Helen opened the door.She blinked twice and silently closed it back.It was then The Cranberry made up her mind to leave this home.This was not the place for her, and she no longer needed to be here; however, it was cold as hell outside, and she didn’t plan to start driving on an empty stomach.
First thing, she went to her bedroom and grabbed the bag of special beans Micah Delgado had sent her of his select blend of coffee.In the kitchen, she dumped the pot of swill in the carafe, washed it with soap and water, and began to brew her own.Next, she located flour, salt, and butter to make a batch of Ruth's biscuits.When Helen opened the fridge, she spotted a pot roast that may have been cooked the day before she arrived, and she pulled that out as well.
“Channel the feelings.Channel the thoughts.Sort through what you're feeling,” she said to herself.
From under the counter, she found a stew pot.The Wolf stove was a chef's dream, and Helen would make the pot of soup Donovan had requested along with the biscuits before she left.She located the root bin, grabbed a few potatoes, carrots, and onions, and in the fridge, she spotted a wilted stalk of celery.She made quick work of a roux, cutting up the roast and chunking it in the pot.She added canned tomatoes and tomato sauce, and in a cabinet, she found spices.
“A whole damned cabinet full of seasonings and spices, yep, unopened,” she grumbled, pulling down what she needed, sprinkling spices into the pot like a witch making a potion.After pouring in a container of vegetable broth, the soup was underway.
Once the ingredients were all mixed, she set the burner to allow the soup to come to a slow boil to simmer.Next, she scrambled eggs with grated cheddar and pan-seared a few slices of Canadian bacon.Sighing, she poured herself a cup of wonderful as Bella appeared in the kitchen just as the oven dinged.Helen removed the biscuits, plating one, along with a smidgen of her homemade jam she'd also brought downstairs and passed it to the woman.She poured Ms.Bella half a cup of the wonderful coffee, careful not to give the old bird too much and have her hyped up, running around unhinged outside in the cold trying to make snow angels as well.
One bite into the biscuit, and Ms.Bella looked as if she remembered who the hell she was before the accident.Helen smiled as she pulled out three plates and placed eggs, biscuits, and ham on each one, setting them for the other two.Donovan appeared next, his hair mussed, and he was smiling.
“Morning,” he said as Helen passed him a plate and poured him half a cup of coffee.
Helen's back was turned when Tiffany arrived and saw the biscuits.Helen provided her the same along with, “After breakfast, I'm heading home.”
Tiffany sipped the coffee, her eyes growing wide from the amazing taste.“You haven't completed your training.”
“Honey, if you can teach anthropology online to students and they get it, you can do the same for me from my home,” Helen said.
“Is something wrong?Are you uncomfortable here?”Tiffany asked.“Have we made you feel unwelcome?”
“Not at all, but this feels wrong in my spirit, and I always listen to my gut.My gut says to leave,” she replied.“The soup is simmering; here are the biscuits you wanted.You can order this brand of coffee online for it to be delivered, but this is a special blend I wanted to share with you before I left.”
Helen said a quick prayer and began to eat her meal.She would have a conversation in private that Tiffany may not want other ears to hear.Hell, she didn't want to have it, but it would happen.After finishing her meal, she washed her dishes, stirred the pot of soup, and made for the stairs.
Packing wouldn't take her long since she’d started it last night.Just as she zipped the suitcase, Tiffany appeared at the door.She tapped lightly, and Helen told her to enter.
“Talk to me,” Tiffany said.“Have we offended you?Did he offend you by asking you to cook?”
“This house feels wrong to me, Tiffany,” she said.“He feels wrong.He arrives the same day as I do with a sob story, and you invite him in from the cold.Suddenly, he's the Bella whisperer, and this morning, your legs are on his shoulders.What are you doing, Sis?”
Tiffany’s face showed shock that Helen knew about her dirty little escapade in the basement.“What?How did you know that?”
“I came downstairs to see the space,” Helen said.“Little did I know when he yelled, I'm coming, I thought he meant to answer the door.Also, when he yelled open up, I didn't know he meant your legs, so I opened the door and saw entirely too much.I need a mental enema.”
“Sorry about that, but I'm grown and it's my house,” Tiffany said.
“Sure, the fuck is, which is why I'm leaving you to it,” Helen said, sliding her laptop in the bag.For good measure, she checked under the bed and around the floor to ensure she hadn’t left anything.
Tiffany’s face showed confusion.“You're leaving because I screwed him?Did you want a turn?”
“Honey, I have a husband whom I'm going home to,” Helen said, sighing.“Listen, I get it.You're lonely and wanted or craved human touch; we all do.He’s healthy and willing to provide service by breaking you off a little something nasty.He showed up a day ago, Tiffany.You still have no idea how he tracked you or if he tracked me to get to you.Now, you're sharing spit with him?”
“Helen, I’m not sure how you made this be about you, or why is this bothering you so much.”
Helen rolled the suitcase to the door and grabbed her coat and scarf.She slid on one leather glove, then the other.She slung her favorite crossbody bag over her shoulder.
“There is a lot happening in this house, especially with Bella.Loneliness can be a bitch, and he knows it,” Helen said.“He's tapped into what you and Bella both wanted or needed and he's tried several times to read me.You let him into this home.I don't trust him, and I'm letting you know.”
“It would seem, as my compatriot, you'd want to stay and have my back,” Tiffany said.
“As you told me, you're grown, and this is your house.You are a full-fledged Technician, and as far as I know could probably kill either of us without blinking,” Helen said.“I've done my part.I spotted the snake, pointed him out in the grass.You not only decided the pet it; you also fucked it.I'm leaving.We can work online.”
“What if I tell Azrael you've failed?”Tiffany asked.
“Then I go on about my mutherfucking life,” Helen said, “but this, I'm not doing.You're not so lonely that you’re stupid, and for the people in the cheap seats, the Chrysalis hired a tracker to find me.He found me, but I also found him.After I located him and tickled his toes in his house while he was sleeping, the next day he packed his shit and moved.They don’t know where he is.As far I know, the gent downstairs could be that dude’s replacement, so once more, good luck with all of it.”
