Hi - Well this is a little short, please forgive me...I am still looking for my proper glasses that my darling puppies stole and then hid from me...and today I was delivered 7 ten day old kittens whose mum had unfortunaely died. They need hand rearing and I have plenty of experience....so they are now with me and I had nearly forgotten just how much time they take up.....I will try and make the next chapter longer.....
Disclaimer as Norm..
Guests
After a couple of hours the group were running out of casual conversation. The silence now hung on them all, each wrapped up in their own thoughts, yet those thoughts all centred on the same thing – the welfare of the victim – and her baby.
Contact from Ben had was suspicious by its absence and although Cal had tried ringing him a couple of times it had gone straight to voicemail.
"I've had enough of this"
Cal stood up and went to grab his jacket.
"I'm bloody well goin down to that hospital to find out what the hell is going on!...I mean it was my science…our work that found her wasn't it…I think we have a bloody right to know how they….."
"Mother and baby are both doing fine"
Ben stood in the doorway – " Sorry it took so long but there were a few up and down moments, and I didn't wanna say anything to you all till I was sure…..and then I didn't wanna tell you over the phone coz I knew you would wanna be studying my face an all that crap when you heard….just to make SURE I was telling the truth"
Gillian and Ria started crying.
Loker wanted to join them but even his radical honesty openness wouldn't let him go that far! So he mumbled some stupid words along the lines of 'Thank God' and busied himself re-filling everyones glasses.
"Cal, Where is Emily? She needs to know"
"Yeah, you're right Gill, she's asleep in my library – I'll go wake her and let her know"
xXx
It had been about half an hour and Cal had not yet returned so Gill decided to go and investigate.
As she slipped quietly into the library she saw Emily, still curled up asleep on the couch- as she swung her gaze round she saw Cal in his favourite 'comfy' chair in the corner.
He seemed lost in a world of his own, but his eyes were fixed on his sleeping daughter.
Gill coughed very quietly and he turned and caught her eyes, getting up he followed her back out.
"I thought you were going to wake her and tell her the good news?"
"Yeah, but when I saw her, I didn't have the heart – plus I was trying to work out what to say to her..not about the good news of course, but about….Dammit Gill! Would we even have found her in time if it hadn't been for Em?..We are all in there celebrating our success, but how far would we have got if not for the …clear uncomplicated brain of hers! Emily saved that woman and baby – not us….How do I tell her how proud I am of her? How much I love her…"
"All you need to do is say exactly what you have just said to me"
He hugged her " Sorry bout the holiday being cut short luv"
"Well there's always next year – but I would like to see Cami and Tim again soon. Do you think we can invite them to stay for a few days?"
"Excellent idea – we can set Cami loose on Torres and Loker!"
They both dissolved into fits of laughter.
xXx
Walking out of the hospital several days later Emily was still innocently mystified.
"I don't get it dad, she was like…holding on to me and saying I saved her life and the baby's too – she says she'd gonna name the baby after me if it's a girl…..I kept trying to tell her that it was you and Gill and everyone that saved her but…"
"No luv…It was you Em. We were stuck- I mean totally stuck until you came up with the idea of the fiancé. You solved that case luv, not us."
"Whatever! …anyway, when are they getting here dad? I can't wait to meet them"
"Their flight comes lands in a couple of ours, and remember what I said to you Em. If Cami says one word to you about marriage – you tell me Yeah!"
xXx
Gill and Cal were waiting for their guests to come through arrivals.
"Course, I'm gonna need help with these two while they're here – so rather than you trotting back and forth – it makes sense for you to stop at mine for the duration"
"Absolutely Cal, I wouldn't like to leave you in the lurch would I?"
"And…coz Em's with me and the spare room being in use…."
"Are you saying that you want me in your bed again Dr. Lightman?"
"Well- it's been a while now…and…I miss you"
"I miss you too – I think you have just talked yourself into a sleeping partner"
He loved the way her eyes glinted when they bantered like this, and he loved her eyes when she had just tipped over the threshold during their lovemaking..Then there was the first time she opened them in the mornings……
"There they are Cal"
Cami jumped the rope barrier and flew into Cal's arms knocking backwards slightly. He couldn't help but smile at her energy and enthusiasm.
"Easy luv – I'm getting black looks from your husband over there"
"Nonsense! He loves you as much as I do…in a manly sort of way of course"
Tim was now out of the barrier system and hugging Gill, both of them were laughing at the way Cami was virtually 'climbing' over Cal.
Eventually they managed to untangle her and they all climbed into Cal's car and drove back to his house.
They both insisted carrying in their own luggage and depositing in it in the spare room claiming that they had always been taught to be mindful and considerate to older people and carrying heavy things for them.
Emily, who appeared just as the playful insult was said, nearly laughed herself into collapsing and was now upstairs with Cami and Tim, helping them unpack and arranging two weeks of activities into the 3 days they were staying.
xXx
"Old! I'll give them bloody old"
Cal was still moaning as she wrapped her arms round him and snuggled down under the covers against his body.
"Prove it"
"Wot?"
"Prove that you're not that old and decrepit"
He proved it several times before they fell asleep.
She wasn't sure why, but Gill had taken to keeping the little stone that the old lady at the camp had given her always around her. Tonight it rested under her pillow again.