Reflections

by evitascarlett

A companion piece to 'Apologize'. Chronicling the lives and love story of Jim and Johanna Beckett through the years. See Authors Note at the beginning of Chapter One for more details! Cover art by LordofKavaka

35. Chapter 35 - Family Matters

A/N: Thanks for your reviews. There are a few lines of Italian in this chapter; I used an online translator so if there are mistakes, I apologize.

Chapter 35- Family Matters

As Johanna sat beside Jim in the midst of the organized chaos that constituted Mikey Beckett's seventh birthday party, she couldn't help but feel sympathetic toward Natalie. The woman was constantly on her feet, running back and forth between rooms, catering to children and to the adults who were too lazy to serve themselves despite instructions to do so. Worst of all, no one was lifting a finger to help her.

Jim was deep in conversation with Andrew and Michael; and Elizabeth Beckett had been glaring at her from the moment she walked through the door. She could glare all she wanted, Johanna thought to herself. Natalie had sent her an invitation and Jim hadn't shown any qualms about picking her up and bringing her with him. She brushed aside those thoughts, trying not to let Elizabeth's coldness bother her as she rose from the sofa. Johanna weaved her way through the horde of noisy children and followed Natalie into the kitchen.

"Need some help?" she asked as she saw Natalie opening a new package of Styrofoam cups.

Natalie smiled. "I didn't invite you to put you to work, Johanna; but if you really want to, I sure would appreciate it."

"I don't mind," Johanna told her. "I'm used to being put to work. I'm the oldest daughter and as my mother says, heir to her throne."

Natalie laughed. "I know the feeling; I'm the oldest daughter too. I always had to do all the helping and the filling in if Mom was away."

"Yeah, that's how it worked at my house," Johanna told her. "When my mother had her appendix out when I was a teenager, I had to take on all of the housekeeping and cooking responsibilities. My father and brother didn't lift a finger and my sister whined if you asked her to do more than set the table."

"Sounds like a few of my memories," the other woman agreed. "Can you see if you can find that pack of napkins I have; I'm sure it's lost here somewhere in the mess."

Johanna searched the kitchen and finally found the package of napkins beneath a gift bag that had been discarded on the counter. "Here they are," she announced as she opened them and carried them to the table.

"Mommy, we're thirsty," Angie announced from the doorway.

"I'll bring in your drinks in a minute, Angie; just be patient," Natalie replied.

The little girl raced away to rejoin the party and Natalie shook her head. "Why is it that at every party, I give out a drink and the cups somehow end up missing or no one can remember which cup was theirs?"

"I don't know," Johanna replied. "Maybe they need to come with name tags."

"That's a good idea; next party, I'm writing names on the cup."

"You might start a trend," Johanna grinned.

Natalie laughed. "Or at least save a few dollars where cups are concerned."

There was a crash from somewhere in the living room and a round of laughter. "Oh lord," Natalie muttered. "I hope nothing broke."

"Michael will see to it…right?"

"We can only hope," Natalie replied with a short laugh before she leaned closer to Johanna so she could whisper. "You know, every time I invite Madelyn to the kids' parties, she always says she'll help out and she never does. Michael asked her about it last year after Angie's party and she said that we're lucky she even shows up; that she can't stand having so many kids around, especially the ones who aren't related to her."

"So what is she saying; if you didn't invite the kids' friends that she'd lift a finger and help out?"

Natalie scoffed. "She doesn't help out unless she absolutely has to. Don't get me wrong, I like her…but she irritates me sometimes; like earlier when Alicia wanted to be on her lap and she gave her the brush off until she cried. You'd think she'd be glad that her niece loves her and wants to cuddle with her but apparently not. She doesn't have to lie about helping out; it's not like I ask her to, she automatically volunteers and then doesn't do it. Just like she'll get on these little kicks that she doesn't see the kids enough, so then Michael calls her and has her come over and babysit so we can go out for a little while and then she acts like we inconvenienced her. Sometimes I just don't know what to make of her."

"Sounds like she wants to have her cake and eat it too."

"You could say that. She's always talking about how Elizabeth drives her crazy…but I can see shades of Elizabeth in her…and it's scary."

Johanna laughed. "Speaking of the Queen; she's been glaring at me all day."

"Don't feel bad; she's been glaring at me all day too."

"You're probably in trouble with her for inviting me."

Natalie smiled. "Honey, I've been in trouble with her since the day I met her son."

"How did you and Michael meet?" she asked.

Natalie laughed. "Oddly enough, at a birthday party for a mutual friend."

Johanna laughed with her. "What do you want me to do to help?"

"Well I've got to get their second round of kool aid doled out and see who needs what; if you could start cleaning up a little bit in here that would be great. There's a lot of garbage accumulating."

"That's not a problem."

"Oh, and if any of my kids come in and want something more, I told them they were allowed to have seconds today since it's a special occasion."

"Okay; I'll give them what they want if they come in while you're out hostessing."

"Can I tell you a secret," Natalie asked with a grin.

"Sure."

"Sometimes I wish I could let someone else be the hostess."

Johanna grinned. "I don't think anyone could blame you for that, Natalie."

They worked together in compatible silence as Natalie poured drinks and Johanna began to clean off the counter. Danny entered the room with his plate and went to his mother's side. "Mommy, can I have more ice cream?"

"Yes you can," she replied, ruffling her son's hair. "Jo, can you give Danny more ice cream while I take these drinks out to the other kids?"

"Sure," Johanna answered as she grabbed the ice cream scoop from the counter. "Bring me your plate, cutie." Danny beamed and hurried to her side as Natalie left the room. "What kind do you want?" she asked.

"Banilla," he answered.

"Vanilla," Johanna said, carefully enunciating the word for him.

"I can't say it," Danny replied.

"Sure you can, it just takes a little practice. Let's try it together."

"Okay."

Johanna broke the word apart and sounded it out with him, remembering that her mother had done the same thing when she was a child. Once they had sounded out the word, she said it again and asked Danny to do so as well.

"Va...vanilla," he finally said.

"Good job!" she praised. "I knew you could do it."

A wide smile spread across his face. "Can I have a big scoop of ice cream, Miss Jo?"

"You sure can; I think you earned it," she told him as she scooped some vanilla ice cream onto his plate.

"And a little bit more cake?" he asked, a mischievous twinkle in his blue eyes.

She laughed. "You look like your Uncle Jim with that look on your face."

The little boy grinned. "Please?"

Johanna moved to the table and cut him a small piece of cake and put it on his plate. "There you go, that ought to fill up that hollow leg of yours."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, sweetie, you go back in there and eat with the other kids," she said as they turned away from the table. Elizabeth Beckett stood in the doorway glaring at Johanna.

"Do you want more cake, Grandma?" Danny asked. "Miss Jo will give you some."

"No I don't," Elizabeth stated; "And you shouldn't have had anymore either."

"Mommy said we could have more," he replied. "She said on special days we can have extras."

"That's only because she doesn't want to be bothered cooking a proper meal later so she just lets you kids stuff yourself with junk."

Johanna saw Danny's lower lip tremble and she smoothed a hand over his head. "It's alright, honey; mommy said you could have more. Go on and eat with Mikey."

Danny hurried from the room with his plate as Elizabeth's steely gaze landed upon Johanna. "How dare you dismiss my grandson when I'm speaking to him?"

"He was going to cry," Johanna remarked.

"He needs to toughen up; he's too sensitive."

She gave an incredulous laugh. "He's still a baby!"

"He's almost four years old," Elizabeth said sharply. "He needs to grow up a little and they don't need all of that junk!"

"Well that's not your call to make. Natalie said they could have what they wanted, it's a special occasion."

Elizabeth eyed her. "So you'd let your child eat as much cake as they wanted just because it happened to be a birthday."

"Yes," Johanna replied; "Within a reasonable limit. My mother always allowed my siblings and I to have a second helping of cake and ice cream on birthdays. I don't see where it damaged us any."

The older woman sneered as she stepped further into the kitchen. "You just make yourself right at home, don't you?" she asked as Johanna began to clear away used paper plates and empty cups.

"Excuse me?"

Elizabeth waved a hand toward the garbage occupying her hands. "You just come in and take over like this is your home; cleaning up, giving Danny what he wants. You just make yourself at home."

She threw the trash into the trash can. "I asked Natalie if she needed help and she said yes. She also asked me to tend to Danny while she took the kids their drinks."

"Ah yes, you're just the eternal Girl Scout aren't you, dear? Always willing to help with the babysitting and school jitters and the trick or treating. Oh and let's not forget the gifts and the help cleaning up from the party. We must get you a merit badge for all of your good deeds."

Johanna smirked at her as she placed a hand on her hip. "Well someone has to do it; after all, I don't see you lifting one of your precious fingers to help your daughter-in-law today."

"It's not my mess."

"I guess any excuse is better than none."

"Jimmy should've never brought you here. You don't belong here."

"I was invited."

"He had no right to invite you to a family function!"

Johanna smiled. "For your information, Elizabeth; Natalie invited me. She sent me an invitation."

The older woman's features tightened. "Don't you address me so informally! You're not a member of my family. You call me Mrs. Beckett when you address me, missy."

"Fine," she retorted; "And for the record, my name isn't 'Missy', it's Johanna; use it."

"I'll call you whatever I want."

Johanna's brow rose. "Lady, don't think for a moment that I won't return the favor; and while I have your attention; I'll thank you to quit implying to people that I'm some kind of slut that your son picked up on a street corner."

Elizabeth smirked. "I call them as I see them."

Johanna moved into her space. "I don't know what your problem is, but you better quit running your mouth about me and spreading lies. I have never done anything to you; you don't even know me!"

"I don't need to know you to know the game you're playing you flashy little piece of baggage!"

"You better watch yourself, you old bag," Johanna warned. "If you think for one minute that I would hesitate to knock you on your snotty, high faluting backside you've got another thing coming. I'm not a slut or anything else you want to imply. You've disliked me from the moment you laid eyes on me and I never did anything to you except say hello. Now why don't you tell me what the hell your problem is?"

Elizabeth eyed her. "You're not good enough for my son," she said firmly. "My Jimmy deserves far better than you."

"That's not your choice to make; it's his."

She scoffed. "Young men often have their heads turned by a pretty face, short skirt and tight sweater. They find out too late that they haven't made a wise choice unless someone points it out for them."

"Maybe your choice isn't the one he wants," Johanna stated. "He's a grown man; he doesn't need you picking out his clothes or his girlfriends. It seems to me you don't have a lot of faith in the man you raised. Jim isn't stupid; he knows what he's doing."

"Not when it comes to women," Elizabeth said sharply. "If he knew what he was doing, he'd see you for what you are! He'd see that you're trying to get your hooks into him!"

Johanna smiled. "Maybe your son likes my hooks, Mrs. Beckett."

Elizabeth's jaw dropped. "How dare you speak to me in such a way!"

She laughed. "Oh my God, you need to get over yourself and join the twentieth century. Do you need me to fetch you some smelling salts and wave a fan at you?"

"Don't you be insolent with me, you little hussy!"

"You call me that again, old woman, and you'll be needing ice for your face."

"I just dare you to put your hands on me!"

"You keep pushing me and I will!"

"That God awful temper of yours is just one more example of how unsuitable you are as a mate for my son!"

"Honey, you haven't seen my temper yet!"

"I told you to call me Mrs. Beckett!" Elizabeth spat; "And if Jimmy had any sense he'd be on to your little game. You're just a gold digging little floozy who wants to catch a ride on my son's coat tails and I will not allow it to happen! So you just take yourself somewhere else and play your game. You will not succeed here! I won't stand for it!"

Johanna's eyes narrowed. "You really are ridiculous, you know that? How many times do you have to be told that I don't need Jim's money? I have a job; I do the same job that your son does. I have my own income; I do quite well without needing someone else's money. I also have a savings account; two in fact; one holds the trust funds left to me by my grandfather and great grandmother when I was still a school girl. I've also recently inherited money from another grandfather, that money has also been saved. I also have some investments. My father owns his own company, if I ever needed money, I'd go to my family but I don't think that problem will arise. I have my own money; I'm not rich but I'm comfortable. I don't need to ride on anyone's coattails as you call it. I care about Jim a great deal; those are genuine feelings that have nothing to do with what he has in material ways. My feelings stem from knowing the man that he is; the kind, warm, caring person that he's always shown me. I'm not after anything like you want to believe. I don't care what he has in the bank. I don't care what he owns. I don't care about what he might inherit some far off day. I care about him."

"You can spout all the pretty words you want," Elizabeth remarked; "But I've got your number, missy. I see how you're trying to wiggle your way into my family! I know all about you having dinner with my mother-in-law..."

"She invited me!" Johanna exclaimed.

"I'm not finished! I also know about Jimmy taking you on vacation over the summer, which just goes to show how much class you lack by running off with a man you aren't married or engaged to! I know about you going to the picnic in the park and how you had to buddy up to everyone! I know your game. I see what you're doing, trying to worm your way in. If your feelings were so mutual, I'd hear my son talking about spending time with your family, Missy."

Johanna's jaw tightened. "Maybe your son doesn't tell you everything, Mrs. Beckett."

"He doesn't have to; word gets around in other ways."

"Well then I guess you haven't been hearing the right words," Johanna told her. "Jim has met my mother several times; he's even had lunch with me at my parents home. He's met my sister and he's also met my brother and sister-in-law. He's also acquainted with my nephew; he bought him a gift when we were on vacation and he's even stuck around and babysat him with me."

Elizabeth smirked. "Is that all?"

"No; next weekend, Jim is going to Brooklyn with me to have dinner with my grandmother," Johanna remarked, even though they had no such plans.

"Is that a fact," the older woman smirked.

"That's right. My sister-in-law has invited us to come to dinner as well whenever it's convenient for us for us to do so...and I'm sure it will be convenient in the near future. Jim also spends a good amount of time in my home and we share the same sector of friends so don't act like he's excluded from any part of my life because he isn't!"

Elizabeth pointed a finger at Johanna. "My son will not fall into your trap. Whatever notions you're entertaining about him may as well be forgotten. I won't stand for it! You will not be his wife."

"I wasn't aware that he had proposed," she retorted.

"He won't...you will never get him, Johanna McKenzie."

Johanna smiled, her eyes blazing with fire. "If he wants me, then he'll have me," she remarked; "And there's not a damn thing you can do about it, Elizabeth Beckett; so why don't you put that in your perfectly prepared cup of English tea and drink it!"

"How dare you!"

"How dare you!" Johanna thundered back. "If you really loved your son and want what's best for him, you'd accept that he's capable of knowing his own mind and his heart. You'd accept whoever it is that makes him happy; whether it be me or someone else down the road. You can't stop him...and if he chooses me some day; you can't and won't stop us from being together...because I won't allow that! Now I've had just about enough from you today."

"Is everything okay?" Natalie asked from the doorway. "Angie told me that Grandma was in here being mean to Miss Jo."

"What's the problem?" Jim asked as he appeared behind his sister-in-law, Angie in tow.

"No problem, honey," Johanna said sweetly. "Your mother and I were just coming to an understanding."

Fury was written across Elizabeth's face. "We have no understanding!"

"Oh I think we do," she said as she walked away.

Jim and Angie followed Johanna back to the living room but Natalie remained in the kitchen with her mother-in-law.

"You just had to do it, didn't you?" Natalie asked her.

Elizabeth sniffed as she raised her chin in defiance. "It's not a sin to voice one's opinion."

"And your grandson's birthday party is the ideal place for that, right?"

"That's your fault," Elizabeth said tartly. "You have some nerve inviting her to a family event."

Natalie's eyes narrowed. "This is my house, Elizabeth; I'll invite whoever I want to come here. I don't need your approval."

"Apparently not," she said haughtily; "After all, you married my son without my approval."

"Get over it," Natalie told her.

"What were you thinking inviting that woman as if she's family?" Elizabeth demanded to know.

"When we were making out the invitations and got to Jim's name, Mikey said that he wanted Miss Jo to come too. The kids are very fond of her and Michael and I like her too. Most of all, we want Johanna to feel welcome here. Jim doesn't often bring someone around the family, Elizabeth, the fact that he's been bringing Johanna around so much shows us that she's important to him…that it's serious. She makes him happy and we're happy to include her in our lives. She's a good person; you don't need to act the way you do."

"Don't you tell me how to act! I don't like her and that's all there is to it. She's all wrong for him."

Natalie shook her head. "No she isn't; she's exactly what he needs…and maybe you're blind but I'm not. I see the love she has for him…and whether you like it or not, Jim is in love with her, Elizabeth. She's not going anywhere…just like I'm not going anywhere so you may as well get used to it and if you don't like who I open my door to, then you're welcome to leave."

Elizabeth said nothing, merely glared at her daughter-in-law and then stormed away. She couldn't stand to see another one of her sons pick the wrong woman…she just couldn't let it happen again.

---

Later on, Johanna was quiet as Jim walked her to her door and it unnerved him a little. She had been quiet the whole car ride, only speaking when he spoke to her first. He couldn't really blame her, after all, his mother had gone into the kitchen with the intent to call her out, and after their little talk she had to put up with Elizabeth's constant glares. It hadn't been the ideal afternoon, he thought to himself. She probably wished that she had declined the invitation to the party.

"Is there anything you need to tell me about this discussion you had with my mother?" he asked.

"Like what?"

"Like anything that you need me to play along with if she brings it up?"

Johanna felt a pang of guilt as she opened her door and they stepped inside. She might have implied to Elizabeth that her assumptions about the true nature of their relationship was correct and of course they weren't. She had also implied that Jim was around her family more than he was…and there was that lie about having dinner with her grandmother. She couldn't tell him that though. He might get the wrong idea about her and besides, she didn't want to ask him to lie to his mother for her. Elizabeth had already made up her mind about her; one more black mark against her wouldn't hurt. It wasn't like they were in a real relationship anyway.

"Jo?"

His voice broke through her thoughts and brought her focus back to him. "What?"

"Is there anything I need to know?"

"No."

"Are you sure about that?" You seemed to think about it for awhile."

"I'm sure," she said as she put away her belongings.

"What was it about?" Jim asked. "What's this understanding the two of you have?"

"It's nothing, Jim; don't worry about it. I'm sure she'll tell you all about it the next time she sees you. I will tell you that she started it…but I think you already know that."

"I do know it; but I'd rather hear the story from you."

Johanna sighed. "The main jist of it is that she doesn't want me in your life in any capacity. I told her that if you want me to be around then I'm going to be around. End of story."

Jim took off his coat and draped it over the back of the chair and then he moved toward her before she could sit down on the sofa. He gently caught hold of her elbow and turned her to face him. "Don't listen to her. Whatever she said, she's wrong and I don't ever see me not wanting you around so you better just get used to me being here."

She smiled. "I'm not complaining."

"Good," he said as he pulled her into a hug. "And I'm glad you stood up to her. Don't let her bother you."

"Your mother hates me. She's just determined to believe that I'm some money grubbing tramp out to take you for everything you're worth."

"She's like that to every woman that comes into the lives of her sons. It isn't right but we don't know how to break her of it. We don't know why she's the way she is but what she thinks doesn't matter, sweetheart."

But in a small way it did matter, she thought to herself. She didn't like being judged unfairly…and she didn't like the accusation that she kept him from her family. In truth she was only keeping him from her father. She was going to have to make good on her promise to take him to Sophia's…and since she stated that they were going there the following weekend, she'd just have to arrange that so it wouldn't be a lie. She wouldn't tell Jim yet though; she'd wait until had things set.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" he asked as silence lingered.

"It's really not worth a blow by blow discussion," she told him as she slipped out of his arms and settled on the couch.

Jim felt badly that she had been subjected to his mother's bad behavior. "I'm sorry, Jo," he said quietly as he sat down next to her.

"For what?"

"For my mother," he told her. "I should've been paying attention to what she was doing. I should've known she was looking for an opportunity to get you."

She gave him a soft smile. "It's okay, don't worry about it."

"But I do worry about it. I don't want someone in my family treating you badly."

Johanna caressed his face. "There's no need to worry. I can take care of myself and I can handle your mother."

"But you shouldn't have to…I should've stopped her."

Johanna silenced him with a tender kiss. "You don't need to be upset about it, okay?" she told him. "It's not like she took a swing at me…although if she had, I still could've handled it. I wouldn't have felt good about having to punch her but I would've done it."

He laughed quietly. "Self defense, you'd be well within your rights. I am sorry though…she embarrasses me when she acts that way."

"I know all about having a parent whose behavior is embarrassing," she replied. "Let's just forget about your mother and her issues and relax for awhile, okay? It hasn't changed anything between us. I don't hold what she does against you, so don't ever worry about that, all right?"

Jim nodded. "Alright, sweetheart…but if you change your mind about wanting to give me the details, you can always feel free to tell me."

"I'll keep that in mind," she promised as she picked up the remote and clicked on the TV.

---

Sunday afternoon, Johanna knocked on her grandmother's door, the soft sound of the television audible through the wood. The door cracked open just enough to allow the old woman to peek out while the chain lock remained in place. A smile spread across her face at the sight of her granddaughter. "Well isn't this a nice surprise," Sophia Calabrese said as she hurriedly unlocked the door and swung it open.

"Hi, Grandma," Johanna said as she found herself being pulled into a tight hug. "Are you busy?"

"No, but even if I was, I wouldn't be too busy for you, my dear. Come in and sit down."

She smiled and hung her purse and coat on one of the hooks near the door and then moved into the living room. She breathed deeply; inhaling the aroma of food simmering on the stove, mingling with scents of lemon Pledge and her grandmother's lilac scented perfume. Those were the smells of her childhood; her grandmother's home never changed. She settled down on one end of the old faded red sofa and smiled as Sophia settled into the matching chair across from her. She knew for a fact that her grandmother had plenty of money in the bank to keep her comfortable for the rest of her life. She could afford to replace the faded furniture and the worn carpet but she didn't see any reason to; it didn't matter that most pieces had been bought when she was a young bride, and that newer pieces dated from the mid to late 1930's. The furniture was still good, her grandmother always reasoned. It was a little faded but otherwise in good condition just like her, she often told anyone who brought it up.

"What are you thinking about, darling?" Sophia asked, breaking her reverie.

"I was just thinking about how nothing ever changes here...and I'm glad," Johanna told her.

"Oh?" Sophia asked, her blue eyes alight with amusement; "And why is that?"

"Because it reminds me of my childhood. I always sat on Grandpa's lap in that chair in the corner," she answered, gesturing to the overstuffed brown chair on the other side of the room.

Sophia nodded. "That was his favorite chair; I like to think that he still sits there when he comes to visit. Your Aunt Rita thinks I'm crazy when I say that, but your grandpa comes home now and then."

"I believe you, Grandma."

"I'm glad someone does. I'm also so glad to see you; I was just thinking of you earlier."

"Were you?" she asked, knowing full well that her grandmother gave that line to anyone who called or visited unexpectedly.

"I was," the old woman affirmed.

Johanna grinned. "Well here I am; maybe I read your mind."

"Maybe you did," Sophia replied. "There are people in the family who have had the gift of the third eye; perhaps you do as well."

"Well if I do, I hope it gives me winning lottery numbers," she quipped.

Her grandmother laughed. "That would be nice, wouldn't it? What brings you by today, Johanna? Not that I mind of course, I always love when you come to visit."

"I just thought I'd come and visit; it's been awhile."

Sophia eyed her astutely. "You're troubled."

"What makes you think that?"

"A grandmother knows."

Johanna gave her a soft smile and then dropped her gaze as she reached down and pulled off her boots so that she could make herself more comfortable. "I guess I am troubled in a way."

Sophia nodded. "And you've come to Grandma for help...that means you don't want to tell your mother."

"Maybe you've got the third eye," Johanna teased.

Sophia laughed softly. "No; I just know my bambina. You always come home to Nona when you can't tell your mama what's on your mind. I was the first person to hold you when you came into this world, that's why you come to me."

"I thought it was because I love you and value your opinion," Johanna replied.

Her grandmother waved a hand. "Yes, there's that too, but mostly it's because you know my arms were the first to embrace you when you arrived. Now tell Grandma what's worrying you."

Johanna shifted in her seat, pulling her legs up as she curled into the corner of the sofa. "It's kind of complicated..."

Sophia's sharp eyes assessed her. "It's a man," she stated as she continued to eye her granddaughter.

"Yeah...it is kind of about that."

"The young man you were swapping spit with outside of your mother's on Christmas Eve."

Johanna gave her an amused look. "Must you say it like that?"

The old woman shook her head. "Of course not; I'll put it in better terms for you. The young man whose lips you were locked upon?"

"Grandma!" Johanna laughed.

"Well you were," she declared. "I had to break it up before there was need to get the hose."

"It wasn't that bad."

"Apparently it wasn't bad at all," Sophia teased; "After all, you looked to be enjoying it."

Johanna blushed. "Okay, in answer to your question; yes it's the same man."

"And what is his name?"

"His name is Jim."

Sophia nodded. "And where did we find Jim?"

"I found him at work; you found him outside of Mom's house on Christmas Eve."

"Smart ass," Sophie volleyed. "I believe this must be the man your mother mentions as the one you're smitten with. I wasn't sure if he was the one who gave you some Christmas cheer or not."

"Well now you're up to speed on that," Johanna told her.

"So you are smitten?"

She hesitated to answer and her grandmother zeroed in on it. "Oh, I see; you're more than smitten; aren't you, darling?"

She bit her lip as she nodded. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"You guess?" Sophia asked with a raised brow.

"Alright, it is more than smitten," Johanna admitted.

"How much more."

"Grandma..."

"If you want me to help you with whatever your problem is, I need all of the facts. It's just between us, I won't tell your mother. I'll swear a Grandma oath."

"Okay, I accept your oath," Johanna told her; "But it's a long story."

"I've got time, start spilling it."

Johanna explained her relationship with Jim and her feelings for him. When she finished, Sophia rose from the chair and joined her on the sofa. "So what's the problem that has brought you to me today, dear? You don't know how to tell him about your feelings?"

"No; it's not that...I'm not really ready to do that yet. It's his mother..."

"His mother?"

Johanna nodded. "She hates me."

"Hates you!" Sophia exclaimed. "How on earth could anyone hate my bambina!"

Johanna smiled. "She does it easily enough. She's hated me from the moment she laid eyes on me and I've never done anything to her."

"What's her problem? What reason does she give for her behavior?"

"I'm not good enough for her son," Johanna answered. "She says I'm a floozy and a gold digger who's only after his money."

Anger flickered in Sophia's eyes. "She's going to have to die."

"Grandma!"

"No one calls my granddaughter a gold digging floozy and gets away with it! What's her name? Where does she live? I'll take care of her one way or another."

"Her name is Elizabeth and I honestly don't know her address. I do know that she has a sister who thinks she's a witch."

Sophia waved that information away. "I'm not afraid of a supposed witch; I can take them, don't you worry. I'll find this woman and put the eye on her! How dare she say such hateful things about you! I should cut out her tongue and beat her with it! Imagine that, calling my granddaughter a floozy! I hope you spit in her face!"

"No, I didn't do that...but I didn't go peacefully either. She also said I'm trying to wiggle into her family."

"Why did she say that?"

Johanna explained most of the conversation; telling her how Elizabeth implied that she didn't include Jim in her family in the same manner he included her in his.

"I wouldn't say that I've excluded Jim from my family," she stated as her grandmother listened intently. "He's been to Mom's with me for lunch and he's been around her several times. He's met Frankie, Val and Greg. He's met Colleen too. We haven't really had any events that I could invite him to...and as much as I hate to say it, I would hesitate to bring him but not because of him or because I'm ashamed of anything or our lack of status as a legitimate couple."

"Then why, honey?"

Johanna traced a pattern on her denim clad knee. "Because of Dad," she answered softly. "I don't want to introduce him to Dad."

"Why not?" Sophia asked.

"Because you know how he is when it comes to me. If he knows Jim's important to me then he has a new soft spot to kick and God only knows how he'd treat him...and if he treated Jim badly I just wouldn't be able to take that. I'd fly off the handle."

"I see," her grandmother said sympathetically. "I can understand why you'd have these concerns, Johanna. I know how your father is in regard to you and you know that I don't approve or condone that behavior; but I think your young man is probably capable of holding his own with Frank McKenzie, don't you?"

"Yes...but I don't want to put him in that position before we're even really dating. We're not in an official relationship right now. We're just..."

"Uncommitted," Sophia supplied. "You're friends with some benefits but not all of them."

Johanna nodded. "That about sums it up."

"Darling, I understand waiting, but you're not going to be able to hide Jim from your father forever. One day they will meet."

"But it doesn't have to be anytime soon."

"No; but it will have to happen eventually, especially if you decide to be in a relationship with this man. How do you think it would make him feel to know that you're keeping them from meeting? What will he think?"

"He already knows why," she remarked. "He knows how Dad acts toward me and I think Jim would just love to give him a piece of his mind. Dad would hate him for sure then."

"He might," Sophia agreed; "But on the other hand, maybe it would show Frank that you have a fierce loyal man who loves you in your corner."

"I would love for Dad to know that," she replied; "But I'm just not ready to go there, Grandma. I know it sounds awful but I just can't yet."

"No; it's not awful," the old woman said. "I understand and I'd feel the same way. You love Jim, you want to protect him from being exposed to something that you think has the potential to hurt you both. No one can blame you for that. I still don't know your problem though."

Johanna blew out a breath. "In the middle of that discussion with Elizabeth, I kind of lied and said that Jim and I were coming here for dinner next weekend so he could meet you."

"Ah, I see," she smiled; "And now you have to follow through or the old hag will think you're lying."

"That's not the only reason," Johanna hurried to say. "In all honesty I did tell Jim that I wanted him to meet you. I've met his grandmother and I do want him to meet you. I just told him a few weeks ago that I wanted to bring him here sometime. He said he'd like that."

Sophia nodded, the smile clinging to her lips. "Well then you'll just have to bring that boy over here next weekend. It's probably time for you to bring him around for me to get a look at anyway since you feel so much for him."

"Grandma...you can't mention that to him, okay?"

"Oh don't worry, Bambina; you're secret is safe with me. You bring him Saturday at five; I'll have a nice meal ready for us. Don't worry, everything will be delightful. I can't wait to meet your young man. I'm so tickled that you're bringing him to me first, darling."

"I'm glad I could make your day," Johanna replied, all the while thinking that she hoped it didn't come back to bite her in the ass.

---

That evening found Jim on the receiving end of his mother's glare as he sat at her dining room table for dinner. "What?" he asked; unable to stand her steely gaze for another moment.

"I'm just trying to figure out where I went wrong," Elizabeth stated.

"With the chicken?" he asked, looking at the partially charred piece of chicken on his plate. "I think you let it cook too long."

"I don't need cooking advice from you," she said sharply. "Since when did you become an expert? Or is it something you picked up from your little tart?"

Jim's fork clattered against the plate. "What did I tell you about calling her names?"

"I call them as I see them."

"Then you need to go get glasses," he retorted; "Because she's none of the things you say and I'm getting tired of hearing it. And just so you know, Johanna does know how to properly fry chicken; it's delicious."

"Do you think she has any now?" Andrew asked as he eyed the blackened heap on his plate.

"She's eating at her mother's today," Jim answered.

"Maybe you should've gone with her," Elizabeth retorted. "Maybe you could've had chicken the way you prefer it since you're so picky; after all, she claims you've been there before."

"I have been to her mother's house for lunch," he remarked. "Naomi is a lovely woman."

His mother scoffed. "Sure she is; she's trying to nab a son-in-law."

"Knock it off, Lizzie," Robert stated from his end of the table.

"No I won't!" she exclaimed. "I don't know what spell this woman has on all of you but she doesn't fool me for a minute. She's trouble, Jimmy; you're just too blind to see it. Every time a girl turns your head you have to put her up on a pedestal and turn a blind eye to all of her faults, and this time is worse than ever. She's all you think about and you seem to jump every time she tells you to. I still can't believe that you brought her to Mikey's birthday party. She's going to start thinking that she's part of the family!"

"In my mind she is family," Jim exclaimed; "She's my family! And I assure you that I have my eyes wide open, Mother. You don't know Johanna the way I do; you judged her with one flippant look before she had even so much as said hello to you and it isn't right. I don't know what your problem is but you need to get over it. She hasn't done anything to you and you're not going to keep me from seeing her if that's what I chose to do. I'm a grown man, I make my own choices about who I give my time to and I consider time with Johanna as time well spent. As for the party; Natalie is the one who issued the official invitation…but if I want to take her somewhere with me I will, whether there's an invitation or not. You're the one who attacked her at the party, not the other way around."

"If I attacked her, you'd know it," Elizabeth sneered; "Because you'd be picking her up off the floor."

He scoffed. "That's what you think. Johanna is more than capable of taking you down if the need arises."

"She's just got you wrapped around her little finger, doesn't she? You seem to think she's Eleanor Roosevelt, Julia Child and Wonder Woman all rolled into one little beauty queen package."

Jim shook his head. "First of all, Johanna has far more personality than Eleanor Roosevelt could've ever hoped to have. Second, she is a fantastic cook and her food always looks way more appetizing than anything Julia Child is cooking up on PBS. Third, unlike Wonder Woman, Johanna doesn't need a cape and leotard to be sassy, bold and capable of getting a job done. She does just fine in heels and every day clothing. As for the beauty queen part; as far as I know, she's never been crowned as one but she is gorgeous and should be one. I know I'd give her my vote."

"Oh yes, she's so marvelous," Elizabeth said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "So very perfect; a pretty face that apparently is beyond compare in your eyes and she's so smart a wing of her college should probably be named after her. An excellent cook, a generous gift giver; a regular little Girl Scout with her helping hands. Small children flock to her side like little lambs, she tends to the sick and grown men hang on her every word and remark upon her kindness and warm, compassionate heart. And lets not forget that she's also a career woman to top it all off. She's so wonderful that I don't know how she hasn't been recognized as a living saint or at the very least awarded a Nobel Prize."

Jim looked at his mother, keeping his temper in check. "Are you jealous?" he asked.

Elizabeth's eyes grew wide. "Jealous! How dare you! Robert, can believe what your son just said?"

Robert swallowed a bite of his potatoes and looked at her. "Well are you?"

"I am not jealous of a hoity toity little miss that thinks she's all that!"

"Are you sure?" Robert asked.

"Of course I'm sure! What would I have to be jealous of?"

"The good fried chicken?" Andrew suggested innocently, making his brother stifle a laugh.

Elizabeth shot her youngest son a glare. "Maybe the next time your brother dines with her, he'll take you along," she said sharply.

"Could you, Jim?" he asked. "You know, just once in awhile? I wouldn't infringe on your time with her too much. I just want a piece of chicken I don't have to scrape first."

Jim laughed. "I'll see what I can do."

Elizabeth silenced her sons with a look but her husband was unimpressed with her patented glare and continued on. "You know, Lizzie; a man doesn't stop loving his mother just because he finds a woman to love in a romantic sense. I have you and yet I still love and adore my mother. Michael has Natalie but I know he still loves you and I'm sure that Jimmy's feelings are unchanged toward you as well, isn't that right, son?"

"That's right; I still love Mom…despite the fact that she's spending so much time making me mad lately…and all for no reason."

"I've got plenty of reason," Elizabeth insisted. "I am your mother and I know what's best for you and that girl isn't it!"

"That's my choice to make," Jim reminded her.

"Really, Lizzie; there's no reason for you to take on so much about her. You know you went into the kitchen after her yesterday to be spiteful; the girl had a right to come back at you when you were apparently insulting her."

"Fine; you all just take her side and believe in her goody two shoes act but she is not a member of my family and you better not bring her here, Jimmy. She's far too involved with our family as it is…and no matter what she says, I don't see where you're involved in hers so what does that tell you?"

"Who said I'm not involved in Johanna's family?" he asked. "I told you I've been to her mother's and that wasn't the first time I met her. I've also met her siblings."

Elizabeth smirked as she leaned back in her chair. "She claims you've been invited to her sister-in-law's for a meal."

Jim nodded. "Valerie has invited us over; we're just working on finding a day convenient to all of us. Johanna's brother is the vice president of their father's company so he's just as busy as we are at times but I'm sure we'll get there. I've even helped her babysit her nephew," he threw in for good measure; after all Greg had been present for one of their meals together and he had hung around until the boy was put to bed.

"Well isn't that nice," she said sarcastically. "Your princess also said that you'll being having dinner with her and her grandmother next weekend, is that true as well?"

It was news to him but he wasn't about to let his mother know that. Then she'd brand Johanna a liar and he wasn't about to have that, which was why he had embellished things about Valerie's invitation. "That's right; we're going to Brooklyn to have dinner with her grandmother. I'm looking forward to it."

"And I guess it will be on a Sunday so you'll have an excuse not to be with your own family, right?"

"I'm not sure yet," he told her. "Johanna is waiting on her grandmother to let her know for sure what day she wants us there…I believe her grandmother was waiting to see what her plans for Sunday would be before she made the final decision."

Elizabeth drummed her fingernails against the table. "I hope the food will suit you."

"I'm sure it will…and it's not like your cooking doesn't. I like plenty of things you cook," Jim remarked.

"That's right, Lizzie; you're a good cook for lots of things."

"The chicken begs to differ," Andrew quipped; "But hey, we love you anyway…make pork chops next week. That's your arena, Mom."

"You'll get what I give you," Elizabeth said as she shoved away from the table; "And if you don't like it, you can all go sit on Johanna's doorstep. She can have the whole lot of you if it pleases her!"

"Mom," Jim sighed. "I wish you wouldn't be like this. Jo really is a warm, loving person and I think if you'd just get to know her instead of judging her without merit, you'd see that. I think if you gave her a chance, you'd like her."

"I know all I need to know and I don't like her and I don't approve of you chasing after her."

His jaw tightened. "You know what; I think you're afraid to get to know her. I think you're afraid that you'll like her; and you may as well get used to the fact that she's going to be around, Mom. I like having Johanna in my life and I intend to keep her there."

"You'll regret it," she stated.

Jim met her eye and held her gaze. "Mom, do you love me?"

"You know I do."

"If you love me like you claim, then you'll accept the fact that I can make my own choices…and you'll accept that Johanna is important to me; that I care about her and want her around…that she makes me happy. We're not together right now…but we have a good friendship and I want you to be happy for me because this thing with her is something special to me…and maybe one day we will be together. I'll want you to be happy then too."

"I can't be happy when you're making a mistake," Elizabeth said as she picked up her plate and stormed away from the table, pushing through the door that connected to the kitchen.

"It's not a mistake, Mother," he called after her as he rose from the table and moved to the door, pushing it open so he could see her at the sink. "I won't tolerate you talking badly about her or treating her badly when you see her…and if you can't accept the way I run my life, then I'll just stop coming around as much; is that what you want?"

She whirled around to face him. "You'd choose her over me!"

"When you act like this, yes. There's room in my life for both of you and she's never asked me to choose but I feel like you are…and I don't like that, Mom."

Elizabeth's face hardened. "Don't you come crying to me when it blows up in your face."

"I haven't cried to you since I was a child," he retorted; "And whatever happens between me and Johanna will be between me and her. I don't like telling you that I'd stay away, but damn it, Mom; you have to stop the way you've been acting. Like Dad said, there's no reason for it. Johanna isn't a threat to you. If you treat her with respect, she'll do the same for you."

"I'm not talking about this for another second!" she declared.

"That's fine by me," he replied. "Thanks for dinner; I'll see you later."

---

After he left his mother's, Jim went directly to Johanna's apartment. He wrapped on her door with a firm sense of purpose, a small flicker of irritation lingering in his blood from his conversation with his mother. Johanna should've told him everything about their talk. She should've told him about these supposed dinner plans. Better yet, his mother just needed to mind her own business.

He sighed and knocked again; he didn't particularly like the idea of being caught between the two most important women in his life…but if that was how it had to be, so be it. He wasn't giving up Johanna…not for anything...or anybody. Jim expelled a frustrated breath as he knocked for a third time. Where was she? She was usually home by now. Naomi served Sunday dinner earlier than his mother did.

"She's not home yet," Johanna's neighbor said as she and her cat peered at him from the slightly open door across the hallway.

He frowned. "She's usually home by now."

The old woman smiled. "I'm sure she'll be back soon. She left early this afternoon."

"Do you know where she was going?" he asked; knowing that Johanna was friendly with the old woman.

Mrs. Blackston eyed him. "I'm sure you know as well as I do that she spends Sundays with her family."

He nodded. "I do know that. I just thought maybe something else had come up."

"She didn't look concerned or hurried if that eases your mind any. I'm sure everything is fine and that she'll be along soon. She's probably just lingering."

Jim conjured up a smile for the woman as he nodded and leaned back against the wall. Once Mrs. Blackston's door had closed and locked, he pulled his keys from his pocket and found Johanna's key on the key ring. He unlocked her door and went inside, figuring that she wouldn't mind. He clicked on the lights and settled down on her couch to wait on her.

---

A half hour later, Johanna had yet to appear. He had kicked off his shoes and turned on the television to stave off the quietness. He padded into the kitchen and opened her refrigerator, knowing that she kept beer in there for him just as he kept Coke in his for her. He set his bottle of beer on the counter and then surveyed the contents of the fridge. He loved Johanna's refrigerator, it was always fully stocked. He admired how she was always able to achieve such a feat and then he pulled out what he needed to make a sandwich. He opened the cupboard and pulled out a plate and then reached into the drawer for a knife with the same ease as if he had been in his own apartment.

After his sandwich was prepared, Jim looked at it and decided that he should probably have something to go with it. His eyes darted to the kitchen cabinets. Johanna was a woman who preached the importance of having home cooked meals for dinner more than fast food and she ate a great deal of salads…but he knew that she was also a woman who appreciated junk food. He knew without a doubt that there was ice cream stowed away in her freezer…that there was probably a pack of cookies somewhere and in one of those cabinets was most likely a bag of chips…maybe two; after all, she did also mention the virtues of variety from time to time.

Jim opened up cabinet doors until he finally came across a bag of potato chips. He smiled in victory at his find and added some to his plate before grabbing a napkin and his beer and heading back for the living room.

He was halfway through his sandwich when Johanna's key turned in the lock and the door swung open. She jumped, startled at the sight of the lights on and someone on her sofa, dropping her keys and her purse in the process before she realized who it was.

"Jim!" she exclaimed, her heart still pounding in her chest. "What the hell are you doing? You scared me to death."

"I was waiting on you to come home," he replied as she shut the door and then gathered up her purse and keys. "I don't think your neighbor likes me hanging around your door."

"She worries about my reputation," Johanna said as she put her purse and coat away and kicked off her shoes. "Are you comfy?" she asked, noticing the beer bottle on her stand, the plate in his hand, his shoes beneath her coffee table and a mystery movie on her TV.

"I didn't think you'd mind," he said after swallowing a bite of his sandwich. "I was hungry."

"I thought you were eating dinner at your mother's?"

"That depends on your definition of eating," he replied. "I was getting worried about you."

She gave him an amused smirk as she neared him. "Oh yeah, it shows…you were very worried that my food was lonely without me."

He smiled. "I do love your fridge, it always has food in it…the cabinets too," he said, picking up a chip and popping it into his mouth.

Johanna pressed a kiss to his forehead and he breathed in her scent as she leaned toward him. "That's because I do this thing called grocery shopping," she told him. "You should try it sometime."

"I buy groceries."

"What, once every few months? I go to the store all the time."

"I know, that's why I knew I could find food here."

She couldn't help but laugh at how at home he had made himself while she was away. He had scared the hell out of her…but once her heart resumed its normal rhythm, it was a nice surprise. "Can I get you anything else?" she asked.

"I could go for another sandwich."

Johanna lifted up the bread on the small portion he had left to see what he had on it and then stepped back. "More chips, too?"

He nodded; picking up the remains of his sandwich and handing her the plate. "Thank you."

"No problem, after all, I want you to feel right at home."

"I do."

It showed, she thought to herself as she went into the kitchen to make him another sandwich. She didn't know where he put it all and she figured that he must be blessed because it seemed like he could eat as much as he wanted of anything and not gain an ounce from it. After she finished the sandwich, she put some more chips on his plate and then put some in a bowl for herself and grabbed a Coke and carried it all to the living room. She handed him his plate and then set her bowl and drink on the coffee table.

"I'm going to change my clothes, don't eat my chips," she warned.

Jim grinned. "I wouldn't dream of eating your chips while you're slipping into something more comfortable."

"I swear," she said with a shake of her head; "I don't know what I'm going to do with you."

"Anything you want," he quipped suggestively.

"I'm not even going to respond to that," Johanna replied as she headed for her bedroom.

"That's alright," he called after her; "I know you're thinking up all the scenarios."

"That's just your wishful thinking," she laughed.

He finished his sandwich by the time she returned and smiled at the image of her in her pink silk pajamas. He liked seeing her in those, they made her look so dainty and feminine…not that she wasn't always those things, but in her favorite pair of pajamas, she seemed to exude it. Her face was scrubbed clean of makeup and her jewelry was gone, with the exception of the emerald ring she always wore on her right hand.

"I'm glad to see my chips survived while I was gone," she stated with a teasing smile as she settled down on the sofa with him.

"I have my own," Jim told her, showing her that some chips remained on his plate.

"So what did your mother serve for dinner?"

"Fried chicken."

"Your favorite," she replied.

"Not the way she makes it," Jim answered. "It was half black."

Johanna grimaced. "Then I guess it's no wonder you're over here raiding my fridge."

"I missed you."

She laughed. "Is that right?"

He nodded. "I kept thinking about your good fried chicken and I just missed you so much. Even Andrew wants to try your fried chicken."

"Bragging are you?" Johanna teased.

"Expounding your virtues, sweetheart."

"I see."

"What did your mother serve?" he asked.

"I didn't eat at my mother's today. She and Dad were having dinner with his cousin who's in town this week. I went to my grandmother's. She made beef pot pies."

"That sounds good," Jim remarked; waiting to bring up the news about her dinner plans for them despite the fact that she had opened the door for it.

"It was. Did you have a nice time at your mother's?"

"The food was bad…the conversation was informative."

"Oh?" she said. "Is that good or bad?"

"I'll let you be the judge of that," he replied; making her worry as she munched on a chip.

"Is something wrong?" she managed to ask as silence hung in the air between them.

"No," he said with a shake of his head as he set his plate on the stand. "I was just wondering why you didn't tell me that we were having dinner with your grandmother next weekend. I mean shouldn't that be something you share with me instead of my mother?"

The chip she had picked up fell from her fingers and she stammered as she tried to form a reply. "I…I…uh…well…"

Jim looked at her in amusement. "Well what? When were you going to tell me? I mean I need to know when to pick you up, don't I?"

"I was going to tell you…tomorrow."

He nodded as he studied her and he noticed that she had an awful lot of interest in her chips as they laid in the bowl. "How come I was going to have to wait until tomorrow when you told my mother yesterday?"

Johanna shrugged. "I don't know…I guess it just kind of worked out that way."

"Hmm…it wouldn't be because you had to go to Brooklyn today and arrange an invitation to dinner next weekend, would it?"

"It's not like that!" she exclaimed, trying a little too hard to appear innocent.

"It's not?"

"No; you know that I said I was going to take you to meet my grandmother."

"You didn't say when."

"It was a surprise."

"I bet," he laughed. "I have a feeling it surprised you too."

"Oh all right!" she exclaimed. "Your mother made me so mad, saying I was wiggling my way into your family and that I don't include you in mine and before I knew it I had told her that we were having dinner with Grandma and I knew she wouldn't keep her mouth shut so I went to Grandma's today and told her that I wanted her to meet you and she invited us to dinner on Saturday. Okay, now you know."

"See, that wasn't so hard, now was it?" Jim asked.

Johanna sat her snack aside and brushed back a lock of hair from her face. "I'm sorry, and of course you're not obligated to go if you don't want to. I don't want you to feel like you have to."

"Why wouldn't I want to go?"

She shrugged. "I don't know…you just might not want to. I probably shouldn't have gone to that birthday party yesterday."

"You were invited to that party. Mikey wanted you there, so did Natalie and Michael…and so did I. Don't let my mother make you feel like you weren't supposed to be there. She's the one with a problem, not me or you or anyone else that was there."

"Yeah, I know…but she's right, I'm not family."

"Since when are birthday parties strictly for family? They're supposed to be for family and friends. You're a friend, you're allowed to come…and you may as well prepare yourself for another invitation next month because Danny's birthday is next."

Johanna gave him a small smile. "I can't say no to his little face."

"I know, I already plan on picking you up for it."

She laughed softly. "I'll be ready."

"When are we having dinner with your grandmother?"

"Saturday at five…if you really want to go."

"Do you not want to go?"

"I don't have a problem going; I said I wanted to take you there…I just feel like I've put you on the spot."

Jim moved toward her so that he could drop an arm around her. "I was only on the spot with my mother but I played the hand I was dealt and she believed me. I want to go with you, it's not a problem…and I expect you to keep that deal we made at the cabin."

"What deal?"

"That if I went to your grandmother's with you that you'd play the piano."

She smiled. "You don't forget anything, do you?"

"Not when it comes to you."

Her hand found his as she snuggled against him. "Okay; I'll play the piano for you after dinner since it seems to fascinate you so much."

Jim chuckled as he pressed a kiss to her hair. "I just like seeing your talents on display, sweetheart."

"I'll try not to disappoint you."

"I'm not worried about that," he replied. "Do you want to tell me what else was said between you and my mother?"

"Nothing important."

"Are you sure about that? Because that's what you said yesterday and then I learned about the dinner plans."

"I promise."

He sighed; knowing that she was holding back and he didn't understand why…but he knew that once she made up her mind to keep the details to herself, there would be no budging in regard to it. He'd just have to hope for the best.

---

Jim could feel Johanna's nervousness as they neared Sophia's door the next Saturday. "Are you sure you're okay with this?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied; "But I'll take a page from your playbook and apologize in advance…just in case. She promised to behave but sometimes she's unpredictable."

He gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry; whatever happens, happens. It won't change anything, okay?"

She nodded, feeling a measure of relief at those words as she paused in front of her grandmother's door and knocked.

Sophia opened the door and smiled. "I was starting to think that you weren't coming."

Johanna glanced at her watch. "It's 5:01, Grandma; you said five."

"Well you're usually here early. I thought maybe you changed your mind."

"There was traffic," she answered as she and Jim entered the apartment.

"You're here now, that's all that matters. Now be the nice young lady we raised you to be and introduce me to your young man."

Johanna suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and she ignored the slight smirk on Jim's lips. "Grandma, this is Jim Beckett; Jim, this is my grandmother, Sophia Calabrese."

Jim smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Calabrese."

"It's nice to meet you as well," Sophia replied; mischief shining in her blue eyes as she studied them. "You two make a very nice looking couple."

Johanna cleared her throat in warning and her grandmother amended her statement. "A couple of friends of course…since that's the official story."

Jim chuckled as Johanna's gaze darted away. "We accept the compliment," he replied; "And you're a very pretty lady."

A smile tugged at Johanna's lips as her grandmother's face lit up. "Aren't you a sweet one," she replied. "I do like a man who knows how to flatter a woman."

"My father taught me that sincere flattery can go a long way."

"He's not wrong," the old woman replied.

"Apparently not," Johanna remarked in amusement as she took off her coat and held out her hand for Jim's.

"Oh hush," Sophia said as Johanna hung up the coats. "Let's sit down; dinner has a few minutes yet."

It didn't escape Johanna's notice that Sophia quickly claimed the arm chair so that she and Jim would have to share the sofa. Jim's hand fell to her knee as he settled down next to her and she met his eye and smiled; her hand covering his without thought.

"He's handsome," Sophia said slyly.

"I know he is," her granddaughter replied. "I've mentioned it to him a time or two."

"Is that true?" the older woman asked him.

Jim nodded. "I pretend to believe her when she says those things."

"Don't act like I'm lying to you," Johanna replied, giving him a nudge.

"She's not lying," Sophia agreed. "You're a handsome fellow."

"Thank you," he mumbled sheepishly.

Johanna laughed. "Look at you; you're actually blushing."

"I think I like it better when you do the blushing," he replied; his hand patting her knee.

"Aw; you two are cute," Sophia couldn't help but saying. "My Johanna has always had very good taste. Her sister on the other hand…well…I just don't know what went wrong with her. I love Colleen…but damn that girl lacks taste."

"I've seen the wedding pictures," Jim said with an understanding nod.

"I'm still having nightmares from being in the wedding," Johanna remarked.

Sophia nodded. "Aren't we all. I swear sometimes when I look at Paul in profile, he reminds me of a weasel."

"Grandma!" she exclaimed with a burst of laughter.

"Well he does! I'd never say so to Colleen of course…but I think she could've done better. He has no sense of humor…little personality…there's just nothing there to work with. Now Jim here, on the other hand, I can tell already that he has a personality and a sense of humor plus he's very charming."

"Don't forget handsome," Jim quipped.

The old woman grinned. "That too; you see, you have a lot of potential."

Jim's gaze darted to Johanna. "Should I ask what it is I have potential for?"

She shook her head. "I wouldn't."

He took her advice and stayed quiet but his gaze flicked back to Sophia who smiled brightly. "Bambina worries too much," she stated.

"Usually with reason," he laughed.

Sophia's gaze narrowed but playfulness gleamed her eyes. "She hasn't been telling tales about me, has she?"

"No, nothing bad anyway. All she's told me is that she loves you and that you taught her how to haggle…and that you have everything but the kitchen sink in your purse."

Sophia laughed. "Everyone talks about my purse like I should be ashamed; but when someone needs something, they all come to me."

"I never thought you should be ashamed of your purse," Johanna remarked. "I'm glad you had those tea bags at Colleen's rehearsal dinner."

"You and me both, kiddo. That was a hell of a night…speaking of which, did you hear that Paul's grandmother got her tooth knocked out at bingo?"

"No," Johanna laughed; "I hadn't heard about that. When did that happen and how?"

"Thursday night," she replied. "Your mother was telling me about it; someone got overzealous in their celebration of a win and elbowed her in the mouth…that's what the old biddy gets."

"Even though I shouldn't, I agree with you on that one, Grandma," she said lightly.

"You know what it is," Sophia replied; "You know why it happened, don't you?"

"Because she was sitting in the wrong place at the wrong time."

The old woman shook her head. "It was the eye; you know I put the eye on her."

"Grandma; maybe we shouldn't talk about the eye in front of Jim…you might scare him off."

"Oh nonsense; he doesn't look scared. You told me that he has an aunt that thinks she's a witch. I'm not nuts like that; I just rely on some cultural teachings now and then. No offense to you or your aunt, dear."

"None taken," Jim laughed. "She is a nut; I've told her so."

"See, darling; nothing to worry about," Sophia told her granddaughter. "He understands us."

"It's nice to know that you've been talking about me, Jo," he teased.

"It's not what you think…"

"I don't mind," he laughed.

"She hasn't said too much," Sophia hurried to remark. "She just told me about your aunt and your mother…"

"Grandma, shouldn't you check on dinner?"

"You're right, I should check on it," she said as she got to her feet quickly for a woman her age. "Come along, we may as well get settled because I'm sure it's ready."

Johanna's hand kept hold of Jim's as she led him to the kitchen. Sophia noticed but she didn't say anything, figuring that she better not push her luck too much too soon. "Jim, I hope you like Italian food," she stated instead as she pulled a pan of lasagna from the oven.

"I love Italian food," he answered. "I also love Italian dressing, Italian wine, and Italian women."

Johanna laughed lightly as she moved to the counter to fill the wine glasses that Sophia had set out earlier. Sophia grinned at him. "You know, Johanna's half Irish too."

"I love the Irish," he stated. "They're fun to drink with."

"Have you been drinking with my granddaughter?"

"It depends; are you going to be mad if I have been?"

"Of course not," she replied. "She needs to have all the fun she can."

"I do my best to show her a good time."

"That's good to know."

"Do you two want me to leave so you can talk about me in private?" Johanna asked after she placed the glasses on the table.

"Of course not, darling. You come help Grandma serve. How big of a piece should we give him?"

"He's got a healthy appetite," Johanna remarked as she took the knife from her grandmother's hand. "We better give him one of these big corner pieces."

"I like a man with a healthy appetite," Sophia remarked.

"So we've heard," Johanna commented without thought.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

Jim smiled as he watched the two women prepare plates and dish up salad and breadsticks. He studied them, picking up on little mannerisms that grandmother and granddaughter shared…like the look of concentration and the way they each held their utensils. In her heels, Johanna stood about two inches taller than her grandmother but he was sure that if she kicked them off that they'd be the same height. Sophia appeared to share the same build as her daughter and granddaughter. Her hair was a mixture of faded light brown and grey, twisted into an elegant knot at the back of her head. Though her eyes were blue, they sparkled with the same brilliance as Johanna's green ones and there was no doubt that they had the same nose…as did Naomi if he recalled correctly. Their smiles were similar and they folded their hands the same way when they we unoccupied.

Sophia's voice carried a light Italian accent. She had lines around her eyes and he had glimpsed a pair of reading glasses on the stand. He had to admit though that the woman didn't look her age. If he had been asked at first glance without knowing her, he would've pegged her as being between 68 and 70. Apparently the women in Johanna's family aged slowly and gracefully…a fact he was sure she was grateful for. She didn't have to worry, he figured; Sophia was still a beautiful woman, so was Naomi; Johanna wouldn't have to fear that her beauty would fade as she aged…although he was sure that she'd never be anything but beautiful to him no matter what.

Finally the food was on the table and he pulled out Sophia's chair for her as Johanna mouthed 'Suck up'. In retaliation, he smiled and said "Don't worry, sweetheart; I'll pull out your chair next."

She gave him a look as he made his way to her and pulled out her chair, a silent 'you'll pay for that' message in her amused green eyes. He couldn't help but smile, the insatiable urge he always had to touch her making itself known as his hand brushed against her back.

"It's nice to see that someone is still a gentleman," Sophia remarked as Jim took his seat.

"My mother wouldn't have it any other way," he replied as he wasted no time in piercing his lasagna with his fork.

"I taught Johanna how to make this dish," the old woman commented.

"I know, she's made it for me."

Sophia's gaze flicked toward her granddaughter. "I'm so glad to hear that you've been having dinner parties, mi cara."

Johanna shook her head. "I haven't been having dinner parties. I just cook for Jim."

Her grandmother's brow rose and Johanna regretted the words. "Well isn't that lovely," Sophia said. "It's nice to know that a young couple is still capable of enjoying a meal at home. Seems like so many of them are worried about going to every restaurant in the city."

Johanna shifted in her seat; her grandmother was privy to far too much and giving her added info could only lead to places better left unexplored. The woman was a live wire; you had to be wary. "We eat out," she replied; hoping her grandmother wouldn't think that she was cooking meals for Jim every night.

"Oh, so you two do spend a great deal of time together?"

"I guess you could say that," she replied as Jim's eyes gleamed with amusement as he looked at her. "We do work together."

"I think we all know that I meant after work," Sophia remarked. "Let's be honest, here darling; you're smitten with each other and that's okay. You don't have to try to hide it here."

Johanna's head dipped in defeat, Jim's foot nudging hers beneath the table but she only flicked him a quick glance before turning her attention to her plate.

Sophia smiled as she met Jim's eye. "You know, my Johanna was born right here in this very apartment."

He nodded; an amused smile on his lips. "She told me that you delivered her."

"That's right, I did. Naomi brought Frankie and came for a visit and wouldn't you know that just an hour after she got here, we'd get hit by a blizzard. You couldn't see your hand in front of your face outside, the snow was coming down so hard and fast. We didn't think anything of it; Bambina was already a week overdue. Apparently Naomi made her too content in the womb."

"I probably knew what I was in for when I came out," Johanna commented as she pierced her lasagna with her fork. "I was trying to prolong my peace."

Sophia look at Jim and grinned. "Just between us, I think she wanted to make a dramatic entrance."

Jim laughed as he glanced at Johanna. "I think it's only fitting that she had a dramatic entrance; she is a Katharine Hepburn fan after all."

"Naomi did go to a lot of movies when she was carrying Johanna; she craved popcorn at times…and it just had to be movie theater popcorn," Sophia remarked. "But there we were, in the middle of the blizzard when Naomi went into labor. We couldn't get her to a doctor and no doctor could get to us. It was a long day, that's for sure. Do you know how long it took her to make her grand entrance?"

"No, I don't believe I do," he said as Johanna squirmed.

"Nineteen hours," Johanna remarked before her grandmother could answer.

"Not just nineteen hours; nineteen hours and twenty-five minutes," Sophia specified. "She just refused to be hurried. She wasn't coming out until she was good and damn ready."

"She's like that," Jim said with a nod.

"What do you mean by that?" Johanna asked.

"Just that you're not a woman to be rushed," he smiled.

"Uh huh."

"When she finally made up her mind to join us, it was the crack of dawn," Sophia went on. "She was screaming bloody blue murder when I got a hold of her. Her little fists were waving in outrage; oh my was she angry! I didn't have to worry about smacking her cute little behind."

"Grandma!"

"What?" the old woman asked. "You did have a cute little behind; you still do. Don't you think she has a cute little behind?" she asked Jim.

"Grandma!"

Sophia waved her hand in her favored gesture of dismissal. "Oh don't be silly, dear; he's a man, I'm sure he's spent some time admiring your backside; haven't you, Jim?"

"I wouldn't want to lie to you by denying it," he laughed as he glanced at Sophia.

The old woman's eyes twinkled in amusement. "It's cute, isn't it?"

"Adorable," he agreed. "I like it."

"Oh my God," Johanna muttered, her cheeks flooding with color.

Sophia smiled. "I like him; he's honest."

Johanna nodded. "Yeah, he's Manhattan's very own Abraham Lincoln."

"Hey, I meant every word," Jim laughed before turning his attention back to her grandmother. "She also has beautiful legs."

The older woman nodded. "She does have very nice legs, doesn't she? She came out very well; we're very proud of the beautiful woman she is."

He gave a nod. "She couldn't have turned out any better in my opinion; she's gorgeous."

"Can we stop this now?" Johanna asked; her face warm with embarrassment.

"Oh all right," Sophia said; "We'll stop. She just never believes the compliments she gets," she told Jim. "But she is beautiful whether she acknowledges it or not. We're also very proud of the fact that she has a brain to go with it."

He grinned. "She is very smart."

"But I'm sure you like that in a woman, right?"

"Of course I do. I don't want a woman I can't hold a conversation with."

"He's a smart man," Sophia said to her granddaughter.

"I know it…although he has some questionable moments," Johanna replied.

"But I always apologize for them," Jim reminded her.

She nodded. "That's true, he does always apologize."

"Another mark of a good man," her grandmother replied.

"I know he's a good man," she stated. "That's why I keep him around."

"Among other things, I bet," Sophia replied.

"You should eat, Grandma; your food is going to get cold."

Sophia smiled as she glanced at Jim. "That's Bambina's polite way of telling me to shut up and mind my own business."

"It is not!" she exclaimed as Jim laughed. "I just want you to eat your dinner…I want to make sure you get the nourishment you need."

Her grandmother shook her head as she laughed. "No, you just want me to shut up."

"Your words, not mine."

Sophia fell quiet, figuring she'd let Johanna rest easy for a few minutes before she broached her next topic.

---

"May I ask you a question, Jim?" Sophia asked sweetly a short while later as they enjoyed their salads.

"Sure, go ahead," he answered; not noticing that Johanna had tensed slightly.

"What's this business of your mother thinking that my girl isn't good enough for you?" she asked.

"Nona, avevi promesso!" Johanna exclaimed. (Grandma, you promised!)

"Non ho rotto la mia promessa," Sophia replied. (I didn't break my promise)

Jim looked back and forth between them as a rapid fire conversation in Italian filled his ears. Apparently Johanna was more fluent in the language than she had claimed, he thought to himself as a stream of foreign words poured from her lips. A stern final word from Sophia seemed to end the dialogue and Johanna huffed in annoyance as she picked up her wine glass.

"Now, Jim, where were we?" Sophia asked and then she smiled; "Ah yes, we were discussing the statement your mother made to my granddaughter about how she's not good enough for you."

"I wasn't aware that my mother had said that," Jim answered. "Johanna wasn't very forthcoming with the details about their conversation and my mother always colors things in her own favor."

"I want to know what her problem is," the old woman stated.

"It doesn't matter," Johanna said tersely as she eyed the woman. "That's between me and Mrs. Beckett. I told you about it in confidence."

"You didn't specifically tell me not to bring up his mother's hateful behavior."

"You knew what I meant."

"Apparently I didn't or I wouldn't have brought it up."

"Why do I doubt that?"

Sophia shrugged. "You must get that suspicious nature from Frank's side of the family."

"Ladies," Jim said; their bickering not as much fun in English. They fell silent and he looked to Sophia. "Mrs. Calabrese, I don't know what my mother's problem is other than the fact that she has a habit of being a snob at times and wants to personally arrange marriages for her children. I clearly don't share her viewpoints, if I did, I wouldn't be here."

"Have you talked to her about her behavior?"

"Grandma, it doesn't matter; we're not a couple. It's not like Mrs. Beckett and I have to see each other often."

Her grandmother scoffed. "Do you really think a lack of label changes what it is? You can call yourselves tight rope walkers if you want, it doesn't change the facts and the two of you are together in more ways than you seem to think; but like I said, call it what you want."

Johanna smirked. "And what do you and 'uncle' Giovanni call it?"

Sophia's eyes widened. "What do you know about Giovanni?"

"Oh I know it all," Johanna said with a satisfied smile. "I know that you're cooking in more than just the kitchen for him."

"Who told you?" she demanded to know as Jim stifled a laugh.

"Mom told me."

"Naomi told!"

Her granddaughter nodded. "In her defense she was taking shots of whiskey at the time."

"Naomi!" Sophia exclaimed.

"Yeah, we all were surprised but she told us all about you and Giovanni...more than we wanted to know."

"Just who is 'all'?"

"Me, Colleen and Valerie."

Sophie's gaze landed upon Jim and then flicked back to Johanna. "Your 'friend' doesn't look too surprised, did you blab too?"

"Only to Jim; I was in a state of shock and it kind of spilled out."

Sophie took a ling sip of wine. "I can't believe Naomi's out getting sloshed and telling the world my business!"

"She said you brag about it."

"It's my business to brag about, not hers!"

Johanna shrugged. "I wouldn't say she was bragging on your behalf...it was more like she was using you as an example to Colleen about how sex doesn't have to end at a certain age. We just wish she hadn't told us about walking in on the two of you."

"Oh my God!" Sophia exclaimed as she tossed down her linen napkin. "I'm going to have to take a strap to that girl! It was bad enough that she barged in here and now she's out telling everyone."

Jim shook with laughter and Johanna shot him a quick look. "Enjoying yourself?"

"Most definitely," he replied.

"Your mother had no business barging in here," Sophia stated although no one had asked. "Just because I don't answer after the second knock doesn't mean I'm laying in here on the floor in need of assistance."

"Obviously," Johanna quipped. "I guess you were having all the assistance you needed. Poor Mom, she's still having nightmares."

"Serves her right."

"And I guess now Colleen and I know why he insisted that we call him 'Uncle' when we were kids...and why he was always so happy to pay for us to go to movies and get ice cream. Didn't that make you feel a little bit like a prostitute knowing that he was paying your grandchildren to get lost so he could have your...time?"

Sophia straightened in her seat and raised her chin regally. "No, it didn't; it made me feel talented."

Jim almost choked on his wine and Johanna glanced at him in concern as he coughed. "I'm fine," he managed to say, please go on.

"What do you mean talented?" she hated herself for asking.

"Because if it wasn't any good, he wouldn't have been so willing to pay for you girls to go out and enjoy yourselves for a few hours."

"Grandma!" she exclaimed.

"What?" the old woman asked. "You wanted to know so I told you. I'm not ashamed! I enjoy sex; there, now you know. I think you ought to have more of it, it might perk you up a little."

Jim burst into laughter as Johanna's cheeks flushed with color. "I can't believe you just said that!"

Her grandmother shrugged. "Well it's true; it probably would do you some good. I'm sure he's willing to oblige if you want to test the theory," she said with a nod at Jim. "Besides, I need more great grandchildren."

"You have three!"

"That's not enough," Sophia replied. "I need more and I want at least one of them to be from you."

"Do you want us to get started on that tonight when I take her home?" Jim asked with a grin.

"If you wouldn't mind," she replied. "I'm not getting any younger you know."

Johanna gave Jim a gentle kick. "Don't encourage her!"

"Why not? I like it here."

Her brow rose. "Is that right?"

"Yeah," he said with a nod, amusement sparkling in his eyes. "She's fun."

Sophia laughed. "See, Bambina, I'm the fun grandma."

"You're going to be the grandma who gets it if you don't behave," Johanna told her.

"You wouldn't let her get me, would you, Jim?"

He shook his head. "Of course not; how would I explain that to your great grandchild?"

"Oh God," Johanna muttered.

Sophia beamed at him. "Jim, you can call me Grandma."

Jim smiled widely as he looked at Johanna. "Congratulations," she told him. "You can now tell your mother that you've been officially initiated into my family."

He picked up his glass and bumped it against hers. "It'll be my pleasure, sweetheart," he said sincerely; his eyes focused on Johanna's, both of them missing the pleased gleam in Sophia's gaze.

---

Johanna thought the conversation might flow into calmer waters as she helped Sophia clear away the dishes and serve the cake that she had made for dessert. But as always, she was mistaken.

"Johanna distracted me," Sophia stated as she settled back into her seat; "And I'm certain that she did it on purpose but I haven't forgotten the topic at hand. Now, Jim, have you talked to your mother about her behavior?"

Jim nodded. "Yes, I've talked to her about it. I don't think it did much good but she knows I don't approve of the way she acts."

"Well at least that's something but maybe you should give her a few things to think about."

"Like what?" he asked.

"Grandma, do we really have to discuss this?" Johanna asked.

"Yes," Sophia remarked. "I don't like knowing that some woman looked you up and down and deemed you unworthy without even knowing you. Young man, you ask your mother how she would feel if Naomi thought you weren't good enough for her daughter. How would she like it if Naomi treated you the way she treated Johanna? My granddaughter is not a gold digger; she's a private person by nature and isn't the type to discuss her finances but I know for a fact that she's a well to do young lady. My husband left her and our other grandchildren a trust fund; hers has been collecting interest for over a decade. My mother left her money and jewelry. Patrick McKenzie left her money and stocks. Frank and Naomi saved for their children and allowed them full access to their savings accounts when they came of age and I know my Johanna isn't the type to squander so I'm sure she still has some of that left. She also has a job that pays well and I know that she saves some of her earnings. When my time comes, and it won't be anytime soon, mind you; she will inherit from me as well. My son-in-law leaves a lot to be desired in some respects but he's a successful man and I have no doubt that if Johanna for some reason needed money, he'd give it to her. If he didn't, then she'd come to me and I would. You assure your mother that Johanna has no need for your money; she is well taken care of and more than capable of providing for herself."

"I have told her that," Jim replied; taking no offense at the old woman's serious tone, although Johanna squirmed in the seat she had taken beside him. He moved his hand to her knee and squeezed gently to calm her.

"Well you tell her again and while you're at it, inform her that my granddaughter is not a floozy. She wasn't raised that way and she has never acted in such a manner to deserve being classified as such. You tell her that if I ever hear of her maligning her like that again, she will meet me and it won't be a pleasant experience for her. Do you understand?"

He smiled and nodded. "Yes ma'am; I'll give her the message."

"That's enough, Grandma."

Sophia smiled. "I'm finished, darling. I just needed to get that off my chest. I don't think it did any harm; Jim seems like an understanding man. I just hate to see someone trying to come between a nice couple like the two of you."

Johanna sighed. "I told you that we're not…"

"Don't tell me what you're not," the old woman interrupted. "Didn't we just get through saying that you could call it what you wanted but it was all the same thing? I'm not blind; I've been watching the two of you together and the fact that you brought him here in the first place should speak volumes. And if that wasn't enough, there's the fact that his hand has been on your knee quite a bit this evening."

"What's your point?" Johanna asked.

"My point is, if a man truly cares, a little serious talk won't bother him. I wanted to make sure he knew that there was an issue with his mother. She upset you and maligned you; I don't like that. I think Jim has a right to know what his mother says and does to the people he cares about."

"I think he's already aware of it…he knows that Mrs. Beckett and I had a conversation and that it had nothing to do with meeting up for lunch so we could bond."

Sophia smiled. "You've got your father's knack for sarcasm, darling."

"Let's not get insulting, Grandma."

"If you had told me everything I needed to know last week," Jim said to Johanna as he jumped back into the conversation; "You might not have had to go through this."

She glanced at him. "Whose side are you on?"

"Yours, sweetheart; always yours…but I did keep asking you about that little chat and you wouldn't really tell me anything and my mother didn't share as much as she usually does either."

"I never meant for it to become the big deal that it seems to be," Johanna stated. "It's between your mother and I…and in a moment of apparent foolishness, I told Grandma about it because she usually knows how to keep her mouth shut when you ask her to."

Sophia smacked Johanna's arm. "You get that tone out of your voice, young lady or I really will have a reason to compare you to your father. I haven't committed a crime; Jim's right, you should've been up front about it from the beginning. You let that woman shove you into a corner and then you protect her with your silence; Benenati-Calabrese women don't get put into corners."

Johanna smirked. "I'm not a Benenati-Calabrese; I'm a McKenzie."

Sophia smiled. "Johanna, darling, lean closer."

She leaned closer, imagining that her grandmother was going to whisper a handful of Italian curses and admonishments in her ear but instead she got a soft smack against her cheek. "Don't you sass me, young lady; your last name may be McKenzie but you have Benenati and Calabrese blood in your veins. You are one of us and don't you ever forget it!"

"Yes, Grandma," she replied, her head bowing in the same manner it always had when her grandmother chastened her.

"What else?" Sophia demanded.

"I'm sorry."

"And?"

"And I'm a Benenati-Calabrese and proud of it."

"That's my Bambina," the old woman said, a smile replacing the hardness that had settled across her features. "You behave yourself now; your Nona doesn't like to get rough with you…after all, you are my favorite."

"You say that to all of your grandchildren."

"But I only mean it when it's said to the ones I personally delivered. You could've been born in a cold, sterile environment with people who just saw you as another baby when they grabbed you. Instead, you were lucky enough to be born here, surrounded by love."

Johanna sighed. "You're going to hold that over my head all my life, aren't you?"

Sophia nodded. "Yes…but only because I love you."

She smiled. "I love you too…even though you sometimes exasperate me."

Her grandmother laughed. "That's what grandmas are for. Jim, do you still have a grandma?"

"Yes," he answered; "I think you'd like her."

"Tell me all about her," Sophia demanded. "Maybe we can go to Bingo together."

Jim laughed. "She'd probably like that."

"And maybe after Bingo you two can hit some bars and pick up some men," Johanna commented.

Sophia's eyes sparkled merrily. "Sounds like a good time to me. Now, Jim; tell me about your grandma."

Jim told her about Lilly and then answered more questions about his family, which he answered patiently and kindly. When she was through interrogating him, she beckoned Johanna to help her clean up. As Johanna moved to get up, Jim caught her eye.

"Now I know where you get your penchant for smacking people," he whispered; a teasing note in his tone.

"I'm glad this has been educational for you," she jested.

He nodded. "I might want to come back next week."

"Forget it," she laughed softly. "I need to be better prepared next time…that could take a few months."

---

After Johanna helped clean up, she turned to Jim. "Are you ready to go?"

"You can't go running off yet," Sophia protested. "We've barely talked."

"I wouldn't say that," she laughed. "Seems to me we talked a lot; don't you think so, Jim?"

He shook his head. "No; we can't go yet. You haven't kept your promise yet."

"What promise?" her grandmother asked.

"She promised me that she'd play the piano for me before we left," Jim answered.

"He has some fascination with seeing me play the piano," Johanna added.

"Well of course," Sophia remarked. "When a man is smitten, he wants to see all of a woman's talents."

"I'm no different than anyone else who knows how to play a piano."

"You're different to me," he said.

"Why?"

"Because…you're you. It's a side of you I haven't seen yet."

A soft smile touched Johanna's lips; she'd be lying if she said it wasn't nice to know that he wanted to see different sides of her.

"I think it's a lovely idea," Sophia said, clapping her hands together. "Go ahead and play, darling. That piano needs some attention."

"Okay," she said; knowing that she wasn't going to win against both of them.

"Wonderful," her grandmother said as she snagged Jim's hand and tugged him with her to the couch. "My Naomi is a very gifted piano player. She passed that gift on to Johanna. You know, she started learning to play at four years old; she just took to it right away, just like her mama."

Jim smiled. "She's a fast learner."

"That she is. I'm so very proud of her and all of her accomplishments."

"Are you two ready or do you want to chat some more?" Johanna asked from her place on the piano bench.

"We're ready," Jim told her. "But don't you need sheet music?"

"I can handle it without sheet music this time," she remarked.

"Naomi and Johanna are quite good at playing some songs from memory," Sophia told him proudly. "My girls are very special."

"I have a feeling they think you're very special too," Jim replied.

The older woman beamed at the pronouncement and then turned her attention to her granddaughter as Johanna lowered her hands to the keys and began to play. The melody was familiar to Jim, but he had never known the name of the tune. Sophia must've read his mind because she leaned toward him and whispered, "That's Fur Elise by Beethoven."

"Beethoven," Jim thought to himself; his eyes riveted to Johanna as her fingers danced gracefully along the keys. She could play Beethoven from memory…he sometimes had trouble keeping track of his siblings birthdates. The piece of music was beautiful and she played it flawlessly.

"Play me something else now," Sophia called out after a few minutes.

Johanna said nothing but ceased playing the classical piece and began to play The Sound of Music. "That one is her favorite," her grandmother whispered to him. "She loves the Sound of Music…in case you ever need to know that," she added with a wink.

He smiled; his eyes moving back to her as she continued the song. Her eyes were closed, as if she was seeing the notes in her mind and yet her fingers never stumbled against the keys. She was concentrating, but she was also incredibly relaxed, he noted. The song finished and she went right into My Favorite Things as if it was the most natural thing to do.

"Her second favorite," her grandmother remarked. "My favorite too."

"My sister loves this song too," he replied.

When Johanna finished the song, she began to turn to face her audience. "Keep going," Sophia told her. "You've only given him a small sampling of your talent…play one we can sing together."

"Singing wasn't part of the deal," Johanna replied. "I'm not singing."

"You want her to sing, don't you?" Sophia asked Jim.

He grinned; enjoying that Johanna was squirming. "Yeah, I want her to sing."

"Jim," she nearly whined; "You've heard me sing."

"With the radio; this is different."

"Come on, Bambina," Sophia said as she moved to join her. "Let's sing on of your mother's favorites."

"Yeah, come on, Jo," Jim taunted lightly. "Sing for me…make it a well rounded evening."

She shot him an amused glare. "I'm so glad I could make you happy today."

"It makes you all warm and fuzzy inside, doesn't it?" he asked.

"Oh yeah," she replied sarcastically. "If my insides were any warmer from this family gathering, I wouldn't be able to stand myself."

"Save that warm insides talk for home," Sophia said, giving her a little swat. "Start playing."

"Grandma," she chastened before turning her attention to the keys. One of her mother's favorite songs was Patsy Cline's 'Crazy' and she chose to play it as she could easily remember the music and the words.

Sophia's accented voice softly accompanied Johanna, but she didn't detract from her, Jim thought to himself as he concentrated on her voice as she sang a song that was one of his mother's favorites as well. She had a beautiful voice, although he knew that she didn't really think so. She gave Colleen all the credit for talent in that area, but he thought she sang beautifully…and her grandmother was right, she did indeed have a gift for playing the piano. He couldn't help but smile; it seemed like there was no end to the things she was capable of.

"I'm crazy for trying, and crazy for crying, and I'm crazy for loving you," Johanna sang as she came to the end of the song and she couldn't help but wonder if those words were true for herself. Was she crazy for going through all of this? But then she turned to see Jim and she saw the smile on his face and the way he looked at her…and she decided that she wasn't crazy after all…except she was sure that Sharon could make the argument that she was crazy over him…and she wouldn't be able to dispute it.

"Satisfied?" she asked him once she found her voice.

"Yes," he replied; in all ways but one but they couldn't discuss that. "That was beautiful, Johanna. I hope I get to see you play again sometime."

"Maybe you will," she smiled somewhat shyly.

"See," Sophia remarked; "I told you my girl was talented."

"I never doubted it," Jim replied. "I already knew she was."

They lingered for awhile longer and then finally announced that it was time to leave. Sophia hugged Johanna tightly. "I'm glad you came, darling. You come back soon."

"I will, Grandma; and I'll call as always."

"You better; you don't want me to hunt you down."

She shook her head. "No, I don't want that."

"You know it," her grandmother said mischievously as she turned to Jim. "Jim, you make her bring you back to see me sometime."

"I'll see what I can do," he promised. "Thank you for inviting me."

"It was my pleasure," she answered. "It was very nice to have you both here; and don't forget what we talked about."

"About my mother?"

Sophia nodded. "And the baby."

"Grandma!" Johanna exclaimed for what she was sure was the hundredth time that night.

Jim's eyes danced with amusement as he laughed. "Don't you worry; I haven't forgotten about that."

"Just like a man," Sophia laughed. "You two have a nice evening."

They said their goodnights and then left; Jim's arm slipping around Johanna once they were on the elevator. "That didn't go so bad, now did it?" he asked.

"No I guess not," Johanna replied. "Although it was touch and go at some moments."

"I thought it was great," he said lightly. "I had a good time."

"I'm so glad," she quipped; "Although I don't know what was so exciting about it for you."

"Well, one, I got to hear you speaking Italian again…and whether you think so or not, you do sound very sexy when you speak Italian."

Her cheeks warmed and her eyes darted away from his. "If you say so."

"I do," he insisted; "And two; I got to see you play the piano, which was wonderful," he told her; leaving out the part about how one sector of his brain wondered what it would be like to feel her talented fingers moving along his body.

"I'm glad you liked it…and thankfully I didn't screw up any notes."

He brushed a kiss against her cheek. "I wouldn't have cared if you had; it still would've been beautiful to me."

Johanna smiled at him and hugged him. "Any other reasons this night was so great for you?"

He nodded. "Your grandmother gave me permission to take you home and ravish you."

"I'm sure she was joking," she laughed.

Jim shook his head. "I think she was serious. We shouldn't disappoint her."

"Uh huh."

"Good, you agree."

"I didn't say that," she laughed as they got off the elevator.

"We'll see," he replied.

---

Johanna unlocked her door and breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped inside. The evening had gone well enough but she was glad to be home. Jim had followed her inside as always and she held out her hand for his coat so that she could hang it up with hers.

He grinned at her and her brow rose in suspicion. "What?" she asked.

"You're inviting me to stay," he said as he took off his coat.

"I usually do; what makes tonight any different?"

Jim stepped behind her as she hung up their coats and when she closed the closet door and turned, his hands circled her waist, pulling her close to him. "I'm taking the invitation as a sign that you want to keep that promise to your grandmother."

"What promise?" she asked; trying to act unaffected by his nearness.

His soft laugh was warm against her ear as his lips moved along her jaw. "That promise about giving her a great grandchild."

"I didn't promise that."

"I did," he reminded her, his thumb rubbing against her side as his lips touched the corner of her eye.

Johanna gave him a playful shove. "I can't even believe that you played along with that!"

"Why not?"

She regarded him with a raised brow. "It's a big change of pace from when we visited your grandmother. You went on a big tangent about people thinking we were more than what we are."

Jim shrugged; "I was uptight that week. I'm better now."

"I can tell," she replied before his lips caught hers in a searing kiss.

"It'll be fun," he whispered, his mouth skimming her temple.

"Until the baby shows up, right?" she asked, capturing a wandering hand.

"You'll be a good mommy. You said you wanted a baby when you proposed."

"I was drunk," she laughed.

"Does that mean you don't really want a baby?"

"Of course I want a baby," she replied; "But I want to be married first."

"We're pretend married," he said lightly, his hand escaping her grasp. "It's almost the same thing."

"It is not," she laughed. "Pretend marriage means you can run when a very real baby enters the picture. And what about when your mother is in intensive care with a stroke over the whole ordeal?"

He gently pressed her back against the wall and captured her lips in another kiss. "I'll make sure she has the best care possible," he murmured, making her giggle.

"I don't think it's a good idea."

"It doesn't usually happen the first time, Jo. We'll just be practicing."

"Uh huh, the way my luck runs, it would happen tonight."

Jim grinned; "We can be careful for our first few practice runs."

'Oh yeah?" she asked; "How would my grandmother feel about that?"

"She'd understand. She can't be against practicing so that we get it right when it comes time for the serious business."

"Are we really talking about this?" Johanna asked as she pushed him back a small pace.

"Talking about what?"

"Babies."

"You're talking about babies; I'm talking about practicing how to get them," he remarked.

"I see."

He nodded. "There's no rush to actually get one…we just have fun practicing for when you're ready."

"Me?" she asked. "Shouldn't you be ready too?"

"What do I need to be ready for? I'm just your co-host during the big production."

"Something doesn't sound right about that?" Johanna replied.

"That's because you're over thinking it. You're jumping far ahead. You're supposed to be concentrating on the part about fun and practicing. I even said careful practicing. There's nothing to worry about."

It was becoming very clear now, she thought to herself. "So what you're saying is that you just want to have some fun careful practice time tonight?"

He smiled. "Why not?"

"Doesn't it seem kind of cheap?"

Jim shook his head. "No; I'm helping you potentially fulfill a family obligation. What could be cheap or wrong about that, sweetheart?"

"Plenty."

"You know it'll be fun," he said.

"Jim," she said, meaning to chasten him but his lips fell against the sensitive spot on her neck and turned the response into a breathy sigh that spurred him on; igniting a flicker of desire within her that she knew she had to douse.

"You know this isn't a good idea," she managed to say between heated kisses.

"I don't know that at all," he replied; thinking to himself that all he really knew was that he wanted to spend the night with her.

"It's not for the right reasons."

"It all feels right to me," he mumbled against the column of her throat. "We'll be careful, I swear."

She tugged at his hair, drawing him away from her neck. "You're prepared to be careful?"

"Definitely," Jim said, hopefulness rising within him.

"Really prepared," Johanna asked again, holding his gaze and wondering if she'd have to spell it out for him.

He thought for a moment. "No…but I could go get prepared and come back."

She laughed. "It's getting late…the stores are probably closed."

"I'll find one that's open."

"By the time you did that and got back here, I'd be asleep."

"Drink a soda; the caffeine will keep you awake," he told her.

Johanna pressed a lingering kiss against his lips. "Sorry, honey. Guess you should've stayed in the Boy Scouts…then you would've learned to always be prepared."

He lowered his head in defeat and then raised it to look at her. "That's cruel, Jo."

"See, I told you tonight isn't the right time."

"You're going to throw in an 'I told you so' too?" he remarked. "That's even crueler."

"I'm sorry," she murmured sweetly, another kiss landing against his lips.

"How sorry?"

"Not that sorry," Johanna said knowingly.

Jim sighed; he wasn't getting anywhere with her tonight…there seemed to be a pattern of that behavior. "Have you heard that song, One of These Nights?" he asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"It makes me think of you," he told her.

"Why's that?"

"Because of one of these nights you're not going to say no," he said quietly; his lips brushing hers.

Her eyes locked on his. "I know," she whispered, and a part of herself wished it could be that night…but it couldn't be. He was looking for fun that night…and she wanted something serious.

He kissed her, long and slowly, making her heart ache as her arms slipped around him and held him close to her. "I should go," Jim murmured as breathed in her scent.

Johanna shook her head and held on to him. "Just because we aren't having the kind of fun you want doesn't mean you have to go, does it?"

"No, I guess not," he answered after a moment's thought.

"Unless you don't want to stay," she said as a hint of doubt made itself known. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

"Has there ever been a time when I haven't wanted to stay, Jo?"

She nodded. "A few months ago…when we were working with Antonio."

"I wanted to stay then," he replied. "I was just too busy being stupid to give in."

Her eyes met his. "Are you going to give in tonight…even if I'm not?"

Suddenly he felt like this was an important moment and that a lot of things depended on him giving the right answer. "Yes," he told her, the word slipping from his lips without hesitation and when she smiled, he knew that he had given the answer she had wanted to hear.

"You can find us something to watch on TV while I change," she told him; "And then I'll get us some drinks."

"And a snack?" he asked.

She nodded as she laughed softly. "And a snack…because I don't want to chance that you have an empty spot somewhere inside your stomach."

Jim smiled at her and then raised her hand to press a kiss to it. "See, we have fun no matter what we're doing."

"I wasn't the one who was going to leave," she reminded him; her tone quiet as she toyed with a button on his shirt.

"I was only going to go because I thought it was what you'd want."

"It's not...I like when you stay."

"So do I…I'm not going anywhere."

Johanna smiled softly and carefully untangled herself from him before she said more than she should. "I'll be right back," she told him. "Make yourself at home."

"I always do," he grinned.

Her smile widened; that was true enough and she liked it that way…and in a secret part of her soul, his home was there with her. Maybe one day soon that would be a reality.