Chapter 12
David exited off the interstate into Princeton. It was very dark without the streetlamps. Ahead he could see some very bright spot lights where the electric crews were working to restore power. He felt sorry for them knowing that they were working very long shifts. The city crews were out in the streets as well toiling to get the roads passable. It seemed that they had completed the main roads and were now focusing on the secondary roads before they hit the residential areas. He hoped he would at least be able to get to the end of their street.
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The lights dimmed for a moment and came back on at full power for about thirty seconds and then dimmed back down. Everybody paused waiting to see what would happen next; when nothing more happened everybody went back to work. "What do you suppose that was?" Jason asked over the noise in the lab of all the alarms on the instruments indicating a power issue. Lab techs were scurrying around to each instrument shutting off the alarms and making sure that analysis continued. A couple of exclamations were heard from the back of the lab where the power interruption had stopped the hematology instrument causing the techs to have to start over.
"The generators shut off momentarily and then came back on. I'd say the power crews are close to getting us up and running again and enough power came through the lines to trigger the generators to turn off, but it didn't stay on so the generators came back on." He yawned, "I'll be glad when this is over; I'm ready to go home." Jason nodded in agreement and went to the back of the lab to help the techs in hematology.
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David worked his way through town at a snail's pace and finally made it to the end of their block. The city crews hadn't made it to their street yet. "Phillip?"
Phillip woke up, "Are we home?"
"We're at our street," David answered.
"Wow," Phillip said looking at the snow covering the street. "Can we even get down the street?"
"No. The snow is too deep even for a four wheel drive," David answered. "I'm going to turn in and get off the road as far as I can and we'll have to hike to the house. Get your coat, gloves and hat on. Leave your stuff here." Phillip put on his coat and David pulled the collar up around his neck and made sure his hat was covering his ears. "I want you to slide out behind me on the driver's side and stay right behind me. I'll break a path through the snow and you follow in my tracks. You shouldn't get too wet that way," David explained.
"What about you?" Phillip said.
"I'll be fine," David said, "Just do as I say." Both dressed as warmly as possible, they climbed out of the SUV and started their trek down the street, David locking the door before shoving his hands in his pocket. He looked down the street and for the first time wished they didn't live at the far end of a cul-de-sac. The snow absorbed the sounds in the neighborhood making the evening very quiet. Between the silence and the darkness it was almost spooky.
"Boy, the stars sure are bright tonight," Phillip said.
"You can just see them better because the lights are out. The light pollution usually makes it hard to see all but the very brightest," David explained as he chose his path down the street. "Stay right behind me son."
"I am," Phillip answered. After trudging through three house lengths, David stopped for a breather. "Are you OK dad?"
"I'm fine, just resting for a moment. The snow is deep and breaking a path is hard work. I am way too out of shape," David said.
"You haven't gone to the gym since you and mom got married," Phillip observed.
"That's about to change," David acknowledged. He continued his trek, his son following in his footsteps.
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Susan turned over for the third time in the last half hour. Finally, she sat up and went to look out the front window. She couldn't see anything beyond her own yard. She sighed and sat in the chair, "You know pacing and watching out the window isn't going to bring them home any faster," House said.
"I know," Susan said. "I can't rest knowing they are on the road."
House sighed and then sat up, "Come over here and sit down." Susan sat down and curled up on the corner of the couch. "What do you want to talk about?" he asked.
"Small talk?" Susan asked. "You don't do small talk."
"I didn't say I was going to listen," he replied.
Susan smiled, leaned her head into the arm of the sofa and tried to relax. After a few moments she asked, "Do you ever hear from Dominique?"
"No," House said.
"Do you want to?"
"She's busy with her own life and I have mine," he answered.
"You didn't answer my question," Susan said.
"Deflection is my core competency," House replied.
"No argument there," Susan said. "Do you know where she is?"
"Somewhere in Atlantic City."
"Greg, is she really a prostitute?"
"No," he answered. "I met her when I was in that hotel right after Cuddy broke up with me. She worked in the hotel as a masseuse and gave me a massage. The whole time she wouldn't shut up about how unfair immigration was and that she was going to have to go back to her country if she couldn't find a way to stay. I was still high on Vicoden and booze and so I offered to marry her so she could stay in the country and I could relax and enjoy the massage without her continuous blabbering."
"And it was a convenient way to get back at Cuddy. You don't even care about her; why are you helping her?"
"You're the one always talking about helping people," Greg said.
"I'm not generally referring to helping them defraud the government," Susan said. "You know if immigration finds out, you could go back to jail."
"At this point anything I do risks putting me back in jail," House said. "Foreman enjoys reminding me of that on a regular basis."
"Greg, I can't bear the thought of you going back to jail, so please don't do anything to screw it up," Susan said. "I want you here when I deliver. I want this baby to know his uncle from the day he is born."
"I'm not planning on going anywhere," he answered.
A noise erupted from the porch and Susan jumped up and practically ran to the door and threw it open. David and Phillip were on the porch stomping to knock the snow off of their clothes and shoes before coming inside. That finished they walked in and Susan threw her arms around David, "I'm so glad you're home," she said.
"I'll have to leave on trips more often if it means I get welcomed home like that," David laughed. "Honey, I'm getting you soaked. Let me get out of these clothes," he said as he pealed her off of him. Susan stepped back and let him take off his coat. She moved over to Phillip and helped him out of his coat then took both of them to hang over her bathtub with hers to dry. When she came into the bedroom from the bathroom, David was slipping on a pair of pajama bottoms and fresh socks to sleep in. She went over to him and he stood up and put his arms around her, "I missed you," he said. He bent down and kissed her tightening his arms around her and pulling her into him so she could feel just how much. He felt her grin into his kiss and he also felt her shiver with the cold. "Come on, it's cold in here." He led her out of the bedroom and shut the door behind him. When David and Susan arrived in the living room, Phillip was already changed and downstairs with his guitar showing his uncle the newest chord he had just learned. He strummed the guitar and the reverberation about turned Susan's ears inside out. Greg quickly reached over and moved his index finger on the first fret from the G string to the B string and the chord resolved. Phillip's face turned red, "Oops," he said and looked up as his parents entered the room. Quickly he averted his eyes his face turning even redder.
House had been watching Phillip, but looked up when he saw Phillip turn away so quickly. It didn't take a half moment for him to see what had Phillip so embarrassed, so unable to resist he said, "Looks like something else is happy too."
David didn't skip a beat, "He knows when he's close to home."
The double meaning there was obvious to all the adults, but flew right over the top of Phillip's head who immediately chimed in, "Boy I'm glad mine doesn't do that every time I come home." Susan bit her bottom lip and immediately turned on her heal and headed into the kitchen.
David sat down on the chair effectively masking his issue which was quickly becoming a non-issue, "Me too son," he said hiding his amusement. House smirked, but fortunately decided not to add any further to the conversation. "Phillip," David said, "put your guitar away. It's time to get ready for bed."
"It's cold in my room," Phillip said.
"We're all sleeping in here tonight," David explained. "Bring your blankets and pillow with you when you come back down."
House stretched his legs out along the length of the couch when Phillip got up. Susan having regained most her composure came back into the living room bearing four mugs and several packages of instant hot chocolate. "Do you guys want coffee or hot chocolate?"
David look at his wife, who had obviously been laughing so hard her eyes were still watery. He grinned at her, "I'll have coffee."
She looked over at House whose eyes were still dancing with amusement. He nodded agreement, so Susan knelt down in front of the fireplace and poured each of them a cup. When Phillip came back in the room, Susan was opening a package of hot chocolate mix. "Would you like some hot chocolate Phillip?" she asked.
"Sure!" he said excitedly then saw his mom's face and sobered. "Mom, have you been crying?"
"No," Susan said. "My eyes are just a little watery right now."
"Maybe you shouldn't be so close to the fire place," Phillip offered. "We had a campfire at camp this week and the smoke kept making my eyes water."
"Maybe you're right," Susan agreed still working hard at staying composed. Everyone was quiet as they worked on their drinks positive that if anybody said anything that the adults would all have coffee or hot chocolate coming out of their nose. After a few moments, David had Phillip help him move the coffee table behind the couch and Susan moved her bedroll further from the fireplace. David put down a couple of blankets on the floor next to Susan and Phillip made his bed between Susan and the fireplace. Soon all of them were settled for the night.
"Goodnight mom," Phillip said.
"Goodnight Phillip," Susan answered.
"Goodnight Dad," Phillip said.
"Goodnight Phillip," David said.
"Goodnight Uncle Greg," Phillip said.
House rolled his eyes, "Goodnight John Boy."
David and Susan chuckled quietly. All was silent for a few moments and then out of the darkness, "Who's John Boy?"
House groaned and then said, "Go to sleep Phillip."
