Electric, Books 1, 2, & 3 Special Edition

By Carly Compass

When Gina Parrot, a Catholic, married, mother of four meets Mikhail Vladimir, master of deception, it's Electric! Gina takes on a new job as his Office Manager and has no idea, how in one short year her life will be irreversibly changed. Vladimir's obsession and deception soon have him stalking her without limits. Holding on to her dream of a wholesome traditional life she fights against the current, while forces beyond her control, in the guise of a devastating diagnosis and memories from her past rear their ugly heads to leave Gina to question if she has made the right decision. The electric current between Gina and Mikhail soon cause a violent short circuit that change both of their lives, revealing that things aren't often what they seem when we dig to find the truth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Carly Compass
• Release date: Apr 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311331038

Carly Compass

Carly Compass has a Bachelors Degree in Writing and English from Elmhurst College. She is an avid reader, reviewer as well as a member in good standing of both Phi Theta Kappa and Sigma Tau Delta International Honors Societies. She has a number of short stories under her belt published in: the Prairie Light Review, Black Widows, Web of Poetry, and the Middle Western Voice. Her first series, Electric was published in the fall of 2014 with critical acclaim and five star reviews across the board for all four books. She became a best selling author on Amazon when Book 4 came out to the waiting arms of her readers in April of 2015. Electric, The Beginning Book 1 is available for a free download. Books 1, 2, 3 are also available in a discounted combination set. All books read well as stand alone, but you'll want to read every word and leave no page unturned. Pick up your copy today and let the world know what you think by leaving a review! Carly loves hearing from her readers, feel free to connect across the board on all social media.

Book preview

Gina sat despondent, disheveled and disillusioned wondering what she could have done differently? How did this happen and over such a short period of time?

Was she to blame? Did she ignore the signs? Now, two people whom she loved very much were gone, lost forever. Dead.

She poured over the letters. One line stood out to her: In my mind and heart you will always be with me, and I will carry this into the next life.

Did he hope to have some sort of relationship in the afterlife? Is that why all of this happened? She should have known from that first day she met him. She had a vision. Why didn’t she take it as an omen and just walk away?

Now, all the signs were clear. Hindsight is 20/20. Gina’s mind drifted back to that first day…

CHAPTER I

CHANCE ENCOUNTER

The parking lot was dark and desolate as Patty and Gina stepped down the stairs of the old loading dock in the back of the building. The evening was hot and humid as they both tried to adjust to the climate change having just left the air-conditioning. I wonder how the ducks are doing? Gina asked, thinking how nature was all but pushed aside leaving this poor mother duck to make a nest behind the dumpster in the parking lot. A van whizzed up nearly hitting them, Gina grabbed Patty’s arm to pull her back from the van’s path.

The driver rolled down his window two inches from where the two shocked women stood and said with a flirtatious undertone, Good Evening Ladies, did you just get off work?

Patty, the 22-year-old brunette Russian equivalent of Farah Faucet, smiled exposing her perfect pearly whites. Her brunette hair glistened in the phosphorescent light that beamed down from the electric pole that doubled for telephone lines not ten feet away. She tilted her head and gently brushed her hair away from her soft tawny complexion widening her pale green eyes as she added an uneasy giggle and said, Yeah, we’re just heading home.

Gina felt a little more at ease at this point, at least Patty knew the driver. Gina wanted to haul off on him for nearly hitting them, but since Patty knew him, she guessed he was just kidding around, albeit asinine. She resumed her way back toward her van when she remembered the ducks. Patty motioned for her to wait.

I just renovated my office, do you want to see it? asked the driver.

Well, I have to get going, Patty replied.

It’ll just take a minute. Come in and see it, he insisted.

Hey Gina, come in and see his office with me.

I have to get going, Gina replied.

Patty turned her head away from the driver’s view, her thick dark hair hiding her contorted expression. She widened her pleading eyes and motioned with her hand, just below the passenger’s window for Gina to come with her. Come with us Gina, you know you want to see it too, she giggled trying to make light of the situation and not show any fear.

Gina lagged behind as he parked his van and jumped out. He seemed to be reorienting his feet with his medium built frame in a youthful stance. He stepped out toward the loading dock, wearing a locomotive engineer’s railroad cap, a bright white t- shirt tucked into a large burnished silver steam engine buckle that belted his faded Levis. He stepped toward the women in his heavy black construction boots with his hand extended in greeting.

This is Gina, Patty said shaking his hand, and this is Mr. Vladimir of Vladimir Electric.

Hi. Nice to meet you, Gina said, extending her hand.

He looked down at her 5’4 frame, flashing a confident smile of impeccably brilliant white teeth hidden beneath a thick well groomed salt and pepper beard, while he enveloped her frail hand into his large calloused hands in greeting and said, Nice to meet you too."

They proceeded back up the steps to the entrance.

His office/warehouse was located on the first level of the old building, while their office was on the second floor, but shared the same entrance. They walked through his immaculately kept warehouse to the main office that was lit with fluorescent ballast in a drop ceiling, with the silver square light covers, giving the appearance of daylight. The office was warm, inviting and meticulously arranged; a stark contrast to the insurance office where they worked, a dusty, stale, paper-piled room with a hodgepodge of ripped up amber and avocado furniture from the 70’s.

Vladimir installed powdered blue sculptured Berber carpeting, painted the walls a sky blue, replete with light oak office furniture and a surround sound system, all state of the art. It was clean, sharp and efficient.

This is really nice! Patty exclaimed, as he drew their attention to a model he had protruding from the wall.

Check out my train model, he said, as he turned on the sound system, Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 1 in C, Allegro streamed through the surround sound speakers as they walked over to the model.

The model was a scene of a train coming out of the side of a mountain through a tunnel. I carved it out of Styrofoam and painted it to look like the Rocky Mountains, he said as they looked at the tiny pine trees, shrubs, and boulders scattered across the rocky surface. The colors were rich glossy black, blue green spruce, evergreen, wheat and slate gray; a stunning contrast to the sky blue walls. That’s the C & C Rail Road going through the Rocky Mountains, he beamed and continued, I made it myself. I’m going to convert my entire basement into a train model, but these ones will actually run through the tunnels. I’ll have the Colorado River running alongside the rail road just like it is in Colorado.

Admiring the scene, Gina exclaimed, Wow, you’re an artist! This looks so authentic.

Yeah, well, I love trains, he relinquished modestly.

It’s a good spot for your office then, with the train right across the street, Patty added sarcastically, because she hated the location of the office and the many times she was stuck at the train tracks while a freight train meandered through the little town of Riverdale. Patty had big dreams and this town was going to be a distant memory for her very soon she thought.

Yeah, that’s right! Now that I have my office finished, I’m looking for someone to work part time to run things for me. Let me know if you know of anyone?

What hours are you looking for? Gina asked.

10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. he quickly replied.

Well, I have children in school and I’m not sure I could be available all the time.

I’m flexible, he replied. I’m completely flexible and willing to work with you, he said looking intensely into Gina’s eyes, which she nervously averted.

Okay, I’ll drop off my resume and we’ll see what we can do.

Patty started to get uncomfortable and said, We better get going.

Okay. It was nice meeting you, Gina said, extending her hand again.

He shook her hand and said, Don’t forget about that resume, all while holding back a smirk with a knowing smile.

I won’t, Gina said, as they left the building.

As the women walked out to the parking lot Gina sensed tension and said, Patty, I work with you in the evening, so no worries, it won’t interfere with my job.

Patty smiled, and said, It better not, I would hate to lose you.

With that said they went to their separate cars, I forgot about the ducks, Gina said to Patty as she walked over to the dumpsters. Patty reluctantly followed her feigning interest. Gina peered behind the dumpster. Immediately behind the true link fence there was a tiny nest among the overgrowth of weeds, it now appeared abandon. Good, Gina sighed with relief, I don’t know how they did it, but it appears that the ducks are gone now.

Well, nature has a way of taking care of itself, Patty added as she headed back to her car.

Goodnight Patty, drive safe, Gina, said as she entered her van.

You too, Patty said as she unlocked her car door and got in. They drove off into the night toward their respective homes.

CHAPTER II

ROUTINE

When Gina arrived home, the house was a mess; she had to navigate the ten shoes and three backpacks strewn in the doorway entrance. She rolled her eyes as she surveyed the dinner dishes still on the table in the small sunroom where her family took their meals, and she winced at the laundry that was piling up in the corner just off the utility room where the washer and dryer were kept. Just once I wish Brad would help. I wish he would help without being asked, but mostly I wish he would just follow through on what I already asked, she thought as she continued to survey the galley kitchen that still had the dinner she prepared before work sitting in their pots and pans as she heard Brad snoring off in the direction of the living room. She rolled her eyes in disgust and shook her head in despair.

YOU WOULD THINK WHILE I AM AT WORK THAT HE COULD PITCH IN AROUND HERE AND TAKE CARE OF THINGS! Gina thought as she went through the den and up the stairs to check on the kids to make sure they had brushed their teeth, it was already 9:30 p.m. and the kids had just started school that week.

Did you eat your dinner Lisa? Gina asked as she surveyed the girl’s bedroom.

Yeah, Lisa said looking up from her book, already snuggled up in her bed. Amanda however was sitting in a pile of Polly Pockets still wearing her school clothes. Amanda, let’s get that cleaned up, it’s past your bedtime, Gina said with exasperation, Where’s Duncan? Did he eat his dinner?

Yeah, Lisa replied.

Gina peered into the boy’s room and said, Rob, stop playing that video game. Let’s get to bed now. Come to the bathroom and brush your teeth.

Okay, Rob replied still playing his game.

Hurry Rob, Amanda hasn’t even taken her bath yet, at this rate you guys will still be up at 10:30. Then she thought she would let him play his game while she bathed Amanda, and called out, Amanda let’s get you into the tub so you can get into your pajamas. Gina ran the bath and asked again, Where’s Duncan?

He’s sleeping on the couch, Lisa called from her bed.

Gina went back downstairs as Amanda undressed for the bath and found Duncan’s downy little head sticking out of a sleeping bag with his body sprawled out, his right foot dangling off the couch. He was drooling contentedly on his pillow, across from Brad who was stretched out on his recliner with his arms folded across his chest, snoring loudly.

Gina gently shook Brad awake; You were supposed to have the kids in bed by 8:00. It’s already 9:30. They have school tomorrow, she said with an annoyed look on her face nudging him again, Carry Duncan upstairs, she whispered. Brad got up groggily and picked up one-year-old Duncan and carried him up to bed and went to bed himself. Gina followed him back upstairs to get everyone in bed.

Come on Amanda let’s get you out of the tub. It’s getting late. She washed, rinsed and dried Amanda, struggling to get her damp body into her soft linen pajamas. Gina combed Amanda’s wet hair into a tight ponytail twisting it into a swirl. Let’s brush your teeth honey, she said and proceeded to get Amanda’s tooth brush from the brightly colored holder displaying six tooth brushes and brushed her first grader’s teeth, with a rinse and a spit, Gina bent down to give Amanda a swift kiss on her chubby little cheek and sent her off to bed.

Rob come in and brush your teeth already, it’s 10:00!

Okay, okay, Rob, said, finally shutting down his video game.

Rob brushed his teeth as Gina pulled the plug from the tub drain.

Good night honey, she said to Rob when he was finished brushing his teeth.

Gina rinsed the basin of toothpaste residue and said, Good night everyone. Stepping into the boy’s room she pulled the covers up over Rob making the sign of the cross on his forehead. She looked up at the top bunk where Duncan was sleeping soundly, don’t forget to say your prayers, Rob, she whispered and stepped across the hall to the girl’s room. Let’s say our prayers girls, Gina said, as they started in unison: Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the lord my soul to keep, and if I shall die before I wake, I pray the lord my soul to take. God bless, Mommy, Daddy, Rob, Amanda, Lisa, Duncan, Grandma, and Grandpa, all my aunts and uncles and all my cousins and Dear Lord, help to make me a good girl, Amen. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen. Gina finished the prayer by making the sign of the cross on each girl’s forehead and giving them a kiss on the cheek. Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite, I’ll see you in the morning, Gina said as she pulled their door slightly ajar. Good night Mommy, I love you! the girls said in unison and then started in on Pinch poke you owe me a coke, tap on blue you owe me two.

That’s enough girls get some sleep, Gina said as she bent down and grabbed the dirty laundry that had accumulated at the top of the steps. She brought it down adding it to the mounting pile already sitting in the sunroom and quickly sorted the clothes and started a load of towels and then cleared the table. She wrapped up whatever was salvageable from the taco dinner, loaded the dishwasher, washed the pots and pans, and wiped down the table and counter tops. Then she went to the den, sat down at the computer and printed up her resume. It took her a while to draft up a cover letter with salary requirements. She read and reread the letter until she was satisfied and printed up a copy. She then slipped the resume and cover letter into an envelope addressed to Mr. Vladimir of Vladimir Electric.

Once that was done, she went to the living room, popped in her Denise Austin, Yoga VHS tape and started her workout, Salutations to the Sun. At the end of the tape there was a meditation exercise where you release your mind of all thoughts. She was breathing deeply when Mr. Vladimir appeared in her mind’s eye. He grabbed her in a bear hug and wouldn’t let go; the shock woke Gina from her meditative state. What was that? Strange, she thought, but she just put it out of her mind as she checked the locks on the doors, turned off all the lights, put the last remaining glass in the dishwasher and set it to start, then proceeded up to bed at 12:30 a.m.

As she lay in bed waiting for sleep to come, she started thinking whether she had ever seen Mr. Vladimir before.

Gina remembered walking past him a few times while going to work, but always with her head down, sometimes she would say Hi, but that was about it. He was always standing in a group of men. Groups of men, or men in general just made Gina nervous. That was it, she was just nervous, she thought as she slowly drifted off to sleep.

The next day Gina got the kids up, dressed and fed them breakfast and was out the door by 7:30 a.m. She dropped the three older children off at school and went to the office’s rear entrance, hopped out of the van and taped her resume to the door of Vladimir Electric. She drove back home to resume her chores for the day.

Duncan was just waking up at this time so she changed his diaper, fed him breakfast and settled him down with a juice box and turned on Sesame Street in the living room. Then she went to the laundry room and put the towels in the dryer, started a load of whites, cleared the table of breakfast dishes, unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher and went up stairs after a quick check on Duncan to make the beds. She gathered more laundry and brought it down the stairs.

Brad was working in the den with both doors closed. She gave a quick look in on Duncan again who was content with his toys as Ernie and Bert started in with Rubber Ducky you’re the one… She went to the dining room to attack the mounds of paper she had piling up. Her dining room table was her epicenter, where she operated her Avon Business, paid her household bills, and ran her various charity work, whether it was the woman’s club, the CCW with the church, or the PTA, it all came with paper work.

She had a pile of paper accumulated from the past two days from the kid’s school that she had to go through and sign. She also had to make sure they had all the proper supplies and see if there were any projects at school that were due. There were notes about collecting one hundred things for the 100th day of school. She marked her calendar. 300 things that I am going to have to come up with, Gina thought while shaking her head. Usually the day approached and Gina would scramble to find 100 things she had laying around the house. One time she took 100 safety pins and pinned them to a felt square, another time it was Q-tips in a zip lock bag. As if I don’t have enough to do, she thought and continued to work her way through the pile.

The teacher’s at their grammar school always seem to hit the kids with family projects the first week of school, like a me box where you have to take the top of a shoe box and paste all the thing that your student likes to representation them, or collect brown paper grocery bags, which people rarely used anymore and tape them together to trace the outline of your student’s body, then decorate it in some creative way to make hair, eyes, nose and mouth that somehow resembles your student and if that wasn’t enough, you then had to write their autobiography within the silhouette replete with pictures.

There were also timelines, where you take pictures of your student’s milestones, first tooth, first step, first birthday etc.… all leading up to that first day of school. There was always something to go through and take care of like the packages for class pictures that you had to preorder and write checks for, emergency forms, health forms, and compliant forms, after about an hour of sorting through the paper and putting it into their prospective piles it was time for lunch and Duncan’s nap.

Gina taped the Pizza Hut book-it program logs alongside the children’s class room reading logs onto the refrigerator so she wouldn’t forget to have the children log their at home reading activity for the month. The children had to read twenty minutes a day, every day for the month, at the end of which they would receive a free personal size pan pizza. The children also had to log which books they read for the class log that the teacher also wanted to see at the end of every month.

Now the gym teacher at the school started an at home exercise log that the children had to perform twenty minutes of exercise per day and fill out the form with the date, time and the activity, i.e. jumping roping, climbing trees, raking leaves, etc.

Gina whipped up fish sticks, macaroni and cheese with peas and called out, Brad come and eat, as she went to the living room to get Duncan. Diaper change honey, she said with a smile as she changed Duncan’s diaper, Come on honey, time for lunch, she said as she scooped him off the floor and kissed his tummy, he let out a big belly laugh, let’s eat lunch, I’m hungry, Gina added as she picked him up in her arms and headed to the sunroom that was already set for lunch.

Brad sat down at the table deep in thought, while Gina coached Duncan to eat his food. Then Brad got a call and took it in the other room while Gina and Duncan finished their lunch.

After they ate their lunch, Gina took Duncan upstairs to read him three little golden books, The Billy Goats Gruff, The Three Bears, and finally, The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food and Duncan drifted off to sleep for his afternoon nap. Gina went back downstairs to clean up the kitchen mess, folded the towels, dried the whites and started a load of colors. She brought the towels upstairs and peaked in on Brad who was going over some files.

Brad, it’s a nice day, I’m going to walk to get the kids from school. Duncan is sleeping up stairs. You’re not going anywhere right? Gina asked.

No, it should be alright, Brad said, not looking up from his paperwork. Okay, she said as she left the house and journeyed out on her one-mile walk to the school.

Gina arrived about five minutes early. She loved the little grammar school and worked to raise money for the new colorful playground equipment that sat shinning in the sun while little toddlers waiting for their older siblings frolicked on the playground.

CHAPTER III

PTA SOCKHOP

Rob, Gina’s first born, started at the school just when a group of mothers had planned a coup d'état to take over the incumbent PTA that spent $2,000.00 on the annual teacher’s appreciation luncheon at the end of every year.

The moms of the incumbent PTA were a tight group. Being new to the school Gina wanted to be involved, so she attended her first PTA meeting, while Rob was in Kindergarten. At the first monthly PTA meeting held in September, a time and location was announced for the planning committee being formed for the Teacher’s Appreciation Luncheon. The planning started in September for the end of the year party. Of course Gina signed up and looked forward to getting to know all the women better.

She had just moved to Riverdale the previous spring and was finding it difficult to cultivate new friendships.

Two weeks later, Gina arrived at the modest home of Victoria, who was holding the meeting and welcomed her at the door. Come in, Victoria motioned with her hand, take a seat anywhere, we’re still waiting for the other ladies to arrive.

The small home was smartly decorated in French country. One could barely walk through the overcrowded room with large dark oak wood tables accenting the mauve and blue floral print furniture. Candles flickered on the coffee and end tables in crystal votive cups, while sconces flickered on the walls creating a homey apple pie fragrance that was welcoming and inviting. The dining room table located in the same room offered a sumptuous variety of finger foods and snacks. Have something to eat while you wait, Victoria added.

No, I just ate dinner, but thank you. You have a lovely home, Gina said nervously as she took a seat with her pen and note pad in hand.

Thank you, Victoria replied as she adjusted a dish on the table, make yourself at home, she said interrupted by a knock on the door.

Next to arrive was Jenna, the Bree Van De Kamp of the group. She approached Gina with a smile and said, I finally get to meet the infamous Gina! extending her hand.

Infamous! Gina replied perplexed.

Oh, I don’t mean infamous, don’t get me wrong, it’s just that you live next door to my parents and I’ve heard so much about you.

Jenna’s parents where very wealthy and their entire family were well known throughout the community.

Well, you know there is another Gina that lives on that block and people are always confusing me with her, Gina said.

Oh, you mean the one who sends her filthy kids out into the street at sunrise and won’t allow them back home again until sunset? My mom feels so sorry for that Dylan; she feeds him all the time. What’s wrong with that mother? She doesn’t even feed her children or give them a bath. He’s even out in the middle of winter just roaming the streets. It’s criminal, Jenna replied.

Gina retorted, That’s what I’m talking about. I met a woman at the library, you know that storyteller with the finger puppets, Carolyn? She lives on the next block from me, Jenna shook her head in recognition. Gina continued, Well, she had a total attitude toward me. I couldn’t understand why and then I found out she was confusing me with the other Gina. I can’t tell you how difficult it has been for me, but for the life of me I don’t understand how you women, instead of helping her, just ostracize her, that’s not helping anyone. If you think her kids are being abused or neglected, then either help her or call in the proper authorities.

Jenna just kind of swallowed hard and turned to the group that had arrived while they were conversing, It’s time to call this meeting to order, Jenna declared, bringing the room to order.

Everything Gina suggested or tried to take on was out voted or shooed away like some troublesome fly. Gina didn’t know what to make of it, but it was obvious that these women were shutting her out and Gina couldn’t seem to break in. She started to look at the elderly couple that lived next door differently from that time on, wondering what they told their daughter about her to illicit that type of response, infamous indeed, Gina thought, but she was really too busy to get involved further anyway…fine ladies do all the work yourself, she thought, but Gina did attend the extravaganza at the end of the year and she had to hand it to Jenna, she was talented.

The theme for the appreciation luncheon was a 50’s sock hop. The invitations themselves were a work of art. Constructed out of black, red and white card stock, the invitation response card was a three dimensional Jukebox display printed in authentic script with song titles as responses. Let the good times Roll, by Shirley & Lee would be checked if you could attend, and Ain’t that a Shame, by Fats Domino for regrets. Although, the card had other entries too, like Rock Around the clock, by Bill Haley & His Comets and Don’t be Cruel, by Elvis Presley as little incentives to sway the guest’s decision on whether to attend or not. The title theme was listed at the top; Grandview PTA Presents a 50’s Sock Hop Appreciation Luncheon. They were cute and impressive, the hours it took the committee to print them up and construct them was staggering. They were like wedding invitations with a response card and then a card to keep as a reminder of the date and time. The reminder card served as a name tag to be worn at the event, black card stock cut into a 45 record with a red center on the front displaying the name of the attendee and the back listed the time and location. There was even a stickpin included in the envelope. Jenna was talented and had an amazing skill for detail.

At the Hop, by Danny and The Juniors streamed through the amplifiers as Gina entered the cafetorium. The grammar school’s combination cafeteria and gymnasium was transformed into a black, red and white fifties sock hop with larger than life black silhouettes on the walls, of rock and rollers, youthful dancers, and music notes.

The thirty tables that filled the gym were covered in red and white checkered table clothes adorned with record paper plates with key board napkins; old 45’s were connected to the red and white carnations with black and white helium balloons in the center pieces and antique 45 records hung from the ceiling in varying degrees that created an intimate setting.

All the restaurants in Riverdale donated to the event and there were home made goods provided by the best bakers at the school. They had a cake that looked like a giant vinyl LP at the sweets table featuring Danny and the Juniors, At the Hop. There was an abundance of refreshments as well, but no alcohol was served.

In addition to the teachers, a select group of PTA moms, local police, firefighters and dignitaries, such as the village president were also invited and attended the event.

All the ladies throwing the bash were dressed in poodle skirts, tight sweaters, bobby socks, and Ked gym shoes with ponytails in their hair. Gina felt so left out and then she saw their husbands dressed up like greasers with hair slicked back, white t-shirts, blue jeans, converse high tops, and dark Ray Ban sunglasses. Gina wondered if Brad would have participated if called to action. Gina attended the meeting and wanted to be a part of it and yet they held her at arms length…at least I was invited…Gina thought as she took her assigned seat in the back of the room.

That sock hop was Jenna’s swan song, being her last year at the school. Her youngest was heading out to the Junior High to sixth grade in the fall. For the past fifteen years Jenna had developed quite a reputation and the turn out to this event was tremendous! 300 people would go to the luncheon to enjoy the sights, sounds, food and eventually the awards and recognition that the PTA dealt out during those two hours.

The luncheon was a great success and Gina watched the PTA moms and teachers receive their awards, gift certificates for local restaurants, and shopping malls, free passes to the local gym, theater and bowling alley. It seemed as if the whole community was involved and Gina was very impressed. She had always dreamed of being a part of a community ever since she was a young girl growing up on the mean streets of Chicago.

Here she felt she found her home. She loved the school, the teachers, the community and she really wanted to be a part of it. At least she was invited to the luncheon, she would have to be happy with that for the time being, there was still time to prove herself and be accepted by these ladies. She would do it in time, she thought, trying to brush off the slights she received from the entire process of the event. Gina sat imagining the awards she would receive for her work in the future.

CHAPTER IV

THE OTHER GINA

Shortly after the planning committee meeting in September, the infamous Gina N. the one with the reputation for neglecting her children, wrote Gina a letter and delivered it via her eldest son Dylan.

Gina invited the young boy in and introduced him to her children. The next thing you know they were running through her house, up and down the stairs while Gina read the letter.

The letter was very well written and included Gina N’s phone number. The letter touched Gina; since she had moved to Riverdale the previous spring no one had really extended themselves to her in this way. It figures the outcast would want to connect with me. Gina thought as she dialed Gina N’s number.

Hi Gina, this is Gina from down the street…

They developed a relationship via their phone conversations. Gina Nettles, the girl down the block, had a handsome husband and three children the same ages as Gina’s own children, the oldest of which had very dark skin, hair and eyes, a stark contrast to his mother’s ginger complexion and her husband’s Nordic blond and blue eyed good looks. Their phone conversations eventually led to an invitation for Gina to visit Gina Nettles’ home.

As Gina entered the modest ranch, she was greeted by thick humid stale cigarette stained air, a result of not having an exhaust system set up for the clothes dryer that appeared to be running in the other room. Two very large golden retrievers jumped up on Gina with enthusiastic barks. Down Ginger, down Max! Gina N. scolded.

The smell of stale cigarette smoke, mingled with wet dog hair and a non-descript moldy mildew smell assaulted Gina’s respiratory system as she surveyed the L shaped living room and dining room in front of her.

The blue shag carpet, well at least Gina imagined that at one time it had been blue, had ground-in grubby black stains. The blue velour country styled couch was much the same. The coffee table in front of the couch was full of dirty food encrusted dishes with cigarette butts died out in the middle, glasses half filled with coke or beer floating as many cigarettes as they could fit, not to mention the over flowing ash trays with an assortment of candy wrappers, sticky lollipop and popsicle sticks, Q-tips and many brown and white filtered lipstick stained cigarette butts.

The coffee table was a collage of dirty dishes, opened mail, kid’s schoolwork, crayons, pens, a few dirty socks and a pair of dingy off white men’s jockey underwear. Gina tried not to react choosing the dining room table to her left that wasn’t much better. Gina sat in something wet and when she grabbed the table to hoist herself up, her hand landed and stuck in some raspberry or strawberry jelly giving the appearance of blood. Gina lifted her hand with a grimace and stopped herself from gagging.

Oh let me get you a rag, Gina N. said as she headed to the kitchen, which had newspapers, paper bags and dirty laundry on the floor, having retrieved a dishrag from the sink that was piled high with dirty dishes, Gina N. held up the rag that looked as if it had been used in a tar pit. Here, she said handing the blackened rag to Gina.

Gina grabbed the rag while breathing in the noxious air wondering if she was going to be able to come out of this alive. The dining room table was piled similar to the coffee table and Gina N. didn’t seem even remotely embarrassed asking, Do you want some tea?

How could you leave your house in this state when you know you are having company? Gina wondered if this Gina N. was completely clueless.

Sure, Gina replied, and added, How many pets do you have?

Well, there is Ginger and Max our Golden Retrievers, Molly our cat, Rex and Alexia our guinea pigs, Julie our parakeet and Harold our hamsters. Seven isn’t it? Yeah, seven

Wow! Gina said in reply.

There were sad little intricate cross-stitches framed, hanging skewed on the wall, and Gina N. had one in front of her that lay on top of the dishes and paper work where she had been sitting. The cross stitches were marred with stains from coffee and cigarette ash. An ashtray sat atop of it all with a cigarette burning.

One slip and there would be a fire for sure! Gina thought with alarm.

So, I see you’re making something there, Gina said picking up the hoop of needlework.

I love cross stitching, sewing and knitting, Gina N. said with pride.

At that moment her youngest, one-year-old Benny’ walked out from the bedroom wearing a sagging diaper, crying, mommy, mommy, Gina N. swiftly picked up a pacifier from the garbage strewn floor by her feet and stuck the pacifier in her mouth, sucked it clean, held it up to the light then deftly popped the pacifier into her son’s mouth as he continued to cry and grab her leg.

Oh, honey, go back and play. Tiffany, she called.

Just then a strawberry blonde chubby cherub emerged from the same vicinity wearing a shirt that was too small to cover her protruding belly, and greyed Little Mermaid underpants, take your brother into the bedroom and play with him, Gina N. insisted.

All right, Tiffany said rubbing her dirty little face, smearing boogers back into her gnarled hair.

Gina felt like she was in a trailer park. These two children needed baths, and this house needed to be cleaned. It was terrible and made Gina very uncomfortable. She wanted to leave.

Gina rose from the table and said, I can see that you are very busy. Why don’t you have your kids come play at my house tomorrow? I’ll make them lunch and dinner and then maybe you could catch up on your cleaning a little.

That sounds wonderful. Thank you, Gina N. replied with an exuberant smile, I could use the break.

Gina N.’s kids were great, albeit sloppy. Over the next few months Gina spent a lot of time showing them that we only eat at the table. When we are done eating we put our dishes in the dishwasher. We never eat in the living room. We always wash our hands before we eat so we don’t get sick and after a meal so the whole house doesn’t get sticky. Gina’s daughter Lisa enjoyed being the leader of this is how we put our toys back. Everyone would eventually settle down to read stories. The Berenstain Bears and The Messy Room was a favorite.

As far as Gina N. getting her house cleaned during those hours when Gina watched her children, it didn’t happen. Gina N. was too busy, cross stitching, knitting or making plans for the ladies of The Church Of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints to come over for a good old fashion canning party, where they would make apple, strawberry/rhubarb and grape jellies.

Gina couldn’t understand how the ladies of her church could actually make food in that house that was like a garbage dump. Eventually, as Gina earned Gina N.’s trust; Gina just came clean with Gina N. and told her how everyone was talking about her and how they had threaten to call the authorities on her, which prompted Gina N. to take her kids out of the grammar school and start home schooling.

Gina just threw her hands up in disgust. Now the kids were probably in deeper trouble just sitting in that house day after day, but eventually Gina N. transferred her children to another grammar school nearby where she could have a fresh start. Gina N. resented Gina and their relationship became strained from that time on. Gina was only trying to help her, rather than sit around and gossip about her and cause her trouble. She really wanted to help her and didn’t want to see her or anyone’s children suffer. No good deed goes unpunished, Gina thought.

CHAPTER V

THE TAKEOVER

After the Sock Hop Appreciation Luncheon, the newer moms (kindergarten, first and second graders) didn’t like what they saw and started holding private meetings over the summer to air their grievances; they decided to have a revolt and overthrow the incumbent PTA members.

How could these women spend the children’s money on sock hops and gift certificates as awards for volunteerism, one mother said.

That money could be used for anything, new computers, books or playground equipment, another added.

The leader of the new gang, Sue, whose husband was a lawyer, got the ball in motion. At the next school years PTA meeting the following September there was a hostile takeover leaving the expectant new PTA president in tears.

We have all worked very hard. You women don’t understand how hard we have worked for these past years while our children have attended this school, Jan the expectant PTA president said.

Well, there’s a new Sheriff in this town, Sue stated as the crowd became enthusiastic with applause, whoops and hollers.

At that year’s fiscal end, Sue quietly apologized to the incumbent PTA stating, I was new to the school, and didn’t realize how much of their own money these moms put into all the events and activities and how they had so much donated. So, I am sorry for taking such a hard line, but I still think the time, energy and money are better spent on the children.

The subsequent appreciation luncheons dwindled down to a jug of apple cider and a box of Maurice Lenell cookies with the only awards being a scrolled computer printout wrapped in a tiny ribbon and applauses, no dignitaries or other community departments attended. There were no gift certificates, or catered food donated by the local restaurants.

Although the entire scene was thoroughly entertaining, Gina never really felt