Chapter 11 - Birthday Party

Author's Notes: We hope that all our readers are doing good during this time of a global pandemic. The role of Dr. Rachel Scott could not have been more prescient than now that we have a "flu" going around. So, for those of us who are hunkering down to see through this pandemic, here is something to add to your reading pleasure! And to alleviate your probable boredom, do indulge us with a review. Stay safe, everyone.


Four weeks had passed since the strange incident at the cemetery. Unfortunately, other memories had not found their way to the surface. Sometimes she feels as if the memories are within the tips of her fingers. But it was like being in a car at high speed, she only saw outlines of the landscape out there, but never the full landscape.

She remembers how Bertrise reacted to seeing her at Jeter's house.

"Dr. Scott!" A teenager screamed excitedly, throwing her arms around Rachel in a tight embrace. "It's really true, you are alive, you came back to us."

The hug clearly took Rachel by surprise and she stood stiffly for a moment, before hugging her in return. Her eyes darted around to meet Tom's, an unspoken call for help. She decided not to think that there were three more people in the house from whom she could have asked for help. Jeter, Wolf, and Miller.

Well, the last seemed as stunned as Bertrise. He had stammered when saying her name when greeting her, and continued to stare at her, wide-eyed, mouth agape. She saw Wolf whisper something in Miller's ear, the boy blushed, he couldn't be much older than the girl, and he snapped his mouth shut with an audible crack.

"Bertrise, she needs to breathe," Tom said with a small smile.

"Oh...I'm sorry," Bertrise said, as she quickly moved away from Rachel. "I didn't want to do that, I mean I wanted to, but… I'm so happy you're alive… I'm glad you're home. "

Home.

A place where your family is, where you feel safe and loved. At the time, she smiled at the girl because that was the right thing to do. They were strange, really friendly, but strange.

Gradually she was getting used to her new home, her old/ new friends. When she stopped living in her own head, desperately seeking answers that never came, and allowed them to approach, things began to change.

She placed herself in front of the window. The atmosphere of the garden was warm and welcoming, full of laughter and chit chat. Some lamps had been hung on the trees, chairs and tables scattered to create small spaces for people to talk.

Everybody else seemed to be having a good time. The group of teenagers, among them Kate, Bertrise, Mason, were chatting animatedly, a little bit away from the older ones.

At another table, Kara, Danny and Alicia were sharing what looked like a taco salad. Pregnancy cravings. Last week she had a craving for mango ice cream. This week was basically anything with some Mexican spice.

Six men were in the corner; they were drinking beer and Mike was probably telling one of his bad jokes, if forced smiles were any indication.

Then her eyes were drawn to him. In love, Rachel was irrevocably in love.

She felt her heart melting as it always did when she looked at the boy. Sam rested his head on his father's shoulder, his eyes drooped under heavy eyelids as he yawned.

Tom kissed the crown of his son's head, enjoying the moment, he knew it would not be long and his son would not allow himself to sleep on his father's lap.

He smiled at Ashley who looked as sleepy as his little brother. He cupped his daughter's cheek in his hand and lovingly stroked her cheekbone with his thumb. He doesn't know where the time went. It seems like it was just yesterday when she was just a baby and he had held her in his arms for the first time. His little girl grew up too fast.

"Bed for you, buddy," he said with a smile, and hoisted Sam onto his shoulders to carry him.

The sound of feet shuffling through the corridor met her ears, male voices, and laughter, doors opening and closing. Focused on the scene below, Rachel ignored the sounds coming from the next room.

"So this is where you hide?"

Rachel jumped at the voice behind her and found Elena there, watching her. A smile graced her face and her eyes sparkled with fun.

"Elena!" she said while giving her a hug. "I didn't know you were coming."

"Tom invited us."

"He didn't say anything."

"If he had said it would cease to be a surprise."

Rachel watched Tom walk away with the sleeping child in his arms, probably to put him to bed. Ashley walks beside him. He reached out and set his hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"Adorable, isn't he?" Elena asked.

"Adorable would not be the first word I would choose to describe him."

"What word would you use to describe him then?"

He was so full of contradictions sometimes it made her head spin

"Bossy, and don't forget, arrogant, stubborn, frustrating." Then she remembered his gaze as he looked at his children. The sweet and affectionate way he spoke of his wife. "I don't know what to do with him."

"I could give you some ideas."

Rachel stammers indistinctly, her face turning bright pink.

"Sorry, sorry, my dear, I couldn't resist."

"He's not what I expected," Rachel said. "I've been trying to keep my distance."

Elena gave her a knowing look. "Because you feel attracted to him."

"I like the warmth in his eyes when he looks at me. Do I feel tempted? Hell, yes, more times than I'd like to admit. But I'm not ready for a relationship right now, Elena."

Neither is he. He is still wearing his wedding ring. He must have loved her very much.

Rachel decided to change the subject.

"Where is Jake?" she asked. "I know he does not like to leave home, it's hard for him to be among strangers."

"They are not strangers." Elena said. "Now I want you to tell me how you really are, my dear."

"Okay, I guess," she says as she walks away from the window and approaches a table, where there were some papers spread out and a laptop open.

Then Rachel pulled up a chair and sat down and Elena followed suit, sitting in front of her.

"What is all this?" Elena asked.

"A piece of my past. I had a boyfriend, his name was Michael," she said, turning the laptop screen to show her the picture of a tall man, dark hair, his eyes hidden behind sunglasses, leaning over her with a crooked grin on his face.

"What do you know about him?"

"He was a photographer…" She trailed off, a sadness wrapping around her voice. "He was in China when the epidemic began, he is dead."

"I'm sorry," Elena said softly. She reached out her hands across the table, and held Rachel's hand in a gesture of comfort. "And the papers?"

"My work. I read the reports on the creation of the vaccine. It's all so unbelievable. I think I can understand why they need me to remember."

"How do you feel about it?"

"I will be lying if I say that I am not proud to have been able to do something like this, but if something goes wrong? And if I—" Then she flushed as though ashamed.

"And you're not there to help," Elena finishes gently.

"God! I'm being arrogant."

Elena's heart rejoiced. Rachel was showing signs of accepting who she really was. It had started by name, less than a week ago; she'd left Rebecca behind and allowed them to call her by her real name. Less and less she referred to herself in the third person. Elena hopes that this is an important step to regain her lost memories.

"It's not arrogance, my dear. The heart is always quicker to recognize what reason ignores."

Rachel raised her eyebrows inquisitively.

"You are afraid. We are all afraid of losing those who are important to us. For us when they died, no matter how old they are, how long they have lived, how long we knew them, it is always too soon."

"That's why you and Jeter get along very well; you have a way with words like him."

They had met when Elena and her husband had come to visit Rachel three days after her return.

"I didn't see him when I arrived."

"He's been visiting his in-laws, and should only be back in two days." After a pause Rachel said, "Sometimes it's hard to deal with this emptiness; to know that a part of me is missing, but it's getting easier. You're right, I like them. You remember Tex?"

"He was one of the men who accompanied the Admiral when he came to get you. If I remember correctly, when you and the Admiral were arguing, he said you two were stubborn as mules, showing blatant disrespect to a commanding officer, which makes me think he is not a military man. Add to the package, a beard, long hair, and good sense of humor. Tex Nolan."

"Actually, his name is Ken."

"Really? Tell me everything."

"There's not much to tell. I've seen him a couple of times. Tex is a nice guy. I feel good around him. Safe. He has a daughter named Kate, is divorced... In fact, after I talked to him the first time, it was like reconnecting with an old friend."

Poor Tex, he was put in the friend zone,Elena thought. She had seen the way he had looked at Rachel. Surely, friend was not the only position he wanted to occupy.

A melodic voice floated through the open window.

It's been a long time, a long time coming

But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

"Alicia…" Rachel whispered.

"She is good."

"Yes, she is."

Rachel closed her eyes and could almost feel the breeze coming from the sea, the heat coming from the bonfire made in the sand of the beach. She kept her eyes closed, and let the music surround her, calming her senses. The complete memory was there she knew, so close, within reach, "Please, please," she begged softly. But there was nothing else there.

"Shit!" she swore in frustration.

Then she opened her eyes to look at Elena directly.

"Hey. Are you doing alright?"

"I remembered Alicia singing on the beach. Some people were dancing. But I did not stay there for long."

"Where did you go?"

"I don't know, looking for someone, I think."

"Who?"

There have been times that I thought I couldn't last for long

But now I think I'm able to carry on

"I don't remember."

"Your memories are coming back."

"Yeah… Slowly. Let's go down; you're right, I've got to stop hiding, because even through locked doors the answers come to me."

"Atta girl," Elena said with an encouraging smile as she gets up and walks toward the door.

Elena held the door open. "Aren't you coming?"

"Go on, I'll meet you down there."

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When she left the bathroom, she was surprised to find someone in her bed. A closer look and she knew exactly who is sprawled on her bed with his head buried in the pillow.

"Hey, wake up," she said, shaking his shoulders lightly. "Wake up."

She bit back a laugh when he replied in a groggy voice, "just another five minutes, Mom."

"Miller!"

"What?" He blinked hard. His face was red and his eyes were blurry. She was close enough to smell the whisky on his breath. Then he finally seemed to see her, his eyes focusing slowly as confusion drifted across his face. "Dr. Scott?"

"Yes, it's me."

"You are beautiful," he said, dreamily. "So beautiful. Are you real? Because you look alive for a ghost…"

He is really drunk, she thought.

"I am as real as you. I've been back for almost four weeks, remember?"

"Oh, right! Good. Glad you're back, we were sad when you died, I mean, when we thought you were dead. We did a farewell ceremony for you, we were all there, well, the Captain was not, he was unconscious after the surgery…Master Chief has a way with words, you know…I cried, just a little bit, don't tell anyone …grown men don't cry…"

Seeing him so made her forget for a moment that he was a soldier. So young, so vulnerable, Wolf takes care of him as an older brother would. His sweet and awkward way made her feel protective of him too.

"So adorable!"

"I'm not," he says indignantly, making her realize she must have spoken out loud. "Men are not adorable… or cute."

"You are."

He looked disconcerted for a moment. After a few seconds, he asked, "Do you think the Admiral is adorable?"

"Sometimes."

"Okay…." Miller said and yawned. "Adorable sounds good to me."

Rachel watched him snuggle into the pillow.

"No, you can't sleep here. Come, I'll help you to your room."

"It's my birthday," he said softly and yawned again.

"I know. Happy 20th birthday Miller."

"How do you know my age?"

"There were 20 two candles on your birthday cake."

"Oh, you were there, too…"

He had arrived home to find his friends gathered to give him a surprise birthday party. Everybody welcomed him with hugs, smiles and wishes. He stuttered his thanks.

She smiled when she saw his eyes widen at the cake that Bacon had made for him.

"Blow out the candles, Miller," Wolf urged.

"Make a wish first," Kara insisted.

"I can't wait to taste it."

He closed his eyes to make a wish, then opened them, and blew out the candles.

"Yes, I was... Why are you here? You should be down there celebrating with your friends."

"I came to rest just a little, I'm tired…" he replied sleepily, stuffing his head into the pillow again. "So I went to the bathroom and… wow! The ship is swaying."

"Miller, how much did you drink?"

"I'm not drunk, I just drank two beers and… whiskey, they said it separates the boys from the men. I am a man."

Rachel hid a smile.

"My mom always made this moist chocolate cake for my birthday," he said, "I miss her. Do you think my mother would be proud of me?"

The moisture glistened in his eyes. She felt her own eyes start to water.

She reached out and stroked his hair, "I'm sure your mother would be very proud of you."

"I'm just tired," he says, rubbing his eyes, "I don't usually cry like this, like a baby."

"Men can cry too, Miller, you also have feelings," she said. "Come on, it's time to sleep in your own bed."

"But I'm in my bed."

"Miller, this is my bedroom."

"What?" He screamed and tried to jump out of bed. In his drunken state, it threw him off balanced, causing him to stumble and fall. "OH MY God...OH MY GOD!" he exclaimed loudly. "He's going to kill me."

"No one is going to kill you," she assured him, crouched down in front of him, offering her hand. He took the offered hand and let her pull him to his feet.

She put her arm around his shoulders, "Come, Miller, you need to sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."

"Hmm-you smell good."

"Miller, concentrate,"she said—more like demanded.

As a good soldier, he reacted to her tone of voice. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good boy."

He was heavy. The room he shares with Wolf is next to hers. She thanked God for small favors. With effort, she managed to deposit him safely in his own bed.

She was taking off his shoes, when he surprised her with a question.

"Are you going to be here tomorrow when I wake up?"

"Of course, I live here."

She waited for an answer that never came. He let out a rumble of a snore that made her laugh.

"Happy birthday, Miller," she said before closing the door softly behind her.

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"Here!" Jake said. "We saved you a piece of cake."

"It's good to see you, Jake," she said, smiling at him.

Jake said, and patted Rachel's hand. "Me too and it is better still to see you safe. I don't mean no disrespect to your son Jed," he added apologetically.

"No damage done."

"You're late." Elena said. "I was starting to worry."

"I was helping Miller."

"Why?"Wolf, who was sitting at the next table, asked worriedly. "Cruz and I put him to bed. He was practically asleep."

"He got lost after going to the bathroom."

"Where did you find him?" Cruz asked.

"Why does it matter?" Rachel asked.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar figure walk towards her.

"To blackmail him, of course," Tom said as he pulls out a chair and sits in front of her.

"Rachel," he said, his voice low and husky.

"Admiral." Rachel returned in a tone charged with defiance.

I'm not going to call you Tom. Forget it.

The idea had been to avoid the intimacy of calling him by name; his rank seemed more impersonal, except it was had become a little game between them. A dangerous game.

When that happened his eyes crinkled and a smile played at the corners of his mouth, just right now.

Sometimes she'd smile back; sometimes she wouldn't.

She put a piece of cake on the end of her fork, and she took it into her mouth then chewed slowly.

"Mmm," she hummed.

She thought the cake she had eaten after dinner at Tom's house had been the best of her life; apparently, Bacon can do one better. Miller's birthday cake was ... there were no words to describe it.

Tom's smile widened as he watched her eat. Rachel had a particularly weak spot for chocolate cake.

She felt her own lips curve up in response.

So much for keeping her distance, she grumbles to herself.

"He's going to wake up with the mother of all the hangovers tomorrow," she said.

"Sounds like you're developing a bit of a soft spot for Miller."

"And you?"

"What about me?" asked Tom, clearly confused.

"What did your first hangover feel like?"

"Awful!" Tom and Jed exchanged a funny look. "I seriously thought I was a viable candidate for beheading. My father doing some repairs at the house did not help my headache."

"Ouch!" Rachel said. "How old were you?"

Jed's wife had persuaded him to wait until their son got better from the hangover. He had waited. While waiting he decided to attend to his wife's request. The kitchen door needed repairs.

"Honey, I know you're upset, but our son needs to get better so you can talk."

"He comes home drunk as a skunk," he said, hitting a nail with excessive force. "Singing so loud that he would wake the dead, he threw up in my shoes, and you want me to be happy?"

"He is only 16 years old."

He hoped his eldest son would follow in his footsteps, but in the last few months he seemed increasingly unruly, struggling with his father every step of the way.

"He is my son," he practically growls, trying to hit the nail and instead made more damage to the door frame that he should repair.

"You want him to follow the family tradition."

He stops mid-motion and sighs heavily.

"What's wrong with that? There are two generations of army men before me."

She gently took the hammer out of his hand. The doorframe will have to be replaced.

"We cannot make choices for him."

"I just want the best for my son."

"Dear, our baby grew up," she says with a rather incisive look. "This is his decision, not yours. Let him tread his own path, make his own mistakes."

"It's not that easy."

"Believe me, I know." She replied with a watery smile.

He pulled her to him and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry, honey."

They stood there for a time just holding each other.

He was more scared than he would admit to himself. His work kept him away from home; he spent little time with his children. He did his best, but sometimes he feared it was not good enough.

"There's something different about him, did anything else happen in my absence?"

"He is dating."

A broad smile appears on his face, quickly replaced by worry

"Please, tell me that our daughter is not dating."

"She's too young to date, dear."

"Thank God!"

"Men can be so predictable,." she said, laughing.

With the sound of his wife's giggle still warming his heart, Jed was brought into the present by the voice of his son.

"Don't worry, he will survive."

"We've all been through something like this before." Tex chimed in.

Slowly everyone was sharing hangover stories, each one more bizarre than the last. Waking up on a shelf, inside a washing machine, under the bed, inside the bathtub, in the fire escape of the building, undressed, nothing unusual about it except that the person in question was in the neighbor's garden.…The worst story was that of Jake who woke up in a container about to be shipped to China.

"You didn't know that," Rachel said, seeing the surprise on her friend's face as she listened to her husband's story

"No," Elena said, "my husband still manages to surprise me."

"I was young and stupid."

"You're still young, husband."

Tex said in a playful tone. "So…what did the boy do?"

A flicker of amusement crossed Rachel's face, but she quickly suppressed it. "Nothing,""she said.

"Did he say something embarrassing?" Tex asked.

"No," she said, unable to hide her smile. "He is cute even when he's drunk."

The men groaned in protest.

"What? It's a compliment."

"Not to a guy."

"Jake!"

"Sorry, but I agree with them," he said. "Puppies are cute."

Danny joined in the conversation. "Babies are cute,"he says, exchanging a loving glance with his wife

"Stuffed animals are cute," Kara said.

"Pandas are cute," Tom said.

"Rabbits are cute," Burk said.

"Wool socks…" Cruz said.

She raised her hands in surrender. "Okay. Okay, I think I get the picture."

Everyone laughed.

Alicia started to sing again.

What would I do without your smart mouth
Drawing me in, and you kicking me out

Elena's eyes lit up. "Let's dance, husband."

"Dance? No. Elena, wait," he said as his wife pulled him by the hand.

My head's under water
But I'm breathing fine

"But no one is dancing," he still tried to argue, but he surrendered, allowing her to drag him onto the open area that was considered a dance floor.

Loves all of you

Love your curves and all your edges

All your perfect imperfections

"Rachel, they're playing our song."

"We do not have a song, Tex," she said with a light chuckle.

"How do you know? It may be something you forgot."

He does not treat her with kid gloves. She likes it.

You're my end and my beginning

Even when I lose I'm winning

"We've been to a party before." Tex paused for a moment to let his words sink in and then added with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "We sat on the beach watching a spectacular sunset, very romantic."

The memory was once again clear and crisp in her mind.

Alicia was singing, there was a bonfire, some people were in bathing suits and everybody was drinking… water.

"You're a terrible liar, Tex," she said fondly.

"Oh, you know me." Tex said.

"Yes. I certainly do now."

It was good to see her happy and comfortable around them, Tom thought.

He took a sip of his drink and remembered the conversation with his father a few weeks ago.

"He is in love with her." Jed said.

"If you're trying to make me feel better, it's not working, Dad," Tom said through clenched teeth. "Rachel is min—" He cut himself off short, and he ran a hand through his hair, trying to fend off his growing frustration.

"What were you saying?" His father gave him a pointed look.

"I'm thinking like a goddamn teen in love."

"You are in love, son," Jed replied, stating the obvious.

"I don't like feeling that way…"

"Jealous of Rachel?"

"Yeah. What if I do something stupid because of those feelings?"

"Did you do or say something when you found them together that could be misinterpreted?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

Jed laughed and patted his son's shoulder affectionately. "See, everything's fine. Let's go back to the living room. The children and our two guests must be wondering how long it takes for two adults to find a bottle of aspirin."

Tom rubbed his right temple, which had begun to pound with a real headache and followed his father into the living room, where the children were chatting animatedly with Tex, under Rachel's amused gaze.

She thought he heard Tom sighing, but she couldn't be sure. He seemed tense and tired she noticed, it must be the headache she rationalized.

"Are you okay dad?" Ashley asked.

"I'll be fine," Tom said. "I'm just tired and stressed."

"You've been under a lot of pressure lately," Tex said.

"We've both been under a lot of pressure lately," Tom retorted. "Do you think we can handle it?"

"No matter what happens, we will both be fine."

Tex and Tom—gave each other a look. Rachel looked from one to the other, feeling like she was missing part of what was being said.

Jed looked around, a faint smile curved his lips, then crossed the kitchen and opened cabinets.

"What are you looking for grandpa?" Sam asked.

"This," he said as he took a bottle of aspirin out of the cabinet. "I knew I had saved it somewhere."

The old fox, Tom thought fondly.

"Dad, can Tex stay for lunch?" Sam asked.

"Here it is, son," Jed said, handed him two aspirins and a glass of water. Tom gave his father a grateful look and took a sip of water. Then he swallowed the two pills and finished the water.

"Dad?" Sam asked.

"Of course, buddy, a friend is always welcome in our home."

She liked Tex, the friendship between them was easy, uncomplicated, it had been this way from the start. And since she came back, she always seemed more at ease, more relaxed in his company than with anyone else. She was not interested in him before, but feelings can change.

He's so in love with her and he needs her back. But sometimes Tom wonders if it will happen.

This uncertainty made his chest tighten painfully.

She felt Tom's eyes upon her and she glared at him. His brows were drawn into a frown. He looked so serious. Concern etched his features. The glass he held in danger of breaking under the pressure of his fingers.

His eyes shifted to hers, she watched him, a small crease forming between her brows, and a silent question in her brown eyes. She's worried about him, he can tell. His lips curved into a small smile and he gave a slight shake of his head, it's nothing, his look said.

She smiled softly, her lips quirking noticeably as she maintained eye contact.

He smiled slowly at her again, and then he raised his glass and drank a silent toast.

When he looked at her like this, something vulnerable in his considerable features made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

"You could ask me for anything right now and it's yours."

Hold on a second. Did she just say that out loud?

If Tom didn't know her better, he'd think it was a panicked face.

A few seconds passed before Rachel realized who had said that. Jake pulled his chair out and sat down with an exaggerated sigh. Elena sat down next to her husband with a radiant smile.

"Anything?" Elena asked hopefully.

"Not that," Jake manages to garble out. "Don't ask me to dance again."

People looked at the couple with varying degrees of fun.

"I'm sure I'll be able to persuade you," she said lightly.

"Oh God!" Jake gave a long-suffering sigh.

"Then let's drink to it, shall we?" Tex laughed and raised his glass. "To what we do for love."

"Friendship", Rachel said, raising her glass.

"Family," Jed said.

"New beginnings," Tom said, clinking his glass against hers.

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