Second Chances: When What Was Lost Is Found
A Simon & Simon/Six Million Dollar Man Crossover Story
While waiting for the birth of their grandchild, Laurie has a premonition of Rick being attacked and left to die. What choices she must make to save her husband and help her daughter-in-law.
(This is a fictional story and all characters from Simon & Simon and Six Million Dollar Man are owned by Universal Studios and are only being borrowed for a short time. I promise to put them back when done!)
Prologue
"Two hearts."
"Pass."
One No."
"Pass".
"Four No."
"Pass."
"Pass, I think we're in trouble, Abbs."
"Okay, Abby, your lead." Laurie grinned at her friend when she winced and replied, "Why do I think I'm playing with a couple of card sharks!"
"'Cause you are." Cecilia chuckled at the face Ron Johnson made, then expertly laid out a nineteen point hand, including two aces.
"Whoa, Mom, thank you!" Laurie smiled, then laughed as her friends just shook their heads. "Should have known better, Abbs." The chief detective groaned, then his wife added, "Friendly game of bridge my foot, you two are bad!"
As the foursome continued their teasing and card play, Rick Simon peered around the door then put a finger to his lips as he whispered to his brother. "Hurry up and put the cake in the kitchen, as soon as Mom and Laurie beat them, I'll bring her in."
"All right, let me get Robin and Ian, Ramona's all ready at the table." A.J. snickered. "You'll be lucky if your grandchild waits until tomorrow."
"Shh, don't say that, Robbie'll be home any moment now and he's nervous enough as it is!" Rick retorted, a smirk on his face. "That boy is as bad as his dad about his wife." A.J. needled, then slipped past the open doorway and placed the colorful cake he held on the kitchen table, now decorated with presents.
As a loud raspberry sounded from the living room, the older Simon nonchalantly sauntered in, then dropped a kiss on his mother's cheek. "Are you two ready to give in and have some coffee?" he needled Abby, then ducked as she aimed a crumpled score sheet at his head.
"Very funny, Simon. Good thing I like your mother, you married a poker face!" Abby groused, then helped put the cards away.
"I can't help it, buddy, you and Ron bring out the best in us, and it's so much fun!" Laurie said gleefully, missing the conspiratorial smiles the others exchanged.
"Come on, gambler, I'll buy you a soda while they lick their wounds." Rick took her hand then pulled her up into his arms. She grinned at him then suddenly shivered. "Ooh, must be a draft in here."
Startled, Rick hugged her, then was relieved at his wife's relaxing against him. "Now that's better." Laurie sighed, then planted a kiss on his cheek as he put his arm around her and walked her toward the kitchen.
As the door swung open, the lights flashed on and their family and friends called out "Happy Birthday!"
Surprised, Laurie stopped in mid-step, then beamed at the sight of her children and Abby and Ron's son and her brother and sister-in-law. "You guys, this is, oh my gosh, you really fooled me, I thought,…."
She turned to see the snickering face of her husband, and she wrapped her arms around him.
"You stinker, I love you! Here I thought everyone was too busy and we were going to have a quiet dinner!" she giggled.
Rick swung her around, laughing. "Gotcha, sweetheart! Think I'd let my silly girl settle for burgers and fries?"
As he sat her at the head of the table, Rick gave the high sign, and Cecilia lit the candles on the cake, then reminded her daughter-in-law, "Make a wish, and if you blow out all the candles, it'll come true!"
"I remember, Mom." Laurie blew her a kiss, then encouraged the children to all take a deep breath and "Blow!"
As the smoke cleared, everyone applauded and her grandson Andy announced importantly "We helped Grammy, now you get your wish!"
"I get my wish everyday, sweetie." She reached out and hugged each of them, then teared up as Robbie walked in and handed her a bouquet of forget-me-nots.
"Happy Birthday, Mom!" he beamed then enveloped her in a bear hug. "Flowers from my favorite son, now this is a special day!" she sniffed, then took turns hugging and kissing everyone.
Saving Rick for last, she ended up perched on his lap as he fed her cake, then opened all the bags and boxes with growing excitement. As she found her children's present, she glanced up at both Robin and Robbie, then told them softly, "I've already had the best gift from you two, just seeing you so happy."
"Thank you, Mama, but this is from our hearts, because you helped give us that happiness." Robin put an arm around her, then tears rained from both of them when a medallion of silver and turquoise was unwrapped, inlaid with a picture of Robbie and Robin, Ian and Ramona and Andy.
"This is so beautiful, I love it!" Laurie kissed her daughter and daughter-in-law, then her sons and grandson. "Look, darling, it's almost 3-D!" she exclaimed, showing it to Rick, who kissed her and whispered, "They've been planning that picture for months, angel."
"This is the best birthday!" Laurie spoke at last, wiping her eyes. "I love you all, thank you for sharing this day!" she added, thenstopped as Ramona stood up and interjected "Mom, I think you'll be sharing your birthday with someone else, the baby's kicking really hard!"
"Okay, honey, sit down. Robbie, I need you to time Ramona's contractions. Sweet, do you feel like your water's going to break?" Laurie asked as calmly as possible.
"No, Mom, just that hard kick, I don't remember Andy being that lively the last month!" her daughter-in-law answered, smiling gratefully at Rick as he brought her some water and a pillow.
Within a couple of minutes Rudy called and arranged to meet them at Phoenix General, "just in case!"
As Rick and Ron steered Robbie and Ramona toward Laurie's Jeep, Linda and Abby volunteered to watch the children as A.J. went for Ramona's mom. As they took off, Rick teased his son, "this baby is a Simon all right, seems like every time we have a party, someone has a baby!"
"Don't tell Robin and Ian that, with your anniversary coming up they might get ideas!" Robbie weakly grinned.