ENDING OF PREVIOUS POST:

Anderson and Shana turned their heads, as Jeff called, "Ouch! Hot, hot hot. Shana, these biscuits are good."

Shana stood. "Be careful or you'll burn yourself."

"I think it's too late for that warning." Anderson followed Shana into the kitchen.

Jeff popped the last of the biscuit into his mouth. "Guilty, but I'm hungry and couldn't pass up warm biscuits."

"More like hot biscuits. I'd better finish dinner before Jeff starves," teased Shana.

"Since I found out you can swim, how about swimming after dinner?" asked Anderson.

"Sounds fun." Shana waved a dishtowel toward the two men. "Now, get out of the kitchen."

As they walked through the patio door, Jeff asked, "Sure swimming with Shana's a good idea?"

Anderson's eyes widened.

Jeff continued, "Shana in a swimsuit might be more than you can handle. She's definitely a looker."

"Can't be any worse than my imagination." Anderson rubbed the back of his neck.


TODAY'S POST:

Chapter 31 part 3

As they finished eating, Anderson raised up the plate that once held the biscuits. "I'd sure like another one, but somebody ate them."

Jeff leaned back in his chair and patted his stomach. "I may need to run an extra two miles, tomorrow, but they were good. Little lady, you're a great cook. Who taught you?"

"Probably both my grandma and mom. I spent a lot of time in the kitchen. In my father's house, that's where the women needed to be." Shana picked up a serving dish. "I'll clean up. Dessert will be a little later."

"Let me help." Anderson picked up a platter. "Do we get to know what dessert is or is it still a secret?"

Shana took the platter from him. "I made the mess, I'll clean it. Just relax for a little bit. It won't take long." Over her shoulder, she said, "Not telling you, yet. I'll meet you on the patio when I'm finished."

*****
When Shana finished cleaning and went to the patio, she sat beside Anderson as he strummed the guitar. "You play well. Who taught you?"

"I guess everybody in my family would be guilty. Even Dad has a little talent but he often sits on the side-line. Does anybody in your family play a musical instrument?"

"Mom plays a little piano, but nothing like your mom." Shana tilted her head. "I'm betting you also play the piano, am I right?"

He grinned. "I do, but it's not my favorite. Mom made me take lessons. I prefer this." He played and hummed.

After the song ended, Shana chewed on her lower lip. "That was beautiful, but..." she hesitated then blurted, "What about Patricia's death? I know you must have some feelings about it. You haven't addressed them."

Anderson's eyes widened. "I don't see anything that needs to be addressed."

Jeff walked over and sat. "I've been wondering the same thing. You had a child with her and were married almost three years. There has to be some emotion."

"I feel like you two are ganging up on me." Anderson released a deep breath and set the guitar against the chair. "We were married exactly two years," he paused for some math, "eight months and twelve days."

He went to the kitchen, got a bottle of water, and returned. After taking a long drink, he continued, "We resided as husband and wife three months before I discovered her drug addiction. She spent the next two months in rehab." He leaned back in his chair as his eyes met Shana's. "I'll omit the graphic details. This isn't pretty."

"I didn't think it would be, but I'm betting you need to tell it."

"I can see some Jewish Grandma qualities here." Anderson took another drink of water before he continued, "But you're probably right. After Patricia returned from rehab, she promised she'd remain drug free. I believed her and the next thing I knew she was pregnant. About a month later, I realized she was using again. I sent her to rehab until she delivered Emily. She stayed home about three months and then started re-using. While in rehab the third time, she continued using, and I filed for divorce."

"I know you tried. I remember you visiting during her rehab stay," said Jeff. "I also remember quite a few times we had to go find her and bring her home from all sorts of ...."

"No graphic details," interrupted Anderson. "All total, I think we lived as a married couple eight total months. I don't even want to know everything she put Emily through. Philip and Jane have had the pediatrician check her and he recommended a counselor. No child should be subjected to that. So I really don't have any feelings for her. I tried, but she wanted a different lifestyle. I believed her lies." Anderson faced Shana. "Our discussion earlier...I'm not making the same mistake. I've learned and am wiser."

Jeff stood. "Little lady, you said something about dessert. How can I help?"

Shana walked over to the outside stone fire place. "You could start a fire, while Drew continues to serenade us. I'll be right back."

"Okay, but what does a fire have to do with dessert? Besides it's still over ninety degrees." Jeff stared a moment before he added kindling. "Any ideas what she's up to?"

"Not a clue, but earlier she talked with Emily, so who knows." Anderson chuckled.

Moments later Shana returned with a platter filled with jumbo marshmallows, chocolate candy bars, graham crackers, and long skewers. "Anybody ready for s'mores?" Her eyes met Anderson's. "Emily said they were one of your favorites."

"I really like them, but probably not as much as Emily." Anderson accepted the skewer. "Give me those marshmallows. I'm a champion roaster."

As the first round of s'mores was enjoyed, the two German shepherds ran to the patio door, wagging their tails.

Jeff stood. "What's got into them?"

Anderson walked to the dogs. "I have no idea. I think Shana has spoilt them so rotten they've forgotten their training."

"Hey, where is everybody?" sounded a call from the front hallway.

After opening the door, Anderson answered, "Zack, we're out here. I didn't expect you. What's going on?"

Shana joined the men. "Have you had dinner? There's a little left over."

"I ate on the way." Zachery glanced around the patio. "I would like some s'mores." He grinned. "But first, pretty lady, I have a surprise for you."









Characters so far:

Shana Kohlberg -- a 25 year old high school English literature teacher -- she's trying to get her family's painting back
Anderson Sharp -- often called Drew -- 31 years old -- works part-time on Wall Street -- a billionaire from Texas oil wells
Dmitry Bezrukov -- one of three Russian men in black suits
Jeff Burk -- takes care of Anderson's cars and important security details.
Helen -- Anderson's cook
Jane -- Anderson's housekeeper
Philip -- Anderson's butler -- close friend
Kyle -- Anderson's dog walker
Axel -- Anderson's lead German shepherd
Thor -- Anderson's second German shepherd
Romeo -- Anderson's third German shepherd
Aaron Kohlberg -- Shana's older brother
Ivan Kuznetsov -- formally Ivan Morozov, I accidently chose a real person, so I have changed it present day owner of the painting.
Patricia -- Anderson's ex-wife
Emily -- Anderson's five year old daughter
Isaiah Glassberg -- Anderson divorce/custody attorney.
Jeremy -- Jane's second-cousin twice removed, NYC undercover cop.
Hannah Jacobs -- Shana's cousin, the same age and best friend. Married within the past year and just had a baby, Sarah. Her husband, Paul. Sarah was just diagnosed with Tay-Sachs disease.
Joshua Colton -- Art Museum's curator
Benjamin Kohlberg -- Shana's father
Eliana Kohlberg - - Shana's mother
Maxwell Gaines -- Lawyer hired to retrieve the painting
Erich Berger -- Manager of the Dorotheum art auction house in Austria
Mary Pritchard -- The lady Anderson hired to help Hannah while she's in Boston with Sarah.
Zachery Sharp -- Anderson's younger brother
Michael Sharp -- Anderson's father
Susan Sharp --Anderson's mother
Leon Sharp - - Anderson's grandfather
Grandma Sharp - - Anderson's grandmother
Oscar - - Team Leader of the security detail
Detective Rollins - - Austin police detective
Agent Allan Ryan - - FBI agent