Chapter Three
"Absolutely not!" Steve told his daughter firmly. "No way, Lauren; it's out of the question!"
"Lauren, after everything you watched your father and I go through over the years, why -?" Jaime, in a very rare occurrence, was struck speechless.
Oscar, the fourth member of this kitchen conference, sat silently, waiting for a break in the storm. He was trying his best to remain neutral, knowing Lauren was more than capable of presenting her case without his help.
"You can't even begin to count the number of times your mother and I were hurt – hospitalized – and nearly killed!" Steve sputtered.
"I also know all the good you did, for the country and for the government. You...you're both heroes, dozens of times over," Lauren told them.
"There are other ways to be heroic, Honey," Steve insisted. "Nursing, medical research, law, teaching...this isn't the way for you."
"It is," Lauren said patiently. "I'd be damn good at it; you have to admit that."
"That's irrelevant," Steve argued, marveling at how much Lauren reminded him of Jaime at the same age. "Oscar, how much did you have to do with this? 'Cause recruiting our daughter – that's pretty low."
"I didn't recruit her, Pal. You know me better than that," Oscar explained patiently. "Lauren came to me with a very effective presentation of her skills and her goals, and I did offer her a place in our Training and Development program, but only contingent on your approval – yours and Jaime's."
Steve shook his head. "Then I'm sorry, but the answer is no. You've had two Austins working under your wing, and there will be no more operatives coming out of my family."
"Steve," Jaime began, treading very lightly, "Lauren has a good head on her shoulders. She's intelligent and smart, with good, solid common sense and values, and -"
"Yes, I know – she's just like her mother. That's why the answer is no."
"Dad," Lauren protested, "I could've gone to the NSB or even the FBI and been accepted without needing your permission or even your approval. I chose the OSI because I knew that with Uncle Oscar - I mean Oscar - behind me, I'd be as safe as this profession allows."
"Which is zero percent safe, Lauren, even under the best of circumstances. I won't allow my daughter to put herself in the line of fire."
"Steve -" both Jaime and Oscar said at the same second. Oscar let Jaime carry the ball. "If Lauren was telling us she wanted to be a prison guard or a construction worker or even a soldier, we wouldn't tell her no. We don't have the right to dictate her future."
Steve silently absorbed his wife's words. As usual, he knew she was right. "I'll...give it more thought," he conceded.
Lauren, knowing this was his way of giving in while still saving face, hugged him tightly. "Thank you Dad." She turned toward Jaime. "You, too, Mom."
The chime of the doorbell announced the arrival of their remaining family members. James, Susan and baby Rose were already engulfed by Austins, but it was like the parting of the Red Sea when Jaime approached, since everyone wanted to watch her hold and coo at her granddaughter.
"You're a natural at that, Grandma," Steve told her with a wicked but loving grin. "Makes me think maybe we should have another one ourselves."
Before Jaime had a chance to respond, five Austin heads whirled in Steve's direction, and five voices cried out in perfect unison: "NO!"
- - - - - -
Five Years Later...
The house that, in previous years, had been filled to the rafters was going to burst at the seams this Thanksgiving. Lauren arrived first, eager to share with her parents all the details of her latest overseas assignment. Her sisters and brother believed she was an executive assistant with an international import firm, but she could tell Steve and Jaime anything, since they still had security clearances.
"...so we got the weapons system back into the proper hands, with no bloodshed."
"Honey, I'm so proud of you!" Jaime gushed happily.
"Remind you of anyone?" Steve asked, giving his wife a wink and a nudge. Jaime opened both eyes wide, feigning innocence.
Lauren laughed. "Oscar says it's the Austin blood in my veins, that I'm a product of my upbringing."
"Hope that's a compliment," Steve told her.
"Is everyone coming again this year?"
Jaime nodded eagerly. "James and Susan are bringing Rose, Lily and Mark. Hannah and Daniel are bringing Steven Michael - Daniel's father will be here, too - and Jenna and Crystal are bringing each other."
"Great! Oh, Oscar said to tell you he and his new wife will be here in plenty of time for dinner," Lauren added.
"I can't believe he's really retired," Jaime mused. "I'd have sworn he'd still be working cases and tossing files around for at least another ten or twenty years."
Lauren shrugged. "Me too. It was really a shock, but I think Mary had a lot to do with it."
Steve's arm drew Jaime closer. "Having the right partner makes all the difference in the world." He kissed his wife softly, and they headed outside to the porch, to await their family.
END
