Feasibility Study
Written by: Ms Maggs / Edited by: KJT
Epilogue – Part 3
Sunday, August 29, 2005
The Blakes
12:27 p.m.
While Wendy, holding Ashley, gave Jillian a tour of the house, and Nick tossed a football in the backyard with Ryan, Sean and Paul, Carrie sat down at the desk in the living room with McKenna on her lap and her dad at her side. The BBQ guests had been told to arrive by one-thirty, except for the Grissoms who were told two. Ron Grissom would also be arriving later in his limo, which would be used as part of the secret celebration.
"McKenna, I can't wait to show you the pictures of the baby deer I took," Carrie announced as she hooked up her digital camera to her brother's computer for downloading. "Dad…do you remember us going to that deer farm on the way to the Grand Canyon?"
The bittersweet memory came flooding back. "Your mother loved that place…both of you did. Paul and I, on the other hand, couldn't wait to get back in the car because we swore the deer were possessed."
Recalling how the deer trapped Nick, Carrie told her dad, "Your future son-in-law can relate, trust me. They had him pinned." The comment jarred her memory regarding certain other un-shareable photos on the camera. "I…um…need to wait for Nick to do this because he's the one who read the instructions. Hey, since you're dressed to swim, McKenna, how about I take you out to the pool and you can show me how to do that dive you're always talking about?"
The little girl cocked her head. "But you never go swimming."
Carrie could see her dad tensing so she revealed the first surprise. "That was before Nick gave me some new lessons on vacation. Now I'm not afraid to swim anymore and you can finally teach me your dive. I even bought a pretty new bathing suit in your favorite color…pink. It's under my clothes and I can't wait to show it to you when we get to the pool."
"Yay!" McKenna jumped off her aunt's lap and darted for the backdoor. "Grandpa, you can watch us!"
Once they were alone Ken asked his daughter, "You're swimming again?"
"I've changed a lot since Nick and I visited you in July." Smiling brightly Carrie hugged her father and commented, "I feel…renewed…like a Phoenix who has risen and shaken off the last ash."
Meanwhile, in the backyard, Sean was crashing and burning with every attempt to throw a solid spiral. In spite of his father's and Nick's coaching, he couldn't make it happen. "I don't want to keep holding you guys up," He announced. "I swear I won't feel bad if you play without me. I'll head inside and see if Mom needs any help putting Ashley down for her nap."
"If you insist, Bro," Ryan replied in the spirit of the truce and to encourage his brother to beat it so the real ball playing could begin.
Paul nodded, sensing that his athletically-challenged son needed a reprieve. "We'll get a good water volleyball game going when the guests arrive. I know that's more your thing."
Ryan choked back his laughter. "That sounds fun. I hope you'll be on my team, Bro!" He left out the reason…it will be much easier to accidentally injure you if we're on the same side of the net.
"Uncle Nick!" McKenna shrilled as she came charging out of the house, whizzing by Sean who was hurrying inside. "Aunt Carrie said you gave her special lessons on vacation and she's not afraid to swim anymore! She said she'd let me teach her my new dive."
And while Nick was thrilled Carrie was now able to swim with her niece, his stomach knotted because he knew the announcement meant it was time to reveal the tattoos. Taking McKenna's hand he said, "I better stand in the pool to catch her just in case she gets a little nervous."
Tossing the football to Ryan, Paul announced. "I need to see this."
"What? Dad!" Frustrated that everyone abandoned him Ryan spiked the ball. "We always play ball on Sunday."
"Later, Son." Paul headed for the pool hoping McKenna had the story straight.
When Nick saw Carrie bounding out of the house with her father on her heels, the knot in his stomach tightened and flashbacks of purposely disobeying his father's wishes only to get the shivery look of disappointment augmented the tension rippling through him. Although every fiber of his being, as well as his purported Spidey Sense, told him…keep your shirt on and don't go through with this…he was coerced into compliance by the outrageous smile on Carrie's face as she entered the fenced pool area. "Kenna tells me we're goin' swimmin'," Nick remarked while tugging off his muscle tee. After kicking off his Teva sandals, he stood at the edge of the pool sporting only navy blue board shorts, a nervous smile, and his tattoo. "Your turn, Darlin'."
Ken had never seen his future son-in-law stripped down to his shorts and was a little surprised to see a tattoo on his chest. Then again, from reading the Rodgers trial transcripts, he knew about Nick's wild past and assumed it was from the old days. Initially it had come as quite a shock when he read the cross-exam testimony which included information on Nick's personal association with the now convicted murderer, including a drunken night on the town with some strippers and a private party back at one of the girl's apartments. But after speaking at length with him, Ken quickly warmed to the idea of an older and wiser Nick for his daughter's protector.
With her back to her father, Carrie grinned at Nick, shoved down her shorts, and then tossed her baggy t-shirt. From behind she could hear her father's gasp and she wondered if it was the teeny bikini or the tattoo that was throwing him furthest over the edge. The suspense was killing her but her father remained silent.
Unlike her stunned grandpa, McKenna had no problem verbalizing her thoughts. "Aunt Carrie! You have a birdie drawed at the top of your butt! It wasn't there when we were trying on wedding dresses. Did you get it on your vacation? Why didn't you get a baby deer? I think that birdie would be prettier if it was pink to match your swim suit. Why is the birdie on fire?"
Ken's gaze drifted from his daughter's tattoo to Nick's and he confirmed the exact match. "Caroline?"
"Yes?" She turned and smiled as if nothing was askew in her father's world.
The sexy swimsuit and the body marking overwhelming him, Ken stammered, "What…when…this is his doing. He made you get a matching tattoo. He's changing you into someone I don't know."
Even though he saw it coming a mile away, Nick felt the sharp pang of the accusation and the drama that was sure to follow. And as luck would have it, his mother and Wendy were arriving just in time to witness it.
Paul, knowing his father's penchant for overprotecting Carrie, smelled the coffee and ordered Ryan, "Take your sister in the house right now for some cookies and milk. Eat as many as you want."
"Really?" Ryan couldn't believe his ears.
"Now!" Paul was happy to see immediate compliance from both children. "Look…why don't we…"
"What do you mean his doing?" Carrie prodded while cutting off her brother's attempt at controlling the situation. Then she fell speechless, suddenly overcome with guilt for putting Nick in this situation.
"Sir…" Feeling the chill wafting from Ken's eyes, Nick was twelve years old again and facing his intimidating father.
"Did you buy that skimpy suit for her?" Ken snipped as his heart pounded in his chest. "So you could parade her around in front of your friends like one of the loose girls you used to cavort with?" Appalled by this shocking turn of events Ken reached down and picked up his daughter's t-shirt to hand it to her. "You assured me you'd protect her. Is this your idea of protecting her? Having her flaunt her body because your ego demands it?"
Nick stood frozen, mesmerized by the man's angst.
"Yesterday, I heard from my grandchildren all about your wild friends, including your buddy's pregnant stripper girlfriend, Tawny who couldn't keep her chest in her dress even for church this morning. What…do you want Caroline to compete? What's next? Are you going to make her get breast augmentation so she fits in with your crowd?" His ire spiraling out of control Ken blasted, "I read the court transcripts. You can't dispute the fact that you have a less than stellar track record for picking friends. Your old drinking buddy, Mike Rodgers, raped my daughter-in-law and murdered her sister. You were once suspected of murder yourself when your prostitute friend was found dead hours after you slept with her. I've done my research!" He raged. "I trusted you when you said you changed your ways and would protect my baby girl but this…this leads me to believe you were pulling the wool over my eyes while you manipulated my vulnerable daughter. Don't you have anything to say for yourself?"
Before Nick got around to it Jillian snapped, "Maybe if you'd stop flinging accusations and bashing my son's character long enough for him to get in a word or two you'd get your answer." Then she shot Ken her trademark, don't screw with me because I've got your number courtroom glare. "But before my boy does any answering, how about you clear something up for me regarding your outrage over Carrie befriending a stripper? You sat in the same pew with me at church this morning singing the praises of Jesus Christ. He was known to befriend women of ill repute. So my question is, are you a hypocrite or do you believe your daughter should have higher standards than The Lord? Oh, and for your information…it was your daughter who made my son get the damn tattoo," She huffed. "It's always a good idea to get all the facts straight before accusing someone. Now, I'll shut up and let you ponder those thoughts." Jillian immediately regretted speaking on behalf of her grown son and hoped she hadn't insulted him.
While Nick had been comforted earlier by his mother's promise to bite her opinionated tongue, now he was damn glad she broke the vow of silence. Suddenly inspired, he opened his mouth to address Ken's concerns but before he could reply in his defense, Carrie took center stage.
"Jillian's right. The tattoos were my idea." Carrie stood firm and looked her father in, I the eyes. "And so was the bathing suit. Nicky was just as shocked as you when he saw me in it the other day."
Ken wrung his hands, looking for an explanation while paranoid thoughts of potential rapists seeing his daughter looking overtly sexual crept into his head. "Caroline…you never would have done this before you met Nick."
"That's right!" She confirmed with zeal. "Because he's given me something back that a decade of therapy never did…a love of my body. Instead of accusing him of corrupting me, you should be hugging him and thanking him for finally making me whole again." Choking back her tears Carrie let the revelation slip out. "Daddy…you know why I didn't have this breakthrough earlier? Because out of love and concern you were always there making sure I stayed ashamed of my body. You brainwashed me to hide it behind conservative clothes and not let anyone see it or touch it. My god…didn't you ever wonder why I bought so many damn pairs of shoes?"
Paul, Wendy, Jillian and Nick, all having wondered that very thing, anxiously awaited the missing piece of the puzzle.
"Because my feet were the only part of my body I felt comfortable showing off!" Carrie's voice strengthened. "Shoes were the only thing you never hassled me about all these years so, any time I felt like getting a little wild, I bought a pair!"
Paul and Wendy exchanged 'why the hell didn't I think of that' glances while Nick and his mother did the same. It made perfect sense now that Carrie said it.
Feeling the emotion rising between her and her father Carrie asked, "Could you give me some privacy with my dad, please?"
"Sweetheart…" Nick took a step closer. "I don't want to leave this to you when it's me he…"
"Please," She urged.
However, Nick persisted, "I really think I should…"
Stepping in again, Jillian gave her son a forceful nudge towards Paul and Wendy, who were apparently grateful for the reprieve and were quickly retreating towards the house. "Nicky, you heard the woman, it's time to paint your butt white and run with the antelope."
It had always been his mother's polite way of saying, shut the hell up and do as asked this instant. The old programming still in place, he immediately complied and accompanied his mother inside the house.
Once alone, Carrie informed her devastated father, "Shocking you with the bathing suit and tattoo was my idea and while it may seem immature, I think we both know we're not good at talking about this." She paused to swallow the lump in her throat. "I had to force the issue. My only regret is making Nick take the brunt of your anger. He didn't want to do this with me out of respect for you. He only agreed because he loves me and would do anything to help me heal and be happy. And that stuff you said about his past…you should know first hand that a man shouldn't be defined by the gravity of his mistakes."
"Honey…I…" Ken reached out and took her hand. "You can love your body without showing it off to the world. In marriage…in the privacy of your own home…where it's safe."
"Who was it really safer for all those years you kept me locked away, Daddy? Me or you?" The first tear slipped down her cheek. "You have no idea how messed up I was over my body and guys and sex. I was so conflicted and afraid. I realize now that it had more to do with your attitude than the sexual abuse I suffered. I know this is really hard but…you need to hear it to understand." Using the back of her hand she wiped her tears. "When I was twenty-five I was so tired of being scared about men and sex I asked a friend, a sweet guy I worked with, to sleep with me just to get it over with. That's what too much safety does to a girl. It makes her down a bottle of wine and give up her virginity out of desperation rather than emotion. I know your intentions were good but…the outcome wasn't."
Ken openly wept from revelation.
"I'm thirty now and for the first time in my life, thanks to Nicky…I'm comfortable with and proud of my body. If you want to hate him for that, go ahead, but you should know it's one of the many reasons I love him." Choking on her tears Carrie said, "Don't make me pick a side, Daddy…because I don't want to hurt you."
Upon entering the house Nick had raced to the kitchen window to see what was transpiring. "She's crying." It killed him to watch from the sidelines. "They both are."
Wendy glanced at the clock. Company was due any minute. "Well, they say it's not a party until something breaks or a family feud erupts so we've got it covered." Instantly she covered her mouth and realized exactly from whom Sean received his predisposition for blurting. "Sorry."
"Hey there!" Greg cheerily announced as he suddenly appeared in the kitchen doorway holding Tawny's hand. "I hope it's okay that Ryan and McKenna let us in, they were in the living room munching when we knocked. By the way…you guys are such cool parents. My parents would never let me down an entire bag of chocolate chip cookies before lunch. Well…as you can imagine my dad isn't too big on sugary treats anyway. Oh, is it okay that we left the wedding gifts in the living room because we weren't sure where you…" Finally noticing the intensity of everyone's expression he said, "Uh…you did say be here between one and one-thirty, right?"
When Tawny saw Nick with his arms clenched tightly around his body and staring out the window she automatically walked over to see what had him vexed. "Uh oh. What's that all about?" She had never seen Carrie emotional and it threw her.
Nick glanced over. "Carrie was acting confidently sexy while sportin' a bikini and her new tat. Her dad accused me and my immoral friends of corrupting her. You and I were specifically targeted because of our scandalous past lives."
"Oh." Tawny backed away gulping. "I uh…never encouraged the bikini, but I knew she wanted to work up the nerve to wear one on your honeymoon. Frankly I'm shocked about the tattoo. The sexy behavior though…I did encourage that and give her tips…but only so she could get comfortable in private with you because she was worried that she was too uptight for you. Sorry."
Jillian tossed her arm around Tawny's shoulders. "Don't take it personally, Sugar. Carrie's father is looking for someone to blame for his daughter's independence is all. It's rough for a father to see his little girl flaunt her sexuality the first time."
"I wouldn't know." Tawny's unpredictable pregnancy hormones flared. "Because my father died before…sorry…hormones!" She went rushing from the room in tears.
Greg, recalling his mother's advice to always chase after your woman if she's crying, tore out of the room.
Next Wendy grabbed Paul's hand and tugged him toward the door. "We should check on the kids."
Resting her head on Nick's shoulder Jillian sadly remarked, "I didn't know that part of her story." She felt awful. "Is that why her mother took up with the boyfriend that ended up molesting Tawny?"
"Yeah…supposedly they were a real happy family until her dad suddenly died, then it all fell apart. Don't worry…Tawny's tough, she'll be okay." Nick took his mother in his arms. "Greg says she cries about her dad every time she's reminded of him. She's seeing the same therapist that helped Sara with her family stuff, so I'm sure she'll come through it fine."
"Speaking of coming through fine…Son, I'm glad I wasn't hearing any of those things about your past for the first time." Jillian sighed with the weight of the world on her shoulders. "Luckily you've always been comfortable telling me anything…even when it's ugly."
"Yeah." Little did she know he'd held back the ugliest one of them all.
Meanwhile, sitting on the floor in his room under his open bedroom window, Sean dealt with the latest batch of shocking family secrets. With his window only ten feet from where the feud had blown he was hearing it all. Some of it he didn't understand and some of it he wished he hadn't.
In the living room, watching McKenna and Ryan down the last of the bag of chocolate chip cookies, Wendy rested her head on Paul's shoulder and sighed, "Well…this BBQ was to show Ken how happy Carrie was here and to thank Greg for sparing McKenna from a psychopath. Considering Carrie and Ken are fighting and in tears while Greg is busy comforting his sobbing girlfriend, I think it's safe to say it's turning out to be a disaster."
University Medical Center
ER
1:03 p.m.
Dr. Jill Wilson slipped between the curtains and approached her patient, David Hodges, the same man she had treated on Friday night for a head laceration and ferret post-traumatic stress disorder. Looking over at her friend and co-worker, Celeste, who was fretting she smiled reassuringly then asked, "Mr. Hodges, do you want your date to leave while I examine you?"
"She's not my date," He gulped. "She's my wife."
Jill blurted in the direction of her co-worker, "You married him!" Then she realized how horrible that sounded. "I mean…you married him since I saw you on Friday?"
Hodges felt his pulse notching and a moment later it was confirmed by a steady beeping on the monitor. "It's happening again." He clutched his chest. "Can't…breathe."
The Blakes
1:09 p.m.
Her breathing steady again, Tawny, who was sitting on the floor of the powder room with Greg, blew her nose one last time.
"Do you want some more water?" He dangled the empty glass in front of her.
"Yeah…thanks."
He stood to fill it and was happy when Tawny joined him.
"I've been overdue for a good hormonal cry," She announced while dipping her hands in the running water to splash some on her tear-stained cheeks.
Although he clearly remembered her bawling just the day before, Greg didn't mention it. "Here you go." He held out the full cup of cold water. "After you finish that I'll take you home."
"No way," Tawny replied after downing the glass. "I'm not going to be shamed out of here by Carrie's dad and leave Nick as the only Carrie Corrupter. No…we're staying. I'm holding my head high and supporting Nick if he's called to the mat."
"Well…" Greg exhaled sharply and optimistically said, "Hopefully Catherine will be here soon because she has a gift for shifting the attention onto her."
In the kitchen Catherine stood at Nick's side looking out the window. "He really said that about you and Tawny? That's low. That's dirty fighting…it reminds me of Eddie bringing up shit from the past after it was supposed to be ancient history." Incensed, she marched for the backdoor. "Well, Mr. Blake is about to hear my two cents."
Warrick caught his hot-headed woman before she could turn the doorknob. "Not your business and Nick already has a mommy standing a foot away if he needs someone to fight his battle."
Even though she was stressed, Jillian smiled faintly, admiring Catherine's spunk and her obvious concern for Nick.
"She's coming toward the house!" Nick announced in a voice as shaky as his body.
Catherine immediately asked, "Is she still wearing your ring?"
That's when Warrick covered her mouth with his hand. "Sorry…she didn't take her meds this morning. I'm sure she's still wearing your ring, Buddy."
Nick raced out the door to check for himself. A second later he was bringing Carrie's still diamond-accented left hand to his lips. "Are you okay?" He pulled her into his arms.
"I'm great…really." She sniffled into his bare chest, "I said everything I needed to say and he really listened. He gets it. We're good." In her fiancé's lethally tight embrace Carrie sighed with relief.
While kissing the top of Carrie's head Nick glanced over at Ken, who was standing against the house taking advantage of the shade. Still smarting from the man's icy words and the unwelcome reminders of his past, Nick shivered.
"If you're up for it…" Carrie reluctantly pulled out of the embrace. "My dad would like a word with you alone."
"Uh…"
"It'll be okay." She flashed a supportive smile. "Really." After kissing Nick's cheek she proceeded into the house.
Wendy, Paul, Greg and Tawny entered the kitchen to join Catherine, Warrick and Jillian, just as Carrie was walking through the backdoor.
"Uh…sorry for causing the drama," Carrie announced as she shut the door behind her. "I didn't think he'd get that fired up. I hope this doesn't ruin the party." Her gaze dropped to the floor from the weight of the seven pairs of eyes staring at her.
Catherine took it upon herself to break the ice. "Can I just say you look totally hot in that swimsuit! Who knew you were hiding that cute little body under those stuffy courtroom suits?" Stepping in front of her she joked, "It's one of those miracle suits that makes your boobs appear a size bigger, right?" When she saw Carrie's smile Catherine continued, "Your crime fighting action figure should definitely have this bikini as part of her accessories."
"Okay!" Carrie held up her hand. "Thank you."
Jillian walked over and hugged her future daughter-in-law. "You just wait until you come for Thanksgiving at the ranch one year. The only two things guaranteed are turkey and a family squabble." Patting her back she whispered, "I still hate the tattoos though."
"I think she should get her belly button pierced," Greg announced while patting his belly. "I'm thinking of doing mine before heading to California."
Tawny laughed then said, "No way, Chuckles. You're not doing anything to piss off your dad before you piss him off with the baby news."
"Who needs chocolate!" Wendy headed for her secret stash.
"Me!" Carrie shrieked. "Make mine a double."
Paul was the only one not joining in the laughter as he watched out the window, making sure his father wasn't strangling Nick.
"I owe you a few apologies," Ken Blake contritely admitted as he looked Nick straight in the eyes. "The first for accusing you of making my daughter get a tattoo and a sexy swimsuit. I know you're not a controlling individual and I know my daughter isn't the type to be forced into compliance against her will. I'm sorry for assuming incorrectly and blaming you."
"No problem." Nick cleared his throat when he recognized how choppy his voice sounded. "I knew it would come as a shock to you because she stunned me when she bought the suit and suggested the tattoos. She didn't ask my permission and I wouldn't expect her to…it's her body and like you said…I'm not one to control a woman. Growing up with five headstrong sisters and an outspoken mother, it never even occurred to me as an option." He smiled, hoping it would alleviate some tension.
Ken nodded in lieu of a smile. "Regarding your past…you know it worried me when Carrie first broke the news she was dating you. Even though I said it wouldn't bother me I guess it's still in the back of my head fueling my paranoia." Sadly he confessed, "All these years later and I'm still so scared for her. The death threats she received in Seattle kind of took me back I suppose."
"Sir, considering what you've been through with Carrie, I certainly understand why my history would make you nervous…" Nick took a breath before asserting himself. "…but now I have to be honest. I can't have that stuff thrown in my face every time you have a problem with something. So, I'd like to address it and hopefully put it behind us because Carrie and I will be exchanging I do's in February and I don't want tension between you and me."
"Me either."
After a steadying breath Nick calmly said, "Yes, I partied too much and I regret that. Yes, I had a thing with a girl who worked as prostitute but, it wasn't cheap. I really thought she was looking for a way out. I thought I could help her…I was wrong. No, I haven't been the best judge of character, Mike Rodgers being the worst example of my stupidity, but the guy was so convincing, he had everyone snowed but Grissom. But once I realized the score I worked my ass off to make sure he was brought to justice."
"I know you did," Ken confirmed in a sincere tone.
Moving his eyes to the ground Nick admitted, "You're right, I've been a little too trusting, which is odd considering I have a very good reason not to be…I mean, because of what I see on the job." Returning his gaze, he confidently assured the worried father, "I swear I'm more careful now. I'd never do anything to put Carrie in jeopardy because it would kill me if something happened to her on my watch. Yes, my friends all have skeletons in their closet, but I promise you they're all good, honest people and most importantly I trust them with my life. Sir, your daughter is it for me…there's no one else out there who could even come close, so I intend to do everything in my power to keep her safe and happy for the rest of her life."
"I appreciate your candor. Now here's some honesty from me." Ken placed a hand over his heart as he spoke from it. "Carrie was right when she said I should be thanking you for helping her get beyond her issues. I learned some things about my daughter today that broke my heart but what makes up for it all is the knowledge that she's finally happy and loved with you." Extending his hand he asked, "How about we start over?"
At the kitchen window Paul announced with the zeal of a sportscaster, "Dad just extended his hand!"
Everyone raced to the window.
"Nicky's accepting the handshake!" Carrie exclaimed before racing out the backdoor to rush both men.
"Oh, thank god." Catherine rubbed her hands together. "Does that mean we can start drinking now? Because I don't know about the rest of you but I need one."
"I'm with you." Wendy hurried to the fridge. "Place your orders people. We've got Red Stripe, Corona Light, Smirnoff Ice, and Pinot Grigio."
"Yes," Catherine joked.
Jillian raised her hand. "I'll have the same."
Warrick took a seat at the kitchen table. "I'll take a Red Stripe."
"Bottled water for me." Greg pulled out a chair for Tawny. "And a beer for the pregnant girl. Just kidding. She'll have water too."
"Fear not! The Best Man has arrived!" Jim Brass merrily announced from the kitchen doorway. Lindsay had granted him access to the house. "Sorry I'm tardy. I was busy auditioning strippers for the bachelor party portion of this soiree. I struck out though because everyone said they would be too intimidated shakin' it in front of two of Vegas's retired living legends."
Grinning, Catherine tossed her arm around Tawny. "Rightly so."
Greg came up with a viable alternative. "Maybe we can hire Boom Boom Sidle? I bet Gris would prefer her anyway."
The Grissoms
1:36 p.m.
"I don't know about this," Sara shouted out from the master bathroom to her husband who was getting dressed in the bedroom.
From his walk-in closet Gil confidently replied, "I'm sure it's fine."
Standing in front of the mirror she continued to obsess over wearing the curve-enhancing black and royal blue tankini.
"Wow." Gil was instantly enamored with his wife's appearance. "You had doubts about how you looked in that? I think you may need an eye appointment because that swimsuit looks one-hundred and ten percent fantastic on you." Instantly his mind flipped to an image of her emerging from the pool dripping wet and flipping her drenched hair back as if she were shooting the Sports Illustrated swimsuit centerfold.
Chucking from the compliment and the lust flashing in her husband's eyes Sara explained, "The thing is…I've never revealed this much to anyone I wasn't sleeping with and you know Cath and the guys are going to be cracking jokes left and right." Then she pointed to her ankle. "And I can't cover up my tattoo if I'm swimming. They'll have a field day with that."
Gil's only reply was a shit-eating grin.
"What's got you so happy?"
"With all that fodder to joke about, they'll be too busy harassing you to pick on me."
After winging a hair brush directly at her husband's chest she groaned. "I think you like the idea of parading around your young, tattooed wife in a sexy swimsuit in front of your friends."
In the voice of a naughty school boy he asked, "Does that make me a bad person?"
"Are you sure you're not hanging out with your father more than you're telling me?"
Mandalay Bay Hotel
Presidential Suite A
1:40 p.m.
Watching Lina sitting at the computer desk scouring E-Bay ads Ron prodded, "Are you sure you won't change your mind?"
Without taking her eyes off the screen she responded, "Guero…do you need a Q-tip?"
"Okay…okay." He backed away. "I just thought…"
Finally she glanced over. "They'll think you're crazy if you have to drag your head housekeeper to a party."
"It's not like that's all you are." Ron knew that was a loaded statement.
"Oh really…" Lina's ears perked.
"Yeah…um…I really need to…" Ron froze, knowing what he really needed to do was tell the woman exactly what was on his mind. Instead however, he said, "I mean, we really need to come up with a better title. One that befits your actual status."
"Supreme Goddess works for me," She mused while returning her eyes to the computer screen.
"Great, I'll order you new business cards tonight."
"You know, Guero…" She purposely didn't look his way. "…if you really want someone to accompany you to events maybe it's time you start shopping for a new wife."
The Blakes
1:48 p.m.
With the Stokes-Blake family crisis behind them, all the surprise wedding plans finalized, and the pile of secret gifts stowed, the guests were all in the backyard having fun while waiting for the guests of honor to arrive. Inside, Wendy continued prepping appetizers and listening for the doorbell.
As promised, Paul called for a water volleyball game and Ryan immediately took measures to ensure his brother was on his side. "How about Sean and I will be co-captains of one team and, Lindsay you can be the captain of the other? Grandpa you can be the Ref. Lindsay you pick first and then Sean you pick for us."
"Warrick!" Lindsay called out. "He's the tallest."
"I'll be the cheerleader for your team, Linds," Catherine announced as she clinked her glass against Jim's. He was sharing the wicker loveseat and shade tree with her.
"I pick Uncle Nick."
"Then I'll be the Spirit Bunny for your team." Jim raised his beer. "Nicky, if you let me down, I'll have to do my best Donald Trump impression and say…you're fired."
After jumping in the pool Nick remarked, "You do remember I'm on stress-induced leave, right, Boss?"
Jillian lowered her beer bottle and laughed. "Don't worry, Son, if he fires you for losing at water volleyball, I'll sue his ass."
Jim winked at the litigious woman. "Down, Mama, I was just joking. You know I'd love to see you and Mama Sanders in a catfight over whose baby boy is the best."
Catherine choked on her drink. "Now that would be one hell of a fight."
Glancing at the uneven teams, Paul made a request, "Pick two this time, Lindsay, to even things up."
"Tawny and Carrie."
"What!" Greg couldn't believe his ears. "They're the shortest ones here except for McKenna. Why would you pick them before me?" Holding his head he grumbled, "This is like a bad gym class flashback."
Lindsay smirked. "Sorry, Greggo…I have a strategy."
Warrick immediately figured out what it was…distraction via feminine wiles.
"Greg," Sean requested, knowing exactly how it felt to be the last one selected in gym class.
"I pick Mr. Blake." With the two tallest men, the blonde bombshell, and Nicky's precious Carrie, Lindsay had confidence to spare.
"Kenna's with us then." Nick scooped her off the wall and put her on his shoulders.
"You guys can serve first," Lindsay generously offered. "Let's have a short pow-wow with our teams then we'll start." After gathering her group in the water she instructed, "Tawny and Carrie…distract your men while Warrick and Mr. Blake pound the ball. Really, that's all it should take."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the net the strategy was different but just as cheap. "Keep the ball away from the guys, scare the girls with some good spikes and use McKenna as a shield to make sure they don't spike back."
Ken Blake placed a chair at the net line and smiled at the sight of his daughter having a good time in the water with her friends. It was a wonderful sight and one he hadn't seen since she was eight years old. It made him feel even worse about his blow up earlier. Luckily, Nick and his mother were compassionate and forgiving people. "Okay…I want fair play…that includes you too, Ryan."
"Of course, Grandpa."
Nick handed the ball to the excited little girl on his shoulders and walked her directly to the net. "Now don't hold back, Kenna Girl."
With both hands she threw the ball over the net and pelted her aunt right in the head.
"Ow!"
"Yay! I did it just like you said Uncle Nick! Right at Aunt Carrie!" McKenna clapped for slamming her aunt as told.
"Way to go team!" Jim cheered before snickering in Cath's direction. "Care to put some money on this?"
Jillian reached for her purse. "Twenty bucks on Lindsay's team."
Flashing a smile at his future father-in-law Nick groveled, "I swear she made that up, Ken." He laughed while sitting the little troublemaker on the wall. "Kenna, I'll come back for you in a few but right now you're out on a five minute fibbing penalty."
She took the news well. "I'll eat Cheetos!"
Carrie cracked up at the mention of her warped-fantasy food.
Nick tossed his fiancée a wink. "I know what you're thinking about, Roxie."
"Get a room would ya," Greg chortled, busting his pal's chops. Then he remembered the company. "Uh…sorry, Mr. Blake."
Ken smiled at the joke. "No problem, Greg. And can I just say your hair looks much better wet."
"Good one, Daddy," Carrie responded while everyone else was laughing. She was happy to see him loosening up around her friends.
"Laugh now, people." With the ball in his hands Greg approached the proper serve spot. "You guys have no idea how good I am at this. I grew up with a pool in my backyard, you know. Oh yeah…I'm the water volleyball King of this par-tee!"
Tawny knew it was time to do some of that distraction Lindsay had suggested. "Ooh! I can't wait to see your moves, Baby!" She enthused while freeing her hair and letting it cascade over her shoulders with stripper flair.
Greg served right into the net.
"Good one, Your Highness!" Lindsay waited for the ball with a smirk. "Our ball."
"Roach!" Nick called his buddy by the jock nickname he earned after the Tucker ordeal "How about focusing on the game and not your woman?"
With the ball in her hands Tawny jumped up and down in the water. "Zero serving one!" She giggled and jiggled some more before serving, "Wait…I want to wet my hair first." With that she went under the water and when she returned she whipped back her hair and shouted, "Zero serving one!"
The ball landed directly in the water between all four mesmerized guys.
"Why didn't you get it, Ryan?" McKenna inquired because it landed right in front of her sports-crazy brother.
"I um…" Ryan ran up the pool steps and grabbed a towel. "I need to go to the bathroom!"
When he reached the backdoor his mom shrieked, "Son! You're all wet."
"I have to go to the bathroom!" He shouted as he raced down the hall.
Leaning over, Wendy looked out the window and saw Tawny bronzed, beautiful and bobbing in the pool. "Ugh…I'm going to pretend he really is going to the bathroom and not…" The doorbell distracted her from the icky thought. "Coming!"
"One serving one!" This time Tawny skipped the stripper drama and relied solely on her jock-ness to win the point. "Yes! I've still got it." In the process, she nailed her future husband good.
Greg held his shoulder. "Damn…that really hurt, Sweetie."
Nick rolled his eyes. "Do you want Kenna to sub for you, tough guy?"
"Two serving one!" Tawny aimed for Sean this time but Nick darted forwards and slammed the ball over the net directly in front of Lindsay. "Yeah! That's what I'm talkin' about!"
Jillian turned to Catherine and Jim. "I bet it's hard to believe Nicky wasn't always a competitive jock. His brother brought it out in him by riding him daily. He still gets on his case every time they're together. I keep waiting for the day Nicky stops taking it gracefully and pounds him…or at least tries."
"I've seen a picture of his brother," Catherine commented before grinning. "He's a hottie and he towers over Nick."
"Mama!" Nick teased from the pool after winning the next point. "You're not over there talking smack about me in front of my boss, are you?"
"No, Honey." She raised her glass. "I'm talking about your brother." She knew that would shut him up.
"Oh." Nick picked up the ball to serve.
Lindsay gave Carrie a gentle push. "Make your man mess up."
Just as Nick was about to make contact with the ball, Carrie faked a painful leg cramp.
Nick's serve landed in the net. "Are you okay, Sweetheart?" He darted over to check on her.
"False alarm." Carrie unfurled a cat-bird smile.
Catherine cheered. "I love how my team operates! It's all babe brain power while the brawn gets to rest."
Jim cackled, "I'm pretty sure I saw Tawny using a little of her brawn…not that I was looking…okay…but how can you not?"
Warrick, wanting to get in the game, grabbed the ball from Lindsay's hands. "This is coming for you, Roach!"
Greg readied for the blow and finally proved his worth, knocking it back right at Lindsay, who hit it out of bounds. "Yes!"
Turning around, Nick high-fived Greg, but when he went to find Sean he noticed the boy was entranced. "What's gotten into you?" Then he realized Lindsay had just emerged from the water and was adjusting her bikini top. "Ah…"
"Uncle Nick," He whispered frantically as he grabbed his uncle's arm. "Something's wrong with my…you know."
"Time out!" Nick called, intuiting the pubescent lad's problem. "I need to huddle with my teammates."
When Greg arrived in the huddle he said, "So, Jocko, is the new strategy just to let me…the Volleyball King, handle everything?"
"It's not going away," Sean declared in an edgy tone.
"What's up?" Greg looked at the tense almost-teen.
"Little Sean's up," Nick replied, trying not to laugh. "He just pitched his first tent."
Greg cringed. "I'll tell Tawny to tone it down."
"No…" Nick stopped his buddy from walking over to the other side of the pool and pulled him back to the huddle. "It's Lindsay getting him hot and bothered."
"That's a relief."
"For you!" Sean shrieked. "What about me? How do I make it go away? Without going to the bathroom like my brother, because I don't want to do that."
Holding back the belly laugh dying to get out Nick instructed, "You need to think a good anti-boner thought. Something so awful it takes away the urge."
Greg nodded, laughing. "Yeah…I suggest you find something that works because you'll need it for school…especially since girls are always wearing short skirts these days. One year I sat next to Becca, the girl of my fantasies, in English Lit…oh man…I had to summon my most powerful anti-boner thought every day at two-fifteen for an entire year."
"What was it?" Sean asked, hoping he could just copy.
"Jumping into a freezing cold lake filled with wrinkly eighty year old women who were naked except for flower-covered swim caps…and they all wanted a piece of me"
"Ugh." Nick shivered. "Yeah…I can see how that would work instantly."
"Or, I would think about my dead pet hamster, Skippy." Greg glanced at Sean. "Ever had a pet croak on you?"
"A Beta Fish."
Greg shrugged. "Give it a try."
"Come on over there, already!" Lindsay shouted. "Let's play ball, ya bunch of wimps! How long do you need to talk about how you're gonna lose, losers!"
Jim placed his arm around Catherine, "You'd never know she was yours…not."
"Hey…" Sean suddenly smiled. "Hearing her call me a wimp and a loser did the trick."
Nick slapped his nephew on the back. "Yep…mockery is the ultimate boner cure. Especially if it happens when you're naked in bed with a chick." Turning, he pointed to his pseudo brother. "Or so I've heard from Greggo."
"Look who's here!" Wendy announced in a sunny tone. "Mr. and Mrs. Grissom."
"Hi," Sara warmly greeted while tensing at the thought of stripping down to her swimsuit.
"Hello, everyone." Gil glanced around, eyeing the guests who were eyeing him.
"Did anyone know it was their one month wedding anniversary today?" Wendy announced, "Carrie mentioned it to me earlier."
"Shocking!" Brass gasped. "It's only been a month? It's seems like forever."
Warrick laughed along with his boss. "It just seems like they've been together forever because, they were almost together for five torturous years."
"Okay…okay…enough." Sara shook her head.
To temporarily save her friend Carrie shouted out, "Gil, Sara…this is my dad, Ken Blake. Dad…Gil and Sara work at the lab…well, you know all about them from the trial."
"Nice to meet you," He cordially greeted.
"We want Sara on our side!" Greg blurted. "No offense, Gris."
"No problem, Greg, because I forgot my suit but don't worry…Sara has hers." Gil felt the weight of his wife's glare.
Sara shrilled, "Ugh! You forgot it on purpose!"
"Mrs. Stokes!" Grissom greeted to change subjects. And he walked quickly over to her to be out of range of his wife's kick. "So good to see you again and under better circumstances."
While pleasantries were being exchanged next to him Jim bellowed, "Take it off, Boom Boom! Cath and I have money on what you have hiding under those jeans and t-shirt."
"Oh really?" Sara smiled. "You mean like if I have a bikini on, or my belly button pierced? Or a tattoo?"
Carrie glanced over at her dad, who was still looking calm in spite of the subject matter.
"Hey!" Nick yelled. "I want in. Twenty bucks says she has a tattoo. Who wants the action?"
"Right." Greg snorted. "Of Grissom's name and it's on her ass. Uh…sorry for the bad one in front of the kidlets. I'll take your action, Bro."
"I'll take it too," Wendy confirmed.
Carrie opted to do the same. "I'm in."
Warrick whispered, "Linds…bet for me."
She promptly obeyed, "I'm in too!"
Catherine shook her head. "Suckers."
After accepting the beer Wendy was offering, Gil took a seat and relaxed. "Time for the big reveal, Honey." It was so nice not to be in the spotlight for a change.
She tossed her shirt first.
"She's wearing a one piece!" Jim held out his hand. "Pay up, Cat."
"Not so fast, Brass Man." Sara waved her finger. "It's a tankini…two pieces that appear to be one." Separating it at the waist she chuckled, "And no belly piercing."
Catherine held out her hand. "That's forty you owe me. If she has a tattoo it's sixty and I'm feeling pretty lucky about that one." And she knew it was a sure thing because she had caught a glimpse of it when she was in Sara's hospital room in Tahoe.
When she stepped out of her jeans Sara pointed to her ankle. "Nick just won eighty bucks for his honeymoon fund."
"I can't take it," He smiled wide. "I knew you had that tattoo. I saw it when we were working a case once. You got a blister from wearing new shoes and you pulled off your sock to put on a band aid on your heel."
"And you didn't harass me about it?" She was in shock.
"Well…sometimes tats are real personal and since you never mentioned it all those years, I didn't push it."
"Speaking of tats…what's up with the rising Phoenix? You didn't have that when you were in my Jacuzzi a couple of weeks ago."
"Check it out!" Carrie jumped out of the pool with school girl verve to show off hers. "We match. It was all my idea!"
Jim Brass polished off his beer and sighed, "Mama Stokes your boy is so whipped. I'm dating a dominatrix and she doesn't have half the control over me that Ms. Blake has over your boy. And he's been like this since the day he met her. I was giving him shit about her clamping a ball and chain around his ankle before he knew her for twenty-four hours."
Jillian offered an explanation, "I guess when you've dated half the fish in the sea…you know the right catch when you find it."
"Absolutely," Catherine concurred as she admired her man's glistening muscular body in the midday sun.
Meanwhile, Sara jumped into the water pretending she was cool with all the attention when really, she was squirming. Still…she thought Dr. Myers would be proud for the outward show of comfort, and now that the major embarrassment of the day was behind her, she believed she'd start feeling more comfortable. "Wait a minute…did we get the time wrong? I just realized it seems like all of you have been here for a while but I thought the party wasn't supposed to start until two?"
Almost everyone managed to keep the big secret.
"They came early because we're surprising you with a wedding party later, because you never had one in front of your friends! It was all Miss Catherine's idea!" McKenna giddily announced. "We didn't spend fifty grand on it like grandpa is on Aunt Carrie's wedding party but, we have cake and lots of presents so I think it will be fun!" Her hand flew to her mouth as she realized she said things she wasn't supposed to. "Sorry, Mommy."
"A wedding party!" Sara and Gil cried out in mutual horror while locking eyes.
Catherine jumped up raising her glass. "Surprise!"
The rest of the gang joined in a beat later. "Surprise!"
Gil slid lower in his chair. "I can only imagine what Miss Catherine has planned."
Jim snickered, "And guess who she put in charge of the bachelor party?"
"I'm sure I'll be waking up from this nightmare any minute." Gil covered his face, waiting for his alarm clock to ring.
"Don't worry, Sara," Tawny assured her horrified friend. "I didn't get carried away with the Bachelorette Party assignment…much."
Catherine's grin outshone the sun. "Yeah…you can thank me later."
Author's Notes:
I hope you're enjoying the party so far! I frontloaded the angst and hopefully the laughs started coming shortly thereafter. I tossed in a bunch of contrasts for fun (some examples…Tawny distracted her man with her beauty, Carrie got Nick's attention by feigning an injury…they both know their man's weaknesses; Ryan used physical means to alleviate his urge while Sean, always the cerebral, wanted to use his mind LOL; And sneaky Cath didn't fess up to previous knowledge of Sara's tattoo but honest Nicky did.)
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts,
Maggs