Abigail Holt settled a large carry-on bag over her shoulder, tucked a well-packed handbag under her arm and balanced a frothily wrapped pink package just below her chin as she sailed purposefully out of her front door. The diamond windowpanes of the home trembled as Abigail pulled the door firmly closed with her foot. Stopping almost immediately, Abigail raised her eyes to the sky and shook her head. Twirling around as she juggled her load, she fumbled to locate her keys, re-open the door and hurry back into the house.

Moments later, the dark-eyed blond again swept with determination through the door. This time a white teddy bear boasting a floppy pink bow was tucked securely under her arm. Once more glass shook as Abigail swung the door shut and hurried down the front walkway. The bear smiled mutely as it jounced helplessly along in Abigail's grip.

Later that day…

"Laura, she is absolutely gorgeous! And I don't think I'll be the only person to say she looks a little like her Grandmother Holt!" Abigail's voice trembled rapturously.

"Really?" Laura was tired and slightly distracted as she looked down at the head nestled on her shoulder, running fingers idly through the soft hair tickling her chin.

"She's sleeping so peacefully! And those eyelashes! Do you know how rare it is for a newborn to have eyelashes already?" Abigail was completely smitten with the infant before her.

"Mother, I'm sorry, but I'm exhausted. Would you mind if we cut this short?" Laura yawned as she gently attempted to disengage from the force that was Abigail.

"Of course, dear," Abigail offered amiably as she continued. "You know, Laura, I've been thinking. I hate being so far away from my grandchildren. I'm thinking about moving – to live closer, be more involved in their lives."

Laura sat up, her soft brown eyes widening in alarm as she unceremoniously pushed the young man who had been dozing half on top of her off onto the floor. "Move!? From California?"

"Binky!" the young man uttered plaintively as he searched groggily for the glasses that fell when Laura pushed him to the floor.

"Yes, Laura. From California." Abigail voice sharpened suspiciously, "Who's there? I thought you were studying!"

"I am, Mother. Milton is the TA for my physics lab. He's been going over my notes with me." Laura attempted to process her mother's declaration. "You want us to move to Connecticut?"

"Yes, Laura. It makes such wonderful sense! Wouldn't it be nice to be near Frances and Donald, Danny, the new baby, and your grandmother?" Abigail's enthusiasm was palpable. "You're done with school now, there's absolutely nothing holding us in California."

"But, Mother, we can't move to Connecticut! I've been accepted as an apprentice at Havenhurst Detective Agency in Los Angeles starting two weeks after graduation! I was planning to live at home in LA!"

"Laura, please tell me you aren't serious about this detective business! It's time for you to settle down now and decide on a real career."

Milton had begun to gather up the various notebooks and papers that were scattered around where Laura was sitting. She grabbed his wrist and held on as if to anchor herself against the storm Abigail inevitably created in her life.

"Milton, wait," Laura pleaded as she pressed the mouthpiece of the phone against her body.

"I need to get back to the lab, Binky. Thanks for the nap." Milton's smile was warm as he leaned in to kiss Laura's cheek. "I'm sorry I fell asleep. It's not that you're boring..."

"I know. You find me comforting. I'm glad I help you relax." Laura said ruefully. "It's o.k. Milton. I got a lot out of reading through your notes while you slept."

"You're due in lab in an hour for your final. And I can't help you if you're late." Milton closed Laura's dorm room door quietly behind him, leaving her to her mother.

"LAURA!"

Abigail's voice penetrated her daughter's consciousness and Laura pulled the phone from her side."Yes, Mother, I'm sorry. What were you saying?"

"I'll book a flight for you for the weekend!" Abigail continued cheerfully. "You are going to absolutely fall in love with this beautiful little girl! And you won't believe how big Danny's gotten. "

"Mother, I'm looking forward to seeing both of them, but I'm in the middle of finals right now. I just CAN"T come visit Frances and the babies until after graduation…You are going to come back in time for my graduation, aren't you?" Laura's voice was less steady than she would have liked.

"Oh, Laura. You know how proud I am of you, graduating from Stanford with honors and all, but I don't see how I can leave Frances alone with a newborn and an active one year old." Abigail sighed. "Just wait until you have children, Laura. You'll see. You'll need me then too."

"I'm sure I will Mother." Laura said quietly, rubbing her temples with her thumb and forefinger, trying to avoid the headache that often followed exchanges with her mother. "I've got to get ready for class now. I really have to go. I'll call you back later tonight. Give Frances and the babies a hug for me."

"Wait, Laura; Frances wants to say hello." Abigail passed the phone to Frances, who juggled the baby briefly before handing her to her anxiously cooing grandmother.

"Laura, I'm so sorry. I know the timing here couldn't be worse. I'm going to send Mother home in time for your graduation – I promise! Donald's parents are dying to come see the kids and help out." Frances glared at Abigail as she spoke, a look that was lost on her mother, as the doting grandmother was completely besotted with the pink bundle she held in her arms.

"Congratulations, Frances. I'm glad everything went well." Laura made a valiant effort to sound upbeat for her sister. "I can't visit right away, but I'll come out as soon as I can. I love you."

"Love you, too, Laura. Good luck with finals." Frances' bright voice faded as Abigail took the phone back, rocking the softly fussing newborn in her other arm.

"I'll talk to you tonight, Laura." Abigail set the phone back in its cradle without waiting for Laura's response.

Laura firmly wrote the last figures on her lab exam, closed the blue book and looked up to re-enter the world she had shut out in her focus on physics. Milton was the only person remaining in the room, other than her professor.

Smiling, she handed her blue book to her physics professor. He took her hand and pressed it warmly in farewell. Laura's intense interest in her studies, an interest that took her well beyond the syllabus material even for courses outside her math major, had created close relationships with nearly all of her professors.

Milton followed Laura out into the hall. "Hey. Are you willing to put some of those investigative instincts to the test Laura? Someone messed with my lab set up again. I'm never going to finish my doctoral program without rock solid data, and someone is tampering with my results. I've gotten nowhere with campus security - they think I'm crazy."

"You are crazy, Milton, but not the way they think you are." Laura grinned. "You've been spending your nights in the lab, haven't you? How could anyone be tampering with your set up?"

"All I know, Laura, is that new lines of data are appearing on my printout and odd pieces of equipment are out of place, just enough to cast doubt on my results."

Laura's deep brown eyes took in Milton's desperation and she reached out to put her hand on his shoulder. "Of course, Milton. The only final I have left is Russian lit. I've already gotten most of the basics outlined. I'll meet you here tonight and decide on an approach. Thanks for your help this afternoon, by the way. I breezed through Grant's final."

"You would have with or without my notes, Binky, but you're welcome." Milton covered Laura's hand with his own and patted it. "Did your mother give you a hard time about having a guy in your room?"

"No, she was too caught up in her new granddaughter to worry about me for a change. She threw me a little bit of a curve, though. She wants to move to Connecticut to be near my sister and her family." Laura sighed, and then turned to leave, smiling over her shoulder at Milton as she walked away. "One problem at a time. First, Russian Lit. Then, physics lab rats."

TBC