Disclaimer: See prologue chapter

Chapter 10

You're a Richmond

"Take me home, country road...." Jason sang under his breath but not low enough not to earn himself a thump in the arm from his wife. They were currently in the main living room of the Torres Dallas home, waiting for Mitchie to join him so that the siblings could go to the airport to meet their grandparents.

"Jason, if you're going in to sing country, at least let it be something like Tim McGraw or Lonestar!" She growled at him. (A growl that had him grinning because she sounded more like a kitten in a bad mood). "Or even Faith Hill if you must."

"Yes ma'am." He replied bending down to kiss her forehead. "Although I don't understand what you have against Country Road, it's a classic after all."

"I have nothing against it, my darling husband except for the fact you've been humming it on and off for the last HOUR!" Deanna's voice actually rose to a shout on the last word.

"Jake my dearest brother, are you torturing your wife - again?" Mitchie sprang down the stairs and across the room, jumping on her brother's back with a thump and making him jump in surprise. "You really shouldn't do that, you know."

Jason merely laughed as he pushed his sister further up his back to make them both more comfortable.

"Take him away before he drives me mad, please Mitchie." Her sister-in-law begged with a laugh. "I really doubt either of you want to be around when I make my weekly call to my mother anyway."

"Bye Dee, love you." Brother and sister chorused as they immediately head for the door leaving Deanna shaking her head. She was only too well aware of how much they disliked her mother and if she was honest with herself, and she was, she did not blame them either.

Her mother had not earned herself a very good reputation from the moment Deanna had first introduced Jason to her. The dollar signs had been so visible; she would not have been surprised if the astronauts on the space station had seen them.

Their bad opinion of her had been cemented by her attitude and behaviour during the lead-up to her wedding. Deanna knew that it would only take one more thing for her to be thrown out of their lives completely and unconsciously, she was waiting for it to happen. She wasn't even sure that she would miss her either with all the mothering she had received from her husband's extended family.

It was a horrible thing to think and believe but Deanna had long ago accepted that her mother was one of those women who were not made to be a mother. The fact that she shared this with Jason was one of the reasons why they were so strong together.

Picking the phone up, she took a deep breath and dialled her mother's number. "Well, here it goes." She murmured out loud as it rang. "Please don't disappoint me for once, mother, please."

RC-CS-EC

In the car to the airport, Mitchie leant against her brother's side. "I have the strangest feeling that we really shouldn't have left Deanna alone, Jake."

He wrapped his arm around her. "I've got it too, little sister but if my wife had wanted us to stay, she would have asked us to but if you really want, we can go back and just send a message to the grandparents saying why we're not there? We can do that, Mitch, if you want."

"I know but..." She broke off unsure, "I don't know, Jake, I just..."

Jason squeezed her shoulders. "Mitchie, what do you want to do?"

She took a deep breath and leaned her head against his side. "If she needs us, she gives us a call. Let's go get the grandparents."

Half an hour later, Mitchie blatantly squealed and threw herself across the VIP receiving lounge into her grandfather's open arms. "Pops!"

"Baby girl." He murmured as he pulled her into his chest and buried her face in her hair.

"Nana," Jason lifted his grandmother into his arms, swinging her round in a circle. "You shouldn't stay away so long; I've told you that before."

Elizabeth just patted his cheeks and smiled up at him, murmuring. "Dear boy," before she looked round the lounge. "Where's that lovely wife of yours, Jason?"

"Back home, calling 'Her'." Mitchie replied for her brother as she moved to her grandmother's side to receive her own hug. "Missed you Nana, missed you lots."

Elizabeth tightened her arms around her granddaughter, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Walk me to the car while your Pops and brother help get our luggage, little girl and tell me all the gossip."

"All the gossip," Mitchie repeated with a teasing note in her voice as they began to walk away from the two laughing men behind them. "You do remember what business we're in, Nana."

"I think we have our orders, Jason." Alexander rested his hand on Jason's shoulder. "We better do as we are told." His grandson merely laughed.

A sheer ten minutes later, they entered the car and found both women clutching each other in giggles. At the wicked glint in his sister's eyes, Jason immediately sank down into his seat and covered his face. "I really don't want to know what you have been telling our grandmother, Michelle, I have the feeling it would be bad for me."

"Jake, would I do that to you?" Mitchie replied innocently as she fluttered her eyelashes at him and promptly sending their grandparents into laughter.

"You, my girl, are one dangerous little thing." Alexander poked her in the side. (She was seated in the middle of the back seat between her grandparents).

"Is this supposed to be news to us?" Jason murmured with a grin as Mitchie blushed, much to their amusement.

"Alright my child, that is enough, at least attempt to wait until we are home before starting one of your games." Elizabeth leaned forward and gently patted Jason's cheek then took Mitchie's hand in hers. "Now Mitchie darling..."

RC-CS-EC

"Deanna, Connie, we're back with Nana and Pops." Mitchie called out as she burst through the doors into her home followed closely by the rest of her family. "Where is everyone?"

Connie came out of the kitchen, a worried look in her eyes as she caught her daughter in her arms. "Quietly please mija. Alex, Elizabeth, welcome back."

"Connie." Elizabeth was quick to notice the look in the younger woman's eyes. "What's wrong? Has something happened?"

"Where's Deanna?" Jason asked as he came back from the living room where he had gone on arriving home to find his wife.

"Deanna's in your room, lying down." Connie caught hold of Jason's cheeks. "I'm afraid that the call with her mother did not go at all well and she is extremely upset, sweetheart. Go up to her but don't make her talk unless she wants to, Jason."

Jason pressed a kiss to her forehead and immediately ran upstairs.

Mitchie turned large questioning eyes to her mother but Connie shook her head. "It would be better if Deanna told you in her own words, mija. Why don't you go and join the others in the studio for now. I am sure they will call for you when they are ready for you."

"No!" As Mitchie went to obey Connie, Deanna's voice from the top of the stairs had her freezing in her place. "Stay please, Mitchie, I would really rather get this over with."

Ten minutes later, all five Richmond's with the addition of Shane, ("He's marrying a Richmond! And Cait and Nate are family too!" Mitchie had insisted when she went to get him and the others.), were seated on the sofas. Deanna was in her husband's arms while Mitchie was curled up on Shane's lap. Connie was across the room with Caitlyn and Nate on the floor at her feet.

Jason ran his hand through his wife's hair. "Deanna, what happened when you called your mother while we were gone?"

Deanna rested her head on his shoulder. "It started out like normal, mother wanted to know what you had bought me recently and whether or not I had asked you for the car that she wanted."

Mitchie muttered something under her breath that only Shane heard and had him placing his fingers on her lips to quiet her silently.

Deanna then continued. "She then went on to attack Mitch and Shane again. I told her she absolutely no idea what she was talking about and that's when she started to attack me. She said that ever since I had married Jason, I had got ideas above myself and should start remembering that she is my mother and that she came before everyone."

"Even your husband?" Elizabeth exclaimed in shock.

"I said the same thing and mother replied 'Most especially your husband. He's a musician, Deanna; he's most probably already cheating on you already. I told you that.' I blew up at her." Deanna said it simply and to the point. "I told her I didn't want to hear from her ever again."

She bowed her head for a moment and then raised it to look into her husband's eyes. "She said that if I picked you over her, Jason, I was no longer a Wilson."

"And that the first truthful thing that she said in the entire conversation," Jason's tone was abrupt. "You haven't been a Wilson for six months, Deanna."

Mitchie released herself from Shane's arms and knelt down in front of Deanna, taking her hands in hers. "You are now and will always be a Richmond." She said softly looking up at her.

Deanna looked down and then burst into tears, falling into Mitchie's waiting arms and burying her head against her.

"Yes, she's most definitely a Richmond." Elizabeth murmured as both she and Jason ran their hands over the weeping girl's hair.

RC-CS-EC

A little sad tonight but I wanted to get someone out of the way before she even became a real part of the story.

Now I just have to figure out where I'm going tomorrow. Oh the joy of being the author!

As always looking forward toseeing what you have to say ;op