Chapter 27
In the Tracy household the family was scattered through the house spending a little time to digest their dinner. Even the day after Thanksgiving was a feast with so much food and leftovers.
"It just isn't like him." Alan told Tin Tin. "Gordon felt bad enough missing Thanksgiving dinner. He wouldn't be late coming home."
"Unless someone distracted him." Tin Tin remarked wondering if she could distract Alan long enough to stop worrying about his brother. She snuggled up closer to him on the sofa. He took the hint.
"Sure he's hot-headed and all, but there is no one I trust more than Gordon." John considered his chess move carefully. International Rescue was on automatic mode for the week-end so the family could be together, only Gordon was missing.
"He's a good kid." Virgil was thinking ahead about four moves. "Not like him not to call in if he was going to be late."
"No way on earth would that boy pass up on a piece of my super chocolate mousse cake." Granny said with finality, serving up a generous piece of said dessert to Kyrano.
"I agree dear lady. This is most delicious. And I have never known Master Gordon to miss a meal."
"M-much less a d-dessert l-like this!" Brains chimed in over his large helping of the chocolate confection.
"He had a ring with him." Scott said distantly. "Maybe he's getting married." He carefully dried one of Granny's prize serving dishes.
"He wouldn't do it without letting you all know, would he?" Marie washed out the gravy boat. It wouldn't do to put the good china in the dishwasher. She and Scott had volunteered for KP.
Jeff Tracy stood on the balcony and enjoyed the quiet and the view. Maybe it was a bit too quiet. An involuntary shiver went up his spine.
"What is it Jeff?" Penelope came to stand next to him.
"Oh just one of those little shivers you get. Nice of you to join us." He smiled at the gracious blonde.
"Oh, I love a chance to visit here Jeff. Besides which I can't wait to hear what Gordon is up to. Isn't he due back soon?"
"He's late. So, did he give you any clues?"
"Remarkably tight mouthed for Gordon. He only wanted me to set up a hairdresser and a fine dress for someone."
"Mention any names?"
"Not a breath." Penelope laughed lightly, "But I take it she is a redhead and from where you used to live."
"Oh Blast!" Jeff said angrily. "Charlotte Jones. If she had got her claws into him again..."
"Surely it isn't that bad Jeff. Gordon seemed very enthusiastic." Penelope protested.
"Oh, you don't know the half of what that young lady is like." Jeff seethed. "Not only did she talk him to eloping, but it was only for her own gain. I never told him about that." He added in a low voice.
"People do change and Gordon sounded so happy. I can't see him making the same mistake twice." Penelope mused.
"I told him never to let go if you found someone to love." Virgil had joined them on the balcony.
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Jeff raised an eyebrow at his son.
"It makes me feel better." Marie retorted and wound her arms around her husband's waist. "She couldn't have been that bad."
"She was." Jeff pinched the bridge of his nose. "When Gordon had his accident and was in a coma. I called her. I thought maybe he would wake up - for her."
"But she never came!" Scott added.
"I wouldn't pay her price." Jeff said glumly. "Luckily Gordon came out of it soon after. I hope to God he isn't involved with her again. It will cost us all dearly."
"Now Jeff, Gordon can take care of himself. Stop worrying and come in for some of my mousse cake before Kyrano and Brains eat it all." Jeff's mother chided him from the doorway.
"Mousse cake! You left mousse cake alone with those two?" Jeff lightened the mood with a mock roar. "Boys we have a rescue mission."
"Yeah! Rescue the cake!" Virgil shouted and slung his wife over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. "Women and their husband's first!"
In the Tracy household the family was scattered through the house spending a little time to digest their dinner. Even the day after Thanksgiving was a feast with so much food and leftovers.
"It just isn't like him." Alan told Tin Tin. "Gordon felt bad enough missing Thanksgiving dinner. He wouldn't be late coming home."
"Unless someone distracted him." Tin Tin remarked wondering if she could distract Alan long enough to stop worrying about his brother. She snuggled up closer to him on the sofa. He took the hint.
"Sure he's hot-headed and all, but there is no one I trust more than Gordon." John considered his chess move carefully. International Rescue was on automatic mode for the week-end so the family could be together, only Gordon was missing.
"He's a good kid." Virgil was thinking ahead about four moves. "Not like him not to call in if he was going to be late."
"No way on earth would that boy pass up on a piece of my super chocolate mousse cake." Granny said with finality, serving up a generous piece of said dessert to Kyrano.
"I agree dear lady. This is most delicious. And I have never known Master Gordon to miss a meal."
"M-much less a d-dessert l-like this!" Brains chimed in over his large helping of the chocolate confection.
"He had a ring with him." Scott said distantly. "Maybe he's getting married." He carefully dried one of Granny's prize serving dishes.
"He wouldn't do it without letting you all know, would he?" Marie washed out the gravy boat. It wouldn't do to put the good china in the dishwasher. She and Scott had volunteered for KP.
Jeff Tracy stood on the balcony and enjoyed the quiet and the view. Maybe it was a bit too quiet. An involuntary shiver went up his spine.
"What is it Jeff?" Penelope came to stand next to him.
"Oh just one of those little shivers you get. Nice of you to join us." He smiled at the gracious blonde.
"Oh, I love a chance to visit here Jeff. Besides which I can't wait to hear what Gordon is up to. Isn't he due back soon?"
"He's late. So, did he give you any clues?"
"Remarkably tight mouthed for Gordon. He only wanted me to set up a hairdresser and a fine dress for someone."
"Mention any names?"
"Not a breath." Penelope laughed lightly, "But I take it she is a redhead and from where you used to live."
"Oh Blast!" Jeff said angrily. "Charlotte Jones. If she had got her claws into him again..."
"Surely it isn't that bad Jeff. Gordon seemed very enthusiastic." Penelope protested.
"Oh, you don't know the half of what that young lady is like." Jeff seethed. "Not only did she talk him to eloping, but it was only for her own gain. I never told him about that." He added in a low voice.
"People do change and Gordon sounded so happy. I can't see him making the same mistake twice." Penelope mused.
"I told him never to let go if you found someone to love." Virgil had joined them on the balcony.
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Jeff raised an eyebrow at his son.
"It makes me feel better." Marie retorted and wound her arms around her husband's waist. "She couldn't have been that bad."
"She was." Jeff pinched the bridge of his nose. "When Gordon had his accident and was in a coma. I called her. I thought maybe he would wake up - for her."
"But she never came!" Scott added.
"I wouldn't pay her price." Jeff said glumly. "Luckily Gordon came out of it soon after. I hope to God he isn't involved with her again. It will cost us all dearly."
"Now Jeff, Gordon can take care of himself. Stop worrying and come in for some of my mousse cake before Kyrano and Brains eat it all." Jeff's mother chided him from the doorway.
"Mousse cake! You left mousse cake alone with those two?" Jeff lightened the mood with a mock roar. "Boys we have a rescue mission."
"Yeah! Rescue the cake!" Virgil shouted and slung his wife over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. "Women and their husband's first!"