Here Again, Without You

chapter 16

 While they were there to order their food at the Rechin Campare Restaurant that was locally owned, the waitress came to take their order. Donald ordered the main dish of chicken fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy along with a shared order of fries, for the drinks it was southern sweet tea with a slice of lemon. Marleena added glazed peach carmel pie for the desert with her chicken fried steak sandwich. As they sat on the portico enjoying the scenery of people walking around on the grounds the showcased the garden of a variety of flowers and trees of the area that were well kept. Their food finally had arrived, they conversed quietly about what they wanted for their future plans.

Marleena started looking tired and Donald offered to drive back to her place so she would not have to drive. After reaching her place they saw flames bellowing from the living room and the fire department was there trying to put out the fire. Marleena was shocked to see this and knew who had done it. Donald "You can stay at my place tonight if you want to. I'm sure that Kelby has some clothes you can wear for tomorrow"

"I thought she and Ethan had left to go back home!" Marleena said in a surprise shock.

"Naw! They stayed to procure a place for the Business of Excellence Conference and yours truly is a speaker for the conference. Maybe you can help me to write out my speech, I remember you were good at writing speeches when we were in college" Donald said enquiring about her willingness to help.

After the fire was out Marleena was allowed to enter the property with the fire marshal to check on what was destroyed and if anything of value could be salvaged this evening. After looking around for a while Marleena noticed that her picture albums were in her bedroom in a fireproof safe that could be salvaged and delivered to her grandfather's house in the morning. When asked why not tonight, she replied "Its to late and grandfather would be asleep as it was already eleven twenty pm"

She agreed with Donald that she would stay the night over at his place for the night as it was closer to work than her grandfather's place.

Trecye was watching from a distance seeing that Marleena was stuck with out a home to go to and knowing that she would be begging to move in with Maggie as well after the fire. He turned and was greeted by a neighbor who had seen him and offered him a bottle of water. "Why did that place catch on fire?"

"I don't know what happened, maybe that person may have left a book to close to the furnace and it caught fire. Who knows?" the neighbor replied turning to go back in his home.

Trecye was not satisfied 'I'll catch you one of these days and make you wish that you never interferred with me and Maggie ever' thinking under his breath while watching Marleena leave with Donald.

Arriving at the Rogenis homestead, Kelby was still up going over last minute projections for training for the construction team that Marcus McNadd was taking over for her when they got ready to leave after the conference. Ethan was asleep on the sofa next to her with his head on her protruding belly. Donald entered seeing the seen couldn't resist taking a cellphone pic of his cousin and her husband the great Callsburg-Dakster Oil tycoon sitting on his sofa. Kelby looking up "About time you got in, What happened, why do you smell like smoke from a fire?"

"Marleena's house caught fire and she will be staying the night here for tonight, do you have any extra clothes that she could borrow for work tomorrow?" Donald asked her.

"Sure do, hunny move your head a little I have to get up" Kelby responded. Ethan moved his head allowing Kelby to get up from the sofa to leave as she did she went to the room where she and Ethan were staying, retrieved a night shirt and a pant suit for Marleena to wear until she can get to the store tomorrow to purchase new attire for her work and leisure time activities as well. "Here you go. Don't worry about it just keep them you may need them later"

Marleena "Thank you so much"

Kelby handed Marleena a red letter invitation to the Business of Excellence conference that was coming to the Princess tower hotel in the coming month. Marleena looking at it asking "What is this?"

"Come to the conference and learn new innovative ideas to incorporate into your business and how to keep it safe as well. You will enjoy it. Just be there." Kelby had said.

The day after the fire at Marleena's home she returned to get the fireproof safe full of documents and pictures of her parents and sister. The movers were there loading it up and asking directions where to deliver it. Marleena gave them the directions and then call her grandfather to let him know that she was sending him a fireproof safe full of documents and pictures that were important to her. He agreed to accept it for her and quizzically asked what happened. She explained that her home had indeed been burnt in the living room.

At the office she had left instructions for the maintenance to change the lock on the office door where Trecye had been working out of and that he was not allowed back on the property for any reason, none what so ever, no matter what his excuse is and that he was to stay away from Maggie's office. After briefing the securities of what they needed to do keeping the people inside safe from Trecye as she suspects that he is the culprit that set her house on fire. Causing Maggie to feel insecure about coming to work Marleena provided contract info for Maggie to work on at home after obtaining her a new laptop. Marleena found that worked better for Maggie and even Maggie felt better about it as she was able to take breaks and rest often due to the early stages of pregnancy.

With everything that happened to Marleena's home and the incident at the office with Maggie, Marleena chose to change up the entrance keypad to a badge encrypted entrance for all of the employees with the help of Kelby and Ethan for all safety purposes. This took a while for everyone to get changed over. Some liked the idea, while other not so as they were the ones who helped to undermine Marleena for Maggie.  

Tell me what would Trecye do to Marleena if he ever caught her by herself? type you comments below. vote as well if you like more of this kind of story.