AN: I don't even want to admit how long I've had this story written and waiting to be typed. It is written into the reception and I will be working on getting it typed up! And there is a pintrest for the story.
The part of Eve McBain will be played by Suzanne Rogers (Maggie Days)
Chapter 2
John answered his cellphone with an annoyed: "What?!"He demanded as he balanced Liam, who had somehow commandeered the ring box and was chewing on it- unwilling to give it back to his father. "So you convince her to marry you?" his brother asked from across the line- and the country.
John rolled his eyes as he balanced the phone between his ear and shoulder, his now squirming son on his hip as he managed to retrieve the ring box while he crossed the room to the bed so he could grab one of his son's toys to keep both the boy's mouth and hands busy. "If you really cared all that much, Mikey, you'd be here," he retorted as he plopped down onto the bed and grabbed the slipping cell phone and moved it to the other ear.
"I told you, John. I have a busy schedule, as well as a lot of commitments here at Seattle Grace. Besides Marci's starting her new job on Monday and…" Michael tried to rationalize.
John cut his brother off quickly, not liking the changes he had seen in him recently- or the signs of a reemergence of a Michael pre-Marci. "Most of those things you could've gotten out of if you really wanted to. And Marci's what now? A substitute teacher's aide. Real sure she couldn't have started on Tuesday instead of Monday. Would have made a real difference, especially since they did look pass her criminal record to hire her.
But you being here for me, on my wedding, that would have made a difference to me."
"So she did say yes," Michael asked, a smile clear in his voice over the line.
"Yeah," John told him simply. "And you're missing my wedding and Liam's first birthday to play suck up."
"But I was there when it mattered- to get your head out of your ass," his brother laughed.
"You don't get the credit for that, Mike. There were plenty of people working on me before you and Marci came to town. There were also plenty more after the two of you left and the truth about Liam's paternity came out.
Hell, if I listened to you two I wouldn't be getting married tonight.
Come to think of it, listening to you two idiots is what got me involved with Marty to begin with - so no, Mike, you and Marci get NO credit in the happily ever after of me and Natalie. In fact, it's probably a good thing you two stayed away.
You would've just screwed things up if you had shown up."
"Johnny…" Michael started to protest as he was paged over the loud speaker.
"Just go to work, Mike. That's where you want and choose to be."
"Like you should talk…" Mike was complaining as John disconnected the call and looked at his son who was happily chewing on toy keys. Kissing his head, John sighed as he threw down his phone: "you have some strange but good uncles, my boy- well for the most part," he sighed earning what sounded like a laugh from Liam: "but they do love you.
Hard to remember sometimes, but they do love us and your Mommy."
Natalie tightened the belt on the robe she had been forced to change into as the "bride" while she received the bridal treatment in the spa of the hotel. Uncomfortable with the fuss, she took the empty seat next to Eve: "I'm really glad you're here.
I know John is and how much it means to him that you are..." she babbled.
Eve only smiled at Natalie as she shifted in her seat. "Something tells me that the only two people he's really worried about having with him are you and Liam."
"Oh! I should have brought Liam with me so you could see him!" Natalie said as she pulled her hand back from the beginnings of a manicure, earning an annoyed look from the manicurist.
"I'll have plenty of time with him tonight after the wedding," she said, then added with a laugh at Natalie's perplexed look: "Who do you think will be watching him after you two finally exchange vows- and make sure they're legal?"
Natalie couldn't help but smile shyly at that. "Good point," she sighed as she turned her body back towards the manicurist and her head to Eve. "You know, I don't know what we should have Liam called you. I mean, my Mom's Grandma. Roxy- well, Rox is not exactly the 'grandma/grandmother' type."
Eve laughed: "considering I'm only just getting you to call me Eve…"
"In my defense, my parents have to remind John to call them by their first names too."
"Nine years on and off…" she started shaking her head. "As for the other, I'm an Irish grandmother and a young one too."
"No argument there," Natalie replied easily.
"Good because Marci has Gabe calling me 'grandma' like I'm some old biddy. I hate it," she admitted to Natalie's amusement. "I much prefer 'Nana.' In fact, I'm surprised that Johnny didn't bring it up. It's what the boys called Tom's mom."
Natalie smiled at that: "I like that idea. The tradition of it.
I always wanted traditions to pass onto my children…" she sighed.
"You'll be getting them," Eve smiled. "Starting with your first surprise of the night."
"Oh, a surprise wedding wasn't a big enough one?" Natalie wondered with good humor.
"Fine, then your first surprise guest," Eve replied as she signaled to one of the staff members who opened a door to another part of the spa.
Natalie could only stare at the young woman who stepped into the room in total surprise, not sure how to feel that she was there or how to react to her appearance in general…
Clint watched Rex's face as he opened the ring box that held the ring that had once belonged to Olympia Buchanan. "Woah! I mean…."
"Technically it was yours," Clint hedged, unsure how to approach his son.
"Yeah, and I gave it and pretty much everything else back. Only reason Shane and I are still living in the mansion is because we had no place else to go," Rex argued.
"Gee, nice reaction to a family heirloom," Clint quipped.
"it's not… I mean…"
"I know, Rex," Clint said. "Look at it as, I don't know, a peace offering. A way of me showing you my acceptance.
You said once that Gigi deserved the best- in many ways she has that with you and Shane. You also wanted to give her more- here's a start."
Rex shook his head: "she's not going to be comfortable wearing it."
"Then she wears it on special occasions- or when the time comes you pass it onto Shane. You decide."
"OK," Rex said accepting it and shaking Clint's hand as Vikki came into the room: "Have you found Natty?" he asked, welcoming the diversion from the awkward encounter with his father.
"No," Vikki admitted. "And she's not answering her phone. Liam's diaper bag is gone along with one of her overnight bags, but her car's still here."
"Try getting a hold of John?" Rex wondered.
"Their talk," Vikki realized with a resigned sigh, not sure if she should be happy for her daughter or not.
"As much as I hate my sister not being here for my wedding to Gigi, it was last minute and lord knows she and McBain need to have that talk," Rex smiled.
"Maybe if she took a bag and he took her someplace where they can finally talk in private without being interrupted," Clint put in, "we'll be having another Buchanan wedding sooner than later."
"OK, Asa," Vikki teased.
"Hey, I resemble that remark," he shot back as he looped an arm over her shoulders with an easy smile.
"Unfortunately, more and more so everyday…"
