trust the hotel clock entirely that he still had at least three hours before he could expect to eat, so he decided to grab something light. So he made a small ham and cheese sandwich chased down with a bottle of chilled water to tide him over. He chided himself in his lack of maintaining adequate hydration, so he drank a second bottle of water for good measure.

It was still early so Peter walked out to the local drug store and picked up his forgotten Baldacci book entitled “The Edge”, it was psychological thriller and a sequel to his book “The 6:20 Man”.

Peter also picked a couple of packs of Wintergreen flavored Breath Savers to keep his breath fresh. You could never be too careful with a new girlfriend. A case of dragon breath could be all that was needed to ruin a fledgling relationship. Did he think Jennie was so shallow? No, he did not. At least he hoped she wasn’t. Because if badbreath scared her away, what would all of his skeletons do to her?

After Peter paid for his purchases, he went back to his hotel. However, for a change of pace, he decided to go out to the pool and sat down on one of the chaise lounge chairs and started to read his book. He figured that he had an hour to burn before he had to get ready, so why not relax a little with a good book. He couldn’t remember the last time he had done something so simple as this. It actually felt good. There were a few children playing in the pool with an ever watchful mother sitting close by at one of the umbrella tables near the shallow end of the pool.

I am going to include a lttle plug for Baldacci, because I think is one of the best writers in the suspense-thriller genre, even better than Patterson, who doesn’t write much any more, just his co-writers. What I have included is a brief synopsis taken from amazon.com.

The 6:20 Man is back, dropped by his handlers into a small coastal town in Maine to solve the murder of a CIA agent who knew America’s dirtiest secrets—can Travis Devine uncover the truth before his time runs out?
 
When CIA operative Jenny Silkwell is murdered in rural Maine, government officials have immediate concerns over national security. Her laptop and phone were full of state secrets that, in the wrong hands, endanger the lives of countless operatives. In need of someone who can solve the murder quickly and retrieve the missing information, the U.S. government knows just the chameleon they can call on.
 
Ex-Army Ranger Travis Devine spent his time in the military preparing to take on any scenario, followed by his short-lived business career chasing shadows in the deepest halls of power, so his analytical mind makes him particularly well-suited for complex, high-stakes tasks. Taking down the world’s largest financial conspiracy proved his value, and in comparison, this case looks straightforward. Except small towns hold secrets and Devine finds himself an outsider again.
 
Devine must ingratiate himself with locals who have trusted each other their whole lives, and who distrust outsiders just as much. Dak, Jenny’s brother, who’s working to revitalize the town. Earl, the retired lobsterman who found Jenny’s body. And Alex, Jenny’s sister with a dark past of her own. As Devine gets to know the residents of Putnam, Maine, answers seem to appear and then transform into more questions. There’s a long history of secrets and those who will stop at nothing to keep them from being exposed. Leaving Devine with no idea who he can trust… and who wants him dead.

So now you know what Peter is reading about, maybe I should start calling him Devon, since eventually that is going to be his new name. Devon, sorry, I will stay with Peter just a little longer, almost lost track of time as I became engrossed in his book. Boy, can that Travis Devine really kick some butt. It was only with some difficulty that he finally was able to drag himself away from the story-lineas he closed the book and made his way back to his room. It had felt good to spend some time with a good book. He made a mental note to try doing it again in the near future. He immediately took out his new outfits from the closet and laid them down. He looked them over and finally settled on the dark grey checkered suit and matching pants. After he made his decision, he hung the other outfits back in the closet. He then called his Uber driver and set up a time to be picked up at his hotel. He spent the next half an hour shewering and grooming himself. He had to admit that since he met Jennie, he was spending a lot more time in grooming. He smiled as he looked in the mirror because he felt this extra time and effort was paying off. Not to be too conceited, but he thought he now cut a dashing figure. At least he hoped that Jennie would think so.

It was finally time to go out and wait for his ride. As usual, the Uber driver was right on time. When he arrived at Palm Restaurant, he was a few minutes early. After giving the driver his tip, he went into the restaurant and checked in. Now, all he had to do was wait, so he went back out and stood in front. Right on time, he saw this sleek sedan pull up to the valet parking and out stepped this ravishing creature wearing a silver and black dress. Yes, it was his Jennie. His heart skipped a few beats when he looked at her. He took his time walking over to her. He didn’t want to appear to be desperate. When he reached her, he kissed her on her cheek and said that she looked amazing. He then took her arm in his and walked her into the restaurant. As the host walked them to their table, Peter was vaguely aware that all the men were staring at Jennie as she gracefully glided by his side. All he could think of was as he walked by her side, I can’t screw this up, I can’t screw this up.

I have included a brief history on the Palms below.

After the host seated Peter and Jennie, she handed them their menus and informed them that their waiter’s name would be Felix.  Felix appeared almost immediately after the host walked away. He introduced himself and took their drink order. Peter ordered a Ridgeway which was Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon, Averna Amaro, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, Reàl Vanilla, Turkish tobacco and cherry bitters and Jennie ordered a Palm Star Martini which consisted of Stoli Vanilla Vodka, Monin Passion Fruit, fresh lime juice, La Marca Prosecco. Both of these drinks were Palm signature drinks. As they waited for their drinks, they looked over their menus. I have included a copy of the dinner menu below.

When Felix returned with the drinks, Jennie chose the Calamari Fritto Misto as her appetizer and the Sicilian Salmon as her entre. Peter chose the Jumbo Shrimp Bruno as his appetizer and in keeping with the seafood trope chose the 1 pound King Crab meal Now what Peter dreaded the most is that time when you are expected to make polite conversation as you wait for the appetizer to appear. Peter broke the ice by again, telling her how beautiful she looked. Jennie blushed at his compliment. He then dove in the deep end and asked her what she had been up to since he had seen her last? He knew by instinct that most single women had one favorite subject, and that was themselves, so he gave her the opening to launch into that subject. She quickly took the bait and proceded to discuss he had to admit a rather succinct manner than what she had been up to. After she finished, he brought up the fact that he knew little of her background and her upbringing. She was evidently enjoying herself as she continued on with the narrative. So far, so good. She seemed to be enjoying herself, and he had not to evade any difficult questions. Because he knew that as soon as she asked him about his family, the subject matter would be a real buzz kill. With the exception of his Grandpa Gordon and Grandma Clara, the story of his family told like a Greek tragedy. It was definitely a story for maybe a third or even a fourth date.

As Jennie told Peter about her childhood and parents, he thought how refreshing it was to hear someone discuss a normal family and upbringing. He reveled in the normality of her life and found himself becoming quite envious of the uneventful life she had lived. He was amazed that he found the mundane to be so interesting and intriguing. He soaked up the sheer banality and predictability of her life. He found himself utterly entranced by her and her life, it was at this time that he realized that he would have given up anything to trade lives with her.

Jennie’s utterly fascinating story of her life was interrupted by the server bringing their appetizers to their table. Peter had to admit he was enjoying himself, the view was incredible and she was quite intelligent and the food was not bad either. Their entrees soon followed the appetizers, so the conversation lagged a little as it became subservient to the task at hand. By the time they were finished, they simply had no room for desert. They both ordered and after dinner lquours. Jennie ordered a Fernet Branca (is an adventurous journey amidst flavours and emotions a unique excursion through the 27 herbs,roots and spices that make up its formula) and Peter ordered the Frangelico (contains sugar, alcohol, hazelnut distillate, natural and artificial flavours, and caramel).

While Peter’s Frangelico was good, it was nowhere as good as Jennie’s Fernet Branca. He liquour was simply over the top. So much so that he had to order one for himself, as he found that he just left his original choice barely touched. He would have liked to continue on with their evening, but she had an early day at her law school. She was working on a project that included something called an amicus brief*. Peter had to look it up on his cell phone when he got back to his room.

When they were waiting for her car at the valet’s booth, Peter prepared himself to kiss her on the cheek again, but Jennie was having none of it and turned her head and received his lips smack on and planted a long a luxurious kiss on his starving lips. She then said before she got into her car, “you will take me out Friday, no ifs and or buts about it, I am off the weekeneds and I can stay up as long as I want.”

As Jennie drove away, the valet looked at Peter and said, “Damn! She certainly is something else. You are one lucky guy. “ Peter just stood there with a shit eating grin on his face and replied, “I know.” When he arrived back to his hotel, he was still “walking on cloud nine. ” He tried to read some of his books after he failed to find anything on TV, so he just laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling until he finally dozed off.

*Amicus Briefs– referencing a person or group who is not a party to an action, but has a strong interest in the matter. This person or group will petition the court for permission to submit a brief in the action intending to influence the court’s decision. Its purpose is to inform  the court about how its decision will affect people outside of the case. They can also be used to introduce concerns, provide historical context, or bolster a party’s brief.

The next day Peter decided to buy himself a laptop compter with a DVD player. He was tired of their being nothing on TV, and a guy could only read so much. So he took an Uber to Best Buys and bought an Alienware m18 R2 Gaming laptop made by Dell Computers.

Tech Specs

Since lap tops don’t seem to come with DVD players anymore, Peter had to get an external player for it. He also decided that once he got his IDs , he would rent a car. He was getting tired of using Uber. It was really cramping his style. He might even buy one. The more he thought about it, the more sounded it would be better. He was hoping that he might even get them early so he could have a car for Friday night. Peter was also thinking about his next phone call. He decided that he would use his burner cell phones to make the last four of his phone calls. He also for an added level of security he would make the calls from outside DC’s city limits, just in case any of his “friends” tried tracing his calls. He wasn’t prepared to leave the area just yet. He had a lot of things to take care of first before he did so.

The more he thought about the more, he made up his mind that he needed to tell Jennie about his life. There was so much to tell he decided to parse his story up into two parts. So he called Jennie to ask he if she would be available for a chat over a cup of coffee. He let her know that it would take a couple of outings for him to unburden himself. She sounded a little apprehensive, as she asked him if he was gay? He almost busted a gut laughing as he assured her it was nothing like that. She agreed to meet him at their coffee shop at 5 pm. She asked him before they hung up, “I am not going to like this, am I?”

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