White Night (or where do I get my 30 + from now?)

[wa5]

Ford farm house, was a large older home, build around the turn of the 20th century, the 110 year old home had big rooms and wide hall and door ways. It was fairly wheel chair friend. once Lisa got past the back stairs. Fords wife, Nel, who had passed away about twenty years earlier, had suffered from poor health for some time before her passing, though not set up for wheelchairs, the bath room had been modified to make life easier for the frail Nel, with hand rails and a hand held shower, the later would be useless, Lisa pronounced the hand rails adequate.

I explained that the horde at the road block would probably be travelling this way, and we would need to be careful with lights. I gave the girls a small torch and left them in the back room, furthest from the road as I closed blinds and made the windows as light proof as possible.

Lisa asked how this place was any better than her own home "They don't camp here, they follow us here, but will leave again soon.

Both Lisa's were over joyed when I asked if they wanted a bath. It took about half an hour to warm enough water from the tank at the rear of the property to fill the bath.

While they were bathing , I contacted the ship, Doctor Bourne answered. I updated her on our situation, giving a blow by blow account of my day after we had left her. She seemed genuinely interested, "I guess I am kind of living the story from your book" I laughed "Oh yeah, that reminds me" she said, with a slight sharpness to her voice " You owe me fifty bucks". I was perhaps a little slow on the uptake, keyed the mic and said "Huh". She tried to stay serious, but started laughing half way through saying "your copies of my books were pirated, you're just lucky I don't get the FBI involved, if I had a mind to, I could have you clapped in irons". I answered in a begging voice "It was my brother in law, I'll become an informer, I'll turn states evidence, sell him down the river" putting on my best Joliet Jake Blues voice "You know I love you baby, I wouldn't leave ya, it wasn't my fault" quick as a flash Jia Li came back with "You Miserable slug, you think you can talk your way out of this"? "you betrayed me" "No I didn't..... Honest.... I I run out of gas, I had a flat tyre, I didn't have enough money for cab fare, My tux didn't come back from the cleaners, an old friend came in from out a town, someone stole my car, there was an earth quake, a terrible flood, locusts, It wasn't my fault I SWEAR TO GODDDDDDD argh" Laughter issued from the tinny speaker, "Oh Jake, Jake honey, how could a girl stay mad at you" more laughter issued from the walkie talkie before it went silent. it was then I noticed both Lisas looking at me rather quizzically.

I keyed the radio "Both Lisa's walking in half way through that, they are both looking at me like I'm a lunatic" "don't think you are going to get away with an insanity plea, I want my money" JL Laughed.

With the radio open, I explained the joke and introduced Lisa to JL, leaving them to talk as I went for my own bath.