A/N: Is it just me, or do these chapters keep getting longer and longer and longer? Hm. Well, I now present chapter 6 of It's the Great Pumpkin, Cal Lightman!
I'll still try to finish this story by Halloween-but that doesn't leave me much time and I'm afraid a cold has overtaken me at the moment. Also, this is the first time since the inception of this story that I'm posting a chapter without already having the successive chapter at least started.
My confidence in this chapter is lacking- but, I'm putting it up anyway! Thank you all for your lovely reviews. I enjoy every single one of them!
Emily led Gillian into the living room and stood excitedly by the table that she had carefully draped with newspaper.
Gillian took in the three pumpkins lined up on the table and couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. It was quite a sight—three very different pumpkins sitting next to one another as Emily Lightman excitedly peered out from behind them.
"This one's yours!" Emily said pointing to the oblong pumpkin.
"Oh, I love it!" Gillian said truthfully, "Let me guess which one is yours!" Her eyes fell to the horribly misshapen pumpkin.
Emily just beamed at Gillian, "Yep!"
"Good choice, Em." For what felt like the hundredth time that evening, Gillian struggled to quell the wave of emotion that rushed over her. She felt the sting of tears behind her eyes and willed herself to keep them at bay. Gillian was overcome by the gravity of the situation—by Emily Lightman looking at her with a look that could only properly be categorized as one of love.
Emily must have noticed the change in Gillian's expression because she came around the table and hugged Gillian before she suggested they begin to take a sharpie to blank white pieces of paper to practice their templates.
Emily and Gillian busied themselves trying to create the perfect face as their idle chatter filled the living room.
Cal came through the kitchen door into the living room with words on his tongue, but the sight that greeted him stopped him dead in his tracks, and the words were lost. His daughter and his business partner were laughing and were lightly engrossed in discussing the proper face to place on a pumpkin for carving and he felt a weird feeling in his heart. He considered the feeling for a moment before deciding that it felt as though something were tugging on it—it felt heavy, his heart, but not in a bad way—in a wonderful way that he hadn't associated with anyone except Gillian in years.
Feeling Cal's eyes on her, Gillian glanced up from her drawing and smiled at Cal—his heart fell deeper into his stomach at the sight of her looking up at him through her lids and smiling at him.
Cal cleared his throat, "You girls ready to carve?"
"I think so!" Emily said, tilting her head slightly to look at her drawing.
"Do you need to draw your face out, Cal?"
He laughed and walked toward the table, "Nope." He said, picking up a carving tool.
"Dad free-hands it," Emily explained, "But he does the same type of face every year." She said.
Gillian smiled at the conspiratorial tone Emily took on, "I see. And what sort of face would that be?"
"Scary." Emily said, picking up her carving knife.
"I'm shocked," Gillian said in a tone that made it quite evident that she was, in fact, not shocked at all.
Cal grinned at her, "Bet I can guess what type of face you're going to put on that elegant pumpkin of yours!"
Gillian raised her eyebrow in question. Cal considered saying 'A sexy one,' and leering at her, but he ultimately decided against it because his teenage daughter happened to be standing in between them.
"A happy one." Cal finally said as he watched Gillian's face for her reaction.
Her face flushed and he saw her focus her eyes on a point on the table—immediately he felt bad, she thought he was making fun of her.
Cal waited until she glanced back up at him and when she did, he gave her a look that let her knew he found that aspect of her personality ridiculously appealing. That second look made her blush anew and find the same spot on the table. Cal felt his heart tugged in the all too familiar direction and smiled.
"Let's get going, shall we, ladies?" He said, poising the carving knife atop the pumpkin.
Gillian watched as Cal jammed the knife into the top of the pumpkin and began sawing at an angle and she just couldn't help herself.
"You didn't tell me you were going to kill it!" She said, barely able to contain her laughter.
Emily looked at Gillian understanding her reference immediately and started laughing. Cal stopped sawing and looked at the two people next to him with a look of complete bewilderment, "What?"
Emily laughed harder at the expression on her dad's face—"It's from the movie 'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.'" Emily told him.
"The what?" He said, pulling the carving knife out of the pumpkin and waving it around a little. As Cal moved his hands with his trademarked physicality, little orange flecks of pumpkin flew off the tool and landed spread out on the newspaper.
Emily and Gillian exchanged glances, "It's a classic, Dad!" When Cal still showed confusion, Emily sighed, "You know, Charlie Brown…" She said the words emphatically, using her hands demonstratively.
Cal furrowed his brow, "Oh! From those Cashew characters?"
Emily rolled her eyes and Gillian tried to hide her smile, "Yeah, close enough." Gillian said, humor evident in her voice.
Cal looked at Emily, "It's the Peanuts, Dad." she told him.
"Right, right, the Peanuts."
Gillian bit her lip, "You'll understand soon enough."
Cal looked at her out of the corner of her eye, he took a breath to start to ask Gillian what, precisely, she meant by that, but she picked up her carving tool and began to slice the pumpkin. Emily did the same and they all finished cutting the top off of the pumpkin at the same time.
"Now, for the messy part," Cal said as he took his jacket off and rolled up his sleeves.
Gillian cringed and hoped that Cal didn't see. But, of course, he did. There was scarcely a moment when they were together that Cal wasn't transfixed by Gillian. His gaze was on her and he watched as disgust settled momentarily on her face and then was replaced by what Cal read as fear. He was confused by that register so he looked harder—and there it was—slight, not overwhelming, but there was fear on Foster's face.
"You alright there, Foster?" He asked, as he looked into his pumpkin and then looked back at her. It did not escape him that she had yet to roll her sleeves up as both he and Emily had done already.
Emily moved her pumpkin to the side of table farthest from Gillian and began digging in removing the innards of the pumpkin excitedly. It also did not escape Cal that Gillian was looking anywhere else except at Emily.
She nodded her head, "I'm fine." Her eyes darted to the side and she shifted uncomfortably in her chair.
"Clearly," he said, amusement finding its way into his voice.
She met his gaze and tried to smile, but failed—she felt utterly stupid at the moment.
"Something you'd like to share, Foster?" he asked as he positioned his hands at the entrance of the pumpkin.
"No," she said, and she stood up from her chair and began tentatively rolling her sleeves up. Cal watched as she swallowed hard.
He sunk his hands into the pumpkin, "Anything at all?"
"No," she said again and jutted her chin out.
Cal made a show of removing the insides of the pumpkin and he sloppily threw them down next to Gillian, his eyes never leaving her's.
A smirk spread across his face at the same moment realization came to him and he couldn't help but chuckle, "Really?" he said, and then reached in for another handful. Detaching it from the wall of the pumpkin—a sound that could be heard throughout the living room—he clutched it in his fist and moved closer to Foster.
"Cal…" she said, her tone full of warning.
"What?" He questioned, feigning innocence.
Then, without warning, Cal thrust the orange goop at Gillian—she shrieked lightly and stumbled backwards. The commotion caused Emily to finally glance up from her task and Gillian's reaction caused Cal to bellow with laughter.
He stepped toward Gillian with it again and she backed away—
"Cal!" She exclaimed, "Don't."
Gillian saw the gleam in his eye and she took off running seconds before he did—he chased her twice around the couch and then stopped—they were having a stand off around the sofa—he'd fake one way, then go the other and they reversed positions.
"Cal," she said, laughing, "stop it!"
He ignored her and chased her—finally catching her as she changed directions to head back toward the table. He snaked one arm out and caught her around her waist, drawing her to him. Cal held the offending pumpkin matter inches from her face, smiling as she squirmed against him.
Idly, he thought that given a choice, he could live in that moment forever—a laughing, writhing Gillian Foster pressed up against him.
"Don't, Cal!" She pleaded, "Please." She had a smile on her face, but she was serious. They were both breathing hard and he exhaled sharply as he threw the pumpkin particles back onto the table. Cal brought his hand back to her face and turned it over so that the backside of his hand—the clean side—could caress her face.
Gillian immediately stilled against him and her breathing became shallow as she watched Cal look at her with an expression that could only be classified as tenderness.
Emily finally distracted them when she let out a little noise of happiness. Simultaneously, Cal and Gillian turned to look at Emily. Emily had pure joy plastered over her face; her expressive eyes filled with happiness as she clasped her hands and fixed them with a very specific look. Cal and Gillian glanced back at each other before they both dipped their heads and let out nervous laughter. Cal released Gillian from his grip and wiped his hand on a towel Emily had laid on the table.
Gillian walked over to the chair and sat down, trying to catch her breath and her wits. At first, she had felt out of sorts about the pumpkin—but that changed the moment Cal had actually touched her. She leaned back in the chair as a dizzying sensation came over her—she felt flushed and lightheaded as she recalled his arm around her waist, his hand upon her cheek and his eyes filled with tenderness.
Shaking her head slightly, she tried to rid herself of the sensation—she turned her attention to the mess on the table, instead, and she felt herself give a little shudder involuntarily.
Cal ran the towel between his fingers, "Seriously?" He said, looking at her.
She chuckled, "Seriously." She nodded.
Emily laughed—and Gillian glanced at her.
"You're afraid of pumpkins!" Emily exclaimed, "That is so cute!" She finished.
Gillian laughed, "I'm not afraid of pumpkins!" Cal and Emily both shot her a look, "I'm afraid of what's inside of pumpkins! It's…gross! I mean, look at it!" She pointed to the table in only partially mock horror.
Cal and Emily looked at the table that was covered with orange and seeds.
"It is kinda gross." Emily said, wrinkling up her nose.
"But you're scared of it?" Cal said, reaching into his pumpkin again and scooping some out. This time, he put it on the side farthest from Gillian.
Gillian rolled her eyes, "I know it's silly. And strangely enough, I can get over it when I'm baking—but," she shuddered and Cal marveled at how adorable she was, "I just can't handle it like this." She waved her hand around at the table.
"The promise of sweets really does do wonders for you, doesn't it, love?" Cal chuckled at Gillian's expression—"Gillian Foster, scared of pumpkin matter."
Emily laughed, "So cute." She shook her head—and Cal couldn't help but agree with her.
"Well, don't worry, love," Cal said, "Em and I will clean your pumpkin out for you."
And they did.
When the pumpkins were properly hollowed, each of them set to the task of creating a specific jack-o-lantern. Cal couldn't help but steal glances at Gillian who was so very focused on carving out her pumpkin that the tip of her pink tongue darted out and rested at the corner of her mouth.
Cal felt the blood flow change directions as he noticed the way it casually moistened the spot it touched. He'd like to have five minutes alone with that tongue—the thought sent a shock through his body and he mentally chastised himself. He wasn't alone in his office or in his bedroom. He shook his head and looked to his daughter who, to his surprise, was staring directly back at him, grinning.
Cal looked at his daughter, mischief ever-present in her big brown eyes, and mouthed 'What?'
Emily's response was to roll her eyes—'What?' Cal mouthed again.
Emily rolled her eyes again and inclined her head toward Gillian, and mouthed, 'You are so obvious.'
Cal rolled his eyes then, and pulled an intensified angry face at his daughter. The look he shot her made Emily dissolve into giggles.
The laughter brought Gillian away from her task and she looked from Emily to Cal with a smile on her lips, "What?"
Emily and Cal shared a glance and then they both looked at Gillian,
"Nothing." They said simultaneously.
"Yeah, sure." Gillian made it clear she didn't believe it for a second, before turning her attention back to her pumpkin.
The three of them lapsed into a comfortable silence, and as Gillian paid particular attention to the mouth of her jack-o-lantern, she couldn't help but smile. She had been reluctant to come over to Cal's for many reasons, but now that she had come, she couldn't think of a better way to spend the holiday. She was having so much fun—and it was silly fun. She hadn't had silly fun in a long time and she hadn't realized how much she missed the carefree things.
Things had gotten so serious in her life as of late, and she had never really taken the time to stop and notice, let alone taken the time to rectify that situation. The ease she felt spending Halloween with the Lightmans wasn't something she felt very often these days.
Emily finished carving her pumpkin first, "Okay! I'm gonna go get the candles—nobody look at its face, yet" She looked at Gillian, "Can't look at the faces until the candle's in and the lights are out," She explained.
Gillian nodded her head in understanding.
After Emily had left the room, Cal looked at Gillian, "Tradition."
Gillian smiled, "You sure do have a lot of those around here."
He chuckled, "We do." Cal considered her for a moment, she was putting the finishing touches on her pumpkin and her brow had a slight wrinkle in it from concentrating. He felt his heart rate speed up before he added, "We're always looking for new ones, too."
Cal didn't miss the shocked expression that came over Gillian's face as the full weight of his words pressed down upon her. She glanced up from her pumpkin and her eyes met Cal's. She looked at him questioningly and—Cal couldn't contain the way his heart seemed to thud heavier in his chest—hopefully.
Cal simply turned his head to the right and pursed his lips, giving a nod that anyone else in the world would have missed. Gillian didn't miss it though and she felt her heart drop right down into her feet—she gasped a little bit as it fell through her stomach—and then she smiled at Cal, a big genuine smile that lit her whole face.
"You're beautiful." He breathed out, momentarily overcome by emotion.
Gillian parted her lips to respond but the response died on her tongue when Emily's voice came through the door, "You guys done?"
Gillian cut one more piece and nodded, as did Cal.
Emily handed out the candles to her father and Gillian before she took one herself. They all placed the candles in the pumpkin and took a match. Gillian struck hers and it burst into flames—Cal swallowed hard—it was such an unassuming gesture, but on her, he found it incredibly sexy.
As Gillian began to lower her match into the pumpkin, she was stopped by Cal's grip on her wrist. The contact startled her and she looked at him in surprise.
"You okay to do that, Foster?" Cal asked, his voice gruffer than normal. He hadn't meant for his voice to sound like that, but the undercurrent of desire that pulsed between them any time they touched seemed to take over.
Gillian nodded, silently, thankful for his concern. "The guts are gone," She said, her voice unusually meek.
Cal nodded once and released her wrist—both of them felt a significant feeling of loss at the dropped contact.
Emily smiled as she trotted over to the lightswitch and turned it off—
"I now present to you the Lightman Family Pumpkins of 2010."
Gillian's heart constricted at the phrase Emily uttered, and Cal, anticipating her reaction, reached out and touched her arm. She met his gaze and he gave a slight nod, while pursing her lips.
Words were sometimes so unnecessary between the two of them that it sometimes frightened Gillian—She understood his meaning.
Gillian laughed as Emily took out her camera and snapped a picture of their pumpkins—
Uploaded to the internet the next day was three pumpkins, side by side—one was a very happy pumpkin with triangle eyes, a round nose, and a toothy grin. One was a particularly grumpy pumpkin with slanted, thick eyebrows, detailed eyes and a stubborn frown. And the other, carved into a particularly misshapen pumpkin, was silly and carefree—round eyes, triangle nose, and a tongue sticking out of its happy mouth.
Gillian regarded Cal, "If you were going for scary, you missed the mark." She said, arching one eyebrow.
"So I did, love. But," He began, "It's hard to work against one's emotions." Cal said.
Gillian's head tilted in silent question.
Smiling, he observed Gillian using only the candlelight from the pumpkins as his guide: "If you were going for happiness, love," he said, bringing his hand up to touch her jaw line, "You hit the mark."
Gillian let his words wash over her—she felt as though the world were shrunk down to simply the two of them, there, standing in his living room. Her lips parted slightly and her head tilted in the opposite direction as her eyes filled with something that was particularly unreadable to Cal. She searched her vernacular for words that would make sense—for words that would help or be enough, and as her mind settled on them and she summoned her will to speak, which had momentarily lapsed, a loud shrill noise came from the kitchen.
The noise startled Gillian, and her eye darted from Cal's eyes to his mouth. His thumb lightly stroked where it was touching, "Round one, done." Cal said, grinning. The pad of his thumb moved in a light circle on her jaw, "Hold that though, love." He said, leaning into her. He tore himself away and marveled at the feeling of loss—
He glanced from Emily, who was watching the scene before her with unabashed delight.
"Dinner's ready." He said, looking at Gillian, who stood motionless in the center of the living room—her beauty ever-present even in the relative darkness.
Shaking her head slightly, Gillian watched as Cal made his way into the kitchen and she was left alone with Emily in the living room. She looked at the teenage girl and a smile came over Gillian's face—
"Good," Gillian sighed, "I'm starving." She walked over to Emily and put her arm around the girl as they went into the dining room.
"I bet." Emily muttered under her breath. Her joy was impossible to contain as she wrapped her own arm around Gillian's waist so they were walking in a type of embrace.
To Be Continued-
In the following chapters: Baking time! Movie Time! Emily scheming Time! Not necessarily in that order!
Say hello/i love it/i hate it if you get a moment.