CIMORELLI : All Powered Up

TWENTY ONE : Biscuits and Contracts

"KATHERIIIIIIIINE!"

"Dani geez, calm down you little monkey!" Kath told me, grating some cheese.

We were all alone in the kitchen, while the boys and our parents went out to see a movie. Our other sisters were scattered all around the house, and Bee occasionally popping in to grab a drink.

"What are you making?" I asked Katherine, trying to sneak a shred of cheese. But Kath was quick, she smacked my hand with the back of a wooden spoon. "OWWW!"

"Be patient, I'm making cheese biscuits." She said, now sifting flour into a big mixing bowl.

"I am deeply fascinated and bored at the same time." I told her quietly, she rolled her eyes at me and continued her work.

I sighed and stood up from the high stool and walked out towards the living room, as I was about to plonk down on the couch, the doorbell chimed throughout the whole house. I could see the front door from where I was standing, so I walked over and answered it.

A tall, classically spanish looking man who looked to be about seventy was standing at the door. He was carrying a brown leather briefcase and was wearing tailored khaki slacks that tapered around his ankles, penny loafers and a navy blue polo.

His full head of white hair with a matching beard and mustache gave him an air of sophistication and gravitas that made him seem like British royalty.

"Hello, young lady. Is Beatrix home?" He asked me, his crinkly eyes crinkling even more as he smiled.

"Uh, yeah, I mean yes, she is. And who--"

"BUBBAAA!" I turned around and saw Bee running to the door, her arms outstretched for a hug. She almost tackled the poor man to down and then hastily let him in and closed the door.

"Bubba, this is Dani Cimorelli." Bee said, looking at me with a big smile on her face, weirdly putting emphasis on my last name.

The man took my hand in his. "Lovely to meet you, darling, call me Luca."

whoa, firm handshake..

"Dan, this is my grandfather. Or Bubba, as I like to call him." Bee said, giving her grandfather a peck on the cheek.

"Oh wow, it's so nice to meet you, sir." I said, being uncharacteristically polite.

"Call me Luca, dear..." He repeated, smiling. "I hear "Sir" much too often and I find it comforting to hear the sound of my own name, since my own granddaughter has reduced me to "Bubba"." He ended jokingly.

Bee squeezed his arm, "Oh, stop, you love it!"

"Well I better leave you two to catch up..." I started, but Bee shook her head, "Actually it would be super cool if the others met Bubba too."

I stared at Bee, somewhat confused.

"Bubba is here on business too..." Bee said, "In addition to being my wonderful Bubba, he's also here to talk about you girls being part of the Renegade board members."

"Whoa, that sounds...official." I said

"Oh, it will be...very soon. The lawyer is on her way. We are very excited. Aren't you?" Luca said.

Excited and apprehensive and overwhelmed and a tiny bit intimidated. OMG OMG OH WOW OH WOW

But instead I said, "Dang, well okay, let me wrangle up the girls." I said, turning towards the hall.

"Meet us in the study in about an thirty minutes okay? Thanks, Dan!" said Bee.

I went and got Christina first, who was out in the garden, pruning the bougainvillea plants. "Chrissy, meeting. Stat."