AN: My beta is back and she fixed all my mistakes. Thanks, Lori!
Rylan and the kids said good bye to Brad Friday night since he was leaving early Saturday morning on a business trip to Chicago for two weeks. Rylan was slightly surprised to find herself thinking she would miss him. After all, who was he to her? Her mother's husband. So, technically he was her step-father, she guessed. Her friend Naudia had one of those and he seemed pretty cool. Saturday morning, she woke up with butterflies in her stomach. After forcing down some breakfast and doing the dishes Julie took her into the living room to lecture her on minding her manners around Nanna. After all, she was her elder and therefore needed to be treated with respect. Rylan had to bite her tongue to point out that Duncan and Tessa had taught her that respect was to be earned no matter how old someone was.
Julie and Rylan arrived in front of the shockingly large uptown house just a few minutes before eleven. Nanna had invited Rylan for lunch and then to spend the day with her. Julie had packed a bag with Rylan's new swimsuit (the bikini Tessa had bought her was far too revealing for someone her age), a beach towel, and a change of clothes. Apparently Nanna had an indoor pool.
Julie walked Rylan up to the front door and rang the bell. A few minutes later, a not so elderly looking woman answered.
"My, my, is this little Lizzie all grown up?" the woman asked putting a hand to her cheek and looking the now amazing self-conscious girl up and down. "I'm your Nanna," she added.
"Oh," Rylan seemed to perk up a bit. "Nice to meet you," she said holding out her hand.
"Now, my dear girl, we are family there's no need for such formalities. Give your Nanna a nice big hug!" Grinning, Rylan walked into the woman's arms and hugged her as tightly as she dared. "Now, we must get you settled," Nanna told her turning her into the house. "Oh, Julie," she said as if she just noticed the other person on her doorstep. "When do you want her home?"
"I'll come get her before dinner," Julie said.
"I should say not!" Nanna contradicted her. "We'll call you when we're ready," she decided.
"I have to be in bed by ten-thirty," Rylan announced trying to earn a few brownie points.
"Then you may come get her at ten," Nanna told Julie. "Not a minute before."
Julie looked past Nanna and at Rylan who was standing in the foyer. Rylan caught her eye and grinned hopefully. "Very well, be ready at ten," Julie instructed.
"I will," Rylan promised just before Nanna closed the door in Julie's face.
"Now that we're rid of her," she smiled. "Why don't we start with a tour?" Nanna took Rylan's bag from her hands and put it on the in table before putting an arm around her shoulders.
She led Rylan though the spacious house that was at least four times bigger than the one she lived in with Duncan and Tessa. There was a library, an office as big as their basement, a kitchen as big as the antique store, a living room Rylan estimated to be half a football field long, a huge den, a game room with a pool table, Ping-Pong table, two Pinball machines, a big screen TV, tons of videos, and (Rylan's personal favorite) an air hockey table. And that was just the downstairs. Upstairs was another library (complete with an amazing comic book collection), another game room with a computer and board games, five bedrooms with in suite bathrooms, and the master suite.
"And back here," Nanna said pointing out a window in one of the bedrooms. "In that glass building is the pool. So first, why don't you pick out a room?"
"What for?" Rylan asked.
"Well, when you spend the night, I expect you'll want a place to sleep. Do you want to look at them again?"
"No," Rylan answered. She had been fanaticizing about living in this near mansion the entire tour. "I want the one with the window seat. if that's okay," she added.
"I'm sorry, any room but that one."
"Oh, then how about."
"Lizzie, darling, I'm joking. If you want the window seat, it's yours. And if you want to make any changes, just let me know."
"Are you serious?" Rylan asked. "I can change whatever I want?"
"Of course. It's your room, isn't it?"
"You remind me of Tessa," Rylan blurted.
"Who's Tessa?" Nanna asked.
"She's."
"Hang on, you can tell me about her while we look through catalogs and decide what you want to do to your new room. You just go wait for me in there and I'll be right there."
"Um. okay." Rylan went back to her new room. While the giant bathroom and window seat were the most appealing features the rest of it was entirely too girly for her tastes. She decided she would ask new drapes and a bedspread. That way she would take Nanna up on her offer and not be demanding too much.
"Here we are!" Nanna announced entering the room with her arms full of catalogs. "Start looking and tell me about this Tessa woman."
They sat side by side on the bed with the catalogs spread out before them for three hours while Rylan rambled on and on about Tessa, Duncan and Richie.
"Oh! We missed lunch," Nanna gasped looking at her watch.
"We did?" Rylan asked. "No wonder I'm so hungry."
"I have an idea. Instead of a late lunch, let's make a snack and have a huge dinner."
"Um. okay."
They went down into the kitchen. They had Oreos and peanut butter to hold them over until dinner. After they cleaned up their mess, they went into the living room to sit and talk.
"You know," Rylan said. "You sure don't look like a grandmother. Especially one with a grandkid as old as Kevin."
Nanna smiled broadly. "I know. You're grandfather was a plastic surgeon."
"Oh." Rylan got quiet and studied her shoes carefully.
"What's wrong, Lizzie?" Nanna asked.
"If you're so rich, how come there wasn't enough money for Julie to keep us? Didn't you want to help? Didn't you like us?"
"Oh, of course, Lizzie. See your Papa and I didn't approve of Julie. When Jarred told us his plans to marry her, we made it quite clear that we weren't happy about it. But we weren't about to take it out on innocent children. When Kevin was born, all parties swallowed their pride. Then came the twins, then Skylar. then when I had given up hope of every having a baby girl around. Well, you see I always wanted a girl but after Jarred was born that was it for this old body. So I had my heart set on a granddaughter. And I love her more than anyone in the world." She cupped Rylan's chin and gave it a little shake. "But when Jarred got sick, Julie refused our money and our offers to take you kids. If Jarred had been well enough to speak out, you would have grown up with family."
"Is Jarred my dad's name?" Rylan asked.
"Oh, land's sakes child! Don't you know your own father?"
"No. All I remember is seeing Julie on the weekends for a while."
"Well, we'll just have to fix this now, won't we?" Nanna got up and retrieved some framed photos off the piano. "Do you play?" she asked suddenly.
Rylan shrugged. "Richie's taught me a few songs. I'm not that musical."
"I used to give your father lessons."
"Yeah?"
"Every Sunday he'd bring you kids over and he would sit here and play for hours. All the kids loved it. But you, you wouldn't make a sound. You'd sit on the bench next to him and just stare at his fingers the entire time. I thought for sure you'd be a concert pianist some day. Come here." Rylan got up from the couch and walked to the piano. "This is your father," Nanna said handing Rylan a picture of a young man in a baseball uniform. "He wanted to go pro, but he tore his knee and had to give it up."
"I love baseball," Rylan said quietly gazing down at the picture. "Duncan's taken me to a couple games."
"This is him at graduation." Nanna showed her another picture. The same young man posed with his diploma in front of the high school gym.
"Is that Washington High School?"
"Yes it is. That's the old gym. Now it's a second."
"Cafeteria," Rylan finished. "I go there. Or, I used to."
"What do you mean you used to?"
"If I end up stuck with Julie, I'm going to have to transfer."
"You'll be a senior this year, right?" Nanna asked.
"Yeah." Rylan perked up at the sound of the correct assumption.
"But you're still sixteen. Did you skip a grade?"
"Second."
"That's right," Nanna nodded. "I knew you were the smart one from the start."
"How do you know all that?"
"I know my grandchildren. I talk to Kevin."
Rylan studied the photo in her hands. "Why don't you talk to me?"
"Oh, sweetie." Nanna pulled her into a strong hug. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a kid in the foster system? No matter that I can prove biological relations. Files are private and that's that. And your mother! She was no help. 'How should I know? They're not mine anymore.' I swear that woman isn't fit to give birth to cobras!"
"You looked for me?"
"Of course! I tried to adopt you! I went to that orphanage and said 'I want my granddaughter; her name is Rylan Elizabeth Fisher. And I can give you whatever information you want on her just so long as she is in my house by the end of the day.' And you know what they said?" Rylan shook her head. "She needs her mother's permission to be adopted outside our standards. I was too old and too single and that was all they would tell me. Those people are idiots!"
"Tell me about it," Rylan snorted. "You should have seen some of the places Richie and I ended up. They were awful!"
"I would never trust a child to the government," Nanna said. "They're too focused on other problems than to truly take care of a child."
"You sound like Tessa," Rylan smiled. "She's furious with the system."
"It sounds like I would like these people. MacLeod, right?"
"Yeah, Duncan and Tessa MacLeod, they just got married, and Richie Ryan."
"I have an idea!" Nanna announced picking up a phone and handing it to Rylan. "You give them a call and invite them to dinner."
"I'm not allowed," Rylan answered. "If Julie finds out, she'll never let me see them."
"This is my house and I will invite over whomever I please. I'll tell you what, you dial and I'll invite. If Julie finds out, I'll just say I looked up the number and called them while you were in the bathroom. Deal?"
"Deal." Rylan dialed the phone.
"Is this Duncan MacLeod? Oh, Richie, then? It is, well" she smiled at Rylan. "My name is Monica Fisher and I am Lizzie. I mean Rylan's grandmother. And she is standing right here with me and we insist you and the MacLeods come over here right away and see her. he wants to talk to you," she told Rylan. "I don't think he believes me."
"Oh," Rylan took the phone. "Hey, Rich, what's up man? You comin' or what? Yeah, I told you that's why I couldn't see you guys today. She made me choose. Okay. oh hang on!" She covered the mouthpiece. "Is it too late to go swimming?" she asked Nanna.
"No darling, you tell him to bring his suit."
"Hey, Richie? Bring your swimsuit. Yeah, she has a pool; heated and everything. I wanna say hi first." She waited a few seconds. "Hi Tessa! You can come, right? But. talk to Nanna." She handed the phone over. "They're worried if this is legal."
"Tessa? This is Monica Fisher. I'm sure we can work something out. It is completely unfair of Julie to keep Lizzie from you. You're all she talks about. Please say you'll come. If you don't, she'll be heart broken."
"Please!" Rylan added. She smiled broadly as Nanna gave Tessa her address and hung up.
"They'll be here in half an hour."
Twenty minutes later the doorbell rang. Rylan thew it open and propelled herself into Richie's waiting arms. They held onto each other and babbled about how much they missed each other without waiting for the other to finish speaking first.
"Are they always like this?" Nanna asked pushing the still rambling teens to one side so Duncan and Tessa could come in.
"I'm afraid so," Tessa answered. "We're used to it though. I'm Tessa," she added holding out her hand.
"Now I know where Lizzie gets it from," Nanna laughed moving past Tessa's hand and giving her a hug.
"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Fisher," Duncan added skipping offering his hand and taking the hug.
"Oh, please. Nanna, I insist. After all you are the people that saved my only granddaughter. And this strapping young lad must be Richie," she added looking over as the kids finally released each other.
"Yes, ma'am," Richie smiled.
"Come give your Nanna a hug!"
Blushing Richie did as he was told as Tessa rushed past him to greet Rylan. She spoke to her in French and ran her fingers through the girl's long auburn hair tears glistening in her eyes. Then it was Duncan's turn. He couldn't resist picking her up as he hugged her. They talked in the foyer for a few minutes before Nanna sent Richie and Rylan off to change and go swimming while the adults talked and prepared dinner. Two hours later, they were called in to set the table through the intercom. They got dried off, dressed and did as they were told.
Dinner was an affair in it's self. Rylan told everyone what it was like at Julie's and Duncan told her how much she was missed at home and the store; customers were even asking about her. Richie told about his gig and how much he wished she could come; it just wouldn't be the same without her. He had debated skipping it but it was too good of an opportunity. Rylan agreed and made him promise not to skip any gigs on her account. She'd always ask to go and one day Julie would give in.
Finally, Tessa couldn't take it anymore and told Rylan and Richie what she, Duncan, and Nanna had cooked up while they were gone.
"Are you serious!" Rylan squealed. "I get to go?"
"Nanna called Julie and arranged everything. She thinks you're spending the night here when in fact you're going to the club with us and home for the night. Then we'll bring you back at eight and Julie will be here at eight thirty to get you."
"Really?" Richie asked. "She's coming home?"
"Just for the night," Duncan reminded him. "We really shouldn't do this, but Nanna talked us into it."
"Nanna you're the best!" Rylan announced jumping from her chair and throwing her arms around Nanna's neck. "Thank you so much!"
"Anything for my grandbabies. Now you finish your dinner so you can get ready," she told Richie. "If you don't mind, I'd like to come too."
"To the gig?" Richie asked. "Of course not. The bigger the cheering section, the better."
After dinner and a hasty clean up they went back to the house so Richie could change and get his stuff and Rylan could find something more club worthy than what she had worn to Nanna's. Richie's set was a hit and he won first prize among the bands that preformed that night and second among those that had played all week. He left the club four thousand dollars richer. They dropped Nanna off at her house and went home. Tessa and Duncan weren't surprised to see Richie in Rylan's bed the next morning when they went to wake her. Richie was supposed to open the store and Duncan had work that he had left unfinished the night before so Tessa took Rylan back to Nanna's. Rylan was so content with their deception that she didn't even notice Julie's sedan parked down the street when Tessa dropped her off, once again dressed in her clothes from the night before.
She didn't know anything was wrong until she and Julie got home. "Did you have fun at the concert?" Julie asked.
"What concert?" Rylan feigned ignorance.
"Richie's of course. That's why you convinced Nanna to let you spend the night, isn't it?" Julie demanded grabbing Rylan by the arm and half dragging her down the hall to her room.
"I stayed at Nanna's!" Rylan insisted.
"Don't lie to me!" Julie screamed, slapping Rylan hard across the face. "I saw that Tessa woman drop you off this morning."
"I-I-I" Rylan stuttered realizing the jig was up.
"What I want you to do is pack everything you brought with you," Julie instructed. "Do you understand me?"
"Yes, ma'am," she mumbled beginning to feel herself shake.
"Get to it!"
Rylan got her suitcases out from under her bed and began packing. Once she had gotten the last suitcase closed, Julie was back. She made Rylan load the luggage in the car before sending her to Mika's room. The kids were apparently at a friend's house and weren't there to witness Rylan's treatment.
"You stay in here and you stay quiet until I come get you, do you understand?"
"Yes, ma'am," Rylan answered quickly.
"I don't want to hear a sound in here. Sit on the bed and don't move. If I hear any movement, I'll tie you down myself."
Rylan sat quietly and half an hour later heard the doorbell ring. Julie answered it and led someone past her prison to the room next door, Rylan's room.
"What am I doing for you, ma'am?" a man's voice asked.
"I need a lock put on this door," Julie said. "I just inherited my father's gun collection and I don't want my kids to get into it."
"That's a good idea, kids can get into everything. That'll take about half an hour. I can do it now if that will work for you."
"The sooner, the better," Julie answered.
Forty-five minutes later Julie was back in Mika's room. She stalked over to the bed where Rylan sat in the same position she had been left in. "Get up," she ordered. Rylan quickly stood. Julie grabbed her roughly by the arm and shoved her back into her room. "You see this?" she asked holding up a key. "This means you're grounded. You can't come out of your room except to eat. The door will be locked and the windows are sealed. Nobody can help you now. So shut up and mind I don't hear a sound from you. I'll be back at lunch." With that Julie closed the door and Rylan heard the key turn in the lock.
A few minutes later, Julie stopped outside Rylan's door to announce she was returning her belongings to the MacLeods and getting her new clothes. She would be back in two hours. The second she heard Julie's car pull away, Rylan ran to the door. There was a blank plate on her side where the lock was on the outside. There was no way to pick the lock. She examined the molding and wished she had something to force the bolt with, but her room had been cleaned out. All she had was her bed, desk (which had been cleaned out except for a pen and one spiral), and a book. Nothing that could help her in the slightest. Next, she tried her windows. They had a thick steam of silicon around the seam and large glob over the lock. Thinking hard, Rylan decided her only choice was to pick the silicon off. She grabbed the spiral off her desk and slowly took the wire spine off. She used the edge to cut at the silicon; it took forever but soon she had a small chunk about the length of a dime removed. She heard the garage door open and quickly got onto the bed and took apart the pen.
Julie opened the door a few minutes later. "What are you doing?" she demanded looking at the disassembled pen and spiral.
"I got bored," Rylan shrugged. "I can put the pen back together, but the spiral is beyond repair."
"Do you want lunch?" Julie asked through clenched teeth.
"No, thank you," Rylan answered. "I'm not hungry."
"This is your last chance before dinner," she reminded her.
"I doubt I'll be hungry then, either," Rylan answered smugly no longer worried about being kept from Tessa, Duncan and Richie. She wasn't going to see them again anyway; why play nice?
"Then I won't bother to come get you!" Julie snapped slamming the door and locking it.
Rylan sighed; that meant she had until morning to work on the windows.
Rylan and the kids said good bye to Brad Friday night since he was leaving early Saturday morning on a business trip to Chicago for two weeks. Rylan was slightly surprised to find herself thinking she would miss him. After all, who was he to her? Her mother's husband. So, technically he was her step-father, she guessed. Her friend Naudia had one of those and he seemed pretty cool. Saturday morning, she woke up with butterflies in her stomach. After forcing down some breakfast and doing the dishes Julie took her into the living room to lecture her on minding her manners around Nanna. After all, she was her elder and therefore needed to be treated with respect. Rylan had to bite her tongue to point out that Duncan and Tessa had taught her that respect was to be earned no matter how old someone was.
Julie and Rylan arrived in front of the shockingly large uptown house just a few minutes before eleven. Nanna had invited Rylan for lunch and then to spend the day with her. Julie had packed a bag with Rylan's new swimsuit (the bikini Tessa had bought her was far too revealing for someone her age), a beach towel, and a change of clothes. Apparently Nanna had an indoor pool.
Julie walked Rylan up to the front door and rang the bell. A few minutes later, a not so elderly looking woman answered.
"My, my, is this little Lizzie all grown up?" the woman asked putting a hand to her cheek and looking the now amazing self-conscious girl up and down. "I'm your Nanna," she added.
"Oh," Rylan seemed to perk up a bit. "Nice to meet you," she said holding out her hand.
"Now, my dear girl, we are family there's no need for such formalities. Give your Nanna a nice big hug!" Grinning, Rylan walked into the woman's arms and hugged her as tightly as she dared. "Now, we must get you settled," Nanna told her turning her into the house. "Oh, Julie," she said as if she just noticed the other person on her doorstep. "When do you want her home?"
"I'll come get her before dinner," Julie said.
"I should say not!" Nanna contradicted her. "We'll call you when we're ready," she decided.
"I have to be in bed by ten-thirty," Rylan announced trying to earn a few brownie points.
"Then you may come get her at ten," Nanna told Julie. "Not a minute before."
Julie looked past Nanna and at Rylan who was standing in the foyer. Rylan caught her eye and grinned hopefully. "Very well, be ready at ten," Julie instructed.
"I will," Rylan promised just before Nanna closed the door in Julie's face.
"Now that we're rid of her," she smiled. "Why don't we start with a tour?" Nanna took Rylan's bag from her hands and put it on the in table before putting an arm around her shoulders.
She led Rylan though the spacious house that was at least four times bigger than the one she lived in with Duncan and Tessa. There was a library, an office as big as their basement, a kitchen as big as the antique store, a living room Rylan estimated to be half a football field long, a huge den, a game room with a pool table, Ping-Pong table, two Pinball machines, a big screen TV, tons of videos, and (Rylan's personal favorite) an air hockey table. And that was just the downstairs. Upstairs was another library (complete with an amazing comic book collection), another game room with a computer and board games, five bedrooms with in suite bathrooms, and the master suite.
"And back here," Nanna said pointing out a window in one of the bedrooms. "In that glass building is the pool. So first, why don't you pick out a room?"
"What for?" Rylan asked.
"Well, when you spend the night, I expect you'll want a place to sleep. Do you want to look at them again?"
"No," Rylan answered. She had been fanaticizing about living in this near mansion the entire tour. "I want the one with the window seat. if that's okay," she added.
"I'm sorry, any room but that one."
"Oh, then how about."
"Lizzie, darling, I'm joking. If you want the window seat, it's yours. And if you want to make any changes, just let me know."
"Are you serious?" Rylan asked. "I can change whatever I want?"
"Of course. It's your room, isn't it?"
"You remind me of Tessa," Rylan blurted.
"Who's Tessa?" Nanna asked.
"She's."
"Hang on, you can tell me about her while we look through catalogs and decide what you want to do to your new room. You just go wait for me in there and I'll be right there."
"Um. okay." Rylan went back to her new room. While the giant bathroom and window seat were the most appealing features the rest of it was entirely too girly for her tastes. She decided she would ask new drapes and a bedspread. That way she would take Nanna up on her offer and not be demanding too much.
"Here we are!" Nanna announced entering the room with her arms full of catalogs. "Start looking and tell me about this Tessa woman."
They sat side by side on the bed with the catalogs spread out before them for three hours while Rylan rambled on and on about Tessa, Duncan and Richie.
"Oh! We missed lunch," Nanna gasped looking at her watch.
"We did?" Rylan asked. "No wonder I'm so hungry."
"I have an idea. Instead of a late lunch, let's make a snack and have a huge dinner."
"Um. okay."
They went down into the kitchen. They had Oreos and peanut butter to hold them over until dinner. After they cleaned up their mess, they went into the living room to sit and talk.
"You know," Rylan said. "You sure don't look like a grandmother. Especially one with a grandkid as old as Kevin."
Nanna smiled broadly. "I know. You're grandfather was a plastic surgeon."
"Oh." Rylan got quiet and studied her shoes carefully.
"What's wrong, Lizzie?" Nanna asked.
"If you're so rich, how come there wasn't enough money for Julie to keep us? Didn't you want to help? Didn't you like us?"
"Oh, of course, Lizzie. See your Papa and I didn't approve of Julie. When Jarred told us his plans to marry her, we made it quite clear that we weren't happy about it. But we weren't about to take it out on innocent children. When Kevin was born, all parties swallowed their pride. Then came the twins, then Skylar. then when I had given up hope of every having a baby girl around. Well, you see I always wanted a girl but after Jarred was born that was it for this old body. So I had my heart set on a granddaughter. And I love her more than anyone in the world." She cupped Rylan's chin and gave it a little shake. "But when Jarred got sick, Julie refused our money and our offers to take you kids. If Jarred had been well enough to speak out, you would have grown up with family."
"Is Jarred my dad's name?" Rylan asked.
"Oh, land's sakes child! Don't you know your own father?"
"No. All I remember is seeing Julie on the weekends for a while."
"Well, we'll just have to fix this now, won't we?" Nanna got up and retrieved some framed photos off the piano. "Do you play?" she asked suddenly.
Rylan shrugged. "Richie's taught me a few songs. I'm not that musical."
"I used to give your father lessons."
"Yeah?"
"Every Sunday he'd bring you kids over and he would sit here and play for hours. All the kids loved it. But you, you wouldn't make a sound. You'd sit on the bench next to him and just stare at his fingers the entire time. I thought for sure you'd be a concert pianist some day. Come here." Rylan got up from the couch and walked to the piano. "This is your father," Nanna said handing Rylan a picture of a young man in a baseball uniform. "He wanted to go pro, but he tore his knee and had to give it up."
"I love baseball," Rylan said quietly gazing down at the picture. "Duncan's taken me to a couple games."
"This is him at graduation." Nanna showed her another picture. The same young man posed with his diploma in front of the high school gym.
"Is that Washington High School?"
"Yes it is. That's the old gym. Now it's a second."
"Cafeteria," Rylan finished. "I go there. Or, I used to."
"What do you mean you used to?"
"If I end up stuck with Julie, I'm going to have to transfer."
"You'll be a senior this year, right?" Nanna asked.
"Yeah." Rylan perked up at the sound of the correct assumption.
"But you're still sixteen. Did you skip a grade?"
"Second."
"That's right," Nanna nodded. "I knew you were the smart one from the start."
"How do you know all that?"
"I know my grandchildren. I talk to Kevin."
Rylan studied the photo in her hands. "Why don't you talk to me?"
"Oh, sweetie." Nanna pulled her into a strong hug. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a kid in the foster system? No matter that I can prove biological relations. Files are private and that's that. And your mother! She was no help. 'How should I know? They're not mine anymore.' I swear that woman isn't fit to give birth to cobras!"
"You looked for me?"
"Of course! I tried to adopt you! I went to that orphanage and said 'I want my granddaughter; her name is Rylan Elizabeth Fisher. And I can give you whatever information you want on her just so long as she is in my house by the end of the day.' And you know what they said?" Rylan shook her head. "She needs her mother's permission to be adopted outside our standards. I was too old and too single and that was all they would tell me. Those people are idiots!"
"Tell me about it," Rylan snorted. "You should have seen some of the places Richie and I ended up. They were awful!"
"I would never trust a child to the government," Nanna said. "They're too focused on other problems than to truly take care of a child."
"You sound like Tessa," Rylan smiled. "She's furious with the system."
"It sounds like I would like these people. MacLeod, right?"
"Yeah, Duncan and Tessa MacLeod, they just got married, and Richie Ryan."
"I have an idea!" Nanna announced picking up a phone and handing it to Rylan. "You give them a call and invite them to dinner."
"I'm not allowed," Rylan answered. "If Julie finds out, she'll never let me see them."
"This is my house and I will invite over whomever I please. I'll tell you what, you dial and I'll invite. If Julie finds out, I'll just say I looked up the number and called them while you were in the bathroom. Deal?"
"Deal." Rylan dialed the phone.
"Is this Duncan MacLeod? Oh, Richie, then? It is, well" she smiled at Rylan. "My name is Monica Fisher and I am Lizzie. I mean Rylan's grandmother. And she is standing right here with me and we insist you and the MacLeods come over here right away and see her. he wants to talk to you," she told Rylan. "I don't think he believes me."
"Oh," Rylan took the phone. "Hey, Rich, what's up man? You comin' or what? Yeah, I told you that's why I couldn't see you guys today. She made me choose. Okay. oh hang on!" She covered the mouthpiece. "Is it too late to go swimming?" she asked Nanna.
"No darling, you tell him to bring his suit."
"Hey, Richie? Bring your swimsuit. Yeah, she has a pool; heated and everything. I wanna say hi first." She waited a few seconds. "Hi Tessa! You can come, right? But. talk to Nanna." She handed the phone over. "They're worried if this is legal."
"Tessa? This is Monica Fisher. I'm sure we can work something out. It is completely unfair of Julie to keep Lizzie from you. You're all she talks about. Please say you'll come. If you don't, she'll be heart broken."
"Please!" Rylan added. She smiled broadly as Nanna gave Tessa her address and hung up.
"They'll be here in half an hour."
Twenty minutes later the doorbell rang. Rylan thew it open and propelled herself into Richie's waiting arms. They held onto each other and babbled about how much they missed each other without waiting for the other to finish speaking first.
"Are they always like this?" Nanna asked pushing the still rambling teens to one side so Duncan and Tessa could come in.
"I'm afraid so," Tessa answered. "We're used to it though. I'm Tessa," she added holding out her hand.
"Now I know where Lizzie gets it from," Nanna laughed moving past Tessa's hand and giving her a hug.
"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Fisher," Duncan added skipping offering his hand and taking the hug.
"Oh, please. Nanna, I insist. After all you are the people that saved my only granddaughter. And this strapping young lad must be Richie," she added looking over as the kids finally released each other.
"Yes, ma'am," Richie smiled.
"Come give your Nanna a hug!"
Blushing Richie did as he was told as Tessa rushed past him to greet Rylan. She spoke to her in French and ran her fingers through the girl's long auburn hair tears glistening in her eyes. Then it was Duncan's turn. He couldn't resist picking her up as he hugged her. They talked in the foyer for a few minutes before Nanna sent Richie and Rylan off to change and go swimming while the adults talked and prepared dinner. Two hours later, they were called in to set the table through the intercom. They got dried off, dressed and did as they were told.
Dinner was an affair in it's self. Rylan told everyone what it was like at Julie's and Duncan told her how much she was missed at home and the store; customers were even asking about her. Richie told about his gig and how much he wished she could come; it just wouldn't be the same without her. He had debated skipping it but it was too good of an opportunity. Rylan agreed and made him promise not to skip any gigs on her account. She'd always ask to go and one day Julie would give in.
Finally, Tessa couldn't take it anymore and told Rylan and Richie what she, Duncan, and Nanna had cooked up while they were gone.
"Are you serious!" Rylan squealed. "I get to go?"
"Nanna called Julie and arranged everything. She thinks you're spending the night here when in fact you're going to the club with us and home for the night. Then we'll bring you back at eight and Julie will be here at eight thirty to get you."
"Really?" Richie asked. "She's coming home?"
"Just for the night," Duncan reminded him. "We really shouldn't do this, but Nanna talked us into it."
"Nanna you're the best!" Rylan announced jumping from her chair and throwing her arms around Nanna's neck. "Thank you so much!"
"Anything for my grandbabies. Now you finish your dinner so you can get ready," she told Richie. "If you don't mind, I'd like to come too."
"To the gig?" Richie asked. "Of course not. The bigger the cheering section, the better."
After dinner and a hasty clean up they went back to the house so Richie could change and get his stuff and Rylan could find something more club worthy than what she had worn to Nanna's. Richie's set was a hit and he won first prize among the bands that preformed that night and second among those that had played all week. He left the club four thousand dollars richer. They dropped Nanna off at her house and went home. Tessa and Duncan weren't surprised to see Richie in Rylan's bed the next morning when they went to wake her. Richie was supposed to open the store and Duncan had work that he had left unfinished the night before so Tessa took Rylan back to Nanna's. Rylan was so content with their deception that she didn't even notice Julie's sedan parked down the street when Tessa dropped her off, once again dressed in her clothes from the night before.
She didn't know anything was wrong until she and Julie got home. "Did you have fun at the concert?" Julie asked.
"What concert?" Rylan feigned ignorance.
"Richie's of course. That's why you convinced Nanna to let you spend the night, isn't it?" Julie demanded grabbing Rylan by the arm and half dragging her down the hall to her room.
"I stayed at Nanna's!" Rylan insisted.
"Don't lie to me!" Julie screamed, slapping Rylan hard across the face. "I saw that Tessa woman drop you off this morning."
"I-I-I" Rylan stuttered realizing the jig was up.
"What I want you to do is pack everything you brought with you," Julie instructed. "Do you understand me?"
"Yes, ma'am," she mumbled beginning to feel herself shake.
"Get to it!"
Rylan got her suitcases out from under her bed and began packing. Once she had gotten the last suitcase closed, Julie was back. She made Rylan load the luggage in the car before sending her to Mika's room. The kids were apparently at a friend's house and weren't there to witness Rylan's treatment.
"You stay in here and you stay quiet until I come get you, do you understand?"
"Yes, ma'am," Rylan answered quickly.
"I don't want to hear a sound in here. Sit on the bed and don't move. If I hear any movement, I'll tie you down myself."
Rylan sat quietly and half an hour later heard the doorbell ring. Julie answered it and led someone past her prison to the room next door, Rylan's room.
"What am I doing for you, ma'am?" a man's voice asked.
"I need a lock put on this door," Julie said. "I just inherited my father's gun collection and I don't want my kids to get into it."
"That's a good idea, kids can get into everything. That'll take about half an hour. I can do it now if that will work for you."
"The sooner, the better," Julie answered.
Forty-five minutes later Julie was back in Mika's room. She stalked over to the bed where Rylan sat in the same position she had been left in. "Get up," she ordered. Rylan quickly stood. Julie grabbed her roughly by the arm and shoved her back into her room. "You see this?" she asked holding up a key. "This means you're grounded. You can't come out of your room except to eat. The door will be locked and the windows are sealed. Nobody can help you now. So shut up and mind I don't hear a sound from you. I'll be back at lunch." With that Julie closed the door and Rylan heard the key turn in the lock.
A few minutes later, Julie stopped outside Rylan's door to announce she was returning her belongings to the MacLeods and getting her new clothes. She would be back in two hours. The second she heard Julie's car pull away, Rylan ran to the door. There was a blank plate on her side where the lock was on the outside. There was no way to pick the lock. She examined the molding and wished she had something to force the bolt with, but her room had been cleaned out. All she had was her bed, desk (which had been cleaned out except for a pen and one spiral), and a book. Nothing that could help her in the slightest. Next, she tried her windows. They had a thick steam of silicon around the seam and large glob over the lock. Thinking hard, Rylan decided her only choice was to pick the silicon off. She grabbed the spiral off her desk and slowly took the wire spine off. She used the edge to cut at the silicon; it took forever but soon she had a small chunk about the length of a dime removed. She heard the garage door open and quickly got onto the bed and took apart the pen.
Julie opened the door a few minutes later. "What are you doing?" she demanded looking at the disassembled pen and spiral.
"I got bored," Rylan shrugged. "I can put the pen back together, but the spiral is beyond repair."
"Do you want lunch?" Julie asked through clenched teeth.
"No, thank you," Rylan answered. "I'm not hungry."
"This is your last chance before dinner," she reminded her.
"I doubt I'll be hungry then, either," Rylan answered smugly no longer worried about being kept from Tessa, Duncan and Richie. She wasn't going to see them again anyway; why play nice?
"Then I won't bother to come get you!" Julie snapped slamming the door and locking it.
Rylan sighed; that meant she had until morning to work on the windows.