Holidays at the Stokes Place

Pairing: Nick and Sara (Of course! I wouldn't have it any other way)

Nick, Sara, Thomas and Cynthia are having a quiet evening sitting in the living room. They are drinking coffee or tea and eating tiramisu. Thomas and Cynthia tell their youngest son and daughter-in-law about how they met.

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Sara, Nick or any other mentioned character on CSI. If I did own Sara and Nick, they would have been hooked up and hitched already! (Writers of the show: take notice!) However, I do own Nick's family.

How Thomas, Sr. Met Cynthia

The evening before New Year's Eve was a somewhat quiet one at Stokes Manor. After enjoying a simple dinner Nick and Sara cooked for his parents, the four of them were sitting in the living room enjoying Cynthia's homemade tiramisu. They drank tea or coffee with the dessert. Thomas and Cynthia sometimes held hands and looked at each other with great affection.

"Dad, how did you meet mom?" Nick asked. "I know I have heard several times, but Sara hasn't heard it yet."

"We were in our freshman year in college in the fall of 1951," Thomas said. "We were both pre-law students. I was going to my political science class and I saw this beautiful girl about to enter the lecture hall. I knew I had to meet and talk to her. Some of the guys in the class were wondering what an attractive girl like your mother was doing in their class. I knew there was more to her than meets the eye."

"Your father sat next to meet and he introduced himself," Cynthia continued. "I introduced myself. He was the most handsome and charming man in that lecture hall. We managed to pay attention to what the professor was saying. When class was over, we walked together to one of the benches, sat down and talked for about an hour. I told him that I wanted to be a lawyer."

"How did he react?" Sara asked. "I understand that back in the 1950s most women were married with children and they stayed home."

"Sara, when I heard Cynthia wanted to be a lawyer," Thomas said. "I was happy for her that she could do anything she set her mind and heart to. I come from a progressive family. It wasn't easy to have these views in 1950s Texas. However, I had a lot of friends who were cool with my views."

"He asked me out for a date and I accepted," Cynthia said. "We went to a burger joint for dinner and we talked more about our future plans and our families."

"It took me one date to realize Cynthia was the one," Thomas said. "Unlike a certain young man and young woman I see before me who didn't realize they were meant for each other until two or three years after they met."

"Dad, I think that is a somewhat unfair comparison," Nick said. "We had several misses and we were flirting a lot. Sara was dating a total jerk who treated her like dirt. I regret that I didn't make my move before she met that pig, but I am glad I did when I did. Just continue with the story."

"Of course, we didn't tell each other we were the one for each other," Cynthia said. "I was frightened that I would drive your father away and he me. It took us our fifth date to declare our love for each other."

"We dated for two and a half years," Thomas said. "I decided to take a crazy plunge and buy an engagement ring. I took her out to an Italian restaurant for a romantic dinner. I waited until we had chocolate cake and coffee to pop the question."

"I was somewhat hesitant to say yes," Cynthia confessed. "I was concerned that married life and having children would interfere with my career aspirations."

"I told her many times while we were dating that she could do anything she wanted," Thomas said. "After I asked her to marry me, I had to tell that to her again. I told her we could find ways that she could balance a career with marriage and children. Even if we had to get assistance from our parents and siblings."

"I finally said yes," Cynthia said. "I told my parents that I had just gotten engaged to the most wonderful man ever. My mom had the same concerns I did. She was wondering if I was going to throw away my plans to be a lawyer. I reassured her that Thomas Stokes is very supportive of me having a career and family. I told her that we will find a way to balance everything out."

"Her family is also progressive, but not as much as mine were," Thomas said. "Both our families were ready to offer us help and support when it was needed. We both got into the same law school. The summer before we started law school, we were married. I wanted to marry her the year before, but she wanted to wait until after we got our bachelors degrees. I am glad we waited a year because there would have been a lot of complicated stuff to deal with. It is very hard and confusing to mention."

"That's okay," Sara said. "You don't have to confuse us with the details. Tell us about the wedding."

"Oh, it was a beautiful spectacular sight," Cynthia said. "I wanted the day to be extra special. I loved the colors pink and lilac and made those my wedding colors. My three younger sisters and Thomas' two sisters were the bridesmaids. My cousin was maid of honor and a sorority sister was matron of honor. The groom's party include my older brother, Thomas' younger brothers and his fraternity brother was best man. My father was nearly crying over giving away his oldest daughter."

"When I saw your mother in her wedding gown walking down the aisle with her rose bouquet," Thomas said. "My heart was racing a mile a minute. While we exchange our vows, we couldn't stop grinning. She almost cried, but there was only a solitary tear shed. We were both nervous when we exchanged rings, but we never let anyone know how nervous we really were."

"How was the reception?" Nick asked.

"Everyone there had a very good time," Cynthia said. "The food was delicious. Everyone was given a choice of Chateaubriand or Chicken Kiev. Either one was served with a vegetable medley and herb-buttered noodles. We chose to have classical, big band and some country music play throughout the reception. Our cake was a 6 tiered yellow cake with chocolate butter cream and raspberries."

Nick looked at Sara and they smiled. He knew exactly what she was going ask his parents next.

"Was there a bouquet toss?" Sara asked. "Was there also a garter toss? Do you remember who caught them?"

"My childhood friend caught the bouquet," Cynthia said. "Her boyfriend caught the garter. They were engaged six months later and were married a year later. I was her matron of honor and Thomas was one of the groomsmen."

"Aw, that is so sweet," Sara said.

"Where did you go for your honeymoon?" Nick asked.

"We went to Italy for a month," Thomas said. "We visited Rome, Milan, Tuscany and Sicily. It was a lot of fun. I almost didn't want to go back to Texas, but law school and a new life waited for us."

"Since we were both going to law school," Cynthia said. "We wanted to wait to have children. I was already starting my final year when I became pregnant with Kathleen."

"Your mother deferred her final semester until after Kathleen was born," Thomas said. "With my mother helping out, she was able to finish her degree a semester later."

"I became a public defender after getting my law degree," Cynthia said. "I did my job, kept a husband for nearly fifty years and raised seven great kids. Now we have 23 grandkids and the 24th on her way."

Sara looked at her in-laws in awe. She was grateful of that political science class that brought them together and that union eventually produced her husband and his six older siblings. She smiled at them and Nick.

"Mom, you are the best role model to all of us," Nick said kissing his mom on the cheek. "Dad, you are definitely a man ahead of his time in allowing and supporting mom having a career and a family."

"Nicholas, that is the one of the sweetest things you have ever said to us," Thomas said.

"You are the most awesome in-laws a woman could ever ask for," Sara said. "Cynthia, you are my hero!"

"Thank you, Sara," Cynthia smiled, but stopped when Nick and Sara were leaving the living room. "Where are the two of you going?'

"Sara and I are going to turn in," Nick said. "We have to go to the photo shop and pick up photos we took during our adventures at the Dallas Museum of Natural History. Dad has to go and get some champagne. Mom has to go to the bakery for some treats. Good night."

"Good night!" Thomas and Cynthia said.

"Good night!" Sara said as she joined Nick upstairs.

An hour after Thomas helped Cynthia with the dishes, they were also asleep. The next day was going to be a big one at Stokes Manor.

TBC