Story Title: Keep the Faith
Rating: T-M as
always just in case.
Disclaimer: You know
the drill.
A/N: Responses are at end of the chapter. Sorry for
the typos! Much love to all! (Violence to one!)
Chapter 6 – If I Had $1,000,000
August 3rd, 2015
By the time Friday had rolled around all of their furniture had come and the house was pretty much all finished. There was still a guest bedroom to renovate and they had to decide what to do with the basement and the garage that hung off the side of the house feeding from the driveway.
Grace had succeeded in procuring an office building that was between Arcadia and Baltimore making it a thirty minute drive from either city as well as a close drive to surrounding areas. She had used the law firm's account to hire a designer to set up 3rd floor of the building which Grace had managed to secure. It held the capacity for a main lobby and 9 offices. Aside from moving heavy furniture around, putting things together and situating work, Luke had spent Tuesday afternoon playing phone tag with multiple head honchos, discussing payment for use of his formula. Wednesday he met with some of them to give them a demonstration of the liquid concoction.
After Joan and Adam had sat Luke and Grace down for a pseudo-intervention in which all four of them yelled, shared their fears, and straightened out and cleared away as much of the cobwebs of fear, doubt and guilt as they could, Grace and Luke were slowly falling back into their normal selves. Luke had still had trouble sleeping a couple of nights, but at least now Grace was there to talk to about it.
Saturday brought lots of tiring rearranging to finally finish the living room and the master bathroom as well as stock piling the bathrooms with towels, toiletries and other such supplies. Likewise, Sunday had brought some much needed rest in the form of a barbecue at Helen and Will's house. Caleb had spent hours sitting with Brynn in his lap playing with her, which at one point had spawned an argument between him and Katie, who wanted to play with the baby.
Now that it was Monday, Grace wanted just to sleep in. She could think of a tons of better things to do than interviews for new lawyers; things like spending the day with the girls and Luke. She missed the hammock that hung on the balcony of their New York apartment. Grace wasn't sure if they'd packed it and brought it with them, and even if they had, she had no idea where they would hang it anyway. She missed lying in it across from Luke with the girls, just having quiet time.
Grace had gotten home at 5. She interviewed 25 people. 15 of them hadn't even gotten their bar exam results back yet. Three of them seemed more suited for those injury lawyers you see in commercials with their fake promises. Call the injury hotline now; we don't get paid until you do! Two of them seemed legitimately dedicated. They were older than Grace and had tried more cases. One of them left Grace somewhere in between hiring him and telling him to get lost. And the last two were looking for internships. Grace had offered to hire each one part time secretary assistants. Of course she was planning on giving them all the perks she received as an intern when she was in school.
Before the day was out, she had even held an interview with a perspective client. She had returned home to an empty house. She knew Luke had probably gone to pick up the girls from the day care center where Lily was probably just closing up. Grace set her briefcase down by the front door. She walked through the foyer, in through the dining room and finally into the kitchen. Along the wall to her right was a door to the backyard, then the refrigerator, which sat next to the counter with cabinets framing it. The counter stretched along the wall for about ten feet, with a sink in the middle. Above the sink were two windows framed in curtains. It gave a clear view of the backyard, which still had a swing set and sandbox in the far corner that the pervious owners had put in.
The counter shaped like an L, extending out about 6 feet from the wall. On one side of it was an open counter with a toaster, coffee pot and a microwave on it. On the outside of the counter were a set of stools. Beyond that was the kitchen table which was framed by large windows on two sides that let in adequate lighting until the sun went down. Finishing the broken U shape was the island counter that sat across from where the sink was. It was only about 4 feet long and it held the stove and oven in the middle of it. Grace grabbed a short glass and opened the fridge, trying to decide what she wanted to drink. After a few minutes, she closed the fridge door and opened the cabinet above the fridge.
Though she hated the idea of it, they had a liquor cabinet. It was well out of reach of their kids and their nieces and nephews. It was mostly in place for their guests. Luke used it for some bottles of his favorite wine when they had pasta for dinner. Grace reached in and grabbed the bottle of Brandy they kept in the cabinet for when Luke's dad visited. She brought it over to the counter with her and sat down on one of the stool chairs.
"Mommy?" Gabe asked. The Rove family sat around their dinner table. Mac was already shoveling through her macaroni and cheese giving herself an orangey-yellow mustache and beard. Adam had just finished cutting Gabe's chicken and had started on his own while Joan had filled up drinks for everyone.
"What honey?" Joan replied, reaching out and taking the small pot full of string beans that Adam held out for her. She was scooping them on her plate as Gabe stuffed a piece of chicken into his mouth using his hand while swinging his feet as he sat in his chair.
"Can we live where Nona and Popi live?" He licked at some ketchup that was on her fingers as he spoke.
Joan looked at Adam, who had stopped chewing when Gabe asked this. They exchanged a glance as they tried to psychically convey what their answer to him should be. Adam quickly chewed the rest of his mouthful of food and swallowed. He tore his eyes away from Joan and looked at Gabe.
"Why, pal, would you rather live there instead?" Adam asked. Joan looked at him with a ridiculous face. Obviously Gabe wanted something along those lines or he wouldn't have asked. Adam shrugged to her as if to say 'well, what was I supposed to ask?' Gabe turned his attention to his dad. Adam looked at him and Gabe nodded.
"How come, Gabe?" Joan asked.
Gabe turned his head and looked back at Joan. "Cause we all alone," he said simply. Joan and Adam glanced at each other again as Gabe dug into the rest of the food on his plate.
"Whoa buddy, use your spoon, not your hand," Adam changed the subject as he reached out to wipe Gabe's ketchup covered hand and handed the boy his spoon. Joan shook the thoughts out of her head and went back to eating.
"Hey, I'm back!" Luke called as he entered the house.
"Kitchen," Grace called out to him.
Luke wandered in, still talking. "I left the girls at mom's; she invited us over for dinner. I didn't get time to go grocery shopping so I figured that would be better than take out," Luke stopped as he approached Grace. "What are you doing?" He asked.
Grace was sitting at the counter. Her head was resting forlornly with her palms on either side of it just above her ears. She was staring at a glass that was about a quarter of the way filled with a dark colored liquid. Luke saw the bottle sitting off to the side of her left arm. Grace didn't tear her eyes away from it.
"Trying to figure it out," She said as Luke walked to the other side of the counter opposite her.
"Trying to figure what out?" He asked cautiously.
Grace glanced at him, almost amused for a moment and then back at the glass. She picked it up and turned the glass a few times, letting the liquid loll around in the bottom.
"What's so great about it?" She asked. "Does it really get rid of all your worries and troubles? And if that was the case why would you want to drown in it? Wouldn't you want to celebrate the fact that you weren't stressed out anymore? Maybe that's why it made mom sing all the time..." She stood up and brought the cup to the sink, dumping its contents into the drain before opening the dishwasher and placing the glass upside down in the top try. She walked over and took the bottle off the counter, replacing it in the cabinet.
Luke shrugged. "I don't know," He confessed.
"Irony; you drink intoxicating liquid that destroys your liver in bulk and don't know why, hmm..." Grace commented, straightening out her hair and shirt. Luke stood and pushed the stools in.
"Well, no, I drink wine when I eat pasta because that's what I'm used to and it tastes good with the meal," He shrugged again as he approached her. "Sometimes people turn it into a crutch. That's what you don't get about it," He managed to lace his arms around her waist before she could step away.
"Maybe," Grace looked up at him. "So, to your mom's for dinner then?" She asked. Grace had been shying away from asking him as much about the dreams because it bothered him enough to go through them once in dream form. She tried her best to rely on him starting a converation about it if he needed to. Luke nodded, studying her for a moment. "Dude, I wasn't drinking it, I was just thinking," She assured.
Luke smiled. "I know that," He said as if she were crazy. "I was just wondering if I've ever told you how much I enjoy your eyes."
Grace laughed slightly, almost throwing her head back as Luke held onto her. "Okay Casanova, let's go," She turned around, leading him by his tie towards the door.
"Hey, I was being serious!" Luke tried to complain as they headed across the lawn for the car.
"Up and at 'em, Diordus," The prison guard rattled on Dominique's cell bars. Dominique sat up on her bed. "You're free to go," he handed her the belongings that had been taken from her when she'd been processed. The guard turned his back to her and Dominique changed from her prison issue clothing to her regular clothes.
"How is this possible?" She questioned as she dumped out the large yellow envelope into her hand. She put the little bit of money she had in her pocket along with her ID. She hooked a silver necklace with a plain silver cross on it around her neck. It had been her mother's.
"You made bail," The guard replied, leading her out to towards the main lobby.
"But, who…" Dominique let the sentence trail off. What if it was Ryan?
"Sign this," The guard at the front desk said. Dominique signed the papers. They handed her some paper work. "You're free to go," The woman said.
Dominique turned around. As she walked through the front lobby she was relieved to find that Ryan wasn't there. Wouldn't that be a kick? Ryan Hunter coming into a prison to bail me out; although so far Ryan had been proving pretty elusive to the authorities. Dom took a few steps outside and stopped at the top of the cement stairs. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath of air.
"I knew you could break that spell,"
Dom's eyes popped open. At the bottom of the steps, Collier was leaning back against the cement wall that framed the steps with his arms crossed. He uncrossed them and slowly walked up the steps.
"I'd ask if you remember me, but from the look on your face, it seems you do," Collier said once he was in front of her.
"You posted my bail?" She asked him.
Collier nodded. "Actually, Grace and Luke are working to make sure the charges against you are dropped," He told her, nodding his head for her to follow him. With no other choices, Dominique followed next to Collier as he walked down the steps and towards a parking lot.
"I find that hard to believe…" She sighed. "Not after all I did-,"
"Grace and Luke understand the power of forgiveness. They also understand the power of giving second chances," Collier explained. He hit a button on his key chain and a nearby sports car beeped.
"Angels have sports cars?" Dom asked.
"I have a good stock broker," Collier held the door for her. Once she climbed in, he shut the door and went to the other side to get in.
"Where are we going?" Dom questioned.
"There is a little…stipulation in the deal," Collier looked at her after he turned the car on.
"And that is?" Dom replied.
"Detective Girardi is looking to enlist your help," He explained as he pulled out onto the road.
"Enlist my help how?" Dom asked, enjoying the wind that was blowing her hair about as they drove. She let her hand float out the window in the breeze.
"He was to know everything you know about Ryan. After that he may want you to help lure Ryan into a trap, if possible," Collier explained.
"And detective Girardi told you all of this?" Dom asked.
"No," Collier shook his head. "Luke Girardi did. I have a meeting with Detective Girardi in the morning. You're coming with me."
Dominique just nodded. She was fully aware that she owed this much to Grace and Luke and their family after what she had done. She made a note to herself to apologize profusely and beg forgiveness, offering herself for whatever services they thought she could assist them with.
"Do angels like loud music?" Dom asked after an hour of driving in silence with only the sound of cars passing while they flew down the highway.
"I don't know, but I do," Collier stated. Dominique looked at him, trying to size him up. Collier noticed this from the corner of his eye. "I'm not an angel."
"Well, there's lots of words for angels," Dom said. "Are you one of them?"
"Not completely," Collier shook his head.
"But you're a messenger…from you know who?" Dom asked. She still felt skeptical.
"Well…yes…" He said. He glanced at her and then looked back at the road. "But angels, the way people think they exist aren't real."
"You're real," Dom countered.
"I'm have no wings," Collier argued. "I have sexual organs, I can reproduce. More importantly I was born. I came to life the same way you did."
"But you said you have to abide by rules, right? You can't pick and choose what you want to do. Doesn't that make you a full on servant, thus technically making you an angel?" Dom asked.
"I'm not an angel…just a messenger," He insisted. "I made a deal…I have to follow rules."
"What kind of deal?" Dominique was giving in to her curiosity.
"Can we talk about something else?" Collier asked. He wasn't sure why he'd given Dom this much information. He wasn't supposed to give this much away. Then again he wasn't supposed to get as attached to his 'charges,' as he called them, as he did. Dominique nodded. She reached out and turned the radio on, deciding that loud music could mask the awkwardness she'd caused for at least a little while.
By 10 pm, Joan had finally changed into her pajama pants and her spaghetti strapped top. Her lap and legs were under the covers as she sat with her back propped up by some pillows and the headboard. She had a notepad on her lap with her reading glasses on while tuning in and out of listening to the news. Adam came into the room from getting a shower. He pulled on a pair of boxers and found a t-shirt to throw on.
"Do you think it's time to go back?" He asked as he grabbed the loose clothes on the floor and tossed them to the hamper before piling Mac and Gabe's run away toys on the bench at the foot of the bed.
"Hm? Go back where?" Joan asked distractedly a she finished writing a sentence before marking her places and putting the notepad, file and book on the end table.
Adam lifted the covers and sat on the bed, leaning back against the headboard next to Joan as Joan placed her pencil and glassed on top of the pile she had just put on the nightstand.
"Arcadia," Adam said simply.
Joan turned her head to look at him, resting the side of her face down on her now drawn up knees. She thought about an answer for a minute. Adam watched the thoughtful expression on her face. "I don't know," She answered truthfully. "Do you?"
"It seems logical…" Adam replied. "We'd be closer to everyone…" He trailed off. Joan knew there was more to his thoughts than this.
"There's something else, too, isn't there?" She asked.
Adam nodded after a moment of deep thought. "It doesn't feel right anymore."
"What doesn't?" Joan continued. Adam sat up straight, crossing his legs under himself.
"Being so far away from there," He sighed. "I mean, I like it here. We work here. We have great friends and associates here. The kids are used to it," Adam shrugged. "It just feels like we're missing something…"
Joan nodded, lifting her head. "I know what you mean," She said.
"It just feels like we understood more there," He shrugged.
"Everyone else is there now too," Joan commented.
"Yeah, Gabe was right there, we are all alone now here," Adam said.
"I would like all of them to know each other better, the kids I mean," Joan spoke up. She and Adam gravitated towards each other after they shut the lights off, propping themselves up together to watch the end of the news.
"So what should we do then?" Adam finally asked.
Joan thought for a long moment. She turned her head and looked at Adam. "I think we should look into it. Maybe we can be there by the holidays…or the New Year. I know Grace and Luke moved quicker, but they had more reason to, didn't they?"
Adam kissed Joan. "If you want to be there by the New Year, then we'll do our best to make it by then."
Joan smiled and leaned in to kiss him again.
August 10th, 2015
"So how bad was lunch alone in the office?" Luke asked Grace. Grace was sitting at her desk in the only completed office, her office. The designer and his two workers were finishing building and arranging the bookshelves and desks in the other offices.
"Not so bad since I got to chew in your ear for an hour," She replied as she shifted through applicant files, trying to decide whom to call next to schedule and interview.
"Oh but I just worship the rapid tearing and gnashing of your food as you masticate," Luke replied.
"Oh you know I love it when you use big words," Grace teased back, smirking to herself a she leaned over another file of papers. There was a knock at her door. "Hold on a second," She said to Luke before looking at the door that was just inches open. "Come on in," She called out.
"Lara, no, no, don't, no don't pull daddy's hair. No it's not funny, hey, no," Luke muttered, holding the phone to his ear with his shoulder while he sat with Lara in his lap, who was tugging gleefully at his hair while making up her own song. Grace tried not to laugh at what she was hearing.
Grace's face fell and her eyes widened slightly as she narrowed her eyes at the person standing just inside the office doorway, staring at her feet. Grace shook her head. "Uh, brain, I'm gonna have to call you back, okay?"
"Ow, ow, Lara!" Luke tried to detangle himself from Lara's grasp. "Okay. I'll be here until three. After that you have to get me on my cell phone until 4:30," He replied.
"Okay, that's fine," Grace told him, speaking softly, almost hiding the conversation from the person in the room.
"All right. Bye Grace, I love you," Luke said as Damage came in to lick some dried Oreo cookie off of Lara's face.
"Yeah, you too. See you tonight," Grace said quickly. She hung up the phone and looked across her desk at the woman standing there. The woman wore a grey power suit. She looked very prim and proper. Her long black hair was massed on the back of her head in a messy bun with some bangs hanging down and framing her face. She wore large sunglasses that covered well more that the size of her eyes. It had taken Grace a moment, but she had recognized this woman more easily than she every thought she would if she'd ever encountered her again.
"It's been a long time Becky…" Grace said slowly, feeling cautious as she crossed her right leg over her left and folded her hands in her lap.
"Grace…" Becky cleared her throat.
"Why don't you have a seat?" Grace said after Becky didn't move much.
Becky inched forward. She sat down perfectly in the seat across from Grace, crossed her legs and put her purse on the floor next to the chair. "Do you want some water?" Grace offered diplomatically. Becky shook her head no. Grace studied her for a moment. "Sorry for the mess, the office isn't totally set up ay the moment," Grace excused. Becky offered a slight nod. "Okay, are we going to sit in silence awkwardly or do you want to give me the rundown of what brings you here?" Grace finally asked.
Becky offered a muttered response and Grace saw her cheeks around the bottoms of her sunglasses flush.
"I didn't quite catch that," Grace replied, raising an eyebrow.
"I need your help…" Becky said slowly. Grace couldn't tell if Becky was looking at the ground or at her because of the glasses.
She nodded slowly at Becky. "With what, exactly?"
Becky cleared her throat. "My husband..."
Grace tried not to roll her eyes. She put her pen down and leaned forward. "Look, Becky. I need you to be specific and tell me what's going on. I haven't spoke to you since we were eleven and now you've taken the time to seek me out for some kind of help but you're going to make me drag it out of you?" Grace stood. "I have interviews to schedule, so if you're through wasting my time for kicks, I'll show you out-," Grace stopped dead when Becky removed her sunglasses and looked up at Grace timidly. Becky's hazel eyes were worn. Her right eye was bloodshot. Her left eye looked almost like it had a cataract in it. It was cloudy and glazed over. Around her eye were dark red scars that trailed half way down her cheek. One of them indented up through her eyebrow.
Grace felt her mouth hanging open as she stared at Becky, confused and distraught now. "What happened to you?" She spoke in a whisper, lowering herself back into her chair slowly.
"He drinks…all the time. It's the worst when he gets his check," Becky spoke softly, averting her eyes to her folded hands. "He's such a wonderful person when he's sober though," Becky defended.
Grace had seen people like this before, but having known Becky if only when she was younger, made it twice as hard to listen to. "Have you tried to leave him?" Grace asked. She reached out for a clean legal pad and a pen.
Becky fidgeted in her spot. "Twice," She said slowly. She pointed to her injured eye. "This happened the second time...w-when he found me." she cleared her through again. "He came afte me with a steak knife."
"What made you go back?" Grace continued, trying to quell the emotions welling inside of her. Half of Grace wanted to point out the irony in the situation; Becky had stopped talking to Grace because Grace's mom was an alcoholic after all. The other half of Grace wanted to shake Becky and tell her to forget all her possessions and sneak out of the house with only what she absolutely needed and never look back.
Becky reached into her bag and unfolded a wallet. Grace was going to ask what she was doing but refrained and just watched. Becky pulled out the clear plastic piece that people usually put pictures in and held it out to Grace. Grace reached a hand out and took it. he looked down and came face to face with a photo of two boys. One looked to be about or close to Caleb's age and the other looked like he was maybe Gabe's age, if that. Both looked spectacularly like Becky, except for their eyes.
"The bigger one is Derek…the little one is Dylan," She said slowly revealing a dishearteningly sad smile. "Christopher, m-my husband, he didn't start drinking until after Dylan was born…after we ran into some money troubles," Becky nodded. She spotted a picture frame on Grace's desk and timidly reached for it. "Oh boy, I never pictured you wanting to have kids…" Becky's right eye filled up at the picture. Helen had taken it during their trip to Lake St. Catherine. It was a shot of Luke and Grace, sitting together on the porch steps of the house they'd stayed in with Lara and Brynn in their laps. Luke and Lara smiled broadly at the camera. Grace was smiling down at Brynn in her arms was the baby lay there with her little fists outstretched, staring intently at her mother.
Grace looked up. She blushed slightly and reached out to give Becky back her pictures. Becky put the picture frame back in its spot.
"I'm sorry, I have no right to-," She began to apologize.
"Does he hit your children?" Grace interrupted Becky.
Becky looked at Grace in shock. She looked down shamefully. "Usually he's too worked up after he comes after me, to find them in their hiding spots…"
"How many times has he found them?" Grace continued professionally, ignoring the fact that Becky was tearing up. Grace still felt mixed about all of this. She needed facts so that she could figure out how to help Becky, if for no other reason then to protect her children.
"Three…" Becky breathed.
"Were they taken to the hospital? Did you ever file any reports against him?" Grace fired the questions off.
"Yes. And yes…two," She replied.
Grace nodded. She gave the legal pad to Becky. "I need all of your contact information, your husband's full name, his work contact information, and the contact information for Derek and Dylan's school," She told Becky. Becky started writing the information down.
"Hello Collier, thank you for coming in. I'm sorry I had to reschedule from last week, we got a little busy on a case. What can I do for you?" Will asked as he walked around from his desk and greeted the man he knew as a colleague of Grace's and a friend of Joan, Grace, Luke and Adam.
"Actually, I brought someone to help you. I know you have a personal stake in the search for Ryan Hunter, so I wanted to bring this to you before anyone else," Collier replied.
Will nodded, "I'm all ears," He assured.
Collier nodded, he left the office and returned moments later. "Detetcive Girardi, you remember Dominique Diordus?" Collier re-introduced them. Dominique stared at the floor nervously.
"Yes, I do," Will nodded. He eyed the girl suspiciously as he held his hand out to her.
Dominique shook his hand and met his eyes.
"Dominique would like to help you catch Ryan in anyway she can. Isn't that right Dom?" Collier asked.
Dominique nodded. "Y…yes," She agreed.
Will nodded. "Okay then, why don't both of you have a seat and we'll discuss what you can do to help?" He asked. Collier ad Dominique took seats and Will sat behind his desk as they started discussing Ryan.
Nearly two hours later a phone call interrupted the information sessions Will was having with Collier and Dominique. Collier was trying his best to remain silent and not give things away. He was letting Dominique do all the talking. Will was recording the entire thing and taking notes.
"Girardi?" Will answered the phone after apologizing to Dominique and Collier.
"This is Agent Peters calling from New York, I worked with your son," The man on the other line greeted Will.
"Right, right, hello, I remember who you are," Will replied.
"I'm afraid I have some news for you and you're not going to like it," Peters said.
Will sighed. "Just give it to me," He said.
"It looks like Hunter's headed your way," Agent Peters replied.
Will sat up straighter. "How long do we have?" he asked.
"He's in Memphis right now. He's been avoiding the airports. If he doesn't take a flight, I'm saying two days, maximum," Peters said.
"Thank you Agent Peters," Will hung the phone up without listening for a response. "Can you both meet me here at 8 am tomorrow?" Will asked, standing up the usher Dominique and Collier out. They both agreed and left. Will set about making phone calls and passing information on. Let the little bastard come back to my town, Will thought.
"I'm back," Adam said as he kicked the door shut with his foot, cradling grocery bags in both arms. He careened into the kitchen and leaned in, exchanging a kiss with Joan, who had just finished cleaning the dinner dishes. Adam had indeed promised to be back before she was done. He looked around at the wall when he heard some loud bangs and yelling. "What's going on?" He asked as he set the bags down and scooped Mac out of her high chair and to his hip.
Joan sighed and rolled her eyes. "The new neighbors are at it again," She replied.
"What's it about this time?" Adam asked as Joan started putting the groceries away.
"Jewelry, Jelly and dirty clothes," Joan replied. "At least that's what I could gather from what I heard. Mosly it's muffled yelling and things breaking against the wall."
Adam offered a frowning smirk. "I'll go and give them their baths," He told Joan. Joan nodded. Adam cast one last glance in her direction before heading up the hall, calling out for Gabe. Since they had talked about moving back to Arcadia, Joan had been acting off. She seemed to roll her eyes whenever she walked through the hall back towards their apartment and at dinner she had gone on a long rant to Adam about how rude most of the people in this city seemed to be.
Joan was just finishing clearing out the old, unusable food in the fridge and putting the new groceries inside when Gabe came skidding to a stop in front of her. Adam had called after him. He had just gotten out of the bath and had wriggled free from Adam and took off. He was dripping on the floor now.
"Gabe!" Joan shouted, covering her face with her hands to try not to scream at him. She had just spent nearly 45 minutes rearranging the fridge while listening to the couple next door scream at each other and through things into the wall.
When she pulled her hands away and looked down, Gabe was standing in the same spot, staring up at her with wide eyes while still dripping. His body shivered some, now that he's stopped moving and cooled off. His wavy dark hair hung into his face and was scraggly. Joan frowned at the look on his face.
"Mommy I'm sorry…" Gabe said. His bottom lip stuck out as he frowned. His eyes almost shook as they filled and became watery.
Joan crouched down and opened her arms. "It's all right, I'm not mad at you. Come here," She assured him. Gabe timidly took a step forward. He wrapped his arms around her neck and buried his face into her neck and shoulder. Joan wrapped him up in her arms and stood up. Adam had noticed that she had Gabe and had taken Mac to dry off and change her. Joan walked to the bathroom and got a dry towel. She managed to wrap it around Gabe and she took him into his room.
"I'm sorry baby, mommy's not mad at you," She assured, sitting down on his bed with him in her lap. She rubbed his back and brushed his hair out of his face before placing a kiss into his still wet locks.
"What's wrong mommy?" Gabe asked her. Adam stood just outside in the hallway, with his back against the wall, listening.
"It's nothing important, sweetie," Joan assured. "What do you say we get you into some jammys?" Gabe nodded emphatically. "Which ones should we wear tonight?" Joan asked enthusiastically, glad to change the topic so easily. She sat Gabe down on the bed, pulling the extra cloth of the large towel over his head like a hood.
"I want batman!" Gabe giggled.
"Batman it is," Joan said in a singsong voice as she opened Gabe's bottom bureau drawer and found the pajama shorts and T-shirt. She grabbed a pair of underwear for him and turned around. "Dry that hair silly, who do you think you are, batman?" Joan used a hand to rub the towel on Gabe's head. He giggled and tried to pull away.
"Mommy?" Gabe asked as Joan watched Gabe try to put his own clothes on, only helping him when he really needed it, like when he tried to stick his head through the sleeve hole.
"Yeah?" Joan replied, grabbing his brush unknotting his half dried hair and brushing it back.
"Why are you sad?" Gabe asked.
Joan stopped brushing his hair and looked at him. "What makes you think I'm sad?"
"Cause you act grumpy when no one watches," Gabe replied. Outside the door, Adam frowned.
"Well, if no one's watching, how do you know?" Joan tried to tickle him to get his mind off of it. Gabe giggled and tried to breakaway. Finally Joan stopped. She pulled back his covers. "Come on, in you go," She said. Gabe wiggled his way under the covers and Joan tucked him in.
"Is it cause Gigi and Uncle Luke are gone?" Gabe asked.
"I'm not sad, Gabe, look, see, I'm smiling," Joan pointed to her lips as she smiled at him.
"Not in your eyes mommy," Gabe told her. Adam's shoulders hitched with a silent chuckle, impressed by Gabe's intuition.
Joan frowned. She reached out and ran her hand over the side of Gabe's cheek, pushing his hair back. She leaned down and kissed him on his forehead. "Don't you worry about a thing, okay?"
Gabe seemed to consider this for a moment. "Will you get better?" Gabe asked as if sadness were an illness.
Joan offered a small smile and nodded. "I promise," she assured.
"Okay mommy," Gabe responded.
"Sweet dreams," Joan said quietly as Gabe's eyes started to droop. He just nodded. Joan reached up and turned the lamp on his side table off as he closed his eyes. Joan dropped one more kiss on his forehead before she stood and walked out the door, quietly pulling the door shut behind her. She almost jumped out of her skin when Adam was standing there. She looked at him sadly.
"He's right you know," Adam told her. Even though Joan had only been acting this way for a little over a week; a little over a week was too long. Joan looked down guiltily. Adam reached out and took her hand.
"Let's talk," He suggested, leading her back towards their room.
"Hi Aunt Grace!" Katie cheered when Grace entered her house. It was almost 6pm. She had called to tell Luke she was going to be late.
"Hey Katie," Grace accepted Katie's hug. "Where is everyone?"
"Outback! But I had to pee, so I came in! Come on," Katie grabbed Grace's hand and start running. Grace managed, just barely to put her briefcase down before Katie tugged her out the back door. Once on the wooden deck that extended off the house, Katie let go of her hand and took off running down the wooden ramp and back to the swing set and slide where Caleb was already swinging. Lily was in the sandbox with Justin and Lara.
"Hey," Luke smiled broadly.
Grace looked around. Helen was sitting nearby with a glass of wine on the table in front of her and Brynn asleep on her shoulder. She was rubbing the baby's back slowly. She smiled at Grace to say hello and Grace nodded back to her. Kevin was sitting a little ways away from Helen around the deck table.
"Impromptu party? And here I wasn't invited," Grace said as she took a free chair that was near Luke.
"Impromptu yes. We only got here like 20 minutes ago," Kevin told her.
Grace nodded. "And we're celebrating…?"
"Kevin, why don't we give Luke and Grace a little bit of space so they can talk in private?" Helen suggested. She stood up and walked down towards the sandbox, swaying with Brynn as she went. Kevin gave a mock salute and followed.
"I hope you're hungry, Kev ordered a lot of pizza," Luke told her.
"Let me guess, extra garlic?" Grace asked.
Luke nodded. "Of course. So how was your day? Lots of interviews?"
"Uh…no actually. Just one," Grace said as she watched the kids playing.
"Must have been a good one to last all day and make you late," Luke suggested. "New client?" He guessed.
Grace nodded. She turned her head and looked at him. "You'll never guess who it is," she challenged.
"Gavin Price," Luke said.
Grace laughed at him. "Why would you guess that?"
Luke shrugged. "Because of the great cosmic irony inherent in it."
Grace shook her head. "Becky Coogan," She said simply.
Luke racked his brain for a long moment, trying to figure out if he knew that name. Soon his face dawned a faint look of recognition. "The girl who stopped talking to you?" He asked, recalling the day Grace had told him the story while they hung up election posters.
Grace nodded. "It was strange. But, stop stalling. What's going on? Why's everyone here…I mean not that I mind. And where's your dad?"
"I called them to come celebrate. Dad's still at work. Your Dad said he would come but was too busy," Luke explained.
Grace absorbed this before asking, "And what are we celebrating. Luke…are you pregnant again? Because I'm totally not the father this time."
Luke smiled and chuckled. "No, you're safe this time," He teased back. "We're celebrating that I'm finally done showcasing my formula. And we've got a lump sum check for it, and that's not including the fact that I own the patent, so when they start using this in the scripts of those cop shows and movies, and mention it in anything, we get paid then too."
"That's excellent!" Grace stared at him, smiling proudly and waiting for him to continue. "And? Come on! Are you going to tell me how much or what?" The curiosity was killing her.
"Sure you want to know? Mom almost fainted when I told her," Luke prolonged the agony.
"Come on geek, don't toy with me!" Grace tried not to laugh as she playfully smacked his arm.
Luke caught her hand and laid a kiss on the back of it, before leaning closer to her. "48.9…after taxes," Luke supplied.
"48.9 what?" Grace asked, unsure if what she was thinking could possibly be the right answer.
"Million," Luke spoke up, smiling when Grace's eyes became large saucers of shock.
"Shut up, that's not funny," Grace smacked his arm again, speaking low in disbelief.
"I know it's not," Luke replied. "But it's true."
Grace leaned over and hugged Luke, granting him a nice, long kiss. "Congratulations," She smiled, "Very proud of ya brain."
Luke just smiled back at her. Through the house they heard the doorbell. "I'll get it, it's probably the pizza," He said before detangling himself from Grace and heading into the house. Grace headed in behind him to get plates, napkins and sodas. Just as she was loading them up on a tray, the phone rang.
"Yeah?" She replied when she pushed the on button and stuck the phone between her shoulder and ear.
"Tell your husband that it is not funny to leave messages like that on our answering machine!" Joan replied.
Grace laughed. "What did he do?"
"He-," Joan lowered her voice to a harsh whisper. "He left a message saying that crazy light up liquid got him a check from the government garnering 48.9 million dollars! You can't leave messages like that on a machine! They give people heart attacks!"
"If it makes you feel better female Rove, I just had the same experience, only not over an answering machine," Grace confessed.
"Wait a minute, he told that joke to you? Is he still alive?" Joan asked.
Grace chuckled. "It's true, dude. Your mom and brother are here to celebrate with pizza."
"Wait…wait…back up…it's true?" Joan asked.
"Fraid so," Grace replied.
"True, as in, it's in a bank account…with both of your names on it?" Joan asked again.
"As in patented, sold, and raking in the dough," Grace replied, amused that Joan couldn't grasp this fully. "Still there?"
"Yeah…yeah…" Joan said slowly. "This is so…"
"Surreal?" Grace supplied.
"Yeah," Joan said.
"Pizza's here," Luke said a he entered the kitchen with three boxes. Grace nodded for him to head on out. Luke went out the back door.
"Too bad you can't celebrate with us," Grace said almost sadly.
Joan snorted, thinking she'd misheard Grace.
"Oh fine, laugh at me, next time I won't be so forthcoming with my thoughts!" Grace retorted.
"Grace! I'm sorry!" Joan replied quickly.
"No, no, too late now," Grace said. "Goodnight Rove, I'm going to enjoy my pizza!"
"Grace, wait-," Joan tried but Grace had hung up. Joan laughed at the phone in her hand.
Grace smiled as she set the phone back in its holder and carried the tray outside, putting it on the table next to the pizza. It was now Damage's turn to say hello, having come running up the deck from playing with the kids to drool all over everyone's legs as he begged for food.
Grace looked around, amused as everyone ate and talked about random things like Caleb timing for his swimming, or stories from Helen's art class and how she missed students like Adam, or how Kevin's therapy was going now that he had graduated to moving his left leg completely from the hip down and his right leg from the knee down. After all the years of working to get his movement back, he was getting closer everyday. Grace thought it was an accomplishment for him to have been able to stand, even if it was with two canes, for the entire ceremony of Luke and Grace's wedding. It was strange, as well, to accept a ug from Luke's older brother when he was taller than her, instead of shorter while sitting in the chair.
At least they all knew it was one day possible, since the feeling was there in his legs. It was an interesting sight to see when Kevin smiled excitedly each time Katie or Justin sat in his lap and one of his legs fell asleep.
"Aunt Grace?" Caleb broke Grace's thoughts.
"Yeah?" Grace asked, turning her attention to Caleb.
"Will you and Uncle Luke come to my swim meets this year, now that you live close?" Caleb asked.
Grace glanced at Luke and then back to Caleb. "Uh, yeah, sure we will," She replied.
"Wouldn't miss it," Luke nodded when Caleb looked at him. Caleb smiled broadly and dug into another slice of pizza.
"There you are! So what's the big news?" Will asked as he stepped onto the back deck. He was greeted easily by everyone around their full mouths as he reached for a slice of pizza.
"You probably shouldn't be chewing something when I tell you this, Dad," Luke replied.
"I think I can handle it," Will smiled, biting into the pizza hungrily.
"Okay…" Luke said as everyone looked on, waiting for Will's reaction.
A/N : And so chapter 6 rolls on. I know there was nothing truly Earth-shattering like you know when Ryan attacked, in this chapter but come on, we need filler in between that, don't you think?
Chapter title is from "If I Had $1,000,000" by Barenaked Ladies. I had trouble trying to pick a title for this one…
Responses: sayxanything – Thanks, yo! That is kind of freaky when someone in a story reminds you of someone you know. Lol, That Quaker part was supposed to send you into laughter! Hey, hey, I'm busy too! Besides, a little torture is good…sometimes. School's not so bad, really! No need to thank me! I'll post the one shot after I'm finished this story. If I'm feeling nice, I'll e-mail it to you in advance, ha! Much love!
Michelle – Thanks for the long e-mail! I haven't gotten a chance to give my donation yet, I promise I get to it by tomorrow. I'm glad you got to enjoy this after work, ha! Much love!
EBFR – Thank you! No problem on the slow reading and reviewing, I understand about school. I'll keep it up as long as I can! Thanks again for the kudos, much love!
Sam – Ha, that's right, it was a holiday gift! Thanks on the rockage. I didn't deal a lot with the dream stuff in this chapter, but it's going to intensify soon. For good reason too. Thanks again! Much love!
Hezziebob – Thanks for rockage! You're right, something huge is going to happen. Hahaha, I did set it up so a lot of scenarios were possible, didn't I? It's so my options are always open! Aw, I brought JoA back from the dead for you, that's sweet! I'm sorry if you lost your sanity while I took a few days to update ha! Much love!
Kool-Wolf – Holy freakin' crap! I will not die! Eh…maybe I will write another, maybe not. Well, technically I could just stop writing. Yeah, it would be mean to everyone though. Whoa, whoa, whoa, ending? Hahahaha, did you think this story was over already? Aw, no wonder you freaked. I'm sure there's another brat out there somewhere, someway that will hate your punk ways just as much as I my foe! Thanks for the bit about my friends' families. Hate ya back! Violence to you!
Tiffany – What do you mean I can't cliffhanger you? I can too! I'm just choosing carefully where I want to end each chapter! So ha! Nah, I don't think Ryan knows about the paper boats. So what's the deal, I'm waiting for the turmoil of your next story dude! Much love!
Carol – I knew someone was going to ask about Anneliese. I can't answer that though without major spoilers. I almost made myself cry when I wrote the part with the violin, heh. I loved the poem. I was a little sad when they didn't read the last paragraph out loud in the episode. It took a lot of painstaking pausing to be able to read it clearly on my DVD! Thanks again for the kudos, much love!
Butterfly Dancing – Nice update dude! Thanks for the kudos. You are #2 asking about Anneliese. I unfortunately, can't answer that without major spoilers. ) Sorry! Much love!
Coveredinrain16 – HELLO! I love CBG too! I enjoy Grace and Adam scenes too. You've never seen L&G like that as much in my stories. Mostly they've been good together because at the point they're at in my stories they've already gone through a lot. In the series though I thought they were pretty rocky, mostly because Grace was having trouble breaking walls down. Thanks again for the kudos! Much love back! P.S. – It's only as boring as you make it my friend!
A/N: Thanks to all reviewers and readers. Like I said, read each other's stories and review to! Spread the love! Thanks again! Let me know what you think!