Ike and I agreed that we'd spend the weekend as a family, with Lauren and Arthur, away from the hotel. I think he realized that I needed to know that my life wouldn't simply revolve around our business and home, and he also knew that I hadn't really had an opportunity to see Miami. The Evanses had a plan, which I was curious to know how they devised it without me noticing, to show me the non-tourist parts of the city.
Arthur had a separate plot, which we found out about when we stopped at a restaurant for lunch, that made me fearful that Ike would either finally pop the blood vessel that had such a workout during our meeting with Meg or possibly end up back in jail. Waiting for us in a more upscale eatery than our day had prepared me for, were Ike's two sons, Stevie and Danny. Lauren's face broke out in a huge grin at the sight of her two brothers, but Ike's arm around me seemed to tense and tighten.
"You want the whole family together for the wedding?" Arthur muttered as we slowly made our way to the reserved table. "This is the first step." I took a fortifying breath, and walked with the same poise that had been practically beaten into me during my school years. "See, Liz understands."
I almost laughed. I understood most certainly, but I also knew that Ike would have preferred to hash out family business behind closed doors. As we finally closed in on the table I thought I could see Arthur's point. Witnesses would make the Evans men less likely to say things or cause a scene that would ruin the point of the endeavor.
"Liz," Stevie said with a smile that was almost as charming as his father's. He stood up to hold out my chair for me as Danny did the same for Lauren. Before I could sit, he hugged me, causing Ike to stiffen further and I wondered what the issue with Stevie being slightly demonstrative with me could be? "You're glowing." He pulled away, a smile still in place. "How's my sibling growing?"
I sat, thanking him for the compliment and his manners. "The baby seems to be more settled now," his eyes were twinkling, so I knew Lily had told him about my sickness.
"Dad," Stevie's smile was looking more strained, but at least he was trying. Danny and Ike had gotten their own greetings out of the way, and while it didn't look cozy or comfortable at our table, at least no one was throwing bread or drinks. Yet.
After ordering, as Lauren and her brothers talked about what they'd been doing since the breach, Arthur took a look around the table and sighed. "Could you three schmucks get the issues out in the open so we can prepare for the next phase in this family?" I bit my lip, thinking that Arthur wasn't a beat about the bush type of man. He gestured at me and smiled. "After all, we have a new life coming, and a new lady of the family to welcome." He shook his head. "Raised you better than this," he muttered at Ike, and then shot the boys a glare. "And you two, this is your father, act like it."
I was taking in the fact that all three Evans men that Arthur had quietly given a dressing down to looked sheepish. Good. Ike took a drink of water and then reached for my hand. "Pop's right," our fingers linked, my engagement ring twinkling. "You're my family, all of you," he smiled at Lauren and it stayed as he looked at his two sons. "I'm proud of who you've become, even if I don't agree or understand why you choose the paths you choose, but-"
"I need to make my own way," Stevie offered, taking a deep breath and interrupting his father, he kept going. "I shouldn't have tried to make that way through-" his eyes met me and he shook his head. "Ben was a bad route." No kidding, I thought. "And the mistakes I made," what mistake other than my father, I wanted to know, but this was neither the time nor the place. "I'm sorry that I put you in that position."
"The fact that you're willing to admit you messed up," Arthur said, before Ike could take the wheel, "shows that you're growing up. Good, it's about time."
Danny was sitting quietly, taking in the conversation, but looking awkwardly on the outside. The law-abiding one, I thought, but then he cleared his throat. "I never would have gone against you," yet, you took the job at Klein's office knowing he had a vendetta against Ben which made your father a target. "Never. I just wanted a path forward." Onward and upward. "I'm glad that Liz and you found one another, and-" he finally met my gaze and smiled, I thought he must look more like Molly with his fairness. "I want to be there when you two get married. I want to meet my new baby sister or brother."
Ike had listened, even after being interrupted, and I glanced at him to see that the vein had relaxed and he looked far less tense than when we'd arrived. "I want you both there too." His smile finally came out fully, and it felt like both Lauren and I released a breath we'd been holding. "Liz and I," he raised my hand to kiss my knuckles. "This is right."
Lunch went far smoother than I had worried it wouldn't go when we walked in. Once the strain was released, not that I had any false hope that we wouldn't have to truly delve into all of it privately and in depth, we had what anyone taking note of our party would assume was a completely normal family meal. Laughter, joking, and even a few jabs were given while we ate through a meal that had me yearning for a nap. Which Ike noticed, because the man was attuned to me and my needs better than I was, and he ended our day early.
"Let Lauren stay if she wants to," I asked, as I saw that she clearly wanted more time with her brothers. "I'm sure that Stevie or Danny can bring her home."
"Absolutely," Danny said with a smile. "I'll make sure she's back upstairs before nightfall."
"Yeah and I'll take Grandpa home," Stevie agreed, since he was living away from the resort it made sense. "Get the mother of baby Evans home so she can rest." Another round of hugs, Arthur, Danny, and Lauren making sure I felt like family, and Ike was hustling me to the car.
"I feel like a child," I pouted, but the yawn that escaped ruined it.
Ike grinned at me and I realized that we'd be all alone for hours in our rooms. "First a nap, Liz," since he seemed to read my mind. "Then we'll make sure we take complete advantage of the time alone."
