O'Connell Bridge - Pt. 13

A package arrived via Federal Express at 9 AM LC happened to be up so he answered the door. “Liam Brennan?” asked the delivery man.

“Yeah.”

“This is for you.” He handed LC the package. Although it was large in size, it didn’t have weight accordingly.

LC carried the box into the living room and peeled back the opening tab. Inside was a bubble wrapped second package. After removing the packing, he uncovered a Mahogany polished wood frame with a certificate for professional framing at a frame shop in Wilmington. The note said, “Congratulations from the O’Neil Milling Company.”

“What’d ya get?” Mac tried to look over LC’s shoulder.

“A frame for my degree. I mean it’s really cool and all that, but why?”

Mac picked up the certificate. “Whoa, free framing too, I guess since you got a frame, that means mounting.”

“Like it’s a gift from the O’Neil Company. Sheesh.” LC pulled everything out of the box looking for additional information. All he found was Styrofoam and bubble wrap.

“Nobody in your family is gonna surprise you with a frame are they?” Mac rotated the frame.

“You’ve gotta be kidding. I’m not sure my parents know I’m in school and Mike would rather buy a circus tutu for his dog than give me anything like this.” LC admired the frame. “Like from Jostens. This probably set them back a couple of hundred at least and with the shipping; incredible.”

“Hey when you get married to some princess with this company that plans on fondling you, think kindly of me.” Mac put a bagel in the toaster oven. “Want one?”

“Thanks, already had breakfast.”

“Figured as much. You get to come home to a gift, I come home to Arthur’s wrath for improper toilet cleaning.”

“You just wait. My guess is Aideen will make you lick the lid.”

Mac tried to look embarrassed. “If she asked, I would.”

LC shook his head. “My friend, she’s got you where she wants, you know.”

“Oh well.” Mac got butter out of the refrigerator.

“Be back later.” LC left the apartment and he carried the frame downstairs intending to show it to Caitlin. Betty Jo was drinking coffee and sitting at Caitlin’s computer.

“Hey, where’s Cait?”

Betty Jo looked over her shoulder. “Gone to Brits. Long drive but she left more than an hour ago. Sit, whatcha got?”

“A frame for my diploma. Just came via Fed Ex. Like it says it’s a gift from this O’Neil Milling Company, that’s the company I have been researching.”

Betty Jo kept typing on the computer. “They want you for something. Like the salesmen who come in the restaurant give the management all sorts of goodies, like glassware and coasters. Does it have their name embossed on it anywhere?”

LC turned the frame over and over a number of times examining every edge and surface both front and back. “Nope, only the card that was sent with it. That’s the only thing with their name.”

“I’m impressed.”

“Me too.” LC set the box on the coffee table then carefully placed the frame on top of the box. “I guess I take it now to the frame shop, like its got matting. Although not my colors.”

“Have you got the real degree on paper yet?”

“Nope. Probably in about a week or two after the official Spring Graduation they’ll mail out the real document.”

LC chatted with Betty Jo for several minutes before Caitlin came in carrying a greasy, stained paper sack.

“Donuts, oh boy.” Betty Jo got up from the computer and met Caitlin in the foyer. She looked in the sack. “I thought you got a dozen.”

Caitlin ducked her eyes. “I did.” She apparently finally noticed LC sitting on the couch. “Really Betty Jo, I was being chased by a group of rabid zombies and had to lighten my load, so I ate half of them by the time I got here, thus saving us from unspeakable death.”

Betty Jo took the bag to the kitchen and put two on a plate. “LC would you care for one?”

“Absolutely not,” yelled Caitlin. “He’s obviously one of the evil zombies sent to rape and pillage donuts.”

LC grabbed her as he passed. “Gotcha.”

“Help, I’m being molested by a rabid zombie.”

Betty Jo giggled and pointed. “Well Zombie’s are dead, so the molestation won’t go too far. Ooh, terrible thought.”

Caitlin chided. “Go wash your brain out with soap.”

“Easy for you to say, you’re the one about to be covered in Zombie dust.”

Caitlin fell into LC’s lap and he quickly kissed her. He whispered, “Let’s go to the frame shop.”

“Why?”

“Look.” He pointed to the Mahogany frame on the Fed Ex box. “Arrived today. Read the note.”

Caitlin picked up the card and read. “Cool, let’s go. But you know, that’s my frame. I saw that one last winter and picked it out.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I picked that same one out in December, before Betty Jo and I moved here. Glad I didn’t order it. I bet you got this one at Jostens, too.”

“Well, I didn’t buy it. The frame was delivered. But if it upsets you, I’ll trade it in.”

“No way.” Caitlin held the frame up. “It’s more masculine anyway now that I see it in person.”

“It’s already matted, but I want a different contrast. I guess that’s what the gift certificate is for.”

Caitlin picked up the certificate. “I suppose so, but it’s unspecified.”

“So, lets go.” LC stood and walked to the door.

Caitlin stood and brushed down her blouse. “Second thought, I need to stay here; I just ate six donuts and my stomach is kinda rolling.”

“Hey, Betty Jo, feed her some Pepto or something, I’ll be back in an hour or so.” LC strolled out to his truck and prepared to head out. There was a note on his window. “Another McConnell Bridge note?” He pulled it off and looked at it. “$500 gift certificate to Ruth Chris Steak House. Compliments of O’Neil Milling.” At the same instant he got a text. “Take a date.”

LC ran back up the porch. “Cait, we’re going to dinner tonight at Ruth Chris; think of what I should wear; and you too. I’ll do the frame thing and then come back and sack out for a while; but, we can do dinner. Right? You make the reservations. I don’t work tonight so I can eat late.” He didn’t wait for a reply, just turned and raced to his truck.

What he didn’t see was Caitlin raising her fist in the air.

At 7:30 PM, Caitlin and LC arrived at the Hilton Hotel in Wilmington. LC tossed the keys to his truck to the attendant. “Be careful, she’s a classic.”

The teenager grinned. “I have a restored Mustang. Don’t worry.”

Caitlin and LC walked through the Hilton Lobby and to the Ruth Chris door. Caitlin was wearing a knee length, open back green dress, which was tied at the neck and tight around her waist. A delicate white sparkle lined the folds of the skirt. Her modest heels brought her head above LC’s chin.

LC borrowed a black sports coat from a suit bag in Murphy’s closet and he borrowed one of Murphy’s white shirts, which came out of a cleaner’s bag also in Murphy’s closet. With tan Duckheads and a green tie, picked out by Caitlin, LC looked acceptable, no different than most older college students.

“You know, my dear,” Caitlin teased. “If we drink too much, we could just get a room.”

LC squeezed her arm. “Temptation thou comest in the form of a temptress. Unfortunately, the gift certificate is for the restaurant and not for the hotel.” He guided her toward the bar. “You said our reservations were for 8 PM, is that correct?”

Caitlin tossed her hair and raised her chin. “Indeed, I do believe so, ol’ chum.” She laughed and grabbed LC’s hand.

LC ordered a beer and Caitlin a glass of white wine. Her small, light green purse was slung over her shoulder and Caitlin caught it when they sat at the small couch and coffee table. “If we had a regular table, I could hang it up.” She produced a purse hook. “See.” She dangled it with a ring around her left hand. “My aunt gave it to me.”

LC studied the small mechanism. “Cool, you can hang it on your finger too and not have to carry it around. Looks like an oversized wedding band.”

Caitlin slipped her finger out of the purse hook. “I have my great grandmother’s wedding band. Well, I don’t have it. It’s being held for me. I think Tess has it in a bank box or something. She wouldn’t wear it cause she said it was in my family, not hers.”

“Oh, Tess is not directly related to you?’

“She was my uncle’s wife. Actually, he wasn’t an uncle at all, I guess, cause he was my dad’s cousin; which I think makes him my cousin, if that’s what you mean?”

They sipped their drinks and watched the bar crowd come and go for only a few minutes.

A hostess hovered over them. “Mr. Brennan, your table is ready.”

They were escorted to a window table overlooking the river.

“It’s beautiful here, LC. Thank you for inviting me.” Caitlin gazed out the window while a waiter busied himself placing water and a single sheet listing the menu on the table. A larger menu was available but LC waved it away. He had studied the menu on line.

“We’ll have the petit filet, baked potato, and green beans. Another glass of wine for my date, and I’d like coffee with cream.”

“How do you want your steaks?”

LC looked at Caitlin. “Medium for me. Cait?”

“Mine, well done.”

“Very well, wine is coming.”

Caitlin reached across the table and touched LC’s hand. “This is wonderful.”

“Generosity of the O’Neil Company. Two gifts, I may be getting into something I will regret. But, right now I’m enjoying a dinner with a beautiful woman.”

Caitlin’s eyes twinkled. “Too bad the gift certificate doesn’t include a white carriage, glass slippers.” She grinned, “And the hotel.”

To be continued...