Chapter One: Pre-Op
Very late July 2009 on Alnilam. Alien Lisa (AL) was relaxing in the living room of the house reading a book, Hooks snuggled up next to her, when Gary suddenly burst in. She looked up.
“Hey, luv,” she said. “What’re you all in a tizzy about?”
“Do you know what’s coming up in, like, a week?” he asked.
AL raised an eyebrow. “Uh…” She glanced at her watch. “August?”
“Don’t you remember what happened in August last year?”
“Uh…” she said again, thinking, then she picked up the stray thought flitting through his mind. “Great Orion! I completely forgot V gave Clockwork the Inkwell last August! Are they planning a party?”
“I think Victoria forgot, too.”
“Well, this just won’t do!” AL declared.
“Lou’s not too happy about cooking for so many people in a week.”
“Tell him to chill. I’ll get on the horn and see who I can rustle up. You take care of the rest of it.”
“You got it,” said Gary, rushing upstairs calling for the other guys while AL reached for her phone.
The line rang and rang and rang before it was answered. “Hello, Lisa.”
Hooray for Caller ID. “Hey, Alton,” said AL. “What’re you doing next Saturday?”
Alton Brown paused for a moment. “Why?”
“Well, ClockworkDoc got the Inkwell a year ago next Saturday and we’re gonna have a party. We need someone to cook, not to mention I need to get a hold of Duff for cake.”
“Um,” he said, “yeah, okay. How many people, though?”
AL did a quick calculation. “Uh…there’s the seventeen of mine plus all of V’s boys…”
“Sounds like a whole lot, Lisa.”
“Well…”
“I can’t do it alone.”
“Okay, well, you got Lou who’s the cook at the bar. And I can try getting Robert to come, too.”
“You do that and I’ll do it, all right?”
“Sure. Thanks, hon.”
“Let me know. Bye, Lisa.”
“Bye.” AL hung up and then dialed Robert Irvine.
“Hey, Lisa.”
“Hey, Robert. What’re you doing next Saturday?”
Beat. “Why?”
AL explained the situation and then finished with, “Please, Robert?”
He hedged for a bit. “All right, all right, Lisa. I’ll do it.”
“Yes! I love you! I got one more call to make. Robert, I love you, thank you so much.”
“No problem, Lisa. See you later.”
“Bye.” She hung up, sent a quick text message to Alton telling him that Robert was on board, then found one more number.
There was about a half a ring before someone picked up. “Charm City Cakes, this is Mary Alice. How can I help you?”
“Yo, Mary Alice, it’s Lisa.”
“Oh, hey. What’s up?”
“I’m in trouble. I need cake for next Saturday. It’s ClockworkDoc’s anniversary for getting the Inkwell and I want a display piece replica of the bar and a couple of sheet cakes.”
“Lisa, you know we’re booked ’til November, right?”
AL winced. “I know,” she said, drawing the word out, “but I thought you might be able to squeeze me in since, you know, it’s me.”
“Now, Lisa,” Mary Alice said admonishingly, “you know we love you, but – ”
“Is that Lisa?” said Duff’s voice from what sounded like across the room at the bakery.
“Yeah. Hang on, Lisa.” Mary Alice covered the mouthpiece of her headset but AL could hear what she was saying anyway, albeit muffled. “She needs sheet cakes and a display replica of the Inkwell for next Saturday.”
“Absolutely,” said Duff and AL smiled.
“Duff,” reprimanded Mary Alice, “we’re completely booked ’til the 8th of November. There’s no way – ”
“I’ll do it. Gimme the phone.”
Mary Alice sighed, then took her hand away from the microphone. “Duff wants to talk to you.”
“Okay.”
There was some noise as Mary Alice handed the headset over to Duff then he came on the line. “Hey, Lisa.”
“Hey, Duff. How are you?”
“Great. Look, I’ll do the cakes for you on one condition.”
She frowned. “What’s that?”
“I get to see the place. We’ve been doing cakes for you for years but I’ve never seen any of the buildings we’ve made in cake.”
AL blinked. “Deal!”
End chapter one.
Back *~*~* Chapter Two