CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Murdock held up his hands and called for quiet, the large group of people assembled in his back garden all shut up and turned to listen.
'Ok.' He said. 'I'm going to make this short because if I don't Nick will kill me and apparently if I start with any crazy talk BA is going to break my legs. Which makes me wonder just what I can say.' A ripple of laughter went through the group as BA growled pointedly and Murdock grinned. 'Ok ok, enough of that, I've got a speech to make and I'm going to make it. I would like you all to raise your glasses.' He stopped and looked around. 'Where's mine for that matter?'
Kelly handed him his glass of champagne. 'Oh thank you darlin'.' He kissed his wife on the cheek and turned back to the people waiting for him to finish. 'Right, so please raise your glasses in a toast for my son Nick, who has just passed his pilot's test and is now a fully qualified pilot. I didn't think that this day was ever coming the noises and protests he made about flying. I was starting to wonder whether he was BA's kid after all.' Everyone laughed again. 'But for all that, he surprised me as he always does, and he's now a pilot, which means that I've now got two rivals up there but it also means that I am immensely proud of him and I'd like to offer him my congratulations. So, to Nick.' He drank from his glass as did everyone else.
Emily managed to drink nearly a third of her champagne before her mother took the glass from her. With a grin Nick stood up and took his dad's cap from his head.
Murdock instantly took it back and father and son pretended to fight over it. Once Nick had possession of it and it was firmly on his head he gave his speech.
'Thank you, thank you very much. Dad isn't the only one who thought this day was never going to come by the way, I don't think I could have made it through without the support of my family and friends. Which is why I have a few special thanks to give. Now BA didn't threaten to break my legs so Dad has given me a list of crazy things I have to say before I start thanking people. First up..' BA growled good-naturedly and Nick grinned.
'Just kidding BA. I want to thank first of all, my big brother Michael for helping me remember everything and giving up time to give me a few pointers both on the ground and off of it. My little sister Emily for being around so that I could annoy her when studying got too hard. Only joking Em, love ya really. I'd like to thank her for helping me with all the extra schoolwork that I had to get my head around, she's been great. Thanks little sis. I'd like to thank BA for fixing Dad's plane whenever I managed to bust it nearly beyond repair, man you're a lifesaver. Hannibal and Face for all the stories of the things Dad has done and flown that scared me nearly to death but encouraged me to get up there and give him a run for his money. I'd like to thank everyone for their support, Danny, Brandon, Maria and Johnny especially. And of course, my lovely girlfriend, Rosa for bringing me cookies and ice cream when things got too rough and her father, Miguel for letting me date her and for not busting my legs when I asked. But last and by no means least the biggest thanks has to go to two very special people, without them I really couldn't have done this, they've been truly fantastic. Mom, Dad, thank you. You two are the best parents in the world. Thank you everyone.'
Before Nick could sit down he was swamped by people hugging him. Murdock and Kelly kept apart so that everyone else could talk to him first. Murdock kissed his wife's cheek and smiled at her. 'He's growing up.'
'I know.' She said a tear in her eye. 'They all are.' She gestured to Emily and Brandon, who after hugging Nick, were sitting down together. Emily on Brandon's lap, his arms around her and her head on his shoulder.
'You think we can actually get to him now?' Murdock asked, looking at Nick who was still surrounded by people.
'We can try.' Kelly said smiling. 'You might have to send Billy in first.'
Murdock grinned and pretended to be studying the group of people seriously. 'Well, we could waltz our way through.'
Kelly laughed and they went to hug Nick, since Michael had been home things had been better than ever. The knowledge that he'd nearly lost his wife and first-born son for a second time had made Murdock wake up. He'd worked things out with Kelly and talked to Michael. Everything seemed perfect. Even things with Nick were much, much better than they had been.
Murdock hugged Nick and then let Kelly hug him. 'Thanks guys.' Nick was beaming from ear to ear. Not just loving the attention but loving having his family around him and the fact that for once in his life he'd managed to achieve something, he'd made his father proud.
Murdock reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys, he handed them to Nick who took them with a puzzled expression. 'What's this?'
Murdock grinned. 'A present, now that you're a pilot you need something fly.'
'Something to fl.' Nick's eyes bugged out.
'So we bought you a plane.'
For once Nick was totally speechless and then he hugged his parents again thanking them repeatedly. Murdock laughed and ruffled his son's hair. The rest of the kids then came over to find out what was going on, Murdock saw their eyes all light up as they found out that Nick had his very own plane.
Murdock motioned to Michael and Emily to follow him. With a puzzled look they followed him over to the house.
'I know this is Nick's day but we couldn't leave you two out.' Murdock handed them a set of keys each. 'Mike, I think if you go over to the airfield you'll find that those belong to a brand new chopper and Emily, I believe that someone has a convertible outside.'
Michael stared stunned at the keys in his hand, he was grinning.
Emily gave a squeal and jumped up and down in excitement. 'You got me a car!'
'Yes but one condition.' Murdock was smiling. 'You don't take Brandon out in it and you don't let BA near it. I don't want the big guy taking it apart to look at it unless you crash it, which you won't and I don't want you and Brandon parking somewhere in it. You get my meaning?'
Emily nodded but she was still brimming over with excitement. 'You gonna take me out for a spin first?' Her father asked, Murdock had been dying to get out in that car since Face had delivered it for him.
'You betcha!' Emily's eyes gleamed. Murdock called Nick and Kelly over to join them.
'We're going somewhere.' He told them. 'Em's gonna drive us to the airfield. Nick has a plane to fly and Mike has a helicopter.'
*** It was late evening, Mike, Nick and Emily had finished with their new toys. Emily said that her car drove like a dream and she went at a mercifully reasonable speed. Nick was thrilled with his plane, he said looping the loop had never been so fun and Kelly had been watching him through her fingers as he rolled and dived. Mike also loved his chopper, a new fascination for him ever since he'd flown that one to get Emily out.
All the kids were sitting down one end of the garden in a circle talking and laughing together. On the front porch of the house their parents watched them bathed in the last rays of the setting sun.
Kelly got up from where she had been sitting in the swing chair beside her husband and kissed his cheek. 'I'm gonna start the washing up.' She told him.
'Want me to help hon?'
'No you stay put and talk to the guys.' Dana and Maggie also rose, following Kelly into the kitchen where they could all talk together.
Murdock stretched and yawned. 'Been a long day.' He said.
Hannibal looked over at him. 'You think they're ready?' He asked.
Murdock was instantly quiet. 'Maybe?'
'You're telling me that you brought Nick a plane, Mike a chopper and Emily a car and they're not ready?' Face asked.
'They're ready.' BA said softly.
'They were ready ever since the day we got Mike back.' Hannibal murmured. 'You saw the look in their eyes Murdock.'
'Yeah.' Murdock sighed. 'I saw it.just, they're so young.'
'We can't do it anymore.' Face said. 'And someone has to.'
'What if they want to settle down?' Murdock looked out over the garden; he could see Brandon and Emily cuddling together. Nick had his arm around Rosa and Maria was whispering in Joseph's ear. 'We know how hard it is to do that. I just thought things would be different for them.'
'They'll be ok.' BA told him. 'Gotta grow up sometime.'
'But, aren't you worried.'
'Course I am, still gonna let Brandon do it.'
'But a new A-Team, is that right?'
Hannibal looked at him. 'We did agree Murdock; we're too old to be doing this now.'
'I know, I know. Don't know how I'm going to explain it to Kelly though. We just get Mike back and now I'm packing them all off to go fight people.'
'We're not forcing them Murdock, but if they want to.' Face put in, he knew how Murdock felt. Dana was not going to be happy.
'And they do wanna.' BA said. 'You can see it fool, in their eyes.'
'We knew this day had to come Murdock. They're our kids, we were like them once.' Hannibal told him.
'Yeah.' Murdock was quiet thinking. Then he looked over at his children, the team's children. 'They're ready.'
Murdock held up his hands and called for quiet, the large group of people assembled in his back garden all shut up and turned to listen.
'Ok.' He said. 'I'm going to make this short because if I don't Nick will kill me and apparently if I start with any crazy talk BA is going to break my legs. Which makes me wonder just what I can say.' A ripple of laughter went through the group as BA growled pointedly and Murdock grinned. 'Ok ok, enough of that, I've got a speech to make and I'm going to make it. I would like you all to raise your glasses.' He stopped and looked around. 'Where's mine for that matter?'
Kelly handed him his glass of champagne. 'Oh thank you darlin'.' He kissed his wife on the cheek and turned back to the people waiting for him to finish. 'Right, so please raise your glasses in a toast for my son Nick, who has just passed his pilot's test and is now a fully qualified pilot. I didn't think that this day was ever coming the noises and protests he made about flying. I was starting to wonder whether he was BA's kid after all.' Everyone laughed again. 'But for all that, he surprised me as he always does, and he's now a pilot, which means that I've now got two rivals up there but it also means that I am immensely proud of him and I'd like to offer him my congratulations. So, to Nick.' He drank from his glass as did everyone else.
Emily managed to drink nearly a third of her champagne before her mother took the glass from her. With a grin Nick stood up and took his dad's cap from his head.
Murdock instantly took it back and father and son pretended to fight over it. Once Nick had possession of it and it was firmly on his head he gave his speech.
'Thank you, thank you very much. Dad isn't the only one who thought this day was never going to come by the way, I don't think I could have made it through without the support of my family and friends. Which is why I have a few special thanks to give. Now BA didn't threaten to break my legs so Dad has given me a list of crazy things I have to say before I start thanking people. First up..' BA growled good-naturedly and Nick grinned.
'Just kidding BA. I want to thank first of all, my big brother Michael for helping me remember everything and giving up time to give me a few pointers both on the ground and off of it. My little sister Emily for being around so that I could annoy her when studying got too hard. Only joking Em, love ya really. I'd like to thank her for helping me with all the extra schoolwork that I had to get my head around, she's been great. Thanks little sis. I'd like to thank BA for fixing Dad's plane whenever I managed to bust it nearly beyond repair, man you're a lifesaver. Hannibal and Face for all the stories of the things Dad has done and flown that scared me nearly to death but encouraged me to get up there and give him a run for his money. I'd like to thank everyone for their support, Danny, Brandon, Maria and Johnny especially. And of course, my lovely girlfriend, Rosa for bringing me cookies and ice cream when things got too rough and her father, Miguel for letting me date her and for not busting my legs when I asked. But last and by no means least the biggest thanks has to go to two very special people, without them I really couldn't have done this, they've been truly fantastic. Mom, Dad, thank you. You two are the best parents in the world. Thank you everyone.'
Before Nick could sit down he was swamped by people hugging him. Murdock and Kelly kept apart so that everyone else could talk to him first. Murdock kissed his wife's cheek and smiled at her. 'He's growing up.'
'I know.' She said a tear in her eye. 'They all are.' She gestured to Emily and Brandon, who after hugging Nick, were sitting down together. Emily on Brandon's lap, his arms around her and her head on his shoulder.
'You think we can actually get to him now?' Murdock asked, looking at Nick who was still surrounded by people.
'We can try.' Kelly said smiling. 'You might have to send Billy in first.'
Murdock grinned and pretended to be studying the group of people seriously. 'Well, we could waltz our way through.'
Kelly laughed and they went to hug Nick, since Michael had been home things had been better than ever. The knowledge that he'd nearly lost his wife and first-born son for a second time had made Murdock wake up. He'd worked things out with Kelly and talked to Michael. Everything seemed perfect. Even things with Nick were much, much better than they had been.
Murdock hugged Nick and then let Kelly hug him. 'Thanks guys.' Nick was beaming from ear to ear. Not just loving the attention but loving having his family around him and the fact that for once in his life he'd managed to achieve something, he'd made his father proud.
Murdock reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys, he handed them to Nick who took them with a puzzled expression. 'What's this?'
Murdock grinned. 'A present, now that you're a pilot you need something fly.'
'Something to fl.' Nick's eyes bugged out.
'So we bought you a plane.'
For once Nick was totally speechless and then he hugged his parents again thanking them repeatedly. Murdock laughed and ruffled his son's hair. The rest of the kids then came over to find out what was going on, Murdock saw their eyes all light up as they found out that Nick had his very own plane.
Murdock motioned to Michael and Emily to follow him. With a puzzled look they followed him over to the house.
'I know this is Nick's day but we couldn't leave you two out.' Murdock handed them a set of keys each. 'Mike, I think if you go over to the airfield you'll find that those belong to a brand new chopper and Emily, I believe that someone has a convertible outside.'
Michael stared stunned at the keys in his hand, he was grinning.
Emily gave a squeal and jumped up and down in excitement. 'You got me a car!'
'Yes but one condition.' Murdock was smiling. 'You don't take Brandon out in it and you don't let BA near it. I don't want the big guy taking it apart to look at it unless you crash it, which you won't and I don't want you and Brandon parking somewhere in it. You get my meaning?'
Emily nodded but she was still brimming over with excitement. 'You gonna take me out for a spin first?' Her father asked, Murdock had been dying to get out in that car since Face had delivered it for him.
'You betcha!' Emily's eyes gleamed. Murdock called Nick and Kelly over to join them.
'We're going somewhere.' He told them. 'Em's gonna drive us to the airfield. Nick has a plane to fly and Mike has a helicopter.'
*** It was late evening, Mike, Nick and Emily had finished with their new toys. Emily said that her car drove like a dream and she went at a mercifully reasonable speed. Nick was thrilled with his plane, he said looping the loop had never been so fun and Kelly had been watching him through her fingers as he rolled and dived. Mike also loved his chopper, a new fascination for him ever since he'd flown that one to get Emily out.
All the kids were sitting down one end of the garden in a circle talking and laughing together. On the front porch of the house their parents watched them bathed in the last rays of the setting sun.
Kelly got up from where she had been sitting in the swing chair beside her husband and kissed his cheek. 'I'm gonna start the washing up.' She told him.
'Want me to help hon?'
'No you stay put and talk to the guys.' Dana and Maggie also rose, following Kelly into the kitchen where they could all talk together.
Murdock stretched and yawned. 'Been a long day.' He said.
Hannibal looked over at him. 'You think they're ready?' He asked.
Murdock was instantly quiet. 'Maybe?'
'You're telling me that you brought Nick a plane, Mike a chopper and Emily a car and they're not ready?' Face asked.
'They're ready.' BA said softly.
'They were ready ever since the day we got Mike back.' Hannibal murmured. 'You saw the look in their eyes Murdock.'
'Yeah.' Murdock sighed. 'I saw it.just, they're so young.'
'We can't do it anymore.' Face said. 'And someone has to.'
'What if they want to settle down?' Murdock looked out over the garden; he could see Brandon and Emily cuddling together. Nick had his arm around Rosa and Maria was whispering in Joseph's ear. 'We know how hard it is to do that. I just thought things would be different for them.'
'They'll be ok.' BA told him. 'Gotta grow up sometime.'
'But, aren't you worried.'
'Course I am, still gonna let Brandon do it.'
'But a new A-Team, is that right?'
Hannibal looked at him. 'We did agree Murdock; we're too old to be doing this now.'
'I know, I know. Don't know how I'm going to explain it to Kelly though. We just get Mike back and now I'm packing them all off to go fight people.'
'We're not forcing them Murdock, but if they want to.' Face put in, he knew how Murdock felt. Dana was not going to be happy.
'And they do wanna.' BA said. 'You can see it fool, in their eyes.'
'We knew this day had to come Murdock. They're our kids, we were like them once.' Hannibal told him.
'Yeah.' Murdock was quiet thinking. Then he looked over at his children, the team's children. 'They're ready.'
