ODDS OF LOVE : SEASON ELEVEN

Episode 82

Thursday March 13 , 2025

" Dodie , what are you doing? ," Andrew asked his step daughter the moment he stepped into the kitchen to fix his recovering wife breakfast in bed. The surgery had went relatively well and the surgeon believed he got all of the cancerous cells, lymph nodes etc that he needed to. It didn't seem as though it had spread through Glory's body to other organs so next steps were her recovering from the pain and stress of the operation, continue healing from it and start her radiation treatments. All Andrew wanted was to spend as much time with his wife as possible, pamper her, cherish her and that morning fix her breakfast in bed. That would serve to take his mind off the remainder of her battle against cancer and that his son had essentially received a death threat looped in the tree in his and Nigel's front yard.

But someone had beat him to that particular job.

He stared in amazement as his step daughter Dodie in the kitchen wearing Glory's yellow and white checked apron over tight blue denim jeans and a tee shirt that said World Best Ma was surrounded by the worst mess he had ever seen in his entire life. There were filled or dirty bowls, plates , cups every where. There was even food slathered on the front of the apron and the left side of Dodie's face.

" What's it look like I'm doing, Drew ? ," she asked with rolled eyes as she tended to something on the stove. Something that to his nose appeared to be burning.

" Making a mess. And that burner needs turning down. What are you doing? Where's Alfred ? "

Dodie made a face as she turned the heat down slightly under the pan on the stove. " I'm making Momma breakfast in bed. You as well although you don't have to eat it in bed of course. It's Momma sick after all not you. I'm making my world famous wheat germ all natural pancakes with turkey sausage and vegan eggs. I don't think Momma needs radiation treatments. She needs a fully holistic healthy diet to get her one hundred percent healed. "

Andrew blanched at the mention of wheatgerm. He really didn't think his wife would eat that. Actually he knew she would not eat that. And the ridiculous holistic diet idea over radiation treatments? Yeah. That was not going to happen anytime soon or ever really. His wife was not going to play around with her health. She was going to beat this cancer with real medicine. Not new age nonsense.

" I don't think she'll like any of that , Dodie. Let me help you clean up and I'll fix her a dec.... a breakfast in bed. I know what she likes. Regular bacon. Real eggs. And Nigel's chocolate chip pancake recipe. "

Dodie shook her head of wild black curls at him. " Don't be silly. I'm almost done. And there is plenty for us all. You're getting a little potbelly yourself there. Too much regular bacon, real eggs and those nasty pancakes if you ask me. And as for where my brother is. He's pouting in his room I suppose. He took a little offense at me saying he is too fragile to be working full time. Or at all. He really needs to stop working. It's too much on his body and his system. Thanks to Daddy he can certainly afford to stay home and relax. He also didn't care for my questioning about this Gerald person. I really think it's too soon for him to be dating after Scott. And the man is too old for him. "

Andrew knew he should not get involved with the emotional battles between his stepchildren. He knew that from personal experience in the early days of his marriage to Glory. Alfred wanted to live his life the way he chose. And Dodie wanted to wrap him up in cotton and put him in a bubble for life. He was actually on Alfred's side.

" I think he's doing fine working," he said gingerly. " And Gerald is older than him but it's perfectly fine. Alfred has always had a very mature personality really. "

Dodie snorted just as her brother came into the kitchen clinging to his walker. Andrew thought that Alfred did look more tired than usual but who didn't today? Yesterday had been an exhausting day, physically and emotionally. He himself felt a bit drained as well.

Alfred said slowly," Hey , Drew. " He ignored his sister and kept addressing his stepfather. " I'm going to take a Uber to the mall for breakfast out. I'll text DuBuis that I'll catch one to work so he doesn't have to bother coming by. "

Dodie clicked her teeth as she settled cooked food on three different plates. " You shouldn't be going out at all ! Scott would never let you go wandering about like you do. "

Alfred gritted his teeth. " Scott didn't have a choice in what I did in Pennsylvania. I did. Just like I do now. My Uber is almost here. Enjoy your breakfast. Andrew, tell Momma I'll see her after work. "