Here is the update, posted with in a couple days as promised! Man you guys are awesome, I had 19 reviews before 24 hours had passed in posting the last chapter. This is a long one, so I hope you enjoy it. See you at the end!
-8x8-
Vic sat on the couch with the boys, watching the movie as Rita puttered around the kitchen clearing up from dinner. Rachel had wandered in a little bit ago with a mug of tea and some papers from work, and while she glanced up at the TV every now and then most of her attention was on the papers.
There was the sound of a car pulling into the driveway, and while most of them heard the lock turning during the door no one looked up. Until…
The front door burst open, and Gar leapt into view, singing at the top of his lungs in true Queens style. "We are the champions, my friend…
Melvin followed close behind as she played the guitar on her lacrosse stick.
"And we'll," Gar went on as he went down on his knees. "Keep on fighting 'till the end…" Melvin's voice joined his as she shredded the life out of her stick guitar.
"We are the champions, we are the champions! No time for losers." Melvin stuck her tongue out at her brothers. "'Cause we are the champions!"
The song ended as the boys tackled their parading sister, and the trio went down stick and all. Vic waded in and pulled them apart as an ecstatic but exhausted Gar flung himself next to Rachel on the couch.
"We won," he said the moment their eyes met, his bright smile so infectious she found one matching on her own face before she realized what she was doing.
"How much?" the mother asked, getting caught up in her excitement as she leaned forward attentively.
"1-2," the coach replied. "It was amazing, Rae."
She drew her knees up to her chin and hugged them to her chest. "Then tell me about it."
Between Gar and Melvin, they managed to reenact almost the whole game, Gar waxing almost poetic over the teamwork the girls had shown and Melvin the goals she had saved.
It was late by the time they were through, Vic having left not long after Gar and Melvin had got home. Rachel ordered everyone to bed, and helped Gar tuck the boys in before seeking their own rest.
"I still can't believe we did it," Gar said as he escorted the mother back to her room. "It was so incredible, Rae, I wish you could have seen it…"
"And spoil your rush of having led the girls to victory?" Rachel laughed softly. "No, I think this season worked out for the best, and I'm proud of you Gar for how you've stepped up for them."
The teacher ducked his head, flushing in embarrassment. "Thank you, though I don't know about working out for the best…you're still a better coach then I am."
The mother rolled her eyes. "At the technical side, yes, and I probably always will be. I played it for four years."
"What other side is there?" her companion asked as he leaned against the hallway wall.
Rachel waggled her fingers as she made a face. "The inspiration and touchy-feely side."
Gar laughed as he waggled his fingers back. "You're good at that."
"If you think so then you obviously haven't been paying attention much," she replied dryly, running a hand through her hair.
"What are you talking about?" the teacher snorted. "You're a natural leader, people look up to you and listen to what you have to say, right?"
"Because they're afraid of me, Gar," his companion explained as she shook her head. "You on the other hand lead by charisma. You smile, crack a joke at your own expense and they love you."
Gar shook his head. "No they don't."
Rachel's brows rose with a teasing hint in her grin. "Do I really need to bring Valentines Day into this conversation?
The teacher turned bright red as he rubbed the back of his neck. "That's…different."
"Really? How?" the librarian asked as she leaned forward in a conspiratorial manner. "Were you trying to romance all those girls and women?"
Gar threw his hands up defensively. "No…no! Of course not! I'd never…"
"I know," Rachel laughed softly. "However, regardless of your intentions they still looked up to and admired you."
Gar made a face as he scratched his chin. "Charisma…isn't that what Hitler had."
The mother nodded. "So they said, yes."
The young man struck a pose, one arm stuck out at an ankle. "Hm…I've always wanted to rule the world…"
Rachel snorted as she rolled her eyes again "Vic would try to overthrow you from fear of any anti-meat policies you might try to introduce."
"I wouldn't ban meat," the teacher said as he adopted a thoughtful look. "I might ban killing defenseless creatures, but you know…"
"Which means no meat," his companion replied dourly.
"Hey, geese are not helpless," Gar replied in a very teacher-like tone. "Or vipers. Or alligators. Or even rats. I'm ok with those."
The mother quirked her brows as if to say 'are you serious?' "…that's not even remotely appetizing."
He raised his arms in surrender, smiling all the while. "Ok, so no ruling the world for me."
Rachel nodded. "That's probably for the best."
"Ok, Rae," Gar said as he ducked his head. "Goodnight, sweet dreams of a world with meat in it."
The mother laughed and waved as the teacher walked back towards the loft. "You too, Gar."
-8x8-
Rachel sat at her work desk Wednesday morning with a mug of tea at her elbow, and all three for her assistant managers ringed in front of her. "You had something you wanted to tell me?" she asked, noting their mixed looks of amusement (Jenny), terror (Jeremy) and apprehension (Casey).
"The upper management wants to throw you a 'welcome back' party on your first full day back," Jenny said almost triumphantly.
"Jenny convinced them a surprise party is probably not the best idea," Jeremy stuck in quickly.
"But you are getting a party," Casey added quickly. "So…what kind of party would you like?"
"…no party?" Rachel replied, giving them all very dark looks.
"Like I said," Jenny chuckled, unaware of how her companions stayed behind her as a human shield, "not an option. They voted at the last meeting, it was almost unanimous. The only thing my intervention got you is the choice of what kind of part you're getting, and fore knowledge of when said party will occur. Which you should give me a raise for regardless…" The librarian's look, if possible, grew even darker. "Alright, alright…seriously, though, what kind of party do you want?"
"An invisible one," Rachel growled as she slouched in her seat. "I can't believe this…"
"Our budget is pretty limited," Casey offered quickly. "So it won't be a big deal…"
"I don't want any deal," her boss cut in sharply. "No party!"
"Ice cream is good," Jenny pointed out brightly. "You like ice cream, boss."
"Sundaes are sort of a come and go thing," Jeremy added, barely peaking over Jenny's shoulder. "So…no big crowds."
"Fruit toppings, nuts, chocolate chips and sauces with whipped cream…" Casey pondered aloud. "We should be able to cover that…"
"I think we've settled it, then," Jenny stuck in quickly. "Good, that didn't take long."
"Settled what?" Rachel cried in a rare loss of composure at work. "I don't want a party!"
"Well, that's not really your choice, is it?" Jenny smirked as she saluted smartly. "Ice cream social, Monday the 17th, 2-4 pm. I think that's it. Let's get out of Rae's hair, guys; she's got lots of work still to do today."
"But wait! I never agreed-" Rachel's jaw snapped shut as her door closed behind her smiling, retreating assistant managers. The boss blinked, and then sighed. "But of course that doesn't matter in the least, now does it?"
-8x8-
Gar didn't mind lunch duty anymore. He'd eat his salad or sandwich sitting with a mix of lacrosse players and other students in his science classes before patrolling the isles between the tables until the bell rang.
Today was no different, the teacher scarffing down his egg salad before getting up to wander among the rest of the student population. A few kids waved as he passed their table, one stopped him to ask about an upcoming assignment. No one was having a 'fry war' today, and the usual trouble makers were on a week-long out of school suspension for setting off a smoke bomb in the auditorium during a sports rally. Gar was about to drift towards the door that headed to his classroom when he narrowly avoided the trash-laden tray flying towards him. A glance in the direction of its origin showed a pissed Mara getting up off the floor and a group of boys in letter jackets laughing behind her.
"Sorry, Mara," the leader said when he spotted the science teacher. "I didn't see you there; let me give you a hand up."
"The hell you didn't," the senior replied hotly, slapping the offered hand away. "Just because my team is doing better than yours ever has…"
The jock snorted arrogantly, smoothing down the sides of his perfectly positions hair. "Like I care about a bunch of macho girls waving sticks at each other."
Mara crossed her arms. "My team could kick your team's butt," she challenged him hotly.
"Yeah, whatever," the senior said as he glanced back at his posse who watched appreciatively. "Lacrosse is for pansies, football is a real man's sport."
"That's enough," Gar said as he put a hand on Mara's shoulder. "Are you alright?"
His Captain shrugged his hand off, but nodded. "I'm fine, Coach."
"Is there a problem here?" boomed a deep voice.
"No, sir," Greg the leader said as he hastily straightened up. "I accidentally tripped Mara, and was just apologizing sir."
"Good." Anything further was drowned out by the lunch bell as it rang. The football coach gave his boys a pointed look and they dispersed without further comment.
"Does that happen a lot?" Gar asked as everyone else got up and began to leave as well.
"Some, recently," Mara admitted with a grimace. "Pam's books have been knocked down the hall a couple times now during class change, Laura had her car syran-wrapped, and a couple of the other girls have had their lockers broken into or vandalized. Nothing's happened to Melvin, by the way. Probably because of her mom, and Brian keeps a close eye on her a lot."
The teacher rubbed his jaw with a sigh. "Thanks. Why is this happening?"
The Captain crossed her arms and glared at a couple of curious classmates until they scurried on by. "Our team is the best and not everyone likes it," she explained once they were reasonably alone. "Especially the guys. I asked around, the old coach had her own ways of finding out who it was and meteing out justice so…it didn't happen often."
"But I'm new, still learning the ropes," Gar finished with a low growl. "So they think they can get away with it again."
Mara nodded, gathering her books and bag back up. "Yeah."
"Great."
-8x8-
Rachel stood at the counter, carefully balancing herself with her cane in one hand and a pan of browned ground beef in the other. Meat was becoming an increasingly rare component of their meals, but the boys had requested spaghetti and the mother couldn't imagine spaghetti without meatballs.
"I want a big meatball," Tommy said as he stirred the pot beside her. "Huge, like, as big as my head."
"How would you get your mouth around something as big as your head?" Rachel asked, amused.
"Tommy just smiled. "I'd figure something out."
"Yes, I'm sure you would."
"I smell garlic bread," Timmy announced as he came bouncing into the kitchen with Rita close behind. "It smells great, Mom!"
"Thank you," she replied as she kissed the cheek presented to her. "How was rehearsal?"
"Good. We have a concert soon, so she's being really tough on us," her son said as he hung his book bag and jacket up with the rest.
"What can I help with?" Rita asked as she washed her hands at the sink. The mother let her guest take over the stovetop and moved to the table to help Timmy set it.
"You can sit, Mom," her older son said. "I've got this."
"Thank you," she replied with a small smile. "But I'm fine."
"Ok…"
Rachel held back her frustrated sigh and reminded herself that it was only concern that made her children treat her like she was the child. And considering how poorly she had felt even last week…it was only to be expected. If in another month or two they were still acting that way, she would remind them who was in charge.
"When should Gar and Melvin get back?" Rita asked as she set the dishes on the table.
"Late," Rachel admitted as she settled in her seat. "The game tonight isn't an official one, but it's a 'challenge' of sorts. It's against a traveling high school lacrosse club, from a private league. Because it's out of the league, it has no effect on their standing in the state, but it's a 'home' game so most of the school will probably turn out to see it. Gar said they had fliers posted for it everywhere, and if they lose it could have a real negative effect on the girls going into the game on Friday."
"Sounds exciting," Rita said as she added the basket of garlic bread, straight from the oven and still steaming. "Let's eat."
-8x8-
Gar screamed as loud as the girls as the final buzzer went off and Mara's last, desperate attempt at a goal went in the net winning them the game 1-0. He charged the field with a mass of fellow students behind him to sweep over the team in one obnoxiously loud celebration. There were hugs, slaps on the back, high fives, and all other manner of non-verbal congratulations as any words just got lost in the tumult.
It took forever to get the girls organized enough to shake their opponents hands, but the other team didn't seem to mind. It had been a game well-played, a battle well-fought. The coaches shook hands, and then were pulled apart by the teaming masses as Gar was swept up by well-wishing teachers and administrators.
He couldn't say how long it was before the crowds began to disperse, but suddenly he was exhausted and the team bench looked very inviting. Sinking into the flat, wood surface he breathed a long sigh of relief. The next game would be harder, and the stakes higher, but for the moment they were on a victory mountain and nothing could ruin the moment.
"Tired, Coach?" Mara asked as she collapsed next to him on the bench, other members sprawling around them in various positions as they came down off their high and physically crashed.
"Yeah," he admitted as he scrubbed a hand through his hair. "I gotta say, you guys were incredible. You must be tired too."
"Yep."
"Oh yeah."
"You betcha, Coach."
"Yes, sir."
The coach laughed and waved everyone back towards the van. "Well, we have school tomorrow, girls. Let's pack it up for tonight."
Gar absently supervised his team as the equipment was gathered, packed up and put in the proper vehicles to be transported back to the school. There they left most of the crowd and over half the team who had rides home with friends and family members.
Thankfully, with as tired as everyone was, the ride was a short one and soon Gar and his girls were hauling water coolers and sports equipment cases into the school. It took two trips and on the second round they only needed half those there so some of the girls left to load their personal gear into the appropriate vehicles. Most of the Seniors and Juniors preferred to carpool rather than get rides from overprotective parents.
Gar locked the series of doors behind them; being sure he had each one secured before going on to the next. They were standing in the dark outside the last set of doors when the screams began.
The teacher shoved his keys at the nearest student and ran towards the parking lot as quickly as his legs could move. Mara outstripped him as they rounded the corner, zeroing in on the source as two of the players came into view. Two black forms held both of the girls, faces covered as they pulled and tugged at their victims.
The Captain got there first, grabbing the closest attacker and flinging the figure away as hard as she could. He hit the ground with a shout, alerting the second who let go of his victim and tried to turn and run. Gar was already reaching for him, though, and he quickly pulled the assailant to the ground. Both masks were yanked off, and the teacher gaped in surprise at who was revealed.
"Greg?" he said as he realized who he was holding down. Looking at the other, he added, "Matthew?!"
"Hey, what's going on over there?!"
Gar let go of the football player's shirt as the policeman jogged over, flashlight in one hand and baton in the other.
"It was just a prank, man!" Greg cried out, getting up slowly from the ground as he backed away from the group. "No need to get all upset!"
"You attacked Elizabeth and Cam!" Mara yelled as she bore down on the young man.
"It was just a joke!" Matthew added when his partner threw him a look. "We weren't gonna hurt them!"
"Even if it was just a prank," Gar said as he put a restraining hand on his Captain's shoulder. "It was very dangerous. Sir, what these boys did could have ended with broken bones."
"We weren't gonna hurt them!" Matthew repeated as Greg added his very loud, verbal agreement. "It was just a prank, y'know, just having some fun!"
"That's enough," the officer broke in as he put his baton back in his belt and clicked off his flashlight. Pointing to the boys, he said, "You two, get out of here. I see you again hanging out here tonight, I'll cuff you both."
"They could have hurt them!" Mara protested as the two teens smirked.
"Did they?" the officer asked, looking to the players.
"No," she replied darkly. "But only because we got here in time."
"No one hurt, no harm done," the policeman said as he looked at the pair pointedly. "They do it again, we'll see. For now, they walk."
"That's not fair," the Captain yelled.
"That's life, little lady."
"We're going now, sir," Greg called as he smirked at the lacrosse Captain and team.
"Yeah, whatever," the officer said lightly. "Get out of here, scram."
"Yessir."
"They could have hurt my players, officer," Gar called after the retreating policeman.
"But they didn't, Coach," he called back over his shoulder. "Leave it alone."
"But, sir-" Mara tried again.
"Leave it alone, girl. Pranks happen."
"But-"
The officer kept walking, waving over one shoulder. "No, no more. Goodnight."
"You can't just let him walk away like that!" Melvin cried as the policeman circled back towards his patrol car.
"Well, I can't very well make him arrest those two, as much as I'd like to," Gar replied with a bit more ire than he meant to. Sighing through his nose, the teacher scrubbed a hand across his head. "Sorry, I'm…upset about this too. We'll talk to the principal and the football coach tomorrow, for now that's all we can do. Are you alright, girls?"
"Pissed, but fine."
"I'm alright, Coach."
"Good. Go home, I'll come check on you tomorrow in your classes," the teacher said as he let out another long slow sigh. "Mara, walk them to their car, I'm gonna check on the rest of the girls, make sure they make it to their cars alright. Melvin?"
The freshman obediently followed the teacher through the parking lot, arms crossed tightly over her chest as if trying to keep something from exploding out.
"We'll get this fixed," Gar said as he glanced at the foster child. "Don't worry."
"Yeah," Melvin agreed in a far away voice. "We'll get it fixed."
-8x8-
It had been surprisingly early when the pair returned to the house. Considering the game had started early, and there had been no true afterwards celebration with the attack, it should not have been the jolt that it was to realize it was only 8:30 p.m. when they walked in the door. Still, Rachel did not disguise her puzzlement at seeing them home so soon. It was Gar who explained what had happened in a low voice.
The mother listened, and then closed her eyes when it was over and let out a long sigh. "I understand," she said softly as she ran a hand over her face. "Thank you for doing what you could. Are you alright, Melvin?"
"I want to go study alone, maybe for a couple hours," the freshman replied with a glance in the direction of her mother's room.
"I'll be up for awhile," Rachel promised with a nod. "Go, I won't disturb you until you say so."
"Thank you."
The mother then turned to her friend. "Are you ok, Gar?"
The question caught the teacher off guard, and so he blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Damn peachy. Sorry. That's uncalled for."
"I think you're allowed to be irritable after something like that," Rachel replied with a shrug. "Can I get you anything?"
Gar shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck slowly. "No, I have papers to grade. The boys are already asleep?"
"Reading in bed," she explained, turning back towards the kitchen. "I'll go make sure their lights are off around nine."
"Ok. I'll be in the living room if you need something."
"And I'll be in the kitchen if you do."
"Ok."
Rita was quietly watching the news in the living room already, and having heard the conversation in the kitchen remained silently in her seat as her son set himself up on the coffee table. Gar had never appreciated prying, so she simply waited for when he would be ready to speak.
Two hours passed in this manner, the sound of papers shuffling, pens scratching, and the evening news on low all blending together in the background as the adults continued their vigil. Gar had finished with his group essays, and was moving on to some quizzes when a heavy pounding on the front door brought him to his feet.
"Roth, open the door! It's the police!"
Rachel was halfway down the hall when Gar passed her, rushing to open the door before it was battered in. The teacher yanked the portal open and was met by an irate police chief.
"You!" the older man cried, jabbing a finger at the Roth matriarch as he tried to shoulder his way past Gar and found the young man was surprisingly resistant to being maneuvered around. "Dammit, we had a deal!"
Rachel blinked as she carefully switched her cane to her other hand. "We still do," she replied calmly. "Sir."
"Then explain this."
The chief held up a metal charm, a black iron raven with swing spread and red stones for eyes.
Rachel paled, flushed red, then paled again. "I can't," she admitted in a low voice. "But it wasn't me."
"Did you give it away?" he asked slowly, voice returning to a normal level as he realized how ridiculous his initial accusation had been. "Sell it? Throw it out?"
"No," the mother replied flatly. "I kept it."
"Where is it?" the chief questioned.
"My closet." Rachel froze the moment the words were out of her mouth, eyes widening. "No."
The chief wasn't given time to demand an explanation, the mother had already turned and was hurrying back down the hall was quickly as her leg would allow. "No, no…"
Rachel didn't knock, she yanked the door open so hard the police chief hot on her heals was almost taken out by it.
"Melvin!"
The freshman froze, one leg still hanging out the window with blood and dirt smeared down her face, and wearing a torn, dark blue coat Gar had never seen before.
It was the chief who broke the silence.
"Is she a minor?" he asked in a low voice, looking like a bull dog who wanted to tear the shreds out of something.
"Yes, she is," Rachel admitted in a carefully controlled tone, her knuckles white as she gripped the handle of her cane.
The chief pointed meaningfully. "The coat?"
Rachel met his gaze levelly. "I'll burn it tonight."
"Good," he said, blowing a long breath through his nose. "I'll take my leave, then."
"You," Rachel said as she slowly turned away from her daughter. "Get inside and clean up. Now."
Gar only saw Melvin get in the window the rest of the way before Rachel took hold of his arm and firmly removed the teacher from the room. The door closed behind them then the mother walked right past Rita in the kitchen and out the back door.
"What's going on?" Mrs. Dayton asked as her foster son remained in the kitchen with a slightly shell-shocked look on his face.
"I don't know" the teacher admitted with a blank look. "I think Rachel just almost got arrested, and I'm not sure why."
It was only years of experience that kept Rita from having an outburst right then and there. "And this…concerns you?" she asked instead, carefully maintaining her calm.
"Um, yes," he replied as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Yes it does."
"Go to her," his foster mother suggested, glancing back at towards the bedroom. "She will probably appreciate a shoulder to lean on very soon."
Gar shook his head, pacing randomly as he tried to organize his scattered thoughts. "I don't think…"
"Trust me, Gar," Rita insisted, pushing him towards the back door. "Go. I'll check on Melvin."
Gar nodded and silently walked out the door to where the mother was stacking wood from the pile into the family's fire pit. She had just opened the container of fire fuel and was trying to pour it one handed when Gar gently took it from her trembling grasp.
"A lot or a little?" he asked before she could protest, noting the way her body trembled as though on the verge of losing control.
"A lot," came the short reply, and Gar quickly complied. He then lit one of the tapers left in the shed, and used that to light the accelerant-soaked wood in the pit.
The blaze roared to life. Gar shielded his face from the wall of heat, and wondered how Rachel could withstand it as she took a step closer.
The back door opened then, Melvin stepping into the light to reveal a series of scratches down one side of her face and a deep bruise forming to the left of her chin. She carried the torn coat in on hand, and silently gave it over to her mother who cast it without hesitation into the depths of the pit.
"You are grounded," Rachel decreed softly as she watched the fire hungrily eat through the worn fabric. "I will decide to what extent in the morning. Do not step foot outside the house again until I do."
"But it wasn't fair!" Melvin cry hung hollow and petulant as the mother turned slowly towards her charge.
"And what you did, that was fair?" she asked, giving her daughter a dark look.
"It was justice," the freshman insisted in a high voice.
Her mother shook her head, taking a step closer leaning heavily on her cane for support. "No, it was revenge."
Melvin sat her mouth in a firm line and shook her head, eyes defiant as she stood her ground against her advancing caretaker.
"It was selfish, petty and stupid," Rachel went on in a tone that grew louder and sharper with each word. "You could have been hurt. You could have been killed. And for what? A moment of satisfaction? Beating a bully does not mean he will change, Melvin, it means they will choose someone else to pick on!"
"Then what am I supposed to do?!" the teenager cried back, tears in her eyes. "Just…let it go? Ignore what happened to my friends?"
"What you're supposed to do is be better than them!" Rachel yelled back, eyes alight as she thumped her cane on the ground. "Be better than me! Dammit, Melvin, what did I do wrong to make you think that being violent was alright?"
Melvin started to wilt under the unwavering, hard gaze. "I just…wanted to be like you."
"I'm the last person you should try to be like!" The words exploded with such force that the mother lost her balance, the cane slipping from her hands to clatter to the ground.
Gar managed to catch Rachel by the elbow before she hit the ground, holding her securely by the waist as the mother reflexively grabbed his shirt.
"Whoa, easy easy. I got you. I think that's enough for now," the young man said as he carefully helped Rachel regain her footing. "Melvin, go inside, please."
"Come, dear," Rita said as she put an arm around the trembling shoulders. "Let's get you something warm to drink."
The freshman submitted to the guiding hands and allowed herself to be led inside. Gar gently lowered Rachel to the back porch steps as soon as they were alone, fetching the cane that had dropped in the dirt and placing it back in the nerveless fingers.
"You don't have to explain," Gar offered as he sat next to her and watched the fire slowly consume itself. "But I do think you should wait for awhile before speaking to Melvin again."
Rachel laughed, a touch of hysteria in her voice. "And you never would ask again, would you?"
"Well, I'd try not to," the teacher sighed as he leaned back on the steps and watched the fire. "Personal stuff is…personal. I get that."
The mother lowered her head to her hands, suppressing a shudder as she did. "I could have been dragged out of here in handcuffs tonight."
"Yeah, I kinda figured that out myself. Still, I'd be lying if I said I had never had a run-in with the law myself." Seeing the skeptical look the mother was giving him, the teacher rolled his eyes. "I was an extreme animal rights activist for awhile, alright? And I used to be a lead-foot."
"Animal rights activism," Rachel replied flatly though the corners of her mouth perked up. "And speeding tickets. What a frightening secret."
"Feel free to mock me as needed," Gar laughed. "If it makes you smiles, it's worth it."
"I need to tell you," his landlady admitted as she rubbed her face with her hands. "Because it's not something I think I will ever completely leave in my past."
The teacher nodded. "Ok. Well, then, you don't have to tell me tonight if you don't want to."
Rachel shook her head, leaning against steps as the energy drained from her body. "I'm afraid if I don't, I never will."
"Do you want to go inside?" Gar offered, noting the goose bumps that were rising on her arms from the cool night breeze.
Rachel shook her head, stretching her bad leg out as she hugged the other to her chest with both arms. "Do you remember?" she asked quietly. "When we talked on the porch?"
"I do," her companion replied in a low voice.
She nodded, rubbing a hand over her eyes as she went on. "It as hard when I started to feel again, to care about other people. When you let things out you realize not all of its…good. I had a lot of anger, and no way to handle it. There was no one I trusted to talk about it, and so the only I knew how to deal with it was to give in. It started off roughing up other foster kids that were bullies, it grew into slipping out a few nights each week and picking fights with people I thought deserved it. Again, bullies, drunks, even some pranksters. It came so naturally, knowing where it hurt to be hit most, knowing how to slip away in the shadows afterwards to avoid the police. I wore the same coat out every night. The dark blue blended into the shadows, and hid the blood stains. Then I made a mistake."
"I got in over my head. I found a fence in one part of town, and bullied him into telling me who was going to make a hit when and started ambushing them. Coincidentally, he also ratted me out to the people I was hunting down, and they decided to come after me."
"I was also lucky beyond belief. The group that jumped me wasn't used to working together, and when I screamed someone heard me and came running to help. However, who came running was the police and this time I was in no shape to slip away. I was caught, and the Center contacted. Since I was still a minor, the Director managed to work a deal. None of it went on my permanent record, and I promised never to do it again."
Gar took his time coming up with something to say. "So for a short period of time you were basically a masked vigilante," he chuckled after a few moments of thought, giving the mother a small smile.
"Gar…"
"Sorry," he said, sombering up to a more appropriate demeanor. "I am pretty impressed, though. You're not exactly a big person, Rae, it couldn't have been easy taking on people that were probably twice your size. What happened next?"
The mother went back to watching the fire that was quickly burning itself out. "I took a required anger-management course, and came out of it a reasonably calmer person. Most of the techniques they taught me were talking to others, sharing of some form. Vic had joined us recently, and so I would occasionally use him to help calm me down. For the majority of the time, though, I relied on meditation and mastering my emotions."
The teacher's brows row curiously. "Mediation, like sitting with your legs crossed and saying 'OMM' over and over again."
"Something like that, yes." His companion rolled her eyes, but still cracked a small smile at his impression.
Gar smacked his leg. "Another smile, score!"
This time Rachel actually laughed, though it was quiet. "So, you're not running for the hills yet?" she asked tiredly.
"Nah, I don't think so," the teacher said as he scooted a bit closer. "You've had a tough life Rachel, no one can deny that. And I think compared to how most others would have handled the situation you're doing just fine.
"I have a terrible temper," she sighed, losing her smile as her gaze became far away.
Gar nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and so do a lot of other people. The difference is how much control over it you have. When was the last time you lost it?"
The mother snorted. "I almost did tonight."
"And before that?" he asked calmly.
Rachel frowned almost thoughtfully. "Total loss of control?"
"Yes."
It took a moment, and then the mother grimaced. "A few years ago," she admitted in a low voice. "When I kicked my ex-boyfriend out of my life. That is probably one of the few times losing my temper has had a positive end. Obviously I've gotten angry or upset since then but I'm usually more or less in control enough to get somewhere private and take care of it there."
Gar shrugged with a soft chuckle. "One exploded temper every 2-3 years? I think I can handle that."
Rachel's face remained somber. "And what if it gets worse?"
"Then we'll handle it one step at a time," her companion answered smartly. "Together."
The mother shook her head. "What if I don't want your help?"
"That would hurt," the young man admitted as he watched her face. "But I would try and wait for you to either get through it on your own or come and ask for my help."
"What if-…"
"You're really liking the 'what ifs' tonight, aren't you?" Gar cut in quietly.
"They're valid questions," Rachel protested weakly.
"They're also pure speculation about things that might not even happen," he countered neatly.
Rachel opened her mouth to argue again, then thought better of it. "…thank you, Gar."
"What for?" he asked.
She smiled faintly, putting a hand out on his arm. "For being you."
"Oh, well…you're welcome," the teacher said as he flushed. "My pleasure."
"I'm calmer now," she sighed as she took her hand back. "Do you think Melvin is still awake?"
Gar looked back over his shoulder with a grin. "Well, either you have another blonde teenager living in the house, or that's Melvin sitting at the kitchen table with Rita."
Rachel nodded picking her cane back up in preparation to stand. "Good, this needs to be settled tonight. Would you mind helping me up, please?"
He beamed. "It would be my pleasure."
It was the work of a moment to lever the mother to her feet and steady her until she was sure of her footing. She reached over and squeezed one of the hands that held her by the elbow before moving towards the door. Gar let go and watched his companion carefully limp her way inside. He followed after dousing the fire and made sure it wouldn't cause any more trouble that night.
In the kitchen Rita still sat at the table now alone and slowly sipping from a mug that steamed.
"They're in the bedroom," she said as her foster son sat next to her. "Probably patching things up."
"Did you and Melvin have a good talk?" Gar asked, leaning forward on his elbows.
"We had an informative talk," the older gentlewoman replied softly.
"And?"
Rita took her time answering, trying to keep control as she had always in the past and finding herself surprisingly close to the edge. "In some ways it scares me, Gar, and in others I see how they need you now more than ever," she said finally, wiping a bit of moisture that was gathering at the corner of her eyes. "I will help you as I can, but I don't know how to deal with people who have seen that much; suffered that much. Melvin told me about when she was a child."
"At the Center?" Gar replied.
The older woman shook her head, showing and feeling her age more than she usually did as she cradled the mug in her numb hands. "No, before. Gar, no child should ever have to live with that kind of fear."
The teacher nodded slowly. "Not all of them are as lucky as I was, Rita, and some aren't even as lucky as the Roth kids. They found someone to love them and got out of the system."
His foster mother shook her head, looking out the window as she wiped at her eyes again. "Still…did you know one of their caretakers used to lock them in a closet when they were too loud playing together? Even Tommy and him just a baby! Gar, I can't even imagine…"
Gar put a comforting hand over Rita's. "Then don't. You can't change the past, Rita, you can't right the wrongs of people you don't even know."
The older woman wiped her eyes again, nodding as she tried to smile. "Well, then I'll do what I can now."
Gar smiled back warmly, squeezing the hand he held softly. "I'd say you already are."
Rita nodded, regathering her composure as she sat up straight. "Speaking of doing things, this reminds me of something. Melvin is a freshman in high school, right?"
"Yeah."
"Has anything been started for her college education?"
"I have no idea."
-8x8-
Rachel sat with her back against the wall, Melvin's head on her good leg as they rested on the mother's bed. Rae ran her hand through her daughter's hair, and softly hummed to herself as she tried not to fall asleep. They had talked, a lot more calmly this time, and while they would not ever truly see eye-to-eye on a few small issues the majority of the matter had been resolved. Rachel had agreed that what had happened was unfair and that something needed to be done about it. Melvin agreed that going after the perpetrators alone had been foolish and she was lucky to come away with only a few scratches and bruises.
The agreed punishment was haggled back and forth a bit. Melvin argued that she should not be banned from going to the weekend lacrosse party because Rachel had already given her consent and Melvin had worked hard at her lacrosse this year as well as successfully keeping her grades up while playing the sport. The mother had agreed after long thought, and the punishment was set to begin the Monday after. Melvin would be grounded for two weeks, and Brian would only be allowed over once each week. Every infraction of the grounding would result in an additional week of grounding, and Melvin vowed suck would not be necessary.
"I can't believe it's after midnight," Rachel sighed as she glanced at the clock on the night stand. When there wasn't answer, she glanced down at the freshman in her lap. "Melvin, are you asleep?"
"I was," the teenager grumped as her mother shook her shoulder gently. "I'm tired."
"Then go sleep in your own bed, on the floor," her mother said around a yawn, barely able to keep her eyes open herself.
"Alright, alright…"
Rachel didn't bother getting undressed, she reached over and killed the light before half-crawling under the covers and closing her eyes. She did not open them again until morning.
-8x8-
Friday was, naturally, a difficult day for everyone as no one had gotten any real rest the night before. Thankfully, Rachel was only working a half day, and both her and Rita took long naps upon returning home. Gar had tests all day with free time once the exams were finished. When not facilitating the tests, the teacher had napped at this desk while pretending to grade papers. And Melvin had three classes with similar set ups that day, sleeping at her desk after each exam. By the time evening had rolled around, everyone was feeling much more like their usual selves.
It was another quiet evening at the Roth house. Gar and Melvin had left for the State finals game with the rest of the team as soon as school ended, and there were no other visitors at the house as Vic and Jenny were preparing to have the boys over for 24 hours, and Kori and Richard had made the drive to watch the lacrosse team in their most epic of games.
Rachel remained calm despite the excitement that threatened to burst forth. State finals for the team! Still, she resisted the urge to call Gar every five minutes for updates. The Coach certainly didn't need to distraction, and neither did she.
Instead, she forced herself to sit down and focus on her boys who had seen very little of their mother as of late. With the extra visitors around neither child had felt the loss but Rachel was aware of it and promised to make it up to them this night.
And so the evening began.
First, there was macaroni and cheese, the boys' favorite meal they could agree on, and then the games. After a racing tournament, a card game, a lego castle build-off and a marshmallow toasting it was 10 o'clock and time for bed.
The boys argued some. Melvin and Gar weren't home yet and they wanted to know who had won. They then remembered they also wanted to watch a DVD Tommy had borrowed from a friend on dinosaurs, and that would help them stay awake until the others returned home. And of course any movie watching would have to be accompanied by popcorn and cheese slices. Rachel quickly derailed her sons' growing plans before they got out of control and sent them off to bed. She consoled them with the reminder that tomorrow night they would be with their Uncle Vic who was a pushover and would probably let them do whatever they wanted. She purposefully left out Jenny, who would probably be the adult in charge for the night.
Both kids relented, and soon Rachel was making her rounds, tucking each son in before moving on to the living room and kitchen to clean up. Rita was beside her helping before the mother realized it.
"You don't have to help," Rachel offered as she packed the playing cards away.
"But I want to, dear," Rita replied cheerfully as she briskly put the couch back in order. "Besides…oh, is this yours?" The older woman held up the battered black cell phone Rae had inherited from her brother for the duration of her injury.
"Yes, it is. It must have fallen out of my pocket." Rachel barely had time to flip it open and see she had three missed calls when the house phone rang.
"Roth residence," she said automatically as she put the phone to her ear.
"Rae, its Gar," came her tenant's voice over the cell. "Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, it's fine," she replied as she leaned against the counter for better balance. "The boys just went to bed, why?"
"You didn't answer your cell. I called a couple of times."
Rachel blinked, feeling strangely guilty as she checked the cell and found her missed calls had indeed been from the teacher. "Oh, sorry, it fell out of my pocket in the couch. I, uh…didn't mean to worry you."
"No, no. It's fine," the voice on the other end of the line hurried to assure her. "But since you're here…" There a moment of muffled silence, a voice counting in the back ground, and then, "WE WON!!"
Rachel sat in stunned silence as the sound of the team's shouts and cries of celebration washed over her. Eventually, the sound quieted down as though the phone were moving away from the crowd, and Gar's voice came back on the line.
"Did you hear that?" he asked, laughing as he moved further away from the crowd.
"I did," Rachel replied quickly. "How much?"
"3-2, it was close right up until the end," the coach said breathlessly. "Gees, I wish you'd been here, Rae."
The mother snorted, looking down at the counter absently. "You know I couldn't come."
"I know, I know…still. You would be so proud of them, Rae," he replied, pausing to shout something away from the phone.
"And I am," she laughed when she was sure he was back on. "How late do you think you'll be?"
"No idea," Gar groaned, half-laughing. "These girls are wound up. Don't wait up, I'll make sure Melvin makes it safely to her party and see you in the morning, ok?"
Rachel smiled. "Ok. Thank you."
"Not a problem. Get some sleep," the teacher mock-ordered.
"I will. Be safe," she mock-ordered back.
"I will."
Rachel hung up, turning around to find Rita waiting behind her.
"Well?" the guest asked curiously.
"Wha-? Oh, they won." Rachel blushed, though she wasn't sure why.
Rita just smiled, wiping up an imaginary speck of dust with a rag. "Excellent. Do you need help with anything else tonight?"
"No, thank you," the mother replied quickly, sticking her cell in her pocket and dumping the few dishes left in the sink.
"Good," the older woman said as she put her rag away. "I'm off to sleep, have a get up early tomorrow and pack."
"Pack?" Rachel replied slowly. "I thought you were staying another week."
"I am," the older woman replied cheerfully. "I'm taking Saturday and Sunday to visit some friends nearby. With everyone else out of the house, I figured my presence wouldn't be missed."
"You will be missed," the mother reassured her guest sincerely. "But I hope you enjoy your trip. When are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow, after lunch," Rita replied firmly. "It is late, my dear. See you in the morning?"
"See you in the morning. Thank you, Rita."
"You're welcome."
Rachel was quick to lock up the house and settle in her room. She changed into something more comfortable and eased into her bed, reviewing her plans for tomorrow as usual. The boys would leave before lunch. Melvin wouldn't be back until late Sunday. Rita was leaving after lunch, and would be the last to return Sunday night. And Gar…
And that's when it hit. She was going to be alone, completely alone, with Gar for 24 hours, give or take. No interruptions. No one else to worry about but each other, period.
Needless to say, sleep did not come quickly after that.
-8x8-
Gar woke to the sound of Vic's truck lumbering its way up the drive. He was surprised at the time when he glanced at the clock, then remembered he hadn't gotten in until after two in the morning. Celebrating with the team had been amazing, but the Coach wondered if perhaps he should have shown a touch more restraint considering how many daylight hours had been lost in return.
Shoving the matter aside as there was nothing he could do about it now, Gar leapt out of bed and grabbed a clean change of clothes on his way to the shower. He emerged ten minutes later, freshly bathed and just in time to bid farewell to the departing boys.
"Have fun guys!" the teacher called as the truck rumbled off. "Be nice!"
"I'm always nice!" Timmy yelled, half-leaning out the window before his brother pulled him back inside. Gar could see them arguing back and forth and Vic struggling to out-shout both of them as the vehicle drove out of sight.
"You sure Vic can handle them for that long?" the teacher asked the mother he was standing beside.
"No," she admitted with a wry smile. "But Jenny can. She'll make sure nothing burns down."
"Or explodes," Gar added with an impish grin. "Or implodes. Or disintegrates. Or crashes. Or-"
Rachel half-heartedly glared at him out of the corner of her eye, struggling not to smile. "Ok, ok. We get the point, haha."
"Lunch time," Rita sang from the kitchen through the open from door.
Gar's stomach answered right on cue with a truly gut-wrenching yowl.
"I heard that," Rita called back. "Was that you, Gar?"
"It is," the young man laughed, letting his landlady enter the house first. "What's cooking?"
Rita had three places set at the table, and a bowl of salad with plenty of extras in the middle. At the stove, the older foster-mother ladled soup into bowls.
"Soup and salad," she said as she brought the bowls to the table. "Something light and tasty. There's crackers, if anyone wants some with their soup."
"I do," Gar piped up, and soon his bowl was half-full of crumbled wafers. Rachel politely declined, and quietly enjoyed her meal as Rita controlled the conversation with stories of her college years when she met her husband and Gar's father and the trouble they would get into. Neither of her companions minded, and even enjoyed the tales of when gas was less than a dollar a gallon and Cokes 25 cents at the fountain. It was also less stressful than trying not to look at each other and still be polite.
"Well," Rita said towards the end of the meal as she set her empty plate and bowl aside. "I suppose I shall bit you both farewell."
Gar looked up in surprise. "You're leaving right now?"
"No, I'm going to clean the kitchen before I go. However, Rachel mentioned earlier she had some paperwork to take care of this afternoon and I'm sure you have something to do as well, thus I will say my goodbyes now so that I will not need to disturb either of you later."
Both young adults complied, and the mother quickly excused herself afterwards, only pausing to tell Gar she would be ready at the agreed upon time before disappearing into her room.
The teacher lingered for a few minutes before deciding that he needed to get moving as well.
"Have a safe trip," he said as he brought his dishes to Rita at the sink. "Call if you need something."
"Oh, I will," she replied brightly. "And good luck to you."
"Do you think I need it?" the teacher asked, paling a bit.
"Of course not!" Rita said briskly, patting him on the back. "You Logan's were born lucky. But it never hurts to have a little extra help on your side so, again, good luck."
Gar wanted to make a crack about dying from accidentally going over a cliff not being lucky, but instead said, "Thank you. See you Sunday."
Rita finished cleaning the kitchen and gathered up her things, taking the rental car as planning and heading out of town as her GPS directed.
Flicking open her cell phone, Mrs. Dayton dialed one of their personal lawyers and was pleased when the young man answered immediately.
"Charles? This is Rita Dayton. Yes, lovely to be speaking to you too. I have something I need sent to me, and quickly from a safety deposit box in my name. Do you think you could help me with that?" Rita paused to listen to the enthusiastic reply, and smile. "Wonderful!"
-8x8-
Rachel sat nervously at her desk, fingers fiddling with her bracelet as she stared outside at the darkening sky. The minutes slowly ticked by as she waited, and she let her mind wander if only to keep herself from obsessing about when Gar was going to come.
Melvin was at her friend's all-weekend party, and between that and her excitement over winning the state finals (and her run-in with the police) she was too distracted to realize everyone but Rachel and Gar were out of the house for the night. For the moment, the mother saw no reason to let her daughter in on the truth. Not that the mother intended for anything….like that to happen, but Jenny had put it perfectly when she's announced her and Vic would take the boys for the night.
Rita was out visiting friends for the next two days, or so the older woman had said. Gar had admitted he had no idea who Rita knew who would live close to this area, and while it was possible it was someone he had never met there were areas nearby that met Rita's usual requirements of finery and wealth to house one of her friends.
Rachel was started from her thoughts by a soft knock. "Come in," she called, turning around in her seat slowly.
Gar poked his head in, a bright if somewhat nervous grin on his face. "Are you ready?" he asked as he stepped the rest of the way into the room. He was wearing a nice pair of comfortable khakis, and a collared, button down short-sleeved shirt that he'd left un-tucked. His hair was neatly arranged, and he's shaved again. Rachel hardly noticed the details, she just knew he looked wonderful and hoped she measured up.
The teacher, on the other hand, was hoping he hadn't gone too casual. Rachel was wearing a one-piece wrap around dress that tied in a neat knot to the left of her waist. Her hair was down, but nicely arranged to frame her face, and she wore a set of matching silver jewelry with red stones that Gar had never seen before. On her feet were flat sandals that matched the dress. Her brace was off her leg, but she rarely wore it during the day if she didn't need to anymore.
"Y-yes," she said quickly when she realized he was waiting for an answer. "I am."
"Good." Gar offered his arm, and Rachel accepted it gingerly. Both were so focused on trying to hide the fact that they were blushing that neither noticed the line of pink gracing their companions' cheeks. The mother was so occupied, in fact, that she didn't notice they weren't heading for the front door until she was looking at the backyard.
And it was perfect.
Hundreds of tiny Christmas lights winked at her from the bushes and trees. The toys and others signs of kids had been hidden away. A small, two-person table had been set up amidst the trees, candles lit on the white table cloth and others nestled in sheltered nooks around them. One of Vivaldi's ballads played softly in the background.
"May I show you to your seat?" he asked after giving her a moment to take it all in. From the look on her face, his hard work had paid off and that eased his nerves more than he'd hoped.
"Yes," she replied, giving him a small smile. "You may."
Gar gallantly took her down the steps, leading her to the table and pulling her chair out. Rachel accepted the gesture graciously, settling herself in as she surveyed the table more closely. In front of her was a plate with a lid on it. Gar reached for it and pulled it off with a flourish.
"Dinner is served!"
The meal was Italian themed. Ravioli, bread with oil or butter, and a small salad on the side. There was water to drink, and for dessert another dish directly in the middle of the table still covered. Gar uncovered his own plate and grinned as he sat across from his companion. "Shall we?"
Rachel needed no further urging. The food smelled delicious, and it tasted just as good. The ravioli was stuffed with cheese and some herbs she was unfamiliar with but made the pasta melt in her mouth. She let Gar take charge of the conversation, and the teacher joked and told stories through the meal. The difference between now and the last time when Gar had accompanied her to the concert was the stories were about him and not his students or friends. And as she listened, for the first time Rachel got a good idea of what it was to grow up Garfield Mark Logan.
The stories about Africa were not the wild tales of the animals he'd seen or adventures he'd had, but about the family life of the Logan's at their camp outside of an African village. And, surprisingly, most of the stories were about Gar's father than his mother. Slowly, it became apparent why. Marie Logan had loved her son, but had actively lacked the mother instincts that most women were born with. Thus, Mark Logan had been the main caregiver in Gar's young life. And Gar had adored his father.
The came the river accident.
Rachel had expected to be dwelling on that topic for awhile, it was a sign of Gar's maturity when she realized how quickly they skated past it. The young man was past his parent's death. It had probably been a very painful and traumatic experience as a child, but time and loved had healed the wounds and left only scars in their place.
The mother was quite surprised when she found her plate bare of al but crumbs and a few traces of tomato sauce. "That was very good," she said as she leaned back in her seat with a satisfied sigh. "Thank you, Gar."
"You're welcome," he replied, beaming at her from his seat. "Do you have room for dessert, or do you want to wait awhile?"
"I think I'd rather wait, if you don't mind," her companion mused after a moment of thought. "Dinner was so good I couldn't help but finish all of it."
"Not a problem, I'm glad you liked it." The teacher flushed, and turned away as he rubbed the back of his neck. "It's take out, actually," he admitted with a shrug. "I didn't want to risk trying to cook myself and ruin it for both of us."
"You're not a bad cook, Gar," Rachel admonished softly with a frown.
"No, just a forgetful one sometimes," he countered, ducking his head in embarrassment. "And Murphy and I are too good of friends for me to take that chance."
Rachel started the saying as she rolled her eyes, "If it can go wrong…"
"It will," they finished together, smiling all the while.
The conversation died out for the moment, but the following silence was a comfortable one. Gar watched as Rachel inspected her transformed back yard again and found it very much to her liking. She flushed when she realized she was being watched, but met Gar's gaze head on and held it.
"Would you like to dance?" Gar offered when the moment began to stretch too long.
Rachel paused, and then said, "I'm not sure I can."
"I promise I'll be careful," he said as he held out his hand. "Please."
His date took the offered appendage, and with his help rose to her feet. It was then that Rachel realized her cane was still in her room, and that Gar had quite successfully helped her around without it from the very beginning. With that thought, her confidence in him grew and she willing accepted his support as he led them in a slow circle through the clearing. Strands of lights peaked through the leaves overhead, and gave the darkness a warm glow. Rachel didn't remember laying her head in the crook of Gar's neck, but suddenly she was and it felt…right.
Gar was in heaven. The music had switched to a mix of his favorite slow-dance songs, and the woman in his arms responded gracefully and willingly to his every touch. They weren't moving much, or far, but for the young man leading it was more than enough. He wasn't sure if Rachel was aware of the way she would occasionally nuzzle his neck, but it felt wonderful and she smelled wonderful and everything was just…wonderful.
He wasn't so far gone in his joy that he didn't notice the way his partner stiffened up in the middle of a step. "Your leg?" he asked as he stopped, still holding her close.
"Yes," she replied with a hint of disappointment. "I think I need to sit for awhile."
"That's just fine," Gar replied, quickly masking his own disappointment as he turned them back towards the table. "Ready for dessert?"
Rachel managed a smile as he slid arm around her shoulders. "Sure."
The teacher seated his date before removing the lid from the dessert plate with another elaborate swirl. On the dish was tiramisu, a dessert Rachel had loved when they lived at the Center when Mrs. Locklen would make it. She was also fairly certain she had never mentioned that particular love to Gar.
One brow rose slowly as she looked at her host. "How…?"
"Vic," the teacher admitted after a moment's pause. He grinned sheepishly. "You're not mad, are you?"
"Only," his date replied as she picked up her fork and snagged a corner, "if it's not any good. It's not nice to be teased like that." Gar laughed as she popped the bite in her mouth and paused as if weighing the merits of the morsel in her mouth.
"How is it?" Gar asked as she swallowed and closed her eyes.
"Delicious," she declared as she beamed at him. "Where did you get it?"
"Same place as dinner," the teacher explained as he fiddled with his own fork. "Giani's, the new place near the school. They took the space China Panda used to be."
The mother's brows knit together thoughtfully. "That place is tiny."
Her date agreed. "Yes, it is."
Then, she grimaced. "And it was very dirty."
"Now it isn't," he countered quickly. "They cleaned it up real nice. You could probably eat off the floor now."
Rachel's brows rose appreciatively. "Really? And their food is good."
Gar nodded. "I agree."
"I should like to go eat there sometime," the young woman declared with a twirl of her spoon after eating another bite of the cake.
"My lady's wish is my command," her companion intoned as he bowed slightly at the waist. "May I try a smidgen of yonder morsel, or might I lose some appendages in the process?"
Rachel's eyes crinkled with held in laughter. "How long did you have to rehearse that before you could say it right?" she asked teasingly.
Gar mad a face back. "A week. May I?"
"Yes, you may," the mother nudged the plate closer to her companion. "Tiramisu this good is meant to be shared."
"Good because I have never tired tiramisu before," the teacher admitted as he nabbed a bit for himself and popped it in his mouth. "Mm! This is pretty good."
"Pretty good? It's delicious!" Rachel turned the pointed prongs of her fork towards the teacher, punctuating her statement with a swift poke.
"Ok, I'm sorry!" he cried, waving his hands in surrender as he laughed. "It's delicious."
The young woman went back to her dessert, somewhat mollified. "That's right, it is."
Gar laughed as Rachel cut another bite out of the cake and nibbled on it with a look of pure delight.
"Which do you like better?" Gar suddenly asked with a teasing glint in his eye. "Tiramisu or Vivaldi?"
"Why?" the mother replied, surprised.
The teacher set his fork down and leaned on the table with his elbows thoughtfully. "Because, both of them give you a look of…well, it's like watching a cat get scratched behind the years in that perfect spot. You're practically purring."
Rachel blushed, but reached for another bit regardless. "I am not," she replied in the tone that usually resulted in immediate compliance from her children. Gar, however, was not her child and the impish sparkle in his smile only grew.
"Oh yes," he replied with a look that dared her to prove him wrong. "You are."
"I am not a cat," she growling warningly.
He just smiled and tilted his head to the side with a slight smirk. "And yet you purr."
"If I was to purr, and I am not saying that I do," Rachel quickly clarified as she set her eating utensil aside. "Even tiramisu this good could not coax it from me."
"Oh really, and what would?" Gar asked with a daring look.
"I'm afraid I can't say," the mother explained calmly, unable to stop the excited jitters going through her stomach regardless. "I have never purred before a day in my life, thus it is impossible for me to know."
"I bet someone could help you find out. Someone persistent and caring and handsome and charming…" The teacher's hand slowly inched its way across the table top, coming to meet finger tip to finger tip with the mother's before loosely lacing their fingers together.
Rachel didn't look down at their hands, but flipped her hand upside down so they were palm-to-palm. "Do you think so? Do you know anyone like that?"
Gar shrugged, enjoying the feel of her skin against his limited though the contact might be. "I might. There's a friend of mine, he's got a real thing for you too. A bit absent-minded sometimes, but I can tell you this. He'd never hurt you. Not in a million years."
The young woman sat back a bit and looked away, as though reliving something in her mind. "Oh, I've heard that before."
Her companion nodded, but persisted, "Probably. But not from me."
Gar paused as he sensed he had almost overstepped his bounds in the way the Rachel tensed ever so slightly, her hand starting to withdraw from his.
"I have another surprise for you," he said as he rose from his seat still holding her hand. "Would you like to see it?"
"I would," Rachel replied, accepting the escape for to another topic for the time being. She let him assist her up, and then closed her eyes when he asked.
"Do you trust me?" he asked as he carefully led her around the yard.
"Of cour- ah!" Rachel relaxed as she realized she had fallen in her hammock, and that the lights had been turned off. Then her mouth dropped open at the sight above. The moon hung full in the sky, surrounded by a banner of stars that twinkled with almost supernatural brightness against the black of space.
Gar cleared his throat after a few minutes of watching her stare. "Is there room for one more?" he asked, just barely about to see her outline as his eyes adjusted to the sudden loss of light.
"What? Oh, um…yeah." The mother scooted over carefully, aware that due to the laws of gravity and the design of the hammock no matter how far to one side or the other she went, not touching Gar was pretty much impossible. So, she settled for arranging herself so she wasn't on top of the teacher and hopefully neither of them would get claustrophobic. Or get the wrong idea. Whatever the wrong idea might be.
Gar settled himself as carefully as one could on a hammock, perfectly aware that flipping them both onto the ground would probably end the date, and maybe his chances with Rachel Roth period. When he was securely in place, arm brushing up against his companion's, he relaxed and started to rock them back and forth with his legs.
"Did you know the stars would be this bright tonight?" Rachel asked her voice barely above a whisper in the stillness of the dark.
"No," he admitted cheerfully. "But I knew the moon would be full and the night would be clear and hoped for the best with that. Sometimes you just get lucky." The teacher glanced over at the mother and waggled his brows suggestively. The mother elbowed him back and the young man took the hint, settling back down to stare at the sky.
"So," Gar asked after awhile, closing his eyes and enjoying the cool breeze and gentle sway. "Was it good?"
"Was what good?" Rachel replied her voice low as though speaking from far away.
"The date," he clarified as he angled his head so he could see her face.
"Is it over?" she replied, glancing at him in puzzlement.
"Well, no, but this is pretty much it," he admitted with a shrug that only reached one shoulder as the other was pressed up against his date. "I planned the dinner, the dancing, and the star gazing. I figured if I made it that far without being evicted from your house, burning something down with the candles, or making a mess of things some other way I might be lucky enough to get away with playing it by ear for the rest of the night. And on the other side I was afraid if I planned more than that I might be pushing my luck too far in the other direction."
Rachel laughed, covering her moth with one hand. It was not meant unkindly, but Gar winced none the less. "Not much self-confidence there, hm?"
The teacher rolled his eyes, holding in a sigh. "Well, knowing it was a good date would help…"
"It was a great date, Gar," his companion cut in with calm assurance.
"It was?" He perked up immediately, sitting up a bit to watch her face. Or that which he could see in the dim light.
"Yes, it was," she replied steadily, glancing at him before looking back at the sky. "The food was great, the conversation was great, even the dancing. I've never really enjoyed dancing before tonight; I hope I wasn't too clumsy trying to follow…"
"No, you were great; I just hope you didn't push your leg too much," Gar hastily reassured the mother. "I don't want you to hurt tomorrow."
"No, I should be fine," she said as she flexed the limb at the knee. "The doctor wants me to exercise it more anyways, so…"
"Good." Gar said as he settled back down in his spot.
"Yeah." The response was automatic.
"So, what now?" the teacher asked after a few minutes of silence, the hammock still swaying them beneath the star-laden night sky.
"I have no idea," his companion said as she stared at the sky. "You're the one with the plan."
The teacher debated with himself for several minutes before deciding perhaps it was time to dive off the cliff. He turned back towards the beautiful woman beside him and asked, "Would it be rude of me to say that I really, really want to kiss you?"
Rachel took her time replying, unsure of how she felt about it though her stomach jumped with excitement. She settled for, "Why haven't you?" and continued to stare up at the sky to keep herself from having to meet her companion's gaze. She could feel it in the dark, and was glad the lack of light hid her deepening flush.
"Mainly a fear of getting kneed," Gar said, trying for a joke that still fell a bit flat. "Or told to leave."
"You've been hearing stories from Vic again, haven't you?" the mother tried to joke back with a nervous laugh, knowing it was a flop as soon as it left her mouth.
"Rae…" Her name was a question, a plea, and a desire all wrapped into one whisper. She didn't know how he did it, but it pulled words out of her mouth she hadn't meant to say. Or at least not yet.
"I like you, Gar," the mother admitted as she angled her head so she could look at him as well. Taking a deep breath, she plunged on. "A lot. You have been so kind and generous to me and my family. We owe you a lot…"
"You don't owe me anything," the teacher interrupted as he looked away with a frown. Suddenly the lack of light that had made things seem so cozy and intimate was suddenly hiding the face he needed to see. "And if that's why you agreed to this date then we should stop right here."
Rachel felt her breath catch in her throat as the body next to her tensed. "Gar, that's not what I'm trying to say."
Again, the teacher cursed the lack of light. He'd know just by looking at her if it was over, if he could just see her face. But the plug was halfway across the yard…"Then is the 'let's just be friends' talk?" he asked a bit more harshly then he meant to. "Because I know how that one ends too."
The mother shook her head, sitting up some as she tried to figure out just what had gone wrong. "No, dammit, will you just listen-"
"To you tell me this isn't going to work out for the tenth time?" Gar chuckled humorlessly. "No thanks. I'll just-"
Gar's words were cut off as Rachel's lips sealed over his, kissing him fiercely as he followed her back down to the hammock.
"I don't just like you," she said as she broke away, holding him by the collar so their faces were only inches away. Her hands shook so much he laid his over them, clasping them tightly against his chest. "You…I want you, in more ways than one, more than I've wanted anyone in a long time. And that terrifies me more than you know."
"…oh," was all Gar could say as his mind was still trying to catch up from the kiss.
Rachel paused for a moment, biting her lip as she waited. "Did I lose you, Gar?" she asked at last, a hint of hope in her voice.
"You kissed me," he replied quickly, the only thing he could think to say right then.
"Yes, I did," his companion replied as her voice dropped, "Was it that bad?"
"Oh, no," the teacher quickly said, his brain finally reaching normal speeds again. "So…I get a chance?"
The mother hesitated, and then laughed. "Yes," she told him as she laid her head against his shoulder. "At this point, I think I'd give you as many chances as it takes for us to get this right."
Gar probably would have been shouting with joy had his mouth not found itself occupied once again. This time the kiss was gentler, and more exploratory as Gar propped himself up one arm and used the other to draw his date as close as he could without hurting her.
"So," Rachel said when they took a break some time later and were enjoying just being close under the night sky. "What are we going to tell the kids?"
"The truth," the teacher snorted. "They've been rooting for us since Christmas. They told me I should catch you under the mistletoe."
Rachel flushed as she buried her face in his shoulder again. He smelled so good…"And you did."
"Completely unintentionally, not that I'm complaining," Gar replied as he ran his fingers through her silky hair, "but contrary to popular belief, I am not that smooth."
The mother laughed, softly, as though too much sound would break the spell and leave everything that had happened nothing more than a dream. "And what happens after that?"
"I woo you to your heart's content, and when I finally get the nerve to propose you hopefully say yes," Gar explain in a very serious manner
"Been planning this for awhile, hm?" Rachel said as she shook her head, unable to even think that far into the future, and yet at the same time unable to imagine a future that did not involve the man beside her.
"Only since I met you. Ok, well, only since I got to know you," he replied with a complete lack of repentance. "I knew from the beginning that I liked you and that I was attracted to you. I never guessed it would grow this much."
"You're a good man, Garfield Mark Logan," Rachel said as she kissed him again.
"I'll be your man for as long as you want me," he replied when they came up for air. "Rachel…what is your middle name?"
"Angela," she replied immediately.
He grinned as he put it together. "Rachel Angela Roth."
"You sure about that?" she asked as her fingers intertwined with his. "It could be a lifetime."
Gar smiled contentedly, kissing her on the nose as he stared into her eyes. "I'm counting on it."
-8x8-
The End
-8x8-
Some of you probably think that is too soon of an end. Well, sorry. This chapter was 36 pages long before I added this section, it is plenty long enough for you guys. Review replies were done personally, if you didn't get yours that means you didn't sign in to your account name or you didn't leave an email address to send a reply to. Please review, this chapter was up before Christmas, and the Epilogue shall be making its appearance before the New Year. Have a great holiday, whatever kind you may be celebrating!
~CB~
'And so they lived happily ever after.'
-Anon.