Overheard at Chipperfields ... Part LXII ...

Ross pushed the button on the handset and slammed it down on the counter beside with the cash register with more force then he intended. Beside him Madeline jumped, Kriss, working behind him by the espresso machine turned and gave him a glare.

"Easy cowboy," Kriss said looking over her shoulder, "just cause you're sleeping with boss doesn't mean you can trash the place." She paused for a moment, "that is assuming you aren't sleeping on the couch ..." a broad smile crossed her face.

"Har Har," said Ross, as he blushed slightly, "I didn't mean to slam down the phone, but the call just made me mad."

"Talking to The Rev again?" asked Madeline, with a smirk.

"No," Kriss turned and put two specialty lattes on the counter for her customer with a smile, "The Rev isn't talking to Ross since the whole Prairie Spring Ministry fiasco."

"That's not true," said Ross, his voice resembling a bleat, "he is talking to me ..." He paused as he considered his next statement, "we just don't talk about certain things ..."

"Like anything beyond the weather?" taunted Kriss with a smile.

"So, what was the call about?" asked Madeline, "anything important?"

"Not really," answered Ross, looking relieved by the shift in direction, he glanced around the store before continuing, "it was my son. You know the one who has been having problems with the former secretary at his office."

Both women nodded.

"Well, it turns out that she's been still spreading rumours about him, and has threatened to go to the police about him," Ross shrugged as he finished.

"About him?" said Kriss with a laugh, "you gotta love people like that. They have their problems and instead of looking in the mirror and dealing with their crap, they want to pull everyone else down to thier level." She turned her attention to cleaning the espresso machine as she shook her head.

Ross' eyebrows raised, "that was profound," he sputtered, "and a little scary coming from you of all people ..." his voice trailed off.

"Oh, I've been there," said Kriss, "I've lived through the horrors of small town gossip." She shook her head again, "most of it is nonsense and hurtful and comes from small minded spite filled people who will never achieve anything in their life, and try to destroy others as a result of it ..."

Ross interupted her, his jaw hanging open, "What?" He sputtered again, "where are you getting all of this?"

"I'm just naturally brilliant Ross," Kriss' face was dead pan, her blue eyes sparkling with underlying mirth, "you should know that by now ..."

For a long moment no one spoke, a slight smile danced at the corners of Kriss' mouth, but she resisted.

Ross simply shook his head and turned to retreat into the kitchen at the back. As he left Kriss' face broke into a broad smile.

"Where DID you learn all that?" asked Madeline, her eyes wide with wonder.

"Oh it was in a book that The Rev recommended in his blog," said Kriss with a smile, "it's about working with psychopaths and how to deal with them ..."

"OH," Madeline nodded her head in understanding, "I saw that too. You read it?"

"Parts of it," said Kriss, "I was at the library when he brought it back so I signed it out."

"Good book?" asked Madeline.

"Not bad," answered Kriss, "but a bit frightening. It makes you realize what kind of mess screwed up people can create when no one stops them."

"Oh yeah," said Madeline nodding in agreement.