Feasibility Study
Written by: Ms Maggs / Edited by: KJT
Epilogue – Part 1
Sunday, August 29, 2005
The Blakes
6:32 a.m.
Holding Ashley in her arms, Wendy glanced around the living room and moaned, "This place was clean when I went to bed last night. You kids have only been up thirty minutes and it's trashed. Couldn't you have sat mindlessly in front of the TV like normal children, instead of playing with things and running around?"
Sean immediately began helping McKenna pick up her Barbie dolls and their bazillion accessories. "Sorry, Mom. I know you like the house nice when company's coming."
Ryan continued to sort baseball cards on the floor unfazed.
"Ryan…" Paul hurried over from the computer in the corner of the room. "Didn't you hear your mother? We need to clean up before we go to church this morning because we have company coming." When he didn't get a response Paul cleared his throat. "If you want to make a good impression on Tawny, you better help clean the house. I hear she hates slobs."
"Paul!" Wendy's eyes darted to her husband and she heatedly whispered, "You're encouraging him to lust?"
In her ear he replied, "No, I'm encouraging him to clean." He pointed out the fact that Ryan was now outpacing Sean in the clean up effort. "He's already lusting, Honey, and nothing I say will curtail it. He'll be thirteen soon. You do know what he's doing in the bathroom, right?" When he saw his wife cringe he patted her back." It's biological. You can ask Gil later if you don't believe me. He's got a PhD on the subject."
As they walked into the kitchen together Wendy quipped, "Yeah…I'll make sure I bring up whacking off over hot dogs and lemonade." She laughed upon envisioning the scene in her head. "I bet that will make a wonderful first impression on Nick's mother."
"Oh please…if ever a boy spanked his monkey five times a day, Nick did. Hell, he's still a horny teen." Laughing heartily Paul said, "Remember how Carrie was walking funny when she first started sleeping with Nick? HA! She kept saying it was her new kickboxing class. As if we believed…" Paul finally noticed his dad sitting in the corner of the kitchen. "And then we found out it really was the kickboxing class making her sore. Yeah…that was the funny part, Dad. Turns out Nick and Carrie made some kind of chastity vow and they're waiting until the wedding night to do the deed."
Nick and Carrie's Apartment
7:06 a.m.
The previous night, when Carrie and Nick arrived home at ten, they were too exhausted from five days of outdoor adventure and liberating sex to tackle chores. Instead, they dropped their bags in the living room and went straight to bed, with a plan to wake up early and clean in the morning. Unfortunately, neither set the alarm clock.
"Nicky!" Carrie shoved him hard. "Wake up!"
Bolting upright, Nick immediately looked for his hysterical fiancée. "What's wrong?"
"We overslept. We're supposed to leave at eight to meet your mom for breakfast. It's already after seven and we haven't cleaned." With her panic justified, Carrie threw back the covers and jumped out of bed. "OH!" She winced and fell backwards. "My ass!" She couldn't believe how sore she was. "I can't walk."
He couldn't hold in his laughter. "Still want a horse?" Nick climbed out of bed to walk around and help her.
"Your mother is going to think we had a sex-a-thon on vacation." She held out her hands, letting him pull her slowly to her feet. "How are we going to clean the apartment, shower, and get dressed in forty-five minutes?"
The wisecrack flowed right off his tongue. "I'll help you shower." Nick instinctively jumped back and missed the punch to his gut. "Hey, I have another option for you."
Carrie fought off a smile. "Which is?"
"Since she's my mom, and I invited her without asking you, how about I clean the apartment while you take your time showering and dressing so you can look your best?"
Carrie kissed his cheek. "Your mama really did raise you right, Tex."
The Bellagio
Room 476
7:17 a.m.
"You better do somethin' about your son, Bill," Jillian snipped as she snapped her suitcase closed.
"You've disowned him?"
"I'm on the verge and was testing it out for size." Sitting on the bed she released a labored sigh. "When I called up there yesterday, Melissa answered the phone hysterical. Andy's never home and..." She stopped before going too far.
"Honey, he's positioning himself for the top spot when his boss retires next year. While I'm not happy with the career he's chosen, I can't fault him for doing what it takes to succeed within his field. Melissa never intended to work and made it clear she expected him to provide the finer things in life. It's the bed they chose to make."
In forty-seven years of marriage Jillian had never kept anything from her husband, but she knew better than to voice an accusation without the proper evidence.
"Their marriage is different than ours, Jilly. Different than all the girls' marriages and from what you've told me, Nick's future one."
"You've got that right." She laughed, happy to change the subject and hoping he was right and her concerns were unfounded. "If Nicky ever told Carrie what to do, I think he'd be singing soprano for a month."
"Now how bad does this look that you're spending more quality time with our future daughter-in-law before I even meet her? And now you get to meet her father too. I feel terrible. If I wasn't on this boat in the middle of nowhere, I'd fly out to be by your side like a good husband should."
The Bellagio
Suite C
7:31 a.m.
Standing beside Tawny holding her hair, Greg patiently waited for her to finish vomiting. The morning ritual was so commonplace now, it fazed him as much as watching her brush her teeth.
"I'm done," Tawny announced in a chipper tone as she jumped up, heading for the sink to brush and gargle. "Where's that room service menu?" She began brushing vigorously.
"I've got it right here." Initially he found it disturbing that Tawny could chow down so soon after hurling in the morning, but now he was used to it and perused the menu with enthusiasm. "I'm thinking pancakes."
"Mmm, that sounds perfect." Now that her breath was fresh, she slipped into Greg's arms for a proper greeting. "Morning."
"Sorry for waking you up so early." He was certain his shrieks alarmed half the hotel. "We're quite the sexy couple in the morning, huh? Me screaming like a lunatic as sweat pours down my face and you running to the bathroom to vomit. Bellagio management is probably sending someone to escort us out as I speak."
Tawny chuckled as she held him tighter. "Nah…happens all the time with celebrities after a hard night of partying. Only they usually break things too and have to pay to replace them."
"I did flood the bathroom yesterday." He glanced around looking for signs of water damage. "And I knocked over that lamp when we were dancing around the living room in our underwear." They had been role playing at the time, Greg as a musician and Tawny as his groupie. In the plush suite they partied hard, only without the typical sex or booze one would normally expect to find in a rock star fantasy, because both indulgences were off limits per doctors' orders. Fortunately, Greg and Tawny had such active imaginations they didn't need alcohol or traditional sex to have an amazing time.
"Last night was so much fun." Batting her eyes at her man, she reminisced, "I loved when you stood on the coffee table and sang to me. I got goosebumps."
"I loved when you stood on the coffee table and danced for me." After pecking her lips Greg released a grin. "Thanks for coming out of retirement."
"I love dancing for you." Placing her palms on his chest she smiled. "I get such a rush watching you watch me."
"Maybe we should get a sturdier coffee table for home." He chuckled, "Hey…we can put it on our wedding registry…coffee table strong enough to withstand vigorous stripping and singing performances. I'm sure if she knew how we were going to use it, Catherine would much rather buy that for us than a blender."
"Oh!" Tawny jumped back. "I forgot to tell you! Speaking of Catherine and wedding presents…"
"You're not going to tell me Catherine and Warrick got married yesterday too, are you?"
"No…this is about Gil and Sara."
The Bellagio
Room 912
7:42 a.m.
"Happy one month anniversary, Honey," Gil greeted when he saw his wife's eyes fluttering open. "Did you sleep well?" He asked as she stretched and sighed blissfully next to him.
"Like a baby." Which cued her to place her palm on her belly. "Happy Anniversary." Sara lunged over for a kiss. But since neither had brushed yet that morning, she limited it to a peck. "I'm happily married and pregnant!" She rejoiced. "How the hell did that happen when a year ago all I did for fun was listen to depressing chick rock alone in my apartment, drink beer and play solitaire? I am awake, right?"
"Let's only look forward not backwards," Gil prodded. "Hey…why do people say 'I slept like a baby' as a positive thing if babies supposedly wake up several times a night?"
"I think, after they wake up shrieking and making demands, once you pacify them, they go back to sleep very soundly."
"Yeah…that's how it worked with Greg the other night when I was staying at the townhouse and he had a nightmare." Gil cracked a grin, "He continues to provide excellent paternal practice opportunities for me."
"Maybe you can cut up his meat for him at the BBQ later." With a straight face she joked, "Just promise me you won't test out your diapering skills on him."
Gil glared at his wife. "That's disgusting."
"It was a joke!" She cracked up and kept needling. "But it's feasible because there's that store on 7th and Thompson that sells stuff for adults who like to be babied. I had to go there on a case once. Warrick was with me and he got so squicked when he saw this guy sitting in a playpen testing out rattles, he had to wait outside while I finished. Eviscerated bodies and decomposing corpses he handles, but man-babies send Warrick over the edge."
Crime Lab
7:45 a.m.
"That's messed up," Warrick informed Catherine as he closed the file. "Just when I thought I've seen it all."
"New freaks arrive in this town every day, obviously they're bringing new ideas." She lifted her mug, taking another sip of coffee. "And that guy was a school teacher in Missouri before moving here. Ugh…as soon as I get Lindsay's teacher list next week, I'm running checks on all of them looking for dirt."
Warrick picked up the next file. "Duane Burbank…rape case."
"He raped the girl Nick and Carrie found at the clinic before they left town…Hannah Barstow."
"Right." He started flipping through the pages.
Catherine relaxed in Warrick's guest chair. "His DNA was all over her and the doctor's internal exam confirmed the sex was rough. As luck would have it, Hannah was just at her GYN the week before for her first annual. The GYN's records reflect that Hannah stated she never had sexual intercourse and the doctor's exam notes state Hannah had a partially intact hymen."
"What do we have to demonstrate lack of consent?" Warrick asked while he opened the envelope of photos included in the file.
"Her statement, pictures of the room showing signs of struggle. My personal favorite…a lovely photo of bruises on her forearm that match Duane's grip. A shoulder injury consistent with her arm being twisted forcefully behind her back, the blanket was covered in her tears and mucous in one spot, blood in another…I could go on but I'd rather stop and try to salvage my good mood." Catherine shook her head. "Bottom line…she's a sweet kid from a nice family who sings in the church choir, we have plenty of evidence and…he's a pig. I doubt anyone is going to believe she chose to give up her virginity to him in that manner. If it goes to trial, the jury will be out in ten minutes."
"How sweet and innocent is Hannah if she knew about ECPs and went to a clinic?"
"Don't change jobs…because you'd stink as a sleazy defense lawyer." Catherine's lips spread into a smile. "They provide sex education in high school, including material on ECPs and I think even a non-savvy girl can use a phonebook to look up a clinic."
Reviewing the girl's statement Warrick said, "Both you and Nick will have to testify. He was the first person she told so he'll be a witness for the prosecution, and you processed her."
"Can I see that statement?"
He handed it over.
Quickly she darted her eyes line by line.
"What are you looking for?" Warrick asked when he saw concern mounting on Catherine's face.
Smiling she returned the document. "Nothing in particular." She knew Nick had told the girl something about his abuse experience and was relieved to see that it wasn't mentioned by her in the official statement. Of course, on the stand, anything could come up or be asked.
"So what's the deal with church this morning?" Warrick quizzed. Catherine had been waffling all week.
"I don't want to go."
"Lindsay thinks we're going."
"I was uh…hoping you'd take her." Catherine stood and collected her piles of files. "Because I'm really behind and need to put in some OT."
"I didn't authorize any OT."
Smirking she headed for the door. "Grissom never cared about that rule and if I wanted to follow protocol I'd switch to Days and work for Nick."
"I'm not Grissom or Nick."
In the doorway she purred, "That's blatantly obvious when I'm between the sheets with you, Baby." After shutting his door, Catherine turned and realized Sofia had been within earshot. "Eavesdropping is so déclassé."
"And I suppose standing in the office boasting about your boss's bedroom performance is the epitome of appropriate."
Catherine leaned in whispering, "When it comes to Warrick's performance in bed, trust me…boasting is most definitelyappropriate." With that she took off strutting down the hall.
Having reached her limit, Sofia knocked on her boss's door.
"Come on in."
Throwing open the door she huffed, "Catherine's ego is taking up way too much space on this shift."
"Why can't the two of you just get along?"
"Is that your best supervisory response?" Sofia came to rest standing in front of his desk.
"I'm sorry." He motioned for her to have a seat. "How can I help rectify this situation, Ms. Curtis?"
"Split us up." She plopped in the chair. "I want my old assignment back."
"You really want to be under Nick again?" He didn't mean for it to come out that way, but now that he had, Warrick couldn't hold back the smile. "I didn't mean to imply…"
"That was hilarious, Beavis," Sofia groaned before tossing out her proposal. "With Sara pregnant and therefore restricted from certain duties, Day shift is entitled to an extra person. I want the spot. I want my old life back."
"So…let me get this straight." Warrick leaned back in his chair. "You're giving me an opportunity to split up you and Cath."
"Yes."
"Let me grab the right form." He leapt up from the chair, with every intention of loudly praising the Lord when he took Lindsay to church later. "You do realize, with Nick on personal leave, Grissom suspended, the Swing Supervisor on vacation, and Brass not in the office today…I'm in charge."
"Absolutely." Sofia's frown curved north. "So you get to approve my request."
"You're an opportunist," Warrick declared as he handed over the form.
"So are you." She took it and reached for the nearest pen. Once she was back on day shift she'd have her nights free again…just in case she wanted to see a certain someone who had their nights free.
Warrick couldn't wait to sign on the dotted line and be free of one of the Diva triplets. Now he would only have to deal with Nina and Catherine. "Nick's not going to be happy with me when he finds out I approved this."
Sofia smirked as she wrote. "But Catherine will be thrilled you did…I bet that has its perks."
"Hopefully Nick will be so blissed out when he returns he won't care."
Nick and Carrie's Apartment
7:44 a.m.
With a Swiffer Mitt on his hand, Nick raced around the apartment ridding everything of its dusty coating while thinking…this is why I didn't have knickknacks and crap in my old apartment. In the past forty minutes he had already scrubbed the guest bathroom, vacuumed, emptied the dishwasher, showered and dressed.
"Make sure you get the picture frames, because she'll definitely look closely at those," Carrie ordered while carrying the sheets she just plucked from the dryer. "I just realized that your mom is going to be sleeping in your old bed in the guestroom…eww." They had never slept together in his bed for the same icky reason she was thinking of right now…too many previous occupants.
"I'm not concerned," He replied while meticulously dusting Carrie's Pottery Barn décor. "The mattress is new, remember…and the headboard took a vow of silence." Then he broke into a laugh. "But we should make that clear to my mom. Because she'll recognize the bed from when she stayed with me a few years ago after I got a little messed up on the job…from the job is more like it. I told you about that."
Carrie couldn't believe some of the freaky things Nick had happen to him on the job over the years. The one thing about hearing him recount the tales that gave her peace was…he was so paranoid from all of it, now he was extra cautious. "You mean after the stalker incident, right?"
"Yeah…Nigel." He noted the tension in her voice. "Please don't worry about him, Darlin', he's chilling with Mike Rodgers in Ely for twenty-two more years." Nick never gave either of them another thought. What did worry him were the people who made death threats against Carrie when she was working for the DA's office in Seattle. Those people were never caught.
Carrie shivered from the horrible thought in her head. "Thanks for that comforting mental image…two people with grudges against you hanging out together. You do realize people can make trouble even when they're behind bars, right?"
"Sweetheart…" Having finished his chore Nick crossed the room to reassure his troubled fiancée with some lightheartedness. "Your worries about what my mom thinks are much more valid than worrying about Nigel or Mike doing something to me from prison. For instance, if my mom sees one too many dust bunnies she'll probably start pressuring me to call off the wedding." After kissing her cheek he took the sheets from her arms. "I'll make the bed."
"First…" Wrapping her arms around Nick she gave him a squeeze tight enough to threaten his oxygen supply. "I love you, Nicky. With all my heart."
"Sweetheart…"
Pulling back she forced a smiled. "In case your mom makes you dump me and I never see you again…I just wanted you to know that."
"Okay." Reaching out he ran his fingertips over her cheek. "Duly noted. And in case your father decides I'm not worthy of his little girl and tells me to get lost, remember this…no one is getting rid of me that easy…I'll fight to my last breath to stay with here with you." Pressing his lips to hers, Nick caressed a kiss over them. "I just wanted you to know that."
Carrie took the pillow cases from the top of the pile of sheets. "Come on…we'll make the bed together."
The Bellagio
Suite C
8:03 a.m.
With a smile plastered on his face Greg rolled the room service cart into the bedroom. "Breakfast is served, Princess." She looked angelic sitting on the billowy bed, wearing a delicate ivory chemise with her golden mane piled on top of her head.
Eyeing the cart draped in an elegant cloth and transporting a bevy of silver trays surrounding a vase of colorful flowers Tawny whimsically remarked, "This is a long way from eating Krispy Kremes off napkins, huh."
"No kidding." He carried over the tray and gently placed it on her lap. Next he smoothly removed the silver cover and fanned out a cloth napkin. "We'll get spoiled in California too. After that though, it's back to basics. And if I keep spending our savings on jewelry, we'll have to slum it and buy store-brand donuts instead of the good stuff."
"Don't forget…I'll have my new job with Ron Grissom and Lina when we get back." Tawny lifted her fork and salivated over the stack of fluffy pancakes before her. "Thirty-one thousand dollars a year to start, plus tons of benefits…including tuition reimbursement and paid maternity leave." With that cheery thought in her head she stuffed a forkful of syrup-covered goodness in her mouth.
"Maybe you should wait and see how my…" He opted to shove a strawberry in his mouth rather than speak the thought he blurted.
"What?" As she swallowed her third bite, Tawny watched Greg climb on the bed with his tray. "What were you going to say?"
"Promise you won't get pissed?" Grabbing a napkin he wiped his mouth.
Tawny rolled her eyes. "Whenever someone says that you know you are gonna get pissed."
"Okay…then promise you won't get too pissed." Greg cleared his throat and shared the news. "I have an appointment to meet with that recruiter when I'm in California. The guy who called and e-mailed…Gary Klein with ChemTech."
"Greg! This is exactly what I was talking about yesterday." Tawny waved her fork as she spoke. "I don't want you keeping major things from me like your mom does with your dad. You're acting just like her!"
Anxious to defend his position he retorted, "But I did this before you told me not to do that."
"But you said you've always been straight with me after you did this behind my back."
"I wouldn't make the decision without consulting you. I only made the appointment without asking." He thought it was a winning point.
"Fine." Tawny's shoulders slumped. "But I told you not to sell out your dream to support me and the babies. It will just make me feel guilty and you resentful."
"It's not the money…it's…" He shifted his eyes to the stack of untouched pancakes on his plate.
Setting down her fork, Tawny scooted over next to Greg. "You're scared about returning to work after what happened with Tucker Mifflin, aren't you?"
Watching the glob of butter melting on his pancakes he answered quietly, "I think I have a right to be, don't you?"
"Of course you do." She snuggled closer. "Please look at me."
After doing as requested he whispered, "It's not about the money. And I don't really want to move to California. I don't want to leave my job and friends but…I want to see my kids grow up and I want to grow old with you."
"There are no guarantees, Greg. I've heard about the freeways there, you could die in a car accident in California…or an earthquake…or from stepping off the curb at the wrong time. So could I. Life's too short…that's why you can't live it in fear. And it's too soon after the trauma to make a rational decision. I'm sure Dr. Myers would say the same thing." Smoothing her hand over his back she said, "This is an impulse reaction."
In a haunted tone he said, "Maybe a new job would make the nightmares stop."
"Maybe. Or maybe it would make new ones start." Squeezing his hand she admitted, "I finally feel like I have friends I can count on. I feel like I have a little family. I don't want to move. If you can't return to the field then maybe you can go back to DNA or get a lab job elsewhere in the city."
"I know you're right about it being impulsive." After a heavy sigh Greg said, "I promise I'll talk to Dr. Myers about it at my appointment Tuesday. But I need to do the interview because I already committed and…it will be good interview practice if I decide to go for something else here."
"Deal." She kissed his cheek.
Feeling bad for ruining breakfast he apologized, "Sorry…your pancakes are cold now."
"I like them that way," She replied through a sunny smile.
"Liar."
"Hey!" With a devilish grin and the desire to take Greg's mind off his troubles, Tawny lifted the small syrup carafe. "You know what else I like? This…" She playfully shoved Greg against the pillows and drizzled syrup down his bare chest.
"Hello!" He chuckled when Tawny dove for a taste. "You're just doing this to take my mind off things." Greg shivered from the delicate touch of her tongue gliding over the sugary trail.
"I'm practicing the wifely duty of cheering your husband up when he's feeling blue. Is it working?" She asked while smacking her lips.
He was grateful for the effort because the last thing he wanted to do was stress. "I think it would work even better if I spilled syrup on you."
Without hesitation she shucked her chemise and crashed back against the sheets. "Bon Apetite!"
Poised over her in his navy blue and white striped boxers, Greg raised the carafe of syrup and began pouring. "Bullseye!" He snickered and moved on to his next target. "Two bullseyes."
"Not to knock your syrup aiming skills but…how could you miss?" She joked. "The girls have officially puffed from Ds to Es. Do you know they make bras for Gs? I swear if I get that big I will fall over."
"I'll be there to catch, Sweetie." Grabbing a dish of whipped butter Greg wistfully remarked, "This is bringing back good memories of cheesecake with strawberries and whipped cream." With his finger he extracted a scoop and began mixing it with the maple syrup glistening on Tawny's chest.
"The cheesecake experience was your first time using food for fun…mmm…you've come a long way, Baby." From the smile on Greg's face as he closed in, Tawny knew her mission was accomplished. At least temporarily, he was distracted from stress. "You must be soooo hungry," She purred while running her fingers though his rumpled hair. "Feel free to have seconds if one serving isn't enough."
The Bellagio
Room 912
8:19 a.m.
Upon swallowing her last bite of pancakes Sara sighed, "I should have ordered two helpings."
"You're eating for two…why not order for two?" Gil suggested while clearing the breakfast dishes. Remembering he was playing the part of a rich playboy he added, "It's not like we have to watch our pennies, Darling."
Sara reclined in bed, grabbing the remote. "I will the next time you decide to play millionaire scamp."
"That will be on your birthday, my Dear."
"You're being very mysterious about these birthday plans." Flipping through the channels she looked for a mutually agreeable program. "You've got me so intrigued."
Slipping off the robe he had donned to wheel the cart outside, Gil returned to bed in his grey pajama bottoms. "Muti-millionaire heirs tend to be eccentric and unpredictable."
Sara cracked a smile. "Maybe you should start collecting exotic bugs…oh wait." And her eyes lit when she saw the logo for Amazing Birth Stories. "Are you up for a glimpse of our future, Honey?"
He happily curled up beside her. "Absolutely."
Crime Lab
8:14 a.m.
Warrick stared at the bold red letters which spelled APPROVED at the top of Sofia's request for a shift change. Graveyard was over, the day was off to a fantastic start and later he'd be chowing down BBQ and beer with friends. His life was perfect…and then David Hodges rushed through the door. "Boss!"
"I like knocking, remember?" Warrick curtly reminded his oft ill-mannered employee.
"Sorry!" Hodges rushed back through the door, knocked and hurried back inside. "I need to talk to you…it's urgent!"
"What's the point of knocking if…" Then Warrick decided he shouldn't be greedy, after all, he had just been blessed with a Sofia-free life. "How can I help you, Hodges?"
"I need to switch to Day shift!"
"Say again?" Warrick glanced around, looking for the running video camera recording what he now believed to be a practical joke. "Did Cath put you up to this?"
"No." He extended his left hand, displaying the gold wedding band that he and Celeste had purchased at the jewelry store down the street from the marriage license office. "My wife works during the day and I want my schedule to match hers."
"Your…wife?" Warrick was certain this was no longer a practical joke…it was a full-on hallucination. Maybe Theresa wasn't kidding when she said the brownies left in the breakroom were spiked.
"Isn't it great!" Hodges beamed as forcefully as a Star Trek transporter. "Tawny introduced me to the love of my life on Friday…Celeste Munroe…Celeste Hodges now." He gushed with pride. "Initially the blind date got off to a bad start when I was attacked by Celeste's ferret Princess Gwendolyn and nearly went into anaphylactic shock from its rodent dander. Shortly after that I cracked open my skull in her apartment…but that turned out to be a good thing because, Celeste and I really hit it off in the ER! By the next morning we were madly in love, basking in the afterglow of great sex and eating Fruit Loops while watching repeats of The Six Million Dollar Man."
"Yeah…I'll take 'Things a Brother Would Never Admit' for a thousand, Alex." Warrick fell back in his chair. "Hodges…you're making Sanders look real normal."
Café Bellagio
8:22 a.m.
Wearing a trendy, silk floral sundress in delicate pinks and yellows with a feminine ruffle hem, Carrie felt her look was perfect for the occasion. Surely it was something a stylish Dallas lady who did lunch would eye approvingly. "Are you sure I look okay?" Carrie asked before she stepped further into the restaurant to meet her future mother-in-law for only the second time.
"Sweetheart, you look fantastic…not too flashy…not too stuffy…just perfect." Nick gave her hand a squeeze. "And my mom isn't hung up on the latest fashions, so just relax." Then he remembered an easy way to score points with his fiancée and set her mind at ease. "Personally, I love those sexy ankle-strap sandals you chose…they make the outfit."
"Even though I know you're only telling me what I want to hear…I love you for it." Placing her hands on Nick's cheeks she stole an amorous kiss.
"Ahem." Jillian Stokes huffed behind Carrie's back. "Ms. Blake…how, when I gave you a whole night to get randy, are you still late for breakfast and still kissing my son?" When Carrie turned, Jillian opened her arms. "It's so great to see you again, Honey. How about a hug?"
Pushing past her embarrassment, Carrie slipped into the maternal embrace. "It's great to see you again too, Jillian. Sorry we're late."
Nick chimed in with a lie. "It's my fault we're late. I was having a hard time deciding which shoes to wear."
As both women laughed, Carrie stepped out of the embrace to let Nick have a turn at a hug.
"I finally convinced him to go with those chestnut leather oxfords," Carrie announced. "They're always the perfect compliment to khakis and I love them with that French blue button down he's wearing. I bought both the shirt and the shoes for him."
Nick knew his mother was getting a kick out of that statement.
"Get over here and give your mama a hug, Son."
Just then Carrie's phone rang. "Sorry…I'll step outside for a moment and take this."
Jillian waited with open arms and when Nick filled them she squeezed hard and teased, "That girl has turned you into her living Ken doll, hasn't she? Does she let you pick out your own skivvies?"
"And my own socks. It's great to see you, Mom. I'm really glad you came out." He returned the bear hug. "And look at you…." He stepped back and admired her appearance in one of her trademark Sunday church suits…today's choice, pale yellow. "Does Dad know you're hanging out at the Bellagio looking like a supermodel while he's off with a bunch of crusty old men reeking of fish?"
"Does Carrie enjoy those smooth lines of yours?"
"She makes fun of 'em."
"Another reason I like her." After checking out her boy from head to toe she remarked, "You look pretty relaxed for someone purported to be in the throes of a nervous breakdown." She wondered if Greg's suggested cure had indeed occurred.
"Carrie helped me work through a lot of stuff on vacation." Flashing a million watt smile he nodded. "Yeah…we had the best time. We're ten times closer now than when we got engaged last month."
"Glad to hear it, Honey." Jillian pressed her palm against his cheek. "And you know I'll be here if you need a shoulder or an ear, right? Don't hesitate. I like to feel needed." The last time he had called for help, after the stalker incident, it took quite some time for him to ease into confiding his fears.
Suddenly Nick was reminded of the real reason he called his mother out here…to tell her the shocking abuse story he knew would break her heart. In that moment he knew Carrie was brilliant that day when she made him tell his story over the phone because, looking into his mother's eyes, all the courage he had when talking to her long distance evaporated.
"Sorry!" Carrie declared when she returned. "That was Catherine." Shaking her head she looked at Nick. "In true Catherine style, she has hijacked the BBQ…or the last portion of it anyway. She asked Wendy if she could throw a little surprise wedding celebration for Gil and Sara because they never had one and it's their one month anniversary today."
Nick groaned, "Gris and Sara will hate that."
The hostess came up to Jillian. "Now that the rest of your party is here I'll show you to your table."
"Thank you." As they walked Jillian told Nick and Carrie, "When I spent the day here with Sara and Tawny yesterday, planning Tawny's wedding, I couldn't believe…"
"Back up, Mama." Nick stared at her along with Carrie. "How do you know Tawny? Why were you helping her plan her wedding and when did Greg propose?"
"We ran into each other at the spa. She was there with Sara." Jillian chuckled. "It's a real funny story."
The suspense killing Carrie she blurted, "When did Greg propose to Tawny! Did she say how he did it? Was it country potatoes or hash browns!"
"Huh?" Nick and his mother echoed each other.
"It's Tawny's term." Carrie explained, "It means, did he do it big and romantic or, did he just blurt it totally unprepared?"
"Neither." Jillian replied, "He's not proposing until next week in California. After he speaks with his father." She took a seat when Nick held out her chair.
"I suppose it makes sense for them to plan the wedding before getting engaged." Nick held out Carrie's chair. "They do everything out of order."
"They told me you're going to be the best man."
Still standing, Nick stared at his mom. "See…" Frustrated, he shook his head. "Greg did that out of order too. He told you I'm going to be the best man but…he hasn't asked me yet."
"Pretend I didn't tell you then." When Jillian saw her future daughter-in-law wincing in pain as she sat the joke rolled off her tongue, "Good Lord…you really did take my advice and go at it like jackrabbits last night. Carrie, Honey…maybe the hostess can snatch you a pillow from one of the guest rooms to sit on."
Nick raised his menu to hide his laughter.
"What? No!" Carrie protested. "I went horseback riding yesterday for the first time since I was ten. We rode all day. That's why it hurts to sit." When she saw Nick's menu shaking she kicked him under the table. "Oh, you think that's funny, Tex?"
From behind the menu he taunted her. "Is that the official story, Darlin? We went horseback riding?"
"Oh!" Turning to Mrs. Stokes Carrie innocently announced, "Nicky got a tattoo on his chest since you last saw him."
"He did what!" Jillian exclaimed.
"Roxie! What happened to the plan?" Nick lowered the menu and pointed at his fiancée. "She made me do it, Mama!"
The Blakes
9:05 a.m.
"I didn't do it!" Ryan shouted as he stood in the middle of the kitchen.
"I saw you do it. And you're lying right before going to church," Sean reminded him. "That makes it twice as bad."
"Boys!" Ken Blake stepped into the middle of the fray. "The two of you have been at each other's throats since I arrived. Why?"
"What's going on in here?" Paul asked as he raced into the room.
"I'll tell you what's going on." Ken motioned for the boys to leave the room. "Give me a minute alone with your father, please." Once they were gone he scolded, "You're losing control of your family, Paul."
"What?"
"Six months ago everything was fine here. Now that you've been at this new job and never home…you're losing control. The boys need their father." Ken's frustration grew. "I didn't raise you to be an absentee parent. I was always there supporting you when you were growing up."
"Until I let you down." The anger, like the blurt, came out of nowhere. "Then you strangled me in the living room and do I need to remind you that you would have succeeded in killing me if our neighbor hadn't subdued you? You almost killed me when I was fifteen and you have the nerve to say I'm losing control. What the hell, Dad!"
Stunned the anger was still there after years of family therapy Ken quietly said, "My God, Paul…we've been through this. I was out of my mind that day when I found out about what had been happening to Carrie at the hands of that monster. I don't even remember…you know what Dr. Scarpa said…since you were supposed to be watching your sister when she was getting sexually assaulted I naturally lashed out at you. It was…"
"Dad…I'm not still angry about what happened…at you or myself. You're right, we've been through it a million times in therapy, we all got closure, etc, etc." Paul stepped back and took a deep breath. "What I am angry about is…that you can be so judgmental when you've been less than perfect. Where's the empathy, Dad? Huh? If I could forgive you for almost killing me then I really think you should be able to cut me some slack when all I'm trying to do is keep this roof over my family's head."
"I'm sorry, Son." Ken lowered his head. "You're absolutely right."
Alone, outside the kitchen door, Sean wiped the tear slipping down his cheek. Another piece of the family puzzle had been acquired…an explanation for some of the things that he'd heard whispered over the years. And while everything about it frightened him, what scared him the most was the distance that could grow between fathers and sons. A distance he feared was already starting between him and his father and one that already existed between him and his brother. Every day the world seemed to get a bit more confusing. Most days he couldn't wait to be out of school and working at Dr. Grissom's side solving grisly cases and making the world a safer place. But sometimes, in moments like these, all he wanted was to be like his sisters, Ashley and McKenna…innocent and spared from it all.
The Bellagio
Room 912
9:00 a.m.
"What were we thinking watching that show? I wish I didn't know any of that," Sara blurted after finally recovering from the harrowing birth scene and near loss of mother and newborn. "We volunteered for that potential trauma." The image of resuscitation efforts on the baby while the mother coded was stuck in her head.
Gil didn't reply. He couldn't. He was too busy trying to slow down his pulse which he guessed had topped one hundred.
"To think you could go nine months with no problem, and then in the eleventh hour everything could go so horribly wrong. They were so happy when they got to the hospital and then…" Her voice losing strength, Sara turned to her husband. "After Tawny's suspected miscarriage, I thought about it but always in terms of it happening at the beginning, not on what's supposed to be the happiest day of our life together. I'm scared."
"Uh…" Forcing his own terror aside Gil took Sara in his arms.
"I think I finally understand how your fear of loss allowed you to avoid living for so long." Into his chest she sniffled, "Even though I know it will be so worth it in the end, right now the fear of losing the baby before it gets here is strong enough to make me wish we never tried."
"Honey…" He didn't have the right words so he just held her and empathized.
"Are you thinking it too?"
"No." He smoothed his hand over her back. "Because I know the rewards of overcoming fear and taking a chance on something that I never thought I'd get…unbelievable happiness. I wouldn't trade it."
She glanced up, her eyes glassy. "Would you still feel the same way if I died tomorrow?"
"Sara…" He couldn't stand the thought. "That's too morbid to…"
"Answer the question…would this year we've had together…this happiness we shared, be enough to outweigh the pain of the loss or…" She brushed away the tears she wished she wasn't shedding. "…or would you sit back and think I wish I was still safely detached?"
Swallowing the lump in his throat Gil replied, "Um…when I was trapped in the basement of Harper House I thought about that very thing, Sara. When Catherine was unconscious and the rubble kept shifting I really thought the end was near. And as I sat in that dark tiny space wondering if each breath would be my last I asked myself…would dying be easier if I hadn't lived so much this past year? The answer was a resounding no. But then…" His voice cracked when he recalled the painful memory. "I thought of you left behind and I wondered…would the pain Sara felt being left alone again make her regret the short time we had together? That question was much harder on me."
Sara nodded from experience. "Everything's harder on the one left behind and alone."
"It is scary." He used his thumb to brush her tears. "Living has terrified me most of my life, but this past year…it's also thrilled me beyond my wildest dreams. I think it's worth it Sara. I really do. Especially because I'm doing the living and the risk taking with you."
In her husband's arms Sara sought refuge. "I love you."
In her ear Gil whispered, "Hearing that makes everything worthwhile."
Author's Notes:
And so the epilogue begins with a few reminders of the past, a couple of hints of events to occur at the BBQ and some fears about the future. In the next part, after a few surprises at church, it's time to head back to the Blakes. To quote Carrie, "In true Catherine style, she has hijacked the BBQ." LOL I thought it was about time Cath gave Grissom and Sara some crap again. It's been FAR too long. Although the Fourth of July has passed…there will still be fireworks of several varieties over the course of the BBQ.
Epilogue Part 2 posting late Friday
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Maggs