Epilogue
"Shh, I think I hear him coming!" Robin hid behind the sofa, as her mom went to the door. Rick ducked behind the kitchen door, as Laurie greeted Rob and Ramona. "I'm afraid its Refrigerator special night, I didn't get a chance to go to the store today!" "That's ok with me, Mrs. Simon," the girl replied, leading Rob in the house. Abruptly, A.J. flipped the lights and everyone yelled "Surprise! Happy Birthday!"
The younger Simon stared, astonished, at the small group of people who seemingly came out of the woodwork, hugging and kissing and pounding on his back. He looked over at his mom, then embraced her, saying, "Thank you, Mom, you're the best birthday present I ever got!" Smiling, she said, "Robbie, with you and Robin, everyday's a birthday to me!" Making way for her husband, Laurie went to the kitchen with Ramona, and carried out a tray of chicken and one of steak, still hot off the grill. when they came back, Rob was in the middle of imitating Ramona's stall tactic, spilling a soda on her pants and having to stop and change.
Seeing his girlfriend, he went over to her, saying, "You are such a fibber, next time you spill, I'll get you a towel and that's it!" As his sister laughed, Rob leaned over and kissed Ramona to thank her for her part in his party. A pang went through Laurie, she knew her son well enough to guess that Ramona was his one and only.
Feeling tears coming, she made an excuse and slid into the kitchen, pulling the rest of dinner out of the refrigerator. Setting it out on the extra tables, she ducked back into the pantry, then grabbed a towel and mopped her face. Suddenly arms embraced her from behind, and she turned and hugged Rick, as he said, "He's all grown up, Sweetheart, I think your little boy is going to fly the nest."
"I know, darling, and I'm so proud, but he'll always be the serious boy showing me how to feed the chickens. I'm just glad he won't be going far away, at least for the first year or so of training." She kissed Rick, as he added, "No, the Forensic Courses he took will really help him with the police science training. Rob is already planning to have him apprentice in Silver Rock when Andy goes on vacation. Did you tell Rob and Robin about your surprise?"
"No, Rick, this is Robbie's day, but I think they'll both be pleased", she replied. "Well, I think you should, they keep hinting around about our trip to Los Angeles." he protested, then grinned, "I'll tell them if you're too modest!"
Laurie swatted him, as he went out to the living room. Robin spied his grin, and going over to her father, hugged him and asked, "What's with that sneaky look, Pop?" "Got a surprise for you and your brother, but your mom doesn't want to take away from Rob's party. I'm going to tell on her though' after we eat!"
After their guests had seconds and thirds of everything, Robin brought out the cake she had baked the night before, lit with 22 candles that brought tears to many of the adults eyes. Cecelia took one look, then pretended to have something in her eye as she searched for a Kleenex. Laurie pulled one from her pocket, catching Rick's glance in the process and making her laugh.
"Here, Mom, my turn to give you one,"she whispered, watching her son take a big breath and blow out all the candles in one whoosh. A.J. put an arm around both women, "No waterworks until after he opens his presents, ok?" he teased.
Rick waited until the last gift was opened before tapping his glass and proposing a toast to his son. "Here's to Robert, the best son," Rick's voice cracked, "a father ever had."
His family and friends raised their glasses of punch and repeated, "To Robert", then the birthday boy put his drink down and tearfully embraced Rick, saying, "I love you, Pop, thank you!" After everyone started sniffing, Rick cleared his throat and added, "And here's to the woman who brought such wonderful kids into my life, Laurie, I love you!"
Startled, she ran to his arms and hugged him, smiling and saying, "I love you, thank you for being a wonderful father!"
As he put an arm around Laurie, Rick told Rob and Robin, "We also have a surprise for you guys, your Mom started writing again, and she just signed a deal for another book of stories about your Great-Grandmother!"
"Oh, that's why you guys went to LA, you are too sneaky!" Robin laughed, as she and her brother took turns hugging their mom. "Yeah, that makes my birthday complete, because you started telling us stories the first night you stayed here!" Robert hugged her, then quietly added, "Thank you again for being our Mom!"
Laurie hugged both of them, then said, "Thank you, Robbie, you taught me that a gift not used isn't a gift. My writing brought us together," leaning over, she kissed Rick walking by," and your great-grandmothers stories will keep our family alive for years to come."
"Shh, I think I hear him coming!" Robin hid behind the sofa, as her mom went to the door. Rick ducked behind the kitchen door, as Laurie greeted Rob and Ramona. "I'm afraid its Refrigerator special night, I didn't get a chance to go to the store today!" "That's ok with me, Mrs. Simon," the girl replied, leading Rob in the house. Abruptly, A.J. flipped the lights and everyone yelled "Surprise! Happy Birthday!"
The younger Simon stared, astonished, at the small group of people who seemingly came out of the woodwork, hugging and kissing and pounding on his back. He looked over at his mom, then embraced her, saying, "Thank you, Mom, you're the best birthday present I ever got!" Smiling, she said, "Robbie, with you and Robin, everyday's a birthday to me!" Making way for her husband, Laurie went to the kitchen with Ramona, and carried out a tray of chicken and one of steak, still hot off the grill. when they came back, Rob was in the middle of imitating Ramona's stall tactic, spilling a soda on her pants and having to stop and change.
Seeing his girlfriend, he went over to her, saying, "You are such a fibber, next time you spill, I'll get you a towel and that's it!" As his sister laughed, Rob leaned over and kissed Ramona to thank her for her part in his party. A pang went through Laurie, she knew her son well enough to guess that Ramona was his one and only.
Feeling tears coming, she made an excuse and slid into the kitchen, pulling the rest of dinner out of the refrigerator. Setting it out on the extra tables, she ducked back into the pantry, then grabbed a towel and mopped her face. Suddenly arms embraced her from behind, and she turned and hugged Rick, as he said, "He's all grown up, Sweetheart, I think your little boy is going to fly the nest."
"I know, darling, and I'm so proud, but he'll always be the serious boy showing me how to feed the chickens. I'm just glad he won't be going far away, at least for the first year or so of training." She kissed Rick, as he added, "No, the Forensic Courses he took will really help him with the police science training. Rob is already planning to have him apprentice in Silver Rock when Andy goes on vacation. Did you tell Rob and Robin about your surprise?"
"No, Rick, this is Robbie's day, but I think they'll both be pleased", she replied. "Well, I think you should, they keep hinting around about our trip to Los Angeles." he protested, then grinned, "I'll tell them if you're too modest!"
Laurie swatted him, as he went out to the living room. Robin spied his grin, and going over to her father, hugged him and asked, "What's with that sneaky look, Pop?" "Got a surprise for you and your brother, but your mom doesn't want to take away from Rob's party. I'm going to tell on her though' after we eat!"
After their guests had seconds and thirds of everything, Robin brought out the cake she had baked the night before, lit with 22 candles that brought tears to many of the adults eyes. Cecelia took one look, then pretended to have something in her eye as she searched for a Kleenex. Laurie pulled one from her pocket, catching Rick's glance in the process and making her laugh.
"Here, Mom, my turn to give you one,"she whispered, watching her son take a big breath and blow out all the candles in one whoosh. A.J. put an arm around both women, "No waterworks until after he opens his presents, ok?" he teased.
Rick waited until the last gift was opened before tapping his glass and proposing a toast to his son. "Here's to Robert, the best son," Rick's voice cracked, "a father ever had."
His family and friends raised their glasses of punch and repeated, "To Robert", then the birthday boy put his drink down and tearfully embraced Rick, saying, "I love you, Pop, thank you!" After everyone started sniffing, Rick cleared his throat and added, "And here's to the woman who brought such wonderful kids into my life, Laurie, I love you!"
Startled, she ran to his arms and hugged him, smiling and saying, "I love you, thank you for being a wonderful father!"
As he put an arm around Laurie, Rick told Rob and Robin, "We also have a surprise for you guys, your Mom started writing again, and she just signed a deal for another book of stories about your Great-Grandmother!"
"Oh, that's why you guys went to LA, you are too sneaky!" Robin laughed, as she and her brother took turns hugging their mom. "Yeah, that makes my birthday complete, because you started telling us stories the first night you stayed here!" Robert hugged her, then quietly added, "Thank you again for being our Mom!"
Laurie hugged both of them, then said, "Thank you, Robbie, you taught me that a gift not used isn't a gift. My writing brought us together," leaning over, she kissed Rick walking by," and your great-grandmothers stories will keep our family alive for years to come."