This story is the third installment in my post season 3 Veronica Mars stories. If you have not read "Tear Away the Mask", the first story, or "The Ties That Bind", its sequel, then please don't read this story. You'll be confused and disappointed. Go back and read the first two stories. You'll enjoy them; I promise! My first story covers season 4, the sophomore year at Hearst. The 2nd story covers the spring semester of the sophomore year. This story will cover the summer before their junior year and their junior year. I don't own Veronica Mars or any of the characters. However, many characters in my stories are my own creation (that's why you shouldn't read this story without reading the others). Jason and Jazmin Jaleno and Daisy Gonzalez, characters I created in previous stories, will be prominently featured in this story. Or rather the twins will be. Daisy will be a bit more active. However, this is primarily a LoVe story with all characters secondary. The exception being Weevil. Weevil becomes more of a main character in this story. MaDi will always be around, too, of course. Because the first three chapters cover three months, the style is a bit less active than normal. I summarize some events and go further into others. I hope you like it!
Chapter 1: Summer Begins
******Prologue******
To say Logan was shocked to find his sister on his doorstep obviously pregnant would be an understatement. It was days before he could wrap his mind around the idea of his sister being a mother. Trina tried to act blasé about her situation, but both Logan and Veronica could detect a hint of panic below the surface. Logan was surprised and pleased that his sister was going through with the pregnancy. The idea of being an uncle and having more family thrilled him to no end. They convinced Trina to move into the spare room until the baby was born. She wasn't due until September, so the most stressful months were ahead. She would need some help.
Dick and Logan both tried to get out of her the identity of the father. However, she would just smile a secret smile and refuse to talk. One night Veronica caught her crying in her room and discovered that Trina didn't actually know the identity of the baby's father. She assumed the baby was conceived at one of the three New Year's Eve parties she had went to. Trina was horrified and embarrassed that she'd turned into a cliché. She was just another spoiled Hollywood has been who would never amount to anything—at least that's what said when she'd cried on Veronica's shoulders. Veronica assured her that she was still young and had plenty of time to make her mark. Trina remained unconvinced, but Veronica's words did relieve her tears.
Dick went to his father's parole hearing and, much to his dismay, was asked to speak on his father's behalf. His testimony helped, and his father was released by the end of May. The Casablanca's house had been purchased years before Big Dick's illegal schemes with legal funds, so he had a place to go home to. However, he was putting pressure on Dick to move back home with him. The courts wanted to see him play dutiful dad to his only remaining son. Mac tried to point out to Dick that he was already raised and was under no obligation to do anything to please his dad. Mac had met Big Dick when she was dating Cassidy and disliked him greatly. Now that she was dating Dick and his dad was free, nothing had changed. Mac found Dick's dad to be both sexist and offensive. He epitomized all of Dick's bad qualities and had none of his good qualities. Once the family attorney got some of his assets unfrozen, he became even more insufferable in Mac's opinion.
Dick was torn. He hated to see Mac upset over anything, and he had yet to work out how he felt about his dad. However, a part of him was happy to have his dad home. It eased a hole inside of him that had been there since Beaver's suicide. Mac had mostly moved into the beach house with Dick after classes were over. She didn't want to go back and forth between her parents and Dick's all summer. Since she and Veronica had decided to go to Italy in July, she only planned on staying there for six weeks. It made for a crowded but fun place.
It helped that most of their other friends were gone or too busy to add to their numbers. Duncan didn't spend much time over at their house because he had signed up for a six week accelerated humanities course that began almost as soon as the spring semester had ended. Duncan was determined to obtain enough credits by the fall semester to be labeled a junior. He will have a ten day break before the summer school sessions begin. If he took two science classes, he will be caught up with his friends finally. The ten days between the two sessions are the only break he will have all summer. That's his window to take his daughter and the girls to Italy.
Jazmin headed home to spend a few weeks with her parents before flying with her grandparents to Italy. Jason closed up the house and convinced Eli to give up his apartment and spend the summer with him in Chicago. Jason's Uncle Nico on his mother's side was a bounty hunter, a licensed P. I. He had agreed to give them an unpaid summer internship working with him. Jason's dad offered Eli a job unloading boxes at his shipping yard. Jason offered to get him a job not connected to his dad, but Eli figured that if he ever wanted a real future with Jazmin he had to get her father's approval. He knew about the mob ties and understood the risk he was taking. However, he thought that if Jason could ride that fine line, so could he. Eli had a feeling the summer would be anything but boring.
*****June*****
Although Logan was happy to have his sister staying with him and Veronica and was very excited about becoming an uncle, he did quickly grow frustrated at how little alone time he had with Veronica. He loved his friends, but sometimes he wished the whole world could disappear for a few days so that he could focus completely on his better half. After Trina had been with them a few weeks, he convinced Veronica that if she was going to abandon him and go off with Mac in July that he deserved equal time. He wanted them to go on a real vacation together.
The idea of a vacation with Logan appealed to Veronica, and they began making plans. They decided that an extended road trip would be a perfect vacation because they could go at their own pace. Then Logan suggested they take the historic Route 66 trip that went from Los Angeles to Chicago. Veronica loved the idea because it would give her a chance to take a lot of pictures, something she hadn't been able to do in a while. She wasted no time in planning out their trip. They quickly decided to rent a car instead of putting miles on one of their own vehicles. Veronica wanted them to fly back from Chicago, so they wouldn't have to drive the car back home. She was excited about getting to visit Chi-town because Wallace had gone there for the summer to spend time with his dad, and Eli had surprised her by opting to spend the summer with Jason on whatever scheme the two of them had going. For some reason, he was being cagey about what the two of them were up to. She knew Weevil; he wouldn't go off with Jason for the entire summer if there wasn't more to it. She would surprise her friends with a visit and was confident she could uncover the secrets Weevil was hiding from her.
Naturally, Dick loved the idea of a road trip and wanted to join them. He hated to be left out of any adventures and figured it'd also be a good way to avoid his dad for a few weeks. Mac, of course, knew that Logan and Veronica needed some time together and convinced Dick that he didn't need to go. They had yet to locate a new business venture, and she promised him that the two of them could plan their own vacation next summer. Dick loved the fact that Mac was planning such long term things for the two of them and happily conceded her points. He did want to find a business that he could be a part of, too. He was determined that Mac and Logan not do another venture without him. The fact that his dad was out of jail and trying to get back into his own business made Dick more determined to succeed on his own. He knew that if he didn't find something to call his own, his dad would start putting on the pressure for Dick to work with him; something Dick was determined to never do.
So the first week of June, Logan and Veronica loaded up their rented Nissan Maxima with clothes and snacks and hit the road.
"I can't believe we're actually doing this," Veronica said, the excitement evident in her voice.
Logan smiled and reached over to hold her hand. "We need this. I love Dick, but a few weeks without seeing him will be good for us both," Logan said.
"You're not kidding. If I have to see him parading in the kitchen in just a towel again, I might have to poke out my eyes. Why the man can't put on clothes immediately after he showers is beyond me!" Veronica complained.
"Mac says it's because of his short attention span. Taking a shower makes him thirsty for some reason, and all he can think about his getting something to drink afterward," Logan explained with a fond smile.
Veronica laughed and shook her head. "Well, Trina enjoys the peep show a little too much I think," Veronica remarked.
"Mac will put a stop to it soon enough if Trina keeps making her pleasure known," Logan said. "No woman likes to see another woman ogle their man. I know you wouldn't."
"Damn right," she replied with a possessive grin. "And now I get to have all of you to myself for almost an entire month!"
"It's going to be great," Logan agreed. "I think Valentine's Day weekend was the last time we spent alone together for more than a few hours."
"That's disturbing," Veronica said. "You know now that you mention, I don't think we've ever spent any extended time together with just the two of us."
Logan frowned in thought. "I think you're right. When we were kids, Lilly and Duncan were always there, and when we dated in high school, your dad never let us have more than a few hours together," he said.
"And after graduation, we only had the same amount of time due to Dick sharing your hotel suite!" she reminded him pointedly.
"I guess we'll find out if you really love me or not," Logan said with a smirk.
"Well, if we plan on getting married someday, we should know for a fact that we can survive time alone together," Veronica teased. "Maybe you'll get sick of me!"
"Impossible!" he replied.
"You never know," she said, smiling.
Logan grinned, happy to just be with her. He was overjoyed that he was going to have her complete attention for such a long time. When she was actively investigating in high school and their freshman year at Hearst, he never felt like he had her complete attention. Her mind was always only half on him. Maybe that was part of the reason why he resented her extra-curricular activities so much. She didn't want to share them with him very often, and it kept her constantly thinking of other things. The past year had been so great because she'd stop being a P. I., and he didn't have to either share her attention with strangers or worry about her. Now that they had this time together none of their friends would occupy her attention either. It might make him seem selfish, but he didn't care. He loved her so completely that he coveted all her time. He knew that although she loved him just as much, she was made differently than him. She needed other things and people in her life to be happy and feel complete. All he needed really was her. He was going to enjoy every moment of their trip together.
******BackHomeinNeptune******
Dick quickly adjusted to being the man of the house. He thought he'd miss Logan more, but having Logan and Veronica gone made it very obvious how crowded the place had gotten. It was almost like he and Mac were living together with just the two of them. Due to the fact that he had grown up with a brother always underfoot, he could easily ignore Trina's presence when he wanted. He was surprised that he liked having her there so much. When he was younger and he and Beaver would spend time at the Echolls, he went from crushing on her to hating her. Now he found her amusing. He was delighted to find out they had a similar sense of humor. Mac was mystified at this discovery but was happy to see them get along so well in Logan's absence.
Mac was also surprised to discover that Trina seemed to find her an easy person to talk to. The two quickly began friends. Mac's easy and quiet manner was unlike any of Trina's other friends or acquaintances. She understood why Logan and Veronica liked her so much. The fact that they weren't so closely connected made her a nonthreatening confidante. Eventually, she began talking about the pregnancy more and more with Mac. Mac was the first one to learn how completely rattled she was about her upcoming pregnancy.
"I just don't think I'd make a good mother," she confided to Mac one afternoon a few days after Logan and Veronica left.
"Sure, you will," Mac said, reassuringly.
"I'm too selfish to devote myself to someone to that degree," Trina admitted. "The kid will need me for everything."
"All mothers probably feel that way," Mac assured her. "Once the baby's here, you'll feel differently."
Trina wanted to believe that. However, she didn't think even the birth of a child would change her basic nature all that much. Her dad had doted on her, but he had never focused on her. His career had been the most important thing to him. Trina never resented that fact for the most part. But sometimes she had imagined her real father would have never missed a birthday for a social event or movie premiere. Didn't a child deserve their parents' complete love and attention? For the first time, her pregnancy was forcing her to really look at herself and who she'd become. She didn't really like what she saw.
Mac could tell that she wasn't convinced and suggested that she get in touch with her birth mother, Mary Mooney. Trina was torn. Although her birth mother seemed sweet, the fact that she was both deaf and practically a servant made Trina uncomfortable. She had, however, kept her mother's address and occasionally dropped her a postcard in the mail. She didn't know why she did that. Maybe it was losing her father and coming to believe he was not the father she thought he was. Maybe she liked knowing that at least someone out there really loved her. Trina's adopted mother, Aaron's first wife, died in a car crash when she was just a baby, and she had no memories of her. Aaron had been driving, but Trina had been with the nanny. The guilt of her adopted mother's death had drove Aaron to spoil her. However, Lynn's suicide and the truth about her father had thrown Trina into a tailspin. She had felt so completely and utterly alone. It wasn't until Logan almost died, and they reconnected that she finally felt like she still had any real connections left. Mac suggestion that she contact her mother appealed to her. However, the fact that her birth mother only signed made Trina wary. How would she communicate with her? Passing notes seemed tedious and exhausting.
After Trina finally had a lunch date with Mary, Mac suggested that the two of them sign up for ASL classes at the community college. Mac thought it'd be fun to learn another language that didn't require massive amounts of memorization. Her fingers would do the learning. Dick, of course, found their new hobby maddening. Every time he found them attempting silent conversations with their hands, he felt left out and ignored. His pouting at being left out was a constant source of amusement for the two ladies. It inspired them to learn more words, just to bug him.
One night when they were preparing for bed, Dick complained about it to Mac. She looked at him through the mirror and smiled. After finishing applying her lotion, she turned toward him and signed something.
"Mackie, quit doing that! It makes me nuts! I don't know what you're trying to say!" Dick complained. He was lying on the bed flipping channels on the TV.
Mac went over and took the changer from him. She turned the TV off and then sat down next to him on the bed. She smiled and signed again. This time she verbalized what she was signing. "I said that you are the best thing in my life. You shouldn't be jealous. I love you more than anything."
Dick grinned. "I love you, too!" he said. Then Mac showed him how to sign that. After Dick mastered "I love you", he asked her how to sign something that made her blush. "I don't think I'm ready for that one yet," Mac said.
"How about I just show you?" Dick suggested. Then he pulled her over until she was lying on top of him and proceeded to show her exactly what he wanted to do to her.
*****NewYork*****
Piz and Parker managed to survive Parker's slip up with Duncan over spring break. Piz's determination to not lose her to Duncan warmed her to the core. She had known that he loved her. However, she couldn't help but be pleased that he did for her what he had not been willing to do for Veronica. Logan had fought for Veronica when he had been dating Parker. The sting of that humiliation had lingered longer than she cared to admit. But Piz's forceful display with Duncan convinced her that she had made the right choice. Piz was the man for her. He loved her enough to fight for her.
Unfortunately, both of them went to their separate homes for the rest of May. Then in June, Piz flew to New York to start his second summer interning at a radio station in New York City. He loved being there and working at the station. However, he missed Parker like crazy.
Parker was feeling the same way. It was good to see her family, but she felt that she had outgrown Colorado in some important way. Home was always there, but she wanted so much more from her life. She missed her friends, she missed the ocean, and she especially missed Piz. Finally, in the second week of June her dad agreed to let her fly to New York even though she planned on being gone in July. She promised to spend two full weeks with them in August when she returned from Italy.
Piz greeted her at the airport with enthusiasm. He could not wait to show her New York. They had so much fun those first few days, touring the city together. She was even allowed to spend a shift at the station with him watching him work. Piz surprised her by introducing her to a friend that was able to get her a temporary job waiting tables at a cafe to make some quick cash. She was filling in for someone who went on vacation. Parker was happy to be able to have more money to spend. New York was expensive, and she wanted to be able to buy souvenirs both there and in Italy. Luckily, New Yorkers were good tippers.
The only downside to her time in New York was that Piz wasn't entirely happy about her plans to go to Italy, especially the part about Duncan's plane flying them there and back. No matter how much Parker tried to reassure him, he still remained unconvinced that Duncan was no threat. The only thing that finally mollified him was her assurance that Duncan was not going to be spending time with her. His mother and daughter were both going, and they had their own plans. They would be staying in Milan while Parker was in Venice. She was relieved when he finally relented because she didn't want their time together marred by fighting over what may happen. As far as she was concerned, Duncan wasn't an issue. He understood what she felt and would respect her wishes.
******Chicago******
Jazmin was completely unsettled to have Eli suddenly move into their family home for the summer. Shortly after they took their P. I. exam, Jason had finally broken down and told her what he and Eli had been studying for. While she was proud of their new plans, she was not prepared to spend so much time with Eli. When they received their passing scores and Jason told her he wanted Eli to come home with them, she had been dismayed. Jason understood her ambivalence but reminded her that she would be gone most of the summer anyway.
Jazmin's semester ended on an okay note. She managed to avoid Wallace the last few weeks of school. The pain of his betrayal began to fade, and she found herself missing his friendship more and more. Things were never quite the same with her and Veronica even though they were still friends and spoke frequently. Jazmin managed to stay civil to Daisy in biology class, figuring she owed Veronica that much at least. She still found Daisy annoying but found that she could tolerate her presence—at least for their fifty minute biology class. Once or twice, she even relented enough to join them for lunch. Veronica appreciated her effort and by the time the semester ended, Jazmin felt comfortable enough to extend her invitation to Italy once again. She knew Mac and Parker really wanted to go. After the past few months, she could use a fun summer with her girlfriends. Jazmin also hoped that the extended time together would finally repair the damage that had been done to her and Veronica's friendship.
Unfortunately, Italy was still a few weeks away, and she had to survive a few weeks home in Chicago. It wasn't that she didn't love her city, but the stress of dealing with her mother and running into Joseph made home always difficult. The added presence of Eli was not something she could easily deal with, so she mostly succeeded in avoiding him by staying at her grandparents.
Eventually, Eli got tired of her avoidance. A week before her and Jason's nineteenth birthday, he decided to confront her. He knew that she always came by to see her family when she thought he was at work or at her Uncle Nico's work. Eli decided to alter his schedule so that he could talk to her. He even went so far as to stake out the foyer, lying in wait for her. She wasn't going to slip away from him this time until they cleared the air.
"Good morning, Princess," Eli said to her as she came inside the house.
She glanced at him in surprise. "Hello. I'm surprised to see you here," she said.
"I bet you are," he replied with a slow smile. "You've been avoiding me."
"No, I haven't," she denied.
Eli got up from the chair he was sitting on and walked toward her. "Yes, you have," he insisted. "You aren't even staying here, and you barely come around when you know I'm going to be here."
Jazmin opened her mouth to deny it, but then she gave up and looked away. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," she said.
"Me uncomfortable? It's obvious that I make you uncomfortable, or you wouldn't hide from me," Eli said. "I'm sorry my being here has driven you from your own home."
"You know enough about my life here to know that being here comes with its own bag of stress. So you don't need to apologize," Jazmin said.
"But I make it worse," Eli observed.
Jazmin didn't answer for a moment. Then she gave him a rueful smile. "I guess I never know where I stand with you," she confessed. "I don't know what category to put you in."
"What do you mean?" Eli asked in confusion.
"I mean I know we're friends. Sort of. But sometimes it seems like there's more between us, but you always give me these mix signals," Jazmin confessed. "I guess I just don't know how to deal with you." She looked away in embarrassment at her confession.
Eli couldn't help but grin at her sweetly honest confession. Then he quit smiling and decided to give her the same frankness—at least to some degree. "You and I can never be friends," he told her.
When she looked hurt, he stepped closer and put his hand on her shoulder. "No, don't be upset. I don't mean that exactly. Of course, we're friends. You know I am here for you," Eli said. "But friends is too simple a term for what we are. We can never be just friends. A part of you has to know this. That's why I make you uncomfortable."
Jazmin's mouth opened slightly in surprise at his words. "I—" she stopped, unsure of what to say. Finally, she gathered up her courage. "Do you want to be with me? You know—as more than friends?" she spit out. She could feel her face heating at her boldness.
Eli's eyes took on that intense look that never failed to make her heart race. He put his other hand on the other side of her shoulders. "Every minute of every damn day," he informed her, finally revealing the extent of his desire for her. To hell with his perfectly thought out plans. He couldn't leave her with nothing. Nor could he deny himself any longer. He pulled her closer. "Staying away from you is the hardest thing I've ever done."
"Why?" she asked. It was the only word she could form; it came out in a softly spoken whisper. She couldn't believe he was finally revealing so much.
Instead of answering her directly, he leaned forward and kissed her. Jazmin gasped in surprise, opening her mouth slightly. Eli ruthlessly took advantage and probed the inside of her mouth with his tongue. Her eyes stayed open as did his. But when he took the kiss deeper, her eyes closed of their own volition. Sensations swamped her. Every nerve ending on her body seemed to wake up with a shout. She put her arms around him, holding him tight against her.
For Eli, kissing her like this was like a dream. The memory of their first and only kiss had started to fade. Some part of him needed a reminder that he hadn't imagined their connection, the rightness between them. God, how he wanted her! She was like liquid fire in his arms. He felt out of control. Realizing that made him pull back and gentle the kiss. Finally, he reluctantly pulled away, ending the kiss.
Jazmin looked at him in dumfounded amazement, her breath coming out in breathless gasps. She had trouble believing that he had kissed her like that again. He kept her at such a distance. Why did he do that? She looked at him in confusion. He took a small step back, but he didn't release her completely.
"Why do you kiss me like that and then not call me or so much as ask me out? I don't understand," Jazmin said. This time he wasn't going to just kiss her and walk away. She'd been through too much this past year. She deserved more. At least more of an explanation.
Eli wasn't immune to her silent plea. She wanted to know if he was going to reject her again. He knew that she couldn't handle that. She was still fragile and deserved better from him. He wanted to be the one man besides her brother that she would never be disappointed in. "You make me want so many things, Princess, that I never thought I could have," Eli said. He brushed his hand across her cheek in a gentle and surprising caress. For such a rough looking man, he knew how to show such tenderness. "I still can't quite see us working because our worlds are so different. I'm trying to fit into your world, but I am not sure I can or that it'll work. I know how much you've been hurt. I can't date you and then have things fall apart. I'm not really made that way. There was a time when I accepted less but no more. Now I'm an all or nothing kind of guy."
Jazmin's eyes widened in surprise at his admittance. She never expected to get so much from him. Her mouth suddenly felt dry. She licked her lips before speaking. Eli's eyes darkened in reaction to the movement of her tongue. When she realized the affect her simple action had on him, a part of her was pleased. Another other part of her was scared. She wasn't sure she was ready for this. She didn't expect this and didn't know how to proceed.
"I don't think putting that kind of pressure on either one of us is a good thing," she said.
"Maybe not, but you wanted to know so I told you. I'm sorry if it wasn't what you wanted to hear," Eli said. He dropped his hand and stepped back, allowing a bit of distance between them.
"It's not that. You just surprised me, that's all," she replied.
"Well, I hope maybe you'll quit avoiding me now. I know you'll be gone in a week, and I hate to not see you at all while you're in town," Eli told her.
Jazmin smiled. "I'll try to be around more," she said.
He reached out and grabbed her hand, holding it for a moment. "I hope so," he said. Then he released it. "Well, I gotta get going. Your dad doesn't like it when people show up late."
"Will you be back later?" she asked.
"I don't know when exactly. Between your brother, your uncle, and your father, I don't have much time that's not scheduled," Eli admitted with a disarming grin.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" she asked, curious. They hadn't talked much since he'd arrived.
"I really am. Sometimes it seems like me and Jason have known each other forever. We're having fun with your uncle. He's teaching us a lot. Although I'm still not sure why your brother wants to do this so much," Eli remarked.
"He can't help himself. He's like an addict when it comes to learning things. When he's given a chance to learn something new, he can't help but wring every drop of knowledge from a subject and move on. He's full of more useless trivia than anyone I've ever met," Jazmin shared.
"He's always going on about that damned resume of his. It's like his girlfriend," Eli said, grinning.
Jazmin laughed. "Yeah, I know. He's the most driven person I've ever met. He wants to be an attorney, and he wants to someday legitimize our father's businesses. I think his interest in law stems from our father's notorious ties. The P. I. thing will probably end up being more useful in the long run, I think," she said.
"You may be right," Eli agreed. "I'll see you later." And with one last casual wave he was gone.
Jazmin didn't know what to think about what just happened between them. It was now obvious to her that he did care deeply for her and was very attracted to her. The knowledge brought a warm glow to her. Eli definitely wasn't like other guys. For once, Jazmin refused to obsess or overanalyze what just happened between them. Instead, she'd just enjoy reliving the moment.
******Logan and Veronica******
The first place Logan and Veronica wanted to go to was the Grand Canyon. Both had only ever visited it as a child and were looking forward to viewing it through adult eyes. Although the Canyon was only about seven hours or so from L. A., it took them five days to get there. After driving up to Los Angeles from Neptune, Logan convinced Veronica that they had to tour L.A. first. He just wanted an excuse to check into the Beverly Wilshire and ravish her at his leisure. Not that she had any complaints. They spent a solid twenty-four hours in bed, ordering room service. It was so great to have no interruptions. They put the do not disturb sign on the door and only took it off when food was on the way.
"Why haven't we done this sooner?" Veronica asked as they ate their breakfast in bed the next morning.
"Well, we did take that weekend away on Valentine's Day," Logan reminded her.
She got a dreamy smile on her face at the memory. "Now that was probably the best weekend of my life," she said.
"Probably?" he asked, acting offended.
"It's been a few months. The memory grows dim," she teased. Then she giggled when Logan pushed their trays away and leaned over to nibble on her neck.
"Maybe I should remind you of those incredibly hot days," he said.
"Isn't that what you did last night?" she asked a bit breathlessly. He knew all the places on her body as well as he knew his own.
"We're not going to leave this room until you get your money's worth, sugarlips," Logan said. Then he covered her lips with his own and proceeded to remind her of all kinds of things.
They finally left their room that night. Logan wanted to take her dancing at his favorite L.A. night club. Nothing got him more excited than spending a few hours watching Veronica dance around and shake that delectable body of hers. Of course, she made a point of wearing an outfit that was guaranteed to inspire him.
Now five days later they were finally at the Grand Canyon. They peered out over the edge. It was breathtaking. "It makes me feel so small and insignificant," Veronica said as she leaned against Logan.
"It really does. How do you think it got like this?" he wondered.
"My daddy told me that the earth was God's canvas, and He fashioned it according to His taste," Veronica replied with a smile at that memory. Her mother had been with them. They had been happy when they came here all those years ago. Thinking of her mother brought her bittersweet pain.
"Your father has a poet's heart," Logan remarked.
"He really does. My mom was here, too, when we came. I was seven. Things were perfect back then," she said somewhat sadly. For a fleeting moment, she wondered where her mother was now. Then she determinedly pushed the thought aside, not wanting anything to mar this moment.
Logan's own memory of the Canyon was not nearly as picturesque. Trina has picked on him, his dad had back handed him once for hitting her, and his mom got sick at the high altitude.
"Do you think someday we'll come here on a family vacation with a kid or two of our own?" Logan asked.
Veronica turned to him and gave him a warm smile. "I hope so. I really do," she said as she stepped into his arms for a hug.
Logan held her to him and threw up a silent prayer of thanks to the Great Painter above. He may not deserve her, but he was never letting her go.
*****Wallace*****
Wallace's semester ended on a sour note. His basketball team made it to the quarterfinals before getting defeated. A part of him couldn't help but resent Jason for abandoning the team. He knew that they would've made it to the champions if Jason had been on the team, or at least they wouldn't have lost in the quarterfinals. However, another part of him knew that he was ultimately the one to blame. He really made a mess of things.
Jazmin still wouldn't speak to him before she'd left for home. However, the ice had been broken between him and Jason at Lauren's party. Wallace just wished Jazmin would at least give him another chance to be friends at least. He missed her.
His dad sent him a plane ticket to come visit him in Chicago for the summer. He decided to take him up on the offer. When Veronica told him about her and Logan's plan to be gone and drive eventually to Chicago, he figured there were worse ways to spend the summer. Veronica said they'd meet up with him and Eli toward the end of the month. Eli went home with Jason to work with his uncle. Eli was cagey about the details, but Wallace figured he'd find out eventually. Looking up the twins and Eli after he got settled in the city was definitely on his list of things to do. Enough time had passed. Surely, Jazmin was ready to fully forgive him.
Nathan was thrilled to have him with him for the summer. He hoped to build a real bond between them over the summer. When Wallace had been with him for that short time a few years ago, he had been too upset at the upheaval to really give things between them a real chance. Now that Wallace was a man, he wasn't angry or confused anymore. Nathan was determined that their time together be something he'd enjoy. He got Wallace a job at his precinct answering phones and typing up reports. It made Nathan proud to introduce Wallace to his co-workers. One day his son would be an engineer. He bragged about that to everyone he knew.
At first, Wallace was a bit uncomfortable at his father's obvious pride in him. Complete strangers seemed to know all about him. After a while, he decided to be pleased that his dad wanted to share his existence with his friends. For so long, they'd been strangers. Now Wallace kind of liked having a father again even if he'd never quit loving the memory of the father who raised him.
After he been in Chicago for two weeks and felt comfortable venturing out on his own, he decided to test the waters with the twins. Weevil had given him the address before he left town. Wallace had called Weevil when he'd first gotten to town. Weevil told him that the twins were having a birthday party in a week, so he wanted to try and talk to them before that happened.
So one night after work, he stopped by at the address Weevil had given him. The house was big and intimidating. He rang the bell and wasn't overly surprised when a maid answered. He identified himself and waited in the foyer. Jason and Weevil soon appeared. They were happy to see him. Or rather Jason didn't show him the door. After a few minutes of chit-chat and catching up, Jason told him that Jazmin wasn't there. She was mostly staying at their grandparents'.
"I think my presence here has driven her out," Weevil said with a grin.
Jason didn't deny it, so Wallace thought there must be some truth to his statement. However, he decided not to probe further.
"Do you think she's ready to see me? I hate not being friends with her. Has she forgiven me?" Wallace asked Jason.
"I think she's in a much better place than she was, so you're welcome to come back any time and try to catch her. Of course, the only time I know for sure that she'll be here is on our birthday. Come to the party," Jason said.
"I don't want to just show up on her birthday and upset her if she's not wanting to talk to me," Wallace said.
"I'll talk to her and find out," Jason said.
Wallace was relieved to hear that. Jason asked if he'd had dinner, and when Wallace said no, they invited him to go out and grab some grub with them. And just like that, it was like Wallace hadn't spent any time being estranged from Jason.
******Logan and Veronica*******
Logan and Veronica's Route 66 adventure continued at a slow but fun pace. Veronica insisted on stopping and taking pictures every few hours. Logan indulged her, knowing that there was no real reason to hurry. Their trip was turning out just like he planned. They talked, they laughed, they reminisced, and they made love. Lots and lots of love. He smiled at all the new memories. He had half-jokingly made a remark about making love to her in every state they drove through, and she decided to take it as a challenge to him. One that he was incapable of not taking up. Suddenly, the Route 66 Inn outside of Amarillo, TX was one of his new favorite places.
"I can't wait to tell Dad about your girly screams when you saw that armadillo!" Veronica said as they drove across the Texas/Oklahoma state line.
"Joke all you want, but I was just getting ice for you like a good boyfriend, and its red, beety little eyes suddenly came out of nowhere," Logan complained with a shudder at the memory.
Veronica laughed. "Your screams about gave me a heart attack," she said.
"Well, I can't let you grow bored and leave me now, can I?" Logan said, smiling.
"I don't think you need to worry. Life with you is never boring," Veronica insisted with a smile.
"I aim to please," he replied with a smirk.
Veronica got out her maps and itinerary.
"We're in the Sooner State. Watch out for cowboys and Indians," Logan quipped.
"You're the one who needs to watch out. You might insult the wrong cowboy and get scalped," Veronica joked. "Oh, we're going to spend the night in Oklahoma City, right? I want to see the memorial and take a boat ride down the canal in Bricktown."
"Don't forget the Cowboy Hall of Fame. Dick will be mad if we don't go by there and get him a souvenir," Logan said.
"So tonight in OKC, then we'll hit St. Louis, Missouri and Springfield, IL. We'll be in Chicago in no time," Veronica said.
"We should slow down then. I'm not ready to share you," Logan said, giving her a heated look.
"We're staying in our own hotel when we get to Chicago, so we'll have plenty of alone time. We haven't seen Wallace in weeks. I miss him. And Weevil will be there, too," she said. "Plus we want to have time to explore the city."
"I figure we have enough time to stay almost a week in Chicago. That brother of yours should know the city well enough by now to give us a tour," Logan said.
"If not, Jason can. Jazmin is leaving for Italy the day after her birthday. We'll make it in time for their party, right?" Veronica asked.
"Yep. As long as you don't distract me while driving and cause a wreck," Logan said, flashing her a grin.
"We promised Dad that we'd come home in one piece, so keep your eyes on the road!" she ordered.
******Chicago,JasonandJazmin'sbirthday******
Eli finished getting ready and went downstairs. The party didn't officially start for another hour, but he hoped to talk to Jazmin before the place was overrun with guests. When he got downstairs and looked around, he was impressed. The twins' parents sure knew how to throw a party. The place was packed already with servants running from one place to another getting things ready.
He wandered around looking for Jazmin. He finally found her outside sitting in the gazebo they had in the backyard.
"There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you," Eli said as he walked toward her. "What's the birthday girl doing sitting out here all by herself?"
"The place is a madhouse. Jason isn't ready yet, and I wanted some peace before the guests arrive," she told him.
"I was hoping to catch you alone before you left tomorrow," Eli told her.
"Oh yea? Why's that?" she asked curious.
He sat down on the bench next to her. "I just wanted to talk. I kind of feel like I need to tell you something," he confessed.
"What?" she asked.
"Did your brother tell you that he told me why he was so insanely protective of you?" he asked.
Jazmin looked uncomfortable, but she nodded her head. "Yeah, he told me that he told you about Joseph and the baby."
"I'm sorry that happened to you," Eli said. "And I'm also sorry that you had a rough year in the romance department the past year. If my mixed signals added to your pain, I'm sorry."
Jazmin was surprised by his apology. "That's a lot of sorry's, but you don't owe me an apology. Believe me, you were not the source of any pain this past year," she said.
Eli picked up her hand and held it. "You know meeting you has changed my life," he revealed.
"Really? How?" she asked in wonder.
"Suddenly I have a goal," he said as he peered intently at her.
"What's that?" she asked.
"To deserve you," he said simply and honestly.
His simple confession touched her deeply. This time when he leaned over to kiss her she was prepared. The kiss was soft and sweet, like his words. "Happy birthday," he said when he pulled back. Then he placed a small box in her hands.
"You bought me a present?" she inquired.
"Well, I was told that was the tradition when attending a birthday party," he said. "Go on and open it."
She opened the box to found a Saint Christopher necklace. She took it out of the box for a closer look. Christopher was depicted as a tall, middle-aged, bearded man holding a staff with the Christ child on his shoulders. The words "Protect us" were engraved around the edges, along with his name.
"It's Saint Christopher, the patron saint of safe travels," Eli explained. "I want you to have a safe trip to Italy."
She smiled happily. "Oh my God, Eli, it's so perfect! Thank you!" she explained. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. Then she put it on. "How does it look?"
"Beautiful. Like you," he said flirtatiously.
She examined him for a moment. She couldn't believe he was finally being so transparent with her. Unfortunately, the timing wasn't right. "I'm not ready," she said.
"I know you're not. I'm not either. But V told me once that my supposed indifference had hurt you. I don't want to be one of the guys you think of when you're thinking sad thoughts," Eli said.
She smiled, relieved that he wasn't disappointed. "That couldn't ever happen. I could use a friend, though," she said.
He put his arms around her shoulder. "Anytime," he said. She put her head down on his shoulder and they sat there in companionable silence, enjoying the moment.
Their peace was soon interrupted by a voice. A voice Jazmin hated above all others.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"
Jazmin looked and saw Joseph standing on the patio looking out at them. Great, just what she needed.
*****LoganandVeronica*****
When Logan and Veronica had finally arrived in Illinois, they stayed the night in Springfield, so that they could drive up to Chicago, arriving after the morning rush hour. Logan wanted to check into the Four Seasons before they looked up Wallace. Veronica called Wallace as soon as they got settled, and he hopped on the "El" and met up with them.
He was happy to see his friends. Veronica hugged him and pulled out her camera and started sharing her pictures before Logan got a chance to say more than hello. It was obvious to Wallace that Veronica and Logan had been enjoying their time together.
"It's good to see you so happy, sis," he said, smiling at her enthusiasm.
She grinned. "So how about you? Are you having a good time here with your dad?" she asked.
Wallace brought them up to speed on his job and his time hanging out with Jason and Weevil. Veronica was pleased that things were going so well with him once again.
"Have you heard from Jackie?" she asked.
"Yes, she wants to come see me before classes start back," Wallace shared.
"Is that what you want?" she asked.
"I think so. I think we owe it to ourselves to finally finish exploring what's between us. If we're meant to be like Jackie thinks, then we'll find a way to work out our differences," Wallace said.
"Do you want to work out those differences?" Logan asked.
Wallace shrugged. "I don't know. When I'm with her, I never want to be anywhere else. And I miss her when she's gone. But I don't know if I am ready to make the kind of sacrifices she needs," he admitted.
"Being a father to her kid?" Logan wondered.
He nodded but didn't say anything further.
"So have you talked to Jazmin?" Veronica asked.
"Not yet. She's not been home the two times I've been to their house. Jason talked to her, though. She's okay with me being there tonight," he shared.
"Okay, well, I'm hungry. So take us to one of those famous Chicago pizza places I've heard about, and then we'll get ready to head over to the Jalenos'," Veronica said.
Wallace did as she requested, and then a few hours later they were at the Jalenos'.
Jason greeted them warmly. He was surprised to see them. Veronica made Wallace not reveal their impending visit. She wanted to surprise them. "This is a great surprise. It's good to see you," he said. "Jazmin will be thrilled that you came. How was your trip?"
"Fabulous!" Veronica replied. "We took the Route 66 road trip. We've been on the road the past two weeks. We saw so much and have had such a good time. Now we're ready to see your town. I hope you'll have some time in the next few days to show us your favorite spots."
"Absolutely. Jazzie is leaving in the morning, but I can take your around. Eli can join us for half the day; then he has to go work at the docks," Jason shared.
"Weevil's working at the docks?" Logan asked with a grin. "What's he doing? Frisking illegals?"
"Nothing so exciting. My dad has him working loading boxes for his shipping company," Jason replied.
"Weevil's working for your dad?" Veronica asked in disbelief.
"Don't worry. It's on the up and up," Jason assured her.
"Why doesn't that make me feel better?" she replied sourly.
"I offered to get him something that wasn't connected to my father, but that was what he wanted," Jason said.
Veronica and Logan exchanged looks. Veronica had a suspicion about what was behind Weevil's actions. She hoped nothing bad came from it.
"So birthday boy, where's your better half?" Wallace asked.
"She's outside in the gazebo with Eli, I think," Jason said. He indicated that they should follow him. When he got the patio door opened and witnessed the scene, he groaned. "Great. Leave it to him to try and ruin Jazzie's birthday."
"Who?" Veronica asked.
"Joseph," Jason responded grimly and headed toward his sister.
Veronica was the only one who immediately understood the potential ugly scene that was about to be witnessed. She had been wanting to meet the man who had so cruelly hurt Jazmin. When they got closer, she saw that he was about the same height as Weevil and had the same dark Italian good looks that Jason had but with a much less attractive quality about him. Jazmin was standing close to Weevil—much closer than Veronica had ever seen her be. Weevil had the look on his face that suggested he was about to cause serious bodily harm.
"I don't believe you were invited, Joseph, so you can leave," Jazmin was saying.
"Now, Jazzie, you very well know your dad invites my family to all your parties," Joseph taunted. "I'd never miss your birthday. I haven't missed your and Jay's birthday since we could walk."
"It's our birthday, and you are no longer our friend or someone we want to have celebrating our birthday. You lost that right!" she told him. Just seeing him made her see red. She hated his smug face with every fiber of her being. All traces of her childhood friend were gone. The sight of him made her sick.
"I would never be so crass as to leave your party so early," he replied.
Jason reached them. "Joseph, why don't you go inside and get a drink?" Jason suggested. He knew the best way to manage Joseph. It was something he'd been doing his entire life. Now he only had to do it at family events.
"Not before I meet Jazzie's new beau. What happened to the gringo? You're really getting around these days, aren't you?" Joseph said mockingly.
"I suggest you shut your damn mouth before I shut it for you," Eli warned. "You don't know me, and you don't want to."
Joseph glanced at the friends Jason brought with him. Veronica was getting madder by the second. The man's cruel edge and mocking humor reminded her of Gory Sorokin. She reached into her bag.
"It seems you've made lots of new friends," Joseph observed. His eyes zeroed on Veronica. "Now she's awfully hot." He stepped closer to Veronica with a calculating smile. "And who might you be, gorgeous?" he asked.
"I'm Veronica, and you're an asshole," she replied. Then she pulled out her Taser and zapped him. When he fell to the ground, she handed the Taser to a delighted Jazmin. Jazmin bent down and whispered in Joseph's ear. "The girl you knew no longer exists. You killed that girl. The woman I am hates the sight of you and wants to see you suffer like you deserve." Then she put the Taser to his neck and turned it on and held it there a full minute. No one moved to stop her even though Logan and Wallace didn't fully understand what was going on with the guy that was being so harshly punished.
When Joseph finally passed out from the volts of electricity coursing through his body, Jazmin turned off the Taser and stood up. She casually handed the Taser back to Veronica. "Thanks. That was the best birthday gift anyone has ever gotten me!" she said happily.
Veronica laughed and gave her a hug. Eli grinned wickedly and said to Jason, "Your sister is scary."
"And that's why we love her," Jason said proudly.
Wallace was just glad she'd given Veronica back her Taser. "Happy birthday, Jazmin," he said to her.
When she smiled at him, he knew that things would finally be alright.
******CHAPTER END******