Disclaimer: I don't own Monk or any of her sister characters
"YOU KNOW WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO BE HAVING THAT ARUGMENT BECAUSE IT MEANS WE'RE NOT HAVING THE SAME DAMN ARGUMENT WE'VE BEEN HAVING FOR A YEAR," Leland snapped
"Well maybe we wouldn't have that argument IF YOU WOULD JUST LISTEN TO ME," Karen snapped back.
She loved her husband but they had been through a very trying experience and they were not seeing eye to eye on the situation.
"I am listening," Leland said calming down a little bit, "Just because I don't agree with you doesn't mean I'm not listening to you."
"I don't get how you could just give up like that," Karen said, "SHE'S ALIVE! I know it. Jennifer is alive. A L I V E, alive"
"Karen I know how to spell," Leland replied, "and haven't you ever heard the expression when you're playing canasta don't show your hand"
"There's a difference between not showing your hand and not caring," Karen pointed out.
"I do care Karen. I care a lot. She's my firstborn. I love her just as much as I love Jarred and Max but she's been missing for 11 months and 20 days"
"The only reason you're giving up is because you're angry with me for getting mad at you"
"BACK UP THE TRAIN AND PULL IT INTO THE STATION," Leland said
Karen pretended to back up a train causing Leland to chuckle.
"First of all I am notgiving up. Secondly I am not mad at you for getting mad at me. I completely and totally deserved it. But Karen you know I don't think you understand the things that I understand"
"I don't understand why you make fun of my ideas," Karen said
"I admit I shouldn't do that," he said, "but some of your ideas don't make a lot of sense. I mean… you get ideas that don't really seem right."
"Just because it doesn't seem right to you doesn't mean it isn't right. I've been right a lot of times when you thought I was wrong"
"Karen you are a bit of a controling person"
"I am not controling Leland"
Leland cleared his throat and did an impression of Karen.
"OKAY EVERYONE THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THIS IS HOW WE'RE DOING IT. YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU DO THIS. YOU, YOU AND YOU DO THAT. YOU, YOU, YOU AND YOU DO THIS. YOU DO THAT- DON'T YOU DARE QUESTION ME. I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT AND IF YOU DO IT MY WAY YOU'LL SUCEEED WHEREAS IF YOU DON'T YOU WON'T SO LISTEN FOR PETE SAKE"
"Okay first of all I did that one time. Secondly I was right and third I never said for pete sake"
"Oh yes you did because I remember very clearly Monk asking who is Pete"
Karen laughed. She did remember that.
"Leland," she asked, "do you still love me"
"Of course I love you," he said, "I might not always like everything you do but you don't always like everything I do and don't even for a second say you do"
"Oh I wouldn't deny it even if I could," Karen said, "but I am NOT bossy"
"Do I need to go through the impression of you again?"
"Do I need to have a talk with you again"
Leland shook his head.
"Look what I said I said in a moment of frustartion. This may come as a shock to you-"
"Oh don't even say that word"
"For GOD sake Karen I'm not as strong as some people are"
"It doesn't take strength to have faith in someone you're supposed to love"
"I DO LOVE YOU"
"AND I LOVE YOU TOO BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE BELIEVED WHAT I SAID"
"I did," Leland replied, "I wasn't the one that made the decision"
"Your behavior said otherwise"
"Karen don't you understand… this was just as hard for me as it was for you but I can't just do that"
"I never said you should," Karen replied, "but at least tell me that you believe what I'm saying is true"
"I know it's true," Leland said softly, "but what everyone thinks-"
"WHY DO YOU CARE WHAT EVERYONE THINKS," Karen asked him, "THERE WAS A TIME EVERYONE THOUGHT THE WORLD WAS FLAT"
"Yes and then Christopher Columbus proved them wrong,' Max said proud of himself for knowing that.
"Hey kiddo," Leland said tossling his son's hair, "that's right. Do you know when Christopher Columbus proved them wrong?"
"1492," Max said, "Jennifer taught me that last year"
Leland and Karen looked at each other. Max had come in at just the right moment. He was only three when his oldest sibbling was kidnapped.
"When are we going to find her again"
Jarred came out from his tree-house.
"That's gonna be really soon Maxie," he told his brother, "I have an idea. Want to come into the tree-house and we can plan together"
"Uh-huh," Max said and he and Jarred went into the tree-house.
"Leland," Karen said, "we have to keep on going. I know it's tough. I know that sometimes it seems exhusting-"
"Sometimes"
"Okay… all the time"
"But," he said, "Jennifer is a part of us. She's a part of this family. The boys need her and so do we. They love her and so do we"
She nodded.
"I'm just afraid," he admitted
"So am I," she said, "but I'm not willing to lose Jennifer because of that fear"
"But what if-"
"DON'T even go there"
"It's been a long time"
"Not even a year yet"
"No… but statistics-"
"JENNIFER ISN'T A STATISTIC. SHE'S OUR FIRST BABY"
Leland sighed inwardly. Karen was like a mother hen when it came to the kids and she refused to accept the worst might be possible. For him it was different. He couldn't pretend because he knew the odds. He knew that by now Jennifer was probably either dead or in really bad shape. He wished he didn't know that. He wished things were different. This was a time where he hated what he was. It was at that moment that the phone mericifully rang.
"Hello?"
It was Randy. He was taking a trip to New York and as it was the summer and the boys didn't have school he was wondering if they might want to go. He thought it would be a good opertunity for them. They would love the culture. There was theater. There was mesuems. There were magic shows. Best of all it would take their mind off off Jennifer for awhile.
"How long is the trip," Leland asked.
"It's a 6 week trip," Randy replied
"And it's just you?"
"Sort of," Randy said, "My cousin Andy and his son are coming up to visit. But they'll only be in town a few days"
"What's he like?"
"Funny. He's definitely unique. He has a great sense of humor. He's about as mild as a lamb. He is also very caring. He's always concerned about making a difference for other people. You would love him"
"He sounds great," Leland said, "let me talk it over with Karen and I'll get back to you"
He filled Karen in
"I don't see a problem with it," she said, "I think it could be good for the boys"
The boys were excited about the idea. Leland called Randy back and gave him a laundry list of instructions before saying to have a great time on the trip.
"Oh," Randy said, "and I'll call you every day"
"You don't have to call every day," Leland said, "Just every other day"
He was joking but Randy promised he would.
"Oh Leland," Karen said as he hung up the phone, "I'm going to the community pool tonight. My friend Candice told me to meet her there"
He nodded. Karen and Leland were very different but very much in love. Their friends couldn't be more alike yet at other times couldn't be more different. Leland could remember when Monk's wife, Trudy had been going through a tough time. It was literally harder for him then it was for her. He would find himself in tears over the fact that his wife was going through a struggle. He was supportive and yet at the same time clear. When he was going through a tough time he was just relieved it wasn't her though there were a few times he felt like he was going to lose his mind. She was supportive and although her facal expressions made it clear when she knew he was up to something she never called him on it.
His attempts to do so were weak at best but they were attempts. One time she had gotten him a gift and she said, "I got it online." He frowned and said, "it wasn't a long line was it" Leland had been there when Monk said that and he had cracked up.
"Leland," Karen asked, "What are you thinking about"
"The jacket incident," Leland said, "when Monk said, 'it wasn't a long line was it"
Karen also laughed. That still made them laugh even today.
"Call me when you get to the pool," Leland said
"I promise," Karen replied.
Leland had no idea that a whirlwind of adventure was about to start in their lives. He had no idea that there was something going on that would change their lives for the better. He had no idea of a lot of things. What he did know was that he had people he loved in back of him. He knew that everything would somehow be alright.
END OF CHAPTER ONE
In chapter two Leland and Randy have a heart to heart before Randy leaves on the trip and Monk is acting weird.