SECOND CHANCES: Say Goodbye to San Diego, Say Goodbye My Baby.
Who's trying to force the Simons out of San Diego?
Can A.J. and Rick make the big move before they're driven out? This is a work of fiction. No money is being made on it, and the characters are owned by Universal
and are only being borrowed for a little while.
Chapter 1
"Ok, what do you want on your sandwich?" Laurie pulled her jacket on and picking up her purse, waited by the door.
Hefting a box of records, Rick Simon thought for a moment, then grinning, said, "Tell Mac
I want the Simon special, he'll know what to make." "Should I order a side of Pepto to go with that? "she laughed, waiting for him to exit so she could lock the door.
"Just for that, I won't save you a bite," he teased, rattling down the stairs. "I'll put these in the car, then meet you over there. Oh, why don't you order a roast beef for A.J, he might meet us back here as soon as he comes back from the management company."
"Ok, see you in a few minutes", she paused at the entrance, then kissed him on the cheek as he went past.
"Should have known you're one of those who kiss and run!" he called after her as she crossed the street. Going to the parking lot behind the office building, he turned to gaze back at his and A.J.'s second home for nearly 20 years. It was hard walking away from this place, but his brother was right, maintaining two offices was not only expensive, but the commute was starting to wear on him. A.J. had always insisted he could handle flying to Phoenix once a week, but now that Rick and he had so much business in Arizona, it didn't make sense to keep regular clients in San Diego waiting while building a new client base.
Plus, Cecilia had decided she wanted to spend more time in Arizona with Rick and Laurie and the kids, so A.J. had decided to let his condo go and just stay at Mom's when he did come to town. As he put their back records in the bed of his pickup truck, Rick glanced up to see his little brother park on the other side of the lot, and run into the building. Deciding to see if Laurie wanted to eat in the office instead of at the diner, he hurried through the lot and across the street. Entering the side door of Mac's, he went to his usual table, only to find his sandwich and a drink sitting there, with two empty chairs. "Looking for your girl?" he turned and saw the counter guy grinning at him. "Yeah, the pretty one, where she go, did you scare her off?" he returned, smirking. "Nah, she saw your brother across the street and ran his sandwich over to him while it was still hot, geez, does she spoil you two." Mac reached over and handed Rick another sandwich, "here's the missus, just like she ordered, original hero." Plopping down in his chair, Rick took a gulp of his soda, only to be distracted by the sound of a fire engine.
"Hey, what's going on in your building?" Rick turned to see smoke coming out of the second floor. Leaving the food on the table, he raced out the front and through oncoming traffic. Rushing in the front entrance, he saw a man come rolling down the stairs, then he heard Laurie's voice. "Rick, help me with A.J.!" Out of billowing smoke at the top of the flight, he saw her gingerly start down the steps half-carrying his semi-conscious brother.
Meeting her halfway, he took his brother, and then let her get past him only to see her catch up with the man who'd come down the hard way, grab him before he could run, and slug him in the jaw. He went down, and she took him by the shirt collar and dragged him out the door, looking over her shoulder at Rick and saying, "He hit A.J. and tried to set him on fire. We need to call Towne."
Furious, Rick took A.J. outside, where a fire truck and paramedics had pulled up. He brought his brother over to them, and after telling them what he knew, went over to where a police car had parked, to find that Laurie had dumped the attacker in front of two of San Diego's finest and was animatedly detailing what had occurred. One of the patrolmen looked up and recognizing Rick, grinned and said, "I think we should enlist your wife, Simon, she sure took care of this perp." Rick glanced at the man on the ground, and not recognizing him, said "I don't know who he is, but he's lucky I don't let Laurie finish with him." The other patrolman finished taking her statement, then closing his book, told him, "You should have the medics check Mrs. Simon, I think he got in a lucky punch or two." Rick took Laurie by the arm after thanking the two cops, and got a good look at a large welt under her right eye.
"Honey, are you ok? Did he hurt you any place else?" She looked embarrassed under his gaze and he noticed her holding her right hand. "All right, sweetheart, what did you do?" "Well, I zigged when I should have zagged, that's how he caught me with a punch. I hurt my hand when I went to stop him. Rick, I shouldn't have hit him on the chin, but I was so angry when I saw him leaning over A.J., pouring gasoline around him. I yelled for him to stop just as he tried to light him on fire, and he came at me, so I knocked him over, then got A.J. up and started toward the door. He caught my arm as we got into the corridor, and tried to pull us back into the office, so I pushed him backwards down the stairs, then got a hold of A.J, and well, you saw the rest."
Rick was silent as he walked her over to where A.J. was sitting up, holding an ice pack to his head. "A.J., are you ok?" He nodded, as one of the paramedics saw them coming and hollered over, "Lt. Brown, here they are." Towne came over from where he had been conferring with the patrolmen, and after waiting for Rick to seat Laurie so she could be examined, pulled him over. Deadpan, he looked at the older Simon and said "I see Laurie needs some work on her right cross." "Very funny, she scares the heck out of me and you make comedy." Towne shook his head, "Man, you get all the luck. A.J. nearly got fried from what she tells me. Nelson over there tells me you don't recognize the firebug." "Not a clue, do you have anything on him?" Rick looked over at the medics treating his wife, seeing her wince as they moved her hand. "Yeah, mostly small time stuff, but he claims he wasn't going to waste A.J., just scare you guys into leaving." "That's dumb, we're moving out at the end of the month, I wonder who's in such a hurry to see us gone?" Rick frowned. "Well, that's all I got, he's going to the lockup so if you want to check with me later." "Yeah, thanks, Towne, and listen, uh, could you check to make sure this wasn't something to do with Willowby or Aaron Caparelli?" He nodded, "Sure, doesn't look like it, but I call you if I find anything."
Rick walked over to where his brother was signing a release. "Sure you don't want to get checked out?" A.J. shook his head, "I was just stunned, didn't even hear that guy come up from behind. If Laurie hadn't decided to bring me my sandwich, Rick, is she ok?" "I'm going to find out, hang on." He went up to the paramedics just as they finished wrapping her hand. "Mr. Simon, you may want to have your own doctor look at your wife, her hand is badly bruised, but probably not broken. Just have her avoid using it for the next few days, also ice and heat for the swelling and pain." one of the medics said, helping Laurie off the gurney. After thanking them, Rick took her by the arm and led her over to A.J., who gave her a hug. "Are you all right, hon?" She smiled at him, "Yeah, I'll live, I'll have to have a refresher course in defense though, I guess I'm rusty."
She looked up at Rick, who was still frowning. "Do you want to get our sandwiches to go, Rick?"
He nodded, "Sure, Laurie, go wait in the car and I'll be right there." Once he walked away, Laurie turned to A.J. "He's mad at me for something, I haven't seen him act like this since right after we were married and I forgot to fasten my saddle properly and fell. I guess I should have waited to talk to the police until I gave him the whole story." Her brother-in-law put an arm around her.
"Don't worry, he's done the same with me time and again. You scared him, sooner or later he'll talk it out and it'll be forgotten." Just then Rick came back, and after making sure A.J. was all right to drive home, took Laurie to their truck and started it up, heading to Cecilia's.
Halfway there, Laurie decided she couldn't stand the silent treatment Rick was giving her. "Rick". "Yes." "I'm sorry, I was wrong to punch that jerk after we got A.J. out of there. I was angry but I could have stopped him another way." Still silence. She tried again. "I promise I won't do that again. I should have told you everything before I gave my statement to those policemen. I was scared and I didn't react well."
Nothing.
Tears of frustration came to her eyes. "All right, don't tell me why you're mad at me. It's bad enough my hand and my face hurt, now you're not speaking to me. Don't tell me what I did wrong". She turned away, refusing to let him see her cry.
Suddenly Rick pulled over to the side of the highway, and taking Laurie by the shoulders, turned her to face him. Startled, she looked up to see worry in his eyes. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, I know you didn't mean to scare me like that. You saved A.J., I wasn't mad about that, but you take so many risks, and I felt dumb when the cops heard what happened before me. I'll just want you to be careful." Laurie put her face in his shoulder, sniffling. "I know, darling, I know, I promise. I forget sometimes that I'm not a lone wolf anymore, and that I'm not in my twenties still. I don't want to let you or A.J. down when you need me." Rick stroked her hair and said, "Laurie, I don't mind you wanting to help, just remember I'm here, too. I need to know you trust me when things happen."
She smiled up at him, "I do, Rick. And I'll think twice next time before I punch someone."
He laughed, "That's my girl", then kissing her, started the truck up and headed home.
As they pulled up to Cecilia's, Rick could see Robert and Robin watching for them through the curtains. "Oh, oh, news travels fast", he groaned, turning off the motor. Laurie grinned at him, "Not only that, but I guarantee I will get ragged about this mouse under my eye."
Sure enough, after the initial greeting and assurances to the teens that they were all right, Robert teased his mother about going ten rounds with Ali. Robin was quiet until she heard how Laurie hurt her hand, then she joined in the joking, remarking that she had been taught non-violence in school, that it was sad her parents didn't practice it.
Rick exchanged glances with Laurie, then laughed and said "Yeah, non- violence works unless someone is violent to you first, than all bets are off. Speaking of which, when do your classes start, hon?"
"Next week, so Grandma is taking me to get my school stuff, I think I'll get a better variety of books for my reports here. We're going to Sauls." Laurie put an arm around her daughter, "Boy does that bring back memories. Your Grandma used to do the same for me, 'cause my stepmother was, well, it wasn't her thing to remember to get the things I needed for school." Robert came over and hugged his mother.
"I love our traditions, Mom, I'm going with Gram because even though the University has the books I need, I still want to get my notebooks here."
"Well, here's another tradition we have in the Simon household," Cecilia brought over a plate of chocolate chip cookies and set them in front of the kids, to their obvious delight.
She looked at her sons, then slipping in between them and her daughter-in- law, hugged Laurie and whispered, "thank you for looking after your little brother." "Oh, Mom", Laurie kissed her on the cheek, "I won't let anything happen to either of them, you know that." Just then the phone rang, and Rick picked it up, thinking it was A.J.
"Rick, it's Towne, is Laurie ok?"
"Yeah, she just has a bruised hand, she won't be doing much with it for a couple of days. Anything new?
"Yeah, your attacker got killed in his jail cell a little while ago. Seems somebody took exception to him in the new lockup; we found him lying on his bed about an hour ago, a knife through his chest. Someone didn't want him talking." Town paused, then said, "When my detectives got done with going over your office, you got a phone call on your machine there. "Some automatic voice changer came on and said you two were dead unless you moved immediately."
Rick shook his head. "This gets weirder and weirder. Did you talk to building management?"
"Yeah, to that friend of A.J.s'. he said," You mean Gary Allen? "Yeah, he's still hoping to change your minds, he wanted to see you guys at the office at 9am." "Too bad, Towne, at least he gave us a fair shake about the rent when times were tough. A.J. was over there today, I have to see what Gary had to say about our security deposit."
"Well, I want you two to watch yourselves until we catch who's behind this. There wasn't much damage to your offices other than smoke and water, you should be able to get in there today." Towne paused, then, "Rick, um, listen, I hate to see you two go, but if you guys need some help moving stuff, let me know, ok?" He laughed, "Ok, Towne, you may be sorry about this, but we'll give you a call."
Hearing a beep, he signed off then heard A.J's voice, "Rick?" "Yeah, how do you feel?"
"Just a little headache, how's Laurie?" "She's sore, and the kids are teasing her to boot. Listen, what did Gary have to say when you saw him this morning?" His brother paused, then said, "He was trying to see if we wouldn't change our minds about closing the office, even offered to reduce the rent by 10%." "That was nice of him, A.J., he's always been fair with us. Matter of fact, Towne said Gary wants to see us tomorrow at 9, said much the same thing. He said that there wasn't much damage to the office, if we want to get in there to move things, it should be ok. Do you want to meet me at the management offices, then swing over to the office?" He heard the rustling of pages, "We don't have any appointments until 1pm, which should be all right. Did Town have anything to say about my attacker?" Rick filled him in about the murder at the jail, and the new threat on their answering machine. His brother let out a whistle, "Sounds like someone wants us out fast, do you think this might have something to do with the new shopping mall they want to build down the street?" "I don't think so, but let's ask Gary if someone made an offer he can't refuse about the building, do you want to come over for dinner, we're having pot roast." "Sure, tell Mom I'm bringing dessert, see you later".
Later, seeing his family around the table, Rick thought how he was going to miss these spontaneous dinners with his mom and A.J., like a piece of his life were going by the wayside. Oh sure, they got together plenty of times when Mom and A.J. visited them in Arizona, but still. He felt Laurie take his hand and glanced over to see her smiling at him. Bless her, he thought realizing she guessed he was sad about the closing of their office and the permanence of the move.
Giving her good hand a squeeze, he told her, "Towne was asking after you, sweetheart, you know he was joking that you need work on your right hook." Laurie moaned, "Rick, I am never going to live that punch down. It's almost as bad as when that bully was chasing me and I used that judo move you showed me."
"Wait a minute, " Cecilia interrupted, staring at her older son, "I thought you told me Laurie copied something she saw on TV, you taught her how to throw someone?" Robert looked at his mom. "Cool, you actually did judo, I wish I knew how to do that!" Rick grinned unashamedly. "Well, Mom, I didn't want you to stop A.J. and I from watching spy movies, besides, she did copy something she saw, only it was from me!"
Robin chimed in, "I wish you'd teach Rob and I, Pop, what if someone tries to put a move on me?" Rick shook his head, "Oh no, Robin, if someone tries something with you, I'll put a move on them!" As everyone laughed, he looked over at Laurie, his bad mood gone. It's worth everything just to be able to spend more with her, he decided, besides, we'll be back in the summer.
His resolve to just make the move a part time one was strengthened when he was getting dressed in the morning. Laurie brought him in a cup of coffee as he heard the kids squabbling over the bathroom. Taking a sip of the steaming brew, he said, "Sweetheart, I'm beginning to wonder If letting the office go altogether is a good thing, especially if we plan to spend the spring or summer here." Resting her chin on his shoulder, she admitted, "I've been thinking about that too, Rick. It bothers me about how much you and A.J. have wrapped up in that old office. I certainly don't want you two to walk away from what you've built up just because of a little extra cost. Plus, whoever is trying to drive you guys out, I sure don't want them thinking they scared you off!"
Putting the cup down, he put his arms around Laurie and started kissing her on her neck, working his way up to her cheek, then her lips, saying between kisses, "I love you." "Oh, darling, I love you too ", she sighed, laying her head on his shoulder, "I can't stand to see you so torn up. If we can figure out how to ease the commute, I don't see why you can't keep the office going here, at least part time."
Giving her one final kiss, Rick straightened up and said, "Let me talk to A.J., see if we can't work something out. I want to say bye to the kids before I leave."
As Rick went out the door, he turned to wave good-bye to Laurie, who came out to the porch to pick up the newspaper and see him off. Just as Rick started toward his truck, a car came around the corner, driving slowly. Rick caught sight of a flash of metal, then yelled, "Laurie, down!"
A couple of shots went off, and Rick hit the ground near the wheels. He heard a motor rev up, then the screech of tires and a car speeding away. Getting up, he raced back to the porch, finding Laurie picking herself up from the floor. "Rick!" she gasped, as he caught her to him. "What happened!" Cecilia came out of the house, followed by Robert and Robin, to find Rick embracing Laurie, as she clung to him in relief. "Someone took a couple of shots at me, is everyone all right?, " he said. "We're fine, are you ok?" Robert answered looking at the bullet hole next to the front door. Rick looked at the gash in the wood, then at Laurie. "Everybody inside, right now, I'm calling Towne," he said tersely. Without protest, Cecilia and the teens went inside, with Laurie and Rick following behind.
As Laurie stepped inside, he told her, "I'll be right back, I want to see where the other bullet hit. Close the door and don't open it until I come back". She opened her mouth to protest, then seeing the look in his eyes, simply nodded.
Once outside, Rick kept close to the house until he reached the truck, then located where the second bullet hit, in the driver's side door. Breathing a sigh of relief at no other visible damage to his truck, he tensed at the sound of a car pulling up, and then heard his name being called. "Rick!"
Who's trying to force the Simons out of San Diego?
Can A.J. and Rick make the big move before they're driven out? This is a work of fiction. No money is being made on it, and the characters are owned by Universal
and are only being borrowed for a little while.
Chapter 1
"Ok, what do you want on your sandwich?" Laurie pulled her jacket on and picking up her purse, waited by the door.
Hefting a box of records, Rick Simon thought for a moment, then grinning, said, "Tell Mac
I want the Simon special, he'll know what to make." "Should I order a side of Pepto to go with that? "she laughed, waiting for him to exit so she could lock the door.
"Just for that, I won't save you a bite," he teased, rattling down the stairs. "I'll put these in the car, then meet you over there. Oh, why don't you order a roast beef for A.J, he might meet us back here as soon as he comes back from the management company."
"Ok, see you in a few minutes", she paused at the entrance, then kissed him on the cheek as he went past.
"Should have known you're one of those who kiss and run!" he called after her as she crossed the street. Going to the parking lot behind the office building, he turned to gaze back at his and A.J.'s second home for nearly 20 years. It was hard walking away from this place, but his brother was right, maintaining two offices was not only expensive, but the commute was starting to wear on him. A.J. had always insisted he could handle flying to Phoenix once a week, but now that Rick and he had so much business in Arizona, it didn't make sense to keep regular clients in San Diego waiting while building a new client base.
Plus, Cecilia had decided she wanted to spend more time in Arizona with Rick and Laurie and the kids, so A.J. had decided to let his condo go and just stay at Mom's when he did come to town. As he put their back records in the bed of his pickup truck, Rick glanced up to see his little brother park on the other side of the lot, and run into the building. Deciding to see if Laurie wanted to eat in the office instead of at the diner, he hurried through the lot and across the street. Entering the side door of Mac's, he went to his usual table, only to find his sandwich and a drink sitting there, with two empty chairs. "Looking for your girl?" he turned and saw the counter guy grinning at him. "Yeah, the pretty one, where she go, did you scare her off?" he returned, smirking. "Nah, she saw your brother across the street and ran his sandwich over to him while it was still hot, geez, does she spoil you two." Mac reached over and handed Rick another sandwich, "here's the missus, just like she ordered, original hero." Plopping down in his chair, Rick took a gulp of his soda, only to be distracted by the sound of a fire engine.
"Hey, what's going on in your building?" Rick turned to see smoke coming out of the second floor. Leaving the food on the table, he raced out the front and through oncoming traffic. Rushing in the front entrance, he saw a man come rolling down the stairs, then he heard Laurie's voice. "Rick, help me with A.J.!" Out of billowing smoke at the top of the flight, he saw her gingerly start down the steps half-carrying his semi-conscious brother.
Meeting her halfway, he took his brother, and then let her get past him only to see her catch up with the man who'd come down the hard way, grab him before he could run, and slug him in the jaw. He went down, and she took him by the shirt collar and dragged him out the door, looking over her shoulder at Rick and saying, "He hit A.J. and tried to set him on fire. We need to call Towne."
Furious, Rick took A.J. outside, where a fire truck and paramedics had pulled up. He brought his brother over to them, and after telling them what he knew, went over to where a police car had parked, to find that Laurie had dumped the attacker in front of two of San Diego's finest and was animatedly detailing what had occurred. One of the patrolmen looked up and recognizing Rick, grinned and said, "I think we should enlist your wife, Simon, she sure took care of this perp." Rick glanced at the man on the ground, and not recognizing him, said "I don't know who he is, but he's lucky I don't let Laurie finish with him." The other patrolman finished taking her statement, then closing his book, told him, "You should have the medics check Mrs. Simon, I think he got in a lucky punch or two." Rick took Laurie by the arm after thanking the two cops, and got a good look at a large welt under her right eye.
"Honey, are you ok? Did he hurt you any place else?" She looked embarrassed under his gaze and he noticed her holding her right hand. "All right, sweetheart, what did you do?" "Well, I zigged when I should have zagged, that's how he caught me with a punch. I hurt my hand when I went to stop him. Rick, I shouldn't have hit him on the chin, but I was so angry when I saw him leaning over A.J., pouring gasoline around him. I yelled for him to stop just as he tried to light him on fire, and he came at me, so I knocked him over, then got A.J. up and started toward the door. He caught my arm as we got into the corridor, and tried to pull us back into the office, so I pushed him backwards down the stairs, then got a hold of A.J, and well, you saw the rest."
Rick was silent as he walked her over to where A.J. was sitting up, holding an ice pack to his head. "A.J., are you ok?" He nodded, as one of the paramedics saw them coming and hollered over, "Lt. Brown, here they are." Towne came over from where he had been conferring with the patrolmen, and after waiting for Rick to seat Laurie so she could be examined, pulled him over. Deadpan, he looked at the older Simon and said "I see Laurie needs some work on her right cross." "Very funny, she scares the heck out of me and you make comedy." Towne shook his head, "Man, you get all the luck. A.J. nearly got fried from what she tells me. Nelson over there tells me you don't recognize the firebug." "Not a clue, do you have anything on him?" Rick looked over at the medics treating his wife, seeing her wince as they moved her hand. "Yeah, mostly small time stuff, but he claims he wasn't going to waste A.J., just scare you guys into leaving." "That's dumb, we're moving out at the end of the month, I wonder who's in such a hurry to see us gone?" Rick frowned. "Well, that's all I got, he's going to the lockup so if you want to check with me later." "Yeah, thanks, Towne, and listen, uh, could you check to make sure this wasn't something to do with Willowby or Aaron Caparelli?" He nodded, "Sure, doesn't look like it, but I call you if I find anything."
Rick walked over to where his brother was signing a release. "Sure you don't want to get checked out?" A.J. shook his head, "I was just stunned, didn't even hear that guy come up from behind. If Laurie hadn't decided to bring me my sandwich, Rick, is she ok?" "I'm going to find out, hang on." He went up to the paramedics just as they finished wrapping her hand. "Mr. Simon, you may want to have your own doctor look at your wife, her hand is badly bruised, but probably not broken. Just have her avoid using it for the next few days, also ice and heat for the swelling and pain." one of the medics said, helping Laurie off the gurney. After thanking them, Rick took her by the arm and led her over to A.J., who gave her a hug. "Are you all right, hon?" She smiled at him, "Yeah, I'll live, I'll have to have a refresher course in defense though, I guess I'm rusty."
She looked up at Rick, who was still frowning. "Do you want to get our sandwiches to go, Rick?"
He nodded, "Sure, Laurie, go wait in the car and I'll be right there." Once he walked away, Laurie turned to A.J. "He's mad at me for something, I haven't seen him act like this since right after we were married and I forgot to fasten my saddle properly and fell. I guess I should have waited to talk to the police until I gave him the whole story." Her brother-in-law put an arm around her.
"Don't worry, he's done the same with me time and again. You scared him, sooner or later he'll talk it out and it'll be forgotten." Just then Rick came back, and after making sure A.J. was all right to drive home, took Laurie to their truck and started it up, heading to Cecilia's.
Halfway there, Laurie decided she couldn't stand the silent treatment Rick was giving her. "Rick". "Yes." "I'm sorry, I was wrong to punch that jerk after we got A.J. out of there. I was angry but I could have stopped him another way." Still silence. She tried again. "I promise I won't do that again. I should have told you everything before I gave my statement to those policemen. I was scared and I didn't react well."
Nothing.
Tears of frustration came to her eyes. "All right, don't tell me why you're mad at me. It's bad enough my hand and my face hurt, now you're not speaking to me. Don't tell me what I did wrong". She turned away, refusing to let him see her cry.
Suddenly Rick pulled over to the side of the highway, and taking Laurie by the shoulders, turned her to face him. Startled, she looked up to see worry in his eyes. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, I know you didn't mean to scare me like that. You saved A.J., I wasn't mad about that, but you take so many risks, and I felt dumb when the cops heard what happened before me. I'll just want you to be careful." Laurie put her face in his shoulder, sniffling. "I know, darling, I know, I promise. I forget sometimes that I'm not a lone wolf anymore, and that I'm not in my twenties still. I don't want to let you or A.J. down when you need me." Rick stroked her hair and said, "Laurie, I don't mind you wanting to help, just remember I'm here, too. I need to know you trust me when things happen."
She smiled up at him, "I do, Rick. And I'll think twice next time before I punch someone."
He laughed, "That's my girl", then kissing her, started the truck up and headed home.
As they pulled up to Cecilia's, Rick could see Robert and Robin watching for them through the curtains. "Oh, oh, news travels fast", he groaned, turning off the motor. Laurie grinned at him, "Not only that, but I guarantee I will get ragged about this mouse under my eye."
Sure enough, after the initial greeting and assurances to the teens that they were all right, Robert teased his mother about going ten rounds with Ali. Robin was quiet until she heard how Laurie hurt her hand, then she joined in the joking, remarking that she had been taught non-violence in school, that it was sad her parents didn't practice it.
Rick exchanged glances with Laurie, then laughed and said "Yeah, non- violence works unless someone is violent to you first, than all bets are off. Speaking of which, when do your classes start, hon?"
"Next week, so Grandma is taking me to get my school stuff, I think I'll get a better variety of books for my reports here. We're going to Sauls." Laurie put an arm around her daughter, "Boy does that bring back memories. Your Grandma used to do the same for me, 'cause my stepmother was, well, it wasn't her thing to remember to get the things I needed for school." Robert came over and hugged his mother.
"I love our traditions, Mom, I'm going with Gram because even though the University has the books I need, I still want to get my notebooks here."
"Well, here's another tradition we have in the Simon household," Cecilia brought over a plate of chocolate chip cookies and set them in front of the kids, to their obvious delight.
She looked at her sons, then slipping in between them and her daughter-in- law, hugged Laurie and whispered, "thank you for looking after your little brother." "Oh, Mom", Laurie kissed her on the cheek, "I won't let anything happen to either of them, you know that." Just then the phone rang, and Rick picked it up, thinking it was A.J.
"Rick, it's Towne, is Laurie ok?"
"Yeah, she just has a bruised hand, she won't be doing much with it for a couple of days. Anything new?
"Yeah, your attacker got killed in his jail cell a little while ago. Seems somebody took exception to him in the new lockup; we found him lying on his bed about an hour ago, a knife through his chest. Someone didn't want him talking." Town paused, then said, "When my detectives got done with going over your office, you got a phone call on your machine there. "Some automatic voice changer came on and said you two were dead unless you moved immediately."
Rick shook his head. "This gets weirder and weirder. Did you talk to building management?"
"Yeah, to that friend of A.J.s'. he said," You mean Gary Allen? "Yeah, he's still hoping to change your minds, he wanted to see you guys at the office at 9am." "Too bad, Towne, at least he gave us a fair shake about the rent when times were tough. A.J. was over there today, I have to see what Gary had to say about our security deposit."
"Well, I want you two to watch yourselves until we catch who's behind this. There wasn't much damage to your offices other than smoke and water, you should be able to get in there today." Towne paused, then, "Rick, um, listen, I hate to see you two go, but if you guys need some help moving stuff, let me know, ok?" He laughed, "Ok, Towne, you may be sorry about this, but we'll give you a call."
Hearing a beep, he signed off then heard A.J's voice, "Rick?" "Yeah, how do you feel?"
"Just a little headache, how's Laurie?" "She's sore, and the kids are teasing her to boot. Listen, what did Gary have to say when you saw him this morning?" His brother paused, then said, "He was trying to see if we wouldn't change our minds about closing the office, even offered to reduce the rent by 10%." "That was nice of him, A.J., he's always been fair with us. Matter of fact, Towne said Gary wants to see us tomorrow at 9, said much the same thing. He said that there wasn't much damage to the office, if we want to get in there to move things, it should be ok. Do you want to meet me at the management offices, then swing over to the office?" He heard the rustling of pages, "We don't have any appointments until 1pm, which should be all right. Did Town have anything to say about my attacker?" Rick filled him in about the murder at the jail, and the new threat on their answering machine. His brother let out a whistle, "Sounds like someone wants us out fast, do you think this might have something to do with the new shopping mall they want to build down the street?" "I don't think so, but let's ask Gary if someone made an offer he can't refuse about the building, do you want to come over for dinner, we're having pot roast." "Sure, tell Mom I'm bringing dessert, see you later".
Later, seeing his family around the table, Rick thought how he was going to miss these spontaneous dinners with his mom and A.J., like a piece of his life were going by the wayside. Oh sure, they got together plenty of times when Mom and A.J. visited them in Arizona, but still. He felt Laurie take his hand and glanced over to see her smiling at him. Bless her, he thought realizing she guessed he was sad about the closing of their office and the permanence of the move.
Giving her good hand a squeeze, he told her, "Towne was asking after you, sweetheart, you know he was joking that you need work on your right hook." Laurie moaned, "Rick, I am never going to live that punch down. It's almost as bad as when that bully was chasing me and I used that judo move you showed me."
"Wait a minute, " Cecilia interrupted, staring at her older son, "I thought you told me Laurie copied something she saw on TV, you taught her how to throw someone?" Robert looked at his mom. "Cool, you actually did judo, I wish I knew how to do that!" Rick grinned unashamedly. "Well, Mom, I didn't want you to stop A.J. and I from watching spy movies, besides, she did copy something she saw, only it was from me!"
Robin chimed in, "I wish you'd teach Rob and I, Pop, what if someone tries to put a move on me?" Rick shook his head, "Oh no, Robin, if someone tries something with you, I'll put a move on them!" As everyone laughed, he looked over at Laurie, his bad mood gone. It's worth everything just to be able to spend more with her, he decided, besides, we'll be back in the summer.
His resolve to just make the move a part time one was strengthened when he was getting dressed in the morning. Laurie brought him in a cup of coffee as he heard the kids squabbling over the bathroom. Taking a sip of the steaming brew, he said, "Sweetheart, I'm beginning to wonder If letting the office go altogether is a good thing, especially if we plan to spend the spring or summer here." Resting her chin on his shoulder, she admitted, "I've been thinking about that too, Rick. It bothers me about how much you and A.J. have wrapped up in that old office. I certainly don't want you two to walk away from what you've built up just because of a little extra cost. Plus, whoever is trying to drive you guys out, I sure don't want them thinking they scared you off!"
Putting the cup down, he put his arms around Laurie and started kissing her on her neck, working his way up to her cheek, then her lips, saying between kisses, "I love you." "Oh, darling, I love you too ", she sighed, laying her head on his shoulder, "I can't stand to see you so torn up. If we can figure out how to ease the commute, I don't see why you can't keep the office going here, at least part time."
Giving her one final kiss, Rick straightened up and said, "Let me talk to A.J., see if we can't work something out. I want to say bye to the kids before I leave."
As Rick went out the door, he turned to wave good-bye to Laurie, who came out to the porch to pick up the newspaper and see him off. Just as Rick started toward his truck, a car came around the corner, driving slowly. Rick caught sight of a flash of metal, then yelled, "Laurie, down!"
A couple of shots went off, and Rick hit the ground near the wheels. He heard a motor rev up, then the screech of tires and a car speeding away. Getting up, he raced back to the porch, finding Laurie picking herself up from the floor. "Rick!" she gasped, as he caught her to him. "What happened!" Cecilia came out of the house, followed by Robert and Robin, to find Rick embracing Laurie, as she clung to him in relief. "Someone took a couple of shots at me, is everyone all right?, " he said. "We're fine, are you ok?" Robert answered looking at the bullet hole next to the front door. Rick looked at the gash in the wood, then at Laurie. "Everybody inside, right now, I'm calling Towne," he said tersely. Without protest, Cecilia and the teens went inside, with Laurie and Rick following behind.
As Laurie stepped inside, he told her, "I'll be right back, I want to see where the other bullet hit. Close the door and don't open it until I come back". She opened her mouth to protest, then seeing the look in his eyes, simply nodded.
Once outside, Rick kept close to the house until he reached the truck, then located where the second bullet hit, in the driver's side door. Breathing a sigh of relief at no other visible damage to his truck, he tensed at the sound of a car pulling up, and then heard his name being called. "Rick!"