idioms...sayings understood by native speakers part twenty two

The scene kept playing through Jenny's head as she waved goodbye to Matthew and started her car.

Jenny, Rick and Sal sat in the waiting room outside of the closed doors of the PICU. An older nurse with grey hair approached them. "Mr. Wilson is being settled into the room as we speak. Are you friends with Joseph Bonner?"

Jenny nodded.

"He will be up in about an hour." She paused. "I know it has been a long night for you. Please be patient a little more." As she left to go back to her patient.

"I still cannot believe they would go this far." Jenny muttered.

"Jenny, I don't know what to say." Rick spoke quietly. "But, they will not get away with this."

"How is that going to happen?" She sat with her hands clenched in her lap. "They are too powerful, even with my help."

Sal raised an eyebrow at that. "That does not sound like the Jenny I know."

Jenny stared at Sal.  "Before, I knew my enemy. Before, I was young and had the strength to fight. Now, I just don't know."

"Jenny, it is going to be okay. Let's just make sure the boys are doing well. Then get some sleep and meet tomorrow when we all have rested."

"Sal is right." Rick paused. "It is going to be okay."

Seeing Larry's leg casted. His face bruised and battered. She remembered how he tried to talk to her thru clenched wired teeth, reassuring her, this was nothing.

Then seeing Joey... the man lay there quietly, desperately trying not to breath deeply because of the pain in his ribs. His arms bandaged, casted. up on pillows. He looked like a ghost lying there. Giving Jenny a weak smile, saying, you should have seen the other guy, Jenny knew that Joey couldn't fight his way thru a paper bag.

"I won't forget. I will make them pay." became the montra in her head. As she turned her signal on to get on the highway. "You guys have a month to get better. I need you to return to work." She remembered telling them, knowing how lame that was, and then, the jokes started about how she was such a slave driver...

"I need you guys." She said as she left her family behind in that room.

It had been a long week of planning with Sal and Mr. Fox.

"I just hope this works." As she neared her exit to town, wondering what would happen next.

---

"AJ, I told you I would take care of it." The Chairman leaned back in his chair.

"Yeah, there is a sign on that pub, closed for remodeling."

"Well, I am sure they have turned tale and ran. So don't worry about your son."

---

Sal smiled as he left his friend in the state attorney general's office. Handing over the conversation between Jenny and that old man, the police reports on the assault of Larry and Joey, the idedphoto and the eyewitness account of the assault. She leaned forward, "Sal, you are playing a dangerous game for an old divorce lawyer."

"They are like family. What else can I do?"

"Go home. I will check out this guy and see if he has any connections with the Matthews... but don't you go poking your nose into anywhere else." she smiled, "Who else would I get to represent me again if I needed you?"

Sal crawled into his car. He pulled out his cell, "Phase three, complete."

---

Rick sat in his car outside of Lynn's little house. He read the message. Okay, the lenders are worried, the attorney general's office is worried. He hit the button.

"Father? It's me, Rick."

"And who else would call me father?" The Chairman was pulling on his coat, irritated that he was still unable to leave the office because of this brat.

"I was wondering, could you speak to grandfather, about the competition and all. One month is not long enough to increase sales by thirty percent in this economy."

"So, you are throwing in the towel already? You, the one with the midas touch?"

"What difference does it make?"   Rick muttered for once allowing some of his frustration to come through.

"All the difference in the world. You know what the rules are, you know what the stakes are." He closed the door to the office and turned. "You know how I feel about it. Carl is the rightful heir. So if that is all you have to offer is excuses, he should get the company. You, on the other hand, should just go back home and hide." He paused. "Do I tell father that you quit?"

"No. I will ride this out."

"Good. It would not be interesting if you didn't ."   As he hung up the phone, the chairman smiled. It is good ot see him squirm like this.

Rick stared at his cell phone for a moment. I bet you think I am squirming right now. As he put the phone in his breast pocket and headed towards the house to be with people that had no hidden agendas.

---

Lynn was sitting beside Charlie who was rocking back and forth.

"Charlie? It's LiLi."

"Li Li left."

"But I am back." As she tried to approach him by touching his hand and putting it to her face.

The man looked into Lynn's eyes.

"I am back, Charlie. My work is done."

"Li Li?"

"Yes."

The man jumped up, ran into his room and brought back a calender.

Lynn saw the Xs thru the days of the past week.

"Today? It is today?"  Charlie spoke outloud.

"Charlie. it is today."

Charlie jumped up and down. "Teacher, Grammy, Li Li is back."

Mrs. Allen came out of the kitchen drying her hands on a towel. "I told you she would be back."

"Li Li, did you get your big work done?"

"Yes, Charlie." Seeing her brother, she realized how much a toll this must have been on him.

Charlie looked up and yelled, "Teacher. Li Li is back."

"That is great, Charlie. Grammy and I will be going now so you guys can have some time."

Charlie thought for a minute, "Teacher, will you come back?" "

Yes, Charlie, If it is okay, I will be back next monday."

She grabbed the coats and handed one off to her aunt.

Lynn got up. "Thankyou for taking care of Charlie this week."

"No problem, this has been a very interesting week."

"Oh, and thankyou for sending me the pictures and all."

The woman smiled. "Lynn, Charlie has potential. He does have ability."

Mrs. Allen came out and handed Charlie his white leggo.

"Here, Charlie.. It is time for whitey to come out of jail."

Charlie smiled. "Thankyou, grammy."  As he took whitiey, looking like it was a long lost friend.

"Come on. Don't be giving your opinion until you have earned the right." the older woman said to her niece.

Lynn said, "Goodbye." as she watched the two women leave, wondering what that was all about.

Rick stood at the door. Once again, his cell phone vibrated.

He looked at the id. "Carl?"

"Rick, I can't find Jenny. She won't answer her cell and the pub is closed."

Rick sighed. "Carl, I don't think she wants to see you right now."

"Come on. You know this wasn't my fault."

Rick flinched a little. "Carl, she is at my house."

"What?"

"Come by later and maybe she will talk to you."

"So she has decided to stay with you?"

Rick raised an eyebrow. "Where else could she hide?"

"What about Lynn?"

"What about her? I am picking her up as we speak."

Carl stood up in his room. "So I don't get it."

"come by later. Around nine or so. Okay?" He paused. "I want Charlie to be asleep when we talk. No point in confusing the guy with what is going on."

"What is going on?"

"You will find out. See ya at nine." hanging up.

---

Lynn settled Charlie in the back seat, buckling him in. He smiled really big. "Wick?"

"Yes, Charlie."

"Are we going to have barbecue?"

"Like always."

"Yippeeee."

---

Lynn slid inside the passenger door.  "Man, I can't believe I am this tired."

"No problem. No reason why you and Charlie can't stay at my house tonight."

Lynn paused, "How do you mean?"

"Look, I think this is going to a long night. And I think it is important we get some things hashed out."

"What things?"

"You will see." As he pulled up to the stop sign and turned left.

to be continued.