Idioms...sayings understood by native speakers part seventy four

Christopher entered the study seeing A.J. and Martin sitting, sipping on brandy.

"Didn't you guys listen? They said it would be better if you laid off the booze for a while."

"Chris, just stick with numbers." Martin muttered.

"I wish I could but you guys keep putting my budget down the tubes."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, John is in the Lansing County Jail. I sent the Lawyer... the expensive one... to get him out."

"What?" A.J. stated.

"He went after that blond chick that accosted you, A.J."

"Ah, I always knew he was a good brother."

"Good brother, my ass. He got caught." Martin grumbled.

"It should not come up to anything. I mean it is a he-said, she-said, kinds thing."

"Really?" A.J. smiled.

---

Charlie watched the Attorneys leave. They seemed happy. He shrugged and closed his eyes again, only to be interrupted. He sat back up on the side of the bed again. There stood Dejuan, Deshaun, Larry and Joey. He smiled big.

"Uncles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The guys pulled up chairs after each one of them hugged or shook Charlie's hand.

"How is Li Li?" Charlie asked quickly.

Joey sat on the bed beside Charlie. He grabbed Charlie's hand.

"She is really sick."

"I know."

"How?"

"Charlie heard Wick talking to Carl."

"Then you know she..."

"She might go be with mommy and papa."

The guys looked at the man wondering just how much he understood.

"Charlie, no matter what... we will make sure you are okay."

Charlie gave them a crooked smile.

"Charlie is okay. God knows what to do. Charlie just has to wait."

"But Charlie, God doesn't always give you the things you want."

"Charlie doesn't want things."

"Huh?"

"Charlie prays for everyone to get better. Sometimes... it means God will take them home to get better."

"Ooooookaaaaay. I am not sure what that means, Charlie." Larry spoke quietly.

Charlie sighed. "You know, Lawy, you can be dumb."

Larry smiled. "I know. Just tell me what you mean?"

Charlie scrunched up his face. "God takes people home to make them better. If they cannot get better here, he takes them to live with him. Wight?"

"But if Li Li goes to live with God, won't you be sad?"

Charlie nodded. "Vewy sad. But Li Li will be with God."

Dejuan's expression was one of astonishment. "How can you argue with logic like that?"

Deshaun had the same face and said, "I think it is better not too."

The others wondered to themselves who was comforting who here.

---

The note said, "Just be yourself. You'll get by. Just be yourself here. Take your time"

"Why would dad put this...."

Katie closed her eyes as if to rest. She would have thought her dad had just quoted one of her favorite manga to comfort her. But she had talked with Charlie and now, she knew she had to get home to her house. As soon as possible, she had to get to those books. For the first time in her life, she said a tiny prayer wondering if it would make it past the ceiling in her room. Help me.

---

"Watch this."

Charlie hit the call light.

The nurse walked in. "Can I help you Charlie?"

"See. It is a magic button. Lady, these are my Uncles."

The nurse gave a halting smile, as she looked at two twin African American men, and two white men, one with bilateral casted arms and the other in bilateral walking casts.

"Hi." Then she turned to Charlie. "I have some good news. You are going to be moved the the ward. The tests are all negative and since you have returned to yourself, we are going to transfer you."

Charlie looked confused.

"It means Charlie, you are too healthy to be here. They need this bed for sick people." Joey translated.

Charlie nodded and smiled.

"Thank you, Lady."

"You are most welcome, Charlie. We will pack you up in just a minute."

The guys started to leave and Charlie stopped them.

"What is it?"

"I need you to find my friend, Katie. You need to go see her now."

"Why now, Charlie?" Dejuan looked at the boy.

"Because."

Deshaun looked at his brother. "We were going to meet with her anyway... right? Might as well be now."

---

John sat in his cell looking at the ceiling wondering just how things got this bad. They were equals in their skills. He just surprised her with his, and always made sure she was the one to attack. His forte had always been counter attacks. He smiled as he felt his bruised shoulder. He would use this whole thing to smear her name if she did not drop the charges. Hell, he had the thing in the park he could use against her. She would not stand a chance. He smiled as he heard the guard say, "Mr. John Matthews, come with me."

---

Stanley laid his briefcase on the entry table like always. He walked in to find a note.

"In bed. Supper in is the fridge. Heat it up in the microwave and eat. But hurry up. I am lonely. Love, Stacy."

Stan smiled at that. He complied quickly. He wolfed down the homemade pot pie and then after showering entered his bedroom. There his lovely wife lay quietly snoring away. She was so cute like this, he caught his breath, then his pager went off. He closed his eyes and gave a huge sigh. Picking it up he hit the message bar. Damn. He got dressed back into his suit.

Stacy rolled over.

"Stanley?"

He leaned over and kissed her. "I have to go back to the office."

"Don't those bad guys know you have to get some rest?"

He laughed. "No rest for the weary."

"Or the wicked." She added. She got up and grabbed a healthy energy drink from the fridge.

"Here. You are gonna need this."

"Stacy..."

"Don't argue with me."

"I wasn't. I just wanted to say, I love you."

"I love you too. Now get to work and come back asap. You need your beauty rest."

He grabbed her into a hug.

"Do you regret marrying me?"

"No way. Sure, I get lonely sometimes. But I have an important husband. Besides, you will give me fifty years. We can make it up when you retire."

Stan arched an eyebrow. Who could argue with logic like that?"

---

After getting the new room number for Charlie, the four men walked down to the elevators to the telemetry unit.

Joey looked at the group and stated, "Guys? Do you think we should descend on a sixteen year old girl who doen't know who we are?"

"We'll just tell her Charlie sent us."

Larry commented, "I think we might give her a heart attack."

They stopped at the waiting room trying to decide who would go see the girl.

Joey sighed. "Let me do it. I cannot appear threatening with these." He held up his arms with the casts. "I am the smallest and youngest one here. And, I can tell her not to trust the Matthews." again holding up his arms.

"If you go, don't tell her about the organ trafficking. She will just get upset, when she finds out the heart she got was stolen."

Joey nodded. He took a deep breath and put forth his best server smile. "Okay. I will be back." He joked in his best Arnold Schwarzenegger.voice.

Larry rolled his eyes.

Joey grinned, "I know." and walked off towards Katie Hauser's room.

to be continued.