a/n - I have a continuity error in my story. In Chapter 3, I made Samantha Mason out to be someone who Steve met briefly years ago. She was formal with him and even called him "Mr. Keller". But as the story evolved, I made them much closer and had them working on a manuscript together. Nothing romantic, but nevertheless, they knew each other better than what I had in Chap 3. I made some minor adjustments there.


Departure

Act 2, Part 3: Back to Boston

Finally home, Steve tries to settle back in. Joey begins to learn the art of repo.


"Michael," Steve extended his hand as he greeted his partner at the terminal gate. "It's good to be home. You didn't have to pick me up, you know. I could have taken the bus in, but I appreciate not having to."

"I told you when you left - that's what partners are for, Buddy boy. Besides, I wanted to make sure you got your car back. Now come on - let's get your garment bag and get you home. I guess your luggage will fit in that little box you call a trunk." Mike grabbed Steve's small suitcase from his hand and proceeded to carry it for him.

"You drove the Porsche down here?" Steve was just a little surprised as he shoved his hands into his pockets and let Mike carry the bag.

"I do know how to drive a stick, Hotshot."

"Hope the gearshift is okay. I'll bet the seat is all the way back, too," Steve cracked with a lopsided grin.

"Very funny, Wiseguy. Next time you can walk back. Where's that girlfriend of yours anyway? How could she pass up a homecoming opportunity like this?"

"She went down to Monterrey for her ten year high school reunion."

"She didn't rope you into that?"

"Well, she almost did. I was going to go, but of course all this happened with grandpa. I didn't think I would be in a reunion mood after this past week."

"Was she upset?"

"Oh, yeah," Steve said with a sigh. "Delaying the funeral, which in turn delayed my return, didn't go over so well."

"Kind of selfish on her part, don't you think?"

"Actually, that's what she said to me. She said I was being selfish staying so long. I think she got that way only after she called grandpa's house and Samantha answered the phone."

"Jealous, huh?," Mike asked as the pair continued walking. "Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Does she have cause to be jealous?"

"What? Who? Of Samantha? She's got twenty years on me, so no."

"What's wrong with age, Buddy boy?"

Steve sighed and rolled his eyes. "Nothing. She's just old enough to be my mother. She even resembles her some," the young man said with some thought. "Only Samantha has blonde hair; Mom's hair was red."

Mike decided to switch the conversation away from Steve's mother and back to Carolyn. "So, no cause to be jealous, then huh?"

"I didn't think so, but you never know with Carolyn."

"How was your flight back?"

"Better than going out, that's for sure. I had a ticket booked all the way through instead of going standby on two flights and staying overnight in St. Louis."

"Ah, St. Louis - home of the Gateway Arch, Stan the Man, and the best beer in the country," Mike mused.

"It's also home of the hardest airport floors. It took me days to work that crick out of my neck," he said as he rubbed underneath his jaw for effect. "But I did get to see the arch - flew right over it. It's amazing. It looks like a giant hook just waiting for a tether."

Mike squinted at the mental image. "Only you would think of something like that. Everything turn out okay in Boston? I mean after all that happened."

"Oh, sure. I'm going to miss my grandfather terribly. But you know, in the scheme of things - he lived to his mid-eighties and then he went quickly. He didn't suffer. You can't do much better than that."

"I suppose not," Mike agreed.

"And he kept his wits about him. He was active with the university right until the end."

"He sounds like he was something, Steve. I would have liked to have met him. Did he ever come out here?"

"No, he didn't fly and the drive was too long. He'd never been west of Chicago," Steve said as they neared the luggage carousel. "I understand, though, that you did get to speak to him once."

"Who told you that?"

"Samantha. She said he called you when he couldn't reach me at home and that you told him that I was in the hospital. This was after I'd been shot over by the warehouse area."

"Well, I couldn't lie to the man. He was your grandfather. He had a right to know," Mike spoke defensively but then softened as he recalled the conversation. "But he sure didn't want you to know that we spoke. He was worried about you, but he also wanted you to think that you were handling things on your own. If it'd been me, I would have come out here and kicked your ass."

"Why?"

"Just because, Buddy boy. Just because."


"Okay, Joey. I'm going to take you around the block in the car. Now, pay attention. You need to learn how to drive and I'm going to teach you. Has your dad shown you anything about cars?" Eric asked his young companion.

"Nah, not really. When I was little, I used to sit on his lap and he'd let me drive, but that was a long time ago. Now, he doesn't do much but watch television and yell."

"Then that settles it. The car is back in the alley. Let's go for a little spin."

The pair got into an older model Nova. The gray car was in need of a paint job, but was otherwise clean and had a colorful checked interior.

"Now, this is an automatic. It will be easy to learn…"

And so the lesson went. The pair spent the better part of two hours starting the car, driving around the block and parking.

"You did well, my man. We'll do this again tomorrow night. Can you make it?"

"Sure, Eric. This is great."

"Okay, you come over. I think Buddy is going to have some more deliveries for you. And then we'll do our driving lesson. I want to show you some other things about cars, too."

"Like what?"

"Like how to get into them or start them if you can't find your keys."

"You mean breaking in or hotwiring?" the youth inquired.

"Something like that. What do you know about it?"

"I know you and Buddy do repo work and that's probably how you get the cars, right?"

"Yeah, it is sometimes. How'd you like to help us in the repo business?"

"Will I make more money?" Joey grinned.

"We'll see about it," Eric said as he ruffled the back of the boy's head.

Joey was elated about becoming closer to Eric and Buddy. While small in stature, the dark-haired, doe-eyed boy began thinking about following his older brother to Los Angeles. His head was filling with dreams of departing his home and starting a new life elsewhere. While enjoying his time at the pool hall and reveling in feeling useful, a taste of wanderlust and freedom called. He quickly thought about saving his money for a fresh start when he would leave high school in two summers. For the first time, he was seeing his life with a future.


Jeannie sat at the old picnic table in her dad's backyard. While San Franscisco could be cool in the summer, it was warm enough to enjoy a book and a lemonade.

Dan was starting to be a more frequent visitor to the Stone residence and often he would find Jeannie in the yard if no one answered the door. As he ascended the steps to the yard, Dan saw his girl with her nose buried in the book.

"Hey, I thought you were out of school What's with the studying?"

"I'm not studying. I'm just reading. It's a book on post-war reconstruction of Europe."

"Sounds…like the last thing I'd expect you to read." Dan was uncertain if he wanted to go down this path.

"Oh, do you think all I read is Jacqueline Susann?" Jean smirked.

"I didn't say that. Certainly you read books that are more mentally stimulating. But why that one?"

"Well, it was written by Dad's partner's grandfather. You know Steve, right?"

"Yes, we've crossed paths at the station," Dan responded unintentionally terse.

"You two get along, don't you?"

"Of course. I have nothing bad to say about the guy. I just don't know him well. I was introduced to him when I first got my transfer over to headquarters - not much beyond that." Dan was trying to be nonchalant and was beginning to think he had overplayed his response.

Jeannie ignored him and continued reading. "Let me just wrap up this chapter. I've read the first two. The theory correlates the economic growth created by Marshall Plan to an ideological shift from communism and socialism to democracy. So far I've read about the impact of the Plan in England and France. It's not just broad changes, but a lot of it went to the local level - really, down to the grass roots. The French chapter is fascinating."

"Uh-huh. Um, are we still going to go out tonight? I thought we could go see "Rocky" - I heard it's really good."

"Just a few more minutes, okay? This is something," she continued to read. "Do you realize that this probably contributed to the notion that we'll see relative peace over there for years to come?"

"Sure," Dan nodded. "Hey, that lemonade looks good. Do you mind if I go get myself a glass?"

"Be my guest, Dan. It's in the fridge," Jeannie said as she looked up and gave Dan a wink.

Dan sighed and returned to the house.