Disclaimer - see chapter one
Chapter 5
"We don't have to do this, Catherine," Grissom said, hoping she would agree.
His cousin was holding a pre-wedding party in the hotel bar, and his mother had offered to watch Lindsey, if he and Catherine wanted to attend. He had said he was not particularly bothered about going, but Lindsey had persuaded him otherwise by telling him that she would enjoy spending the evening with Mrs Grissom, and that her mum really wanted to go to the party. It was probably the latter point that convinced him.
"But I want to, Gil. It'll be fun. And they're expecting us now. Plus, I'm eager to meet your family. I always imagined them all to be like you, but if karaoke's their scene, maybe I'm in for a pleasant surprise." She turned to him and flashed her breathtaking smile, to ensure he knew she was joking.
"Watch it, Cath!" he warned playfully.
Before she had chance to respond with anything other than a cheeky grin, they were greeted in the doorway of the hotel bar by an extremely cheerful, pretty young lady, in her mid-twenties.
"Gil!" she screamed as she threw her arms around him.
Catherine couldn't help smiling at the look of embarrassment, and restrained happiness that Grissom displayed. It was obvious he was used to this behaviour, and normally would participate in it, but he wasn't about to let Catherine see through his reserved demeanour.
He gently returned the hug then gallantly introduced the two women.
"Lizzie, this is Catherine. Catherine, my cousin Lizzie," he said after clearing his throat, still a little embarrassed about what Catherine had just seen.
"Nice to meet you. And congratulations!" Catherine said with a smile.
Excitement sparkled in the other woman's eyes. "Thank you. I'm so nervous. But I can't wait," she grinned. "Come on in, join the party." As they walked further into the room, receiving welcoming nods and smiles from people seated at the various tables, Lizzie turned to Grissom and smiled. "I'll put you on the karaoke list."
Panic swept Grissom's features. "Er.." he said quickly, "No, don't do that. I won't be singing this time." He lowered his voice and stepped closer to Lizzie as he spoke his last words, but Catherine heard him, and was immediately intrigued.
"Oh yes he will!" she interrupted.
"Catherine!" he tried to stop her.
"Stop being shy. He was telling me all the way here how he was looking forward to singing," she told Lizzie. "Put him on your list."
Grissom glared at her as she smiled contentedly.
"Lizzie, I really - "
"Don't be nervous, we've all heard you sing before," Lizzie laughed, then she excused herself and hurried to add Grissom to their running order.
Maintaining his glare he spoke seriously. "If I'm singing, you're singing."
Catherine nodded. "Fine. But I promise I will embarrass you in front of your entire family. But if you want me to do it, I'd be happy to," she said teasingly.
Knowing that she meant every word, and would intentionally humiliate him, Grissom reconsidered his threat. "Well, we'll see," he said reluctantly. "Would you like a drink? I think I'm gonna need one," he muttered, walking towards the bar, followed by a very amused, chuckling Catherine.
*****
The quality of the majority of the singing voices was actually quite impressive. Grissom's uncle provided an extremely memorable rendition of "I'm Every Woman", during which Grissom tried to avoid eye contact with Catherine who, therefore, purposely tried to make it.
After five of his cousins had put the Spice Girls to shame with a particularly entertaining performance of "Wannabe", Grissom heard his name being called. After the second call, he was aware that a chant of encouragement had started, initiated by Catherine, who was sitting beside him, grinning victoriously.
Leaving her with his most intense glare, he slowly made his way to the stage.
"Ah, revenge is best served. cruelly," Catherine said to herself as she watched him walk up the few steps, and speak to the person in charge of the machine.
As Grissom took his place in front of the microphone, adjusting it to the appropriate height, Catherine settled back in her chair, ready to take mental notes and pictures in order to successfully wind him up at a later date.
Grissom cleared his throat then spoke confidently. "Before I start, I would like to dedicate this song to the devious young lady who's here with me this evening. who thought she was being clever putting me forward for this."
A satisfied grin settled itself on Catherine's face, and she nodded to him in gratitude for the mention.
Returning the nod, Grissom then turned and nodded to the machine controller, took a deep breath, locked his eyes with Catherine's and began.
"It must have been cold there in my shadow."
Recognising the song, an impressed sigh of 'aw!' was heard from around the room.
Catherine's heart skipped a beat.
"To never have sunlight on your face."
She felt her heart rate increase.
"You've been content to let me shine."
Her smile slowly turned to a look of anxiety.
"You always walked a step behind."
She could hear her breathing shaking.
"I was the one with all the glory."
She felt her throat constrict.
"While you were the one with all the strength."
Her vision was suddenly blurred by the tears building in her eyes.
"Only a face with out a name."
Nervous, she bit her bottom lip.
"I never once heard you complain."
"Well, maybe once or twice," he added, laughing.
Her tears tried to escape as she laughed.
"Did you ever know that you're my hero?"
She took a deep breath.
"And everything I wish I could be?"
'It's just a song' she told herself.
"And I can fly higher than an eagle."
'It's just a song' she repeated.
"'Cause you are the wind beneath my wings."
She tried to compose herself during the short instrumental.
"It might have appeared to go unnoticed."
A tear escaped.
"But I've got it all here in my heart."
Followed by another one.
"I want you to know I know the truth."
She tried to wipe them away.
"I would be nothing without you!"
. but her hands were trembling uncontrollably.
"Did you ever know that you're my hero?"
. she clasped them together in an effort to stop them.
"And everything I would like to be?"
Her breath caught in her throat.
"I can fly higher than an eagle."
Water streamed down her cheeks.
"'Cause you are the wind beneath my wings."
Applause erupted throughout the room. Grissom smiled tenderly. Trying to suppress more tears, Catherine smiled back.
He kept his eyes fixed on hers as he walked down from the stage and towards the table. He ignored anyone who tried to stop him, making his way directly to Catherine.
Her heart was pounding faster and faster as he approached. When he stopped just in front of her, she was sure it would explode. They stared at each other. Neither said a word. She desperately tried to take control of her trembling lower lip.
A smug smile crept onto Grissom's face, and after a few more seconds of silence, he spoke.
"Aw! Did your plan backfire?" he said, sarcastically, his smile widening.
They both laughed.
"You are cruel," Catherine finally managed, as she stood up. "Look what you've done to me. I'm a mess."
"You look beautiful," he said softly, still smiling.
Her heart fluttered. "Yeah, right," she laughed. "Excuse me."
She picked up her bag and proceeded to look for the bathroom. Grissom watched as she walked away, smiled happily to himself, and sat down to await her return.
TBC.
A/N the song is "Wind Beneath My Wings" written by Larry Henley and Jeff Silbar
Chapter 5
"We don't have to do this, Catherine," Grissom said, hoping she would agree.
His cousin was holding a pre-wedding party in the hotel bar, and his mother had offered to watch Lindsey, if he and Catherine wanted to attend. He had said he was not particularly bothered about going, but Lindsey had persuaded him otherwise by telling him that she would enjoy spending the evening with Mrs Grissom, and that her mum really wanted to go to the party. It was probably the latter point that convinced him.
"But I want to, Gil. It'll be fun. And they're expecting us now. Plus, I'm eager to meet your family. I always imagined them all to be like you, but if karaoke's their scene, maybe I'm in for a pleasant surprise." She turned to him and flashed her breathtaking smile, to ensure he knew she was joking.
"Watch it, Cath!" he warned playfully.
Before she had chance to respond with anything other than a cheeky grin, they were greeted in the doorway of the hotel bar by an extremely cheerful, pretty young lady, in her mid-twenties.
"Gil!" she screamed as she threw her arms around him.
Catherine couldn't help smiling at the look of embarrassment, and restrained happiness that Grissom displayed. It was obvious he was used to this behaviour, and normally would participate in it, but he wasn't about to let Catherine see through his reserved demeanour.
He gently returned the hug then gallantly introduced the two women.
"Lizzie, this is Catherine. Catherine, my cousin Lizzie," he said after clearing his throat, still a little embarrassed about what Catherine had just seen.
"Nice to meet you. And congratulations!" Catherine said with a smile.
Excitement sparkled in the other woman's eyes. "Thank you. I'm so nervous. But I can't wait," she grinned. "Come on in, join the party." As they walked further into the room, receiving welcoming nods and smiles from people seated at the various tables, Lizzie turned to Grissom and smiled. "I'll put you on the karaoke list."
Panic swept Grissom's features. "Er.." he said quickly, "No, don't do that. I won't be singing this time." He lowered his voice and stepped closer to Lizzie as he spoke his last words, but Catherine heard him, and was immediately intrigued.
"Oh yes he will!" she interrupted.
"Catherine!" he tried to stop her.
"Stop being shy. He was telling me all the way here how he was looking forward to singing," she told Lizzie. "Put him on your list."
Grissom glared at her as she smiled contentedly.
"Lizzie, I really - "
"Don't be nervous, we've all heard you sing before," Lizzie laughed, then she excused herself and hurried to add Grissom to their running order.
Maintaining his glare he spoke seriously. "If I'm singing, you're singing."
Catherine nodded. "Fine. But I promise I will embarrass you in front of your entire family. But if you want me to do it, I'd be happy to," she said teasingly.
Knowing that she meant every word, and would intentionally humiliate him, Grissom reconsidered his threat. "Well, we'll see," he said reluctantly. "Would you like a drink? I think I'm gonna need one," he muttered, walking towards the bar, followed by a very amused, chuckling Catherine.
*****
The quality of the majority of the singing voices was actually quite impressive. Grissom's uncle provided an extremely memorable rendition of "I'm Every Woman", during which Grissom tried to avoid eye contact with Catherine who, therefore, purposely tried to make it.
After five of his cousins had put the Spice Girls to shame with a particularly entertaining performance of "Wannabe", Grissom heard his name being called. After the second call, he was aware that a chant of encouragement had started, initiated by Catherine, who was sitting beside him, grinning victoriously.
Leaving her with his most intense glare, he slowly made his way to the stage.
"Ah, revenge is best served. cruelly," Catherine said to herself as she watched him walk up the few steps, and speak to the person in charge of the machine.
As Grissom took his place in front of the microphone, adjusting it to the appropriate height, Catherine settled back in her chair, ready to take mental notes and pictures in order to successfully wind him up at a later date.
Grissom cleared his throat then spoke confidently. "Before I start, I would like to dedicate this song to the devious young lady who's here with me this evening. who thought she was being clever putting me forward for this."
A satisfied grin settled itself on Catherine's face, and she nodded to him in gratitude for the mention.
Returning the nod, Grissom then turned and nodded to the machine controller, took a deep breath, locked his eyes with Catherine's and began.
"It must have been cold there in my shadow."
Recognising the song, an impressed sigh of 'aw!' was heard from around the room.
Catherine's heart skipped a beat.
"To never have sunlight on your face."
She felt her heart rate increase.
"You've been content to let me shine."
Her smile slowly turned to a look of anxiety.
"You always walked a step behind."
She could hear her breathing shaking.
"I was the one with all the glory."
She felt her throat constrict.
"While you were the one with all the strength."
Her vision was suddenly blurred by the tears building in her eyes.
"Only a face with out a name."
Nervous, she bit her bottom lip.
"I never once heard you complain."
"Well, maybe once or twice," he added, laughing.
Her tears tried to escape as she laughed.
"Did you ever know that you're my hero?"
She took a deep breath.
"And everything I wish I could be?"
'It's just a song' she told herself.
"And I can fly higher than an eagle."
'It's just a song' she repeated.
"'Cause you are the wind beneath my wings."
She tried to compose herself during the short instrumental.
"It might have appeared to go unnoticed."
A tear escaped.
"But I've got it all here in my heart."
Followed by another one.
"I want you to know I know the truth."
She tried to wipe them away.
"I would be nothing without you!"
. but her hands were trembling uncontrollably.
"Did you ever know that you're my hero?"
. she clasped them together in an effort to stop them.
"And everything I would like to be?"
Her breath caught in her throat.
"I can fly higher than an eagle."
Water streamed down her cheeks.
"'Cause you are the wind beneath my wings."
Applause erupted throughout the room. Grissom smiled tenderly. Trying to suppress more tears, Catherine smiled back.
He kept his eyes fixed on hers as he walked down from the stage and towards the table. He ignored anyone who tried to stop him, making his way directly to Catherine.
Her heart was pounding faster and faster as he approached. When he stopped just in front of her, she was sure it would explode. They stared at each other. Neither said a word. She desperately tried to take control of her trembling lower lip.
A smug smile crept onto Grissom's face, and after a few more seconds of silence, he spoke.
"Aw! Did your plan backfire?" he said, sarcastically, his smile widening.
They both laughed.
"You are cruel," Catherine finally managed, as she stood up. "Look what you've done to me. I'm a mess."
"You look beautiful," he said softly, still smiling.
Her heart fluttered. "Yeah, right," she laughed. "Excuse me."
She picked up her bag and proceeded to look for the bathroom. Grissom watched as she walked away, smiled happily to himself, and sat down to await her return.
TBC.
A/N the song is "Wind Beneath My Wings" written by Larry Henley and Jeff Silbar