I was given this idea by a review from the lovely 52shari when she mentioned that Finian would need to pass the cross – examinations of Perry, Della, Paul Jr, and Ken. So, I figured "Why not have that be the next chapter?" I hope y'all enjoy this cute and fluffy chapter with a sprinkling of confessions and vulnerability from Perry and Bekah.
"Are you nervous about meeting my parents, Finn?" Bekah asked as the Youngs drove them to the airport for Thanksgiving break.
Finian and Bekah had become fast friends but were both nervous on taking that next step of going from friends to beyond just being friends. Bekah knew that if Finian passed the cross – examinations she knew he was about to walk into, that would give her a better idea on if they could take those next steps.
"I guess so. It's just that this is the first Thanksgiving that I won't be with my parents." Bekah nodded,
"I understand, believe you me, I truly understand."
"…See you on Sunday, Morgan. Don't have too much fun without me." Bekah said as she hugged Morgan once they got out of the car at the airport.
"Oh, you're taking the fun with you Bekah. Have a good time with your family." Morgan replied with a smile and waved to Bekah and Finian as they walked into the airport after gathering their luggage.
As the pair walked through the airport after checking in and made it to the gate. Finian had noticed that Bekah was more comfortable keeping him at arm's length and then some from her.
Once they landed in LA and got to the arrivals area,
"Bekah!" She heard behind her and smiled seeing Della,
"Momma!" Finian smiled and hung back letting the mother and daughter hug each other as Della looked to Finian,
"Is that him?" Della asked as Bekah nodded,
"Yes, isn't he handsome?!" Bekah motioned him to Della,
"Mom, this is Finian O'Reilly." Finian gave Della a firm handshake as he smiled,
"Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Mason." Della smiled as they got their luggage into the car as she drove them to the Mason mansion as she and Bekah chatted about school as Finian sat back and listened.
When they got to the mansion,
"Daddy, Ken, Paul! I'm home!" She called as they heard quick paced feet coming to greet them as Perry hugged Bekah first,
"Welcome home, sweet girl." Bekah smiled,
"Thank you, Daddy. *she tipped her head to direct his attention to Finian* This is Finian O'Reilly. Finian, this is my father the great Perry Mason." Bekah said with a smile as Finian gave Perry a very firm handshake,
"Please to finally meet you, Mr. Mason." Finian said as Ken tickled Bekah as she giggled turning back to hug her brother,
"We've missed you." Paul Jr said as he joined in the hug to make it a brother/sister group hug as Bekah motioned Finian over to them,
"Finian, this is Paul Drake Jr and Ken Malansky." Finian gave them each a firm handshake, as the realization set in.
Oh, dear. Cross – examinations are going to ensue this week. For Bekah and me. This isn't going to be easy.
"…Finn?" Bekah asked breaking him from his thought process,
"Yes, Bekah?"
"Why don't you take your bags up to the guest room and relax for a little bit while I catch up with my family. I can tell that the flight has worn you out. We'll holler when it's time for dinner." Finian nodded and once he was out of earshot,
"How close have you two gotten?" Perry jumped right to the chase once he and Bekah sat on the swing on their back porch,
"Daddy. I'm keeping him at more than an arm's length away from me at all times. We're just friends, honest. Please, I'm more comfortable with Morgan and I being practically joined at the hip. Morgan and Gabby both are my best friends." Perry nodded,
"I don't want him taking advantage of you." Bekah sighed,
"If he had, I would've noticed and called quits on our friendship. Go easy on him when it's your turn. You're going last. Ken and Paul will have their chance first, then Momma." Perry chortled and hugged Bekah tightly,
"I'll try, but this is you, my sweet girl, we're talking about here. If he begins to not cooperate, I can't promise going easy on him. You're one of the best things that has ever happened to me, Rebekah." Bekah smiled,
"I take it that I'm a close second to marrying Momma?" Perry nodded as Bekah giggled softly,
"I'm not mad. You and Momma are so in love."
Once the first evening passed and morning came,
"Hey, Bekah. Why don't you come with your Mom and I to the office?" Perry asked as Ken and Paul Jr were going to stay and do their cross – examinations first as Bekah nodded,
"Sure, be nice guys." Ken and Paul Jr nodded,
"We will!"
"How close have you and Bekah gotten with each other?" Ken started as Paul Jr looked to him as Finian nodded,
"She keeps me at least an arm's length away from her at all times. Friendship wise? We're good friends. That's all."
"Momma, are you sure that you need to cross – examine Finian? I'm sure Daddy could do that for the both of you." Bekah asked once they got to the office as Della thought about it,
"I suppose your Dad and I could do it together." Perry shook his head,
"No, I want to cross – examine him on my own." Della nodded,
"I still want to cross – examine Finian as well. I'm your mother." Bekah nodded and when they got home,
"So, how'd it go with Ken and Paul?" Bekah asked her and Finian set the table for dinner,
"Alright, I guess. It was an easy cross – examination from two brother – figures. I know that it'll get harder once your Mom and Dad get to me." Bekah chuckled as Finian finished with a gentle smile,
"We're a family of lawyers and private investigators. It's in our nature." Finian gave Bekah a side hug as she blushed but leaned into the hug for a split second before going to help Della with dinner as Ken walked behind Finian,
"If you ever hurt her. You'll have to go through Paul and I." Finian nodded after Ken whispered that. Finian could tell that Ken was closer to Bekah than Paul Jr,
"I don't plan to, Ken." Dinner was pleasant as well as that night.
"Hey, Bekah. Let's go to the beach today." Ken called as Perry, Della, Paul Jr, and Finian left as Bekah smiled brightly,
"I've been meaning to ask all week! That's what I miss in Blacksburg. Being able to walk on the beach whenever 'cause the weather isn't as nice all year round out there as it is here. Plus, there aren't any beaches super close to campus." Paul Jr had gone with her parents and Finian to watch Della's cross – examination and he planned to watch Perry's as well – as he was still a little dubious about Bekah and Finian possibly being together.
"So, how was the cross – examination yesterday?" Bekah asked after she sighed happily feeling the sand under her feet as Ken smiled,
"Surprisingly well. Paul still seems dubious of him, but I think once he watches your parents cross – examine him… He'll turn 'round. But from my standpoint, the both of you have got my blessing if a relationship between the two of you is in the cards." Bekah hugged Ken tightly,
"Oh, thank you! That means everything to me." Ken smiled and placed his arm around her shoulders, and they walked along the water talking gently while Della concluded her successful cross – examination.
"Perry, I think that you can ease up tomorrow. You've seen how Finian answered my questions. He's a good egg. I trust him with Bekah." Della said after Paul Jr took Finian for lunch as Perry nodded,
"You did good, Della but I still need to see if any of his answers change because it's now my questions he's answering." Della nodded,
"Be nice. I don't think Bekah would be so happy to hear if you were harsh with Finian." Perry nodded and hugged his wife,
"It seems like yesterday we found her, at only five years of age and adopted her. Now, she's 18 and might have found 'The One' as they say. Bekah's always writing about him in her letters, and it sounds like she's fallen hard for him. It also looks like he's fallen hard for her as well. Della, I don't think I'm quite ready for what's about to happen." Della nodded,
"I think Bekah is warming up to the concept. But, if we do allow this to happen and as things unfold, if she knows that the two of them have our blessing. She might be more than willing to take things further. You know that Perry. This is a good thing for her. I don't want her wasting away her life alone." Perry nodded as he began to cry as Della wiped his tears away before continuing,
"You don't need to be afraid; you know that she'll come back here to LA and be much closer in four – year's – time, maybe if things go the way I hope… a few years after that… We'll be hearing the sounds of little feet running around with grandchildren that we'll get to love on." Perry smiled and hugged Della even tighter before they left to head home for the day.
"Thanks for the day out, Ken. I appreciate it, now I need to get back to studying. I've got a test in two weeks." Bekah excused herself to study as Paul Jr, Finian, Della, and Perry walked in.
"Bekah went to study." Finian nodded and went to go study for the same test, alone. Bekah had snuck to find Perry sitting on the porch swing, still in tears.
"…Daddy, what's wrong?" She asked gently as Perry jumped a little and smiled softly seeing Bekah,
"Bekah, how much do you care about Finian?" Perry asked in a moment of pure vulnerability as Bekah was taken aback,
"…I, Daddy are you afraid of what could happen with Finian and I? You know that once I'm done at Tech, Finian or no Finian, that I'm coming back here to possibly join the team as a bona fide lawyer. Not just as your little girl who happens to tag along for the ride on cases." Perry looked to his daughter and nodded,
"You're the child I never thought I needed to raise and be a father to, until you magically walked into our lives and turned our world upside down for the better. I wouldn't have it any other way." Bekah smiled and began to state her case about her and Finian,
"I mean, whenever we're having a late – night study session with Morgan… He supplies the coffee and the laughs. Whenever he walks into the classroom if I didn't beat him there, everyone seems to go away and I see only him. He makes me smile, even when I'm having a rock – bottom day, when it seems like nothing is going right… Daddy, I know it's only been a few months…" Perry smiled softly,
"…But you think you've fallen in love with him. And that falling was pretty hard?" Bekah nodded,
"As soon as I laid eyes on him that first day of class not knowing who he was until a month in. Daddy…" Perry stopped her,
"No, I think I've made my mind up after listening to your Momma's cross – examination and hearing her case on why I should give the two of you my blessing, without me cross – examining him. Which I am –" Bekah kissed his cheek and hugged him as she began to cry softly as Perry held her close.
Della had walked out on the back porch and smiled happily hearing that Perry had come to the decision of giving Bekah and Finian his blessing without a cross – examination.
That night at dinner,
"Finian, Bekah." Perry started with a serious expression on his face as the pair looked to him as his expression softened to a happy smile,
"I know that you've been friends for such a short amount of time, and if things go a little further than just friends. I want you to know that you've got our blessing. Welcome to the family, Finian and you can call us 'Mom' and 'Dad'." Perry finished as Finian and Bekah hugged each other with smiles as the air around the table changed from nervous to happy and light.
I hope that y'all enjoy this chapter, I know that people might have wanted Perry's cross – examination of Finian but I figured that Bekah stating her case to him would be enough for Perry to be comfortable with his sweet girl taking that next step in being an 18 – year – old young woman. I'm proud of how this chapter went and I hope that you guys see that.