idioms...sayings understood by native speakers part fifity four

Charlie sat on the floor with Joe beside him.

"I miss Li LI."

"I know Charlie, but since the boss has gotten hurt, Li Li needs to go to the office."

Charlie's face clouded up.

"Charlie?"

"Carl's mommy got hurt, too."

The blind team got up and sat closer to Charlie and Joe.

"How do you mean, Charlie?"

Charlie looked at the men surrounding him.

"Charlie was there. The bad man hurt Carl's mommy."

"Ch..Charlie, what bad man?"

"Carl's papa. Carl hit his papa, then his papa hit him. Then Jenny hit Carl's papa. Charlie is strong. Charlie carried Carl's mommy to the car. She was breathing funny."

The guys looked at each other.

"So is everyone okay?"

"A big truck took them to the hospital. Charlie went with Jenny and sat, and sat, and sat." He paused, scrunching up his face in concentration. "Wick came. Li LI came. Charlie prayed. Carl thanked me. But Charlie did not stop Carl's papa. Jenny did."

Joe looked at Charlie and gently patted him on his back. "Could one of you guys get Charlie some water?"

He opened the bottle and gave it to Charlie. "Here. Drink this. It will help."

"Li Li left. Charlie is scared."

"Why are you scared, Charlie?"

"Cuz... Li LI might get hurt, too."

"How come? Why would Li LI get hurt?"

"Cuz... Wick is scared, too."

The team looked at each other.

Joe cleared his throat. "Li Li is okay. She will be here later. But why is Wick... er, I mean how come Rick is scared?"

"Cuz. Wick called Li LI and she would not answer. He said a bad word. We went fast in the car."

"Charlie... I am really sorry all that happened, but we have work to do."

"Work. Yeah. How come Joe is sowwy? Did Joe do something?"

Joe's eyebrows raised. "Er, no. Charlie, I don't want anyone around me to get hurt."

"So Joe has important people too?"

The team sat quietly, hanging onto every word.

"Yes. There is a blind lady that I think is very important."

"Oh?"

"Yes."

"What is blind?"

"She cannot see. Her eyes don't work."

"There are people like that?"

"Yes. And that is the work for today. To see if these toys would be fun for children who do not see."

Charlie nodded. "Toys for kids who are different. Like Loving Lambs. Charlie is different, too."

"But different isn't a bad thing."

"Wick says that. He loves me like a brother."

"Yes. Can you help us today? Or is it too hard, cuz of what happened."

"No. Wick went to work. Li Li went to work. Work must be go on." Charlie paused, "Joe, Charlie wants to help those who are different." He closed his eyes tight.

"Here. Try this;"

One of the guys handed Charlie a bandanna and Joe placed it around the boy's eyes.

He felt the floor around him. He sniffed. He touched one toy, then the other then the next. He settled for a soft one and proceeded to play.

Rick stood in the CO office. No chairs meant that visitors would not stay long. That had always been his policy. Unfortunately, the tables were turned and behind the desk sat his father who fiddled with this paper and that paper ignoring the man who was standing in front of him.

"Excuse me, Chairman. You called me?"

"Of course, I did. Are you ready for your presentation?"

"Yes. It is not until ten. I wanted to go over it one more time though. May I be excused?"

"Ah, there is not excuse for you." He muttered under his breath. "You always were an over achiever."

"And that is a bad thing?"

"One would think you were over compensating."

Rick closed his eyes for a second, trying to remember that he had to be in control. Anger would not be helpful in this situation.

"Not really. I am only defending my job."

The Chairman sat back in his chair. You did not rise to the bait. How Rick like is that. "So, how is your cousin and aunt?"

"They are holding there own."

"Seems like the family cannot get any information."

"Really?"

"Yes. Something about No information."

"Ah."

"You know anything about that?"

Rick remained silent.

"I see. Well, A. J. should be out by nine thirty. That is when his arraignment is set. I cannot believe a Matthews got arrested." He paused and leaned back with his hands interlaced behind his head. "You understand that this is nothing more than a bump in the road for us. There is no case."

"There isn't?"

"Nope. In this state, a wife cannot testify against her husband. Carl will be charged with assault, of course."

"What?"

"He threw the first punch. And then that blond girl... she is  his accomplice. So... we will make sure he gets off on probation, but that girl with her history of emotional instabitliy, will probably serve time."

Rick swallowed hard.

"And then there is that troublesome brother of your girlfriend. I think his name is Charlie. We could file breaking and entering charges, I guess. Or kidnapping ... after all he did remove Sara."

Rick looked at his father dead in the face. "You understand how P.R. works, right?"

He smiled. "We are just trying to protect the citizens of this town from undesirables. I am sure that most would agree that after we are done, those two should be locked up."

"Well, this is a state case. Not a local one."

"Really?"

"Yes."

He smiled. "Rick, are you that naive?" then paused. "Of course, if you can get that girlfriend of yours to just be nice to me. Some things can be forgiven."

Rick took a deep breath.

"I am sure that you have shown her the ropes, by now." The old man continued. "I mean, you do have my blood in you."

Rick closed his eyes for a moment. "You know, I have never been one to believe in the status quo. I have my mother's blood in me, too. And I thank God for that every day."

"Well, she does resemble your mother a lot. I wonder if that is why you like her so much."

A knock came at the door. Mrs. Smith entered with paperwork.

"Mr. Chairman, your nine o'clock appointment is here. Also, Mr. Greenbaum of National Bank is here with quite a few suits. They wish to look at the books before the board meeting."

The man sighed. "Troublesome, but just another bump." He took the paper work from the old battle axe. "Rick? You still here?"

"I will see you at the board meeting, Chairman."

---

Rick stepped outside the office.  So this is how they are going to play it... Knowing it was one of the scenarios he had worked out, he smiled.  He nodded to Mrs.  Smith who sat behind her desk as efficient as ever.

"Mr. Richardson?"

"Yes, Mrs. Smith."

"Good luck on today's presentation."

He smiled and nodded.

Rick sat behind his desk with the office door closed.  He got out his phone and sending  text messages to the twins, he sighed.  "This is far from over."

---

It was nine fifty.  Rick got up from his desk and headed towards the elevators.

Heads of his team popped out of their cubicles and watched the man leaving. 

"Hey, boss."

He turned and one of them gave him a box. 

"Er, what is this?"

"Just something.  We expect to have a team meeting after you get back."

Rick nodded and stepped onto the elevator.  When he got off he brandished a new tie clip with a pair of boxing gloves on it.

to be continued.