Sweet Suggestion?

Toni was in her garden dead heading and tidying up prior to her mother coming. Regardless

of what she did she knew her mother would comment. It never failed, the garden looked

perfect, the house was clean and decorated for Christmas but there would be something for

her mother to comment on. Sighing she picked up the basket of clippings and dumped them

on the compost pile. It was time for a cup of tea.

Richie left his office and ran into Steve in front of the boarding house. "Hey Steve, what’s up"

"Did you hear about Andy? He had a wreck and totaled his car."

"You’re kidding me, when, is he okay?"

"Happened this afternoon, he’s banged up but mobile. Shame, poor kid he just got it out of

the garage today."

Richie narrowed his eyes, "how did it happen?"

"I don’t know for sure, Sheriff says his brakes failed and something happened to the steering."

Richie thought about the conversation he’d had with Andy when he gave him a ride into Coffs.

He’d been so happy that things were going well. "I’ll catch up with him tomorrow he might have

a lawsuit in this. See ya Steve."

Richie found Toni rinsing out a tea cup, "Hey baby," a hello kiss.

"Richie, I’m glad you’re home."

"Are you okay?"

"Oh yes, just dreading the invasion. We only have a few days left you know."

"Let’s get them a hotel room in Coffs, hell with them Toni this is a lot of work for you right now."

"No it isn’t I’m okay with it besides they’d never forgive me if we put them up somewhere else."

"A bit of bad news, Andy had a wreck and banged himself up."

"Oh no, he’s not hurt bad is he?"

"Steve said not, his car is totaled you know I paid him for the catering and he took the money

and got his car out of the garage where it was being repaired. His brakes failed and something

about the steering, sounds to me like some shoddy work."

"Well bless his heart he’s such a sweet guy."

Richie grinned and pulled a beer from the fridge. "Oh there’s something funny going on with the

park fund too."

"What could possibly be wrong there?"

"I don’t know the particulars, the Sheriff came by earlier but was closed lipped about it."

"You wouldn’t think bad things could happen here." Said Toni

"There’s no such thing as a safe haven anymore. People will be people wherever they go."

Richie pulled off his jacket and hung it over the back of a chair. "Planning anything special

for dinner?"

"I hadn’t even thought about dinner what time is it anyway?"

"I thought I’d take you into Coffs."

"Well aren’t you sweet?"

"I try," he grinned and took her in the circle of his arms, "there’s plenty of time you know…before

we need to leave for dinner."

"Why Mr. Roberts what are you suggesting?"