Feasibility Study
Written by: Ms Maggs / Edited by: KJT
"Birthday Boys – Part 3"
August 17, 2005 (Day 117)
Crime Lab
6:44 a.m.
The task of forcing Gil into the break room for the annual tradition of birthday cake and harassment, previously Catherine's responsibility, fell upon Sara this year. Anxious to see the birthday boy, even though she had spoken with him twice on the phone earlier, she strutted into the room and in the perkiest voice she had in days announced, "Guess whose job it is to kidnap you and make you eat cake?"
Removing his glasses, he looked up at his wife. The floral print of her beige lace-trimmed camisole accompanied by her fitted rose-colored jacket exuded a degree of femininity that he found highly appealing this morning. "You look fantastic." Radiant was the word that popped into his mind. Maybe it was because she didn't appear remotely ill for the first time in days? Or maybe…he was surprised the whimsical thought entered his logical mind…maybe it's because she's pregnant.
"It's a new outfit." She smoothed her hands over her abdomen and let them drop onto her tan straight-leg trousers. "And I feel much better, almost 100 percent."
Rising from his chair, he navigated towards her. "Seriously…you look absolutely gorgeous." Her hair was shiny and styled, her eyes were gleaming and her smile exuded a warmth he couldn't resist.
"Down boy!" She teased, unable to tear her eyes away from his. "Is 49 a particularly randy age for men?"
"I don't know, but the good news is, we have 365 days to prove the theorem."
"Hey!" Catherine shouted from the office door. "I never took this long getting his ass to the break room! We're all waiting. Don't you know how to crack the whip by now, Sara?"
"I guess not," She deeply chuckled.
Frustrated, Catherine grumped, "Well now I know what I'm getting you for your birthday next month…a gift certificate to Lady Heather's Dominion for some domination lessons! Now move it!"
Once Catherine was gone, Sara groaned in her husband's direction.
"I never told her anything!" He assured her. "Much to her disappointment, I've never shared a single detail of my sex life with her ever. And you know, if she really knew, she wouldn't joke about it like that with you. Even Catherine has limits."
Heading out of the room, Sara remarked, "How is it that Lady Heartless keeps coming back to haunt me? It's bad enough she went out of her way to humiliate me twice, but hearing my friends talk about her is beyond irritating. If I never hear that woman's name or see her again, I'll be…"
"Hey!" Brass interrupted the couple's discussion. "It's Birthday Boy and Flu Girl."
Sara's frown reversed upon seeing The Brass Man. "I'm fully recovered and so far, he hasn't caught my cooties."
With no difficultly, he mustered a reply. "When the only game the two of you play is Scrabble, you're not likely transfer germs."
"Speaking of germs…" Sara hurried toward the break room to supervise the cake handling.
Grissom stared at his friend like his days on the planet were numbered. "How are things with your mystery lady Jim?"
"Great." He nodded as he pulled Grissom into an empty office. "What? Like I was going to call Sara up when she was sick as a dog and drop the bomb?" Snickering he said, "I'll just show up at your house on Saturday night with her on my arm and that will be the end of it."
"If the end is in reference to your life, then you're correct."
"I was kidding." Caught between a rock and a hard place, Brass posited, "How can I tell Sara? She just gave me this great pen with this wonderful sentiment…and she looked at me like Ellie used to look at me. How am I supposed to turn around and tell her I'm involved with her mortal enemy? When I do, she's going to look at me the way Ellie started looking at me and hasn't stopped. I'm having a hard time with…"
"You're not only risking your relationship with Sara, you're putting my ass on the line," Grissom warned in a tone containing not a smidge of jest. "You're lucky she hasn't asked me if I know who it is. If she asks, I have to tell her because I'm not going to lie to my wife. The thing is, Jim, I'm already committing a sin of omission by knowing the truth and not telling her every time the subject comes up. You know what we just went through. I don't need another crisis in my marriage and I don't want Sara blindsided."
Vigorously massaging his temples, Brass groaned, "I wouldn't be in this situation if you had listened to me in the first place and opted for the damn sports car."
"This is all my fault?" Flabbergasted by his audacity, Grissom snipped, "Is this some kind of a birthday roast?"
"I'm sorry," He groveled. "Look…I don't want to dampen the birthday fun. I'm bringing someone else to the party and that will bide a little time. I promise I'll tell Sara next week after the festivities. Okay?"
"Fine." He wasn't happy but he couldn't disagree with the logic. "Who are you bringing?"
"Another scandalous friend of yours," He goaded. "A hot little number…Ms. Roxie Delacroix. You uh…ever jump in the sack with her for a one-nighter?"
He didn't dignify the joke with an answer.
"I'll take that as a no." Feeling bad, he gave Grissom a little shove. "Come on…it's your birthday. Let's lighten the mood. Imagine the looks on Nick and Greg's faces when I show up with Roxie, the sixty five year old self-proclaimed, 'Strip Queen of The Strip',as my date."
As much as he didn't want to crack a smile, the visual stirred him to do just that. "Catherine will love it."
Glad his friend was snapping out of his funk, Brass continued, "Roxie is all set to play along too. Only you and Sara will know that the two of us aren't a hot and heavy item. Think of it as a little four-way role play with no latex required."
In awe of his friend's twisted mind, Grissom remarked, "You're really are a sick pup at times."
Proud of the compliment, Jim grinned uncontrollably. "Why do you think Heather finds me so damn loveable? You may have had her first, but I have her at my beck and call."
Suddenly Sara appeared in the doorway startling them both. "What the hell are the two of you doing in here? Everyone is waiting to eat cake."
In a bold move, Gil informed his wife, "Jim just told me which mystery lady he'll be bringing to our house on Saturday night."
"Who?" Sara's face lit up as she waited to hear the long awaited news.
"Roxie Delacroix," Her husband replied.
Sara's eyes crossed from staring so intensely at Jim.
"She's uh…not the same mystery lady I took to Vancouver," He explained. "I'm a man of many mysteries and I will reveal all in time. Saturday night I'm unveiling Roxie…she's a platonic friend, but don't tell the others because Roxie likes people to think she's getting lucky with me. You know…because I'm such a stud."
Sara was a little surprised by the news, but feeling empathy for Roxie's obvious low self-esteem, she felt compelled to comply. "Uh…okay. We really need to hit the break room now."
In silence the three walked down the hall, each contemplating what they had just learned, were hiding or were hoping wouldn't come to light.
"Finally!" Catherine shouted as the only three missing from the festivities entered the break room.
Nick, Jas and Pete, dressed in their court suits, were conferring in the corner of the room discussing the testimony they would be giving later this morning. When Brass saw them he hurried to get the scoop.
In the opposite corner, Warrick, Trey and Nina were discussing a baffling case and enjoying their new working relationship.
Sofia and Hodges had opted out of the party due to conflicts of interest…Sofia had a hot date with a mortician and Hodges preferred not to breathe the same air as Greg if given the option.
Greg, who was manning the coffee pot, had two special guests with him…his mother and Tawny. Grissom strolled over to see them.
"Kona Diamond for my favorite OLD boss." Greg was pleased with the double entendre. "Happy Birthday, Gris."
Nodding he took the mug and turned to Greg's mom. "Beverly," He warmly greeted. "It's great seeing you again." He'd never forget how traumatized she was when she arrived at the hospital after the lab explosion. "Did you come out to meet Tawny?"
"Yes, and I'm enjoying her company immensely. Happy Birthday, Gil," She replied while shaking his hand. "I insisted Greg bring me in to see everyone." From the corner of her eye she glared at Catherine. "Almost everyone."
"Happy Birthday, Mr. Grissom!" Tawny gleefully greeted as she gave him her trademark overzealous hug. "I have my next session this morning at eight and I scored a 98 on my first community college online Algebra assignment! I would have had 100, but I left out a negative sign in a final answer."
Sara had never seen her husband and Greg's girlfriend together before and was quite surprised by their comfort level with one another.
Used to the physical and verbal assault, Grissom didn't flinch and returned the girl's generous embrace. "I'm very proud of you, Tawny." They were the words he knew she longed to hear and spoke them freely. "I knew you would be great at school when you returned."
Brimming with pride, she gazed into his eyes. "Thanks for having so much faith in me, Mr. Grissom."
"Really…you need to drop the Mr. Grissom, it's making me feel old. Just call me Gil."
Catherine postured next to Sara, who thankfully was a good distance from Mrs. Sanders' evil eye. "Cute, aren't they? You do realize she sees him as a father-figure, right? Twenty bucks right now says she asks him to walk her down the aisle when she eventually marries Greggy."
"That's uh…a little hard for me to grasp right now." She continued to watch the interpersonal interaction with curiosity.
Elbowing her friend, Catherine teased, "Yeah…well I'm old enough to be her mother and I'm not grasping that very well myself." Clapping her hands, she captured everyone's attention. "I need the two birthday boys over here with me so I can spank them." As everyone laughed, she declared, "It's not sexual harassment, it's my job. Without further adieu, and because we know as I speak, someone somewhere is dropping dead in this town and will put an end to our tomfoolery, I will cut to the chase and say, Happy Birthday, Gil…may this last year of your forties be as exciting as all forty-eight combined."
Brass interjected, "Come on, he's entitled to a little more fun than that, don't you think! Or should I say, Sara is!"
To which Gil replied, "That DB can't be discovered soon enough for me."
Forging on, Catherine turned her focus on Nick. "And to our other birthday boy, the much younger and less wise, Nick Stokes…thirty-five years old tomorrow…that's the mid-thirties my friend, you're on the upward charge to forty now. This time next year you'll be a married man and ladies all across Vegas will have only memories to fill their beds at night."
"Hey! Not in front of Greg's mom!" Nick teased the sweet lady standing next to him. "She'll call mine and tell her I'm not a virgin."
Bev smiled at her son's friend. "I've got my hands full with Greg right now, so you're off the hook."
Nick's cell phone ringing cut the laughter short. "Place your bets people." Without hesitation, the CSIs in the room waged their guesses as if it were the most normal thing in the world to shout codes for dead bodies, rape and assault.
"419!"
"426!"
"415!"
"666! His fiancée is feeling devilish and is calling to get him hot and bothered!" Brass shrugged. "I'm an optimist, what can I say?"
Plugging his left ear, Nick took the phone into the hall to hear better.
Catherine was busy cutting the cake while the vultures circled. "I know the County doesn't pay well, but is this the only food you've seen this week?" Handing the first piece to Sara, she taunted, "Since we didn't get invited to your ten minute wedding, feed your husband a bite of cake and we'll forgive you."
"You've obviously lost your mind," Sara replied while staring at the delusional woman. "We're not into PDAs."
Nina snarked, "You wouldn't have guessed that from watching the two of you making out on TV."
"When will the statute of limitations be up on THAT!" Sara begged to know. Wasn't it about time for another scandal?
Warrick didn't waste time answering, "Right after you feed your man a bite of cake." The small crowd enthusiastically agreed through claps and cheers.
"I'm game if you are," Gil proposed. "We're married and it doesn't violate department policy, so there won't be any repercussions other than embarrassment."
Stunned he was complying; Sara broke into a nervous smile. "Okay then." She inserted the fork into the creamy chocolate frosted cake, producing a gooey bite. "Happy Birthday."
"I was bluffing!" He said right before she shoved the forkful of cake in his mouth.
"They made contact!" Brass yelled with the verve of a football announcer. "Quick, someone run outside and see if dogs and cats are frolicking together in the street."
Blushing to a deep shade of red, Sara couldn't look anyone but her husband in the eye. "I can't believe I just did that in the break room."
"Trust me…" Catherine assured them. "…it's not the most scandalous thing to ever happen in the break room by far."
"I'm sure you would know," Sara chuckled as she licked chocolate frosting off the tip of her index finger.
"Okay…sorry, party's over," Nick boomed. "I need the dynamic duo…Sara and Greg." He handed over a slip of paper to Sara. "It's a 420…execution style, in a lovely part of North Las Vegas. Vega and his boys are en route. I want a weapons check, then pack it and don't forget your vests... 'cause I'm a safety guy."
A hush fell over the room until Grissom broke the silence with a question. "You sure you don't want to send a third person on the call?"
Nick shook his head, "One DB, clearly a 420…it's a two person job. Pete, Jas and I are due in court in an hour." Watching Grissom's expression he realized it wasn't the number of people, but rather who he was sending to do the job.
Likewise, Tawny and Bev were suddenly faced with the reality of their loved one's dangerous job, but remained silent so as not to embarrass Greg.
"It's fine," Sara announced as she stood confidently and met her husband's concerned gaze. "I know Greg has my back and he knows I have his." Questions zipped through her mind. Is this how it's going to be from now on? Is Gil getting scared again? Why all of a sudden? Is it the prospect that I could be carrying his child that flares his concern? Maybe a flashback to the Dales Trail incident has him riled?
Nina, the daughter of a career military man and self-professed adrenaline junkie, blurted, "Chill out, Grissom. You know Sara is safe with Greggy, he's her hero of Dales Trail!"
Curious as to the meaning of the woman's statement, Bev probed, "What do you mean by that, Dear?"
"Uh…" Greg tried to stop Nina but she was too quick.
"Your son didn't tell you about saving Sara's life at a crime scene out in Blue Diamond?" Nina was happy to brag on her team member's behalf with the same enthusiasm she normally used with her danger-loving dad. "Greg and Sara were processing in a remote desert locale when out of nowhere a perp pistol-whipped Greg, leaving him for dead. Then, the scumbag captured Sara to use her as a getaway driver with plans to rape and kill her…or knowing the kind of sicko the pig was…he might have killed then raped her. Anyway, Sara managed to put up a valiant fight but in the end she was overpowered. As she was down on the ground one second away from taking a bullet in the third eye, Greg showed up, blood gushing from his head, lunged for the gun and shot the bastard dead to save Sara's life. Pretty damn impressive, huh! Aren't you proud of your boy?"
Bev's answer was eclipsed by Tawny passing out cold.
"Got her!" Nick called as he caught her before she hit the floor. "Does this happen a lot, Greg?"
"No!" Flooding with panic, Greg rushed to her side. "Tawny…"
Bev had an explanation. "Maybe the harrowing details of how my son almost died shocked the hell out of her!"
Nina realized a little too late that she was dealing with two squeamish civilians. "Sorry."
Greg took Tawny from Nick's arms. "Sara, can you grab the…"
"Got it." Grissom was already on his way with the first aid kit he pulled off the wall. "Smelling salts." He tore the end off the packet. "Sara, elevate her legs."
"Wait!" Bev shouted. "Is that stuff safe for the baby?"
Grissom confidently replied, "Yes, we replaced the old ammonia variety with herbal ones about a year ago for that very reason." He waved the packet under her nose and a few seconds later, he saw her eyes flutter open. "She's coming around and she's breathing fine."
"Baby?" Trey and Nina said to each other. That was a new detail.
On that note, Warrick rallied his teammates and whisked them out of the room. Pete and Jas followed so they wouldn't appear nosy.
"You fainted, Honey." Greg soothed her by brushing her hair. She looked so helpless lying there on the floor and the instinct to protect her rushed through him. "You're okay."
"Oh." Tawny saw Greg and Grissom's concerned faces looming over her. "Sorry. Didn't mean to cause a scene."
"I'm just glad you're okay." Greg heaved a sigh of relief.
"I'll take over," Bev told her son. Putting on a brave face, she said, "You have a job to do."
Suddenly Grissom was reminded that Sara did as well. "Call me when you're on your way back," He instructed his wife. "And if you need an extra hand, don't hesitate to call me in."
Downplaying his concern, she casually replied, "Go home and get some sleep. There's a gift for you on your pillow." Once Nick took over elevating Tawny's feet, Sara stood. "Alright, Greg, let's roll."
Nodding, he left Tawny in his mother's care. "I'll check in with you later. Have fun."
Kneeling side by side over Tawny, Bev glanced over at Grissom. "I still can't get used to having Greg in the field. Especially not after that story. How do you handle your wife going out there wearing a bulletproof vest and potentially getting shot at?"
"I uh…" Suddenly his old fears came surging back. "Um…"
Nick replied, "Greg and Sara are both excellent CSIs, ma'am. Trained professionals. I'm not worried. They'll be fine." Catching Grissom's eye, Nick gave a nod. "Isn't that right, Gris?"
"That's right."
Sara's Tahoe
7:53 a.m.
At a red light, Sara reached over and gave Greg's shoulder a squeeze. "You wanna call and check on her again?"
"Don't you mean them?" A tortured sigh slowly leaked out of his mouth. "They really didn't need to hear that information. I purposely didn't tell my mother about it because I knew she'd freak. She's was having a hard enough time with me being in the field already. Plus she's stressed over the pregnancy. Nina and her big mouth."
"Does your mom approve of Tawny?"
"Are you kidding? I think she wants to adopt her." Staring out the window, he watched the scenery zip by and forced himself to crack a joke. "That wouldn't be incest, would it?"
"Technically no, but it's a bit too squicky for my taste."
"Did you happen to notice that your husband was getting twitchy over you being on this call?" He turned to watch her reaction. "I'm pretty sure he was having a flashback to Dales Trail. You think he's going to be able to handle you in the field after you get pregnant…that is, if you're not already pregnant?"
Needing to get her concern off her chest, she shared her thoughts. "After Dales Trail he didn't want us to try anymore. It took a while to get past it, but we did. That look on his face earlier…it was the same look he had back then." Now she had another excellent reason to want this month to be a success…Gil might get cold feet again.
"I can't blame him," Greg admitted, feeling a little bad for not supporting Sara more. "I didn't even want Tawny to take a job at night because I was worried about her and the baby. Sorry to say this to you, but…there's no way I could handle her headin' off to gangland sporting Kevlar and waving a pistol. All of a sudden, all I want to do is protect her."
"And I thought you were a modern guy?" Refusing to get bogged down in the morbidity, she teased, "Anyway, Tawny couldn't fit into a vest with those gigantic boobs!"
Taking the bait, he chuckled, "They are out of control. After the pregnancy and breastfeeding, she wants to have them reduced back to Bs."
"Awww, are you crushed that she wants to return to her mortal state?" She asked, knowing that Tawny's initial appeal to Greg was her D cups and open door booty call policy.
"Honestly?" He hid his embarrassment by glancing out the window. "I'm still getting a rush from having the ultimate hottie on my arm. I never got anywhere near a girl like her in school. You should have seen Nick and Warrick's eyes pop out of their heads the first time they saw her. You know how many times those two have been around the block with women of substance…so if Tawny renders them speechless, she's a knockout."
Disappointed with his reply, she said, "You really want your girlfriend, the mother of your child, objectified like that? Don't you want people to see the other good qualities about her? Because the way it stands right now…with the jumbo jugs, giant stripper hair and talons for nails…all guys are seeing is a babe they'd like to bag. Sounds like a paradox to me…you say you want to protect her, but you parade her around knowing men are leering at her? No comprendo Greggo."
Unable to discount her observation, he copped to the shameless truth. "I'm not proud of my shallowness. I'm just about beyond it, but the geek in me, the one who went twenty-nine years without a hottie...is begging for a few more weeks of one-upmanship."
Getting more irked by the second, Sara chided, "Incredibly selfish behavior and you know…the guys may be gawking at your babe, but it cheapens her and ultimately they have no respect for you…which is the opposite of what you're going for and could get you into big trouble."
Feeling guilty, he uttered, "You mean like what happened with Hodges?
"You're lucky Hodges is a delicate flower like you." She scolded, "What happens if you're out showing off your hottie and some six-foot five, 300 pound muscle man decides he likes what he sees? You're playing with fire and you may not be the only one who gets burned." On a roll, she kept on lecturing. "A respectable guy doesn't flaunt his woman's sexuality for other men to enjoy. Do you think Nick sleazes-up Carrie in a micro-mini and leather bustier, then takes her out for a night on the town so other men can salivate over her? With previous women, hell yeah, but not a woman he respects…not the woman he took home to meet Mama Stokes and not his future wife and mother of his children. Sure, Nick's more than willing to listen to you talk about Tawny's acrobatic maneuvers in the sack, but does he ever reciprocate with tales of Carrie?"
"Nope." With conviction, Greg announced, "Yeah…it's official, I feel like shit."
"Good!" Losing the edge in her voice, she opted for an educational vibe. "Look…I'm not talking about being happy to have someone attractive on your arm. And I can empathize with your ugly swan/late bloomer syndrome. When Gil and I went to the opera in San Francisco and he looked great in his tux, I was thrilled to be out and have a sexy, sophisticated man by my side. We even ran into an old boyfriend of mine and I played it to the hilt, but on an intellectual level…" She paused for a chuckle. "Uh, now that I've uttered the term sexy in regards to my husband, I feel I should emphasize this conversation is confidential and stays that way."
"I copy," Greg assured her. "And you want to take a left up here."
While following his driving directions, she continued her lesson. "I've only been in a serious relationship for a year so I'm hardly an expert…and I'm not a guy, but here's what I think you're missing. The real rush isn't sharing every inch of your woman's assets with the world, it's keeping her assets away from the rest of the world and knowing they are yours exclusively to enjoy while the other guys can only dream of seeing them." Her voice turned mischievous. "You think I don't know that Gil likes having me on his arm looking fine? Of course he does, but never at my expense. He doesn't want the whole world to see all of me. He knows what's under my red dress and how I'll behave out of it…the rest of world can only speculate. You're not giving the rest of the world a chance to speculate on Tawny because what they see is almost everything you get."
Never quite having a conversation like this with Sara, he was highly intrigued and began taking a more active role. "Like the whole librarian by day, red-hot vixen by night mystique?"
"Exactly!" She chuckled. "Why do you think that's such a turn-on…because no one really knows what's under that conservative suit the librarian is wearing. They don't know what she looks like with her hair down and her glasses off…or how she'll act. It's all speculation."
Teasing her, he provided another analogy. "Kind of like how everyone speculates if you and Grissom do more than crossword puzzles in bed."
"Right!" Keeping her eyes on the traffic, she laughed with Greg.
"Of course, Boom Boom, I know all about your adventurous play from that time when you were extremely inebriated and uncharacteristically uninhibited at The Lunar Lounge. What was it you said you earned from Grissom? 500 bucks for services rendered?" He shook with laughter. "I'll never forget Brass' face when you dropped that bomb!"
"See, that's what I'm talking about!" She laughed harder. "Boom Boom doesn't make public appearances because Gil doesn't want other guys enjoying her talents…they're his exclusively. So there he is standing in the break room while you guys are cracking jokes about us, but the whole time he knows two things…one, you're dying to know the truth about me, and two…he's gettin' plenty of quality action at home. Speculation my friend…try it."
"Oh, I've done my fair share." He sighed, "Do you have any idea the amount of speculating the guys and I have done over the type of underwear you wear?"
"I had a feeling." She chortled, "You guys are always checking for panty lines when I bend over at crime scenes. So what's the bet?"
"Twenty bucks. Warrick says thong, Nick says no way, you're a traditional panty girl." Like a giddy school boy, he shared his guess, "I say none."
"Wouldn't you like to know?" She taunted in a laugh. "Now I'll prove my point that speculation is always more exciting. Warrick's right."
Crushed by the loss…both of the fantasy and the bet, he only had one salvation. "Since this conversation was deemed confidential, I can't tell Warrick and therefore I can't lose twenty bucks."
"That's right." Making the final turn toward the crime scene, Sara summed up her thoughts. "Don't worry; Tawny can still be your Hot Stripper Girl, Greggy...in private. She just doesn't have to look the part when she's grocery shopping."
"Thanks for the talk," He said with sincerity. "I needed it."
"I'm always here to talk or answer your questions."
Her statement triggered one in particular and it slipped out of Greg's mouth with ease. "String or regular thong?"
After a wink, she informed him, "That's for Gil to know and you to speculate."
Dying of curiosity, he offered a suggestion. "Instead of that great gift you promised me for helping you get the book for Gris' birthday…just answer my thong question. Because we both know you'll be busy giving birth on my birthday."
Hoping he was right, grateful for his help, and knowing there wouldn't be any frivolity once they arrived at the scene, she granted his request. "I hope you can handle this, Greg. I'm wearing a Victoria's Secret Butterfly-back V-string ….a sexy little black panty with three fuchsia butterflies at the top of the string. You know…a little something special for Entomologist Birthday Boy."
"I like the whole matching the underwear to the guy's hobby theme." A playful snicker tumbled from his mouth. "Very thoughtful."
"I thought so." Seeing the crime scene up ahead, Sara slowed her vehicle and looked for a place to park. "Okay…let's get in and out of here with no drama, shall we?"
"Amen, Sis."
Opening her door she guffawed, "How can you refer to me as your sister after asking about my panties?"
Without missing a beat, he replied, "I blame the Inner Scandinavian Redneck in me."
Dr. Myers Office
8:55 a.m.
For the past hour, Bev Sanders sat in the waiting area of the doctor's office absently flipping through magazines trying to block the stressful thoughts attempting a coup in her mind.
At the moment, her son was wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying a gun in the worst part of the city while investigating a gang-related murder. It was a far cry from what she always imagined him doing… prestigious medical research in a renowned lab and ultimately finding a cure for cancer. Then again, with help of a little metaphorical thinking, she realized she wasn't that far off. Crime is a cancer, she convinced herself, and Greg is working in one of the best labs in the country trying to put a stop to it.
One difference she couldn't rationalize away. Her only child wouldn't be wearing a vest and sporting a pistol if he was working in cancer research. He was her miracle, the one baby she carried to term and his loss was unthinkable.
When her mind wasn't preoccupied with her son's safety, it focused on Tawny. It would have been so much easier to find Tawny a wholly unlikable liar…nothing more than a sleazy bimbo who trapped Greg, treated him horribly and maybe wasn't being truthful about the baby's paternity. It would have been all Tawny's fault and her son nothing more than a gullible pawn in her game.
Her findings couldn't have been more contrary. Tawny was a sweet misguided young thing, grateful for a new, normal life and happy to be Greg's loving and attentive significant other. And even though Tawny entered Greg's life in an unconventional way, she couldn't have been more grateful for her arrival.
Bev Sanders always knew one day she'd ultimately lose her baby boy to someone else, 98 percent of the time she believed it would be a woman.
When she imagined the woman capturing her boy's heart, she always envisioned a nightmare. The woman was always unsuitable for him…too unappreciative of him and his quirks. Someone who would try and forcibly change him, like her husband had been guilty of from time to time. During these nightmares she felt the pain of standing on the shore helplessly watching her son be swept further and further away. Certain, the new woman in his life would impose distance between him and his family. Brainwashing him to ignore his mother's pesky weekly calls and convincing him that visiting California a few times a year was too much. The bitch of these nightmares was a cold, ruthless creature and Bev dreaded the day her son's loss to someone else would switch from harrowing fantasy to reality. She dreaded it, until she met Tawny.
With Tawny she knew the nightmare would never happen and for a very good reason. For as much as Tawny needed Greg in her life, she desperately needed something else…a mother's love. For her son, it was a match made from a reckless mistake. For Bev, it was a match made in heaven. Tawny needed a mother and Bev, after losing two baby daughters, was ready to have one to love.
When Dr. Myers's door opened, Bev tossed her magazine and stood. "Where's Tawny?" She asked the doctor standing in the doorway wearing a stunning peach chenille suit.
"She's in the patient exit room, Mrs. Sanders." Dr. Myers motioned for her to follow her down the hall. "If a patient needs a little private time after a session, she can sit in the exit room and compose herself before stepping outside. There is door leading from my office and there is also a door here." She stopped in front of door labeled, 'Private - knock before entering'.
Never having been to a therapist, Bev found it quite intriguing. "It's a very considerate idea."
The doctor smiled, "If you don't mind, Tawny asked for you to join her."
"Certainly."
After a quick knock, Dr. Myers said, "Tawny, Mrs. Sanders is with me. Can I open the door?"
The reply came instantly. "Yes."
"It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Sanders." The doctor shook her hand. "Now if you'll excuse me, my nine o'clock is waiting."
"Thank you." Anxious to fulfill Tawny's request, she opened the door. "Oh, Honey…"
Sobbing into a pile of tissues, Tawny pleaded, "Can I have a hug?"
"Of course, Dear." Bev shut the door, dropped her purse and hurried over to the distraught girl. "Anytime."
"Thanks." Her sobs slowed as she savored the loving embrace.
Reaching out, she sympathetically asked, "What happened?" Then she realized she may have overstepped a boundary. "I'm sorry…that's not really appropriate for me to ask."
"It's okay," She sniffled. "Your visit…it brought out a lot of stuff…it's been really hard. I mean not you…but…seeing you with Greg and how much you love each other…it makes me miss my dad and….makes me hate my mother even more."
Feeling Tawny tremble in her arms, Bev probed, "Why do you hate your mother, Sweetheart?"
Tawny let the whole heartbreaking story flow along with her tears…her happy childhood cut short by her father's untimely death and her mother's twisted boyfriend. How she ran away with an unsavory character and her subsequent introduction into the seedy nightlife of Vegas. She detailed her years of searching for a better life, always in the wrong places…with the wrong guys and the lies, the temptations and the abuse she experienced along the way. Then she spoke of Greg and how they met and why he was different from all the rest.
Thirty minutes later, while Tawny used the restroom, Bev appreciated the privacy of the patient exit room to compose herself.
When Tawny emerged, her face washed of all make up, she said, "I'm doing much better now."
"Great," Bev replied in a feigned cheerfulness, while wishing she could say the same about herself. "I had an idea while you were in the restroom." Standing up, she took a cleansing breath. "You said you were happy to be getting a chance at a new, more respectable life."
"Yes." Picking up her hot pink fur-trimmed purse, she smiled appreciatively.
Throwing her arm around Tawny's shoulder, Bev asked, "Have you ever seen those makeover shows on TV?"
"I love them!" Her catharsis behind her, Tawny's natural zeal was returning.
"I'm thinking…" Bev removed her arm from around Tawny and opened the door. "…you need a new look to go with your new, more respectable life. A look more befitting of a college student and a CSI's significant other. I'd like to sponsor it…take you to the salon and a shopping spree. I'm talking the works…spare no expense. Are you game?"
"Are you kidding!" Bursting with excitement, she blurted, "Yes! Oh my god, this is like Pretty Woman, but without me having to sleep with anyone to get the nice hair and clothes." Then she rethought her statement. "Well, since my sleeping with Greg and getting pregnant is the reason for knowing you, I guess that's not really true."
Bev assured her as they left the office, "I'm not doing this because you slept with my son and are having his baby. I'm doing this because I want to help you, Tawny. Because I care."
In the parking lot, Tawny took Bev's hand and softly said, "Lots of people at the lab said you were a real hard-ass, but I think you're one of the nicest people I've ever met in my entire life. If against all odds the baby isn't Greg's and he, understandably, can't stay with me, I want you to know, I won't just miss him, I'll miss you too. But I'll always be grateful that I got to meet you and have these couple of days with you. I know I'll be a better person for it."
Bev gave her hand a squeeze, "Sweetie, I'll never lie to you. I can't speak for my son because frankly, after some of the things you told me, I'm not sure how well I really know him anymore. I don't know how Greg will react if the baby isn't his, but I can promise you this…no matter what happens, if ever you need me, you can call. Do you understand?"
Overwhelmed by the commitment, she could only nod.
Pulling out Greg's car keys, Bev unalarmed the pricey vehicle. "Now let's go spend some money. That always cheers me up." Remembering Tawny's reference to Pretty Woman, she said, "Do you want me to make the sales clerks suck up to you?"
"No," She giggled. "Well…only if they're snooty." With that, she hopped into the car.
Sliding behind the wheel of her son's brand new and entirely impractical car, Bev remarked, "Greg's going to need a different car because this one is certainly not baby-friendly." Turning the ignition, she revved the motor. "I may have a buyer for it."
"Really?" Tawny inquired as she buckled up. "Who?"
Slipping on her designer shades, Bev backed out of the parking space smirking. "Me! The kids at school will think I'm da' bomb driving these wheels. Don't you think?"
"Totally!" Tawny confirmed while she fell a little harder for Greg's mom and risked a little more of her heart.