Second Chances

by ScribeandVibe

It is a second chance for the O'Brien family in more ways than one

p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I have to say if that's the kind of meal I get for doing your studio, I'd be happy to build you a few more."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I'm glad you liked it but be careful what you offer - I may just take you up on it."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Megan settled herself on the sofa, glass of wine in hand and saw Mick doing the same. He closed his eyes as he sat back and she frowned in concern at him, "You okay?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Hmm," he asked distractedly, "Oh, yeah. I'm just enjoying the peace."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Dilpher?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He nodded resignedly, "Last of the law suits was settled today, I should feel celebratory but I just feel…exhausted."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""That's not surprising, it's been a tough couple months for you."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He nodded and then grinned, "Working on your studio was a good distraction though."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""It was all part of my cunning plan, you're never happier than when you're building something."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You know me well," he replied taking a sip of his wine./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Talking of knowing someone well, how do you think Bree is doing since she got back from London?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He raised his eyebrows at her, "She's been pretty quiet since she got back. A bit like when she first came back from Chicago."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""That's what I thought."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Simon do you think?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I don't think so, apparently he was on a book tour so they never ran in to each other."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Jess had arrived with two bottles of wine when I was leaving earlier, maybe she and Abby will get to the bottom of it."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Hmmm."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Always the worrier," Mick said as he reached over to stroke her cheek./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I can't help it. Bree feels things so deeply."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Like her mother."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Yeah sadly," Megan said as she leaned in to Mick's hand./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I think it's one of her best qualities, it's what makes her a brilliant writer. It's what makes you an artist."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Touched, she reached over to kiss him and he responded gently moving his lips over hers in a way that made her shiver. She pulled back, still a little unused to the feelings he was able to generate in her with a simple kiss./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Well, talking of me being an artist do you want to see my studio with furniture inside?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I really do."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Leave your red wine here though," Megan told him, "I've already had an accident with my coffee."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She led him up the stairs and in to the studio, she still had to take a breath every time she stepped in to it. Mick had done a wonderful job building the room to her exact specifications albeit with suggested improvements here and there. It was just what she had wanted and it gave her a thrill to know that this was the start of new and hopefully exciting chapter for her. The fact that Mick was such a willing and helpful part of it was an added bonus./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Wow, you were right, this furniture fits perfectly," Mick said as he took in the room./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Megan smiled proudly, "Thanks, I'm really happy with it all."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She watched as he wandered around the room and stopped by her work desk, where several of her sketches were strewn across the table to flick through them./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Wow, Megan…these are fabulous."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You think so?" She asked, hating the note of insecurity in her voice and Mick looked at her with a knowing smile./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You know I wouldn't say it if I didn't think it. I'm not that nice."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Megan laughed, this was definitely true. She knew she had some talent, but having Mick recognise it made her feel a little more confident./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I think that one is going to be my first painting," she gestured to the sketch he held in his hand and he looked impressed./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I get first refusal right? When you go to sell it?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She mock glared at him, "Mick O'Brien, as much as I love the support you are not going to bankrupt yourself kickstarting my new career."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Who says that's why I want it, I think it would go nicely in my office…hey what's this?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick's attention was caught by something else on the table that Megan couldn't quite make out so she stepped up closer to him to see what he had found. As she peered over his arm she realised what it was./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""This is us," Mick said, holding her sketch of him and her on their wedding day. She supposed she should feel a little embarrassed about it but it had become a picture with much more meaning than a few memories./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She took it gently from his hand and gazed at it, smiling, "I did this after that day up at the bluff. All that talk about our wedding and I realised I didn't have any photos from that day. When Nell helped me separate the photos after our divorce she asked if I wanted any from our wedding. I said no."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She saw Mick grimace at the memory, "Knowing Mom she's probably kept them somewhere."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""That evening I just started drawing and this was what came out. After I'd finished it I just stared at it for ages. All those hopes, dreams, fears…all there on the page. It spoke to me, moved me. Art can do that, I've always known it but what I didn't know, or what I had forgotten, was that I had that ability. To speak to people through art, in a language that is universal."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Is that what made you decide to paint again?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Yep. And what you said."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""What did I say?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""That I could do whatever I wanted. And that that was pretty wonderful."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You know I have to say, as proud as I am of you for doing this, I'm also a bit envious too."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Oh?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Knowing what you want, taking the risk, doing what you love and the joy with which you do it is…I don't know…inspiring."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You don't feel that way at work anymore?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Not lately."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"A sad smile graced his face, she had suspected that he had been feeling down. The whole mess with Dilpher had really hurt him./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Is this about Dilpher?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He shrugged, "It's just I think back on all those years that I missed out on with the kids, with you. I was spending time with people like Dilpher, thinking I was building something, a legacy for my family, providing a future for my family. And all the time I was dealing with charlatans. It just all feels tainted somehow."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Dilpher can't change the good you've done Mick. The jobs you've created, the people you've trained, the developments you built responsibly. What happened can't change any of that."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I know. But it makes it hard to get energised anymore. I don't want to spend time away from my family for any more people like him. I don't want to waste it on things or people that don't matter."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I don't think you're the retiring type."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""No. Probably not. But maybe there's something else I could be doing."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You don't have to rush in to anything."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""No. You're right," he smiled at her, "Thanks for listening."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Always."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She placed the drawing of their wedding day back on the table and saw Mick's gaze follow it./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""That guy was an idiot. What I'd give to tell him what I know now. Could've saved us both some heartache."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""She wasn't much better."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You know, I look at those two people, young, impulsive, impatient to start their lives together. Madly in love. With absolutely no comprehension about what it takes to make a marriage work, a partnership work."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""We had some good times," Megan said to him gently./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He nodded in agreement, "We had something undefinable. A connection, attraction, whatever you want to call it. But it wasn't enough."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""No, it wasn't."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""When I compare it to what we have now. The friendship we've built, I'm really proud of it. Cherish it even."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Megan looked at him in confusion, she really hoped he wasn't about to give her the letting her down gently speech. They'd been getting on so well. At least she thought they had./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Mick are you friend-zoning me?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""What?!" He laughed, "No, quite the opposite. I just mean that our friendship is the foundation on which we are building this new relationship. It feels more solid. I know you so much better, understand you in ways I never did before."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""So you're not Simon Atwell'ing me?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick pulled her to him, smiling as he did so, "Oh honey, we never have to worry about that. One thing that has never changed is that connection. That attraction. That unexplainable pull we've always had to the other. Simon Atwell and Bree never had that. And she and Martin never had the friendship. We've got both."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Always had? Even all those years apart?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick looked thoughtful, "All those years, I spent a lot of time adamant I didn't feel anything. But every now and then, you'd turn up at some school play or event and for a moment, just for a moment…" he trailed off./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Megan had a good idea of what he meant, they'd both done a good job of ignoring each other as much as they could over the years. Then every now again, they'd have these moments where the attraction and history and emotion would flash between them. And then as quickly as it appeared it would disappear back under years of hurt, resentment and misunderstanding and a desire to get over the other. Like when she had first returned, she remembered him watching Bree thoughtfully, marvelling how she did what she did and she had felt a wave of affection for him and how he loved their children. It had made her heart twist with emotion./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"A few hours later he'd pissed her off and it was forgotten again. Until they'd said goodbye at the sea plane and they'd reminisced over Abby as a child. It had been brief. But it had been there, with danger written all over it./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She looked at him, remembering other times she had caught him from a far. Looking handsome with a grin that made her knees weak, "Abby's wedding?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"And there was that grin as he obviously remembered, "And we had to dance together, you looked beautiful that day. I could barely take my eyes off you."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""And you in a tux. Always my weakness."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""When I look at those two from all those years ago. While I wouldn't mind the youth and the hair colour, I wouldn't swap it for now. It's like we have the best bits of before with the knowledge of what went wrong and a friendship and partnership that means the world to me."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She reached up and brought his head down to hers as she kissed him gently./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Me too."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She smiled and went to pull away only to find him holding her firmly and looking at her intently, she recognised that look. He'd looked at her like that when they first met and during their marriage. She had even seen it on a handful of occasions over the years they were apart, Abby's wedding being a case in point. And she had seen flashes of it regularly more recently but neither of them had pursued it. They had been content to take small baby steps as they navigated their new romantic relationship. But she wondered if there hadn't been a bit of nerves too. Neither was the same person they were twenty years ago./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You're really not worried we don't have that chemistry anymore?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He looked confused for a moment and then seemed to get what she was talking about, "You mean physically? Not at all."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""It's been a while."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He looked at her with concern, "Are you worried about it?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Twenty years have passed, I may not be the same as you remember."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Twenty years have passed for me too and I think the years have always been kinder to you. Are you less attracted to me than you were?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""If anything I think I'm more attracted to you now than I have ever been," Megan whispered./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick looked at her fondly, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Something like that."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I'm not worried."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She grinned at him, "That connection huh?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Alive and well."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She took a deep breath, "Maybe it's time we stopped holding it back."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Good advice," Mick said before he crashed his mouth down on to hers, pulling her tightly against him and they danced their age old dance together./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Chesapeake Shores/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"What hadn't changed in all their years apart was that both still got up at the crack of dawn regardless of what day it was. And they both still slept on the same side of the bed as they had done before. They had both giggled over that the previous night. Neither of them had ever gotten used to having a bed all to themselves./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Other things hadn't changed either she thought with a smirk. There had been some awkward moments at first, which they had dissolved with laughter and then they had proved Mick right. He always had to be right. As he'd peeled her dress from her, she'd been nervous until he reminded her again that the same number of years had passed for him too since they'd last seen each other without any clothes on. And then he'd touched her exactly where he knew she wanted to be touched and the nervousness melted away./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She couldn't remember the last time they'd had so much fun together in bed. It had been passionate too, and at times so tender she nearly wept, but it had been fun. Enjoying each other with such a confidence that it was almost hard to believe it had been so long./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She was so lost in thought she didn't hear him until he wrapped his arms around her from behind, freshly showered but still wearing the same clothes from the night before. He hadn't brought a change with him, presumptuous he had called it./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""If I didn't know better," he said in to her neck in between kissing it, "I'd say you looked a little smug."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I am a little smug," she said honestly./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He laughed in to her hair, "Pancakes?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Yep, as is tradition," Megan said as she flipped another pancake on the grill and he eagerly grabbed a plate already full of pancakes and fruit./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Do you want me to give you a ride home?" She asked as she scooped a fresh pancake on to her plate and sat next to him, "I want to see the girls before they go on their trip."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Great, thanks," Mick said around a mouthful of pancake./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I'm sure we can arrive early enough to miss the hoards so you don't have to do the walk of shame."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Who said anything about shame?" Mick waggled his eyebrows at her and she threw a blueberry at him./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Thirty minutes later she pulled up on the driveway at the big house and she smirked at him as she watched him case the joint to see who was up./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""No shame huh?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I just don't want twenty questions," Mick said as they both got out the car and she rolled her eyes at him./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He held the front door open for her, "Oh I wanted to ask you about something, I had a moment of inspiration in the shower this morning and…" he trailed off as he heard voices coming from the kitchen. He looked at her and they both crept towards the door and Megan was surprised to see it heaving with what looked like the entire family./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Morning Mom," Connor said as he came up and kissed her on the forehead./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Morning," she answered with some surprise, "What are you all doing up and here so early"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""The girls school decided to move up the leaving time," Abby answered./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Abby's giving me a lift to Baltimore, which meant I had to be up early too, Kevin's here because Sarah is on the early shift so he has no one to cook for him," Connor continued as he ducked a bread roll that his brother threw at him./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""And Bree and I have a hangover, from four bottles of wine, which meant we passed out on the couch, where Abby left us. You try sleeping through this racket," said Jess while Bree groaned from the table where she was cradling her head./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Megan shook her head in amusement and made her way to the coffee pot./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I knocked on your door like five times this morning Dad, didn't you hear?" Abby asked her father and Megan shot a look at him and nearly laughed at the deer in headlights look. She decided to save him./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Coffee?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Oh yes please," he answered and Abby was thankfully distracted by Kevin stealing a sausage off her plate./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Kevin! Get your own breakfast!"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I've already eaten it."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Stop your squabbling children," Nell said from her place at the head of the table, eyeing Megan and Mick suspiciously so Megan turned her attention to her grandchildren who were seated at the island, looking still half asleep./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""It amazes me that the most well behaved in this family are the youngest," Megan said with a laugh and the girls smiled sleepily at her./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Don't be fooled Mom, it's just because neither of them has properly opened their eyes yet."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Hey if you wanted, I could drop them off at the bus and you and Connor can make your way whenever you want."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""That would be amazing, thank you."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick touched her sleeve, "What are you doing the rest of the day?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Megan shrugged, "Not much, I was going to get some more supplies for the studio but I didn't have any fixed plans. Why?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Why don't I come with you and the girls and then there's something I want to show you? We'll take my car?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Sounds good."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I'll be back down in five minutes."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Hey Dad?" Abby called, "Didn't you want a ride with me and Connor to Baltimore?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""No thanks, I'm spending the day with your mother," Mick called back as he headed upstairs, Megan presumed to change./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Part-timer. You're obviously a bad influence Mom," Jess said from her slumped position at the table./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Megan hid her smirk behind her coffee cup./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Do you want some breakfast Mom, before Kevin with the never ending stomach eats everything in sight?" Abby asked her./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I'm good thanks, I've already stuffed myself with pancakes this morning," Megan replied./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You had an early start," Nell said in a way that Megan wasn't sure was a statement or a question so she avoided answering by merely shrugging with a smile and focusing on her two youngest daughters./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Okay, do you want to try my hangover cure?" She asked and they pathetically nodded their heads./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Fifteen minutes later both Jess and Bree were eyeing the green concoction with skepticism./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""It looks like it might kill me off," Bree said weakly./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I promise you it works," Kevin said, "Mom made it for me once when I had the hangover from hell."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"With what looked to Megan like sisterly solidarity they both downed their drinks at the same time and immediately scrunched up their faces./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Mom?!" They screeched at Megan, their faces contorted in disgust./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You'll thank me in a few minutes," Megan said matter of factly. Her hangover cure was legendary./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Hey," Mick, freshly changed, said as he sauntered back in to the kitchen, "Are we ready to go?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Don't you want some breakfast Dad before you go?" Abby asked./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""No thanks, I've already eaten my weight in pancakes this morning," Mick replied and Megan watched as the cogs ticked over in Nell's head./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""But you weren't up before we were," said Bree, coming round from the hangover cure and Megan decided a distraction was in order./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Right girls, grab your bags and lets get in Grandpa's car."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"The girls got down from their stools and grabbed their bags before saying goodbye to their Nana and mother. By this point Abby was looking at her father suspiciously./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Why did you change?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""What?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You were already dressed, why did you change?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick opened his mouth but no words came out and he looked at Megan helplessly and she shrugged back at him. Then with a surprising amount of awareness, considering how many brain cells she had obviously killed off the night before, Bree gasped loudly and pointed at her father./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You're doing the walk of shame!"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Megan closed her eyes in defeat as Nell and five pairs of blue eyes swivelled round to stare at her and Mick. Four pairs were in amazement but Kevin and Nell were both just smirking,/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Cant believe it took you that long to figure it out," Kevin said around a mouthful of sausage, "They walked in here at the same time, ridiculously early, with Dad wearing the exact same clothes he had on the night before. And here I thought you were all the smart ones."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""What's the walk of shame?" Caitlyn asked innocently./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You know what honey," Mick said with something like evil glee, "That's a question you should ask your Mom when you get back. She will explain it all."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Gee. Thanks Dad."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""And the rest of you can mind your own business," Mick said as he ushered the girls and Megan out in front of him. Given the look on his face, he wasn't finished messing with his kids just yet and she waited as he held back to make sure the little ones were near the car before he uttered his parting line./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""But I got to tell you, shame had nothing to do with it."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Mick!" Megan exclaimed in exasperation and laughter and he dragged her towards the car./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Chesapeake Shores/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"The O'Brien siblings stared at each other in amazement and amusement. Jess got up and peered out the window to watch her parents walking hand in hand towards the car. Before Megan could open the door, Mick pulled her in to an embrace, obviously laughing./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Guys look," Jess said and her brothers and sisters joined her at the window along with her grandmother./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""They look happy," Connor said as they all watched as something their father said made their mother laugh even more before they kissed./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You know, there's some things that even as a grown adult I really do not want to see," Kevin said as he walked away, followed by the others but Jess couldn't take her eyes off the scene in front of her./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""They do look happy," she said, "Were they like that, you know, before?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Before the arguing?" Kevin asked and she nodded in response./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""It's funny I haven't really thought about it for a while," Abby said, "Our house was always so hectic, Mom trying to take care of all of us, Dad trying to keep the business going, it's hard to remember when they had any time for each other. But when they did, yeah, I guess they were. Affectionate, demonstrative with each other."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Jess made her way to her seat when they heard the car horn sound and they realised Carrie and Caitlyn must have got bored of waiting for their grandparents to come up for air and they all dissolved in to laughter./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""What about when they first met, Gran?" Jess asked as they recovered, "Do you remember what they were like?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Nell smiled, her eyes twinkling, "It was like a thunderbolt when they got together so it was. Your Dad was smitten and your mother wasn't much better. I had to convince your Dad to wait to ask her to marry him. They wanted to run away together the minute they met. But she was so young, they had no money. So your Dad worked like a trojan for a couple years to get enough money together. When he eventually proposed they were married in three weeks!"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Three weeks?!" Jess exclaimed, not able to believe it. Given the level of planning she and her mother were getting into for her and David's wedding she couldn't believe that Megan would have rushed such an event./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""They were so impatient to start their lives together," Nell remembered/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I have no memory of them together before," Jess mourned./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""None?" Connor asked, "I've got some, not many, I think mainly of them dancing. Did they dance?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Oh did they ever," Nell laughed, "They would cut quite a rug when they got the chance."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I remember that," Kevin interjected, "Dad always joked it was his way of getting his hands on her in public. I never knew what he meant back then, and now I'm not sure I'm glad that I do."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Well Kev I think based on their behaviour this morning you might have to get used to it," Bree laughed./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Jess giggled, "Having to get used to our parents being all loved up and happy. Mad isn't it?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Chesapeake Shores/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Those poor teachers," Megan said to Mick with a laugh as they got out of the jeep, "I barely coped with 5 kids under 12, how they manage with a coach load of excited, wired, under 12s I do not know."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Given the military precision you used to get the kids ready on time all day every day, I think you could cope."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Megan looked at him in surprise noting the admiration in his voice, "You sound like you were impressed?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Impressed? I was astounded, I always was. Never more so than on the days that you and Mom would go off on one of your girly trips and I was left in charge."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I remember the mess the house would be in when I got back," Megan laughed./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Yeah I'm sorry about that," Mick said as he reached for her hand, "I've gotten better at multi-tasking over the years."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Well what with you being a contractor and all," Megan teased./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Talking of which," Mick started as he pointed up the shore to where the old plastics factory used to be. Now an abandoned relic./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You're going to build on the old factory?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick shook his head, "Nope. Did you know that coastal erosion has been a real problem along the shore? And it wasn't helped by that thing, not to mention how contaminated the land has been."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""The factory has caused further erosion?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Yep. I was talking to a guy from the environment team at City Hall and he was telling me all about it. He wants to get a grant from the state and federal governments to tackle it."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""And?" Megan was intrigued, Thomas had always been the environmentalist in the family and while Mick cared about doing things in the right way, a sustainable way, his passion about it surprised her. "You going to help build some barriers?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Actually concrete barriers do more harm than good. What you need is natural barriers, planting trees, vegetation, logs."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"It all made sense, "No concrete?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick shrugged and she knew she'd hit the mark, "No concrete, which I admit has its charms but when I was listening to the guy from City Hall I thought I could help. Being a contractor bringing together people with the right set of skills, the right set of funding, that's what I do."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You should talk to Thomas about it," Megan said and she was surprised to see Mick nod so readily./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I will, I wanted to see what you thought first. I'm not losing my mind?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Every now and then this man she had known intimately for over 40 years could still surprise her. He'd never been one to lack confidence but if she didn't know any better she would have said he seemed a little unsure of himself./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I think you've built a wonderful business that our daughter, along with Adam who has worked in your shadow for far too long, will ensure continues to thrive. You've achieved security for your family, we're all really proud of what you've accomplished. Now it's time for you. What do you want to do? What's your passion?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He smirked at her, "Apart from you?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Funny, I'm being serious," she said as she pulled him towards her./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I love this place, this shore, this town. I'd like to make sure it's still as wonderful when our grandchildren are grown."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Then I think it sounds like the perfect project."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You think Thomas would want to be involved?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I think he'd love to be involved."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""He's going to be really smug isn't he? Me asking him for help?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Only as smug as you would be if it was the other way round."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""That doesn't help."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She reached up and stroked his cheek, "I'm proud of you, Mick O'Brien."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He smiled at her and she melted. They hadn't spoken words of love to each other since their reconciliation but she was suddenly overcome with it. Him asking her for her advice, him wanting more in his life than to just focus on business, it was such a marked change from when they were married and a change for the better./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Why thank you Megan O'Brien. Do you fancy a stroll up the shore, I can show you where some of the worst parts are?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She looked askance at him, "We're going to do a reccy?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Not quite, but I thought we could go for a walk, then make our way in to town to pick up your supplies, then make time for lunch at Sally's before I help you take your supplies home. And then…" he trailed off with a mischievous look./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""And then?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Well put it this way, I'd really like to do the walk of shame again."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Chesapeake Shores/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Over the next few months Mick did the walk of shame so often Megan finally made him fill a few drawers with some clothes. A toothbrush of his found its way permanently in to her bathroom along with a razor and his aftershave. They hadn't yet stayed overnight at the big house and Mick wasn't entirely sure why. It was easier to find privacy together at Megan's that was true but they were both at the big house so much that it would make sense for them to stay there together sometimes. Although as time went on he was finding it harder and harder to understand why they spent any night apart at all. Like last night, she'd gone home after a family Sunday dinner and Abby had accused him of sulking for the rest of the evening before he finally went to bed, grumpy and alone./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He decided that he would bring it up with her when she came over this evening. Convince her to stay at the house one weekend, they could do movie night with the grandkids like they used to do when their own kids were younger./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He was so lost in thought he had arrived at Sally's before he realised to find his brother at the entrance smiling at him in amusement./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You looked miles away," Thomas said./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I was actually, or maybe years away."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Anything wrong?" Thomas asked as he led his brother to a table./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""No, not at all. Just thinking - and don't say it," Mick groaned./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I wasn't going to but you and thinking just seems so contradictory."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Ha. Ha."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Seriously though, anything you want to talk about?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""With you? No."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Must be Megan then."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Now why must it be Megan?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Because these days you talk to me all the time about work, about the kids, about Mom, but you're still a little reticent to talk to me about Megan. The proud, private Mick O'Brien."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick shrugged, knowing his brother was right, it had been a long time since he'd had a private life of any real note to talk about and the last time Thomas wasn't around for him to talk to. He hadn't really spoken to anyone about it apart from his Mom. Now that he thought about it, it wasn't all that healthy./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""When you and Robyn got back together, did it feel weird suddenly being in her place or her being in yours?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Thomas eyed him, and Mick thought there might be a glimmer of surprise, "A little, she had built this whole life in Arizona. Took me a while to get acclimatised to it, but now it's like it's always been ours."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick nodded thoughtfully and his brother looked at him quizzically, "So this is about Megan?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""It's just we've been spending a lot of time together, mainly at her house, and it's been great. But she seems a little reluctant to stay at the big house and I wondered if maybe it made her feel awkward."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Maybe it's too much history?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Perhaps, or she's worried about Mom, it's been her home now for nearly as long as it was Megan's."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Or maybe it's the fact that I don't imagine there's much privacy at your place?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""That's true," Mick laughed./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Perhaps you just need to ask her?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Yeah. I will."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""So," Thomas said almost hesitatingly, "Things are going well with Megan?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick smirked at him, "I'm not sure why you are asking, because I think you already know."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""It's just, I don't think I've seen you this happy and content for a long time. If ever," Thomas admitted./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick nodded thoughtfully at his brother, "Things are good. Megan and I are having a good time together, it's fun."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You sound surprised?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Well, I thought that we would enjoy each other's company, we'd developed a really strong friendship since she came back and a real partnership when it came to the kids. But since we decided to try again it's better than I could have imagined."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""If I didn't know better I would say you were head over heels," Thomas eyed him keenly and Mick wasn't sure how to answer./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""If I was, you," he said pointing at Thomas "Would not be the first person I told."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Fair enough," Thomas held his hands up, "But I'm pleased for you. Really. You both deserve it."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Thank you," Mick said honestly, having his brother in his life in this way, where they could have these kind of conversations was a welcome change. They'd always been close when they were younger but during the years they had grown apart. Particularly after their father's funeral. Mick often wondered if that wound had impacted on his relationship with Megan. In some ways neither Mick nor Thomas were the same after Charles O'Brien had died, and not in a good way./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Here they were now though, brothers, best friends and working together on a project that was important to them both. It was funny, Mick thought, about how things came full circle./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""So," Mick said changing the subject, "Tell me about these grant applications."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Chesapeake Shores/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He knew there was something wrong when she text him to say she wouldn't be coming to the house that night. It had been fairly late notice which was entirely unlike her. He'd tried calling her before and after dinner but she hadn't picked up. Which was when slight concern morphed into worry and edged towards panic./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Abby?" He asked his eldest, "Have you spoken to your Mom today?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""No, actually she was meant to pick the kids up today but she messaged me this afternoon to ask if someone else could do it. So Bree did."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She looked at him with concern, "Is everything ok? It was a bit unlike her. I tried calling but she didn't pick up. I presumed she was working or her muse had taken over and she was painting."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I haven't spoken to her today, she was meant to come for dinner tonight but she cancelled earlier and now I can't get hold of her."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Dad…"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I know. I think I'm going to go round there," Mick said hesitantly./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I think that's a good idea."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You don't think I should respect her space? I mean, it's not unreasonable for her to want some time alone."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I…wait…Jess has just text me asking if I'd spoken to Mom today. Let me call her." The knot in Mick's stomach grew as he waited for Abby's phone to connect with Jess./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Hey you're on speaker, I'm here with Dad. Why are you asking about Mom?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""We're meant to be going to the dressmaker's tomorrow and she just messaged me to cancel. I tried calling her but she didn't pick up at first. So I called her again and she just sounded..I don't know…weird. Like Mom has been so excited about this whole wedding planning thing, she hasn't missed a fitting, a wine tasting session, a cake tasting session. And I could swear, either she's got a bad cold or she'd been crying."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""That's it," Mick said decisively, "I'm going round there."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Let us know what happens," Abby said, matching Mick's level of concern./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"As he raced round to Megan's house, his thoughts matched his pace. He tried to wrack his brain about anything that could possibly be wrong. He was pretty sure it wasn't an anniversary of a loved one passing. Megan's relationship with her parents was a complicated one and when they passed, she had grieved more for the relationship they didn't have than the one they did. He tried to think of anything he could have done to upset her but he came up blank. They'd both been doing so well, her at voicing any concerns, him with opening up to her. All the kids seemed to be fine, they were both worried about Bree, but not in terms of their relationship with her. Jess had always been the most reluctant in her relationship with Megan but they'd come on leaps and bounds these past few years and during the wedding planning they'd been inseparable and, perhaps even more wonderfully, completely in tune with each other. And the kids seemed ok, even happy with Mick and Megan being back together./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"As for her work, she'd managed to reduce her hours at City Hall because of how well her paintings were going. They'd been talking about her opening a small gallery as a result and Mick was looking at potential shop fronts for her. They'd even discussed moving her studio there. Things were just, good./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"When he arrived he debated at first whether to knock, but she had always left the door open and had told him on numerous occasions just to come on in. He entered the house to find darkness but the moonlight through the window let him find his way to the stairs and he could see light spilling down them./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Megan?" He called as he made his way up the stairs not wanting to frighten her./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Mick?" He heard her call back, confusion evident in her voice. He followed the sound of her voice to her studio and he found her in her artists smock, barefoot, face scrubbed and he could see the red rimmed eyes. She looked tired. And distraught./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""What are you doing here?" Megan asked, although Mick could hear the resignation in her voice./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He gave her a no nonsense look back, "I got the feeling you weren't telling me something. And I wasn't the only one."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Jess."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick nodded, "And Abby. Megan what's going on?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He watched as Megan put her hands to her head, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry anyone. I just…I wasn't sure what to do."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He waited, the knot that had released somewhat when he found her in one piece had begun to tighten again with the look on her face./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""When I was in the shower this morning, I found a lump in my breast."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick felt like he'd just been hit by a ten tonne truck but he imagined that Megan felt like she had been hit by worse. And just for a moment he was frozen, until he took one look at her, trying valiantly to hold it together and rushed to her and took her in his arms holding her tightly. He didn't say anything, he wasn't sure what to say if he was honest, but he could feel her trembling and knew that at this moment the best thing he could do was just hold her. Show her he was there for her. Without question./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"After a long few moments he finally felt her relax and with a smile he wordlessly led her to the bedroom. He helped her out of her clothes and in to her nightgown before pulling back the bed covers. It was still relatively early but he thought somehow the intimacy of the bed might help her to open up to him./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He stripped off to his boxers and t-shirt and climbed in beside her, wrapping his arms around her as she snuggled in to him. He stroked her arm gently with this finger tips, trying to help soothe her. He had a million questions but suspected what she didn't need was an interrogation./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I called the doctor," she whispered./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He was relieved she had done so, she obviously wasn't trying to hide from dealing with it. Which begged the question, why she was hiding it from him./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I've got an appointment tomorrow morning for her to take a look."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""That's good. I'll drive you," he said, calmly but matter of factly./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You don't have to," she replied, her voice breaking./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I know. I want to. Listen," he pulled back to look at her in the eye, "You don't have to go through any of this on your own. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He watched her eyes fill with tears and he gathered her to him again, blinking back his own. He was scared. What it meant. The possibilities. He wasn't normally someone who panicked but he could feel it, nibbling at the edge of his control. He forced it back and down, it was the last thing Megan needed. She needed him to be there for her, to hold her, to reassure, to just have her back no matter what. And he was determined that was what he was going to do./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Somehow they both drifted off to sleep, emotionally exhausted. They hadn't spoken much but through the night, when either of them had awoken the other had too. Probably because each time they awoke they were both so entwined. Which was funny really. When they were married they had always slept close together, an arm around the other, curled up to each other's side, legs entwined. But at first when they got back together they had stayed resolutely on their own side of the bed. Over time though they had crept towards each other, their subconscious drawing them towards the other as if all those years apart hadn't happened. It wasn't unusual now for Mick to wake to Megan curled up to him, her face in his neck and he loved it, and usually took advantage of it. Not on this occasion. This time he just held her, stroked her back, promising her he wasn't going anywhere./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"When dawn finally broke through he woke up alone, the bed was still warm so he knew it hadn't been long since she'd left the bed and he saw the light on in the bathroom. With a sense of instinct rather than anything else he walked in to the bathroom and found her looking at the mirror, her nightgown around her waist and obviously feeling for the tell tale lump./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She startled as she caught sight of him and went to cover herself but he went to her and gently pulled her hands away and silently asked permission to feel for himself. After a moments hesitation she guided his hand to feel the slight bump. It felt so small. So insignificant in size. It was hard to believe that something that could be so easily missed could have the impact it did./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I was hoping I was mistaken," Megan said and he gathered her to him./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I know."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I'm sorry I didn't call you yesterday."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Why didn't you?" He asked softly./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I'm not sure. Maybe because I had gotten so used to dealing with stuff by myself. It's been a long time since I had someone to share my worries with. And then I wanted to but…I don't know. It would have meant making it all real. And I didn't want to worry anyone until I knew for sure there was something to be worried about."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I can understand that. But honey, you need to know that I want to be there to worry. I want to hear your concerns. The thought of you spending any time at all going through the worry and the fear alone breaks my heart. We have to deal with this together, I want us to deal with it together."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She nodded into his chest and he pulled her nightgown up for her to put her arms back through. He caught her smiling./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""What?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""That's the second time in only a few hours where you've put my nightgown on. Normally you're taking it off."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He grinned, "Hey, I'm trying to be Mr understanding here, you should be impressed that I caught you in here topless and kept myself under control."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She laughed at him and he let out a silent breath of relief. When she looked up at him he could see that some of the haunted look she'd had the night before had gone. There was still fear but she was definitely calmer than she had been./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Thank you," she said simply, stroking his face./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""What for?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Being a rock. Knowing me enough to know what I needed, even if I didn't."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Always."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"The trip to the doctors later that morning was more a formality than anything else, she ordered scans, blood tests and a biopsy and through a stroke of luck managed to get Megan an appointment to have all three done the following day. Mick sat quietly holding Megan's hand throughout, the doctor was as reassuring as she could possibly be. A lump could be any number of things she had said. And although she was sure that it was anxiety making she advised Megan to try not to worry. Her mammogram was only a few months before which was clear./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"It had all still felt a bit surreal and Mick wasn't sure how to feel about the doctors words. He didn't want to catastrophize but he didn't want to convince himself there was nothing to worry about either. Most of the time he felt like he was constantly moving between each end of the spectrum, he suspected Megan was doing the same./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He was worried about her though. She had been calm and rational throughout the appointment but she had been quiet all morning and had barely said a word in the car. He wondered where her thoughts were. There were a few things he wanted to discuss with her, he certainly didn't want her to be spending her nights alone and wondered if he could convince her to stay with him over the next few days. The kids would need to be told what was going on too. He wasn't sure how she would react to any of it. They'd both had to adapt when they got back together, and learning how to rely on each other again was one of things they'd had to work on. All those years apart they had been used to living their lives alone, suddenly having to bear another person in mind took some getting used to./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I think we should tell the kids what's going on," he said gently, reaching for her hand and squeezing it./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She shook her head, "No, I don't want them to worry until we know there is something to worry about."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Megan…" he trailed off and pulled the car in to a lay-by at the side of the road and unclicked his seat belt to turn and face her fully. She, a bit reluctantly, did the same./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Abby and Jess already suspect something. Which means by now the rest of them will do too. I told them last night that they weren't to worry and that I'd explain more when I saw them. I'm not willing to lie to them."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He watched as Megan sighed deeply and he felt a wave of affection for her. Always worried about everyone else instead of herself. He knew why she didn't want to tell them, could even understand it; he suspected he would probably feel the same. But he also knew that the O'Briens could smell out a problem at forty paces, his mother especially./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He took a breath, "And I want you to stay at the house until we know what's going on."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Mick I'm not an invalid," Megan said with a huff./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I know, but I don't want to spend a night apart from you and once we tell the kids what's going on I doubt we're going to have any empty chairs at dinner and your house just isn't big enough. And besides we spend lots of time at the house, it'd be weird for us to just disappear to yours."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I have to go to work. And what if I want to spend my free time painting? I need my studio."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""And you can go to your studio, but to be honest, where better to sketch than from the deck? The weather is going to be grand, I'll even drive you up the coast a bit if you wanted. Maybe you could think about taking some leave? The doctor said that the biopsy may make you a little sore, do you really want to go ten rounds with the mayor over the next few days about art with all this going on?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Megan rolled her eyes, "Not particularly. But Mick," she said hesitatingly, "Are you sure? You and me being back in the house, you don't think that we…I don't know…it didn't exactly go well the last time we lived there together."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""What, you think that we'll start fighting? I don't think it was the house's fault we did that when we last lived together."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I don't know, we never fought when we lived in the cottage," Megan said ruefully./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Is that why you've never stayed over?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Megan shrugged, "I just wanted us to build our 'something different'. Without the ghosts of before."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick smiled gently, it all making sense, "If it helps, you know I don't sleep in our old bedroom. Abby has it."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I noticed."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I moved out when you left. I told myself the kids needed more space but there was just too much…"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Memories."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Yeah."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Megan took a deep breath, staring at their entwined hands./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Ok."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Ok to?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Let's go to mine, let me pack a few things. Then let's get the kids over tonight to tell them, and Nell."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Really? You're okay with that?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Actually, I think part of me was hoping you'd force the issue."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I did good?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Don't let it go to your head."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He smirked at her and started the car, pulling back on to the road./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You're wrong you know about us not arguing in the cottage," Mick said smugly./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Megan raised her eyebrows at him, "Oh?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Yeah, every Saturday night, we'd have the same argument."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Which was?" She said with a laugh./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Which crappy rom-com you were going to make me watch."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She giggled, which was exactly his intention, "I remember now, you'd make a massive song and dance about it but in the end you'd still let me get my way."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I was just trying to keep my woman happy," he joked and picked up her hand again to kiss it as he drove with his left, "Tell you what, stay through the weekend and I'll let you watch whatever you want to on Saturday night."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She probably knew what he was asking, to stay until they knew what was going on. The Doctor had thought that they would get the results back by Friday./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She squeezed his hand back, "I'll hold you to that."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Chesapeake Shores/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"The invite Kevin had received to dinner from his father was less a question and more an instruction. Luckily he was able to swap a shift as he didn't think his father would have accepted any excuses./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"His siblings, he later found out, had all received a similar phone call, that they weren't to worry but that their parents wanted to talk to them about something. From the tone of his Dad's voice he suspected it wasn't a happy announcement but his Dad was adamant he wasn't going to discuss it on the phone. For a brief moment he worried that perhaps his parents were breaking it off, but something in his gut told him that wasn't the case. He hadn't seen either of them as happy as they had been these past few months. It was such a contrast to those horrible few years before the divorce and it had been nice. Being a family without the angst and hurt of before. He and Abby, unlike their younger siblings, had always kept pretty good relationships with both their parents throughout the years but even he had to admit that even he was closer to both his Mom and Dad now than he had been before./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Connor, Jess and Bree had been speculating on their group chat before Abby shut them all down, telling them there was no point in playing guessing games and that they'd find out when they got to the house. He had wondered whether Abby knew something they didn't but in a brief conversation while she was on her way home it was clear that she didn't. All she knew was that the day before her mother had cancelled on her, Jess and their Dad and that he had gone round to their Mom's house the night before to find out what was wrong and she hadn't seen either of them since. He could tell she was worried but trying valiantly to remain calm./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He entered the house to find his siblings and Gran sitting in the living room. The atmosphere was subdued, so unlike how the house was usually when they were all together./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Where's Carrie and Caitlyn?" Kevin asked his sister./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""They've gone to the movies with some friends and their parents. I thought probably best they weren't here."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Does anyone know what's going on?" Connor demanded impatiently and Kevin tried not to roll his eyes. The ever dramatic Connor./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Mind your tone," Gran said with a tone that they all recognised./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Noises in the hallway indicated that their parents had arrived and Kevin was relieved to see them walk in to the room in one piece and with the way his Dad's arm was on his mother's back, that little worry of them breaking up disappeared immediately. If anything his dad looked protective./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kevin watched as his parents stood in front of the assembled family members, his Mom looking a bit pale and nervous and his Dad moved his hand from her waist to wrap around her shoulders./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Thanks for coming everyone, we just wanted to talk to you about something and we didn't want to do it over the phone," his Dad began./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""And I'm sorry for worrying you guys yesterday," Megan said to Abby and Jess. "I just needed to process something. But your Dad convinced me that I probably shouldn't try and process it alone."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"His mother took a deep breath, "Now I don't want to worry you unduly, but yesterday morning I found a lump in my breast."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kevin closed his eyes in despair as the weight of his mother's words hit, "I've been to the Doctor's today and I'm going to have a scan and some blood tests tomorrow and they'll take a biopsy of whatever's there. They are hopeful that I'll have results back by Friday."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He looked around the room, everyone had turned pale, Gran had immediately gone to his Mom's side but he wasn't sure who was comforting who./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I'm okay," Megan assured them, "As the doctor reminded me, I only had a mammogram a couple of months ago which was all clear. The lump could be any number of things, and whatever it is, it hasn't been there long."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Your Mom is going to stay here for a few days while this all gets worked out and we wanted you all to know why," Mick said looking at Megan with such affection that Kevin wanted to burst into tears./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""But," Megan said with a smirk, "As I've told your father on multiple occasions, I'm not an invalid, I'm not sick, so no tip-toeing around me."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I don't know Mom," Abby said, the first to break the silence so far of his siblings, "This might be the perfect opportunity for Dad to be your slave."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Who says I'm not that already?" Mick quipped and the rest of the family smiled. Typical, Kevin thought, for his Dad and elder sister to be the ones to break the ice with a joke. Bree still looked like she was going to burst in to tears at any moment, Connor looked the most unsure Kevin had seen him but he was more worried about Jess. Her face was impassive. Jess' relationship with their Mom had always been the most complicated and she had been the most reluctant to form a relationship when Megan had returned. But gradually those walls had come down and recently they had been inseparable as they planned, in Jess' words, the wedding of the century./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kevin was broken from his reverie as his mother announced she would prove her fitness by being the one to prepare dinner and she disappeared in to the kitchen, leaving everyone else to stare at Mick in disbelief and worry./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Let her," Mick said to Nell, "She doesn't want to sit around and fret."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Dad," Bree began, "Are you telling us everything?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I swear honey, that's all we know at the minute. I know you're all worried and scared. Hell so am I. But until we know what we're dealing with we just need to be there to support your mother and play this out how she wants us to."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I hate this," Connor said, tears threatening and Bree put her arms round him, "How are you both so calm?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""We've had about 24 hours to process," Mick said gently, "We're going to all get through this, no matter what."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I'm sorry Dad but you can't promise that. What if -"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""No matter what, Connor," Mick said resolutely, "There's no point in what ifs, we'll know what we're dealing with by Friday, if anything."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kevin let out a breath of relief as he saw his brother nod. The girls began peppering their father with other questions and Kevin took a look into the kitchen to see his mother getting ingredients out of the cupboard and he edged out of the room to go to her./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Can I help?" He asked only to get a wry smile in return./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Honey. I love you, but I think I've got enough health concerns without you helping with the cooking."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kevin laughed, pleased that his mother was able to joke around./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""That's harsh!" He exclaimed, "But fair I suppose."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Megan giggled and started to place various vegetables on the chopping board./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""How are you doing?" He asked tentatively and his mother took a deep breath./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I'm okay. It's all been a bit surreal and I'm looking forward to getting these next few days over and done with. But I'm okay."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He nodded not really knowing what to say./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I'm sorry," Megan began and he looked at her quizzically./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""For what?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""For worrying you all. I didn't want to tell you guys anything until we knew something for sure."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kevin reached out to rub Megan's back, "Mom, seriously, we'd rather know. I know that as a parent you want to protect us but we're grown now. And we are here for you. We would have hated it if we found out you had gone through all this and not told us."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Megan nodded and Kevin could see her blinking back tears, "I feel so guilty," she admitted./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Why?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""It's just things have been going so well lately. With all of you, with your Dad, my art. Everything is in such a good place. And now this. And I know I'm lucky and there's people in the world much worse off than me but I just feel so…resentful you know. Why now?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I know."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""And then I wonder would it have been better if this had happened a few years ago, before I came back here. Save you all the worry. I don't want to put this family through any more pain."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Kevin pulled her into his arms and he felt her shudder with emotion./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""That would have been awful," he heard from behind him and turned to see Jess standing there, her voice trembling with emotion./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""It would have been awful because we all would have been worried and scared but on top of that would have been all the hurt and anger that we hadn't worked through. Like thank God it's happening now. The thought of you, alone, in that apartment going through all of this…no Mom it would not have been better."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Oh Jess," her mother whispered and the next thing he knew his mother was out of his arms and into those of his youngest sister. It was as if he was watching those last fractures of their previously broken relationship heal completely and he joined them in the hug./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"After a few moments he heard feet shuffling and looked up to see the rest of his siblings make their way in to the kitchen and before he knew it he was in the midst of an O'Brien family hug. There were tears, but it was more cathartic than sad, he knew that. Everyone showing their mother that yes they were scared, but only because of their love for her./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"His father and grandmother stood in the doorway, smiling at the scene in front of them, and just for a moment, before he saw him turn to go back in to the living room, he thought he saw his normally stoic dad brush away a tear./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Chesapeake Shores/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"As she readied for bed, Megan couldn't help but feel an element of relief. Mick was right when he had insisted on them telling the kids what was going on. They'd all been amazing, the big hug in the kitchen releasing some pent up emotion had led to them mocking Kevin for offering to help to cook and they'd ended up ordering take away./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"They'd giggled, bantered and bickered over pizza and for a few hours Megan could almost forget about why they were all there in the first place. A couple bottles of wine got opened and they'd all lounged around on the sofa, like any family on any evening. Megan was overwhelmed by how normal it was to spend time with her family in such a way, in a way that would have seemed impossible only a few years previously. She caught Mick's eye on a number of occasions and she knew that he got it too./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Telling Carrie and Caitlyn had been difficult. Abby was adamant, and she was right, the girls weren't stupid and would know that something was going on. The girls though had taken it well, they knew that Mimi was just getting something checked out by the doctors and that she needed to have tests. They'd had a lot of questions but it had gone as well as it could have. There had been a lot of cuddles and reassurances and they'd been excited that Mimi was going to be staying at the house with them for few days. She and Abby had tried not to laugh too much when the girls had excitedly told Grandpa that Mimi was having a sleepover with them. Although she didn't laugh for too long when Caitlyn had then asked where Mimi was going to sleep. She knew her face had turned bright red as Abby gently told them that Mimi was going to be staying with Grandpa as he was going to be looking after her./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Luckily Nana Nell had decided this was the time to break out the chocolate ice cream and Megan had never been so grateful for an intervention. Her kids had enjoyed her awkwardness though and quips about sleepovers had continued throughout the evening./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Finally, given that it was a work night for many of the O'Briens Kevin, Connor, Bree and Jess eventually left and for the first time in nearly twenty years Megan prepared to stay in the same room as her ex-husband, in her former marital home. She'd stayed overnight in the house before but had aways slept alone and in much different circumstances./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"The door clicked and her musings were interrupted by Mick coming out of the bathroom, dressed in his pyjamas, he looked at her in her nightgown and gave her his infamous grin./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Not a chance buster," Megan laughed at him, "I've had far too much wine this evening, I'm getting in this bed and straight to sleep."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Fair enough," Mick responded with a chuckle, "We definitely drank too much this evening, which I only realised when I put the bottles in the recycling."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""It was fun though wasn't it?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He came to her and wrapped his arms around her, "It was. Given everything, I think it was the perfect tonic."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She slipped out of his arms and got in to the bed. Mick switched off the main lights and joined her, snuggling up as was their normal routine now./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You doing ok?" Mick asked gently./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Yeah, I do actually. I feel a lot…calmer than I did earlier today."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""And it's not too weird being here?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""No," she replied, surprising herself, "If anything it's weird that it's not weird. Does that make sense?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""It does actually, I know what you mean. It's been nice, I like you being here."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She smiled at him, "I like being here too."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He kissed her hair before switching off their bedside lights and settled down. The wine and joy of their family evening lulling them off to sleep as they were able, for a moment, to put their cares and worries to one side and just enjoy being together./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Of course, you can only do that for so long and when Megan awoke to find herself in the bed alone, the weight that had lifted off her the night before was back with a vengeance as she realised today was the day that she would have to go through a few uncomfortable tests and procedures. Results of which that had her life in their hands./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She'd slept later than she usually did so wasn't all that surprised to find Mick gone but also a little disappointed. She hated feeling needy but she did. She felt better when Mick was around and when he wasn't the world and her fears seemed to crowd in on her. She pulled herself up trying to get motivated and berated herself for being so irrational. She was a confident, independent woman. Except she was a confident, independent woman who was also scared shitless and just wanted the man she loved to keep his arms round her./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Loved?/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Well that was an epiphany. Probably one she wouldn't share at the moment when emotions were running high and she was feeling so vulnerable. Except was it really because of that?/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"As she was still coming to terms with that revelation the door to the bedroom opened and Mick poked his head round with a grin before he opened it to reveal her precious grandchildren who had made her breakfast in bed./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Oh my!" Megan exclaimed./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""We wanted to do you something special on your first sleepover with Grandpa," Carrie confirmed./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Well thank you," Megan said with a laugh and a look towards Mick who, if she didn't know better, was blushing slightly, "This is fabulous!"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick got up on the bed beside her as the girls placed the tray on her lap, "Fresh fruit and freshly baked pastries made by the girls this morning."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""It looks amazing, I love it. Thank you, this definitely is the best surprise I could have had."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Well I'm jealous Mimi, I don't think I've ever had breakfast in bed made for me," Abby said as she entered the room./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""This is a special get well soon breakfast," Caitlyn declared, "You're not sick."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Megan stroked Caitlyn's hair and gave her a kiss before Abby ushered them out to get them ready for school. Before she left the room she turned to smile at her parents, both lounging on the bed picking at the breakfast the kids had made./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""This is nice," Abby said and Megan looked at her questionably, "You two. Having Mom here. Doesn't feel weird."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"And with that she swept out of the room promising to come and see them before she left to take the kids to school and Megan had to blink back tears. God she was a watering pot already and the day hadn't really begun./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She felt Mick gently lift the tray and place it on the floor and within moments he had wrapped himself around her and she melted in to him and let the tears come. She wasn't sure what she was crying about really, was it what was to come? Or was it that feeling of coming home she had had since the kids had enveloped her in the group hug last night?/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""We're going to get through this," Mick whispered in to her hair. And she believed him./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Chesapeake Shores/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"The tests and procedures were as uncomfortable as she thought they would be but the Doctor confirmed it wouldn't take too long for the test results to come back. The only problem was that it didn't seem like the time was going quickly./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick and Nell had done everything to ensure that Megan was as comfortable as she could possibly be. All the kids had come for dinner every evening and she was grateful for the distraction they gave./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick had been a rock, keeping her entertained and calm. His solid presence a constant reassurance. It was funny really, one of the very few difficulties they had faced since getting back together was how fiercely they had both clung to their independence. They had in the space of two decades crafted new lives for themselves which for 15 years didn't include the other. And they were both proud that they had done so, as difficult as it had been./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"So suddenly having to share their lives with someone else had taken some getting used to. But by talking it through whenever they came across a roadblock they found they could navigate it well enough and both ended up admiring the independent trait in the other./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"The past few days had shown Megan though that slowly but surely, Mick had been moving ever closer to becoming the the centre of her world. Not in a negative or overbearing way. In fact she knew that she wanted him there. She wanted to share her thoughts and passions and difficulties with him. She wanted to know what he thought about how she was dealing with the kids or her art career. Not so that he could make any decisions for her but because she so valued his opinion./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"And she suspected that she did the same for him. It was Megan that Mick had spoken to when he'd had the idea of setting up a Taskforce to protect the shoreline, and he sought her out often to get her view ever since. They didn't always agree but they listened and they spoke the truth to each other. It was so different to their relationship the first time round./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"These epiphanies had been coming thick and fast since she had temporarily moved in to the house and she knew that at some point she was going to have to speak to Mick about them. He'd always been so adamant about them taking it step by step, not putting any pressure on themselves - and he'd been right to do so - but at some point they were going to have to make a decision about their future together./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"That though would be for another day, Megan thought as she slipped her arms through her coat. Mick was waiting downstairs to drive her to the doctors to finally get her results. As much as she tried to convince herself to only deal with what was in front of her, her treacherous mind had been taking her down dark paths that she had to forcibly wrench herself from./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"The girls hadn't made Mimi and Grandpa breakfast this morning and Megan was grateful for Abby's intuition. Her stomach had been doing somersaults since she awoke and although she put on a brave face when the girls came to kiss her goodbye before going off to school with Nell, she knew that she only had a tenuous control over her emotions./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"When she entered the kitchen Abby and Mick were sitting quietly at the table sipping coffee. So alike they both were. Towers of strength. But she knew what most people didn't, which was that they needed someone to lean on too. Megan was pleased that Abby had found that finally in Trace, and that she needed her Mom and Dad still - and more than she would ever admit. The closeness that she and Abby had created during her time in New York was treasured by Megan. When most of the kids barely spoke to her, Abby and Kevin were the ones who truly made an effort./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Mick too kept his private thoughts and emotions well buried, but she knew he felt deeply and at some point the panic and fear that she had caught mere glimpses of over the past few days was going to have to be let out. She just hoped she would be as strong for him as he had been for her when it did./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Ready to go?" Mick asked as he drained his coffee mug and she nodded. Abby rose to hug her tightly and Megan prayed that her emotions wouldn't betray her./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I'll be right here for when you come back," Abby said adamantly and Megan nodded her thanks before following Mick out the door and into the car./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"As they made their way to the doctors they were both quiet but not in an awkward way. Mick's hand clasping hers as he drove most of the way one handed and giving her the support that she needed. When they pulled into the parking lot he hesitated, "Whatever happens, we get through it together okay?" He said gently, leaning over to kiss her and she smiled as she kissed him back./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Together."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Chesapeake Shores/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Abby had never been more proud of her mother than she had been the past few days. She'd been remarkable. Despite her initial reaction and reluctance to tell the family what was going on she had been open and honest about her fears but she'd also been resolute and determined about facing whatever it was head on. Abby admired that about her mother, her ability to show her vulnerability without making it seem like she was weak. It wasn't something Abby knew how to do, she'd always been so self sufficient so adamant to just 'tough it out' that she wondered sometimes if she wasn't damaging herself in the process./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Trace had shown her that she could be vulnerable, and that he would still be there. She hadn't always been convinced but the past months since they'd reconciled he had been amazing. And he'd been a tower of strength the past few days./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Like all of her siblings, the news of their mother's health issues had knocked them for six. Things had been so good. Their mother's relationship with each of them had been transformed for the better. They'd watched from afar as their parents tentatively took the steps towards reconciliation. They'd both seemed so happy and content, in a way that she can't remember ever seeing them before./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"They'd all asked 'Why Now?', when things had been so happy, with Jess' wedding around the corner and Bree back from London it was meant to be a really joyful time for all of them./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Her thoughts were broken by the sound of the back door opening and she looked up to see Bree./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I can't do it. I've tried keeping busy, I've cleaned the cottage, done all my laundry and I sat down in front of my typewriter and burst in to tears," Bree announced as she flopped on to a chair beside Abby./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Well you know what they say, misery loves company," Abby replied as she put her arm round her sister./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""What are the chances - " Bree started only to be interrupted as Jess walked in, "Never mind, we have our answer."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""So the whole, stay at work to keep your mind off it was sucky advice," Jess said accusingly to Abby./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Hey, I was just trying to help," she responded indignantly./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Yeah, well, David threw me out and told me to come here so that went well."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I bet the boys are being all tough and strong," Bree said wistfully./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I wouldn't bet on it," they heard Nell say as she walked in to the kitchen from the front door, gesturing behind her to a sheepish Kevin and Connor./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You guys too?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Well, you know, thought you lot could do with some support," Kevin said unconvincingly./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Connor snorted, "I don't mind admitting I was a wreck, told work I had the flu."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Everyone joined the girls at the table and they sat staring at each other for a while, even Nell was subdued. Abby had never really given much through to her Gran's relationship with her mother but she'd come to realise what a special and close bond it was. Gran was always her biggest champion. Given that she could have so easily gone the other way, particularly as Gran had form when it came to Robyn, she'd always been so defensive of Megan and surprisingly honest and critical of her eldest son when it came to the divorce. Nell had been so happy when Megan and Mick had decided to try again, she was the one person in the whole family who probably didn't harbour any concerns about it./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""You okay Gran?" Abby asked and her grandmother nodded slowly./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Just hoping and praying for good news my darling," she whispered obviously emotional./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""How was Mom this morning?" Connor asked./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""She was quiet but ok, Dad was his normal stoic self."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Dad's been amazing with Mom hasn't he?" Bree said and everyone nodded in agreement./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""She said he's been her rock," Abby confirmed, "Listened and reassured when she felt low, kept her distracted as much as possible."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""He must be scared too," Jess said thoughtfully./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I'm certain of it," Kevin said, "Pretty sure I sure him wipe away a tear the other night when we were all hugging Mom."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Everyone looked at Kevin in surprise, even Gran./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Do you think he shows that side to her?" Bree asked thoughtfully./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I think mostly he's been focused on her," Abby replied./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Yeah but everyone's got a limit haven't they? He can't always be the tough one," Connor said./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I hope he does share that side of himself to Mom," Bree said, "I hate to think of him bottling everything up all the time."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"They all lapsed in to silence and Abby looked at the clock for what felt like the hundredth time./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"They'd be in the appointment by now. They just had to wait./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Chesapeake Shores/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Megan felt like she and Mick had walked out of the practice in a daze, arriving and getting in the car without really thinking about it. When they came out of the doctors office they had just stared at each other and Mick had suggested that they just get home. It wasn't the place for the discussion she suspected they both wanted to have./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"The world felt slightly surreal, she went to open her mouth to ask Mick how he was doing but as she turned to look at him she was surprised to see his knuckles white as he gripped the wheel, his jaw working overtime to contain his emotions./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Mick?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Yeah?" Mick answered distractedly./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I think you're breaking the speed limit," she said gently and watched as his eyes drifted to the speedometer and turn wide in surprise at what he found there./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Now she was worried, it wasn't like him. And it wasn't like him to be so quiet. She looked up at the road ahead and saw that they were coming up to the track that led to the bluff./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Mick, pull over."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""What? What's wrong?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Nothing, just pull over."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She watched as concern for her pulled him from wherever his head had been and he pulled into the track, stopping gently before turning his attention to her./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""What's the matter?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""It looked like you could do with a minute?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""What? Christ Megan, you nearly gave me a heart attack," he said but his words lacked bite and she watched as he tried to get his breathing under control./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I need some air," he said suddenly and wrenched the car door open to get out. Megan watched half in concern, half in relief that the emotions she knew he must be feeling were coming to the surface. He was normally so calm but on the few occasions he would let his emotions rage it was a like a hurricane and Megan knew it was necessary. He'd been so strong for her she knew, and protected her from his own feelings of panic that he must have had. Now it was her turn to soothe./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"She followed him out of the car and watched as he took lungfuls of sea air. She waited. She knew better than to push./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I just," he started finally, his hands gesturing helplessly, "God Megan….I was so scared." Mick's voice broke and she walked towards him, slowly like she was approaching a startled animal./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""I know. But I'm fine honey. I'm absolutely fine."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"He stopped and looked at her and before she knew it she was smothered in his embrace and felt his hot tears at her neck. Hers followed and they swayed there in the breeze finding strength in each other as the fear and panic of the past few days melted away to relief and an overwhelming sense of gratitude./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"A long moment later they finally pulled away, wiping each other's tears with half a laugh and half sob when Megan's phone pinged. It was Abby, to tell her that everyone was at the house./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""Are you going to tell them now?" Mick asked/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;""It feels cruel to make them wait," she replied as she hit call to tell them all the happy news. Mere seconds later Abby had turned the video on and Megan and Mick laughed with abandon as they heard their kids scream and cheer down the phone and then watched their kids and Nell jump around the kitchen in delight and promise to put a bottle of champagne on ice for a celebration like no other when they returned./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"And they were as good as their word, when they pulled up to the drive way her entire family raced down the porch steps to envelope Megan and Mick in one of the most special O'Brien family hugs any of them would ever have. Tears of happiness and relief were shared by everyone, Mick, having let go of his emotions, now letting his entire family see them in all their majesty. Kevin following his father in a rare and open display of emotion./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"As they all walked up the steps and into the house, Jess' hand in hers, Bree's arm around her shoulders Megan couldn't help but think of the time that Kevin had been brought home in the ambulance. The whole family there to greet him, all terrified at what they had saw. Megan had followed Kevin's gurney down the drive arms wrapped tightly around her stomach, everyone walking ahead of her apart from Bree who was walking next to her but couldn't have been more further apart - the distance between them greater emotionally than physically. She had never felt more alone in her grief and fear./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 100%;"Now it couldn't be more different, she had never felt so blessed and grateful for the outpouring of love from her family. As awful as the past week had been, and one that she hoped none of them ever had to repeat, it had brought them all that much closer together. A timely reminder of what to be grateful for. And it had forced Megan to look at her own feelings, particularly her feelings for Mick. At some point they were going to need to have a discussion but for now Megan was going to just enjoy being back in the arms of her family, with everyone safe and well and give thanks for what she had./p