A/N: Forgive the formatting issues, please. Ff.net seems to be having difficulty accepting blank lines. A few random notes about reviews: Thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed. Specifically
Wiccamage—"Liquid Man" and Hank the Skank made their mind-numbingly disgusting debuts in the 2nd season in episode 204 "Bully for You".
LSI—thanks for the support. It means a great deal coming from a writer of your caliber. I'm enjoying Remember Lake Tahoe as much as I enjoyed A Lion's Pride, and that's really saying something.
Laura Katharine—I'm afraid I'll have to admit to watching Saved By the Bell more than once or twice;-). Your fluff makes you want to hurl I always look forward to your fluff. And why are you wasting your time reading this drivel Get back on the train! I can't wait for your next chapter.
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"Do you golf" Grissom asked as he brought the car to a stop at the red light. Three dates in the book so far, and each had gone well as far as Gil could tell. He was proverbially holding his breath; he had never been adept at this sort of thing and knew that the success must be only momentary. He felt certain that he would eventually make a wrong turn and lose her.
"Golf" Sara glanced over at him, attempting to gauge the seriousness of his inquiry. "Uh, only if it involves a windmill and a swinging log." She flashed him a sheepish grin.
Gil turned to her, struggling to keep his chuckle at bay. He donned the most serious expression he could muster, "How fortunate for me."
When the green arrow appeared on the traffic light, Gil turned left and pulled into the parking lot of the Scandia Family Fun Center. "So, golf it is, then," Sara laughed.
"It seemed like as a good a way as any to spend a Tuesday afternoon…I, uh, I'm really not very good at this."
She reassured him with a warm smile, "You're doing way better than you think."
*^*^*^*^*^*^*
"Two balls, two clubs and a score card," the clerk said, placing the items on the counter.
Grinning, Sara quickly grabbed her desired ball, "Purple!"
Gil raised an amused eyebrow, "I guess I'll take green then."
They approached the first hole, a simple straight shot. "Par two," Grissom noted. Sara placed her ball on green and swung her club.
"I'm guessing they get harder as we go," she said as she achieved par.
Gil made a hole in one easily. "Where did you go to college"
"What" Sara was momentarily caught off-guard. "Oh…we're back to that game."
"It's not a game," he corrected with a lop-sided grin. "It's a vehicle."
"Harvard. Theoretical Physics."
"Why Harvard"
"Why not" She watched as Gil took his turn at the second hole, "And Gil This vehicle is on a two-way street."
Gil was silent as they moved to the next hole. He rewarded Sara's bogey with a nervous smile. "What would you like to know"
For many years to come, Sara would refer to that instant as
the moment her brain froze. So many
questions…where to start…don't scare him…sooooo many questions…start small,
Sara!
"What do your parents do"
"My mother is an art dealer."
"And your father"
"My father…" he handed the score card to her and positioned his ball. "Was a businessman. He had quite a few dealings with communist China."
"Any siblings"
"Nope."
*^*^*^*^*^*
Several greens later, they approached the eighth. It appeared simple initially, but upon further inspection it was deceptively difficult. The hole lay atop a small squared mound. Grissom's shot, which on a flat surface would have stopped only an inch or two from the hole, rolled down the other side of the mound.
"What do your art dealer mom and businessman dad think of their son's choice of forensics" The thought of Gil's parents intrigued Sara. She was eager to learn what made him tick. Her shot almost made it into the cup, but she had not hit quite hard enough. It rolled up to the mound, to the edge of the hole, then back again toward Sara. She stopped it with her foot.
"My mom," Gil's club made contact with the green ball, sending up the side of the mound and back down the other side. "Is very accepting. My father was never really a factor in my life. He was…absent when I was growing up."
"And now"
"He committed suicide about 25 years ago," he spoke matter-of-factly.
Sara was unsure of what to say, "I'm sorry, Gil."
"Don't be," He replied reassuringly. "It's ancient history."
"I, I shouldn't have pushed."
"You didn't. Come on, we're here to have a good time," he motioned for her to take her turn.
This time, her shot was too forceful.
"Damn! It's not going to stop at the top of a hill. How could it It's not possible."
Gil smirked and shrugged his shoulders, "I majored in biology. This is a problem that requires a physicist." The green ball rolled up the hill and dropped neatly into the hole.
The death glare Sara directed at him would have frightened him if he didn't know it was all in fun. Three shots later, she finally succeeded in causing the purple ball to fall into the cup.
Relieved to be finished with the hole, Sara bounded ahead to the next while Gil hastily jotted down their scores.
"Hey! Slow down. I'm not as young as I used to be."
She stopped and waited for him to catch up, all the carefully scrutinizing the ground around her.
"Looking for something" Gil asked.
"Making sure there aren't any banana peels."
He was suitably perplexed, "Excuse me"
"Well, since you seem to think you've already got one foot in the grave…"
"Everything I've said is true, Sara. I'm not a young man any more."
"You're not an old man, either," she responded gently.
"I need to know that you realize what you're getting into," Gil's agitation was becoming obvious. "I'm almost fifty—"
"Forty-seven. You're forty-seven," Sara told him firmly. "See I know what I'm getting into." When he simply stared silently at her, she continued, "I don't care. It doesn't matter to me." She reached out and ran her hand slowly along his beard. "You're the perfect man for me at any age."
*^*^*^*^*^*
Sara never suffered defeat well, and this was no exception. Gil had beaten her quite easily on the miniature golf course. Walking back toward the front of the entertainment complex, she saw her opportunity for redemption. "Race cars."
Gil followed her gaze to the small race cars speeding around the track. "Race cars Most of them have children driving."
"Maybe I can't out-golf you, but I know I can out-drive you," Sara challenged.
They were directed to their cars by Scandia's staff, who, much to Sara's dismay, put her into a car parked several cars behind Gil's. She had her work cut out for her.
"When the light turns green, you're off. You should be able to get in several laps," the employee announced to the group of fifteen drivers. "When you near the pit and the light turns yellow, that's your signal to slow down and enter the pit."
The light changed to green and the cars jumped forward. The race was on. Sara depressed her gas pedal all the way to the floor, determined to catch and overtake Gil. She passed several cars, but soon encountered an unexpected obstacle; the car immediately in front of hers was driven by a child of about twelve who was trying his hardest to ensure that no one got around him. The task required nearly two laps to perform, but eventually she managed to sneak by the kid, sneering at him as she did so.
Gil was receiving a great deal of enjoyment from Sara's misfortune. He glanced back over his shoulder, surprised to see she was no longer trapped behind the bratty child, but instead bearing down on him. He cut to the inside of the track, hoping to cut her off at the turn. As he rounded the bend nearest the pit, he observed that the light had changed to yellow. Dutifully, he retarded his speed and cruised into the pit area. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her coming. Sara had taken advantage of the yellow light, and zoomed past him. She pulled to a stop in the pit, laughing.
"That's right, Sara," Gil teased. "Cheat."
"All's fair in love and race cars," her mischievous grin morphed into her famous gap-toothed high wattage smile.
TBC
