Taking Charge (4 page)

Jordan waved at the kitchen and Joy
chuckled.
“Where is it?” Jordan roared with laughter.
“You are standing in it.” Joy hopped.
“Kitchen. Lounge. Kitchen. Lounge.” Jordan roared with
laughter.
“I like the open plan option.” Joy grinned and looked at the
kitchen area.
“Very nice. Well at least you have a proper oven and a microwave.
Okay. I do like your fridge. Very pretty.” Jordan roared with
laughter.
“Sometimes we get a bargain.”
“Oh I can see that fridge was dirt cheap. You scaley bugger! You
took a bar fridge and converted it!” Jordan chuckled and
nodded.
“And how can you tell?” Joy leaned over and looked through the
glass door.
“Darn where did you get all that cheese!” Jordan roared with
laughter.
“One thing. You have to keep it real tidy.” Joy nodded.
“Could it be any bigger?” Jordan smiled.
“Oh you took two! Clever boy! Have you got a freezer?” Jordan
nodded.
“Now that is in the kitchen downstairs. I have my own.” Joy
nodded.
“Good. Because I have nowhere to store my frozen goods. You better
make space!” Jordan grinned.
“Now would you like to sit in the kitchen or the lounge for your
coffee?” Joy grinned.
“Bar stools?”
“Can be arranged.” Jordan ran down the stairs and fetched two bar
stools. He put them in the kitchen area. Joy hopped on.
“Right. So where is the table?” Jordan grinned and ran down the
stairs and fetched a little round table. He ran up the stairs and
put the table in front of the two bar stools. Joy nodded.
“Now we are talking.” Jordan chuckled and poured two cups of
coffee. He took out some whipped cream and added the cream.
“Now I am impressed. Can you reach the Brie?” Jordan grinned.
“Are you hungry?” Joy shook her head.
“No. But I think it would be nice on a cracker.” Jordan roared with
laughter. He took out a pack of crackers and took the cheese out
and put it on the table. He took out two plates.
“We don’t need those. Let me have a knife and a board.” Joy smiled
as she took the crackers and put the cheese on top. They sat and
ate from the board. Joy did cracker after cracker.

“
So how did you manage today?” Joy
nodded.
“Got the van which you saw. William gave me a good discount.”
Jordan nodded.
“I went to the bank and met with a lady named Gretchen.” Jordan
smiled.
“And then to the post office and I met Jill. Had a good giggle when
I met with Alfonso. Garth’s store was rather interesting. And that
was about all. I think. And then I sat and went through the details
which I requested about the school.” Jordan nodded.
“You get around.” Joy sighed.
“I wanted to come last week. But then we had the tour. So I put it
off. Now for the mad rush.” Jordan smiled.
“What more would you like to do?” Joy smiled as she got another
cracker ready.
“I would have liked to have bought a house.” Jordan smiled.
“So you are staying?” Joy nodded her head.
“Get used to me. I have intentions of being here for a very long
time.” Jordan smiled.
“I am glad.” Joy nodded.

Jordan looked at the cracker in his hand.
He took a while before he asked.
“Joy are you dating?” Joy smiled and looked at Jordan.
“No. But I think you will be. Being the owner of the local pub. And
all those women that are at your beck and call.” Jordan roared with
laughter. He shook his head.
“And those sexy sultry eyes. Not to mention that all amazing voice
you have.” Jordan grinned and shook his head.
“No. I am not dating. I have not dated a single person. I stepped
out of school and started working here. Then I put the plan in
motion and bought out the owner. Then I built the business. And I
haven’t had time for any of that. Joy I am not into that. I see so
much in the pub. Men picking women up. Women picking men up. I am
not social in that sense. I don’t entertain women. It is just not
me.” Joy smiled.
“Jordan I am sitting here in your kitchen.”
“Yes but you aren’t one of those.” Joy smiled.
“And what am I?”
“To me. A lady. A proper lady who doesn’t do things like that.
Someone with class.” Joy smiled.
“Thank you.” Jordan nodded.
“There is something about you. I don’t know. Maybe I have had too
much coffee. You just. You get to me Joy. I can relate to you.” Joy
smiled.
“Coffee? So where is the refill?” Jordan grinned as he got up and
made another cup of coffee. He put the cups down.
“I can’t explain it. When we sang together. Before then. I looked
at you and. I don’t know how to explain it to you.” Joy smiled. She
knew exactly what he was trying to say. She felt exactly the
same.

“
This isn’t a come on or a pick up line?”
Jordan smiled.
“No. Because if it was you are a very expensive date. You have
eaten almost all the crackers. And not to mention the cheese. And
what about the coffee?” Joy roared with laughter. She looked at the
block of cheese.
“I didn’t mean to.” Jordan roared with laughter.
“Oh I know you like cheese.”
“You do?” Jordan nodded.
“I heard Graham talking about the Feta.” Joy chuckled.
“The eldest of the boys. Then you get Michael and then Shane.”
Jordan smiled.
“Three brothers?” Joy nodded.
“And I am the oldest. The big sister. But they all treat me like
the kid sister. Size matters I guess.” Jordan smiled.
“The oldest? Oh no Joy this will not do! I thought I was dating a
young lady.” Joy gasped.
“How young do you want them?” Jordan grinned.
“I am the oldest. Then you get Dalton my brother and then Tanya.
You will get to know Tanya.”
“I know Tanya. The pretty young lady that was sitting with Zeba and
Lloyd, your folks. And not to mention Anne, Dalton’s wife.”
“You know them already?” Joy roared with laughter.
“I listen to all the different conversations that happen. I heard
them chatting. So now I know they are your family.” Jordan
smiled.
“And your folks are?”
“Roland and Quartz.”
“Strange name.” Joy nodded.
“I am glad they named me Joy. I could have been Onyx or Ruby.”
Jordan grinned.
“I got lucky. I don’t know where the name Dalton comes
from!”

Joy smiled.
“Dalton originates from an English surname originally from a place
name meaning ‘valley town’. The English Chemist and Physicist who
theorized about the existence of atoms. John Dalton. And the funny
thing is it is a very popular American name.”
“Really?” Joy nodded.
“But I have no idea where that came from.” Jordan chuckled and
shook his head.
“Year?”
“Eighteen something.”
“And the name Joy?” Joy chuckled.
“Simply from the English word joy. But ultimately derived from
Norman French joie or Latin gaudia. And has been regularly used as
a given name since the late nineteenth century. Very popular in the
United States and funnily enough quite popular in Netherlands.” Joy
chuckled.
“Go Google!” Jordan roared with laughter and shook his head. He
looked at the fridge.
“What else would we like?”
“A little Camembert. Haven’t you eaten?” Jordan shook his head. Joy
got up.
“Allow me. What do you fancy?”
“Anything housed in the fridge.” Joy chuckled as she took a few
eggs out of the fridge. She took a few ingredients and put them on
the counter.
“Do you have anything in the cupboard like Macaroni. Sort of a long
thing with a hollow in the middle. Kind of a creamy white color.”
Jordan grinned and pointed at the cupboard. Joy took the box out
and found a pot. She soon had the macaroni on the stove. She found
the grater and grated a little cheese that she took out of the
fridge. She took another pan and fried up a mushroom and a few
other ingredients. She found another pan and started making a
sauce.
“What on earth are we making?”
“We. I don’t see your little feet on the ground.” Jordan
grinned.
“We. As in the royal we. We feel like a little Alfredo. But I used
Macaroni so it is going to taste a little different.” Jordan
smiled.
“You didn’t have to.”
“But you haven’t eaten.”
“And have you?” Joy giggled and shook her head.
“You little nonsense! You are eating me out of house and
home.”
“Yes well. You might need to buy another box of macaroni. I am not
very good with working out quantities.” Jordan grinned. She put the
mushrooms and the ham in to the sauce and stirred. She put the pan
into the basin and added water. She soon had the macaroni in the
colander.

Jordan got up and
took two plates as Joy put some of the
macaroni in to the sauce. Joy dished up and put the plates on their
little table.
“Pepper. Black pepper. In a pepper grinder.” Jordan reached for the
pepper grinder and put it on the table. They both sat down and
Jordan started eating his supper. He nodded.
“I hope there is a lot of this.” Joy grinned and looked at the
pot.
“You cooked Macaroni for an army.” Jordan chuckled.
“Well tomorrow night we can have a nice noodle and Salmon salad.
Fancy that?”
“Could we add Feta?”
“I don’t think they normally do but I am sure we can bend the
rules.” Joy grinned and nodded.
“What day are we?”
“Saturday. What about a little of your liqueur?” Joy smiled.
“We could sample it.” Jordan nodded.
“This is very tasty Joy.” Joy smiled. He got up and poured two
little glasses. Joy took hers and took a little sip.
“Oh this is nice.” Jordan got up and put a CD on.
“I hope you don’t mind.” Joy smiled.
“Not at all.” He sat and ate his supper and they sipped at their
liqueur. Joy finished her supper. She got off the chair and took
another two bowls. She dished up two more meals. She looked in the
cupboard for some Glad Wrap and wrapped it over the bowls and put
them in the fridge. She looked at the macaroni. She found a bowl
and scraped it in to the bowl. Jordan smiled.
“Definitely a salad. And two meals. Joy this was divine.” Joy
smiled.
“I enjoyed doing that.” Jordan kept filling up their glasses. Joy
smiled.
“This is lovely. But I think it is rather potent.” Jordan
grinned.
“I don’t think it is a good idea for you to be on the roads
tonight. Joy you can take one of the spare bedrooms.” Joy
nodded.
“As long as you know.” Jordan nodded.
“Yes?” Joy nodded but didn’t say anything else.
“So are we going to make our way to the lounge? I feel like a bar
fly.” Jordan grinned.

He picked up their bottle and they both
sat on the couch.
“I have to take my boots off. Mind if I get comfortable? Jordan is
the motel a gossip?”
“No. The motel is as safe as houses. A lot of their clientele are
there for one night only.” Joy groaned and Jordan grinned.
“Passing through.” Joy grinned. Joy turned and Jordan smiled.
“Hold your foot.” He pulled her boot off and she put up her other
foot.
“And they don’t stink!” Joy roared with laughter.
“Overdosed with foot powder.” Jordan chuckled as he put up his foot
and Joy pulled his shoe off. She pulled the other off. They sat
facing each other with their backs against the edge of the couch.
Joy smiled.
“This music is lovely.”
“Would you like a glass of wine?” Joy nodded.
“Light. Something light. A little rose’ if you have.” Jordan walked
to the fridge and opened a bottle of wine. He poured each of them a
glass. Joy took her glass and smiled.
“Jordan. We need little tables in here. Get a set of three. Those
that fit into each other.” Jordan nodded. He watched as Joy sipped.
She was so open and honest. It was the first time that he had ever
entertained anyone in his home. Apart from his family popping by.
He looked at his kitchen and smiled. He had never ever before had a
table in there. And it looked so good.
“You know. If we get a decent set of bar stools. That would look
kind of nice.” Joy nodded.
“We need to replace the Brie.” Jordan chuckled and
nodded.

“
Jordan.”
“Sweetheart.”
“I like when you call me sweetheart. I would like to be. I am a bit
of a dark horse. I am a wild child. I live life. I enjoy life.
Music and bikes. Leathers and underwear. I like them all.”
“Boxers?”
“Dread the thought.”
“Sleeping in pajamas?” Joy closed her eyes and leaned her head
back.
“If and only if there is a house full.”
“Blonde wigs.”
“Only when I go out on my own and don’t want to be recognized in
the morning.”
“Golden oldies.”
“At the right time and the right place.” Jordan smiled as he
watched her.
“Jordan it is getting pretty dark in here.” Jordan closed his
eyes.
“Put your glass down.”
“Empty. Lying on my stomach.” Jordan grinned as he spoke with his
eyes closed.
“You came here to get me sloshed.”
“Came for coffee.”
“And had a meal.”
“Hungry. We need to replace the cheese and the macaroni.”
“I will replace those.” Joy smiled.
“I am not loose. I don’t sleep around. I don’t do any sleeping.
Around.” Jordan smiled.
“Have you ever?” Joy sighed.
“No. You?”
“No. But I think it could be nice.” Joy smiled.
“Penetration.” Jordan’s eyes flew open and he looked at Joy. Her
head rolled to the side and she smiled. She had fallen
asleep.

He leaned back and listened to the music and
fell asleep.

Joy woke up early. She opened one
eye.
“Jordan.”
“Uhm.” Joy got up and walked down the passage. She took a duvet
from the bed and walked back to the couch. She threw the duvet over
both of them and climbed back on the couch. She turned on to her
side and snuggled in. Jordan woke up and looked at Joy. He snuggled
down and fitted in. He fell fast asleep as warm as
toast.

Joy got up early. She got the crumpets on
the go and piled the plate. Jordan woke up and sat up. He saw the
cup of coffee on the floor. He took it and sipped and
sighed.
“Busy bee.” Joy smiled.
“I hope you are hungry.”
“Indeed.” They both sat and ate their crumpets on the couch wrapped
in the duvet. Jordan smiled and nodded.
“Did you make extra?”
“Yes. There are a few left over.”
“How many?”
“The army would appreciate my efforts as their cook.” Jordan
chuckled and shook his head.
“More?” Joy shook her head.
“I think my hole is filled.” Jordan got up and fetched a few more.
He filled their cups of coffee.
“What time do you open on a Sunday?”
“Nine. More of a restaurant on a Sunday. We have our one or two
regulars. They sit for hours.” Joy smiled.
“I have to get ready for tomorrow.” Jordan nodded.
“Did you bring your files?”
“I think they are in my bag.” Jordan reached over.
“They are in your bag.” Joy chuckled.
“I have to go through them. I have a lot of changes. Contemplating
though. Do I go in there and change everything. Or do I slowly do
it?”
“Go in guns blazing.” Joy nodded.
“We think alike.” Jordan grinned.
“What are you going to change?”
“Every single thing. These kids are being treated like babies. The
teachers walk from class to class. Oh things are going to change.
Big time!” Jordan grinned.
“This school has the lowest rating. I am going to change
that.”
“Tanya is a teacher there.”
“Good. I need youngsters. Oh they are in for a huge surprise.”
Jordan grinned.
“If I get fired. It will be because they could not change and
adapt.” Jordan nodded.
“Your job is safe here.” Joy giggled.
“Oh my word. This song! Daniel Boone. Beautiful Sunday!” They both
started singing. Joy clicked her fingers. Jordan clapped his hands.
Jordan turned up the volume. Joy grinned. They both sang
together.
“Hey, hey, hey, it’s a beautiful day!”