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Cassadine TNG 8

Fri– game in Boston weekend with Twink
Monday– fly back to LA out of Logan

Frankie and Fancy know better than to bring a lot of stuff to Boston. Twink doesn’t drive and she was more than willing to either walk from the station to the apartment or take the T. And the last time they’d come to visit, Twink had brought Lurch to the station. It is definitely one way to make sure that she is un-accosted. Her contact in the Cambridge PD had gotten Lurch a note as a service dog after Lurch had gone through some Good Doggie Classes.

Twink has a twisted view of the world that is very entertaining. She doesn’t think of herself as particularly funny but the things she does and says and the way she does and says them definitely is. She isn’t one to seek the center of the hurricane. That is more her sister’s thing. As a sophomore at MIT she’s over the frosh fears and deep into the classes. Her freshman year had been a tough, especially since she’d never really gone to school before. Knowing all the information isn’t enough. You had to know how to take the test. Testing regimes hadn’t been covered on the Good Fortune and multiple choice– hadn’t been a choice. She also has a bad habit of reading everything about something when she’s interested but then dropping it cold when something else interests her. It’s good that she started MIT early because it will be a miracle if she graduates. Because she is petite, Twink had worn a Hill original to the train station. The hat would be the first thing that Frankie would see. Fancy is also on the height challenged side.

“There she is.” Frankie shoulders his duffle. He points in the direction.

Fancy stands on tip toe and holds onto Frankie for balance. “Ah! Okay.” She waves an arm over her head and then grabs her duffle too. There are hugs when the two girls meet.

Twink had left Lurch at home and has Narin with her. Frank gives Narin a hand shake and a, “How you doing, dude?”

“Better here than down in Texas.”

Frankie nods. “Cat 5 had their hands full on that one. Bet you guys look forward to winter and the no hurricane thing.”

“Looking forward to winter is an... overstatement.” Narin counters wryly. The older man starts ushering their charges toward the taxi station. “Luckily Twink only takes the disasters that come to her, she doesn’t go looking for them.”

“So you still dating the doctor?” Fancy strings a hand through Twink’s. “And the governor of Texas’ son?”

“The doctor definitely. He’s practically family though– Aunt Skye’s nephew. Governor of Texas’ son? That was just while Narin and I were down there for the hurricane and you know the press was making big drama out of it.”

“Like a cat 5 wasn’t bad enough.” Fancy shakes her head. “Let me guess? Love among the ruins right?”

“Predictable.” Twink agrees. “And you know I didn’t put my name out there. I was just working. Someone had to have given the press my name.”

“You think he did it.” It’s a declaration not a question.

Twink nods. “His father isn’t the only politician in the family.”

“Run. Do not Walk to the nearest exit.” Fancy counsels with a shake of her head. They automatically crawl into the back of the Taxi that Narin has flagged down. Frankie shoves his duffel and Fancy’s in the trunk and then takes shotgun leaving Narin to sit in back with the girls. It’s crowded but the trip isn’t long.

Twink makes sure she is the first on through the door because they hadn’t taken Lurch with them. The big guy has good enough manners but that first greeting is always enthusiastic until his brain re-engaged. “Oh there is my good boy. Aren’t you the sweetest thing.” Twink gives Lurch hugs and kisses and backs him up so that the people behind her can get into the townhouse. She lets loose of his collar as soon as Narin shuts and secures the door. At that point Lurch goes around and gets pats from everyone. He doesn’t jump on people anymore which is a good thing cause he’s big enough to put his paws up on Frankie’s shoulders.

“You meet Aunt Brittany’s schipperkes?” Fancy asks as she follows Twink up the stairs to the top floor. They’d be sharing a room for the weekend she is in town.

“They’re game.” Twink nods. “But I guess I’m used to Lurch now. They’re all kind of small. It I were going to live on a boat again I guess they’d make sense.”

“We went to a charity luncheon for animal rescue the first week I was out in LA.”

“Nightmare city.” Twink winces. “Saw some of that down in Texas. The place we were using as home base is a fairground, so as soon as the storm passed that ended up being the animal rescue/shelter hub. Karinen shipping does a lot of charity work of course but the check I write is to the shelter where we found Lurch.” Twink looks around her room as if for the first time. The maid came a couple of times a week but she didn’t mess with the girl’s stuff. “Sorry about the mess. I’ve got a couple of projects due at school.”

“I’m just glad you didn’t mind me dropping in on you like this just because I wanted to go to a basketball game.”

“That is kind of weird. Not the dropping by-- I didn’t know you liked Basketball.”

“It’s a recent obsession.” Fancy drops her duffle a the foot of the bed and wanders over to Twink’s bookcases. She already knows what she is going to find. Not a spec of fiction. Everything is engineering, building, designing, geology, oceanography and then when you really started wondering-- there are the books on building miniatures and knitting for humans but mostly canines. “You still having trouble finding sweaters for Lurch?”

“Since when is a cocker spaniel a large dog, I ask you?!” Twink goes off on her rant. “I’ve finally gotten Kirby convinced. She owns a knitting parlor west of here. Does designs but I’ve got her convinced to do up her samples in REAL large sizes– so I can buy them for Lurch. She’s working off Hill’s business model and has her own website. She uses rescue Greyhounds who are up for adoption as her models.”

“Two birds one stone. Excellent.”

Checking the caller ID on the vibrating phone, Mona flags another of the bar maids to cover for her and heads back to a semi quiet area of The City’s finest CSMS strip club. “Hey handsome.”

“You weren’t kidding about Marta’s cooking. Chicago rocked.”

“Told you so. Where you at now... Boston right?”

“That’s a CSMC town right?” Edwards in the last couple of weeks had realized the difference between a CSMC town and a non-town where he’d basically been on his own. Philly had been a non-town. Luckily Linc had family there so they’d still had an inside scoop on the city rather than being stuck in a hotel room with room service and pay per view.

Mona knows it too. She goes over to the office computer and logs in. “It is your lucky day. Boston is huge for CSMC. That’s where the music label is located. There is a lot of real estate and doing good with the clubs too. There is a sports bar over by Fenway.”

“Stay away from the sports bars until we get back to LA.” Edwards counters.

“We?”

“Yeah, I scored some converts for you in Chicago– including the coach.”

“Ah early night then if the old man is along for the ride.” Mona does a few clicks on the Boston page. “You know you should just email me your wish list the day before rather than waiting until the last minute.”

“My calls making you nuts?”

“Nah, making my boss nuts.” Mona counters. “You and the we you’ve converted up for a little good deed?”

“What did you have in mind?”

“Travis Montgomery. He’s a med student at Children’s Hospital Boston if you guys want to go see some fans who can’t get to the game. He’s got all kinds of astericks by his name.... oh wow, he’s Chandy Radcliffe’s, you know from Mayday? He’s her cousin. No wonder we have a file on him. That makes him family.” Mona keeps looking at the website. “You guys do the Children’s Hospital thing and I’ll get you tickets to a mix martial arts bout. That is going to be pay per view only. Front row is always a bad idea at those things. It’ll cost but I can do third row.”

“We’d do the hospital thing anyway.”

“I know that’s why I’m offering.” Mona agrees. “Okay dinner is at the Greek Place in the CSMC talent building. CSMC doesn’t own the Greek Place but they have to be good if Anders would have them in the building and he’s greek so he’d know. Just tell me how many and what time you’re going to be there.”

“It’s an afternoon game should be early dinner– Six maybe especially if you got something going after dinner?”

“Done. Here is Travis’ cell phone number. He’s at work now so it’ll probably go directly to message.” Mona gives the phone number. “He’s in the last day of a long run there. You may have to repeat things a couple of times depending on how much sleep he’s gotten. I’ll email him with the information. You too. Oops got to go– Mickey is coming.” Mona hangs up the phone in a hurry.

“What did she say?” The guard inquires as soon as Edwards hangs up.

“Dinner at a Greek Place in the CSMC talent building after the game.”

“What about today?”

“Well I might have something lined up for that too.” Edwards makes a phone call and leaves a message. “Hey this is for Travis Montgomery. My name is Jerrome Edwards. I was given your name by Mona over at CSMC. She says you may know a few people who might like to met a bball player but can’t make the game tomorrow? Gimme a call.” He leaves his number.

“What’s that?”

“Children’s hospital. Evidently CSMC is connected there too.”

“She’s lining up charity gigs?!” The guard shakes his head in disbelief.

“Yeah, if we do it she’ll hook up with some soldout Mixed Martial arts bout.”

Lincoln Upton, the guard, gets a slack look face like a guy in the midst of really good sex. “She can get tickets to that? Oh man... I so should have gone for the waitress rather than the stripper. You hit the lottery, man. She has soooo hooked you up. You have got to give me her phone number.”

Remember what Mona said bout the guard, Edwards shakes his head. “She’d charge you.”

“You mean she’s not charging you? Damn. What is your secret, man?”

“And we won’t get in trouble for doing this?” Fancy looks at the big dog in the back of the taxi. Evidently Twink had connections with the cab company for drivers who didn’t mind having Lurch in the back.

“Nah. He passed all his good boy points so that he can go into hospitals and nursing homes. There are a few kids he can’t see... you know the ones in bubbles but there are plenty in traction who wouldn’t mind having Lurch coming to see them. And I have to do something with Lurch today. I’m going to be at the gym all day tomorrow getting things ready for the fight while you’re at the game.”

“You’re not going to fight?!”

“Oh no. I’m still keeping that quiet side. Just a little bit of helping out with the kids at the shelter and sparring with Narin.”

“I don’t know where you find the time for everything.”

“Don’t sleep?” Twink offers as a possibility. “Easily bored? I do like those short term obligations.” She hands the cabby some money. “I’ll call you before I call the service when we’re done, Joey. But if you’re busy we can take the T. Cause there is no rush getting home.”

“No problem, Twink. Just gimme a call. It’s been kind of slow anyway.” The cabby tucks the money into his safe and gives her a nod as they pull up to the hospital. As long as Twink has Lurch with her Narin could go about his own business and this has stretched to include Fancy who is going around without a bodyguard for the first time since the Corey Cummings story had hit.

Twink checks in with the volunteer coordinator and picks up badges for her, Fancy and even Lurch has his own badge.

“This must be our day for visitors. Travis Montgomery called me to get it cleared through for some players from the LA Lakers visit some of the kids!” The coordinator is practically breathless. “I know the children will be very excited. It’s not the Celtics but NBA players!”

“Did you know about this?” Twink asks Fancy.

Who shakes her head. “No, one of the guys I think is in contact with someone from CSMC down in The City. That’s how I was able to get tickets to the philly game. I was sitting next to one of the player’s brother.”

It wasn’t a normal press/charity arrangement. The guys weren’t on any time frame where they had someplace to be. There weren’t cute sick kids picked out for them and a photo op. The ball caps they’d brought with them would be going to kids who actually needed them because of chemo. The signed lakers pennants would be attached to wheel chairs. Travis Montgomery acts as the guide for the guys. He is off duty finally. He’d gotten to do a rotation here even though his stepfather ran the PICU, it might have something to do with all the money his mother raised for the hospital. To keep sanity in the family however Travis and Robert Chase stay on opposite sides of the hospital. “You guys going to be able to handle it if the kids go Celtics rule on you?”

“You sound like you’re not there, Doc.” Edwards say with a hopeful tone. Adults are actually worse fanatics than kids.

“I’m from Pine Valley, Pennsylvania– 76ers territory.” Trav replies. He shrugs. “Always been more about swimming, surfing and diving anyway.”

“Then you’re definitely in the wrong place, Doc. You ought to come out to LA.”

“I’ve a few more years before I start moving around. I’m still finishing my education.” Trav pauses to give a quick brief about who is in the ward they are about to enter. The guys nod. This might not be a planned outting but they’ve been in hospitals visiting sick kids before and they turn it on when they walk through the door. Travis hangs back by the door. He happens to glance down the hallway and sees a familiar face. “Twink?”

“Hey. How you doing, Trav?” Twink comes over and gives him kisses on both cheeks. “Lurch needed some extra lovin’ so I brought him down to the wards.”

“Well I don’t know how much attention he’s going to be getting.”

“I heard about the basketball players. Is that them?” Twink peeks in the door.

“Where is Lurch?”

“Fancy is keeping him company with the kids on East. She figures these guys are press cases and she is really over the press. At least for now.”

“That’s your cousin?”

“Close enough.” Twink nods and shrugs. She happens to see one of the players looking over in their direction. “I think you’re being paged. You’re crashed for 24 after this right?”

“Out like a light.”

“Gimme a call when you wake up.” Twink gives him a wave and heads out.

“Who was that?” One of the ballers inquires.

“She and her dog come in and see the kids.”

Saturday is going to be a day. An early game, followed by dinner and then Twink had convinced her to go to the Mixed martial arts. She’d tried to tell her that it was more Hillary’s thing than hers but Twink is the hostess and will not be denied.

The Fox News West guy is on the lookout for her and Frankie from the time of the warmups. “Faith Monroe.” He hails her from a couple of rows away.

“Hey.” Faith calls the reporter by name and decides to turn the table on him. “How is it looking tonight? Everyone healthy?”

“You already know about Ben Ingram’s serving his suspension for a the double technical after what happened in Chicago?”

“Frankie and I were watching you guys on Fox Sports West.” Fancy is such a good interview making sure she says the name of the channel and gets it right. They’d probably be ripping her for advertising for the rest of the season.

“You saw the whole game?”

“Oh yeah. The coach must have been absolutely furious. Especially with this game here in Boston coming on to have Ingram sitting– he is the perfect defensive tool against the Boston center. Okay the first T, that one was kind of iffy.” Fancy makes a hand shaking motion with one hand. Frankie is standing behind her nodding in agreement.

He is the one who says from behind Fancy. “Totally suckered on the second– lost his mental focus. Coach must have been un-glued.”

“You think then it’s going to impact this game?”

“How could it not?” Fancy asks. “It will be interesting to see how the Coach counters this unexpected loss. It will definitely be an opportunity for the substitute to show their mental toughness. And it’s a huge opportunity for the Celtics.”

“While I’m glad you were catching the game on Fox Sports West...” The announcer makes sure he gets the channel in another time. “... why didn’t we see you at the Bulls game? You’ve had good luck getting tickets on this road trip.”

“I had to work.” Fancy tells him. “An episode of Law and Order that will be on in two weeks– not on a game night.”

“We’ll be checking it out. Thanks, Faith. Enjoy the game.”

“You too.”

The dinner is with Anders Pappa and Tori Palmer. It could really be considered a business dinner since CSMC- Boston is picking up the tab. They are at a scene and be seen restaurant. This is the place where the hot shots of the creative set would be. Musicians from the philharmonic, actors in a traveling Broadway show. Of course they are there about 5 hours too early to see all those people because they have some place to be. The hot ticket in town, even hotter than the Celtics game is the Mixed Marital Arts bout. This is a world championship bout with belts and bragging rights on the card in three different weight divisions.

This has been in the works for like six months. And Twink and Narin hadn’t done the arranging but they knew each step of the way because they are wired into the Muay Thai community in Boston. They are going to be on hand as honored guests, especially Narin as a former Muay Thai champion. And it’s actually going to be a formal affair if you could believe that. Pay Per View and the venue sold out months in advance. Twink is going all out for this because it is an honor for Narin and there are going to be Thai fighters there. Sometimes it seemed their greatest expense is getting the fights from Lumpini via satellite.

The fight hadn’t been on the agenda when Faith and Frankie planned on coming to Boston and since they had just dropped in would definitely have to be sports about it. But Frankie had expected to be going to a basketball game and had brought casual clothes with him. When he’d gotten an eye of what Twink was planning on wearing he’d sworn under his breath and headed over to see Anders and see if there was a suit or something he could borrow.
This is going to be formal attire. Fancy is going to be borrowing a dress from Twink. They are about the same height and have similar builds even if their coloring is totally different. Twink broke out the war chest for this one. It isn’t just the slim tube style skirts of Thai silk woven with golden threads, or the beaded lace top that bares one shoulder and has a scarf of material that hangs down the back to about the knee. It’s jewelry: rings, bracelets, armbands, necklaces, belt. It’s hair upswept with gold combs and lacquered to handle a Cat 5; make up and nails perfectly done. Neither of these girls had ever gone to a prom but that is the look. Narin is going to be the star, the former champ walking with two girls on his arms.

The atmosphere is insane. Or it would be except for Twink and Narin the comparison is Lumpini. The southeast asian press corps is there, including the press from Bangkok. Other than the fighters and other press, Narin is one of the few who speaks Thai and is interviewed about the card. Fancy finds her front row seat and wonders what she’s gotten herself into. Frankie leans over. “You believe this?”

“No, I really can’t. This is wild. Have you ever been...”

“Not to something like this. Went to some boxing matches in Vegas. You know Baby isn’t into all this stuff.”

“Yeah.” Fancy shakes her head. They say Tai Chi is a form of a martial art. She’d always thought of it more as a meditation and for the longest time she’d resisted learning it because she already spends enough time with Uncle Stefan. It is only the long New York winters that had broken down her resistence.

Finally Narin and Twink make their way over to the reserved seats and because Narin is the star, Frankie takes the aisle seat so that Twink is next to him then Narin then Fancy. The old man has a hottie on either side of him.

The basketball players get a little notice but not as much as if they’d walked into a bar somewhere in Boston. They are recognized of course but that is because this crowd is all about gambling. And they don’t have front row seats. There would be riot if they had. Nobody would be able to see three seats behind them. Mona had managed to get four tickets: Edwards, Upton and two other guys from the team are all there. And they are definitely there stag figuring girls wouldn’t be into it.

“Check the front row, by the main entrance. Isn’t that the girl from the hospital today?” Upton nods in Twink’s direction.

“Yeah, And I think that’s Faith Monroe with her. Damn they sure look different.” Edwards pulls out his cell phone and hits a number that he’s now got on preset. “Hey Mona.”

“You are going to get me so fired. Are you at the fight?”

“Oh yeah. Hasn’t started yet.” Edwards nods. “Faith at this thing? Someone who looks just like her is down in the front row.”

“It wasn’t on her schedule for the weekend. She’s spending the weekend with her cousin who goes to MIT.”

“Her dude, you know the bodyguard... he looks just the same.”

“Frankie. Gimme a sec.” Mona goes into a quieter room where she can access a computer. This guy is so going to get her fired. She goes to the online journals. “Yeah, looks like Faith updated her journal. There a skinny asian guy with them?”

“Yeah. I see him.” Edwards cranes his head.

“He’s a former Muay Thai champion. National treasure type thing. He’s worked for the Karinen group since after the Christmas Tsunamis. Faith’s cousin is connected to the Karinen group.” Mona figures enough said. “What are they wearing?”

“Some kind of asian garb. They look hot. I’ll send ya a picture.”

“Yeah, you do that.... got to go.” Mona hangs up abruptly.

Upton is right there listening in but he is also the first to say. “You get that girl fired and I’m going to be very pissed.” The other two guys who had benefitted from Mona’s arrangements in Chicago nod their agreement.

“She’s in the wrong business. She needs to be setting stuff up like this full time.” Edwards retorts. Then he realizes what he just said and realizes it’s the truth.

Normally cards are sorted by weight class just like boxing but tonight with three different belts on the line the sort had been done by the Pay Per View sponsor to ensure that they have maximum exposure. There are cameras all over in the rafters and around the ring. There are cameras by the commentators. There are scantily clad ring girls who carry cards with the round announcements. The first fight is a brawl. Two wiry men fast and wicked in their punches and kicks. The blood is flowing from brows and nose. Welts rise on ribs and thighs. Anyone who had started the program late would have missed one of the best fights right there at the opening. And the thing is, they are evenly matched with each giving as good as they got. This was going to come down to a draw unless someone got knocked out.

Fancy is sitting way back in her seat and leaning away from the ring. Frankie is shaking his head in disbelief. Of course, he’d seen the results years ago when Karin had taken out Anders but this is still amazing. Narin and Twink are both on the edge of their seats. They’d made their bets with each other based on the card before they ever came out but both had decided this one was going to be too close to call and boy had they been right. As the seconds are ticking down on the fight, one of the fighters takes it up a notch going for the knock out but leaves himself open in doing so. The other fighter is too good to not see the opening and exploit it. Twink and Narin are on their feet watching as the knock out is counted out. The last fighter standing has arm raised by the ref.

Frankie leans over. “If he’d have just rode it out, he would have gotten a draw.”

Narin shakes his head. “Champions do not play for a tie; they fight to win.”

Fancy finally exhales as the other fighter is assisted from the ring and the maintenance crew makes sure that the blood stains are bleached.

Twink can’t quite contain herself and is on her feet. Her comments to Narin are all about technique. Did you see this? Did you see that? And all in Thai. It’s bubbling out of her like a kid meeting a superhero. She’d meet Presidents and politicians, doctors, engineers, powerful people but this is what has her doing a total fangirl impression.

Narin rolls his eyes and answers her comments calmly giving her time to mellow out. The second bout on the card is a match of two women. A western addition to the martial arts field.

Twink retakes her seat as the fight is announced. This has the crowd going wild but it leaves her unimpressed. There are a few good blows but she knows that if she got into that ring that she could take either of the fighters at this so called championship level. She looks over at Narin and doesn’t say anything.

He nods his agreement and then shakes his head. “I know. But it is not for you.” He says in english.

“If I were a boy you wouldn’t be saying that.” Twink counters also in english.

“Maybe. But you are not a boy. You are Twink Quartermaine and you have other things to do.” Narin answers in Thai.

Twink looks away.

Frankie leans over. Just tilting his head to one side. Out of the corner of his eye he sees the young woman dressed up like Thai Barbie. Or someone who is heading to an embassy party or something. “You really think you could take them? Which one?”

“Either. Both.” Twink shrugs. “Narin and my parents would never approve. Narin doesn’t think that women should fight professionally unless they are in the military and my parents worry not so much that I’ll get hurt but that it will draw unfortunate attention to myself.”

Frankie nods. “Got to agree. Not that I wouldn’t mind seeing ya kick either of those women’s asses but it isn’t a concealed weapon... if it’s not concealed.” He glances down the row. “You doing okay down there, Fancy?”

That draws Twink and Narin’s attention to her. Fancy smiles cheerfully. “Yeah, I’m fine. This is amazing.”

Might be all that but Fancy is also getting a little green around the gills. Her acting skills are beyond perfection and they might have believed her if her skin wasn’t giving her away.

Twink stands up. It’s the middle of the bout but it’s a bout she doesn’t want to see anyway. “Come on. It’s powder your nose time.”

Frankie starts to get up too but Twink puts a hand on his shoulder. “Concealed weapon remember? Nobody is interested in us tonight. We’ll be fine.”