Chapter 7

The four women sat around the dining room table in the Burke home, chatting noisily, everyone expressing a different point of view on practically every subject that was raised.

'Okay, okay, okay' Elizabeth Burke shouted, calling everyone to order. 'Enough! Sara is the bride, she decides.'

Caitlin and Hope turned to look at Sara expectantly. They'd been on opposing ends of a heated discussion on whether or not Sara should wear her original wedding gown and the foursome grew quiet, turning towards her to hear the verdict.

'As much as I loved my wedding dress…' Sara began tentatively. 'I'm definitely getting something new.'

'Yessss!' came Caitlin's voice. 'I knew it!'

Hope gave her an exasperated scowl and returned to the lengthy checklist her aunt Elizabeth had provided them with when they'd first walked in - a list of the endless subjects that required discussion including venue, clothing, food, guests, decorations, officiating, flowers, photographs, guest gifts and on and on and on.

Hope glanced down at her bulging stomach; she still wasn't sure what she would be able to find to wear for the special occasion. Despite the many stylish choices in maternity wear she'd seen in stores and magazines, she'd begun to feel like a lump of clay. She'd been spending much too much time, lately, changing outfits and staring hopelessly in the mirror before leaving the house in the morning.

'Well, then, we need to decide where you want to shop for your dress. Are we going traditional, more modern, short, long?' Elizabeth asked the bride in an attempt to keep them all on track.

'I did see something I really like' Sara said, pulling out a magazine page from her purse.

Everyone's eyes grew in response to the photograph of a short, fitted, ivory coloured dress with a plunging back and just a touch of lace, breathtakingly beautiful in its simplicity.

'Wow!' Caitlin raved. 'Now, that is gorgeous!'

'Well, it is an afternoon ceremony' Sara reasoned. 'And there'll be kids there - I just don't think I want to go much more formal than this.'

She noticed how quiet Hope had become. 'What about you, honey. Any thoughts on what you'd like to wear?'

Hope shrugged and Sara moved closer, bringing her arm around her daughter's shoulder. 'Whatever you decide, you're going to look fantastic' she said, kissing her forehead. 'Being pregnant gives you such an amazing glow.'

The reassuring words seemed to momentarily do the trick and Hope returned to the checklist.

'What about decorations for the yard?' she asked. 'Are we going with a theme?'

Elizabeth's face lit up at the prospect of the outdoor venue; she was so excited about planning another wedding. The last one she'd worked on was Hope's, the previous summer, a vintage theme; it had been amazing and Hope had looked incredibly beautiful.

'I had an idea' El said, unable to hide the excitement in her voice. 'What if we recreate what we did at June's twenty-five years ago, you know, fairy lights everywhere and an arch for you two to stand under when you say your vows?'

Sara nodded; she'd been thinking the same thing. 'That would be perfect' she said. 'How many people do you think we can comfortably sit back there?'

'Fifty to sixty, easily' said the experienced event planner. 'And if the weather is bad, we can clear out the living room for the guest seating and that way they can have a sightline into the dining room where we can set everything up for the ceremony. That leaves us with the kitchen and family room for food and mingling.'

Sara cringed. Having the ceremony outside was definitely her preference but there was nothing they could do about the weather at this point in time except pray for the best.

'All right, Hope. You can tick the venue box off the list' El said authoritatively. 'Now, let's talk about the menu.'

WCWCWC

By the time the car pulled into the parking lot of the Sheraton Syracuse, it was going on 7:30. Neal had been in touch with Liam who, sadly, had informed him that the coach had called a last minute practice and that he wouldn't be free until Saturday morning. Although disappointed, Neal had agreed to meet his son for lunch the next day and he'd decided to make the best of the situation and spend the evening hanging out with his best friend.

To his delight, Neal had noticed Peter growing increasingly relaxed the further away they'd gotten from the big city and he'd been pleased to see his old friend laughing heartily and horsing around by the time they'd finally reached their destination.

'You want to go out and get a bite?' Peter suggested - surprisingly, considering he'd been stuffing his face all afternoon.

'You're still hungry?' Neal asked, incredulous.

'Yeah… I could eat' Peter responded.

'Let's check in and unload our bags and I'll meet you in the lobby in ten' Neal suggested.

It took less than that for him to make a quick detour to his room and when he returned, he found a very content looking Peter sitting in the hotel lobby, reading the sports pages of the local newspaper.

'The Orange seem to be the pride and joy of this town' Peter said, putting down the paper. 'And Liam's name is mentioned three times in this article.'

Neal pretended to shrug it off but he took the newspaper from Peter's outstretched hand, glancing at it briefly before tucking it under his arm for safekeeping - something for Sara to add to the scrapbook of Liam's exploits she kept at home.

'So… what are you in the mood for? There's a deli I think you might like not too far from here - smoked meat, Reuben sandwiches' Neal suggested, playing to Peter's weakness.

Peter nodded in agreement. 'Yeah!'

'And then, maybe we can pop by and check things out at the Carrier Dome' Neal added as they climbed into the car.

'Sounds great!' Peter said.

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'Good night honey' Sara said as she hugged her daughter. 'Drive safely and text me when you get home.'

'W-will do' Hope said, squeezing herself behind the steering wheel of their old beat-up Chevy.

Sara watched her drive away with concern; her slight stutter was a sure sign her daughter was getting over-tired. She climbed into the car, next to Caitlin, and let out a sigh as the two women prepared to head back to White Plains.

'Thanks Sara' Caitlin said softly as they hit the road.

'Really, it's no big deal. I'm going that way, anyway' Sara responded deadpan.

After six years of living in the Caffrey home, Caitlin Somersby was used to the older woman's offbeat sense of humour; as a matter of fact, she loved the fact that Sara trusted her enough not to hold back when it came to showing her true colours.

'Seriously…' Caitlin said with a chuckle. 'I mean thank you… for including me in all the preparations.'

Sara smiled at her foster daughter; as apprehensive as she'd been when Neal had first suggested they open up their home to the wayward team, Caitlin was now a part of their family - for better or for worse.

'You're welcome, sweetie' Sara replied. 'You're an honorary Caffrey… and you always will be.'

'I love the dress you showed us' Caitlin said dreamily.

'It's beautiful, isn't it? I hope El can help me find it' Sara responded. 'And when we go shopping, I want you to pick out something really special for yourself.'

She glanced over at the young woman whose face had instantly lit up at the mention of a new outfit. Initially, Sara and Neal had been worried that their foster daughter might feel left out when they'd asked Liam and Hope to stand up for them but, to the contrary, Caitlin had been more than fine with the plan… and thankful to be included in the celebration.

Almost immediately, Caitlin perked up. 'I did see something I really, really like' she admitted. 'But it's a couple of hundred bucks…'

Sara reached out and touched her arm. 'Done!' she said

WCWCWC

Neal glanced at his watch; if they were going to pop in and surprise Liam at his basketball practice, they'd better head out soon. He was under no illusion that he and Liam would be having a meaningful discussion at this hour of the night but he was anxious to see his son with his own eyes before he settled in for the night.

The cavernous Carrier Dome, where the Orange held all their home games and practices, was really hopping despite the late hour on a Friday night. Peter and Neal snuck in one of the side doors and settled onto the bleachers, taking a seat alongside only a handful of other spectators. Neal looked on in awe as the players raced up and down the court with boundless energy over and over again while the coaches urged them on from the sidelines. It was a gruelling workout by any standard and he couldn't help but admire these young athletes for their stamina and determination.

He could hear Liam's voice shouting out instructions and words of encouragement to his teammates as he ran down the court - definitely stepping out of his comfort zone as he successfully rose to the demands of being the team leader. It was nice to see the normally shy, reserved young man coming into his own. As a kid, Liam had always been quiet and introverted and, at first, Neal had mistaken his reserved personality for a lack of interest in what was going on around him and an unwillingness to express his opinions.

With someone as outgoing as Hope Ellis-Caffrey for a sister, you had to fight to be heard and Liam was so easygoing, it was sometimes easy to forget that he had an opinion too. Behind the quiet, thoughtful young man was someone who liked to observe and over time, Neal had learned to appreciate Liam's laid-back temperament and his unique way of processing the world, all the while remaining true to himself.

Neal could tell the moment Liam spotted him sitting in the stands; a small, discreet smile appeared on his lips as he slowed down to take a sip from his water bottle. Neal didn't want to embarrass his son by drawing attention to himself so he settled back in his seat and gave Peter a proud smile.

'He's amazing' Peter commented, eyes glued to the court. 'He gets better every time I see him.'

Neal had to agree; his son was extremely talented and he was ecstatic that he'd been given the opportunity to play the game he loved at such an elite level. At six foot one, Liam certainly wasn't the tallest player on the team by any means but he was built solid, contrary to some of his more slender, willowy teammates and he had an undeniable presence on the court. Neal recognized Liam's roomie making a move up the court and pointed Josh out to Peter just as the young man gave him a quick wave.

The coaching team was really putting them through their paces and finally, at just past eleven o'clock, the head coach called it quits, inviting the young men to get a good night's sleep and to return for the game-day meeting at 10:00 the next morning. The group disbanded and Neal watched with interest as one of the coaches called Liam aside for a chat.

'Hi Mr. Caffrey' Neal heard and he turned to find Josh Monteith, towering over him, sweat glistening off his dark brown skin.

'Josh! It's great to see you again. Good work out there' Neal said, getting to his feet. 'This is Liam's uncle, Peter Burke' he added.

Peter looked a little star-struck; he loved sports, all sports, and it was nice to get up close and personal with the players he so admired.

'You really worked up a sweat out there' Peter commented, putting out his hand.

'Liam asked me to tell you he'll just be a minute' Josh said, wiping his brow with a towel.

'No problem. I was going to drive him back to the dorm if you want to meet us in the lobby, you can climb in.'

'Great, see you in a few' Josh said.

Neal sat patiently, not wanting to get in the way and he watched as whatever discussion Liam and his coach were having came to an end and suddenly the two men were walking towards them as Peter and Neal rose, meeting the pair halfway.

'Hey Dad!' Liam called out, hugging his father despite the sweat rolling off his body. 'Sorry…'

'Never apologize for hugging your dad' Peter said as he did the same. 'Or your uncle!'

'Dad, this is Joe Reynolds, our offensive coach' Liam said, pointing to the older man at his side.

'Hi' Neal said, taking his outstretched hand. 'Neal Caffrey.'

'Nice to meet you Mr. Caffrey' the man said, bringing his hand to Liam's back. 'You must be very proud of your son here, we all are.'

Liam looked down, slightly ill at ease with the praise, something he never seemed to get used to.

'We are. His mom and I are very proud' Neal said as the man prepared to leave. 'Good luck tomorrow night, we'll be cheering.'

Liam looked from his godfather back to his dad and for some reason Neal didn't care to comprehend, he reached out to hug him a second time.

'It's really great to see you, Dad' he said.

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Neal was up and ready to go first thing in the morning but he had to bide his time while he waited for Liam to finish up with the team meeting the coaches had called. He hadn't gleaned much from his brief chat with his son the night before; Liam had been exhausted by the time they'd dropped him off at his dorm and Neal hadn't wanted to push it.

'You've been awfully quiet' Peter commented as the two men sat down to breakfast in the hotel coffee shop. 'What's on your mind?'

'Nothing' Neal said with a con-man smile, failing miserably in his attempt to convince his best friend.

'Right!' Peter replied. 'You realize that phoney smile of yours hasn't worked on me in about… say, twenty years.'

Neal chuckled, a little more sincerely this time. 'I… I worry about Liam, that's all' he admitted.

'Why, is something wrong?' Peter asked between bites.

'Not sure… he called earlier this week and said he needed my advice on something but I haven't been alone with him long enough for him to tell me what's going on' Neal confided.

'Well, you two can talk at lunch' Peter said, noticing the look of concern in Neal's eyes. 'Look, Liam's a smart kid, wiser than you were at his age… or any age, for that matter' he couldn't help adding with a wry smile.

Neal gave him an eye roll, knowing full well Peter was speaking the truth. 'Whatever it is, you'll talk it through and he'll figure it out.'

Neal nodded; he knew that there was no problem so daunting that there wasn't some kind of solution but there were some hardships he'd rather his kids never have to face in life - the unrealistic wish of every parent.

'Here' Neal said, handing over the car keys. 'Be good and don't forget to gas up. I'm going to walk over to the campus and see if Liam's free.'

'I'll be back in plenty of time for the game' Peter called out as Neal waved and walked away.

Neal took his time, breathing in the fresh spring air and arriving at Liam's dorm in fifteen minutes flat. Being on any university campus was a bittersweet experience for Neal; he'd felt the same way whenever he'd visited Hope at Carnegie Mellon. He had never had the opportunity to attend university and he'd always wondered what life might have been like if his dad hadn't been carted off to jail and he and his mom hadn't been relocated to St. Louis. How would things have been different? For one thing, he might have never landed in New York and met Peter Burke and eventually a certain insurance investigator and… well, he didn't want to think about that.

He gave a quiet knock on the door to Liam and Josh's room and, hearing no sound from within, he dug deep in his pant pocket for the key he'd only had to use once since Liam had moved in two years before.

He'd just stepped in and taken a seat on the edge of Liam's bed to sit and wait when he heard a key in the lock and in walked Josh Monteith, all six feet six of him.

'Mr. Caffrey!' the young man said, startled. 'I wasn't expecting to see you here.'

'Sorry… I'm just waiting for Liam. We're going out to lunch' Neal said, getting to his feet to greet Liam's roomie.

'He's just talking with the coach' Josh explained. 'He should be here any minute.'

'So, how are things with you? Exams are coming up, huh?' Neal asked, making conversation.

The lanky young man moved to his desk, collecting some things as he spoke. 'The coaches are keeping us really busy' he explained. 'It's a good thing they provide extra tutoring or some of us might not make it.'

Neal nodded. 'And Liam… he seems okay' Neal said, fishing for information.

He thought he might have seen a fleeting look of awkwardness in the young man's deep brown eyes but then again, it might have been his overactive imagination.

'Yeah, same as me, basketball overload' Josh said. 'If you'll excuse me, I've got to get to the library. There's stuff to drink in the mini-fridge, if you're thirsty' he added, pointing to the corner of the room.

'It was great to see you again, Josh' Neal said. 'I guess we'll see you later… at the game.'

'See you Mr. Caffrey' the young man said as he grabbed some books from his desk and, just like that, he was gone.

Neal glanced around the room, noticing how tidy and organized things were - impressive stuff for a couple of twenty-year-old jocks. He walked over to Liam's desk, glancing at the piles of books and papers, along with the new laptop he and Sara had bought him as an early gift for his upcoming birthday. He mindlessly picked up one of Liam's textbooks entitled 'Business Strategies; How to Grow a Small Company'. He'd never quite understood his son's attraction to studying business but Liam had been adamant that the knowledge he acquired could translate to dozens of different types of ventures and he dreamed of owning a bed and breakfast or maybe an antique store someday.

Neal opened the book and began leafing through its pages when he noticed a few sheets of paper tumble out onto the desk. He picked them up, preparing to tuck them back where he'd found them when curiosity got the better of him and he began to read what he'd accidentally come upon.

His eyes grew and he let out a loud gasp as he read the e-mails he'd uncovered. There was no longer any mystery as to what Liam wanted to discuss with him and Neal quickly stuffed the papers into his jacket pocket just as he heard footsteps growing closer. He'd barely had time to step away from the desk when the door flew open and Liam stood there, wearing a shirt and tie and looking exhausted.

'Hey' he said to his dad. 'Sorry about that. The coach wanted a word with me.'

Neal snapped back quickly, his face a blank slate as he recovered from the shock of what he'd just read.

'You look great! Really snazzy' he said as Liam entered the room.

'The coach likes us to look professional on game day' Liam responded modestly.

'And you do' Neal said. 'So, are you hungry? I thought I'd take you out for lunch to —'

'Caruso's' Liam said, finishing his dad's sentence for him.

'I guess I've grown predictable' Neal responded.

Liam laughed. 'It's great… you know what I like.'

'Unless…'

'No, no. Caruso's is great, I've been thinking about their lasagna all week' Liam enthused. 'And I'm starved.'

'Luckily, it's only a few blocks' Neal explained. 'I lent the car to Uncle Peter so he could go visit his sister in Watertown.'

Liam stood and opened the door to his room. 'After you!'

WCWCWC

The wonderful aroma of Italian spices tickled Neal's nostrils the moment they walked into the restaurant. Italian had always been his son's favourite, bar none. As a kid, whenever it was his turn to choose a restaurant for their weekly Friday night dinner out, you could be sure Liam picked somewhere where he could get a nice cheesy lasagna.

Neal noticed a small smile appear on his son's face as they took a seat; with school and sports, he didn't get the chance to eat out much and Neal was happy to be treating him to a nice meal out. The men settled in a booth and the waiter immediately brought over a basket of garlic cheese bread, the restaurant's specialty and it didn't take long for Liam to dive in.

'Mmmmm. This is delicious. Aren't you going to have some, Dad?' he spoke, his mouth full.

Neal studied him and smiled; watching Liam enjoying the simple pleasures in life made him happy.

'Oh, before I forget' Neal said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. 'This is from your mom.'

Liam peeked into the envelope, not that there was any doubt as to what was inside - his parents were notorious for slipping him extra cash every chance they got.

'Really Dad?' Liam said with an embarrassed smile. 'I don't need this…'

'Who said anything about needing' Neal said with a shrug. 'This is fun money, so you and Cody can have a nice dinner out when he comes to town next time… or maybe take in a movie.

'With this much cash, we can take in a dozen movies' Liam commented as he took in the short stack of bills.

'You know your mom…. always worrying about the two of you' Neal said, downplaying his part.

Like most parents, Neal and Sara couldn't do enough for their kids; they'd done the same with Hope when she was away at college and they couldn't wait to start spoiling their grandson as well. After all, what good was having money if you couldn't spoil the ones you loved.

'I had a chat with Josh earlier' Neal began as Liam tensed up. Surely, his buddy hadn't grassed him up to his dad.

'He was telling me how busy the coaches have been keeping you' Neal continued, studying Liam's reaction and waiting for him to come clean about what was on his mind.

'Yeah, well, with exams coming up and the playoffs, it's been a little hectic' Liam replied and Neal could have sworn he was avoiding his gaze.

Neal couldn't take much more and he reached into his jacket pocket, producing the e-mails he'd taken from Liam's room and he set them down on the table in silence as their eyes met.

TBC