The Flounder Family Chapter 6

“Dove! So good to see ya!  It’s been so long!  How long has it been?  Months?  Years?  I can’t keep track, too busy, things keeps me hopping!  Ha! Ha!  Really, you know how it is.  I think of you all the time.  Been keeping up with those kids of yours?  Where are the little…rapscallions?”

Dove had closed her eyes when she heard the car pull into the drive way.  She exhaled and threw her dish rag into the sink.  I don’t normally pray, God, well not about silly things, well not like this…but please, Lord, if you can spare a moment, give me a bit more patience, and strength…and You know.”  The car door slammed and Dove ran her hand through her hair, thought about running to the bathroom to check the mirror and then shaking her head, she pulled the vacuum cleaner toward the closet.  Just as she was shutting the door Bensen walked in.  His smile outshined hers.  But then he practices, Dove thought.

“Its been about 9 months Bensen.  The kids are fine and so is Jettison.  We’re all fine.  How about you?”

Bensen’s smile refused to deflate.  “Yes, Jettison, I always want to say Jefferson.  Can’t he get that changed?  I mean, Jettison?  What were his parents thinking! Well, let me see.  The guest room is up the stairs to the right?”

Dove signaled vaguely as Bensen started up the stairs.  “No, that’s Kiddo’s room now.  I’m afraid we only have the basement room left.  Tasha got too old to room with her brother and Kiddo…well Kiddo needed more space so we use the junk – I mean the spare room for him now. But Jettison fixed up the basement room especially for you.  He knew you’d come back.”

Bensen’s smile disappeared as he retraced his steps back toward his sister.  He was holding a suitcase in each hand.  They looked heavy.  Dove’s conscience pricked her.  Bensen looked decidedly disappointed. “Here let me take one of those.  You’ll like the new room.  Jettison put up a ceiling, you know, one of those hanging ones and he tiled the floor himself and I got some nice antique furniture at a sale recently so everything is all fixed up. You’ll like it, really.”  Dove took one suitcase and led the way down the steps.  Bensen sniffed as passed through the back hallway and descended the steps.  He began to mumble.

“You know, if I am any inconvenience I’d be happy to go to a hotel.  I know they have some cheap ones near the edge of town.  Course, I don’t have a lot of resources right now, but I’d be happy to-”

Dove gritted her teeth.  “Don’t think about it, Bensen.  You’re staying here.  Jettison is looking forward to seeing you.  He has something to discuss.”

“Oh?  Oh, well, in that case, sure, I’m always at your service.  You know how it is, I just want to help and not be a bother.  I’m looking forward to seeing the little rug rats again.”

Dove dropped the suitcase at the foot of the bed and dusted off her shirt.  “Ah, well, you can call Kiddo almost anything, just keep it clean.  We’ve been having some trouble with name calling lately.  And as for Tasha, well, you might want to rethink that name.  She’s not partial to the term “rug rats” anymore.”

Bensen pulled a long face.  “Oh, but that was my pet name for them.  I was their Uncle Bensen Jensen from the Jungle and they were my little rug rats.  Do they have to pull that grow up stuff on me, now?  Really, I am feeling a little vulnerable, things just haven’t…well, it’s a long story.  You’ve got things to do I’m sure.” The smile returned.

Dove inhaled and sat on the edge of the bed.  “Sit down Bensen, tell me what’s troubling you.  I’m your only sister and you know I care.”

Bensen rubbed his stomach.  “Well, it is rather a long story and besides, I’ve been up half the night trying to catch up on all this paperwork.  You wouldn’t believe what a killer I have for a boss.  He’s right out of some horror flick.  I haven’t even had anything to eat today.”

Dove got the hint, stood up, and moved toward the door.  “I’ll get you a tray, you still like chicken salad, I suppose?”  Bensen beamed.  “Well, I’ll fix you a little something though I’ve got a nice dinner planned.  When Jettison gets home, I know he wants to talk with you.  You can have a little something with him before dinner and perhaps you can talk then.  And he can…well, he has a question or two.”

“Hope it’s nothing serious.  Nobody’s been saying anything bad about me, I hope.”

“Oh, no, nothing like that.” Dove closed her mouth before she could say anything more and marched toward the steps.  “Jettison usually stays a little late on Thursdays to help with the afterschool program, but he should be in by five.  I’ll be back in a moment.  Just get some rest, Bensen.  Forget your troubles for awhile.”

Bensen lay back on the bed kicking his shoes off in the process.  He closed his eyes and sighed.  “I’ll just do that.”