A/N: Hey guys, here we are with a new chapter. A bit quicker than usual, yay. Am I sniffin' a little lovin'? Or is something going to ruin the mood? Time for our couple to reveal the news to Momma. Should be fun :P
Please keep your thoughts coming and I thank you all for your continued reviews and support :) And, as always, gracious thanks to calim for beta and help x
# - Betty signing.
On we go…
Chapter 27
Some 20 minutes after Grissom left the bedroom for the living room to watch a bit of TV, he heard his wife approach. She was wearing heels, something that didn't happen often these days. And, if she was wearing heels that usually meant …
Oh, yes.
As Grissom looked over his shoulder, the sight he beheld sent a twang through his belly. Slowly, his eyes drifted over Sara's body as she rounded the sofa, the loving smile she threw his way making him quiver.
"Wow," he breathed, his eyes again looking her over.
She wore a long, black, silken dress that fit her perfectly, resting just above her knees and revealing enough of her cleavage to question the occasion. And yes, she was in heels.
"You aren't the only one that can dress up," she teased, leaning over him to kiss to his lips.
"I can see that," he answered when she pulled back. "Aren't you a little under dressed?"
Sara pouted and opened out her arms. "Don't you like it?"
"Um," he said, clicking his lips together. "Yes, I like it. Not so sure it's 'dinner with mother' material though."
"Eh," she muttered, waving a hand through the air. "I'm sure Betty will cope. How often do I get to do this for you?"
He shrugged. "Well…you can dress up for me like that any time you like, my dear. I certainly won't complain."
A soft chortle left her throat, a giddy feeling breezing over her at their playfulness. It was so very nice. Leaning in to give him another kiss, she whisked a hand across his cheek.
"I need to start dinner or we'll be eating bread and cheese."
Pushing his tongue into his cheek, Grissom nodded. "Don't set yourself on fire now will you?"
"Certainly not," Sara shot back. "That's for you to do later."
His eyebrows soared and she smirked before stepping away, leaving that thought well and truly in his mind.
CSICSICSICSICSICSICSI
Dinner was nearly done when the doorbell sounded. Washing her hands, Sara first approached her husband, dropping reassuring hands onto his shoulders when she noticed the apprehensive look on his face.
"You okay?" she asked, placing her head on his shoulder and running her cheek along his.
"Yeah," he breathed.
Buddy let out a chirpy bark and Sara looked at him as he wildly wagged his tail.
"You're always okay," she laughed. "And excited as usual." Looking back at Grissom she smiled. "Just breathe, Gil," she advised. "You'll be fine."
He nodded and Sara smiled before heading to the door and opening it. Waiting on the other side was Betty who threw her a wave and then inspected Sara's attire with an approving look.
# "Hi. And my, you look…fabulous," # Betty said.
"Thanks," Sara signed back with a bright smile, her gaze then moving to the man beside her mother-in-law. "Come on in," she gestured before proper introductions were made.
Betty smiled back and took her guest's arm, leading him inside as Sara closed the door.
# "Sara, I would like to introduce you to Patrick Connelly. Patrick, this is Sara, my son's wife." #
"A true pleasure to meet you," Patrick replied, holding out his hand. "Betty's told me a lot about you."
Sara delighted in Patrick's accent. It was deep, a true London, and one she'd not heard very often except in movies. Shaking his offered hand, she quickly took in his appearance.
Overall, he wasn't bad looking. His hair was dark but greying, not unlike Grissom's until he decided to dye it. She couldn't help but notice how blue his eyes were and what a welcoming smile he had. He was also smartly dressed but Sara expected that, being an Englishman and all.
"A pleasure," Sara returned. "And I hope Betty hasn't been telling you all my secrets."
Betty smirked as Patrick looked at her. "Not all of them," he teased.
Laughing, Sara pointed into the house. "How about you follow me and you can meet Gil."
# "How is he?" # Betty asked before they moved.
"He's okay," Sara replied. "A little nervous. He hasn't been near any strangers aside from his hospital visits and our walks in the park. He keeps his distance, so I suggest a little caution. I'm confident he'll be fine," she added.
Nodding, Betty looped her arm through Patrick's and they followed Sara as she moved towards the living room.
Upon hearing the group approaching, Grissom prepared to stand only to have Buddy beat him to it, his tail wagging wildly at the sight of Betty.
Deciding he wouldn't be outdone by his dog, he quickly swallowed over the lump in his throat and got to his feet, his gaze falling on his mother and the man beside her. When Sara took hold of his arm, he glanced her way, appreciating the supportive smile she gave him before looking back toward his mother.
# "Hi," # Betty greeted, smiling at him and reaching down to give Buddy a pet.
Inhaling deeply, Grissom returned the smile even if not as powerful. "Hi, Mom," he replied, eyes shooting to the man beside her.
# "You're looking very dashing," # Betty said, reaching to Grissom's tie and fiddling with the knot, earning herself a disbelieving look from her son.
"Mom," he whined. "My tie is fine."
She smirked, patting his jacket. # "Just checking," # she teased as he looked at Patrick again. # Gil, this is Patrick. He's been looking forward to meeting you." #
Patrick nodded at Grissom. "Good to meet you finally," he said.
Grissom's eye twitched. "I would shake your hand but…," he said.
"I understand," the older man returned softly. "It can wait until a time that you can."
Relaxing a little at Patrick's understanding tone, Grissom nodded. "Hopefully," he replied.
"How about a drink?" Sara suggested in an attempt to keep things moving. "I just have to finish a few things in the kitchen then we can eat."
# "I can help you with drinks," # Betty suggested. # "Give the men a little time to get to know each other." #
Grissom's eyebrows soared at his mother's comment, his gaze quickly flicking over to Sara.
"Are you all right with that?" she asked softly, fully expecting him to say no.
After a moment's thought, Grissom nodded, feeling Buddy brush up against his leg.
Sara's lips parted with a little surprise, but she didn't question him. "Okay," she said happily. "What would you like to drink?"
"Scotch," he said flatly.
Oh, Sara's heart lunged a bit. She knew what alcohol could do to him and it certainly made his medication less useful. But, she had to trust his requests somewhat and this was the first time he'd asked for an alcoholic beverage in months. It might even help him to relax. But, on the other end it could… No, she couldn't think negatively. Rubbing his arm, she smiled and then looked at Patrick.
"And what will you have?"
"I'll have the same," he replied. "Straight up, no ice."
"Coming right up," Sara cooed, nodding at Betty who followed her to the kitchen.
As the women walked away, Patrick glanced at Buddy. "Hey, boy, what's your name?"
Tail going mad, Buddy whined and raised a paw.
"Buddy," Grissom answered for the dog.
"Is he okay to pet?"
"Sure," Grissom returned.
With a smile, Patrick rubbed between Buddy's ears much to the dogs' satisfaction.
"He's a special dog, right?" Patrick asked.
"Certainly is," Grissom agreed, sitting on the sofa. Standing too much lately made his leg ache. "Have a seat," he urged.
Nodding, Patrick sat in the chair next to the sofa and Buddy sat in front of him wanting more attention.
"The jar on the coffee table has treats in it," Grissom pointed out. "I think that's what he's after."
Patrick glanced at the coffee table and upon spotting the jar, removed the lid and took out a biscuit bone. Instantly, Buddy's paw was on his knee and Patrick laughed.
"There you go," he said. Holding the treat out, Buddy gently took it, returning to Grissom and lying by his feet. "He's very well trained."
"Yeah. He has to be. He can be lifeline in a lot of ways."
Another nod came from Patrick and a quick look around before he focused back on Grissom. "I can't imagine how hard it's been for you."
Taking a breath, Grissom dropped a hand to Buddy's back. "I obviously don't know how much my Mom has told you but how about we start with things about you first?"
"Sure," Patrick agreed quickly. "What would you like to know?"
In the kitchen, Sara poured two glasses of scotch. "What would you like Betty?" she asked, turning to her mother-in-law to notice she was looking at the scotch.
# "Is it such a good idea for Gil to have that?" # Betty questioned.
A quiet sigh left Sara's lips as she put the bottle down. "Alcohol isn't forbidden. It's just not a good idea for him to drink a lot of it."
# "It can stop his medication from working, right?" #
"Possibly," Sara replied truthfully. "But he isn't a child. I'm not going to say no if he asks. It might even help him to relax a bit more."
# "Okay," # Betty conceded. # "You know what's best." #
"Thank you," Sara said softly, happy that Betty wasn't arguing with her about it. "What would you like?"
# "I could be tempted with a glass of white wine if you have any." #
"Of course," Sara said, moving to the fridge to get a bottle.
Betty looked over the stove, lifting a lid to a pan that was slowly bubbling away. Sara smirked at her as she reached for the corkscrew. Betty was quite a cooking connoisseur so deep-down Sara hoped to please her mother-in-law.
# "Smells nice," Betty complimented. # "Seafood gumbo?" #
"Exactly that," Sara confirmed as the cork popped from the bottle.
# "One of my favorites." #
Sara smirked. "I know."
Putting the lid back on, Betty held out a hand to take the offered glass of wine from her daughter-in-law then placed it onto the counter.
# "Thank you. Are you having one?" #
Sara's eyes flicked to her before she put the cork back into the bottle. "Eh, no. I'm just going to have some juice," she said, returning to the fridge, taking out a carton of OJ and pouring a glass.
Although Betty's eyes narrowed a little she didn't push for a reason why.
# "I'll take Gil his drink, okay?" # Betty said, retaking her wine and one of the glasses of scotch.
Sara nodded, picked up the other two drinks and followed behind Betty.
After listening to Patrick explain how he met his mother, Grissom was at least glad that his story matched the one he'd been told some months ago. He still found it quite remarkable his mother could bump into someone who lived in Vegas when she was in another country and one that spoke sign language. That itself was a rare thing.
"So, do you live nearby?" Grissom asked.
"I have an apartment here," Patrick answered, "and a house in Henderson. When I work it's just easier to stay in the city."
Two properties? Well, at least Patrick wasn't after his mother's money by the sound of it.
"How long have you lived in Vegas?" he asked.
Just as Patrick was about to answer he spotted Betty coming toward him. Being a gentleman, he stood and offered her a smile. Smiling back, she showed Grissom she had his drink and placed it on the coffee table.
"Thank you," he said softly.
Betty smiled at him then sat in the chair next to Patrick as Sara offered him his own drink. Thanking her, he took the glass then held it to his nose and sniffed.
Sara sat beside Grissom and picked up his drink only then noticing that he was staring intently at Patrick.
"Is the drink okay for you?" she asked Patrick, a little concerned at the seemingly happy look on his face.
"It smells delightful, so I hope so," Patrick said back.
With his eyebrows rising, Grissom exchanged a look with Sara who smirked at him.
"Gil likes the good stuff," she said.
"I can tell," Patrick replied, swirling the scotch around in the glass before taking a sip. "And he has good taste."
Clearing his throat and feeling a tad uncomfortable at the compliment, Grissom sat back and took a sip from his own glass that Sara held for him.
"Please don't drink this too fast," she whispered, leaning a little closer to him in an attempt to make the request between the two of them.
"I won't," he mumbled back ultimately knowing Sara had control of the glass anyway.
# "Patrick enjoys his scotch like I enjoy my wine," # Betty said before holding up her glass. # "And it seems Sara enjoys her fruit." #
Frowning at the comment, Grissom looked back at his wife as she placed her OJ down on the table then caught her eye.
"Now or after dinner?" she asked simply, squeezing his knee.
A soft sigh passed through Grissom's lips. The longer they left it, the more nervous he would become.
"Now," he whispered.
With a supporting and understanding smile, Sara carefully took his hand and held it while they both faced their guests.
# "What are you whispering about?" # Betty asked after putting her wine down.
"We have news," Sara said. "And we wanted you to be the first to know."
Surprisingly, Sara felt a slight tightness on her hand and shot Grissom a look when he let out a quiet hiss.
"Gil, it's okay," she encouraged. "Please don't push it with your hands. Just breathe." He sucked in a deep breath, keeping eye contact with her. "Okay?" she asked a little worried and, thankfully, he nodded.
# "Now you're making me worry," # Betty signed quickly.
Clearing his throat, Patrick put his drink down. "Would you like me to step out?" he asked. "If this is personal then…"
"No," Grissom cut him off. "Mom wants you here so…stay."
Betty looked at Patrick then back to the couple. # "Now I'm really worried." #
Sara held up her free hand. "Worry isn't necessary so if we can all relax it would be great."
Trying to keep everyone calm, Sara's eyes flicked to each person in turn before she let out a long breath of her own. If you'd have told her a year ago she'd now be the voice of reason she would have laughed at you.
"So," Sara continued, giving Grissom's hand the lightest of squeezes. "We have some news and it's probably going to be a bit of a surprise but…"
Sara trailed off. Betty's eyes were a little intimidating as they watched her lips so intently. Glancing at Grissom for a second, she smiled at him then faced her mother-in-law again. Clearing her throat, she forcibly controlled the butterflies in her tummy and gave her husband's hand another gentle squeeze.
"We, erm… We're having a baby."
There. It was said.
Betty blinked as if she didn't quite get what had just been said.
# "Baby?" # she signed.
Oh yes, she was surprised all right.
"Yes, Betty," Sara confirmed.
Eye's flicking to her son's, Betty held his gaze. # "You're finally making me a Grandma? I thought the day would never come." #
His eyebrows shot skywards and Sara snorted at what seemed to be a happy response from Betty.
"We hadn't planned it," Grissom replied.
# "And why does that not surprise me?" # Betty returned.
"It was quite unexpected," Sara said, laying Grissom's hand in her lap and smiling at him again.
"You can say that again," he whispered.
"And how do you feel about it?" # Betty probed. # Both of you." #
Inhaling deeply, Sara flashed a nervous smile at Betty. "I think it's still sinking in. We'll have a lot to plan but we're happy."
# "It's a lot to cope with on top of…everything else." # Betty challenged.
"We know that," Grissom breathed nervously.
Betty got up and approached them. # "Grandma can make it a little bit easier with her support." #
Grissom's lips pursed. "You're happy with the news?"
Totally surprising him, she grabbed his cheeks and kissed him on the nose, Sara laughing at the look on his face when Betty released him and stepped back with a grin.
# "I'm elated. Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for you to give me a grandchild?" #
"Probably since I was 18," Grissom teased.
# "Not quite but long enough. I am very happy for you both." #
"I'll second that," Patrick said, getting up to join Betty and placing an arm around her waist. "Many congratulations."
"Thank you," Grissom said quietly, feeling Sara squeeze his hand again.
"Yes," Sara added. "Thank you. And thank you, Betty. All of your support will be appreciated."
# "What are Mom's for?" # Betty beamed.
Clearing his throat, Grissom leaned forwards.
"Are you okay?" Sara asked him.
He looked at her. "Bathroom."
Without a word, Sara just nodded and got up. She wasn't sure if he actually needed to go or if he just needed a time out. Either way, it didn't matter.
"We'll be right back, okay?" she said to Betty as Grissom got to his feet.
# "You just take as much time as you need." #
A/N: Will the night continue to go well…. Hmmm…..
