Oh Mama Mia!

by Melchy

When Mama Hart comes to visit her daughter,she finds out something she'd rather not know about Edie and Pete.

Oh, Mama Mia!

By: Melchy

When Mama Hart comes to visit her daughter, she finds out something she'd rather not know.

The characters aren't mine, but I'd take Pete if they'd let me have them. I make no money off them but lots of good times.

If you haven't seen any of the shows it might not make any sense. This is a follow up to Vendetta. S 1 E36. Watch it if you ever get the chance.

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Peter Gunn sat quietly in the hard, plastic chair his midnight blue eyes concentrating on the checker board in front of him, noticing his red colored pieces were becoming few and far between. A pleasant silence hung in the room between him and his companion, a playful smile on her lips, her blue eyes sparkling with some new kind of mischief. She picked up one of her black checkers and with a look of triumph jumped over three of his red ones, landing on his final row. "Now king that Mr. Gunn!"

"You cheated." He smiled, leaning in to place a kiss on her lips.

"Prove it." She reached for him with her free arm, ready to return the kiss, when the door of the hospital room opened and the afternoon nurse in her stiff hat and pure white uniform came in and rolled her eyes playfully. "Can't tell you how glad I'll be to get you two out of here." She teased. Setting her clipboard down on the one surface in the room that didn't contain flowers; she put the thermometer under her patient's tongue and set the timer.

"Everything been okay, Mr. Gunn?" the nurse asked and he nodded an affirmation. She must be feeling better; she's beaten me in checkers four times today."

Ella Matthews, second floor head nurse gave a shy smile. Surely having a man as good looking and sweet as Peter Gunn sitting beside you almost every minute of the day would make any woman feel better. But she felt very uncomfortable at their public displays of affection.

The nurse checked Edie's temperature making sure to track it on her sheet. Silence reigned as the professional went about her routine, taking the patient's blood pressure, giving her the prescribed medication for the afternoon, and checking the shoulder where the bullet had been taken out. As before, Mr. Gunn watched her work, sitting at the edge of his seat the entire time.

"How's it looking in here?" Dr. Stewart knocked on the open door before walking into the room. He was an attractive man in his middle 40's who Pete would always feel a deep gratitude for. According to what he had heard about that horrible night; an ambulance was called immediately to take Edie to the hospital but a car not paying attention to the siren and flashing red lights pulled out in front of the driver and narrowly escaped getting hit. Dr. Stewart, head of ER at City Hospital had Edie taken back right away, afraid of the loss of blood. He determined surgery would be needed where he pulled the remaining bullet pieces out of her shoulder, and quickly had her resting in recovery.

The private investigator had been out on a case when his car phone had started to ring with what he would always claim was great immediacy. "Pete," Mother's voice had been shaking. "Edie's been shot. You must come."

The car had a limit of 120 mph but Pete was sure he had driven much faster than that. He was directed to the waiting room where Mother and Emmett were both sitting, getting up when he walked in. "She just got out of recovery." Mother told him, her reassuring arm around his shoulders. "The nurse let me go in and see her but she was too far out of it. Emmett and I wanted to stay until you got here."

"Thank you both." His voice couldn't say more at the moment and his friends understood. "You need anything at all you let us know." The woman hugged him again. "One of us will be here before you can turn around."

After that he had taken a walk down the hall where he had run into Dr. Stewart who assured him that Edie would be fine. Dr. Stewart had saved his life ten years before and now he was saving the love of his life.

And here they were, three days later, Edie no longer looking pale, the pain nearly gone and lots of time to play checkers and tic-tac-dough and spend time with one another. "Everything seems to be just fine doctor." She said to Stewart. "Healing very well."

"Thank you, ' He told her with a warm smile. "You can go ahead to the next person on your list if you would. I'll be along in a minute."

"You're going to check it again, aren't you?" she gave him a look that said she knew she was right.

"Just go on, Ella." He chuckled after the door shut behind her, shaking his head. "She's one of the best." He said.

After his examination, Doctor Stewart settled himself in the other hard plastic chair and started writing notes. "Miss Hart, I'm releasing you from the hospital as long as you promise me you'll be good and not break any of these rules." He indicated his sheet of paper. "I want you do these exercises every day, finish taking the penicillin I gave you and I'll also prescribe something for pain just in case you need it. No lifting of anything and I mean that."

"For how long?"

"Two weeks." His tone was firm. 'You need to keep the area clean and look for any sign of infection. At the end of the two weeks I want to see you back in my office."

Edie nodded but Pete could tell she wasn't done. "Doctor Stewart, is it really necessary for me to be out for two weeks? I sing I don't pick up heavy things."

"I've heard that you sing and that you do it very well. And I promise your first night back, I'll be there to hear you. But for right now I'm the doctor and you are my patient and I say no working or lifting for the next two weeks."

"I'll make sure she behaves." Pete winked at her. The tall man unfolded from his chair and he walked over to the bed, taking Edie's hand in his. "I honestly can't thank you enough for what you did for Edie and for me." He said quietly. "I'll never forget it."

"I'm a doctor; it's what I promised to do those many years ago." He looked at the couple and smiled.

"Yes, but this time you did it for us." The doctor and the private investigator shook hands, the physician nodding at Edie and telling her she could leave first thing in the morning. After he closed the door behind him, the blonde squeezed Pete's hand and reached up for a kiss.

"Fond of me, are you?"

"I've gotten used to you that's all." They found another kiss, this one a little more involved than the last.

"Watch out for the nurse." His girl teased him and he shook his head in playful frustration.

She's not invited"

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Margaret Hart had checked her watch every two minutes for the last hour but she couldn't seem to stop herself. Not that she'd admit to it but she was very nervous. In less than thirty minutes the plane would be landing and she would be meeting her daughter's boyfriend for the first time. She went over in her head the description she had been given—tall, dark hair, he'd be wearing a gray suit and blue tie and his name was Peter Gunn.

Her youngest child, Edie has always been popular with the boys; going steady with more of them then her parents could keep track of, but that's what high school kids did. She herself had had at least four beaus in upper grade years. Since leaving home eleven years ago Edie had mentioned three men to them but none of them as much as Peter Gunn. In the beginning it seemed their relationship consisted of going out for coffee and pie after her daughter got off work, but soon his name came up in every other sentence and there had been an exchange of anniversary presents on the six-month mark. "As long as she's happy Michael Hart said. But he'd always been a softie when it came to his daughter.

Two days ago, a pleasant-sounding man had been on the other side of the phone and with a firm but somewhat worried tone he told her he was Peter Gunn and that her daughter was in the hospital recovering from surgery. "I'm afraid it was my fault." He said, his voice begging forgiveness. "But I did take care of it. They won't be bothering Edie anymore."

The plane had stopped now and the Marine sitting beside her retrieved her carryon from the top compartment, asking her if he could help her get a cab.

"No thank you." She smiled. "I enjoyed getting to know you. But I'm meeting someone." She headed for the Departure gate, her heart thumping.

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Peter Gunn threw the butt of his cigarette in the place provided and wished he dare light another. He hated not having anything to do with his hands, but the plane from Pittsburgh had just been announced and he moved up closer towards the Now Arriving gate. He was very nervous about meeting Mrs. Hart and he popped a lifesaver in his mouth to try to calm himself down. He had hated leaving Edie alone while he was picking up her mother but she had been asleep when he left so she should be all right. She had slept well last night and had made him stop on the way to her apartment for ice-cream cones so he knew she was healing. He had cleaned her wound and changed the bandage and gave her a pain pill right before he left. Thankfully she needed them fewer and farther between.

He pulled the picture out his suit pocket and studied the woman in the studio print, thinking again how much Edie's mother looked like her daughter. She too had blonde hair, and her eyes looked the same color although Mrs. Hart's looked wider. He saw her before she located him noting she was wearing the same dress that she had on when the picture was taken. As he got closer the man took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Mrs. Hart?" he asked, giving her a smile. "I'm Peter Gunn."

"You must certainly are." She said before thinking. "I mean you look exactly the way Edie described you. Please call me Peg, everyone does."

"Peg." He nodded, not sure what else to say, so he took her elbow and walked out into the less crowded foyer. Margaret Hart was her daughter's height, her hair dabbling in grey, a troop of freckles across her nose. Despite the gray she didn't look much older than Edie. "If you would stay here, I'll get your luggage." He told her putting the claim check she handed him in his pocket. "Then we'll get you straight to Edie's."

The woman nodded, doing as she was told. When the younger man returned about five minutes later, she offered to take the smaller of the two suitcases but he said he was fine. "Let's go out this way." He indicated a nearby sliding door with his head. "The car's in the lot right outside."

He watched Mrs. Hart look his car over and then look at him again. It wasn't the flirty glances he usually got from women but more like a school teacher trying to decide if he would make the grade. He put her things in the back seat and then opened the passenger side door for the woman. "It's very nice." She said her hand running over the leather seats.

"Thank you."

No one spoke the twenty-five minutes it took to get to Edie's apartment but at least the silence wasn't completely uncomfortable. He pulled into the parking lot, lucky to get a spot beside the front door. He gathered her things from the back seat than helped Peg out of the front, once more putting his hand under her elbow to guide her. A man coming out held the glass door open for them and they headed for the stairs.

"We could have taken the elevator." He apologized as they headed for Edie's place "I just don't usually."

"That's fine." She smiled. "Number 15, isn't it?"

"Yes ma'am."

He knew that Mrs. Hart hadn't seen her daughter in a long time and he could tell from the look in her eyes that she couldn't believe she would be seeing her in less than two minutes. Pete loved the fact that Edie was close to her parents and they had bi-weekly phone calls and letters to one another. So many of the girls he had reason to meet here who worked in night clubs and dime-a-dance places had run from something in their past and it pained him. If only the reason her mother was here now hadn't been caused by an act of vengeance.

The PI reached for the keys in his pocket but Peg rang the bell and soon the muffled sounds of slippers were coming towards the door. They both heard the chain being unlocked and then Edie was standing in front of them, looking so lovely in a blue bathrobe, her short hair tousled from sleep, her face free from makeup. Pete felt that familiar tremor go through his body, the same one he had experienced over a year ago when he had first heard her sing, and the one that still happened every time he saw her.

"Mama!" Edie drew her mother in for a hug, "Oh Mama, it's so good to see you."

Mrs. Hart hugged her daughter tight, placing a kiss on her cheek; a cheek Pete saw had tears trickling down it. "My sweet girl, I've missed you so."

"I've missed you too Mama," sounding very much like a little girl to Pete. "I'm so glad you're here." They hugged for another minute, Peg being very careful of the bandaged arm. Finally, Edie pulled back and gave Pete a smile. "Come on in, it's not much but its home."

Peg looked around the living room trim and neat except for a few magazines lying about and two or three coffee cups. "Where should I hang my coat and hat Edie?" she asked her daughter who showed her the hall closest and told her she'd be right back. "Thank you for bringing my mother home to me." She rewarded him with a kiss.

"I'll pick up anyone you want if I can get another kiss like that."

"How about I give you a freebie?"

It didn't seem to matter what she was doing or wearing she always smelled intoxicating and he could breathe her in and never tire of it. Her free hand ran through his hair and he leaned in to capture her lips with his when a voice broke into their world.

"Edith!"

"They broke away quickly but not red-faced or ashamed. She gave her mother that sunny smile and walked over to her. "Let me show you around."

While they talked, Pete carried Mrs. Hart's luggage into Edie's bedroom placing it beside the bureau. The room smelled of her perfume and the unmade bed made him want to curl up with his girl and let the day go by. The cat a ginger tabby that went by the name of Sherlock had claimed the last amount of waning sun on the blue bedspread and Pete leaned down to give the half grown feline a scratch behind the ears. Sherlock opened one eye; saw that there was no food involved and curled up tighter.

"Don't mind the mess in here Mama" Edie apologized, as they entered the bedroom.

"Bug, that's why I'm here," The older woman was saying looking at her daughter as though she thought something had changed about her.

"Bug?" Pete mouthed at her.

"Later!" she mouthed back.

"Oh, I know, it's your hair, it's so short, she tusked. "You've never had it that short before. But never mind it shouldn't take long to grow back."

"I don't know I rather like it." Her daughter replied.

"I do too." Pete agreed." Margaret Hart looked at him as though she had forgotten he was still there and her forehead puckered into worry lines.

"If my opinion counts for anything." He added.

"I like your opinion very much." Edie assured him, giving him a little wave with her index finger. "I'm going to show Mama where to put her things. I ordered Chinese food and it should be here in a few minutes. Would you mind getting it when it comes?"

"Pay for it you mean." He grinned.

"Well, yes."

"With my money I suppose?"

"I'll pay you back later." She winked.

Margaret cleared her throat and pointed to Sherlock. "Where did the cat come from?"

"He's mine." Edie sat down and stroked his fur. "His name is Sherlock, like the detective and Pete gave him to me."

"Why?"

"He's good company," Pete answered, "and he needed a home. "Come on buddy, let's go get some dinner."

The cat followed Pete out to the kitchen where the man refilled the kibble bowl and gave Sherlock a little dish of milk because he had been insulted. The tom cat was a good companion for Edie and it made Pete feel better she had someone here with her when he couldn't be even if it was just a feline. But even the ginger had his times of leaving for up to week causing Edie to say she should have named him Peter. He had laughed with her, but the truth of that had stung a little.

Pete took off his suit coat and tie, laying them over the back of a kitchen chair, and then made quick work of the few dishes in the sink. Mrs. Hart and Edie were back in the living room the younger woman explaining about the pull-out bed and that Pete had put fresh sheets on it this morning and it should be all ready for her when she was ready to go to bed. Peg nodded, turning to give Pete another look he didn't understand. Thankfully then the doorbell rang and he greeted Wong Kai who was laden down with several bags full of wonderful smelling food. "Just put it on the table if you would Wong." He instructed him. "We'll sort it out as we go."

The restaurant owner gave Mrs. Hart a hesitant smile but beamed at seeing Edie. "How are you feeling Miss Edie?" he asked her with a slight bow. "When we heard you were in the hospital we were all deeply concerned."

"Thank you, Wong, that's very sweet", she kissed the man's cheek. "Wong, this is my mother Margaret Hart, she'll be helping me out for a couple of weeks."

"It's my pleasure." He kissed the older woman's hand. "You need anything, you can call my restaurant and I'll get it for you."

"Thank you that's very kind."

He took the money that Pete handed him and thanked everyone wishing all a good night.

Pete got out plates and silverware if anyone needed it and poured water for the ladies. The food was delicious but there was little conversation during the meal. Pete could tell from the way Edie was holding her arm it was starting to hurt again and the excitement of the day seemed to be catching up with Mrs. Hart. "Peg, if you'd like to get Edie settled, I'll clean the table up and wash the rest of these dishes."

"You're going to wash the dishes?" she sounded stunned. "That really isn't necessary. I'm sure you have someplace you need to go or somebody to see, I'll get them."

"That wouldn't be fair, I helped make the mess. Besides your daughter has me well trained."

"And we don't want to put him out of practice." Edie sat down on Pete's lap and he kissed her cheek.

"You be a good girl and listen to your Mama." He pretended to scold and she nodded.

"Yes sir."

"And don't think I won't ask to see if you were or not. He helped her up. "You look tired honey. I'll come in and see you before I go."

He came in not long afterwards, the bottle of penicillin in one hand and a glass of water in the other. The cat that had followed him took a flying leap on the bed and curled up on Edie's lap. Mrs. Hart was talking on the phone and reminding her husband that she really should go because it was a call made before 11:00 on a weeknight and was going to cost him a fortune and she loved him too.

"Oh no, not more pills," Edie grimaced moving over to give Pete room to sit down beside her. "I've already taken so many I'm starting to rattle."

"I tell you what, you take the pills and I'll give you a treat." He said softly, a sly smile on his lips.

"Don't think I'll forget that." She took the medicine from him and swallowed it down. A trickle of water escaped the glass and he wiped it off her chin. "All set until the next dose." He went to place the glass on the bed side table but she grabbed his hand.

"Will you call me later?" she asked.

"I promise." He bent his head to kiss her lips and she returned the kiss with the same fervor. Neither one of them noticed the look on Mrs. Hart's face as they said their goodbyes, Pete reluctantly getting up from his spot.

"Your father sends his love." Mrs. Hart broke into their moment. She turned toward Pete who was now standing beside the bed, but she saw their fingers were still entwined. They seemed to be a lot closer than she had imagined.

"Thank you for watching over my daughter Mr. Gunn, until I could get here.' She smiled at the tall man gratefully. "We'll be fine now."

Pete felt like the kid who was being sent home by the principal but not having any idea what he had done. He nodded, "It was my pleasure as always. If you need anything at all please let me know. I'm here to help." He answered back. "Just give me a call."

The mother nodded. "I'm sure everything will be fine but I'll keep that in mind. Edie really needs to get her rest now." She watched as her daughter pulled her hand from his reluctantly. "I'll be right back honey." Peg called back into the room as she walked Pete to the front door. "I appreciate you picking me up at the airport and staying with Edie at the hospital. Mike, my husband and I also want to thank you for calling us when you did and letting us know.

"It was my pleasure and then some." He nodded. "Please don't hesitate to call me if you or Edie need anything. If I'm not at home, try Mother's. And tell Edie I'll call her later tonight."

"I will but not too late, she needs her sleep. I'm going to try to get some food in this place tomorrow. If I manage would you like to come to dinner say around 6:30?"

"That would be very nice."

Peg watched him walk down the hall, making sure he was headed to the stairs, then went into the apartment and locked the door behind her. He was an interesting man to say the least and more handsome than any man should be allowed to be. Edie was already asleep when she reached the short distance from the living area to the bedroom. Leaning down she kissed her daughter's cheek, then got out a pen and pad of paper to make an inventory.

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She didn't find much that could qualify as food. There was a container with three eggs and a couple pieces of bacon, a loaf of raisin bread in the bread box, strawberry ice-cream, a bowl of who knew what it had been, some butter, and a jar of strawberry jam, a six pack of Budweiser, a half-gallon of buttermilk and half a bottle of wine. What did the girl eat? After she had made a list of necessities for things she knew she'd want to make while she was here, she looked around the living/dining room/kitchen area and had to agree it was pleasant. Too bad the weather wasn't conducive to using the fireplace she thought, and then spotted the picture on the mantel. It was Peter Gunn and Edie dressed in their Sunday best smiling demurely at the camera. She picked it up and studied the photo finally putting it back in its place. What was it about this man that she didn't like? Well for one thing he was very handsy. He was always touching Edie somewhere or holding her hand, pulling her closer when he sat down beside her. She found another picture on a small shelf when she went back into in the kitchen; the couple were fishing and wearing those silly hats with all of those lures on them. They were both grinning like Cheshire Cats and the day looked sunny and bright. This one bothered her even more than the last one. This was the kind of photograph people in love had taken.

After looking over what she had written, Peg leafed through the phone book until she found a nearby corner store that delivered and had a few items sent over for in the morning. A quick shower and changing into pajamas made her feel much better and she crawled into the clean sheets on the pull-out bed gratefully. Had that been men's cologne on the sink? Surely not.

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Edie was awakened by the smell of her mother's cinnamon rolls along with the aroma of bacon and her stomach growled in anticipation. She lay in bed for a moment and just inhaled the fragrance hoping she had made her famous scrambled eggs as well, loaded with three kinds of cheese. Sitting up carefully, she saw Sherlock curled up on the other side of the bed and she leaned over to kiss his head. He meowed and then yawned. She was glad the feline had stuck around; hopefully he would for a few more days.

The bedroom door opened further, her mother coming in with a glass of orange juice in one hand and the bottle of penicillin in the other. "You look rested." Peg smiled at her daughter, pouring out the prescribed amount and handing it to her.

"I feel pretty good." Edie nodded. "Breakfast smells delicious." She added. She swallowed the pills making a face at the after taste then gulped about half of the juice. "Thank you, Mama."

"You didn't have much food, I discovered yesterday." Peg scolded "So I checked the phone book and found out the corner store delivers and had a few breakfast essentials sent over so everything would be ready when you woke up. Do you actually eat anything Bug? You're so thin and I think all I found in the house was raisin bread and ice cream. Doesn't he take you out to eat or anything?'

"I eat just fine Mama. Pete and I usually grab a bite after the last one of us gets off work. And I always have a nice lunch before I go into work either with Pete but more than likely with June or Sheila or Lynn."

"Bar food." Her mother said under her breath "And greasy spoons I'm sure."

"Sometimes but not always," she defended. "We go where we feel like going at the time."

"Well maybe next week I can show you (again) how to cook a few basic things. Right now, we need to change your bandage." Edie nodded trying not to feel irritated with her mother. She tried to remember yesterday when seeing her mama was all she had wanted.

The doctor's incision is healing nicely." Peg pointed out as she placed the prescribed amount of antiseptic cream on the wound. And considering it missed getting changed yesterday morning it's looking exceptionally well."

"It got changed twice yesterday." Edie told her, wincing slightly as her mother retied the sling. "Once in the morning and again at night."

"How? I wasn't here yesterday morning."

"Pete did it of course."

"Pete? Her mother's face turned red. "Honey, why would you let him do that? He could have easily seen something he shouldn't."

"I'm sure he's seen shoulders before." Edie laughed but saw her parent wasn't amused.

"Edie it's not funny. And furthermore, he was sitting much too close to you on the bed yesterday."

"Mama." She began.

"I know, you're not a young girl, but he does sit awfully close and do I need to remind you that nice girls don't kiss like that in public."

"What public? It was me and you and Pete."

Peg started to say something but shook her head. "I'm sorry honey, never mind me. I keep forgetting you aren't sixteen anymore. Come one let's go eat."

They ate in the small kitchen a cup of fragrant tea beside each of them along with plates piled high with food. Sherlock smelled the bacon and came looking for the treat, reaching up the side of the chair and staring intently at his "mother" until she pulled off a nice piece and gave it to him. He grabbed the meat between his teeth growling at himself and then going over in the corner to eat it to make sure he got it all.

"Now why is he doing that?" Peg laughed. "He's the only cat in here. He's the only animal in here for that matter, yet he's guarding that bacon like another cat is just around the corner."

"One thing I have learned in life," Edie pushed back a wisp of hair behind her ear. "No make that two things. "I will never understand cats and men."

"Amen to that." Peg poured herself another cup of tea and added sugar. "I love your Papa dearly but there are times when I would like to ring his neck. Men can be such men at times."

Edie nodded, putting her tea cup down. "But aren't we glad they are? They are good for so many things like reaching items on the top shelf and getting lids off jars."

"And bringing in the groceries," her mother joined in "or moving heavy boxes around and my favorite changing flat tires."

"That's how you met Daddy wasn't it?"

I was driving my friend's old Buick, when the front tire on the driver's side went out. I was sure the car was going to plunge over the hill and take me with it, but even before I could panic this boy came out of nowhere and told me what to do and not to do and before I knew it I was in the driveway. After I got of the car I could see he was my age which I didn't consider to be a boy and he and his father took me down to a tire place, and helped me pick out a new one and I was on my way in less than an hour. We started dating two months later and were married nine months later." She took a bite of food, "I know you've probably told me but how did you meet your Mr. Gunn?"

"Mother was auditioning for a new vocalist, the old one had left to start a family, and she had narrowed it down to the last three. She had her favorite and Barney had his so she decided to have live auditions and see what everyone thought. I was at the microphone singing and Pete was in the audience and our eyes met and I just knew. I hoped he'd come back the next night, but he didn't or the next. He finally did but sat in the back the entire time. I wasn't sure what to do, so I finally I asked Emmett if he'd introduce us. The funny thing was that Pete had just asked Emmett if he would introduce us, they've been friends for a long time as well. And it all took off from there. He told me he sat in the back that night because if I said no, then he would no longer have the day dream of my saying yes to going out."

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A delivery boy from Ashley Florist came around noon with a basket of one of the most beautiful arrangements Peg had ever seen. Honeysuckle, lilacs, tiny daisies and baby blue violets were joined with baby's breath and ivy, an artistic display. She tipped the young man and set the flowers on the coffee table in front of where Edie was sitting. "They are so pretty." The woman gushed, touching the petals of the lilacs.

The younger woman didn't say anything, but reached for the card reading it silently and smiling to herself.

"Someone has good taste." Peg got up, heading to the kitchen. "Are you hungry at all Bug?"

"Maybe a little." Her daughter answered back.

"I'll throw something together. She opened the refrigerator door and pretended to stare. "Toasted cheese sound good?"

"Very."

Mrs. Hart placed the cheese and butter out on the counter, and then prepped the pan with oil to get hot while she made the sandwiches.

"Honey, do you drink a lot of beer?"

"I don't drink beer as a usual thing. I'm not fond of the taste. Why?"

"I just wondered, since there are six bottles of Budweiser down in the bottom of your refrigerator and I didn't take you for a beer drinker.

"That's Pete's. Sometimes he likes to relax with one when he's had an especially hard day or we grill steaks."

"Then why doesn't he keep them at his place?"

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The question was never answered and it nagged in Peg's mind. Two of her daughter's friends Sheila and Lynn had come over to see her and brought cookies from their favorite bakery and after a few minutes of introduction the older lady had decided to take her list and go shopping.

Mike would tell her she was over seeing things. Before they had been married they had spent time at each other's houses, hadn't they? But she had been 24 and lived with another girl she had met at the Pittsburgh Academy of Music and Mike was 25 and taking care of his grandmother.

It took some time to get everything she wanted and was glad the taxi driver would deliver the groceries to the apartment for just a little bit more. This part of town was nice she thought as she looked around. It still held that old-fashioned feeling she remembered when she was girl of tall ornate buildings and cobblestone streets. She bought an ice cream cone and sat in front of a fountain to enjoy it. Edie would be all right with her friends but she mustn't be out too long, she had invited Mr. Gunn for dinner.

But there were some things in her daughter's place she found disturbing. She had been right about the men's aftershave—Aqua Velva. It had a scent that almost conjured a man all by itself and yes that was what she had smelled when Peter Gunn had picked her up at the airport. In the medicine cabinet she had found a man's razor and shaving kit, and an extra toothbrush.

She hadn't really thought of it last night but looking back she remembered the man had known where everything was in the kitchen. He had pulled out plates, cups, silverware, cat food, and aluminum foil all without asking where to find it. And she wasn't sure but she'd check again to see if there really was a man's overcoat in the hall closet. Was it possible that things had really changed that much in thirty-four years?

She gathered up the laundry and the dress that Edie had asked if she'd pick up and headed back. When she got inside Sherlock was curled up on the couch wrapped so tight his tail was touching his nose. "Is all you do but sleep, you lazy thing?" she looked down at him but he ignored her completely. The place seemed empty otherwise and she softly walked to the bedroom and carefully opened the door. Edie was sound asleep. No reason to wake her until closer to time to eat.

She washed the new dishes she had bought, glasses that exactly matched the few Edie already had and soup bowls that almost matched the chipped one. She was enjoying filling the drawers with hot pads and tea towels and placemats. It wasn't that her daughter didn't have any of these things she just didn't have enough of them. Next, she put the food away and then prepped the chicken putting it in the oven at 425. By the time Peter got there it should be done.

She entered the bedroom again, hanging the dress up deciding to keep it in its dry-cleaning bag. One dress caught her eye and she pulled it out, a dark green velvet that Edie would look like a million dollars in. Peg was proud of her beautiful children she couldn't help it. Hanging the dress back up, her hands encountered material that didn't have a feminine feel. Her heart started to beat fast and she prayed it wouldn't be what she was afraid it would be. It was a man's suit, but not just any man's suit she saw as she pulled it out into the light. Her grandfather had been a tailor and although she had forgotten most of what he had taught her she knew by looking at the seams this was a very expensive suit. Maybe the kind you paid $300 for. More looking found two men's' Brooks Brothers shirts of the finest quality and ties that cost more than Mike's shirts and pants combined. Her stomach started to turn over. She put the suit back in its place and decided it was nothing.

The woman made herself go out in the living room and start to fold the clothes from the laundry service. How many bras did her daughter have she wondered after the sixth one. They were all soft and pretty and most of them matched the underwear that was in the basket as well. She folded a couple of night gowns and a pair of women's pajamas and some socks that were big and thick and looked cozy. She found boxers in the bottom, three pairs and three men's T-shirts all impeccable without stains or holes. Fighting the urge to throw up, she once more entered the room where her daughter was sleeping and put Edie's things away not sure what to do with the others. Maybe she had done laundry for a friend?

She started opening drawers finding one with stockings and socks and some T-Shirts that said NYU Drama School where her oldest child Ben worked. Peg was starting to feel better until she opened the next drawer and found it full of man things- pajamas and a couple of Princeton shirts, (had he gone to Princeton?) a pair of gym shorts and more casual socks, a sweater and a pair of khakis. And then she saw the one thing she never thought she would. The box was tin and embossed on top with a catchy name but even before she opened it she knew what it was. Condoms, rubbers, prophylactics, whatever you called them it all amounted to the same thing-that man was having sex with her daughter. She barely made it to the bathroom before she emptied the contents of her lunch in the commode and then wiped her face in cool water.

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

According to the message that Pete had been left, Mrs. Hart wanted him to come by Edie's as early as he could. Edie was fine but she needed to talk to him it was very important.

He had to admit the woman scared him a little so he bought a nice bottle of wine for dinner and despite having sent Edie flowers just that morning picked up a nice bouquet for her mother as well. He found he was nervous as he rang the doorbell and when a couple of minutes went by with no answer he wondered if he had misunderstood the message.

Mrs. Hart opened the door saying, "come in" and she was sorry about the cat.

"He didn't get out, did he?" Pete asked, knowing the feline might not come back for several days if he did.

"I couldn't stop him, I opened the door to pick up the evening paper and he went flying out. All he does is sleep anyway."

"Yes, Peg but at least he's sleeping where Edie can see him. Does she know he got out?"

"No, she's still sleeping and I thought I'd let her in bed awhile longer. She had company this afternoon and it was a busy day."

She took the flowers and the bottle of wine and placed one in a vase, the other in the refrigerator. "The flowers are lovely." She had to admit. "You have a good eye." But she wasn't talking to him Pete noticed it seemed more to herself.

Margaret Hart pulled up to her full height of 5'7" and looked him square in the eye. "So, I'm not going to talk very loud but trust me you'll hear every word I'm about to say." Now she was definitely talking to him.

"Yes ma'am." He suddenly wished he was trapped in an alley with two hit men on each side.

He saw her start to talk several times and twice she even got a word out but then would change directions. "I want to know your intentions towards my daughter."

"I love your daughter." He said without hesitation. "I can truly say I've never loved anyone more. She's the only thing in my life that matters."

"I see." Her eyes narrowed much like Edie's when she was angry. "But you don't feel the need to marry her?"

"I don't really think that's anyone's business but mine and Edie's."

"She's my child. Before she became your girlfriend, she was my little girl. I gave birth to her and raised her and was responsible for her and that makes it my business, mine and her father's."

"But she isn't that..." Pete started, Peg's look cutting him off.

"Ever since I arrived here I kept finding clues that there was more going on than a dating relationship. And just about an hour ago I found this box in a drawer of my daughter's bureau" she held up the small tin box for him to see. You can't deny it, you can't tell me it's not what I think, you can't even tell me it's not yours because I found it with your things in my daughter's bureau drawer. If you love my daughter as much as you just told me you do then why is this going on?"

"Again, with all due respect Mrs. Hart it's not your business, it's a decision that only Edie and I can and will make. And we decided to make a commitment to each other mentally, emotionally and physically. I never pushed or pleaded or threatened—I never even told her I loved her until afterwards because I didn't want her to think I was one of those men who lied to women to get them in bed."

He never saw her fist coming towards his face but his nose wouldn't forget it for a very long time. He heard the crack of the bone as her hand made contact with the side of his nose and he winced in pain. His face was starting to swell and he covered it with his hands, he had too he couldn't hit a woman not even as much as he wanted to right now.

"What in the world?" Edie came out of the bedroom her eyes wide as she took in the scene in front of her. "Honey, what happened?"

She ran to Pete, taking his hands away from his nose and made a face. Her mother was still standing in the exact spot she wasn't sure she had done what she was seeing.

"Mother?" Her daughter's voice was hard. "Did you hit him?"

"Yes" was the terse answer. "I'll go get some water."

Edie led Pete to the couch and carefully applied pressure to his nose. Peg sat down in the chair, anxiously looking at the man and silently congratulating herself on having such a good right hook. But she hadn't meant to break his nose!

After a few minutes, Pete leaned his head against the back of the couch and laid an icepack on his nose that Edie's mother had gotten ready for him. "It might not be broken." He said feeling it between his fingers, just out of joint. We can only hope."

"I had no idea I could cause any damage." Peg said. "I was merely trying to show you how angry I was."

"Next time why don't you try a Pete, I'm angry."

"Pete." Edie said in her best warning voice. "Now, I want someone to tell me what's going on here. And I want to know now."

For an answer Margaret took the tin box out of her skirt pocket and laid it on Edie's lap. "He's been sleeping with you, acting like your married. I was ready to let the other things go, the aftershave and the toothpaste and even the boxers and the suit in the closet but those mean so much more. He's defiled you and you let him."

"Mama, I love Pete." She answered quietly. "And what we do in our own private lives is our own business. I know you don't agree but this isn't your life it's mine. And not only do I love Peter Gunn I know that he loves me and this is our commitment to each other for right now." She took a big breath and leaned against the private investigator. "And just so you know, Pete didn't defile me to use your word, but I wish he had been the first."

Peg got up from her chair and started ringing her hands as though all the information was too much to take. "What is your Papa going to say?

"I don't know, I couldn't guess, or what Ben might say, when I, Mama, when I tell him and not a day before. If I had thought I could have moved all of Pete's things out of the way but to be honest it's not something we hide. We don't flaunt it, but we certainly aren't ashamed of it., and what goes on between us as we both told you is our business and no one else's. And honestly Mama if this upsets you; you should see the stuff I have at Pete's."

There was complete quiet for a moment except for the sound of the ticking clock. Pete kissed Edie on the cheek and then slowly got up from the couch going over to Peg and placing a hand on her arm. "Mrs. Hart, I just want you to know I do love your daughter more than anything. And I love to hear the stories she tells about you and Papa and how you told Edie about finding a good man and how you both made her a part of the woman I love and I'm grateful to you and your husband for that. I can't imagine a world without Edie. She's the most beautiful, intelligent, girl singer I've ever met and I thank you for raising her. But now we are together and living our lives the way we see fit. And I hope you can understand that."

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Edie changed into clothes for dinner, a blue skirt and white top and wore the necklace her parents had given her for her 16th birthday. Pete ate slowly, his nose making funny noises when he chewed but the swelling had gone done and he was pretty well convinced it wasn't broken. Besides he wasn't sure he could have ever lived that one down.

Peg continued not to look at him or talk to him but she did laugh at a couple of his dumb jokes and once again accepted his offer of doing the dishes. Afterwards she brought out fresh peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream scooped on top in some of the new bowls she had bought her daughter and they all agreed it was the best they had ever eaten.

It was close to midnight when he left, Peg muttering something that sounded like good night and then headed to the bathroom.

"Do you think she's ever going to like me?"

"Do you care?"

"Honestly, only because she's your mother, I've heard it's very important to have your mother-in-law on your side."

"Is that another of your dumb jokes?"

"You'll have to wait and see." He smiled pulling her close. The kiss was worth the slight pain still lingering in his nose and he found if he kissed her hard enough he could barely feel it at all. Her breasts were tight against his chest and he backed her up against the door jamb her good arm going up to his neck. He laid gentle kisses along the side of her neck and reached back for that one special spot that always made her tremble and catch her breath.

"I'd almost forgotten what that felt like." She told him, outlining his lips with the tip of her finger.

"We can't have that." He kissed her earlobe, sucking it into his mouth, feeling his body react to the movement of her hips against him. "I better go." His words were reluctant and were followed by another kiss, his hand sneaking to the curve of her breast.

"You better go." Edie repeated. "Well make up for all of this later, I promise. I think my mother has had enough shocks for today without us getting caught out here. You've sullied my reputation enough for one day."

"Sullied?" he grinned. "I thought only good Southern girls used words like that."

"My great- grandfather was from the Virginia Tidewater."

"If you say so."

He opened the door to leave, turned around for one more kiss, and then walked out into the hall almost stepping on the ginger paw that was running from out of the corridor.

"Sherlock!" Edie squealed and Pete picked him up. "Where you been buddy?"

The cat jumped down and headed for his food bowl, his mistress telling him she'd be there in a moment.

"I'll call but I'm not sure about coming over again."

"No, come over," she insisted. "Remember, we have nothing to hide."

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

When Peg left at the end of the second week Edie was sorry to see her mother go. Sure, there had been the usual arguments especially when Mrs. Hart brought up the age-old issue of why didn't Edie come home and get a job teaching music and find a nice man or why would she want to work in a place that was so dangerous, but they also had a lot f more friend to friend talks and they learned a lot about each other they didn't know.

The elder Hart taught Edie some of the finer points of cooking and wrote it all down so her girl could try out some of the recipes on friends. Twice they had Pete over for dinner and Mother came over one day, the two women getting along very well. The last day Edie went to the doctor and her checkup went well. "Keep doing the exercises and don't lift anything over ten pounds for the next month."

This time both Pete and Edie drove Mrs. Hart to the airport, the two women waiting while the PI checked the baggage. Tearful goodbyes were said between mother and daughter and then Peg turned to Pete and shook his hand. "Thank you for all your help and thank you for keeping my daughter safe. Edie said she's planning on coming home for a week this summer and the rest of the family would like to meet you if you can come."

"Would that be all right with you?"

"Yes," she nodded. "But get this straight right now, you're sleeping downstairs."

The couple held hands as they watched Margaret Hart board her plane and fly back home. "I have to admit I'm kind of glad she's gone. But at the same time, I like her."

"She told me last night she's warming to you. She says you're too handsome."

"Is there such a thing?"

"Must be, my mother is rarely wrong."

"Because she takes after her daughter?"

"And don't you forget it Gunn."