Home Free - Fern Michaels [12]
“Bad dream, or you just couldn’t sleep, old girl?”
“Both, I think. I hate it when I can’t remember the dream, especially if it was a good one. I let the dogs out already, but now they are waiting for breakfast. I know you have them on certain menus, so I didn’t want to disrupt your . . . meal plan. I feel jittery, Charles, like there is something lurking out there we should know about.”
Charles leaned over to kiss Myra’s cheek. “As usual, my dear, you are spot-on with your intuition. When I was reading the paper online, the phone rang, and it was Lizzie. Despite everything that’s scheduled out in Vegas, she’s at the White House. Or she was when I spoke to her. Yes, before you can ask, it is early to be visiting the White House. She will be coming for dinner this evening and would like to speak with the girls. As yet, I haven’t called anyone. She said ‘girls,’ Myra, not ‘girls and guys’ or ‘girls and the boys.’ I think, and this is just my opinion, that we are going to be finding out this evening what the president’s agenda is in regard to that unorthodox meeting we all had at Kathryn’s surprise birthday party. I more or less thought that, whatever that was, was dead in the water.”
Myra perked up as she watched Charles prepare a pot of coffee. “Really?”
Charles stopped what he was doing to stare at Myra. “You’re excited, aren’t you?”
Myra smiled. “Things have been rather dull around here lately. I expected the pace to kick up a bit since we’ll be in the Christmas season in a few days. Did Lizzie give you any inkling what this was all about?”
“Not a single clue. I assume that the president was standing right next to her. By the way, Lizzie and her little family will not be joining us over Thanksgiving.” He went on to explain about Cosmo’s awards and the presentation galas that were coming up. “She did promise Christmas, though.”
“Oh, I was so counting on seeing Little Jack, even though he isn’t so little anymore. I bought him some racing cars, bright red ones. I do so love to hear the little one’s laughter. I miss that so much. So very much,” Myra whispered.
Charles winced. If he didn’t divert Myra, the rest of her day was going to be ruined. Quick like a fox, he said, “Call Nellie and Elias and invite them for breakfast. Like now, Myra, before Nellie goes out for her morning ride. I’m a little worried about Elias. He’s so forgetful lately. We were supposed to play chess yesterday, and he was a no-show. He didn’t even call,” Charles fibbed, with his fingers crossed in front of him.
Diverted, Myra frowned as she got up and walked over to the old-fashioned wall-mounted telephone set. “That’s funny you should say that, Charles. Nellie and I were just talking about that same thing the other day, when we went riding. It will be nice to have company for breakfast for a change. I love to see people eat and appreciate your efforts, dear.”
Charles smiled. “And you are buttering me up . . . why?”
“Because I love you, no other reason,” Myra said as she dialed Nellie’s number. She nodded for Charles’s benefit, then spoke for a few more minutes before she hung up. She turned to Charles and said, “Elias will come in the golf cart, and Nellie will ride her horse. Elias says it’s in case Nellie breaks down. You have noticed how Elias follows Nellie in the golf cart, haven’t you, Charles?”
“A time or two, but Nellie was imbibing at the time, if you recall.”
Diverted even further from her original thoughts, Myra laughed. “I do recall. So what are you preparing?”
“A ham-and-cheese omelet with green onions for Elias. Banana pancakes for Nellie. Two eggs over easy for you, with Canadian bacon, and toast and coffee for myself. I am watching my waistline so I can eat hearty at Annie’s Thanksgiving dinner.”
“I’m not so sure I would or can be as confident as you, Charles, in regard to Annie’s culinary expertise.”
“Then I will gorge on my own plum pudding. I think I’ll make a triple batch just to be on the safe side. Rather like Elias and his golf cart hedging his bets with Nellie and her horse.”
Myra laughed again,