The Hazy Days Of Summer

The heat wave has forced Pike and Mace to drag Lee, kicking and screaming, away from his home renovation project.  The three of them sit on the deck for a little male bonding.

Lee: Oh, for crying out loud.  I'm not trying to widow your mother.  In my day -- 

Mace: In your day, you weren't an old man.  Besides, the weathermen are even telling youngsters to take it easy in this heat.  Me, I wanna live to see Samara's children born, so all I did today was put the horses in the back paddock.  Lots of shade and access to the pond for them.

Pike: Nikki and Stacie got mad at him for not mucking out their stalls, but he promised to do that this evening when it cools off.  

Mace: I'm so glad some of my grand kids are showing an interest.  

Lee: Speaking of our grandchildren, why are Taylor and Nikki going to a Baptiste family reunion?  They're Pikes now.

Mace: Don't be like that, man.  Pike promised when he adopted Taylor and Nikki that he wasn't gonna cut them out of the girls' lives. 

Lee: Then why adopt them at all?  Why not simply be their stepfather? 

Pike: I adopted them as a means of streamlining the legal situation.  I hate to say it, but my insurance as a grocery manager is better than what they were getting as the children of a man killed in action.  There were other things, too, but the insurance was the main issue. 

*****

Across town, Midna and Pocahontas meet after work for a bite and some girl talk. 

Pocahontas: All these delays on the Windigo are driving me nuts!  I'm starting to understand why Mom was always opposed to adding new rides.  It's a royal pain. 

Midna: I know I was reluctant to upgrade the diner, but that fire turned out to be a blessing in disguise.  Even if it was a nightmare while it was in progress.  It'll be worth it, I promise.

Pocahontas: Enough about work.  I wanted to talk about John.

Midna: Be still, my heart.  Are you finally coming around?

Pocahontas: Sulu and I have been tutoring him for his GED and the other night, while John put his girls to bed, Sulu told me some things.  John's point of view.  It really got me to thinking.

Midna: There's no excuse for John stringing you along when he was with Albion.  Please don't tell me you've fallen for some stupid excuse like he was drunk.  I know I've been telling you to give him another chance, but not at that cost.

Pocahontas: No, he totally deserved the beating I gave him that day.  He cheated on her emotionally and on me physically.  But then he ended up forced into a marriage with that empty-headed bimbo.  I thnk that was punishment enough.

Pocahontas: You know if it happens, it's going to be fast.  It's not like we need to get to know one another.  We have to consider the kids... if we got together, the most logical home is his.  Since he's moving the day care and using the whole house now.

Midna: And you don't know if you want to live in her house.

Pocahontas: Exactly.

There's a brief lull in the conversation as they both think about the situation.

Pocahontas: Change of subject.  Who is Lottie Gordon and why is her moving back to town such a big deal?

Midna: Batgirl's sister.  The crybaby who left town three seconds after graduation?

Pocahontas: I don't remember her.  But Batgirl was a couple years ahead of us and I wasn't exactly a social butterfly.

Midna: Lottie's her older sister.  They were really poor and got bullied a lot, but Batgirl learned to rise above.  And by the way, she's (adopts a snooty tone for the name) Charlotte Jackson now.  Her old man - and I do mean old man - is comatose in the medical center and she's flaunting his money all over town.

Pocahontas: A gold digger, huh? I guess I should be glad I'm not a man.  Or gay.

*******

Just on the other side of Sunburst's parking lot, in the park.

Lynch:  You and me are gonna tangle, Mr. Higgins, if you continue to go to over my head.  You know perfectly well that I'm your liaison with the program.

Hank: You don't do anything but tell me I'm screwing up.

Lynch: You are screwing up.  For one thing, you're supposed to be keeping a low profile but half the town thinks you look familiar.  And you aren't allowed to relocate at the drop of a hat.

Hank: Look, it wasn't at the drop of a hat.  I made a mistake in coming ba...  I mean, in coming here.  There is nothing here for me.

Lynch: There's safety, you idiot, which is why the program exists.