Chapter 25

Meghan's mother was more than happy to be rid of her daughter. "She can stay the whole weekend if you want her." she'd told Beth when she called.

"If you have a suitcase packed for her, then I'll pick it up and she can come home with Ryan on the school bus." Beth offered. "And she is welcome to stay the weekend."

Adam raised an eyebrow when he'd heard the last, but after Beth explained how completely uncaring the woman had been, he understood. "I wish Ryan didn't have to learn at this age just how unfeeling people can be."

"I'm proud of her though. She has a good heart." Beth hugged Adam, kissing him on the cheek before telling him she would come to bed once she finished the hem on Cassie's dress.

The next afternoon the house was full of activity. Ryan and Meghan were in her room listening to CD's and drawing with her pastels and colored pencils, Joey and his cousin Travis were at the kitchen table working on their science project, and Cassie was in the upstairs bathroom, changing her hairstyle for the third time.

"I told you I'd help you." Beth said when she found the almost 15 year old near tears.

"It doesn't look right." Cassie complained as she pulled the tiny rhinestone studded pins from her hair.

"Ok, calm down. We've got half an hour before your ride is here."

"I'll never be ready. I don't even want to go now, looking like this."

The dramatics were a little much Beth thought, but then again … this was a big night for Cassie. She knew it was her nerves talking.

"Hold still and let me see what I can do."

Ten minutes later Cassie felt a little better. Her mother worked wonders to tame her naturally curly hair.

When the teen descended the stairs to wait for her ride, Adam caught himself doing a double take. Cassie looked so grown up. The realization of just how much time had passed hit him full force.

Duncan slipped from his chair across the chessboard and hurried to the foot of the stairs, bowing and holding out his hand.

"May I have the pleasure of escorting you to the door?"

Cassie giggled.

"Not so fast MacLeod, I believe this walk has been promised to me." Adam moved around him to offer his arm. "You look beautiful Princess … reminds me of someone else who takes my breath away." he looked up the stairs at Beth, who met his eyes, remembering the night she first knew she was falling in love with him.

Ryan and Meghan heard everyone downstairs and came to see how Cassie looked.

A horn sounded outside and Beth rushed to help Cassie with her coat.

"Remember, I'll be in the school parking lot at 9:45 sharp. Tell your friends not to be late." Adam reminded Cassie. "And you are to stay in the school gymnasium. No wandering the halls."

Cassie nodded. She knew her father was really saying "No walking around with this boy. Stay where people can see you."

"Have fun Cass." Ryan called after her sister before falling back into the sofa. "I hope the pizza guy gets here soon."

Beth looked at her watch. "Should be any minute now."

Meghan hung back a little, clutching the tablet and a few pencils she'd been drawing with.

"Mind if I have a look?" Duncan tried to draw the shy child in.

"It's ok Meghan, Uncle Duncan's cool." Ryan turned and looked over the back of the sofa, realizing her friend was nervous about showing anyone her work.

"I was just doodling …" Meghan apologized as she reluctantly handed the tablet to Duncan.

Duncan didn't say anything but flipped through the pages as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "This is all yours?" he asked finally. "This is what you call 'doodling'?"

He handed the tablet to Adam, piquing Beth's curiosity as well. She looked over her husband's shoulder to see what was so interesting.

"I know they aren't very good … " Meghan continued to put her work down, but Duncan would have none of it.

"Not any good? Are you kidding. These are quite good Meghan. They show real promise." his face broke into an encouraging smile as he walked to sit across from Ryan, hoping Meghan would feel comfortable enough to sit with her friend.

"Really?" Meghan sat close to Ryan.

"I told you they were good Megs." Ryan said in a matter of fact tone.

"MacLeod would know." Adam replied as he handed the tablet back to Meghan and then reached for his wallet, hearing the pizza delivery car drive in. "Did Ryan tell you he was an art dealer on occasion? He owns a gallery in New York City and Paris."

Meghan's mouth dropped open. She didn't know what to say. This couldn't be true. They were just trying to be nice.

Reading her friend's mind, Ryan shot down that idea. "If Uncle Duncan says it's good … it's good. He's nice, but he tells the truth."

"Have you taken any art courses?" Duncan asked the little girl as everyone moved to the table for dinner.

"We have art enrichment once a week instead of study hall." Meghan admitted. "But mostly I draw in my notebooks. I've never had nice paper and stuff to work with like Ryan has. It makes it so much better."

The adults exchanged a quick glance. Besides what they already knew about the child's home life, it was becoming obvious her talents were being repressed as well.

"Your still life's are quite good, but the portraits … they show a real eye for detail." Duncan had an idea. "Would you sketch my portrait Meghan?"

The little girl was shocked at his request. "Uhm … you want me to sketch you?"

"Absolutely." he confirmed. "But I'm afraid Ryan's art supplies aren't quite up to the task. After dinner, would you two girls be up to a trip to the mall? There is an art shop I believe would have what you need."

Meghan could see what he was doing. "You don't have to buy me art supplies Mr. MacLeod. I'm fine with my tablets and pencils. It's just a hobby anyway."

Ryan nudged her under the table and gave her a look that said she should take him up on the offer.

"I'd really like to do it Meghan. I don't have any children, but Ryan will tell you I love to shop for presents. Please let me get these for you."

The boys bounded into the room and began to grab slices of pizza before their behinds hit the seat of their chairs. "What are you going to get Meghan?" Joey asked between bites.

Meghan flushed to the roots of her thin, blond hair, the part becoming a rosy pink. The girl had a big crush on Ryan's brother, so much so that this simple question made her feel self-conscious. She didn't answer, using the excuse of drinking her soda.

"Uncle Duncan's taking us to the mall to get some art stuff." Ryan was used to answering for her friend. She hardly ever waited for Meghan to do it herself any more, but didn't mind.

"Cool! Can you give us a ride to the arcade while you shop?" Joey asked.

"I thought you spent all your allowance already Joey." Beth reminded him. "And you aren't borrowing from your cousin." Her son hadn't been showing any signs of handling his money wisely.

"Travis doesn't have any money either Mom." Joey explained. "We just hang out and watch the older guys playing and act all interested until they lose … and then we laugh."

"Sounds like a good way to get into a fight." Adam observed as he set his glass on the table.

"Nah … We don't really laugh. We just kind of roll our eyes and snicker a little. Then when they say something about how we think we can do better, they end up buying us free games to prove we can't." Joey was quite pleased with their little scam.

"And then we dog them." Travis piped in with a grin.

"Still sounds like a good way to get into a fight." Adam repeated. "If you'd like more money for the arcade, you can help me by painting the inside of the shed tomorrow afternoon, but tonight … I think it might be better if you two stayed here."

"Awww Dad!" Joey complained, but one look from his Father silenced him. "OK, we'll paint the shed."

"How much will we get?" Travis wanted details, because to be honest … their scam had almost ended up in a pounding the week before by some guys 3 years older.

"Five dollars each. Seven if you clean all the brushes and don't make a mess."

"Cool." Joey was disappointed about staying home that night, but at least he would have money.

Duncan took the girls to the mall for the supplies and Adam tried to concentrate on a new textbook he'd received in the mail that morning. He'd decided to stay on at the University after the Dean had offered to allow him to teach a new course he'd been pushing.

"You've read that same page over six times." Beth noted as she came to sit on the arm of his chair. "Only one more hour and you can go get her."

"I'm that transparent?" he set the book aside and pulled her onto his lap.

"Just a little." she laughed, laying her head on his shoulder. "I can't believe she's going to be fifteen in a few weeks. It's all going by so quickly."

Adam pulled his arms more tightly around her. "Maybe that's why I'm fighting this dating thing. I don't want her to grow up."

"I know." she replied, nuzzling against his neck and trying not to think about it. For several minutes they said nothing, each lost in thought.

"How much longer do you think we'll honestly be able to stay here?" Beth half whispered her question, not lifting her head to look at him. It was a subject they didn't discuss often.

"We might be able to pull it off until Cassie graduates from High School, but the twins … I don't know Beth. That's six years away and there's only so much we can do to hide the fact we aren't aging." He hated to remind her that their life here was only temporary.

One of Beth's sisters had commented the week before about how unfair it was she wasn't getting the little lines around her eyes the way they were. "And I want to know how you get that bottle color to look so natural." Chris complained.

Beth simply smiled at her sister, and told her she was lucky she guessed and used a good moisturizer, but the questions were becoming more frequent not only from her family, but from friends and neighbors in the small town as well.

Adam could feel the dampness of her tears against his neck as they sat silently holding one another.

"I'm not sorry." she whispered. "I can't hide how sad it makes me feel to know how quickly the time is going by and how soon we will have to leave my family behind, but I don't regret for a second choosing life with you."

"I wish I could tell you it gets easier … "

Beth lifted her face, her eyes glistening with tears and with love for him. "As long as I have you … I'll be all right. I just wish …" she couldn't finish the sentence because the very thought broke her heart.

"What do you wish?" Adam wiped her tears, his face so close to hers. He'd make any wish come true that he could for her.

"I wish … I wish I could always be there for you." her voice broke with emotion as she bit her bottom lip and tried not to cry again.

"You will be." Adam tried to comfort her even as the thought of being without her tore through his heart. He held her face in his hands and kissed her. "You will always be with me, because I won't ever let you go. You'll be here." his hand took hers and pulled it urgently against his chest.

Once again she knew he was saying what she needed to hear most, and what he needed from her was to feel as if he was succeeding in making her believe he would be all right. It was the one game they played in their relationship … and both knew it.

Beth leaned into him, fisting his sweater in her hand as she kissed him fiercely.

"Awww man." Joey's voice came from the stairs. "Do you have to do that in front of us?"

Beth almost jumped off Adam's lap, wiping her face with her hands before turning toward the boys on the stairs. Adam didn't move. He and Beth didn't hide their affection for one another from the children, but lately Joey seemed to be in his 'girls are gross' stage.

"Come down to polish off the rest of the pizza?" he asked, ignoring his son's objection.

The boys had indeed come down to see what they could raid in the kitchen.

"There's cake if you want that, but you'll have to eat it in the kitchen." Beth had taken a few deep breaths and regained her composure.

Adam looked at his watch. It was 9:25. "Time for me to go."

Grabbing Beth around the waist as she moved past him to go into the kitchen, Adam kissed her soundly before letting her go and grinning when Joey groaned his disapproval.