Dex (20 page)

CHAPTER
twenty-nine

The Rossi kitchen smelled happy. Alicia was sautéing garlic and onions while Geema bathed a roasted chicken in an orange wine glaze. Dex was in charge of the
latkes
, the potato pancakes, which he was glad to see were sizzling to a golden brown. It was
Chanukah
, the

Jewish festival of lights, a food-frenzy holiday that Geema said was all about miracles, especially if she could still fit into her clothes when it was over.

Dex’s parents used to tell him how lucky he was that both Santa Claus and Chanukah Harry knew where he lived so they could both leave him presents. But, by the time he was four, Dex had figured out that it was Poppy, not Santa, wearing a red velvety costume and eating cookies by the chimney. And though he tried, the closest Vince could get to Chanukah Harry was to wear a blue robe and a chef’s hat adorned by a Star of David.
Despite the failed attempts it wasn’t a huge disappointment to Dex. He didn’t really care who was in charge of bringing him toys.

“Did you hear from Mom and Dad yet?” Dex asked, getting orange juice from the refrigerator.

“Just to say they’re flight had been delayed,” Geema said, flipping the latkes. “I’m not sure what time they’ll get to Aruba, but I’m guessing it’ll be awhile.”

“Oh.”

“Why, is there something wrong?”

“No. Nothing. Just wondering,” Dex said, putting the juice back. “Hey Leesh, wanna invite Jazz for dinner next week? I can order a kangaroo roast from a website I found online.”

“As yummy as a kanga-roast sounds, I’d rather invite him for brisket and pasta primavera.” Alicia stirred the vegetables a few more times and set the pan to simmer. She went over to Dex and grabbed his sleeve so hard his shirt nearly came off his head. “Geema, I need to show Dex something. We’ll be right back.”

“No problem…hon--” Geema turned to find herself talking to the air. “Kids,” she sighed to herself, scooping the
latkes
onto a white platter lined with paper towels.

#

“Did you get the box?” Alicia asked, walking into Dex’s room.

“The box?” Dex stared at her blankly. “What box?” He turned on the light in his closet.

“For the money, remember, the little matter of her
HUGE
present!” Alicia scowled, discovering she had sat down on a pair of Dex’s dirty socks and quickly tossed them into the hamper.

“Right, the money. Are we doing that tonight?”

“No. I figured we’d wait until summer. Maybe by then Poppy’s Kitchen will be a swim club.” Alicia pounded her palm to her head. “Wake up Dex!”

“Sorry. I thought we were waiting for Mom and Dad to get back.”

“Why? We decided not to tell them what happened. Anyway, there’s no time to waste.”

“The bank said New Year’s.” Dex looked in his closet.

“And you trust them?”

“You have a point.” Dex tried to find a box, but couldn’t. “I don’t have anything to fit all the money. Maybe you do.”

“The only empty box I might come up with would be too small and definitely not intended for gifts. I’m PMS’ing, just take my word for it.”

Dex took a deep breath and let the smell of the garlic floating in the air calm him down. “So, now what?” He was getting hungry.

“You know, I think mom bought a rolling duffel bag for the trip. Maybe she kept the box. I’ll go check.”

Dex went to his computer and brought up Facebook. His heart fluttered.   He had a private message from Sarah.

HAPPY CHANUKAH PIZZA BAGEL! XO

It was signed ‘XO!’She signed a message to him, ‘XO.’ Maybe Geema was right; Chanukah
was
a holiday for miracles. Dex didn’t care if Alicia wanted to dump the money into a giant trash bag and tie it up with a ribbon. Everything was going to feel perfect for the rest of the night.

“Look!” Alicia came in with a huge box and a roll of blue and silver wrapping paper. “Count on mom not to throw anything out.”

They tossed the money into the box and used the entire roll of paper to wrap it. Alicia tried to lift it, but it was too bulky for her to hold on her own. Dex, feeling more confident since his wheelbarrow triumph, took the other end, and the two of them guided the gift down the stairs. They left it behind the couch out of Geema’s sight and went into the kitchen.

“Smells great in here,” Dex said, taking a seat at the table.

“Oh good,” Geema said, “I was just going to come get you before everything got cold.”

“Dex and I need to talk to you, Geema.”

Dex frowned as his stomach growled. No one ever seemed to care when he was hungry.

“About what? Oh no, did I leave my teeth in the bathroom sink again?” Geema sounded mortified.

“No, it’s nothing like that.” Alicia looked at Dex, made a face of disgust, then turned back to Geema. “We just want to give you a Chrisma-kah present.”

Dex and Alicia headed to the couch, both signaling with their hands for Geema to come with them.

“Present?” Geema called. “Why are you spending your money? I don’t need anything.”

“Too late,” Dex said as he and Alicia presented the wrapped box at their grandmother’s feet.

“What in the world have you done?” Geema questioned as she took her time to unwrap the box without putting a single rip in the paper.

Dex swiped a chocolate kiss from the candy dish and tossed one to Alicia.

“Holy sh---ekels!” Geema cried, seeing the stash of bills. “Where did you...how did you? Did you take a banker hostage?”

“Don’t worry. He’s well-fed,” Alicia kidded.

“We found out the truth,” Dex admitted.

“The truth?” Geema said, perplexed. “The truth about what?”

Dex and Alicia both went over to Geema and gave her a hug. She continued to look completely baffled. When the two finally let go, tears streamed down their faces. Alicia was still sobbing, and she gave Dex a signal that he could be the one to say it.

“Poppy’s Kitchen,” he whispered.

Geema’s expression changed from confused to flabbergasted.

“How?” she said, tears now welling up in her eyes.

“It doesn’t matter. Mom and Dad still don’t know. Leesh and I are hoping you can buy it back from the bank before they have the chance to find out.”

Geema reached out her arms and hugged them both again, this time all three of them holding onto each other through a steady stream of tears.

Dex and Alicia had gone to their rooms as soon as the dishes were done. Golda was glad to have some time alone to sit at the kitchen table with a cup of tea and digest both her dinner and the evening. Every few moments she’d stare down into the box of money in disbelief.

Ralphie, we have incredible grandchildren. Poppy’s Kitchen and all your hard work means everything to them. You would be so proud. I don’t know how they got this kind of cash, but I really hope it had nothing to do with your crazy cousin Carmine doing something illegal.

One thing was certain, she would pay them back every dime and then some as soon as the restaurant was up and running again. She took another sip of tea, put down the mug, and stared back into the box.

It was pretty early, but Dex wanted to sleep and dream. He turned off his light and left his door slightly open, hoping to catch a whiff of the holiday aroma still hovering in the air. He got into bed feeling grateful that everything was starting to work out. Geema had the money to buy Poppy’s Kitchen back, and Sarah was practically ready to list him as her boyfriend on Facebook. The only thing left was buying the
Gymbuff
to prove to Sarah that he could look like the kind of guy she went out with.

“Dex?” Geema whispered, tapping lightly on his door. “Are you sleeping?”

“No. Come in.” Dex sat up and turned on the lamp next to his bed.

Geema was carrying a basket of folded laundry. “This is your stuff. It’s all ready to be put away.”

“Thanks, Geema. You didn’t have to do that.”

“That’s why I wanted to.”

“What’s that?” Dex asked, pointing to an old book that was nearly falling apart, lying on top of the clothes.

“I’m glad you asked. It’s something I want you to see.”

She sat down next to him and carefully opened the book. Dex looked at the first few pages. There were a bunch of cards and letters, and some old photos pasted to the pages, but he couldn’t recognize anyone.

“Who is
that
?” he asked, pointing to a scrawny, little man who was in almost every picture.

“You don’t recognize him?”

“No. Not at all. Should I?” Dex asked, wondering if it was a great uncle he didn’t remember.

“I should think you would. It’s your Poppy.”

“Whaaaa?! No way!” Dex was stunned. “This guy looks like a pretzel stick.”

“I know. Can you imagine that in just a few short years,” she said turning a few pages, “he looked like--this?”

Geema pointed to a good-looking, well-built man who Dex could clearly tell was his grandfather, smiling in front of a refrigerator.

“Awesome!”

“It is amazing what a little time can change. For everyone.”

“Yeah,” Dex agreed. “It’s pretty cool. So, why are you telling me all this?”

Geema put the book down and gave Dex a little kiss on the forehead. “During intense questioning, Alicia failed to produce the hostage you took to get all that money.”

Dex raised his eyebrows.

“She told me what you gave up to help me.”

“Oh.” Dex bit his bottom lip.

"It takes a very big man to put others first. I'm so proud of you." Geema stood up. "And one day, when you're  all old and wrinkly like I am, you'll look at
your
scrapbook and see how well you filled your Poppy's  shoes."

CHAPTER
thirty

“You’re still here?!” Dex exclaimed, dropping a heavy wad of dough onto a baking sheet as his grandmother lumbered into the kitchen still in her robe.

“I live here,” Geema teased, getting a glass from the cabinet.

“When are you going?”

“As soon as I get married again.” She took a carton of orange juice out of the refrigerator.

“GEEMA!” Dex exclaimed.

“Dexy, calm down.  I was tossing and turning most of the night and I just woke up,”
Geema explained. She took a sip of juice and sat down at the table.

“I’m sorry. I just want to know we have Poppy’s Kitchen back.”

“We will, Dexy. We will. I’m going to get dressed first, okay?”

“Okay,” Dex muttered with a frown.

“What are you doing here?” Alicia mumbled half asleep as she shuffled into the kitchen still in her pajamas.

“I’ve been getting a lot of that this morning,” Geema complained. “Good thing I’m tough.”

“She’s going to get dressed now,” Dex answered.

“Oh, good.” Alicia said, leaving the kitchen then walking back in. “I think I wanted water.” She took a bottle out of the fridge and left again.

“Do that when you’re old and everyone thinks you’ve lost your mind.”

“Who said she hasn’t?” Dex chuckled.

Geema smiled. “It’s all going to be fine. You’ll see.”

#

“Dexy?” Geema called from the back door. “I’m going.”

Dex appeared like a bolt of lightning. “Do you have your phone?”

Geema felt around the inside of her purse and pulled it out. “Check.”

“Is it charged?” Dex asked.

“Looks like three bars,” she said, holding the phone a full arms length away from her. “Should be enough.”

“Yeah. That should be fine,” Dex agreed.

Geema opened the door.

“Call me as soon as you’re done,” Dex insisted.

“Okay, okay! Whoa…” Geema said nearly tripping over a big ball of fur as it went scurrying into the house. “What the heck was that? Where did it go?”

“Oh my God! It’s Ardith!” Dex screeched running after the animal. “Ardith!”

“Who’s Ardith?” Geema called.

“Our raccoon,” Dex answered chasing the animal as it darted across the kitchen knocking over the garbage pail.

“We don’t have a raccoon,” Geema called out to Dex.

“We do now,” Dex shouted back from the other room.

“We don’t even have a cat. Your father is allergic to everything.”

Geema picked up the trash and tied the bag tightly. Then she shoved the pail into the corner and tiptoed out of the room into the hall. “Dex?” Geema called with a tone of uncertainty.

“I’m here.” Dex was crawling along the floor as the animal shrieked at him and rolled over the couch like a sloppy gymnast. “Ardith!” Dex shouted as the raccoon scampered through the room and then leapt onto the top of the large wall unit.

“I don’t like this one bit. I’m not even sure what’s up there.” Geema gnawed at her bottom lip. “She better not--”

Ardith clenched a couple of fake flowers between her teeth and chewed them until she seemed to figure out they were flavorless. Scorned, she spit them out and either in defiance or disgust, knocked over the large vase and the rest of the silk arrangement. She let out what sounded almost like a giggle when it crashed onto the wood floor. Then she leapt off the unit in a bold Superman move and headed up the stairs chirping away like a confident rock star.

Dex ran after her with Geema closely behind. Dex combed the hallway, but Ardith was playing Hide ‘n Seek and there was no trace of her anywhere. He stopped at Alicia’s door and started pounding on it.

“Leesh, get up! Ardith is back!”

“You know what,” Geema said, “go get the broom.”

“The broom? I told you I’ll clean later,” Dex banged on Alicia’s door again.

“Not to clean. To prod her out.”

“Hear that Leesh? Open the door or Geema’s going to use the broom on you.”

“I meant on the raccoon,” Geema explained.

“Oh,” Dex blushed, “but, I don’t want to hurt Ardith.” Dex started to open Alicia’s door.

“Prodding is not hurting. It’s suggesting,” Geema explained.

“And I suggest you don’t open your sister’s door or you might end up hurting.”

“Fine. But, I don’t understand how Leesh can sleep through everything.”

Dex and Geema started scanning all the rooms searching for Ardith who seemed to have quietly vanished.

“Are you getting the broom or do I have to go back downstairs?”

“I don’t want to scare her.”

“Dex, you haven’t seen this animal in a while and you don’t know where she’s been. She could have rabies.”

“Rabies?!”

“Yes.” Geema  nodded. “That’s the part they left out of
Bambi.
”

“Bambi didn’t have rabies and neither does Ardith.”

“And how do you know this?”

“I just do. You don’t understand. Ardith is the closest thing to a pet I ever had. She used to hang around all the time,” Dex explained. “She was the one who kept me company when I first started my business. But after the last storm, she disappeared. I thought she got hurt or something.”

“Well, if it’s any consolation, for the few seconds I saw her she looked fine, but we can’t let her just roam around the house,” Geema said.

“I know.”

“What’s going on?” Alicia asked, coming out of the bathroom. “You’re
still
here, Geema?”

“That’s why you didn’t hear me knocking,” Dex said. “You weren’t even in your room.”

“Good one, Sherlock. So, is anyone going to tell me what’s going on?”

“Ardith is back. So back that she ran into the house when Geema was about to leave.”

“Oh wow! So she’s okay!”

“Yeah, but Geema says she has rabies like Bambi.”

“Bambi didn’t have rabies,” Alicia insisted.

“That’s what I said. And neither does Ardith.”

Geema put one arm around Dex’s neck and the other around Alicia’s. “Let’s forget about Bambi for now and tell me why on earth you named this critter Ardith.”

“My old babysitter. Remember?” Dex asked. “The one with the real dark eyes who wore lots of make-up…Her name was Ardith.”

“And your mother used to say she looked like a raccoon. I remember her,” Geema nodded. “Okay, one mystery tackled. Now how are we going to tackle Ardith?”

“Geema, you can’t. You have to leave,” Dex panicked. “If you don’t the bank will close before you get there.”

“I am not leaving this house with a wild animal running around.” Geema took off her coat and threw it over the railing.

“Well, we don’t want to hurt her,” Alicia said.

“Yes, we know,” Geema agreed. “But we also can’t make up the guest room for her until she’s ready to leave.”

“Dex, maybe we can Google what to do,” Alicia suggested.

They all went into Dex’s room and huddled around his laptop.

“Well, she’s not afraid of loud noises so the pot and the spoon won’t work,” Dex said, reading from a web site.

“If she wanted food she would have gotten into the garbage outside,” Alicia added.

“Maybe she’s pregnant and looking for a warm delivery room,” Geema mused. “That happened to my friend, Kay. But it was a gopher in her attic. What a mess.”

“Ardith is not pregnant,” Alicia insisted.

“How do you know?” Geema argued. “She’s cute. I’m sure a lot of raccoons have been interested.”

Dex stared out his window from his bed. “Looks like the rain is letting up.”

“Eheheheheh,” Ardith squeaked, darting past Dex’s room. He sprang up and ran after her, but she was already back downstairs playing with the box of tissues on the end table.

“Geema, you should go.” Alicia checked the time. “Dex and I are fine. We can take care of this.” She flew down the steps.

“No. Absolutely not,” Geema argued from the top of the staircase. “I’m going to call animal control. That critter has done enough damage.”

“Wait,” Dex urged the moment he heard Geema’s plans. “I think I know how to get her out.”

They all followed Dex into the kitchen. He took out a jar of peanut butter and a leftover hamburger.

“You better hope she’s pregnant,” Geema remarked.

“I just remembered that she used to shove her nose into the empty jars of peanut butter I threw out. And I have to get rid of the burger anyway.” Dex made the concoction and put it on a paper plate near the door. Then he took the jar of peanut butter and brought it into the family room. Ardith looked at him quizzically as she nosed a lamp off the table onto the couch.

“Good save, Ardy!” Dex held out the jar as the animal seemed to contemplate his agenda. “Come on girl, follow me.”

Ardith wiggled behind Dex as he made his way into the kitchen. “Leesh, put the plate outside,” he instructed.

Alicia moved quickly and Ardith tumbled out of the house to collect her prize. Geema slammed the door shut.

"Well, that takes care of her for  the moment, but since she was comfortable enough to visit, we have a problem," Geema sighed.

"Go!" Dex cried. "We'll worry about this later."