An Option in Ohio

A/N: Having spent a very tiring day cleaning out the home, belongings, earthly possessions, and keepsakes acquired by a beloved matriarch during 9.45 decades of living, I came home, half-filled our tub with the hottest water I could tolerate and sank my loudly complaining pedes, glutei maximi, scapulae, and acromia into the aqua calida and while thinking I had no energy to write anything, was nevertheless struck by an idea for a story, which tails onto Heaven Can Wait. Actually it assumes her story turns out well for Ruth, and that she and Max get back together. So please wildly assume this is true with me, and read along. Now if only I had a beer hat, I'd sleep like a baby! I also borrowed Ruth's Florida relatives from KEScrubbed.

Once Ruth's story had been completely revealed, and her evil pursuer had been brought to justice, Max gently nudged his children toward accepting and forgiving their mother as they had done for him. This didn't happen without some fits and starts, but Brennan remembered vividly the dream she had experienced after being shot with Dr. Batuhan's cruelly unique frozen blood bullet.

She recalled with complete clarity her mother remarking "You're still the most stubborn girl on God's green Earth," and had to admit to herself that it was quite true. She was very, very stubborn!

But she had also been "loved, cherished in this world" by her parents as her mom stated in that belatedly-delivered video which had nearly broken her heart when she finally watched it. These memories, and her father's urgent requests that she give her mom the second chance she'd given him, finally brought her to reconcile with Ruth.

At first Max and Ruth had taken up housekeeping together again in a small apartment in D.C. But after two years, they decided to take an extended trip together and reconnect with Ruth's sisters in Florida. This was, at least, what they told Russ and Tempe. Max had a few other ideas up his sleeve but wasn't revealing anything until he was sure he could pull off what he hoped to accomplish.

From time to time since re-entering his children's lives, Max had gone back to Ohio. He'd attended several class reunions of the youngsters he had mentored as their high school science teacher, and drove around the small town where they'd existed peacefully until McVicar forever disrupted their Christmas shopping and their lives. He had passed their neighborhood, and on a whim, pulled into a driveway, reversed direction and gone back by the only home he and Ruth had owned. The small house was still in decent condition and his mind had been flooded with memories.

Once he and Ruth had shocked the hell out of her sisters, and weathered their frustrated affections and numerous questions, the couple had reconnected with cousins, nieces, nephews and Mema, the mother Ruth never thought she'd see again. The vigorous old lady had cooked up a storm and put 6 pounds on each of them with her delicious dinners. Max made sure to have Mema write down her macaroni and cheese recipe for Temperance, and promised to bring their children's families to visit.

After two weeks, they repacked their car and started off again, but rather than taking I-95, Max turned northwest on I-75. Ruth was sure he had missed a turn, but he looked over at his wife, smiled tenderly and said, Hey, Miss Ruthie, have I ever steered you wrong? Just wait and see where we're heading! I've got something to show you."

Some 15 hours later, they pulled into a familiar suburb of Columbus, and Ruth's eyes grew wider the farther they went. Max turned down a street she had travelled dozens of times and stopped in front of the place they'd once called home. A tear ran down her cheek, but she said nothing. He reached for her hand, and touched her face.

"I came out to a class reunion here and bumped into Al Hankins, the chemistry teacher. Remember him? He and I went through hell with those kids, as I 'm sure you remember, and we had breakfast the morning I returned to D.C. Apparently the kids liked my classes, and a few more have asked me back for their reunions.

"Each time I've connected with Al, and finally told him our real story. His eldest sister bought this little house six years after we left, and has lived there ever since. She and her husband are getting up in years and want to move to a senior living center sometime soon while they can still enjoy the leisure of no yard to keep mowed.

"So they're looking to sell this home, and Al called me last month, wondering if I'd be interested in re-purchasing it. What do you think, Ruthie? It might be a nice way to provide some closure for Russ and Tempe."

Ruth Keenan looked at her husband and blinked. Like an owl. She was utterly speechless at Max's resourcefulness. He never stopped amazing her. She thought for a while, and then spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully. What he was proposing was incredibly sweet, but it carried some risks.

She didn't want to squelch his giving spirit, but Max had always been somewhat more impulsive than she was. Their daughter did not come by her rational deliberate nature without cause. Temperance had inherited her mother's cautious nature and analytical mind. Ruth had not wanted to run off and leave their children behind, but she feared for their safety.

And for that reason, against every desire of her heart, Ruth had urged Max toward the painful course of action that tore their family apart. She knew that their daughter disliked surprises, and this home purchase would be just that. She knew they both needed to think carefully before rekindling tumultuous memories for her and Russ.

"Honey, it's a wonderful idea. I don't want to dissuade you, but your daughter is not fond of surprises. Even good ones. Should we run this past the kids, though, before we leap? Returning here might evoke joy for them, or maybe not. Can we make a decision of this magnitude on our own, or should we let them have a say as well?"

Max was silent for a moment, then looked at her seriously. "As much as I hope it would delight them both, I believe you are correct. We wouldn't need to bring them out here, but I think we should call and explain, allow them time to think it over, and hear their reactions. You are quite right, surprises are not Tempe's cup of tea. Let's find a motel, check in and call Russ first. I daresay he can predict Tempe's reaction better than we ever could." react.