CHAPTER FOURTEEN - THE FINAL COMMITMENT
A VERY SPECIAL DAY - PART 3
He sat in the expensive black leather chair behind his desk and felt like someone had cut off his air supply.
He couldn't breathe.
The silence in the room was past deafening as he moved his eyes disbelievingly from one person to the next.
Kevin Baillie sat silently waiting for him to react. Hank Davies looked nervously around the room.
He moved his mouth but no sound came out. He couldn't speak either.
He felt a huge emotional weight bear down on him. It was crushing his chest.
"Jeff ..." Hank began. "Are you all right?"
The silence continued as a dreadful sensation reared up within him. He was feeling physically sick.
"Why ... Why didn't my son tell me about this?" he managed to push through his lips.
"Jeff..." Kevin replied. "He didn't want anyone to know, not even you."
Jeff Tracy fixed his eyes on both of them and said in a disgruntled tone.
"What? Doesn't he think he can trust me? "
Kevin Baillie had known Jeff Tracy for twenty-two years and he had watched him raise his sons without their mother to be decent hard-working young men totally unaffected by the mighty wealth that surrounded them. He also knew the depth of love and devotion Jeff had for his boys and through his dealings with the five of them over the years, Kevin Baillie knew they loved him deeply in return.
"He was concerned you wouldn't approve, Jeff." he responded carefully.
"So he took it on himself to arrange things with you then ... without consulting me."
He looked accusingly at Kevin Baillie. Kevin shifted uneasily in his chair.
"In a word Jeff ... yes."
Jeff pushed back the chair and stood up abruptly. He began to pace the floor of the roundhouse with his head in his hand.
"Doesn't that boy realise what a mistake he's made doing this."
He walked to the door, his face a combination of anger and distress.
"Scott what the hell were you thinking to let this happen." he cursed silently under his breath. "I rely on you to do the right thing."
John and Gordon Tracy stood in their black suits quietly conversing nearby as their Father opened the door.
"John." he barked. "Where's Scott?"
"He's with Virgil down on the beach Dad. Why Sir?" John replied quite taken back at his Father's tone.
"Don't ask me why. Go and get him. "he thundered. "NOW."
THE BROTHERS CONVERSE
"It's getting darker. What time is it?"
"Five minutes since the last time you asked Virgil."
"I thought I was supposed to take these photographs at six."
"You were."
"Well it's way past six now."
"As if you didn't know. You've asked me enough times too what the time is."
"Well if they don't move things along up there there'll be no light left to take anything."
"I just wish they'd hurry up full stop."
"Stop acting so edgy."
"I'm not acting. I am edgy."
"Yeah well if I were you I'd be edgy too."
"Thanks a lot for the support."
"Dad's gonna flip when he finds out Scott."
"Yeah well I'm not arguing with you there.
"I told you before. He'll deal with it."
"You hope."
"He will."
"Hi John."
"Any sign of movement up there?"
"What's the blasted delay?"
"Hi yourself and the answer to you is no and to you I don't know."
"Gee, how long does it take a woman to get ready for a couple of photographs?"
"Will you settle down."
"What's wrong John?"
"Scott, Dad knows."
"I asked Kevin not to tell him. Damn it was supposed to be confidential."
"Not anymore by the look on Dad's face. And thanks a lot for not trusting me enough to say anything."
"He didn't tell me either."
"It's no-one's business but mine."
"I think it's Dad's business now."
"Is Dad upset John?"
"Errr… yeah."
"Does he want to see me?"
"Yeah."
"I guess it's about time this was all out in the open."
"I'll come with you."
"No. Not this time."
She might be nearly seventy-six years old but boy she was hard to restrain when she had her mind set on doing something.
Five feet two inches of dynamo, wearing her best dress and ready to take on absolutely anyone who crossed her; including him.
"Grandma." Gordon said anxiously as he stood blocking the entrance to the roundhouse. "Dad's in a meeting. You can't go in there ma'am."
Josephine Tracy's eyes bored through her Grandson.
"Get out of my way young man." she demanded. "I need to speak to your Father right now."
Gordon firmly stood his ground.
"Grandma. Dad left me specific instructions he wasn't to be disturbed except if Tin-Tin changes her mind about the photographs."
He shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever that means."
Josie folded her arms and snapped.
"Well disturb him then because no thanks to him she HAS changed her mind."
Gordon looked at her nervously. After the tone his Father had just used with John he didn't want to disturb him even about photographs."
"Grandma is what you've got on your mind really urgent ma'am? Like life or death urgent?"
She glared at him.
"I'll give you life or death in a minute Gordon Tracy. Yes it's important if that's what you mean. Important enough to interrupt some silly business meeting with the people who caused this mess in the first place."
"Grandma ... it's just that Dad's not in a very good mood at the moment and I think it would be better if ..."
"Son." she thundered. "Are you going to let me in that door or not?"
"No ma'am ..." he gulped and then saw at her menacing look. "I mean ... yes ma'am."
"For goodness sake make up your mind!" she exclaimed as she went to push past him. "You don't know what you're saying half the time Gordon. It's all that sea water I swear."
Then she thought better of barging in unannounced courtesy of Kyrano's warning.
"On the other hand." she said turning to go back into the main body of the villa. "You interrupt that silly meeting going on in there and tell your Father I want to see him in my apartment... NOW."
He fastened the necklace about her throat once more and saw her bite her lip apprehensively. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed it.
"It's all right my daughter." he said confidently. "Mrs. Tracy will see to things as she promised you."
"Father ..." she said and her voice was fragile and still on the brink of tears. "I'm afraid Mr. Tracy still will not allow it Sir."
He helped her position the diamond-studded veil over her hair as he replied.
"I have a strong feeling that Mr. Tracy will have no choice but to allow it Tin-Tin. Mrs. Tracy is a force to be reckoned with when she feels this strongly about something."
"But what if he doesn't Sir?"
Kyrano squeezed her shoulder once more and warned,
"Then Tin-Tin you must remember you married Mr. Alan for better or for worse and accept this to be one of those worst times."
He paused before he added carefully, "…and if he says no my child I will still expect you to give Mr. Alan the happiness of seeing your photograph. He too is affected by Mr. Tracy's decision. Remember that."
"Gordon I am NOT having discussions of any type with your Grandmother until I finish in here." he said emphatically.
He was in no mood to be argued with and Gordon wasn't helping things standing there doing so in front of Kevin Baillie and Hank Davies.
"Dad ... she said it's important." Gordon stammered. "Maybe you should give her a couple of minutes Sir."
"Everything is important to your Grandmother. "Jeff retorted. "Now I know what she wants to talk to me about and it will have to wait. I have more pressing things to deal with right now and she isn't going to push herself up the agenda and be one of them."
"But Sir ..."
"No buts Gordon. I've got a big problem on my hands at the moment in case you haven't noticed by my tone and it needs to be dealt with before it gets any worse."
Gordon remembered his Father's face as he sent John to get Scott. He began to worry what Scott had done to make his Father so upset.
"Um OK Sir. I'll tell her then."
"Thank you." he replied and he riveted his head towards the door when he heard the knock.
Jeff gave Gordon a sharp indication of his head silently stating it was in his best interests to leave.
"That will be your brother." he snapped. "Excuse us please Gordon. This is a very important matter. "
She lifted the heavy skirt of her dress to allow her left foot to slide more easily into the stylish Italian Shoe.
The clock on the wall showed ten minutes to seven.
She was ready. She didn't know what was about to happen downstairs but Grandma had given her a small glimmer of hope. She was trembling noticeably at that prospect of more disappointment and knew she had to calm herself down before facing the possibility of Jeff Tracy letting her down again.
"I need a few minutes to compose myself Father." she said. "Will you excuse me please?"
Kyrano glanced at the clock.
"You have ten minutes my child." he said. "And remember you must find your magical smile for Mr. Alan before that ten minutes has passed."
He leaned forward and kissed her.
"You would have been a beautiful bride last year Tin-Tin." he said. "Look at you. You are positively radiant."
"Thank you Father." she smiled.
"Ahh …" he said and playfully pinched her cheek. "There is that smile to which I refer. The one Mr. Alan has never been able to resist."
She blushed.
"Don't Father. You tease me."
His heart lifted to see her spirit return but time was passing. He looked up at the clock.
"Child I must now leave you and change my clothing for the photographs. Please come to my apartment when you are ready to go downstairs."
"What the hell do you mean he won't see me?" she flashed.
"Um ... he said to tell you that he's busy Grandma." he swallowed.
"Did you tell him I said it was important?" she demanded.
"Yes ma'am I most certainly did." he replied.
"So where is he then?" she snapped.
"Still in his meeting ma'am." he said.
"Doing what may I ask?" she asked.
"Um ... by the look on his face getting ready to yell at Scott ma'am." he admitted.
"Oh he is, is he? Well Jefferson Grant Tracy had better get ready for me to yell at him too!" she stormed.
"I can't believe you went ahead and arranged this with Kevin without telling me first. "
"Dad I'm sorry... "
"Sorry doesn't cut it with me son. You have no idea how serious this is."
"Yes Sir I do."
"No you don't. Didn't you think about the consequences of not telling me about this?"
"Yes Sir."
"And you went ahead and did it anyway?"
"Yes Sir. I guess I did."
"Father ... you look wonderful. I only ever see you wear your traditional dress on special occasions."
"It is most fitting I wear this for the photographs daughter. Your wedding day would have been the most special occasion in my life."
"Yes Sir. It would have been."
"I wish it had been so."
"Me too Father."
There was a strained silence between them as they both recollected the reason why. He patted her hand gently.
"Still we must not dwell on that and remember what might have been in the photographs."
"Yes Father I know and I will have them taken as you say ... no matter what Mr. Tracy says about seeing Alan."
"I am pleased. Now give me my grand-daughter to carry. "
"Father …"
"Yes my child."
"Thank you for your support today."
"It is my pleasure Tin-Tin. Now are you ready to go down?"
"Yes Father. I am ready."
"Grandma ... please wait ... Dad's in no mood to be argued with."
"Neither am I in case you haven't noticed."
"But ma'am ..."
"Don't you ma'am me."
"Don't go in there Grandma …"
"Get out of my way Gordon."
The door hissed open.
"Jeff Tracy I want a word with you...." she began.
Hank Davies turned to look at her.
Kevin Baillie turned to look at her.
Jeff Tracy turned to look at her.
The tall young man impeccably dressed in the black Italian tuxedo turned to look at her.
Josie Tracy looked at them all in shock as a deathly silence prevailed.
"Grandma ..." he began. "I can explain."
The clock sounded seven o'clock as the two of them stood together in the centre of the lounge room in the Tracy villa. Tin-Tin glanced nervously towards Alan's portrait on the wall hoping the eyes would soon begin to flash heralding the reconnection of communications with Thunderbird Five. But the blue eyes were still and the silence was deafening.
"Where is everyone Father?" she asked uneasily.
The quietness that filled the normally bustling area of the Tracy Villa was eerie.
"More than likely they are down on the beach waiting for us." he said craning his neck to look out the huge glass window. "I see Mr. Virgil down there. I think we should join him immediately before all light is lost and we cannot take the photographs."
Her eyes looked longingly at the portrait of the youngest Tracy son. If only it would flash ... just so they could see each other...even for a few moments
"Father ..." she faltered. "Please Sir ... I would prefer to remain here."
Kyrano shook his head.
"Tin-Tin. Mr. Alan wanted the photographs of you to be taken on the beach." he reminded her. "Now my child you did promise you would do as he wanted."
"But Father ... what if he calls and I miss him?" she asked fearfully. "It's seven o'clock now."
Kyrano shook his head.
"Without Mr. Tracy's sanction Tin-Tin you know as well as I that there will be no call. Come now my child. Let us go down.
She nodded reluctantly as he offered his arm. The blue eyes of Alan Tracy looked sightlessly from the wall as they left the lounge room and descended the stairs.
The stars were beautiful. From where he stood all alone looking into the vastness, some of them sparkled with a special brilliance.
But he had other things on his mind besides the stars. Other things that mattered to him a great deal.
He toyed with his emotions as he stood in an unhappy silence.
His Father had told him in no uncertain terms the plans for this evening were to be changed. International Rescue was at stake and the priority had to lie there.
There would be other wedding anniversaries he had said and he would make it up to them next year.
He knew his Father meant well and he more than likely believed he could make it up to them. But Alan Tracy knew next year there would probably be another excuse or another reason why he would have to let Tin-Tin down.
Now there was a security risk on Tracy Island... and he had caused it.
Alan Tracy sighed.
His eyes caught a glimpse of the evening star as he grappled with his Father's reaction for blatantly disobeying orders. The star sparkled magnificently in the sky as if reassuring him things would be all right.
One year ago it had sparkled magnificently too as he flew Tin-Tin Kyrano back to Tracy Island as his wife. It had reassured him then things would be all right.
One year ago it had sparkled magnificently above them as he sat with her in front of the fire and promised he would make things up to her one day if he could.
He squared his shoulders and braced himself.
Whether his Father approved of this or not and despite the security risk it was now time.
And he wasn't about to change his mind.
The night was beginning to fall and the last rays of the sun were ready to disappear on yet another day in paradise. The pink and red colours lingered as the rest of the sky began to darken, heralding the twilight on the Tracy Island.
An island that had no equal when it came to tranquillity, solidarity and affluence.
The two of them paused for a few moments to take in the brilliance of the sunset.
"It is so beautiful here Father ." she breathed as she smelt the fresh salty air coupled with the light scent of the hibiscus trees in her Father's garden nearby.
The scent reminded her of Alan kissing her and then she remembered fondly that all of their kisses in the early days had been in this garden and she'd always ended up with a hibiscus in her hand at the end of them.
He had kissed her as a joke when he was sixteen to prove himself to his brother after Gordon sensed he had developed intimate feelings for her. He said he'd give Alan his allowance for a week if he managed to kiss her. Alan had asked her to go along with it to make Gordon pay up. He had said to her that like him he knew she felt nothing and it was easy money. He promised he'd give her half the money if she'd do it. He jokingly plucked a large pink flower from the tree and tucked it behind her ear when he knew Gordon was hiding nearby before pressing his lips to hers. Gordon ended up the loser much to Alan's delight but in going along with the "joke" her lips, like his had tingled in a way neither of them had ever felt before.
Then he had kissed her as a friend when he was seventeen as they prepared to leave Tracy Island and go their separate ways for college. He was leaving for Colorado. She was leaving for England. Their lips had met lightly in the garden and he had embraced her tightly. It was the embrace of a friend who did not want to life to change but knew it had to as they spiralled towards adulthood. He had pulled a flower from the tree and given it to her. "Here." he had said . "Don't forget me Tin-Tin."
But it had been under the hibiscus tree, well hidden from view of everyone, that he had held her in his arms four years later and gazed into her eyes as a man. He had pressed his lips to hers, no longer willing to be just her friend. Their embrace was not one of friends wanting life to remain the same; it was the embrace of a man and a woman who both wanted the circle of life to continue. He had pulled the flower from the tree that night with a little less bravado than in the past and offered it to her awkwardly.
"I ..." he had begun and then lowered his head in embarrassment. He never finished the words she longed to hear. Instead of saying 'I love you' Alan Tracy had said uncomfortably. 'I think we should be going back inside."
It had taken him so long to tell her he loved her and despite the flowers and the kisses, he had never said those magic words to her here.
She looked up into the sky in the direction of Thunderbird Five and then at her Father.
"Please Father" she said to Kyrano leading him towards the garden. "I have many fond memories of Alan and myself in this garden. "May I have the photographs taken here?"
"Of course you may Tinarda." he smiled. "It seems Mr. Virgil has already anticipated your wish."
THE BRIDE SHE HAD WANTED TO BE
She was going to marry the youngest of the Tracy sons who had loved her for twelve years. She would walk with her Father down onto that beautiful beach. He would have been waiting there for her next to Scott. Scott would have been his best man. The two of them would have been dressed in suits designed in Milan.
His blue eyes would have shone with love when he saw what a beautiful bride she was.
THE BRIDE SHE HAD BEEN ONE YEAR AGO
He had stood beside her in front of the celebrant who performed the standard service for the fee. He slid the hurriedly purchased wedding ring on her finger. He gave her a short kiss on the lips as they were pronounced husband and wife. She had burst into tears. He had hugged her to his chest and said how sorry he was that her wedding day had to be like this.
LIFE AS IT NOW WAS
Tin-Tin squinted in the direction of the garden as she walked with her Father. It was now so dark she could barely make out Virgil waiting with the camera.
"Brains." she heard Virgil call. "She's here now. Can you get the garden lights please. There is no way this is going to work without light of some sort."
"V…very w…well Virgil." she heard him reply.
The huge floodlights soon bathed the area in an artificial daylight as Tin-Tin and Kyrano entered the garden together.
She looked at the beautiful hibiscus tree and her thoughts riveted to Alan and his portrait hanging silently in the lounge room.
The ring was nothing ... the dress was nothing ... these photographs were nothing... especially here…without him
She guessed she should be grateful she thought as she looked about. The garden was filled with Alan's family and they had all made an effort to dress up too. Virgil's chestnut colouring complemented the black suit he wore, John looked very handsome as he frowned and continued to adjust his tie, Gordon was a picture as he squirmed about in his suit coat, Brains looked totally uncomfortable as he tried loosen his top button, Grandma was positively elegant as she smoothed down her dress and Jeff Tracy was a formidable sight in his magnificent tuxedo, a sign of his massive wealth and impeccable taste. She also saw a smartly dressed Hank Davies and Kevin Baillie looking uncomfortably out of place as they stood apart from the others.
They all started to comment how lovely she looked.
Her eyes pleaded with Jeff Tracy's. The only comment she wanted to hear from his lips was his unconditional approval for Alan to see her in her dress.
She looked at Josie Tracy whose face could not contain her happiness any longer. Tin-Tin looked in the direction of her gaze and her eyes suddenly widened.
From behind the hibiscus tree had stepped Scott. He was dressed in an expensive Italian suit, was impeccably groomed and held a small blue box in his left hand.
Beside him, holding a pink hibiscus was Alan.
"You're late Miss Kyrano." he said firmly in a tone of mock accusation. "I was beginning to think my bride was going to stand me up."
He came towards her as she stood in open-mouthed disbelief, tightly clutching the arm of her Father.
As he reached her he offered her the flower and held out his arms to take Lucy.
"Scott just pointed out I forgot to arrange a bouquet for you baby. "he whispered, his eyes shining with happiness and love. "I hope this will do."
They looked at each other in silence as Lucy snuggled into him. As she took the flower from him he wrapped his free arm around her, pulling her close to him and sheltering their precious Lucy Josephine between them.
"I love you." he murmured as the tears welled in his own eyes.
"Alan." she sniffled as her lips trembled. "I ... I ... don't understand...How did you…"
He smiled down at her very mindful not to say too much in front of Hank and Kevin.
"Baby girl, I simply couldn't allow you to be alone tonight. Not looking like I knew you would in that fabulous dress."
She began to lose her composure. "Alan ... I thought we..."
He placed a finger against her lips to silence her.
"Shh." he said quietly. "Don't cry now. We won't be able to get ourselves married properly if you're crying like that will we?"
She looked up at him with puzzled tear filled eyes.
"Tin-Tin, Hank and Kevin didn't come here to see Dad. They came here for me. Hank's a marriage celebrant and he's going to marry us properly ... amongst our family. Kevin arranged the legalities for me when I told him how bad I felt about you not having a proper wedding last year. So you can't cry ... not on your wedding day. It just won't do."
He turned to face Kyrano in full view of everyone assembled in the garden.
"One year ago you questioned my love for your daughter Sir." he said. " I hope you feel I am worthy of her now."
There was total silence in the garden as Kyrano reached forward and rested his hand on Alan's shoulder.
"You are a fine young man Mr. Alan just as your Father before you." he acknowledged. "And nothing pleases me more than to give her to you in marriage."
Alan looked nervously in the direction of his Father. Jeff Tracy smiled at his youngest son and silently nodded his head approvingly.
He turned back to Kyrano.
"If that's the case Sir I would ask you to let me take her from you now and allow Mr Davies to marry us in front of you and my Father."
Kyrano bent down and gently kissed Tin-Tin before taking her hand and placing it firmly in Alan's.
"Take my daughter Mr. Alan. She's is yours to have and to hold from this day."
THE BRIDE SHE HAD DREAMED TO BE
They would have held hands and mingled amongst the guests and accepted their congratulations. They would have cut the special wedding cake his grandmother had lovingly made, He would have kissed her and said "I love you Mrs. Tracy."
THE BRIDE SHE HAD BEEN ONE YEAR AGO
He offered to buy her a cup of coffee at the Diner. He'd ordered two cups of coffee and two slices of cake. They drank the coffee in silence. He had joked that this was their wedding cake.
LIFE AS IT WAS NOW
"Mrs Tracy might I say this cake is absolutely delicious." Hank Davies grinned as he juggled his champagne glass in one hand and his plate in another. "I hope you won't think it rude of me to have another piece."
"Most certainly not Hank. You can have my Grandson's piece." Josie Tracy observed as she watched Alan and Tin-Tin standing by the window hand in hand totally engrossed with each other.
She watched as Alan leaned forward to kiss her. Josie smiled happily.
"He's far too busy enjoying himself with his little girl to think about his stomach right now I think you'll agree."
She reached forward and offered Hank the tray.
"Here take two pieces if you like. You deserve it for making this day so memorable for Alan and Tin-Tin. I never knew you were such a good friend of Alan's let alone a celebrant in your spare time.."
"Mrs. Tracy, young Alan was a very confused and frightened young man when his Father sent him over to me to "do his time" in New York after that money incident. The two of us spent many an evening discussing what had happened with Miss Kyrano in the months before Lucy was born."
Josie gave him a look of total approval. He obviously had helped with the taming of her youngest grandson too.
" You know what. I think I might just change my mind about you and that attorney friend of yours after hearing that." she said graciously.
"I'm glad to hear that Mrs. Tracy." he replied.
"Please ... call me Josie." she smiled amiably.
"Thank you ... Josie." he nodded.
She looked in the direction of Alan and Tin-Tin. She'd been dying to know the real story all night. She absolutely hated it when she didn't know everything and she still couldn't believe all of this had gone on in the house without her knowing.
"Now if you will excuse me Hank. I've got quite a few questions to ask my grandson about all this."
As she headed in Alan's direction she heard Tin-Tin giggle.
"No .. I'm not wearing that underwear Alan. It's positively obscene."
"Why what's wrong with it?" he laughed wickedly close to her ear. "I like it."
"I don't even need take it off Alan."
"I know." he grinned. "That'll save me valuable time the way I figure it."
"No." she giggled again. "But I do like the negligee."
"Well I'm holding you to wearing it later."
"I'm sure you will."
"I love you Mrs Tracy." he laughed. "Or should I say I soon will be... and very intimately too." he finished giving her a wink and indicating the stairs.
Josie cleared her throat.
"Er hem ... Alan ..."
Alan coloured.
"Oh ... um... I'm sorry ma'am. I ... didn't mean for you to overhear that..."
She shook her head and felt her lips curl in amusement.
"Oh come on. I haven't totally lost my memory about what life was like with your Grandfather. Now ... young man. I want you to sit down next to me and explain how this all came about please. I've been confused all evening."
"Grandma ..." he began. "It's a long story."
Josie sat down and pulled Alan firmly down into the chair beside her.
"Speak." she said. "I almost wiped the floor with your Father a short time ago because of you young man and I'm going to be making up for it for quite some time to come he assures me. "
Alan's eyes pleaded with Tin-Tin for assistance.
"Don't ask me to save you." she laughed. "I'm going to get myself some champagne. You're the one with the explaining to do."
Alan smiled as he watched her go. He didn't mind explaining anything now that he had her.
"Grandma it's like this." he began. "Two months back I arranged to surprise Tin-Tin by coming back from Thunderbird Five with Scott and John to have dinner with her on our anniversary. I knew it was my turn for rotation and I didn't like to ask Johnny to cover for me another day. I ran the idea past Dad and he said it was OK provided the autopilot was working properly and Johnny agreed to take me straight back again the day after. Johnny said he would as an anniversary gift to us both."
"Your Father never told me he'd agreed to that." she commented in a surprised voice as she looked in the direction of Jeff Tracy as he discussed business with Kevin Baillie.
"Dad's not heartless you know Grandma. He said he was happy to bend the rules on this occasion so that we could be together on our anniversary." Alan assured her. "He even offered to take Lucy for the night so we could errr... be alone."
Alan looked in the direction of his daughter as she was happily passed between his brothers. That statement reminded him of the need to get her to bed ... he wanted Tin-Tin to himself tonight ... all night... and he didn't want to be interrupted again by an overtired and sleepless baby.
"And?" she asked. "What happened?"
"Well ma'am Brains then informed Dad he only had a limited time to do the new Com Link and it had to be done today. Installing that meant disabling the autopilot and with the auto pilot down, Dad said I couldn't come back. He said I had to stay up there in case there was a call. That's when he offered for me to talk to Tin-Tin on Frequency Five. I didn't want Tin-Tin to know what I'd planned so I went along with Dad and said that's what we were going to do."
"So you obviously weren't intending to obey your Father's orders and stay up there then." Josie observed.
"I would have ma'am ... but I'd already made plans for all this." he said. "I knew how much Tin-Tin wanted a proper wedding and I was determined to give her one no matter what. I asked Hank to come to the island weeks ago and he had organised Kevin to see to the legal side of what I wanted to do. I couldn't stay up in Thunderbird Five and not be here when they arrived. What would Dad have said? "
"So you came back against your Father's instructions without thinking it was necessary to tell him?"
Alan hung his head.
"Sort of ma'am."
"And your brothers all knew?"
"They knew about me coming back but I didn't let on to anyone about Kevin and Hank coming here. I stayed down and did service checks on Thunderbird 3 all afternoon knowing they'd be flying in around 5.30."
"And you gave no thought to the fact that when Kevin and Hank showed up at 5.30 you would send everyone around here into a flat spin about security?"
"I knew Dad would be worried about security... but I forgot about the fact he'd forbid Tin-Tin to use the communications link. Of course he'd forbid it. I can't believe I overlooked that. Dad said Tin-Tin got really upset about it. That's why he was chewing me out when you came into the roundhouse earlier."
"Tin-Tin upset? That's not the half of it young man. You deserved every minute of your Father's chewing out and you're also damned lucky I stuck my nose in where it wasn't wanted yet again aren't you? You would have been well and truly stood up if I hadn't have demanded she stop her crying and put the dress back on."
Alan leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
"Yes Grandma." he admitted. "You always know exactly what to do even if you don't know you have to do it."
"She's a very sweet little girl Alan." Josie warned. "But she's extremely fragile where anything to do with you is concerned. She gave up you know. Gave up and cried herself into one hell of a state over you."
"I know Grandma. I am very aware I need to make it up to her." he replied as he looked at her longingly from across the room. "And I will. " he added mischievously.
Ideas of making things up to her marked his thoughts. He again glanced at Lucy and wondered how long it would take her to go to sleep.
"Ow!" he suddenly protested as Josie gave him a sound slap on the thigh. "What was that for Grandma?" he complained. "I didn't do anything."
She rose from the chair and went to help herself to some more champagne.
"Don't you think I can't read your mind young man." she berated him as she turned away.
Alan laughed and stood up too.
He went purposefully in the direction of his four brothers.
It was time to put things in place for his wedding night.
THE WEDDING NIGHT SHE HAD DREAMED OF
His brothers would have made their usual erotic and witty remarks...
LIFE AS IT WAS NOW
"Here guys." he said holding out his arms to take Lucy. "I'm taking Lucy Josephine up to bed now."
"Bed?" grinned Gordon throwing her up in the air again as she laughed out loud. "You don't wanna go to bed yet do you Lu-Jo? Not with a party swinging like this one!"
Alan rolled his eyes and became insistent. "Gordon. Stop over-exciting her like that. Not only will she throw up on the carpeting, she'll keep Tin-Tin and me awake half the night as well.
"Oh and THAT won't do will it Lu-Jo?" Gordon grinned looking mischievously at the baby. "Not when Daddy's got other things planned to keep himself awake."
Alan frowned.
"No Gordon ... I mean it. Lucy needs to go to bed. She's only five months old and she does too much partying with you guys as it is when I'm not here let alone when I am."
"Sure she does Alan." Scott joked taking a sip of his champagne and listening to her gurgle happily at Gordon. "I can see by the grin on her face that she's REAL tired."
"More like you're the one who's "TIRED" Alan." John winked.
"That's not true!" Alan exclaimed hot headedly. "You guys have no idea what it's like to have to deal with a restless baby at two o'clock in the morning especially when I've got to shove off again once Hank and Kevin leave in the morning."
"Oh really? So it's my imagination you've been giving Tin-Tin your bedroom eyes for the past half an hour is it?" Virgil laughed. "Oh don't look at me like that Alan. When I play the piano I watch and I listen... and I've been watching and listening to you real close for the past half an hour. Something about looking forward to seeing her in some tiny little red number I believe?"
All four of his brothers burst into hysterical laughter.
"There's no secrets around here Alan." grinned John. "Haven't you worked that out yet?"
Alan reddened as the taunting continued.
"Now let me guess what the story's going to be this time. ... err...I only said that to her because we're just friends?" Scott teased.
"Yeah ... REAL good friends." Gordon added as he tickled Lucy's feet. "That's how they ended up with you Lu-Jo and your Daddy still hasn't worked out what the cause was!"
Alan found himself becoming amused too. "Just friends" was never going to cut it again in this house.
"Oh leave off you guys." he said good-naturedly holding out his arms to take Lucy. "I'm a respectable married man now you know."
The four of them laughed again.
"Married Alan." Virgil grinned. "Not respectable... unless of course the red number you were referring to before is something we can all see in the morning."
"No way you guys! That's for my eyes only." he stated firmly and then cast a deliberate and meaningful glance at Gordon. Gordon saw it and his face immediately fell. It had been a year since they'd argued over him watching them make love on the beach and it seemed Alan still hadn't forgiven him for what was an honest mistake.
Alan turned away from his brothers and walked towards the door with Lucy in his arms.
They fell silent as their Grandmother approached him. He called Tin-Tin to his side. She spoke to them both. They looked at each other as if considering whatever it was she had said. Alan eventually shook his head before offering Lucy to Tin-Tin to kiss goodnight. He then headed in the direction of their apartment.
"Well." Scott said awkwardly. "That's that then."
"Didn't even get a bite from him." Virgil sighed. "I thought he'd at least go off at you over your "just friends" line."
"He's not a kid anymore Virg." Scott replied sadly. "It kind of makes me realise how old I'm getting."
"Well you'll be thirty one soon big bro."
"Yep. Don't I know it. Thirty-one and still a bachelor. Dad had three kids at my age."
The four brothers were silent. Scott, Virgil and John took a sip from their champagne glasses. Gordon on the other hand stood grimly, Alan's words festering inside him like a volcano.
A pretty pixie face ... a cheeky grin ... a future never meant to be.
Something inside him snapped as his emotions boiled over.
"Wedding vows... happy families ... babies ... it's nothing but a heap of crock." he spat as he snatched up his coat and strode to the door.
"Gordon!" John exclaimed in alarm as the red-haired Tracy son stormed from the lounge room and headed out into the night.
Scott, Virgil and John looked at each other in amazement.
"What in the blazes brought that on?" Virgil asked.
"I dunno but someone should go after him." Scott said in a worried voice. "It's obvious he's still not over things despite all his kidding around."
John moved forward and picked up his own coat. "Don't worry Scott. " he said hastily. "I'll go."
Scott allowed John to take on his role this time. He had his own soul to bare right now and he knew this was the time to do it.
"Virg." he said quietly. "I need to talk to you about something."
Virgil looked at him with interest and topped up his glass with more champagne. He filled Scott's glass as he spoke.
"Sure Scott. Fire away."
"It's personal." Scott said with difficulty as he glanced at his Father on the other side of the room. "Can we go somewhere private please?"
Virgil sensed the urgency in Scott's voice and it was very rare that he opened up to anyone. He stood up and motioned Scott out onto the balcony.
"OK." he said closing the huge glass doors behind him. "Is this private enough?"
Scott looked around carefully before shuffling his feet and dropping his eyes. Virgil recognised the signs that Scott was about to confide in him and sat down quietly in the deck chair to give him his full attention.
"I can trust you right?" he began looking him directly in the eyes. The caring, doe-soft eyes of his Mother looked at him through the identical eyes of his brother. He'd always confided in his mother as a little boy and he'd always been able to confide in Virgil too.
"Of course you can trust me Scott. What's on your mind?"
Scott turned away for a few moments and rubbed his chin having second thoughts about whether to reveal this to his brother.
"I can't tell Dad or Grandma this." he said carefully. "And what I'm going to tell you stops here OK?"
"OK." Virgil replied. "You have my word as always."
Scott's dark blue eyes pierced Virgil's very soul. "Lord you're like Dad." Virgil thought as those eyes reached inside him carefully assessing if he was able to take the risk of divulging whatever it was that was bothering him.
"Scott … unless you tell me what's on your mind I can't help you." he finally said in a calm and tranquil voice.
Scott shook his head.
"Listening to you talk to me like that makes me feel like I'm talking to momma again." he finally said. "I used to tell her everything that bothered me."
Virgil smiled sadly. "I know you did Scott." he said in a soothing voice.
After a few minutes he added. "Dad used to tell her everything that bothered him too."
"Yeah." Scott sighed. "But the difference between talking to you and talking to momma is she could always make things right again.
He turned and looked out to sea and sighed miserably.
"No-one can make this right Virg." he murmured.
"Just like Dad." Virgil thought again. "If he's looking out there he's gonna turn around in a few minutes and let it all out."
Virgil Tracy could read his brother like a book.
Almost like clockwork Scott turned to face him and said.
"Virg … I … I ... think I may have fathered a son."
Virgil's eyes widened as the news sank in.
"What?" he breathed. "You're kidding me right?"
"No I'm not." he replied. "It's a long story but the crux of it is I've been keeping this in for five months and I can't any more. I need to talk to someone about it."
Virgil looked at his brother's worried and distressed face.
"Sure you do Scott." he acknowledged "Please ... continue ... I'm listening."
"Virg I was terrified this afternoon when Kevin Baillie showed up on that plane. I was absolutely convinced he was going to tell me Adelaide Washington was clapping a law suit on me."
"Adelaide Washington?" Virgil asked. "Is she the mother?"
When Scott simply nodded he breathed in a horrified voice. "But Scott, she's married isn't she?"
"Yeah and you and me both know she should have been married to me if it wasn't for the launching of this damned outfit." he said looking unhappily at the sky.
Virgil looked at his brother sympathetically. He knew of Scott's rejected marriage proposal.
"So you two ... got together... errr ...casually?" he asked carefully.
"Yeah that's about it I guess. Damn it I knew it was wrong to involve myself with her. But Virg you know how much I loved her."
"Is it over now?" Virgil queried.
"It's been over since Dad found about the two of us and confronted me about it. I said I wouldn't see her anymore and I haven't but obviously it was too late."
Scott began to pace the balcony. Virgil again noted Scott's similarity to their Father. When he was worried, he paced too.
"So are you sure the baby's yours?" he asked. "If she's married ... maybe it isn't."
"It's mine all right." Scott spat. "I know because she won't let me have access to a paternity test. The way I figure it she's gonna bide her time and wait until I take over Tracy Enterprises when Dad retires. Then she's gonna come out of nowhere and ruin the Company."
His eyes appealed to his brother for advice.
"Virgil ... Dad doesn't know about the baby. I … I …don't know what to do." he stammered. "Part of me wants to forget this … the other part desperately wants custody of my son."
Virgil thought for a while and then said firmly.
"Scott … you've got to tell Dad the truth right now particularly if you think it could cost him the company. I'll be with you when you tell him if you like."
"NO!!!" Scott said adamantly. "Dad mustn't know until he has to."
"It'll kill him if he finds out from Kevin Baillie or somewhere else."
"He won't find out unless I choose to tell him. " Scott flashed. "She's signed a legal agreement."
Virgil shook his head and pleaded with his brother to see sense.
"No Scott. Agreement or no agreement, hiding this from Dad is the wrong thing to do. You've never kept anything important from him. You know Dad'll stand by you."
Virgil watched as his brother sank wearily into the chair next to him.
"Of course I know that." he murmured unhappily. But there's another reason I can't tell Dad about this right now."
After a prolonged silence he admitted quietly.
"I'm in a very serious relationship at the moment Virg."
Virgil's eyes again widened with the startling revelation.
"Since when?" he enquired.
"It's been going on for five months. Her name is Margo Marin and she's a pilot. She's the one with the good taste you all ribbed me about this afternoon. She selected the suit I wore this afternoon and she helped me pick out Alan's."
Suddenly things fell into place for Virgil. Scott's constant offers to be the Tracy presence in New York in the past five months. The sudden improvement in his selection of clothing.
"Does Margo know about the child?" he asked.
Scott shook his head.
"No ... not yet and if tell Dad about him he'll want me to fight a custody battle for sure. The baby's his Grandson and I know my Father when it comes down to family matters. I'll be forced to tell Margo then."
He was silent for a long time before he said.
"And I can't risk losing this woman Virgil.
He fixed his eyes determindly on the horizon.
"This is the one I'm going to marry."
He sat alone on the beach in front of the fire looking out towards the dark blanket that was the Pacific Ocean. The fire had been burning for over an hour and its warmth took a welcome edge off the chilly May evening. He sighed and looked up at the stars as they sparkled brilliantly overhead.
It was such a beautiful night.
The palm trees rustled courtesy of the cool breeze blowing across the sandy expanse. The waves lapped the shore gently.
Such a beautiful place to have such sad and melancholy thoughts.
Why him?
He pulled his knees closer to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs.
He lowered his face and closed his eyes.
Blonde hair, dancing green eyes sparkling with life, beautiful smile, pretty face with a splattering of freckles. A cute button nose. A nose he had tweaked as he teased her about being sub-ordinate to him on the boat. Three minutes before the crash. Three minutes before she died. And he had killed her.
"Jezz." he whispered and swallowed hard.
He screwed his eyes tighter to stop the tears from forming and then looked up into the sky opening them wide. There was the evening star surrounded by thousands of others. They were all up there. He should have been there too with his Commander his buddies and Jezzica. But the evening star had sent him back. It wasn't his time, she said, there was work for him to do here.
"Momma why..." he said, his voice grating with pain. "Why did you send me back here to live with so much pain in my heart?"
The star sparkled magnificently in the sky as the voice came from behind him and made him jump.
"I wondered where the heck you disappeared to in the middle of the night."
He turned his head in the direction of the voice. "Father." he exclaimed. "What are you doing out here?"
Jeff Tracy approached the fire and threw on some more wood. He paused for a moment and watched the flames dance up into the sky before sitting down on the sand next to him.
"Maybe I should ask you the same thing son. Your brothers are worried about you."
"I ... I'm sorry Father ... I wasn't feeling much like socialising in there so I ... "
"Stormed off without telling any of us where you were going." Jeff Tracy interrupted sternly.
"Yes Sir." he said. "Sorry Sir."
Jeff looked intently into the flames.
"And you decided to come out here, build a fire and sit alone all night." he stated.
Gordon lowered his head. "Sir ... for some stupid reason I expected Alan and Tin-Tin to come out here before they went to bed. I built the fire for them."
"Son they're already upstairs together. Somehow I think you might have wasted your effort."
Gordon shrugged half-heartedly and turned to look at his Father. "Guess it looks that way Sir." he replied.
Jeff Tracy looked up into the sky and the out into the darkness of the ocean.
"Beautiful night isn't it son?"
"Yes Sir."
The two of them sat in silence listening to the crackle of the wood as it burned.
"Father what brings you out here anyway?" Gordon asked.
"This." he said showing him a picnic basket. Gordon peered towards it.
"What's in it Sir?" he asked.
Jeff Tracy shrugged.
"Lord knows Gordon. Your Grandmother packed it and goodness knows why. One minute a man's enjoying a bit of peace and a cognac out on his balcony, the next minute his mother is handing him a picnic basket and telling him to walk to the other side of the island in the middle of the night to leave it front of a fire she somehow knew was going to be lit for her grandson. She must be on the same wave-length as you."
"Grandma knows everything Dad."
Jeff could not help but agree. "Yes, I don't know how she knows these things but she most certainly does."
He opened the basket. Not one but two warm blankets. Fried chicken. Fresh bread. Two glasses. A bottle of Shiraz.
He shook his head. He never knew what his mother was up to. But he did know Alan and Tin-Tin wouldn't be looking for food at the moment and Gordon was usually happy to oblige if something delicious needed to be consumed.
"Hungry?" he asked offering him the chicken.
"No Sir." Gordon replied miserably.
The fire burned as Gordon Tracy looked straight ahead in silence. His Father quietly put the food away and extended his hand to turn Gordon's head towards him.
"Would you like to talk to me about it?"
"Sir?"
"What's on your mind."
"No Sir."
"Today ...seeing Tin-Tin and your brother like that ... so happy ... it's brought it all back to you hasn't it son?"
"Brought back what Father?" he asked cautiously.
"Memories of Jezzica Parker." he said directly.
Gordon swallowed and bit his lips together.
"I guess so Sir."
Jeff Tracy looked up at the evening star. "I know how you feel son ... Tin-Tin in that dress brought back memories of your mother to me too."
"Is that why you're really out here Sir? Because you're thinking about mom?"
Jeff Tracy looked into his son's eyes in the firelight.
"Wanting time alone to think about your mother would be the only logical reason I would bring this basket all the way out here in the middle of the night."
Their eyes continued to meet. The fire continued to burn.
"Father." Gordon said. "May I ask you something Sir?"
"Of course you can. Whether I answer you of course is another matter as you well know."
Gordon sighed. Yes he did know. His Father had declined to answer his questions many times over the years.
"Sir ... You've always said to me and the guys that everything in our life, good and bad, happens for a reason. Do you really believe that?"
"Yes I do." Jeff Tracy nodded. "I've always believed it."
He thought back over the years. Many times he hadn't liked the hand life had dealt him but he'd always believed it was meant to be.
"Sometimes I know you're right Sir. I look at my brother and Tin-Tin and I can see there was a good reason for Tin-Tin falling pregnant as she did. It made Alan stop thinking about himself and grow up."
"Yes son." he acknowledged. "That's exactly what it did. A good thing too as we would all agree."
Gordon bit his lips together as he dropped his gaze.
"But other times Dad ... I mean ... for three years I have been trying to think of the reason why my hydrofoil crashed and everyone was killed except me. Sir ... I can't find a reason for that ... no matter how hard I try."
Jeff Tracy remained silent. Eventually the honey-brown eyes lifted to his. Without his cheeky smile and jokes to hide behind, those eyes exposed his true sadness and all his carefully hidden pain.
"Father ..."he whispered. "What possible reason could there be for something like that? Something that killed all my friends and the girl I loved more than my own life?"
Jeff shook his head and sighed.
"I guess it's the same reason your mother was taken from us son."
Gordon stared into the fire. "Sir." he said. "What reason could you ever have found for something like that? "
Jeff Tracy looked at the son in front of him.
"Son." he said "I've asked myself for twenty two years why my best friend and the mother of my five little boys was taken away without warning. I still haven't found an answer."
He looked up into the sky at the evening star. "And somehow I don't think I ever will."
Gordon looked at his Father in the firelight.
"Sir... do you still miss her?"
Jeff Tracy looked directly out to the darkened sea.
"There will never be a day that passes that I don't miss your mother." he replied distantly.
"Father..." Gordon said after a few minutes silence. "You've never spoken to me about how you felt for her."
Jeff Tracy cringed as he remembered Gordon as a little boy asking why his mother had died. He had told him to forget about her and eat his supper.
Funny how he remembered that at this precise moment.
"Gordon..." he replied carefully. "You've never spoken to me about how you felt for Jezzica Parker either.
Gordon Tracy cringed too.
His Father watched him and waited. He knew he would wait the rest of the night with this son. The red-haired son had been raised from a baby of thirteen months to be a man and keep his feelings to himself. He and his little brother had both grown up learning to deal with life in only one way; hiding behind a facade of humour to mask their true emotions. Alan was bad but Gordon ... he was the worst of the two. Gordon never showed his hurt easily ... not to him ... not to anyone.
"Should I go first then?" he said. "Or you?"
Gordon pressed his lips together tightly and looked away.
"Looks like it's me then." Jeff replied and cleared his throat. He bit his own lips together. He didn't know where to begin.
The fire continued to burn.
The silence continued between the two Tracy men.
Voices behind them distracted them both.
"Dad? Gordo? What are you guys doing out here?"
Jeff Tracy turned his head to see Alan who had changed out of his tuxedo into a pair of well-worn shorts and shirt. However Tin-Tin still remained in her wedding dress. Her feet were bare and her hair tumbled loosely over her shoulders. Alan held Lucy Josephine in one arm and a bag in the other. Lucy grinned widely as she recognised her Grandfather and her fun-loving Uncle.
"More to the point, what is that baby of yours doing out here?" Jeff Tracy frowned.
"Dad she won't sleep after all the excitement." Alan complained. "I've been trying to settle her for the past two hours. I thought if we brought her out here with us, the fresh air might tire her out and give us chance to have some time alone."
"I thought I heard your Grandmother offer to take her for the night."
Alan shrugged. "She did Dad but Lucy's my responsibility. I have to leave tomorrow and I feel guilty leaving her as it is without fobbing her off to Grandma when I can take care of her."
He looked apologetically at Tin-Tin and then back at his Father.
"It's just that taking care of her is kind of inconvenient at the moment."
Jeff rose from his position in front of the fire and held out his arms to his Grand-daughter.
"Alan ... there are times when it's all right to ask someone else to care for Lucy. Tonight is one of those times. Now you give Lucy to me and I'll take her for what's left of the night."
Lucy looked at his outstretched arms and smiled coyly before burying her head deep in Alan's shoulder. Jeff shook his head. Typical Lucy. Playing hard to get.
"Come on Missy." he said firmly moving closer. "You're coming inside with Uncle Gordon and Grandpa."
She steadfastly refused to go to him and snuggled in closer to her Father.
"Lord she's stubborn." Tin-Tin sighed. "You'd think Alan had been gone all month the way she's been carrying on when he puts her down."
"She's her Grandmother all over again that's what she is." Jeff observed watching her peering at him from the security of Alan's arms. "And if that's the case she won't be going to sleep for you until she's good and ready."
Alan looked at Tin-Tin. Jeff Tracy saw his badly disguised look of frustration.
"I can still take her son." he offered.
Alan sighed.
"No Sir. If you do she'll fuss and cry for the rest of the night. It doesn't matter. " he said in a disgruntled voice. "I'm used to her doing this to me now."
He sat down on the sand beside the fire and one-handedly opened the bag he'd packed. In it was her bottle, her blanket and his Mother's teddy bear or as it was now known; "HER" teddy bear. She refused to sleep without it. In a few moments she lifted her head and her eyes met Alan's.
"No, don't you dare look at me like that." he sulked. "You win again OK? I've got all your favourite stuff in this bag so you know you're not going anywhere."
Tin-Tin sat down on the sand beside him. The magnificent dress spread out around her.
"Won't you sit down for a while Mr. Tracy?" she invited. "Maybe if she takes her bottle she might nod off and then you can take her."
She looked at Alan's petulant face. "It might work Alan." she said.
Alan looked at Lucy's bright and very wide-awake features.
"Don't bank on it." he observed. "But you're welcome to stay for a bit Dad. Please ... sit down."
Jeff Tracy sat himself back down next to Gordon and looked at his youngest son and the girl he was so passionately in love with through the flames. He saw Tin-Tin move closer to him. Alan kissed her forehead.
Almost by instinct Jeff felt the need to place his arm protectively around Gordon's shoulders.
Gordon shrank under his touch.
"I ... I guess I should be going Dad." he said quietly. "It's my fault Lucy Josephine is wide awake. If I stay here I'll only distract her further."
He rose to his feet. As expected the baby's eyes followed him and she flailed her arms ready to play.
"No little one." he said sadly. "No more tonight. You have to go to sleep."
He moved his eyes from Lucy to Alan.
"Besides..." he murmured. "This is a private party."
He could tell by the way Alan lifted his chin that he understood his meaning.
"Good night Father." he said despondantly."I'll go get Lucy's cot for you and take it down to your Apartment."
As he began to walk away he paused before turning back to look at Alan.
Alan's eyes met his.
Before either of them spoke Gordon strode away from the fire and back into the night.
Alan looked over at his Father. He knew without asking what was wrong with Gordon.
"You should go after him Dad. " he said. "He's been mixed up about Jezzica Parker for a very long time."
Jeff Tracy shook his head. "No son. Nothing is going to take your brother's pain away until he can bring himself to talk openly about it. Trust me. I know."
"I feel bad he thinks it's his fault Lucy won't settle." Tin-Tin sighed as she watched Lucy taking her bottle in Alan's arms. "It's no-one's fault this time. It's been a big day for everyone, including her."
She reached into the bag and took out Lucy's blanket and teddy bear. She wrapped the blanket around her as Alan held her in his arms. The blanket shielded her from the view of the fire. Tin-Tin quietly placed the teddy bear between Lucy's body and Alan's and ran her hand gently through her tiny curls.
The three of them sat in silence.
The ocean lapped the shore.
The fire burned.
The baby suckled.
Quieted by the dark silence, lulled by the warmth of her teddy bear and secure in the strong young arms of her Father, the little eyes began to close.
Jeff Tracy looked at the young couple in front of him as they lovingly tended to their baby and reminded himself of the fact that this night was not just any night in their lives. She still wore her wedding dress and this was their wedding night. He thought back fondly to his own wedding night. Like Alan and Tin-Tin, he and Lucy had experienced physical love with each other before they were married but on that night their expression of love for each other had been something special. Too special for him ever to forget. He still pictured her now, lying naked in his arms, her chestnut curls spread across his chest;his best friend, his lover, his everything.
Jeff stared intently at the beautiful features of Tin-Tin Kyrano through the fire. He saw in her the beautiful features of Lucy Evans. His eyes glistened at the memory.
He was suddenly jolted into the reality of the present.
"Dad." Alan said carefully as he gently rocked her in his arms. "I think she's finally gone to sleep Sir."
Tin-Tin leaned forward and lifted the blanket. The bottle was empty. Lucy's tiny body was still. Her face was angelic. Her eyes were closed.
"She has Mr. Tracy." she confirmed.
He rose to his feet.
"I'll take her for you then so the two of you can be alone."
Alan looked at Tin-Tin before looking carefully at his Father.
"Are you sure Sir?" he asked.
"I've never been so sure of anything." he replied as he held out his arms to take the baby.
Alan Tracy rose to his feet and gently placed his baby daughter into the arms of his Father. Jeff Tracy's own arms enveloped her.
"Thank you Dad." he said gratefully.
Jeff Tracy gazed at his son in the firelight.
"Alan ..." he swallowed. "We never think what we have in our liveswill ever change and sometimes we forget just how special it is. Don't take what you have here tonight for granted son... ever."
Alan Tracy nodded his head as he bent to kiss Lucy.
"I don't Sir." he said.
Jeff Tracy turned with the baby in his arms and began to walk towards the villa. As he reached the sandy outcrop which divided the beach from the rest of the island he looked back towards the fire, then at the sleeping baby girl and finally up at the evening star that had never shone more magnificently than it did tonight.
"I know Princess." he whispered as he looked at the star. "There is our son ... and here is our grand-daughter. This is the circle of our life together Lucy and even though you are no longer with me... itcontinues."
He paused for one last moment before commencing the walk home.
They needed to be alone now.
He sat silently overlooking the water.
It had been one hell of a day in his life and there was only one thing left that he wanted.
Seven months and five days, he told himself.
He wanted her.
She sat silently looking at his blonde, handsome features. He had given her everything she had ever wanted today. A proposal from deep within his heart. An expensive ring. That beautiful wedding dress. A magical wedding. There was only one thing she now wanted to give him in return.
Herself.
She nestled closer to him in front of the fire and leaned her head on his shoulder as Jeff Tracy disappeared from view with their baby.
"Happy?" he asked placing a strong arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer to him.
"Very happy Alan." she replied kissing his cheek lightly. "This has been the happiest day of my life."
He continued to look out to sea as the fire burned.
"Mine too." he said.
He turned to look at her. Her beautiful features danced in the firelight in front of his eyes just as they had danced six years before on another night they had sat together like this.
The night he had fallen totally and hopelessly in love with her.
"Tin-Tin ...you are so beautiful." he breathed.
She looked deeply into his eyes.
He looked into hers.
"I love you." he whispered.
"I love you too Alan." she whispered in return.
The fire continued to burn.
He continued to look into her eyes.
She continued to look into his.
The glow of the firelight provided the only light on the darkened beach. The waves broke the shore gently. The only sound around them was the crackling of the driftwood.
Their lips met .... slowly ... deliberately .... and with total commitment to each other.
The night air was cold but neither of them noticed the chill in the air with the warmth of their kiss. As they broke apart their eyes continued to meet.
"I want you Alan." she breathed.
"I always want you baby girl." he replied "And I'll never stop wanting you."
Their lips met again. This time his arms enveloped her and he lowered her to the sand. Her black hair spread behind her like a cloak of black silk. It framed her beautiful face and exquisite features.
"Alan..." she breathed as she gazed into the brilliant blue eyes of the youngest Tracy son.
"Shhh." Alan whispered as he stared into the deep brown eyes of Tin-Tin Kyrano. "Don't say anything."
"Alan." she swallowed as his hands began to slide the wedding dress from her shoulders.
"Tin-Tin." he said softly. "This moment is ours now. Just lay back and let me love you baby."
The fire crackled and burned as their passion for each other built.
Seven months and five days had been a long time and to the two of them, finally alone and without the responsibility of Lucy, this felt almost as if it was the first time all over again.
The time when she had allowed him to remove her gown in his bedroom and he had gazed in wonderment at her beautiful naked body in the lamp light. He felt the same way now as he gazed upon it again in the firelight.
The time she had unbuttoned his shirt and looked at the youngest Tracy son in the lamp light, not as her best friend but as a man. Lying on her back, looking deeply into the eyes of the Tracy son in the firelight, she unbuttoned his shirt again.
The time, his hands moved forward in the lamp light to touch her intimately for the first time. His touch had been halting and she had needed to encourage him that it was all right for him to continue. She closed her eyes in the firelight as he touched her intimately again. His touch was halting and once again he needed encouragement to continue.
"Alan... ' she whispered. "It's OK. You don't have to listen out for Lucy." she said.
"I'm sorry ..." he replied. "Force of habit I guess."
The two of them stared at each other silently in the firelight just as they had stared at each other silently in the lamp light. There was no turning back now.
Their lips met again with definite intent and unsatisfied need.
The world around them suddenly fell into insignificance as all they sought now was each other.
The fire burned and the waves lapped the shore as their passion soared and their bodies shuddered and reached the heights of ecstasy together.
Alan Tracy stroked her hair gently as his heartbeat slowly returned to normal.
The silence surrounded them like the darkness as they lay together as one.
This had been the most special day of his life and now as he lay within her, he never wanted it to end.
"I love you baby girl." he whispered. "And I am never ever going to let you go."
She reached up her hand to touch his cheek. He had gone to so trouble to make this day the most special day of her life and now, with his life seed ebbing within her once more, she wanted this moment to last forever.
Wild.
Brash.
Arrogant.
Egotistical.
Selfish.
Self Centred.
Yes, she thought lovingly as she traced her finger down Alan Tracy's cheek in the firelight.
He had been all of these things in the past.
But not anymore.
Author's Note - A fitting end to a story of Commitment. However ... there is still the Epilogue and another little surprise in store!
