Wow. I got reviews. Okay, more it is. This was the chapter I was looking forward to writing anyway. I don't own the stuff I used to make this story. Must write while the mood is upon me...
- Kaze Child
The Rodriguez residence, a sedate little place as long as Kit's younger sister was somewhere else, glowed with light and the sounds that neighbors make when they're found at one of those pointless little get togethers that everyone is guilty of attending at one point or another. All the usual suspects were there, and it was no coincidence. A few conversations with Kit's mama that went something along the lines of "You know, Nita's dad's been working pretty hard lately. Don't you think he might appreciate....?" and, "Yeah, that sounds great Mrs. Rodriguez, but it doesn't seem fair. I mean, Tom and Carl've never got to try your chicken....." Well, maybe the conversations didn't go exactly like that, but it was close enough, and the results were the same. The amiable lady had invited everyone over for some healthy socialization and a meat and cheese tray, and now all the adults had crowded around the new entertainment system, which was proudly showing off every one of it's 300+ options. Tiring fast of the adult's talk about sports and their children, 'Mela and Dairine had evacuated to the kitchen and were busy making large dents in the snacks. Ponch sat just below them, the picture of beseechment, every now and then whining for scraps.
Kit and Nita blew in late, looking breathless and windswept. Ponch scrambled, toenails scraping the floor, and slipped on the tiles in his hurry to greet his master and friend. Kit laughed and scrambled his ears before exiting to the living room to let his pop scold him congenially for tardiness. Nita was left in the company of the two younger girls, and feeling suddenly naked, strolled over with a show of nonchalance and smiled. The looks of greeting the gave her seemed to her suddenly overactive psyche to be tinged with something else, and she nearly panicked.
*Calm down Callahan!* she mentally rebuked herself. *You've faced down the power that created Death without this much hassle!* *Yeah,* another mental voice responded shakily. *But, all he could do was kill me.*
Dairine's sharp, gray eyed gaze dropped to her sister's slightly wind chapped hand. Her eyes widened, then narrowed.
"Nita," she asked in a deceptively calm voice. "What's that?"
*Damn. It just had to be Dairine, didn't it? Oh well, here goes nothing.*
Nita smirked at the red haired girl, knowing full well that it would drive her up a wall.
"What does it look like, Dairi?"
In the living room, Kit glanced over his shoulder, causally leapt the couch, and slipped into position on the inside of the kitchen door frame. Kit's father craned his neck behind him to see what had caught his son's attention. Ponch trotted after Kit, eyes unusually bright, tongue lolling out of the corner of his mouth in an manner that was entirely too much like laughter for his master's comfort.
Her features showing carefully flat sarcasm, though she was obviously irritated, Dairine drawled acidly. "It *looks* like an engagement ring. What is it, really?"
She couldn't have phased it better. There was a noticeable silence in the living room at Dairine's mention of the words "engagement ring," that Nita tried not to notice. Emboldened by the presence of her backup, Nita smiled at her sister with sugary, Cheshire Cat sweetness.
"It *is* an engagement ring, Dairi. What else would it look like?" Kit's arms wrapped around her waist from behind, and she could just imagine the look he was giving Dairine over her shoulder.
The expression on Dairine's face made the agonies of the last quarter hour very worth it.
The mood level of the Rodriguez household went from 'lively' to 'volcanic' in .0 seconds flat. There was no coherence to what happened next. Family and friends surged forward with all the inexorable force of the tide, and the pair found themselves in the center of a barrage of hugs, kisses, and garbled exclamations, none of which made any sense. Above it all, Carmela was heard to ask in high pitched voice the question that would've been on everyone's mind if they had stopped to think about it;
"But, when did you guys even start going out?!?"
Nita had to laugh. Or, from the rib crushing grip of Mrs. Rodriguez' hug, she made an admirable attempt. The Hispanic woman was actually crying, weeping for joy, and laughing at the same time as she went on in Spanish about how she had always known that they were perfect for each other, and how glad she was for them, and how she had always considered Nita the daughter she had never had, nevermind that she already had two.
"Mrs. Rodriguez...." Nita, nearly strangled, gasped.
The older woman took Nita's face between both her hands, and, through her watery smile, told her that even though she understood that it was hard, she would love it if Nita would call her "Mama," but she would understand if it was asking too much-
"It's okay Mama," Nita laughed, knowing that there was only one way out of this scenario. "Just-" She never got any farther. Her breath was swept from her lungs in another jubilant hug, Nita was startled to meet her sister's eyes over her soon-to-be mother-in-law's shoulder. The grim faced high schooler kept an even, calculated stare directed at her sister, and Nita attempted to smile at her, hoping there were no hard feelings for the stunt they had just pulled. For a second, nothing changed, then, almost like a rock cracking, Dairine smiled back.
It was at about the same time that this transaction was taking place that another just as important, or possible more so, scene was unfolding. Kit pried her loud sister from his arm and spun to find himself face to face with Harry Callahan. He swallowed in spite of himself. This was the part of it he had dreaded. He had acted brave and unconcerned in front of Nita, because that was what a Rodriguez did, especially if the front you were putting up was for your fiancé's benefit. And the look on Harry's face wasn't encouraging. Not condemning, certainly, but not too encouraging either. His arms were folded, and his face would have done any poker player credit. Kit matched that look with one of his own. Clearly, he was going to have to make his case.
"Mr. Callahan,"
"Kit,"
The boy decided to cut straight to the chase. "Are you mad at us?"
Silver hair falling in shaggy locks over his ears, Harry leaned casually against a wall. "Just a little curious about why you decided not to tell anyone that you were involved with my daughter before today."
Kit mentally winced. That word "involved" smacked of implication. Still it was a fair question. And, one Kit was unsure of how to answer. He sighed.
"We just didn't want anyone to know until we were sure."
Harry barked a laugh. "I guess you must have been pretty sure today then." he was looking at his oldest daughter who stood marooned happily in the middle of a small sea of people, almost glowing as she smiled dizzily for a second at him.
Kit maintained a straight face, but inside he was coaching himself. *I will not look embarrassed. I won't look guilty. I will NOT blush...*
Half to himself the older man murmured, "I guess I always knew it would work out like this."
"Mr. Callahan?"
"You'll take care of her, won't you Kit?" Harry's eyes were far away. "I've tried, but there are times when I feel like I haven't done a very good job."
Kit didn't hesitate. "I'll take care of her. Always." He promised.
Their hands met in a strong grip that meant more then any embrace would've at that moment, and Nita's father smiled at someone he was surprised to notice seemed to suddenly be just as tall as he was. Taller, in fact. When had that happened?
It was a long time before anyone went home that night, and an even longer time before anyone or anything noticed that they weren't the only ones with something to celebrate.
There was One in a far away place who was coldly glad on that night, and he rejoiced alone. But, maybe not for long.
Kudos to Lisa for figuring it out. I thought the hint might have been a little obvious. I know, there's no real plot yet, or fluffy moments, but they're coming. Be patient. Any more speculation about what happens next? I bet you can't figure it out! ^.^
- Kaze Child
The Rodriguez residence, a sedate little place as long as Kit's younger sister was somewhere else, glowed with light and the sounds that neighbors make when they're found at one of those pointless little get togethers that everyone is guilty of attending at one point or another. All the usual suspects were there, and it was no coincidence. A few conversations with Kit's mama that went something along the lines of "You know, Nita's dad's been working pretty hard lately. Don't you think he might appreciate....?" and, "Yeah, that sounds great Mrs. Rodriguez, but it doesn't seem fair. I mean, Tom and Carl've never got to try your chicken....." Well, maybe the conversations didn't go exactly like that, but it was close enough, and the results were the same. The amiable lady had invited everyone over for some healthy socialization and a meat and cheese tray, and now all the adults had crowded around the new entertainment system, which was proudly showing off every one of it's 300+ options. Tiring fast of the adult's talk about sports and their children, 'Mela and Dairine had evacuated to the kitchen and were busy making large dents in the snacks. Ponch sat just below them, the picture of beseechment, every now and then whining for scraps.
Kit and Nita blew in late, looking breathless and windswept. Ponch scrambled, toenails scraping the floor, and slipped on the tiles in his hurry to greet his master and friend. Kit laughed and scrambled his ears before exiting to the living room to let his pop scold him congenially for tardiness. Nita was left in the company of the two younger girls, and feeling suddenly naked, strolled over with a show of nonchalance and smiled. The looks of greeting the gave her seemed to her suddenly overactive psyche to be tinged with something else, and she nearly panicked.
*Calm down Callahan!* she mentally rebuked herself. *You've faced down the power that created Death without this much hassle!* *Yeah,* another mental voice responded shakily. *But, all he could do was kill me.*
Dairine's sharp, gray eyed gaze dropped to her sister's slightly wind chapped hand. Her eyes widened, then narrowed.
"Nita," she asked in a deceptively calm voice. "What's that?"
*Damn. It just had to be Dairine, didn't it? Oh well, here goes nothing.*
Nita smirked at the red haired girl, knowing full well that it would drive her up a wall.
"What does it look like, Dairi?"
In the living room, Kit glanced over his shoulder, causally leapt the couch, and slipped into position on the inside of the kitchen door frame. Kit's father craned his neck behind him to see what had caught his son's attention. Ponch trotted after Kit, eyes unusually bright, tongue lolling out of the corner of his mouth in an manner that was entirely too much like laughter for his master's comfort.
Her features showing carefully flat sarcasm, though she was obviously irritated, Dairine drawled acidly. "It *looks* like an engagement ring. What is it, really?"
She couldn't have phased it better. There was a noticeable silence in the living room at Dairine's mention of the words "engagement ring," that Nita tried not to notice. Emboldened by the presence of her backup, Nita smiled at her sister with sugary, Cheshire Cat sweetness.
"It *is* an engagement ring, Dairi. What else would it look like?" Kit's arms wrapped around her waist from behind, and she could just imagine the look he was giving Dairine over her shoulder.
The expression on Dairine's face made the agonies of the last quarter hour very worth it.
The mood level of the Rodriguez household went from 'lively' to 'volcanic' in .0 seconds flat. There was no coherence to what happened next. Family and friends surged forward with all the inexorable force of the tide, and the pair found themselves in the center of a barrage of hugs, kisses, and garbled exclamations, none of which made any sense. Above it all, Carmela was heard to ask in high pitched voice the question that would've been on everyone's mind if they had stopped to think about it;
"But, when did you guys even start going out?!?"
Nita had to laugh. Or, from the rib crushing grip of Mrs. Rodriguez' hug, she made an admirable attempt. The Hispanic woman was actually crying, weeping for joy, and laughing at the same time as she went on in Spanish about how she had always known that they were perfect for each other, and how glad she was for them, and how she had always considered Nita the daughter she had never had, nevermind that she already had two.
"Mrs. Rodriguez...." Nita, nearly strangled, gasped.
The older woman took Nita's face between both her hands, and, through her watery smile, told her that even though she understood that it was hard, she would love it if Nita would call her "Mama," but she would understand if it was asking too much-
"It's okay Mama," Nita laughed, knowing that there was only one way out of this scenario. "Just-" She never got any farther. Her breath was swept from her lungs in another jubilant hug, Nita was startled to meet her sister's eyes over her soon-to-be mother-in-law's shoulder. The grim faced high schooler kept an even, calculated stare directed at her sister, and Nita attempted to smile at her, hoping there were no hard feelings for the stunt they had just pulled. For a second, nothing changed, then, almost like a rock cracking, Dairine smiled back.
It was at about the same time that this transaction was taking place that another just as important, or possible more so, scene was unfolding. Kit pried her loud sister from his arm and spun to find himself face to face with Harry Callahan. He swallowed in spite of himself. This was the part of it he had dreaded. He had acted brave and unconcerned in front of Nita, because that was what a Rodriguez did, especially if the front you were putting up was for your fiancé's benefit. And the look on Harry's face wasn't encouraging. Not condemning, certainly, but not too encouraging either. His arms were folded, and his face would have done any poker player credit. Kit matched that look with one of his own. Clearly, he was going to have to make his case.
"Mr. Callahan,"
"Kit,"
The boy decided to cut straight to the chase. "Are you mad at us?"
Silver hair falling in shaggy locks over his ears, Harry leaned casually against a wall. "Just a little curious about why you decided not to tell anyone that you were involved with my daughter before today."
Kit mentally winced. That word "involved" smacked of implication. Still it was a fair question. And, one Kit was unsure of how to answer. He sighed.
"We just didn't want anyone to know until we were sure."
Harry barked a laugh. "I guess you must have been pretty sure today then." he was looking at his oldest daughter who stood marooned happily in the middle of a small sea of people, almost glowing as she smiled dizzily for a second at him.
Kit maintained a straight face, but inside he was coaching himself. *I will not look embarrassed. I won't look guilty. I will NOT blush...*
Half to himself the older man murmured, "I guess I always knew it would work out like this."
"Mr. Callahan?"
"You'll take care of her, won't you Kit?" Harry's eyes were far away. "I've tried, but there are times when I feel like I haven't done a very good job."
Kit didn't hesitate. "I'll take care of her. Always." He promised.
Their hands met in a strong grip that meant more then any embrace would've at that moment, and Nita's father smiled at someone he was surprised to notice seemed to suddenly be just as tall as he was. Taller, in fact. When had that happened?
It was a long time before anyone went home that night, and an even longer time before anyone or anything noticed that they weren't the only ones with something to celebrate.
There was One in a far away place who was coldly glad on that night, and he rejoiced alone. But, maybe not for long.
Kudos to Lisa for figuring it out. I thought the hint might have been a little obvious. I know, there's no real plot yet, or fluffy moments, but they're coming. Be patient. Any more speculation about what happens next? I bet you can't figure it out! ^.^