CHAPTER 55
Thanksgiving was only a day away, and Beth had to admit that Claudia had been a lot more help
than she had expected. Amanda was out of town until late that night, but she had promised there
was nothing that would keep her from getting back in time for their traditional holiday meal.
All of the main dishes had been prepared and were in the large shop cooler, ready to be heated
the next day, and Beth was putting the finishing touches on a cake Joe mentioned was a
particular favorite of his.
Adam and Duncan were holed up in the office, and she suspected they were trying to figure out
why Devan hadn't made his move.
"I'm too exhausted to move." Claudia said as she leaned back in one of the chairs with her feet
on the ottoman, unaccustomed to spending so much time in a kitchen. "Richie if you'll put in the
movie, I'll let you decide which one." She offered, opening one eye as he walked in the room.
"Like I'll find something I'd want to watch from what you picked out at the video store." He
replied, looking through the stack of chick flicks. There was nothing he could stomach sitting
through. It was then he remembered seeing some videos on the top of the entertainment center.
Reaching up, he pulled down the small stack that hadn't appeared to be opened before. They
were still in the original shrink wrap.
"This could work." He said, taking one of the tapes from the wrapper and putting it in.
"Which one did you choose?" Claudia asked as he settled into the sofa across from her.
"Charlie's Angels." He replied, thinking he'd split the difference between a chick flick and
action/adventure.
Claudia groaned, but watched as the movie began with someone jumping out of a helicopter and
into a speedboat. Duncan and Adam were just coming out of the office and the movie had only
been on for a few minutes when the screen went black and then switched to a woman with long,
red hair, smiling at them.
"Hi Lea!" the woman said. "I had a feeling all the other tapes would be filled with sappy stuff
Mom, Aunt Kate and Rayna put together. Stuff that would have you going through half a box of
tissues and reaching for the Visene."
The room went silent and all eyes turned toward the kitchen where Beth was staring at the
screen, the frosting knife suspended in mid air. "Chris." She whispered as Richie paused the
video, not knowing what he'd stumbled onto.
"That's my sister Chris" She said as Adam walked over and pulled her into his arms, holding her
as she shook from the shock of it.
"Those are the tapes Lt. Taylor gave me when he brought Barkley." She told Adam. "They are
from my family … hidden inside regular videos. I haven't felt like I could watch them yet." She
explained.
"I'm sorry Beth … it looked like a new movie to me." Richie said. He felt like a heel for upsetting
her like that. "I'll put it back."
"No … no don't do that." Beth said, wiping her eyes and trying to smile through the tears. "I think
it's time I watched them."
Adam asked if she was sure and she nodded, wiped her hands on a dishtowel and started to go
into the living room.
Duncan looked over at Claudia and Richie, giving them the signal it was time the three of them
became scarce.
"You don't have to go … I mean, I know it probably isn't a big treat to watch someone else's
home movies. But this is Chris' tape, and I'm guessing it will have some pretty funny stuff in it."
She looked up at Adam. "But Craig is probably in these." She wanted to be sure he wasn't
uncomfortable.
"I'm going to be raising his daughter. Might be a good idea if I knew a little more about him."
Adam replied, sitting with his arm draped over her shoulder.
"Are you sure you want us here?" Duncan asked.
"Yeah." Beth smiled as she nodded. "I want you to meet my family. And I think it will help having
my friends with me when I watch."
Duncan took the empty chair and Richie hit play.
"This tape is my own doing. All my fault." The woman laughed. "I'm sure you'll make me pay for
it one day."
"She looks like you." Claudia observed.
"Chris is my older sister, and I've got a younger sister Rayna and two brothers, Kyle and Justin."
Beth told them, realizing she hadn't really mentioned any of this before.
The screen switched to a shot of what appeared to be a much younger Beth, riding a large
Appaloosa across a field. Her hair was pulled back in one long braid and she was wearing jeans
and small, yellow T-shirt.
"We're goin' for it this time." She called out to whoever was holding the camera, and the horse
took off in a dead run toward a fence that appeared to be pretty high.
"A real cowgirl." Adam commented and Beth ducked her head a little and laughed. "Not that day
I wasn't."
About that time, the horse came to a dead stop in front of the fence and the rider flew over it's
head … over the fence, and appeared a few long seconds later covered in mud as the girl behind
the camera died laughing.
"Oooops." Adam chuckled and the others couldn't help but laugh along.
"This isn't your ordinary home video like I am certain the others in the stack will be." Beth shook
her head as she realized what she was in for. "No, this is going to be Beth's Bloopers … and
Chris is so dead when I get back home."
To her surprise, her sister had included a few more attempts at the fence where she cleared it
magnificently, so she didn't come off looking like a total klutz.
"You like to ride?" Adam asked her.
"Love it. I have two horses of my own, or at least I did. And my family's stable had at least
sixteen when I left home." She told him. "I'm guessing you've ridden quite a bit?"
"On occasion." He replied, looking over at Duncan who rolled his eyes at the understatement.
"I'd love to learn." Claudia piped in.
"I'm sure that could be arranged. You'll have to visit sometime." Beth told her, wishing she knew
when that would be possible.
The next few segments were of family gatherings and it wasn't hard to pick out Beth's brothers
because they were the ones she seemed to be terrorizing and shared her thick, dark hair and
dark eyes.
"You were a cruel child weren't you?" Adam asked as he watched her gingerly slide a chair from
behind her brother while he was busy trying to keep the attention of a pretty blonde. He fell flat
on his back in humiliation as she scampered to the other side of the room in hysterics.
"What you aren't seeing is what he did to deserve that. Did you happen to notice the different
length my pigtails seemed to have?"
Richie backed up the tape and there was a good four inches that appeared to have been cut
without care from one side.
"And remind me again, I want to go and meet your family uhm why?" Adam replied, wondering
how he could have misjudged her as being a quiet, kind child.
"We fought like cats and dogs, but it was mostly harmless pranks. We got along pretty well
actually, and we're close." She had more to say, but an image on the screen held her attention
and she forgot everything else.
Adam looked up and realized he was staring at the image of the ghost he would always share this
woman's heart with. He was surprised that she didn't seem sad as she watched the tall, blonde
young man sitting on what appeared to be a porch step strumming his guitar and singing a song
he wasn't familiar with.
"Is that Craig?" Richie asked.
Beth nodded. "I think this is about a month before we got married." She replied as she
remembered. "That was a song he had just pitched … Tim McGraw eventually recorded it … I'm
not sure how far up the charts it hit … maybe 14 at it's peak …"
She cast a nervous glance at Adam, but he seemed fine as he watched, his hand rubbing the
back of her neck under her hair.
Thankfully, there weren't any segments from their wedding. Beth suspected that video was
complete on one of the other tapes. She wasn't going to put Adam through watching that. He
was being so understanding, but she knew this couldn't be easy for him.
The scene changed and became what appeared to be a big party with a band.
"Oh my God." Beth said as she realized what this was. "My 21st birthday bash. That's Craig's
band and … Oh I got so wasted that night. I can not believe she put this in here. I thought Mom
burned the original …"
"This should be fun." Richie grinned.
There was a big banner across one of the walls that said "Happy 21st Leandra" and dancing in
front of the stage, were Beth with her sisters. She was dressed all in black. Black boots … short
black skirt with a flirty ruffle around the hem and a sleeveless black top that was made more like a
vest. Her hair fell down her back and was much longer than she currently wore it.
Her sisters were dressed similarly, but in brighter colors and the three looked as if they were
oblivious to anyone or anything as they danced in front of the band.
"Do I want to know what is in that jar you keep chugging?" Adam asked.
"Uhm … you aren't going to turn this over to the revenue men are you?" she joked.
"That's what I thought." He replied.
"What?" Claudia asked.
"That my dear Claudia would be good ole Tennessee Moonshine if I don't miss my guess."
Duncan told her with a wink.
"Not ordinary shine … the guys made it up special for the party. See the peaches floating in the
jar? Rayna's was pineapple. I think someone else had apple, but that's not as good." Beth told
them.
"Looks like you were having a good time." Richie laughed as he watched her doing some kind of
line dance with her sisters and a few others in front of the band. The music wasn't his style … too
country. But it looked like fun.
"That was probably one of the best parties we ever had. The weather was perfect and the band
was really together." She remembered. "It's hard to keep good players in a band when so many
keep trying to make it big."
It was hard not to notice how Craig interacted with Beth constantly from the stage. He seemed
to enjoy watching her dance and have fun as much as she couldn't get enough of his music.
There was something between them … a real spark.
Beth was about to suggest Richie fast forward, when Craig stepped up to the microphone and
announced he had a special song just for the birthday girl.
Adam shifted a little, expecting a love song written for her or something like that. But to his
surprise, the band completely changed attitude. Craig switched to an electric guitar and the first
strains of "Mony Mony" sprang from the speakers.
Beth and her sisters screamed and the dance floor became wild as everyone joined in.
It was hard to watch and not be affected by the vibrant and exciting way she danced. She was so
comfortable being the life of the party and Adam shook his head, realizing there was so much
more to know about her. He wished he'd known her before Devan had wreaked havoc with her
life. This past year had taken it's toll, but he knew that the safer she felt, the more she would be
able to relax and really enjoy life again the way she'd obviously always done before. He
promised himself it would happen. He would make it happen.
"Uhm … you can fast forward now." Beth said to Richie, reaching for the remote … but not in
time to stop what she realized only too late was about to happen.
Craig was singing and playing only to her as the song wound down, and from the back, the
camera caught Beth encouraging him to keep playing … and then …
"AHHHH" Claudia screamed and covered her mouth. "No you didn't just do that." She looked
over at a very embarrassed Beth who was trying to become as small as possible under Adam's
arm.
Richie busted out laughing and Duncan just covered his eyes, shaking his head as he tried to
control the laughter that threatened to overtake him as well.
Beth turned a deep beet red and wrenched the remote from Richie's hand as he continued to roll
over what he'd just seen.
"Is this something you do often sweetheart?" Adam somehow managed to keep a straight face,
but his eyes sparkled with amusement as he teased her. "Flashing the guitar player?"
At that point Duncan lost his battle and had to leave the room, but Beth could hear him in the
foyer and secretly hoped they all busted something the way they kept laughing.
"Only the one's I'm married to." She replied, crossing her arms and trying to ignore them all.
"And the drummer? Were you married to him too … because he got an eye full." Richie added,
winking at Adam who thought it was a fair question.
"Ok ok … I told you I got wasted that night." She was beyond embarrassed now.
"Wasted would be one word for it." Adam couldn't help making that last little dig before she
pelted him with the first throw pillow she could find and he attacked her back, pinning her playfully
to the sofa.
"I think movie time is over." Richie said, nudging Claudia who was still in shock as they both left
the room.
"And to think … she was like that before she even met Amanda." Richie couldn't help but say to
Duncan as they left the house and Claudia went upstairs to her room.
Thanksgiving was only a day away, and Beth had to admit that Claudia had been a lot more help
than she had expected. Amanda was out of town until late that night, but she had promised there
was nothing that would keep her from getting back in time for their traditional holiday meal.
All of the main dishes had been prepared and were in the large shop cooler, ready to be heated
the next day, and Beth was putting the finishing touches on a cake Joe mentioned was a
particular favorite of his.
Adam and Duncan were holed up in the office, and she suspected they were trying to figure out
why Devan hadn't made his move.
"I'm too exhausted to move." Claudia said as she leaned back in one of the chairs with her feet
on the ottoman, unaccustomed to spending so much time in a kitchen. "Richie if you'll put in the
movie, I'll let you decide which one." She offered, opening one eye as he walked in the room.
"Like I'll find something I'd want to watch from what you picked out at the video store." He
replied, looking through the stack of chick flicks. There was nothing he could stomach sitting
through. It was then he remembered seeing some videos on the top of the entertainment center.
Reaching up, he pulled down the small stack that hadn't appeared to be opened before. They
were still in the original shrink wrap.
"This could work." He said, taking one of the tapes from the wrapper and putting it in.
"Which one did you choose?" Claudia asked as he settled into the sofa across from her.
"Charlie's Angels." He replied, thinking he'd split the difference between a chick flick and
action/adventure.
Claudia groaned, but watched as the movie began with someone jumping out of a helicopter and
into a speedboat. Duncan and Adam were just coming out of the office and the movie had only
been on for a few minutes when the screen went black and then switched to a woman with long,
red hair, smiling at them.
"Hi Lea!" the woman said. "I had a feeling all the other tapes would be filled with sappy stuff
Mom, Aunt Kate and Rayna put together. Stuff that would have you going through half a box of
tissues and reaching for the Visene."
The room went silent and all eyes turned toward the kitchen where Beth was staring at the
screen, the frosting knife suspended in mid air. "Chris." She whispered as Richie paused the
video, not knowing what he'd stumbled onto.
"That's my sister Chris" She said as Adam walked over and pulled her into his arms, holding her
as she shook from the shock of it.
"Those are the tapes Lt. Taylor gave me when he brought Barkley." She told Adam. "They are
from my family … hidden inside regular videos. I haven't felt like I could watch them yet." She
explained.
"I'm sorry Beth … it looked like a new movie to me." Richie said. He felt like a heel for upsetting
her like that. "I'll put it back."
"No … no don't do that." Beth said, wiping her eyes and trying to smile through the tears. "I think
it's time I watched them."
Adam asked if she was sure and she nodded, wiped her hands on a dishtowel and started to go
into the living room.
Duncan looked over at Claudia and Richie, giving them the signal it was time the three of them
became scarce.
"You don't have to go … I mean, I know it probably isn't a big treat to watch someone else's
home movies. But this is Chris' tape, and I'm guessing it will have some pretty funny stuff in it."
She looked up at Adam. "But Craig is probably in these." She wanted to be sure he wasn't
uncomfortable.
"I'm going to be raising his daughter. Might be a good idea if I knew a little more about him."
Adam replied, sitting with his arm draped over her shoulder.
"Are you sure you want us here?" Duncan asked.
"Yeah." Beth smiled as she nodded. "I want you to meet my family. And I think it will help having
my friends with me when I watch."
Duncan took the empty chair and Richie hit play.
"This tape is my own doing. All my fault." The woman laughed. "I'm sure you'll make me pay for
it one day."
"She looks like you." Claudia observed.
"Chris is my older sister, and I've got a younger sister Rayna and two brothers, Kyle and Justin."
Beth told them, realizing she hadn't really mentioned any of this before.
The screen switched to a shot of what appeared to be a much younger Beth, riding a large
Appaloosa across a field. Her hair was pulled back in one long braid and she was wearing jeans
and small, yellow T-shirt.
"We're goin' for it this time." She called out to whoever was holding the camera, and the horse
took off in a dead run toward a fence that appeared to be pretty high.
"A real cowgirl." Adam commented and Beth ducked her head a little and laughed. "Not that day
I wasn't."
About that time, the horse came to a dead stop in front of the fence and the rider flew over it's
head … over the fence, and appeared a few long seconds later covered in mud as the girl behind
the camera died laughing.
"Oooops." Adam chuckled and the others couldn't help but laugh along.
"This isn't your ordinary home video like I am certain the others in the stack will be." Beth shook
her head as she realized what she was in for. "No, this is going to be Beth's Bloopers … and
Chris is so dead when I get back home."
To her surprise, her sister had included a few more attempts at the fence where she cleared it
magnificently, so she didn't come off looking like a total klutz.
"You like to ride?" Adam asked her.
"Love it. I have two horses of my own, or at least I did. And my family's stable had at least
sixteen when I left home." She told him. "I'm guessing you've ridden quite a bit?"
"On occasion." He replied, looking over at Duncan who rolled his eyes at the understatement.
"I'd love to learn." Claudia piped in.
"I'm sure that could be arranged. You'll have to visit sometime." Beth told her, wishing she knew
when that would be possible.
The next few segments were of family gatherings and it wasn't hard to pick out Beth's brothers
because they were the ones she seemed to be terrorizing and shared her thick, dark hair and
dark eyes.
"You were a cruel child weren't you?" Adam asked as he watched her gingerly slide a chair from
behind her brother while he was busy trying to keep the attention of a pretty blonde. He fell flat
on his back in humiliation as she scampered to the other side of the room in hysterics.
"What you aren't seeing is what he did to deserve that. Did you happen to notice the different
length my pigtails seemed to have?"
Richie backed up the tape and there was a good four inches that appeared to have been cut
without care from one side.
"And remind me again, I want to go and meet your family uhm why?" Adam replied, wondering
how he could have misjudged her as being a quiet, kind child.
"We fought like cats and dogs, but it was mostly harmless pranks. We got along pretty well
actually, and we're close." She had more to say, but an image on the screen held her attention
and she forgot everything else.
Adam looked up and realized he was staring at the image of the ghost he would always share this
woman's heart with. He was surprised that she didn't seem sad as she watched the tall, blonde
young man sitting on what appeared to be a porch step strumming his guitar and singing a song
he wasn't familiar with.
"Is that Craig?" Richie asked.
Beth nodded. "I think this is about a month before we got married." She replied as she
remembered. "That was a song he had just pitched … Tim McGraw eventually recorded it … I'm
not sure how far up the charts it hit … maybe 14 at it's peak …"
She cast a nervous glance at Adam, but he seemed fine as he watched, his hand rubbing the
back of her neck under her hair.
Thankfully, there weren't any segments from their wedding. Beth suspected that video was
complete on one of the other tapes. She wasn't going to put Adam through watching that. He
was being so understanding, but she knew this couldn't be easy for him.
The scene changed and became what appeared to be a big party with a band.
"Oh my God." Beth said as she realized what this was. "My 21st birthday bash. That's Craig's
band and … Oh I got so wasted that night. I can not believe she put this in here. I thought Mom
burned the original …"
"This should be fun." Richie grinned.
There was a big banner across one of the walls that said "Happy 21st Leandra" and dancing in
front of the stage, were Beth with her sisters. She was dressed all in black. Black boots … short
black skirt with a flirty ruffle around the hem and a sleeveless black top that was made more like a
vest. Her hair fell down her back and was much longer than she currently wore it.
Her sisters were dressed similarly, but in brighter colors and the three looked as if they were
oblivious to anyone or anything as they danced in front of the band.
"Do I want to know what is in that jar you keep chugging?" Adam asked.
"Uhm … you aren't going to turn this over to the revenue men are you?" she joked.
"That's what I thought." He replied.
"What?" Claudia asked.
"That my dear Claudia would be good ole Tennessee Moonshine if I don't miss my guess."
Duncan told her with a wink.
"Not ordinary shine … the guys made it up special for the party. See the peaches floating in the
jar? Rayna's was pineapple. I think someone else had apple, but that's not as good." Beth told
them.
"Looks like you were having a good time." Richie laughed as he watched her doing some kind of
line dance with her sisters and a few others in front of the band. The music wasn't his style … too
country. But it looked like fun.
"That was probably one of the best parties we ever had. The weather was perfect and the band
was really together." She remembered. "It's hard to keep good players in a band when so many
keep trying to make it big."
It was hard not to notice how Craig interacted with Beth constantly from the stage. He seemed
to enjoy watching her dance and have fun as much as she couldn't get enough of his music.
There was something between them … a real spark.
Beth was about to suggest Richie fast forward, when Craig stepped up to the microphone and
announced he had a special song just for the birthday girl.
Adam shifted a little, expecting a love song written for her or something like that. But to his
surprise, the band completely changed attitude. Craig switched to an electric guitar and the first
strains of "Mony Mony" sprang from the speakers.
Beth and her sisters screamed and the dance floor became wild as everyone joined in.
It was hard to watch and not be affected by the vibrant and exciting way she danced. She was so
comfortable being the life of the party and Adam shook his head, realizing there was so much
more to know about her. He wished he'd known her before Devan had wreaked havoc with her
life. This past year had taken it's toll, but he knew that the safer she felt, the more she would be
able to relax and really enjoy life again the way she'd obviously always done before. He
promised himself it would happen. He would make it happen.
"Uhm … you can fast forward now." Beth said to Richie, reaching for the remote … but not in
time to stop what she realized only too late was about to happen.
Craig was singing and playing only to her as the song wound down, and from the back, the
camera caught Beth encouraging him to keep playing … and then …
"AHHHH" Claudia screamed and covered her mouth. "No you didn't just do that." She looked
over at a very embarrassed Beth who was trying to become as small as possible under Adam's
arm.
Richie busted out laughing and Duncan just covered his eyes, shaking his head as he tried to
control the laughter that threatened to overtake him as well.
Beth turned a deep beet red and wrenched the remote from Richie's hand as he continued to roll
over what he'd just seen.
"Is this something you do often sweetheart?" Adam somehow managed to keep a straight face,
but his eyes sparkled with amusement as he teased her. "Flashing the guitar player?"
At that point Duncan lost his battle and had to leave the room, but Beth could hear him in the
foyer and secretly hoped they all busted something the way they kept laughing.
"Only the one's I'm married to." She replied, crossing her arms and trying to ignore them all.
"And the drummer? Were you married to him too … because he got an eye full." Richie added,
winking at Adam who thought it was a fair question.
"Ok ok … I told you I got wasted that night." She was beyond embarrassed now.
"Wasted would be one word for it." Adam couldn't help making that last little dig before she
pelted him with the first throw pillow she could find and he attacked her back, pinning her playfully
to the sofa.
"I think movie time is over." Richie said, nudging Claudia who was still in shock as they both left
the room.
"And to think … she was like that before she even met Amanda." Richie couldn't help but say to
Duncan as they left the house and Claudia went upstairs to her room.