Chapter 26

Eve and Tanner leave Bond and Judi alone to get acquainted.

Bond's actually excited to learn about Judi's childhood. Anything about her mother and their family life may give him greater insight into Olivia. Bond has never been really good at making people comfortable around him...part of the job. Bond will really have to connect with Judi. For all intents and purposes Judi will be Bond's step-daughter.

"The news has blasted your mother's death out to the public. I suppose you know what your mother's job has been for the last 20 years? She's officially dead but we are still covered under the official secrets act so you know you cannot speak of any of this to anyone or put all of us in danger, including your family. I am one of her agents and I will be protecting you here in the evenings."

The two of them move into the dining area and begin dinner. Judi has the look of someone who has just been told something mind-boggling.

"I just can't believe you're infatuated with my mother...I mean...well it's odd...to me...that she has such a young man in her life. I can't believe the life she has lived without us even knowing! I always thought that mum worked for an important government organization. I never guessed MI6."

"Why don't you come to work with me tomorrow and meet the new M. I'm sure everyone would love to meet you and he's the one that knows where your mother is. Of course we are to all act like we are in mourning for her but I will introduce you to Q. He's the computer genius that created the false background for your Mum's life. The current M's the only person that knows where your mum is at this moment."

"No one else knows where she is? You people really do take security seriously. Why do you seem upset by that? Is she in a lot of danger? Tanner told me a bit about those terrorist attacks last week and how mum was somehow involved."

"I am not sure how much to tell you other than she was involved and that I am helping chase down any other threats from the same organization. I don't have a place to live, so keeping you safe as a security detail gives me a place until I find one...hopefully with my fiancé."

"You're getting engaged! Congratulations!"

"I haven't asked your mother yet so don't say anything. We haven't even got past the making out part of the relationship."

Judi almost choked on her wine. "WHAT you haven't even slept with her yet! OK...ok...that officially wins as the strangest thing I have ever said about my mother, in my entire life."

"I have been in love with your mother for a long time. I was hesitant to do anything after your father passed...the age difference. I actually didn't truly understand my feelings until I thought she'd been killed in that explosion a month ago. Now I've been waiting for her to decide when we get closer. We both sustained injuries in the attack and it will take time for our bodies to heal."

"She called us after the explosion and told us a crazy story about becoming young again. Is it true? Is that what spurred you into action? Not that I think you're vain, but a man like you with a 76-year-old woman...well, you know how it looks."

"No, I have always been drawn to your mother and yes, now that she's younger I have stepped up because of all the competition I am facing."

"Competition? Well, this is really getting interesting. Do tell?"

"She'd been experimented on by our old Q, one of the scientists that has known her for years and it turns out he was in love with her. A few months ago they went on a few dates and then he injected her with something that took away 40 years. Olivia now looks exactly like you but blonde."

"Why was mum dating him when you were in love with her? You didn't let her know of your feelings for her?"

"I was gone for 4 months and had no idea...I discovered it here, when I got back. I knew Olivia was still in mourning for your father. I stupidly thought that she would stay single forever after his passing. Olivia's change in appearance is amazing and the current M is infatuated with her. M asked her on a few dates and your mother couldn't believe all the attention she was getting. For the most part she tried to stay above it and do her job. The attention was defiantly getting too her. Then I show up here...and..."

"Here! As in here in this house! What were you doing here?"

"I occasionally broke in to give her a report when I returned from a mission...not... allowed by the rules as you can imagine."

"Wow...Bond you had it bad for her...didn't you? Ha ha...wow...my mum...three men after her...really? I mean...weird...not that I don't think she's lovely...I've always known that but...I mean...she's old enough to be your mother...with us, mum's personality was...well, annoying. Mum always had to be right...she was never around and very domineering when she was around. WE had issues to say the least. Did you ever meet my father?"

"No but I did visit the penthouse flat they had when he was sleeping and she wasn't yet home."

"You cheeky bugger...better not mention that to Ryan. His head will likely explode. Better let me or mum break the engagement thing too. This is definitely a new side of my mother that I am learning about. Thanks for this James...I don't think she and I could talk about this sort of thing without being really uncomfortable."

"I can understand that and it's time you knew why your life was like it was. The secrets that she kept were for the safety of the entire country if not the world."

"OK...ok..DAD...do you want me to call you dad, father, sexy killer agent sleeping with my mum...what?"

James practically spits out his wine. "Damn...I think...James will be fine Judi...you don't mince words do you?"

"No...I come by it naturally...don't you think...ha...ha."

"Great, now I get two of you. When you're in the same room together will anyone...namely me... need body armour?"

"Don't you ever hurt her Bond and you and I will be just fine. Ryan will be a harder sell."

"Your mother will have to decide how much information to tell you about work and what your husband and children can know. It will be interesting meeting everyone, becoming part of a family."

Judi looked a little sad as if she was deciding whether to mention something.

"Everyone's shocked by her death. Don't worry you're likely trained for worse than we can throw at you. We don't have to say anything to my husband...because we are getting a divorce. The less he knows about any of this the better. So far he thinks she's dead and the name change to Emma Smith confused him. I told him that it was her real name, changed at the time of her adoption. Mister Tanner suggested that as a good explanation for anyone that knew she was my mother. I think the children will have to meet her as my cousin or some relation. It's not like we can say she time-travelled and this is grandma from the past."

"I'm sorry Judi about your marriage...how long? Does your mum know?"

"We got separated just after my father died and mum doesn't know. I wouldn't mind having you and Ryan as a buffer for when I do."

"Why, will it upset her?"

"We will likely have to stop her from killing him."

"Did they not hit it off then?"

"No...he cheated on me before we married and she said it would happen again...he is not the type to stop...I thought she was crazy. What would she know about my relationships anyway. Mum had the perfect husband...I stupidly thought I could change him. Now that I think of it, she seemed royally pissed at him at father's funeral...maybe she knew what he'd been up too."

Bond felt horrible for Judi...it made him angry that her idiot husband cheated on her. Bond wonders if he could track him down and...well he will leave that to Olivia and Judi to decide.

Bond wants to change the subject to something hopefully less depressing. He has the perfect opportunity to learn more about the woman he loves from her daughter.

"What were your parents like...as a married couple?"

Bond wants a peek into M's 45 year relationship with Nigel, a man he never met and is horribly envious of. A marriage that somehow worked in a time where the woman being primary bread-winner was unusual.

Bond's desperate for stories of her childhood and anything to do with her mother. Bond realizes that the woman that he loves, has lived an entire lifetime without him knowing much about it or the people she loves.

Hopefully, there are no more Silva's in the closet waiting to emerge to cause trouble. Bond's trained to deal with that eventuality, but having Olivia or Judi in danger now affects him differently than anything before.

It's been a very long time since Bond has been part of a family. Bond planned on holding on to this one with all his might.