Don't Let Go

The Past

ELLIOT POV

Ivan was a lot nicer than I expected.  He obviously cared about Cordy and was easy to work with, but I knew part of that was because they had known one another for so long.

She was a sweet person in general.  George worked hard to maintain a strong rapport with anyone they work alongside.  That makes them safer and gives everyone the chance to relax into life a bit more.   Obviously they were not against hiring someone new based on my and Ethan's jobs, so it felt like a good balance.

Cordy and I headed to the kitchen so we could have a late lunch.  Janet and Ethan put together a taco bar of sorts earlier for most of the staff, including some groundskeepers working on the lawn and garden today.  We asked them not to wait on us due to the stylist appointment so Ethan offered to make us quesadillas.

They were incredible.  Steak and roasted pepper quesadillas with sour cream, guacamole, and sides of refried beans and Mexican rice were quickly ready to devour which was a good thing. I was starving.  They had warm tortilla chips as well as a few salsa options then joined us to enjoy since the main meal had wound down.

"Thanks again for making us lunch," Cordy said with a bright smile toward them.  "Honestly, I love a taco bar but this is better."

Ethan chuckled, "Well, I've been really happy working here so I appreciate the trust you all place in me.  This is a lot more intense than I expected but everyone has made me feel so welcome."

"The Townsend's are good people.  They would treat others with respect if they lived in a normal house and neighborhood, too.  As far as I can tell, the only difference is having so much space and the need to keep people on staff.  Little Cordelia the Pipsqueak here has always been the sweetest thing," Janet praised, smiling at me warmly.  "I will never forget when she was born.  I started here 25 years ago and..."

Her voice trailed off but Cordy darted her eyes to me a moment then continued, "My parents had a tough time conceiving.  I finally happened on their 4th IVF attempt.  One of the previous attempts even got to 19 weeks, which is really close to viability.  When my Mom was pregnant, she was on modified bedrest and Dad waited on her hand and foot."

"Just means they were waiting for you, sweet Cordy," Janet said while wiping away a tear.  "Your Mom always loved blackberry desserts so whenever she was struggling I'd throw together a pie or cobbler or even just have homemade jam so she could eat it on toast.  When she was finally pregnant with you she hated blackberries, though.  We were cautiously optimistic.  You were a few weeks early but Jewel refused to leave the hospital without you so she was there about a week before you were strong enough to come home."

Elliot gave me a soft grin, "I can't imaging how hard that would be to struggle to conceive and to have a baby that is close to full term. That's just heart breaking to consider."

"It's a miracle I have no lifelong health issues.  My Mom followed Doctors orders to the letter and made sure to stay cautious even when I was a baby."  I replied before grabbing the dish of rice then serving myself another portion. "I mean, I had awful eyesight but got Lasik a couple years ago which took care of that."

Janet grinned, "When Jewel finally came home with baby Cordy, she brought her into the kitchen after meeting Alfred.  I was kneading bread and gasped, then washed up so I could see the baby.  Our head chef at the time was such a sweet older man but Jewel introduced us and said, "Now, Cordy, you are going to know these two really well.  We love spending time in the kitchen."  It was the sweetest thing."

"Some of my earliest memories were of sitting on the counter chatting with you while you made desserts or worked on preparing meals.  My parents had a Nanny for me but they still did everything they could.  She essentially worked part time because they were so involved but that was never an issue."

"How long did you have a Nanny?" Ethan asked.

"Until I was in school.  At that point my parents could go to meetings and handle office work when I was at school then if I had a sick day or time off in the summer or breaks it wasn't a problem.  I would get home after 1st grade and head straight in here for a cookie and milk."

Janet chuckled, "Oh, you mean chocolate milk or hot cocoa.  Then you got fancy when you were maybe 8 and your Mom got into chai."

I laughed, "I have loved it ever since.  I was in middle school maybe when I tried coffee, too."

"We'd make her a latte with mostly milk then some coffee instead of espresso and chocolate sauce," she explained to the guys.

"It's been a fun place to grow up. Granted I don't know any different, but still." Cordy took another handful of chips then scooped more guac onto her plate. "What about you 2? Normal suburban childhoods or something different?"

Ethan and I shared a glance before Ethan shook his head. "Uh, my family was poor. I worked hard at restaurants when I was a teenager as soon as they let me wash dishes. It gave me the chance to connect and get experience then go to culinary school "

Cordy offered a warm smile, "Your work ethic shines through. I've barely seen you in the kitchen and can tell how streamlined your process is. Janet had a certain way she liked everything organized but obviously you 2 came to an agreement about a few changes."

"You really are observant, Cordy," he praised. "I'm a bit picky as far as the grill goes, especially. Last night was a lot of fun. It'll be great to do more cookouts as long as we can as well as use the grill you have in here."

"I would eat steak every day if I could," I encouraged which made everyone smile. "Steak and eggs for breakfast, some kind of steak salad for lunch, then steak au poivre or a Porterhouse with mashed potatoes and veggies for dinner."

Janet and Cordy shared a smile before Ethan shoved me gently, "Dude, we can make that happen.  The menu is now planned for your birthday in February."

"That's a perfect idea, Ethan!" Cordy agreed.

We continued chatting about our pasts but something inside me felt unsettled.

I had the terrifying feeling that Lewis had more planned... hopefully whatever it is will be manageable as I continue protecting Cordy.