Chapter Four: Home Sweet Home

"I'm sorry about Claire."

Mac shot his niece a look but didn't comment for a full minute.

"Thanks."

"It's been what, three years?"

"About that." His expression told her to drop the subject, so she did.

"You really need to redecorate this place or something," Meghan remarked flippantly. "It's so bleak."

"I like my house just the way it is." Mac flipped on the light and speed-dialled a number on his cell.

"I shouldn't find it weird that you have Boston Pizza on your speed-dial?" Meghan teased.

"Oh, quiet," Mac shot back, hiding a smile. "I like my pizza."

/\/\

"Pay-per-view is God," Meghan proclaimed triumphantly as she plopped down on the couch beside her uncle. She snatched a slice of pizza from the box on the floor and devoured it hungrily. "Why do you bother with satellite anyway? I bet you haven't watched t.v. in years. Wouldn't you just get cable and not have to pay for movies you don't even watch?"

Mac rolled his eyes, not bothering to reply, and turned up the volume.

/\/\

After gleefully making her uncle suffer through 'What Women Want', Meghan yawned and voiced her desire to take a shower. Mac pointed her in the right direction and said, "Your stuff is in the hall."

And take a shower, Meghan did. A nice, long, hot one, to which Mac complained, "How am I ever going to get any hot water again?"

She grinned and hugged him. "I'm going to bed. Guest room?"

He nodded. "Goodnight, Meghan."

"Uncle Mac…"

"Yeah?"

"Can I use the phone for a while?"

"Long distance?"

"Uh-uh."

"Sure."

Meghan went to her room, crawled under the covers, and reached for the phone, dialling a number she remembered from lunch.

"Hey" was the greeting she received.

"Hey yourself," she teased. "Good evening?"

"Not too bad, you?"

"My uncle consented to a Mel Gibson movie," she laughed.

"Excuse me?"

Meghan snickered. "My uncle watched a Mel Gibson movie."

"Can I get that in writing?"

Meghan burst out laughing. "Very funny." She snuggled up to a pillow and twirled the phone cord between her fingers. "So…"

"So…?"

"Now I know why you don't talk very much!" she exclaimed. "Cause all you do all day is work with people that don't talk!"

Now it was Hawkes' turn to laugh. "If you say so. I talk a lot more than you think I do, Meghan."

She pursed her lips. "Really…"

"Really. I drive Mac up the wall because I'm constantly spouting facts at him about nothing important. Once, I heard he referred to me as a walking encyclopedia, just like you did."

"You are." Meghan smiled as she heard a breath of exasperation on the other end of the line. "It's true."

"Yes, so I've heard," he said, sounding mock-frustrated. "Sometimes I think I would be better off shutting up and working."

"No, don't do that," she assured him quickly, "I love listening to you talk. That's why I called you."

He grinned. "Thanks."

Meghan yawned. "I should go; I'm super tired."

"Okay. Goodnight, Meghan."

She groaned. "I hate my name."

"Deal with it. I like it."

"I'm too tired to argue. Goodnight."

"Bye."