chapter 38

Grocery shopping went off without a hitch, Stephanie took care of the boys while Jesse and Jon hit the store.

“Hey dad, I think I can boost up the WiFi at the cabin, can we maybe stop into this shop I googled on line?” Jesse was watching which way they went in case, he and Steph, got to go into town by then selves.

“Sure, I don't want to get knocked off line tonight.” He said without thinking.

“Oh yeah, this is chat night.” he grinned, “Don't want to get booted out, a dad?”

Jon thought about what he said and then Jesse reaction he had to laugh.

“You got it bad dad.” Jesse laughed too.

“Just for that I'm gonna set you up kiddo.” He teased his son.

“Now dad, don't set me up with one of your groupies.” Jesse laughed

“Not one of mine, she's too young to be one of my groupies. She's one of Lexie's” Jon laughed even stronger.

“Dad!” He choked on his laughter.

They pulled into the grocery store, Jon got out no hat no glasses and headed in. Jesse stopped and watched him for once not go in with disguise. Grabbing the cart he pushed it behind his dad.

They hit all the isles and even made it through the bakery section with only one pack of cookies and one cake. Better than when he came in with Romeo. As luck would have it Sally was on the register when they went to check out. Jon nudged Jesse and nodded his head toward Sally and wiggled his eyebrows at him. Jesse just rolled his eyes.

“Well well well look who is back for a visit.” She began ringing up their order.

“Hey Sally, you will be happy to know Alexis new book will be out on time.” Jon told her, watching her stop checking and looked up at him.

“No kidding, really, you know Alexis Madison, Oh my God, you're Kidd.” She gasped

“You got busted Dad,” Jesse laughed.

Sally gasped and looked at the young guy with Jon and blushed. He had to be one of Jon's sons.

“Don't rat me out Sally,” He started to say.

“Sam, I'm Sam.” Sally said. “I took it from one of Lexie's book.” If it was possible she blushed even more. “I promise not to rat you out.”

“Good, good this is my son Jesse. He and his sister are here with me and well. You met my youngest and I have one more, but the two older two are getting bored real easy. What do the young people do around here.” Jon asked as he put the groceries out on the belt.

“Well, a lot of us go to the local college or the high school bunch hang out at Banshee, its a dance club that allows kids from sixteen and up from the high school and well since it's the only club in town the we hang out there too.” Sally said as she rang up the groceries, kinda looking at Jesse under her lashes.

“So are you in college or high school?” Jesse asked and was worried his voice would crack.

“I graduated last year from high school, decided to take a year off before tackling college. Just glad to work for a while before digging into college.” she totaled the sale and took Jon's card. “How long are you here for?”

“Just got here yesterday, we plan on being here two weeks.” Jon said.

“Good, There is a bunch of us meeting tomorrow night, I can give you directions to the club or you can meet me here after 7pm. I get off at 6 gives me time to go home and change.” Sally offered. “Dress is really casual jeans and shirt.”

Jon looked at Jesse to take the lead. Was he going to have to nudge him to get him to talk?

“Ah, it would be my sister too. That is if she wants to go out.” Jesse sort of stumbled over his words.

“Look, here's my cell number.” she flipped up the register receipt and wrote her name and cell number on the back. “If you and your sister want to go, just give me a text message and we can go from there, hows that?” she finished the sale and handed Jon back his card and the receipt,''

“That's good.” Jesse took the receipt from his father,

“Good. Have a nice day.” She nodded at the two.

“Bye Sally.” Jon said as he pushed to cart out to the car and tried not to laugh at the two kids.

Jesse followed and helped load the car with the bags. Jon took him to the computer store and waited in the car.

Jesse got what he needed and hurried out to the car.

“So, what do you think about Sally?” Jon asked as they headed back to the cabin.

“She's nice dad, older, but nice.” Jesse said as they drove along.

“Good, older is good.” He smiled.

“Yeah it is.” Jesse said as he looked at the number on the receipt. Taking out his cell he added the name and number.

“So you think Steph would like to go out tomorrow night?” Jon asked at he turned to car toward the cabin.

“I think so,” He toyed with the cell. “I got the part and should have it up in about twenty minutes.”

“Good, you might want to join in the chat and I really don't want you knocking me out.” Jon laughed

They got unloaded and Jesse went to upgrade the WiFi.

“Hey Jesse, what are you working on?” She curled up on the sofa.

“Setting up the new WiFi.” he told her. “We have the option to go out tomorrow night.”

“Yeah, dad down with that?” she looked at all the wires and stuff Jesse was messing with.

“Down and set it or rather me up.” Jesse sat up and looked at his sister.

“Dad set you up?” She giggled.

“Yeah he sure did, and I just stood there and let him do it.” He sighed

“So is she a total dog?” She picked up the manual that came with the kit.

“Not really, she's rather cute, she's the checker and the grocery store. I would say maybe nineteen, might be twenty.” He stood up and leaned over to activate the router. “Lets check this out.

“So this girl she have a name?” She reached over for the laptop her father was using and powered it up.

“Sally, she was telling dad and I about a club that the locals go to. She's said we could go with her tomorrow night.” Jesse pulled out his cell. Going over to the sofa he sat down and took the laptop from his sister and went into set up the password. “What will dad remember for the password?”

“Bon Jovi?” Stephanie laughed.

“Too easy need something no one could break.” He tapped away on the laptop and had to wait.

“LexnKidd” he typed the words with a smile. “Locked in. So do you want to go or not? I have to let Sam I mean Sally know.” He loaded the password in on his cell. “Here go on Facebook and lets see if you get booted.” He handed it back to her. While she went to get on facebook, he was loading the chat room and picking out a screen name. “You in?”

“Yep, you on?” She asked.

“In, now hit your cell,” he said and didn't see the head slap coming “Oh yeah, I'll get dad to let me take you to the mall I saw today and get you a new phone.”

“Good, I'll think about the club and let you know.” She got up and headed to the kitchen where her dad was on his cell.

“Yeah babe.” He said almost in a whisper.

“Jon what did I tell you about the Babe handle.” She laughed.

“Sorry Lex, I won't call you babe anymore.” he sounded chastised.

“So, you tried to hook up Jesse with Sally, I hope it doesn't backfire on you.” Lexie cuddled with Snow on the sofa.

“Listen when she learned that I knew you, I am numero uno in that girls eyes.” he laughed

“Ah. So your just using me to hook up your son.” She laughed even harder.

“Naugh Lex, I would never use you.” He stopped laughing. “I like you too much of you to use you.”

Good he said like not love Stephanie thought as she came into the kitchen.

Jon saw Steph come into the room.

“Hey Sweetie,” Jon smiled. “Jess and I got a pizza for tonight, think you can pull together some sandwiches for lunch?” He went back to his call. “Listen Lex, I got to go.”

“Okay Jon, help Steph with lunch and I'll talk to you later after chat.” She Got ready to end the call.

“Okay, I will. Later if Jesse got the new router so I won't get knocked off line. I”ll talk to you late.” With Steph in the room he couldn't say what he wanted to, so he let it go for not.

Closing his phone he watched him daughter fixing lunch.

“So you and Jess going to hit that club Sally told him about?” he went over and got the plates out and glasses out.

“I guess so, what kind of curfew will we have?” she took the plates and started the sandwiches.

“I would say eleven.” Jon got the milk out and poured two glasses.

“Daddy, could we do midnight?” Steph countered the curfew time.

“Why midnight, if you go about seven that gives you three and a half hours and thirty minutes to come home.” he watched her take in what he said.

“What if there is a band and they don't go on till ten, then we'd only get an hour and a half to listen.” She put a sandwich together and started the next.

“Why don't we say eleven on nights with no band and eleven thirty when there is a band.” he could almost here the wheels turning from across the room.

“Well,” she could play dirty and and bring up Lexie, but it could backfire on me and be worse than it is.”can we come back and talk about it once we start going out?” She took the third sandwiches to the plate and started on the fourth.

“Sounds logical, okay” Jon was impressed with her negotiations and could use her at the board table for the Soul Foundation.

She quickly finished the sandwiches.

“I'll get the boys,” she started handing him the plates for the table. “Tell Jess to call Sally and oh yeah Daddy, I need to go into town.”

“Need club clothes?” he laughed

“No, but you never know,” She giggled, “No I sort of broke my phone.”

“Do you want to tell me how it happened?” He stopped laughing.

“Not really, just know your phone and the floor don't work.” She stopped as she headed out the door and looked back. “Thanks Daddy.”

Jon looked up puzzled.

“For what Princess.”

“Just thanks.” Stephanie ran out of the room.