"A Day Like None Other"

"Howdy, Kids- Come on in!" Aunt Ina Snirdley said opening the double doors to Kate Ebsen's show stopping penthouse. "The cookies are fresh, and made with ole fashioned love-just like usual! I'm so glad to be you Babies again." A couple of Prego Pal's, DebWest and Shari took Aunt Ina arm-n-arm as they walked her into the formal living overlooking all of Manhattan.
The other 'Pals' quickly set about scouting out the fresh baked Snickerdoodles, Peanut Butter, Oatmeal Raisin and Chocolate chunk cookies.
"Aunt Ina, we're so glad to have you back from the Gene Convention!" Shari said, "We sure did miss Storytime!
"Thank you Honey-I missed y'all!" Ina remarked stopping long enough to place a motherly kiss upon the head of 'Kathy MA.'
One of her special Pal's, Maggie, asked-
"What will you be reading, Aunt Ina, Will it be about the convention?"
"No, Honey Girl, it'll be somethin' very different……..a 'bone chillin' mystery!" Aunt Ina replied.
"Oooooooooo!" said Brian B, "I just love a mystery!"
"Well, Babies-I sure hope this don't give you nightmares…" Her tone took on a dark edge, causing LeeAnn and Alexandra to catch one another's eye.
Derek shook off a chill, "Something for Halloween, eh?" He said weakly, projecting an air of Macho.
"Yes, Precious Boy-'Something for Halloween'….Aunt Ina said straightening herself into her favorite chair, as the Prego Pals gathered around-munching their favorite cookies and sipping their hot chocolate. Its thick blanket of marshmallow foam painting milky rings around their lips. Opening her 'Aunt Ina's Storytime Book' she cleared her throat slightly,

"A Day Like None Other"
Chapter One

"A cool October breeze swirled about Manhattan..reminding its inhabitants that soon Fall would pass into Winter-taking with it the breathtaking scarlet, yellow and orange leaves of Autumn."
"Doesn't sound too ominous!" Whispered Willis to Summer_Lin, who continued to listen. "SHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Mardi in the front row said, turning around shooting them with a dagger-filled glare.
Aunt Ina continued reading,
"Darlings" Broadway's Brightest Star, Miss Kate Ebsen said to Luther Norman and I one morning, "I think we'd better go to my place in country, and prepare the house for the season."
"Honey-that's a great idea!" I said, "Long walks in the woods, hot peppermint tea by a warm, crackling fire..shopping for fresh apples by a little roadside stand.." hesitating for a moment, I savored the thoughts before continuing, "And I've had a hankering to get my hands on that old over-grown rose garden of yours." Then with a twinkle in her eye, Aunt Ina said, "Maybe Luther could help me..?" Placing his dishes into the dishwasher, Dr. Luther Norman, DVM bowed regally, one hand behind him-the other at waist level, "At your service, M'Lady!" he said, causing me to chuckle, "Oh, Luther Stop!"
"Yes, Luther, 'STOP!' Kate said, "Chivalry is dead, didn't you hear?" A faint smile crossing her lips. The whole little scene was cute to Kate as she had saw first hand the effect Luther had on me. In Katie Girl's mind, she saw me takin' less Anacin, stopped rubbing BenGay on my achin' elbows and knees, and according to her, seemed to be getting around a little sprightlier, than usual. No, Prego Pal's, in Kate's mind, she thought our 'togetherness' was all-innocent enough. "Their painting the town red consists of an 'Early Bird Special' down at their favorite cafeteria, followed by a Cherry Cordial night cap!" she told a friend over the she told a friend over the phone."
Then Aunt Ina added, "And for somebody that's been married Five Times, that's good enough fer her!"
"In a few hours, we were loaded into Kate's Bugatti and were off to the multicolored-Upstate mountains! In an hour we'd arrived and not a moment too soon, by the looks of Kate's property!
The Rose Garden had been nearly consumed by black spot and aphids, and what was once a fine collection of rare and antique roses, now resembled naked, thorny sticks jutting out of the ground like a bed of nails- angrily pointing towards the sky.
The Herbs had all but flowered out, and amid the Hosta's, a patch of Poison Ivy completed with them for a little rain or sun."
Aunt Ina held the book high so each Pal could see for themselves, the "Helter Skelter' condition of the Garden. "Putting on my gardening Bonnet, I said to Kate, "Good Thing Luther came along-this is going to be quite the job for two!"
"Enjoy Darlings!" Kate said, having no interest in pulling weeds-wrecking havoc on her manicure. After all, the 'garden idea' had been 'Husband # 5's! Soon after its completion though, he'd fallen in Love with a man Antiques' Dealer from Toronto-leaving Kate to manage the delicate, 'flora and fauna'. She didn't relish the idea of gardening like many of her contemporaries, but she had paid for the ancient roses, the hostas and a few other hybrids, and had no desire of giving them away for him to savor with his boyfriend. So, she had it written into the divorce decree to have the items left where they were. And, they were.
Once quietly left inside , Kate set about reading an offer to take the 'Seigfreid and Roy' spot at the Mirage, when I breathlessly and no doubt- agitated- stormed into the room….
"KAATE! You'd better come quick!" I said before turning on my sensible, orthopedic heel, jogging back through the threshold-allowing the screen door to slam hard against the frame.
"Dearheart-what is it, Luther? A Heart Attack?"
Kate asked arising quickly.
"Come on!" was my only reply.
Once outside, Kate saw me take Luther's arm, as he stood starring into a hole of ground, freshly dug. The shovel's handle tight in his wrinkled hand.
Approaching us, Kate Ebsen-slightly winded-Winner of Three Tony Awards-A Living Legend and Star of the Great White Way looked down into the hole,
"What is it dear, Grub Worms?"
The sight stopped her cold in her tracks…Dead Cold.
"Oh, Good God!" Her well modulated voice cracking
ever so slightly,
"Who the Hell is that…….Jimmy Hoffa?"