Here is chapter 51, please bear with me one more week until school starts and then I hopefully will be back to be posting on a regular basis. Until then I hope you enjoy this and let me know, as usual I own nothing.
Monday and Tuesday had been spent working way later than we had in a long time. That was starting to happen more often now that Minelli and May had taken over babysitting duties. We barely made it home in time to have dinner both nights, but at least the case was closed before we got to take our own Thanksgiving break. Of course working late also meant we hadn't had time to go to the store so that would be our task for this morning. Get groceries then clean the house, aren't breaks fun. I was in the kitchen with the kids making breakfast and a shopping list while Patrick was in the shower after his run.
"Teresa can we send the pictures we made with grandpa Minelli yesterday to our grandparents in Chicago." Alyssa wondered between bites of waffles.
"We made turkeys with our hands, and then colored them in." Emily explained.
"We'll stop by the post office on our way home from the grocery store."
"Teresa, are you going to be working late all the time?" Emily questioned, turning in her seat to face me.
"I hope not sweetie, but it's hard to tell with our job."
"But you didn't work late in the beginning." Alyssa frowned.
"Only after grandpa Virgil." William added.
"I know and I'm sorry. I like it better when we can come home early and spend time with you guys."
"How about from now on at least one of us will be home on time." Patrick walked into the kitchen. A little over three months and I still wasn't used to seeing him in jeans. He wore them so little and only when we were doing something that might resemble manual labor, I guess today that was cleaning the house.
"You promise." William turned in his chair."
"I promise." And that put an end to that conversation. "Teresa did you want me to run to the grocery store or did you want to make it a group outing?"
"I promised the girls that we would run by the post office."
"I can take them if you don't mind being left with the little ones."
"I just think we should all go. It'll take longer but at least I'll know you aren't buying the most expensive of everything."
"I was only trying to save time, but I accept that you're a control freak."
"You're not even allowed to go there."
"Hey at least I can admit it." He smiled, "And I'm more than willing to give the reins to you when necessary."
"You think you're less of a control freak than me?" I wondered a little while later on our way to the store.
"Yes I do."
"If you can't control a situation you manipulate it until it is in your control, you know every detail of the day before you've even gotten out of bed."
"Yes, but I rarely protest to you driving if anything I'm probably am an enabler to you I mean the way I let you decide that we were all going to the store instead of just sending me which would have almost certainly been faster and more efficient."
"Really you're the enabler. I do nothing but look the other way when it comes to you."
"If that's the case I think it's fair to say we are both equal parts control freak and enabler."
"Are you suggesting a compromise?"
"I am."
"Then it's settled."
"See what I did there, I gave up my control of the situation so you could feel more comfortable."
"Patrick I swear to God, I don't know why I put up with you."
"You could go with great company, excellent lover, gourmet chef, attractive arm candy, actually you haven't used case closer in a while that's always been your favorite."
"You know what I'm not going to respond, if you have nothing nice to say don't say anything at all right guys." I waited for the kid's reaction in the rearview mirror.
"Look at that we did it no swearing in front of the kids!"
"Do you always have to tempt me?"
"It is one of my favorite pastimes." He smiled leaning back in his seat the rest of the drive as silent as a car full of four kids can get.
The grocery store was it's usual chaotic mess times ten because of the holiday shopping. And as per usual I had to double-check the cart every two minutes because I found that my shopping companions felt the need to add things we didn't actually need to the cart.
Climbing into bed later that night with groceries and cleaning done I almost felt ready for tomorrow. Of course I hadn't told my brother about Patrick and I and was expecting possible conflict there. I knew he would want to be at least a little protective which was ridiculous I mean I'm the older sister. Maybe if I went to Annie first for back up. Not that I thought Patrick couldn't handle being threatened by my brother, he had been threatened by far more dangerous and powerful men without any concern. On the other hand maybe it would be fun to watch Tommy and Patrick square off, but then again Patrick would probably nod and accept whatever Tommy said and politely promise he had no intention of hurting me. Okay so I had played the whole scene in my head a hundred times now what was I so worried about in the first place?
Thanksgiving morning found Patrick, the kids, and I all busy making dinner, well at least until the kids got bored helping and ran up to their room. I'll admit it was more than a little amusing to watch Patrick cook with one arm and soothe a crying Cass in the other. I put my amusement aside and took the baby from his arm.
After a quick lunch and a trip to the kid's room to change clothes we were ready when my brother and Annie showed up at one. We were sitting in the living room with the football game on, but I could hardly pay attention to the TV Alyssa had taken to interrogating her new uncle and cousin while Emily watched them from her side. It was just like when we first picked them up in Chicago Alyssa did all of the talking. Only watching them now it reminded me of something else. It reminded me of well me and Patrick when we were talking to some one who could potentially be a suspect. Alyssa was asking the questions until Emily found it pertinent to interrupt with a detail over looked by her sister. In Chicago it was the necklace and this time, well this time I'm not entirely sure how she knew Tommy was a bounty hunter, actually she just said someone who catches bad guys, which I guess is a general description of what he does. I glanced over to see if Patrick was noticing it to but he was talking with Annie and I could only hope he wasn't passing on more bad habits.
Soon the football game ended and we were all gathered around the table to eat. "Its kind of tradition to start with a prayer." I reminded my brother who went straight for the food.
"Reese it's hardly a tradition if we only celebrate together every four or five years."
"Doesn't matter, we'll say a prayer, we'll say what we're thankful for and then we can eat."
"Come on Aunt Reese." Annie tried.
"No she's right we'll say a prayer first." Tommy sighed, "It is tradition." So after slight a argument prayer was said and we went around the table saying what we're thankful for, then Patrick poured the wine.
"Can I try some, just a sip?" Annie begged as her glass was skipped.
"No."
"Why not? I'm seventeen, people my age drink, why can't I have a sip?"
"Because you're to young." I reminded.
"She has a point." Patrick hesitated putting the wine bottle down.
"No she doesn't, it is illegal, I am a cop she will not be drinking."
"Dad can I have one sip, I just want to try it." She appealed to her father who was staring at me. "I'm not going to get drunk off of one taste."
"It is a safe environment for her to try it." Patrick agreed.
"What happens when they want to try it next?" I nodded toward the kids who had thus far been ignoring the conversation we were having. "Do they get to try it to because it's a safe environment?"
"If they want to try we say no they are six, but I don't see anything wrong with a seventeen year old trying a taste of alcohol in the company of her family."
"It's wrong because it's illegal and I'm a cop, she is underage."
"Come on Aunt Reese one sip."
"It's you're father's decision not mine." And immediately all eyes turned to Tommy who had been staring at the bottle in Patrick's hand.
"You're not going to arrest me for serving alcohol to a minor are you?" Tommy frowned.
"You're going to let her drink?"
"I'm going to let her take a taste of mine, but not if it means my sisters going to arrest me on Thanksgiving."
"Its my day off." I gave up I mean there really was no point to ruin a holiday over one taste seemed like overkill. It wasn't to long after my first surrender that Annie brought up the next topic of discussion.
"Soooooo Aunt Reese…." Annie started with a grin, "What's going on with you and Patrick?" I couldn't help but look at Jane who was grinning like no one's business.
"What exactly are you asking?" I took a sip of wine.
"Are you, or are you planning on sleeping with him." Annie smirked when I stopped myself from spitting out my drink.
"Annie!" Tommy scolded, before turning back to Patrick and I to wait for an answer.
"What it's what you wanted to ask?"
"You could have asked differently." Her father sighed. "But seriously Reese he's answering your house phone, his car's in the garage…"
"He's sitting right there." I interrupted.
"No I don't mind please continue." Patrick smiled.
"I mean you've been talking about him for years and now he's hear at a family Thanksgiving dinner." Annie pointed out.
"Look you guys say nothing's going on and you're just good friends we'll believe you and let it drop." Tommy insisted, and I was grateful for the escape route but knew I couldn't use it. All it took was a glance at Patrick and a deep breath to get Annie grinning.
"How long?"
"About three months." I admitted, "Not long really."
"Well it took you two long enough." Annie announced.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I couldn't help but question.
"Come on Reese like there was nothing between the two of you before." Tommy smirked, "We were only here for a couple days three years ago and we could tell."
"I had some things I needed to put behind me before I could even consider a relationship with anyone especially someone I really cared about." Patrick explained. "I take the blame."
"Good to know, I think." My brother was staring at Patrick and I knew what would happen after dinner, but until then I was still going to try and enjoy this dinner.
"Patrick and I have been together for three months, is there anything else you wanted to ask or can we move on."
"No no we just wanted a confession." Annie smiled helping herself to seconds.
"Well I'm hopelessly in love with your sister." Patrick rested his arm around the back of my chair and I could feel my cheeks burning.
"Umm," It was kind of amusing to watch my brother stutter for a response to that. "So looks like you've done a pretty good job at taking on the roll of mom, but then again I could have told you that I mean you raised me."
"And you didn't turn out so bad." I rolled my eyes how come everybody just knew I'd be a good mother except me? Soon dinner was over and against my better judgment I gave in to another Lisbon family tradition of playing a game of poker after dinner. I warned my brother but he didn't listen and I made Patrick promise to behave as well.
"So Reese I was kind of wondering if you could do me a favor after Christmas." Tommy looked up from the cards in his hand.
"What favor would that be?"
"I need someone to watch Annie around New Years a friend invited me to their place. I'll be back before school starts up again."
"I don't need a babysitter it's only for a week I'm seventeen I can take care of myself while you go spend New Years with your new girlfriend."
"I'm not leaving you at the apartment by yourself for a week, and she's not my girlfriend."
"Right." Annie rolled her eyes.
"Annie's always welcome to stay here." I assured.
"And with this new house you've got plenty of room. I have to say sis I was surprised you must have used up all of your savings on this place."
"Apparently I made a good investment." I sighed, looking over as a grinning Patrick collected his winnings from the hand.
"Did you say right after Christmas?" Patrick just kept grinning.
"Yes why?" I turned, what was he planning.
"Then that would work out perfectly."
"Why?"
"Well I've had a tradition of going to a cabin on Lake Tahoe after the holidays it used to be a family thing but the past couple years it's been a ski during the day and then drink myself to oblivion at night kind of vacation. I thought maybe this year with your permission of course we could go there as a family." He explained, he went to Lake Tahoe every winter? He shouldn't have been drinking alone like that he should have told someone where he was.
"So you want me to go with you so I can babysit the kids while you and my aunt get drunk on New Years." Annie raised her eyebrows.
"Something like that, and in return I would pay for your meals and lift tickets all week."
"Sounds fair." Annie bounced in her seat, "So we're going right Aunt Reese?"
"I don't know, I suppose you think you can talk Bertram into giving us all this time off around Christmas, and what about the team?"
"What about the team, I was going to invite the team, and yes leave Bertram to me."
"No I will not leave Bertram to you, you just make him mad and then I have to clean it up. And what do you mean invite the team how big is this cabin of yours?"
"Plenty big, not something to worry about. And it doesn't matter which of us talks to Bertram so long as it gets done."
"So can we go?" Annie kept at it.
"Yes we can go to Lake Tahoe for New Years."
