Laws of Motion – Book 1
Written by: Ms Maggs / Edited by: KJT
Chapter 21
September 1, 2005
Butterfield Academy
3:24 p.m.
Sitting in her car in the Parent Pick Up line, Wendy couldn't believe her eyes. Sean was rushing to her vehicle smiling like the carefree boy he was supposed to be. "Honey?" she greeted in a wary voice.
"Mom!" As soon as he shut the door Sean let his excitement fill the minivan. "I had the best day of school ever! It was incredible! Fantastic! I have friends!"
"Kids from Chess Club or Science Club?" she asked with hope in her voice as she pulled out of the parking lot.
"Jocks! Popular girls! Classmates!" His enthusiasm rattled the windows. "Everyone likes me!"
As much as she wanted to believe her boy, Wendy found it impossible to fathom that he went from being ridiculed on day one to adored on day two, especially by jocks. "Was there a track meeting today and you met some jocks there?"
"Here's what happened…" he explained in a joyous voice, with his hands and arms going as fast as his rate of speech. "The girl I was telling you about yesterday…Celine…it turns out that she was being coerced by Lindsay to be mean to me. Today, Celine apologized and said that she was just worried Lindsay was trying to ruin her so she went along with her."
"Really?"
"Yes! I witnessed it myself today, Mom. Lindsay told everyone that Celine wears sexy underwear just to embarrass her. But Celine would make a really great CSI because she lifted her skirt to show that she was wearing normal girly underwear with innocent flowers. The evidence doesn't lie! She called Lindsay a liar and I backed her up because I know how it feels to be on the end of one of Lindsay's jokes. Celine was really grateful I did and asked me to be her friend. Right after that, one of the school's biggest jocks heard me say that my uncle played for A&M and he thinks I'm cool by association."
"Okay." Wendy pondered the information and realized it sounded plausible.
"Bo, that's the jock's name, invited me to sit at the jock table at lunch and help them with their homework!" Lowering his voice to a whisper he confessed, "Some of them really aren't too bright. I don't know how they get to go to Butterfield."
"Because their parents are making huge donations on top of paying their tuition…but don't tell them I said that." She cursed herself for saying it in front of her son with a penchant for blurting. "I'm really surprised Lindsay is acting this way. She seemed fine the other night when we went out for ice cream."
"I finally figured it out! She's a chameleon," he informed his skeptical mother. "She acts one way in front of her unofficial stepfather, but she's a whole different person when she's at school. Mom…Celine said Lindsay's mom enrolled her at Butterfield because she gave BJs to half the football team. Is BJ the nickname for a really bad drug? IsIT BJ another name for Ecstasy?"
"Uh…" Wendy clenched the steering wheel and in a moment of panic completely copped out of her parenting responsibilities, "Honey, you should really ask your Uncle Nick about nicknames for street drugs, because he's a CSI and deals with that all the time. And I better call Catherine."
Catherine's Roadster
3:31 p.m.
"You haven't said two words since you got in the car, Linds." At the red light Catherine reached over and nudged her mute daughter. "Did the other girls like your new purse?"
"Yeah." Chewing her bottom lip, Lindsay fought to stave off her tears. Once she was home and behind her closed bedroom door she'd let them flow, but not in front of her mother.
"Is it boy trouble?" she asked, hoping to start some dialogue.
"I have cramps, okay? Sometimes it really sucks being a girl!" Turning her body even further away she stared out the window. "So, could you give me a break because I don't feel like doing the mother-daughter thing right now because my gut is throbbing? I just want to go home, take some Motrin and rest."
"Sure…I know how that feels." She patted her shoulder. The house will be nice and quiet. I'm going to catch some Z's and Warrick just left to visit Nick in the hospital."
University Trauma Center
3:45 p.m.
When Jim pulled out a second rubber band to accompany the one already around Nick's wrist he said, "What Warrick and I are about to speak of may require a double snap."
"Oh shit." Nick eyed his faux-uncle and his pal. "What now?"
"Where's your Keyholder?"
A little fuzzy from his latest dose of meds, Nick didn't track. "My Keyholder?"
"To your ball and chain," Jim teased as he glanced around the empty room. "Did she go on another balloon run? I hope so, because twelve red hearts floating around this place seems a bit light."
"Aren't you a wise ass this afternoon, Uncle Jimmy?" Nick glanced at the wall clock. "Carrie is at an appointment. My brother was here, but when he heard you were coming he took off with my mother."
Brass chuckled. "Yeah…I scared the crap out him in the elevator the other day. He thought I was Tawny's father."
"Yeah…the resemblance is uncanny," Nick deadpanned. "I can see how he'd make that mistake."
"I see you haven't lost your sense of humor." Taking a seat on the edge of Nick's bed Warrick said, "And you look pretty good…for you. Are you feeling good? Is that shirt new? It's cool."
"Stop buttering me up and cut to the chase before you give me a heart attack," Nick urged while waiting for the shoe to drop. "Is it a threat to Carrie or me?"
"Definitely you," Brass laughed as he leaned against the wall and folded his arms. "Your pal will break it to you."
Never one to beat around the bush Warrick said, "Cath wants to switch to Days and work for you."
"Oh no. No. No way." Nick shook his head as the laughter built. "No offense, man, but…your significant other is a colossal pain in the ass to supervise. She walked all over Grissom…which may be fine for him but, it would get on my last nerve. And Sofia is on my shift. Those two cats would be clawing each other in the conference room during my staff meetings. I can handle Sofia…"
"That's what we heard, and from the look on her face when she was fessing up about your sordid association, I'd say you handled her very well." Brass broke into his best shit-eating grin. "Remember…I saved your life so I think that gives me a free pass to bust your chops from here on out."
Nick held up his wrist and snapped his bands for Jim to see. "What's with people coming here to take advantage of me when I'm drugged? If you're not allowed to drive when taking this shit then you shouldn't be allowed to make important decisions."
"Look…" Warrick decided to make a plea. "Having her work nights isn't cutting it now that Lindsay hit thirteen. There's been some problems…well, you know that, you're the one who busted her in Ryan's bedroom. Lindsay needs closer supervision and Cath needs to take a more active mothering role. You know…things can happen when a mother isn't around looking out for her kid…bad things."
"Did Catherine tell you to say that!" Incensed that she'd use his history to manipulate him Nick demanded, "Are those her words or yours? Answer me, man." He flicked the rubber bands twice and waited for confirmation that she was attempting to manipulate him for the second time this week. "The truth…now."
"Take it easy." Warrick calmly replied while wondering why his friend suddenly got tweaked. "They're mine, I swear. I'll tell you her words but, you won't believe them. She said…what if I extend an olive branch to Sofia and promise to be submissive with Nick."
Nick replied in disbelief, "She'll be submissive to me?"
In a compassionate tone Jim counseled, "Nick…I realize how difficult this scenario would be for you so, don't worry, I'll help…" Stepping closer he placed his hand on the tense man's shoulder. "I'll give you tips on how to be dominant with a woman…because we all know you don't get any practice with Carrie running the show."
"Thanks, Uncle Jimmy." Nick took a deep breath as his visitors laughed. "Check it out…I'm coherent and I'm not just gonna let you steamroll me. But I'll make you a counteroffer, gentlemen."
Warrick gave a toothy grin. "That's Attorney Blake's influence on you."
"Absolutely," he acknowledged with pride. "I understand that it would be better for Lindsay to have her mother working the same hours as she is in school and because I'm a big-time family man, I also empathize. However, as a supervisor, I have to consider the impact this change would have on my team. I can't do that without knowing how Ms. Willows will react when she's a part of my shift. So, here's what I want…it's non-negotiable…a written agreement stating that this is for a thirty day trial period beginning the first day I return to my shift and ending thirty calendar days after that. On the thirtieth day I get to decide if Ms. Willows has effectively demonstrated that she works well with the team and if she has, she can stay. On the other hand, if I feel her presence is detrimental to the functionality of the group…or my sanity, she'll have to find another spot. Do we have a deal?"
"Hmm…I don't know," Jim looked to Warrick. "Do you think Cath can fake it for thirty days?"
"Out!" Nick pointed to the door. "I need my beauty rest."
"But we haven't given you your gifts," he protested. "We bought you old lady porn since we know you're not allowed to get it up for weeks. Trust me, I looked at in on the way over and it will do the trick." Just then Jim's cell rang. "Hold that thought." When he saw on the display that it was Whispering Pines calling he headed for the door. "I need to grab this."
Once Jim was gone Warrick said, "Talking friend to friend, and as Cath's significant other…I really appreciate you giving her the chance."
"You look real edgy, man. Are things cool with the two of you?" He studied Warrick's eyes. "You're still moving into the new house this weekend, right?"
"Yeah."
"I thought maybe you were pissed about her bringing me the multi-million dollar settlement from Big Daddy Braun."
"What?"
"Oh shit."
Warrick's head tilted as he tried to make sense of the statement. "She didn't say anything about bringing you a settlement from Braun."
Realizing he had stepped in it with both feet Nick said, "I just assumed she told you because…"
"We're in a committed relationship and live under the same roof. Damn her!" Warrick stood and paced the room. "She bet me too."
"She bet you? Bet you what?"
"I can't believe..." With his hands on his hips he answered, "We were joking around about the world turning upside down and she said…who knows, maybe Nick will become a millionaire overnight and Greg will return from California with his umbilical cord cut. I laughed and said I wouldn't bet on that. She challenged me, saying if they did happen would I grant her shift bid. I took the action…as a joke. She played me."
Feeling terrible about spilling the beans Nick said, "You know she wanted to make it go away for you too. She was afraid you'd catch some heat about her working the Tempest case."
"All the more reason she should have mentioned it, don't you think?"
"Hey…Carrie hid that greeting card from me. People make bad decisions when they think they're looking out for a loved one. Don't jump to conclusions…ask her about it…see what she says."
"Have you been watching Dr. Phil in here?" Warrick took a seat in a guest chair and rubbed his hands over his face. "It's not even that she brought you the settlement without telling me that's got me so pissed. It's that she flaunted her secret knowledge of it in front of my face. How disrespectful is that?"
"Look…she cracked a joke is all, and she probably didn't even..."
"Why are you defending her? Because she got her daddy to make you a millionaire?"
"Ouch." Nick stared at his longtime pal for a moment then said in a distant voice, "See…it's true what they say, money changes everything. The cash has only been in my account a few hours and it's already happening. You've only known about it for two minutes and don't think of me the same."
"It's not just money…" His gaze narrowed as his voice hardened. "…it's his money and I can't believe you let that crook buy you off."
Adding an edge to his voice Nick retorted, "Settlements happen ever day and they are a legitimate alternative course of action to a trial when a wrong has been committed. You know that. You see it all the time in cases. Now…with that said, I'll tell you this one time…" He connected with Warrick's eyes and said his peace, "My parents worked too damned hard to be destroyed by a Sam Braun scandal and my brother doesn't need to be sitting in jail, he needs to be with his kids and working on his marriage. Lastly, and most importantly, if this had gone to trial and spiraled into a mess, it could have cost Carrie her career. I took the settlement because it was the right thing to do for my family…and I don't feel guilty about my decision. I am however extremely disappointed that you judged me before even bothering to ask me what I'm going to do with that money."
"Damn…" Warrick slid lower in this chair. "Yeah…I'm an ass…and I'm really sorry for jumping down your throat, Buddy. First off, it's none of my business, and secondly…I know you'd never do it for the wrong reasons. My head, it's…I'm still reeling."
"Forgiven," he replied without hesitation.
Finally able to resume eye contact he asked the burning question, "Since you brought it up, what are you planning on doing with that bastard's cash?"
"There's this project Carrie and I want to invest in." A gentle smile eased over his mouth. "I'm not a Saint…Carrie and I will be settin' ourselves up real good first, and socking away some for a rainy day but, I don't want to live the country club life, man. As far as I can see, all that shit did to my brother was mess up his life. Carrie and I see eye to eye on this…we're grateful that we won't have to sweat the small stuff, and we've decided to show our gratitude by helping others in need. It's not like there's a shortage of people struggling."
University Trauma Center - Courtyard
4:03 p.m.
As soon as Jim hung up from speaking with his daughter, he rested against the back of the stone bench on which he was sitting and replayed the entire conversation in his mind.
"Daddy...I earned phone privileges."
"Hi, Honey. You sound great." In reality she sounded awful but it was great to hear her voice.
"Then I sound better than I look. But hey…I made it five days."
"I knew you would do well there."
"It sucks here and I'm hanging on by a thread."
Jim tensed. "Well…I think it's pretty hard to make rehab fun no matter where you are. It will get better."
"Yeah…tomorrow I get to go to my first Equine Therapy session. I think that's a fancy way of saying I'll be shoveling horse shit. But whatever it takes, right, Dad?"
"I can't wait to see you this weekend, Sweetheart. Is there anything you want me to bring?"
"A bag of brain cells, because according to what I learned last night in Counselor Bob's lecture, I've lost plenty over the years."
The proud father smiled when he realized his daughter had been paying attention in class. "I was thinking chocolate but I'll work on finding the cells. I'm sure there have to be some stored at the lab." When he heard her laugh lightly, Jim relaxed a little. "Do you have a roommate?"
"Oh yeah…she's a piece of work. Little Miss Priss is here instead of attending her freshman year at UCLA because her millionaire daddy found out she held an X-induced orgy at their Malibu beach house. What a loser. I call her Malibu Barbie…she friggin' hates that."
"What does she call you?"
"Tramparella. I told her the tramp part makes sense but, the Cinderella piece doesn't work because I've never have a stepmother or slaved over cleaning a house. The invalidity of the name ruins its effectiveness and I told her to try a little harder. Whatever…she's a spoiled blonde bitch jonesin' for a fix…there's no reasoning with her."
"I'm glad you're making friends," he quipped.
"Speaking of friends…is Heather coming with you when you visit?"
"I was going to bring her along for the drive but, if it will make you uncomfortable I can…"
"No, I want her to come. I told everyone my daddy is dating a dominatrix and they can't wait to meet her."
"I'll tell her dress the part then."
Chuckling she said, "How can you tell her what to do if she's a dominatrix?"
"We have a schedule, this weekend I'm the dominant."
"Dammit!" she grumbled. "…it's time for group. I'll call you tomorrow."
"I love you, Ellie. This call made my day."
"Bye, Dad."
"Bye."
Returning his cell to his jacket pocket Jim rose from the courtyard bench. Talking to Ellie was one thing, but what he really needed was to see her.
The Sanders Home
4:11 p.m.
"How do I look?" Tawny asked Bev when she stepped out of the bathroom.
With her fresh French manicure and pedicure, romantic updo, and flirty red chiffon dress Bev only needed one word, "Stunning."
"It's our first date so I want to impress him."
"I'm sure he'll ask you out again at the end of the night." Opening her palm, she displayed a diamond accented cuff bracelet. "This was Greg's grandmother's. In her will she asked that it be given to his wife. She wouldn't mind it happening before the formality."
Even though she estimated it to be a fraction of the worth of Drew's, to Tawny it was priceless. "I'm honored."
"It's a perfect fit," she declared while fastening it on Tawny's wrist. "And so are you and Greg, Sweetheart." Resting her palm on the girl's cheek, Bev sniffled, "I couldn't ask for a better daughter-in-law."
Watching the distraught mother's eyes fill with water, Tawny assured her, "I'll never hurt him, Bev…and I'll make sure he stays out of the hole."
"Thank you, Honey." Hugging her tight she whispered, "While you're out on the town, I'm going to be here reviewing all the wedding plans you two have detailed out for me. I'm so excited."
And while Bev and Tawny were sharing a tender moment in the guest room, down the hall in Greg's childhood room, Scott was teasing his boy…
"I feel like I'm sending you off to the prom, Son."
"Better late than never."
Reaching out Scott smoothed down the lapel of the black jacket he had loaned him. Underneath it, he was wearing the black Armani button down Bev had purchased and placed in the guestroom closet to go with the stylish black trousers she had tailored for him. "When the babies arrive I'm sure your mother will focus on dressing them instead of you."
"Hey, I'm not complaining." In the mirror he fluffed his hair. "Mom has great taste."
"I'm sure she'll still augment your wardrobe on your birthday and at Christmas." Stuffing his hands into his pockets Scott said, "No drinking and driving."
"Never do."
"Don't keep her out past curfew."
Chuckling he replied, "Don't you worry, Dad, I plan on having her in bed by eleven."
"That brings me to my next point." From his pocket he produced two condoms.
"I was waiting for that." Greg grabbed them, tucking them in his jacket pocket.
"All kidding aside, I read in a medical journal recently, a case study that focused on a woman with overactive ovaries who conceived twins and then two months later conceived triplets." When he saw Greg's smile melt Scott laughed, "I'm shittin' ya. I saw that on the cover of The National Enquirer when I was at Ralph's."
"As a Scientist I knew that wasn't possible, but as a guy who finds himself in precarious situations frequently, I couldn't help but feel tense, because if it were going to happen…it would happen to me."
Grabbing the bouquet of flowers from the dresser, Scott handed them to his son. "After spending the day with Tawny, I don't have one ounce of doubt in my veins about how she feels…she loves you with all her heart, Son, and that makes you a very lucky man."
"I'm acutely aware of that Dad." Taking the flowers, Greg grinned and headed out the door. A minute later he was at the guest room knocking. When the door opened and he saw his date looking more beautiful than he'd ever seen her before, Greg fell speechless.
"Wow!" Tawny turned around to Bev. "When Chuckles can't talk you know you're making an impression." Then she refocused on her silent man. "Are those gorgeous flowers for me?"
Like the nervous first date guy he was supposed to be, he formally presented the bouquet. "You look amazing."
Sniffing the flowers she gushed. "So do you all dressed in black from head to toe." Her sunny laugh filled the room. "You're a real Scandinavian Bad Ass."
From behind Greg, Scott prodded, "You kids better get going if you want to get to Santa Barbara in time for sunset."
Taking Tawny's hand he brought it to his lips and bestowed a kiss. "Let's go, Princess."
University Trauma Center
4:31 p.m.
When Carrie returned to Nick's room, she saw Wendy was dropping off Sean. "Hi, Wen…"
Rushing by her sister-in-law Wendy announced, "I'm running to the gift shop to get gum for Nick!" She didn't want to be there when Sean popped the question. "And I have to make a phone call!"
"Who are you calling? The fire department?" After walking into the room Carrie gave her man a hug. "Hey, Honey." Acutely aware that Ryan was waiting to bust her for acting mushy, she stayed cool. "I'll read while you boys chat." After grabbing their communal copy of Harry Potter she took a seat in the corner.
"You missed it, Darlin'." Nick smiled at Sean. "Your nephew was just tellin' me what a great day he had at school and how much he was looking forward to watching the A&M game with me on Saturday."
She stared at her nephew. "But you didn't go to school today, Ryan."
"He was talking about Sean," the boy informed her. "But I get why you were confused."
"Sean?" She moved her gaze. "You had a great day at school and want to watch football?"
"Yeah!" Gushing from all the excitement he almost forgot he had a technical question. "Oh! Uncle Nick…something came up at school today and when I asked my mom to explain it, she thought it best I ask you."
"Shoot." Nick grabbed his cup of ice water and sipped.
"This girl at school said Lindsay Willows gave BJs to half the football team last year and I've never heard of that kind of drug. Is a BJ ecstasy? Because I know that's often called X."
Upon hearing the question, Nick choked on his ice water, Ryan fell into a fit of laughter, and Carrie made a beeline for the door stating, "I need to make a phone call too!" Now she knew exactly why Wendy had high-tailed it out of there.
Sean moved his gaze between his hysterical brother and Nick, who was trying not to join in the laughter and failing.
"Sorry, Sean," Nick apologized. "I don't mean to laugh. I'm sure your brother doesn't either."
"Heck, yeah I do," Ryan assured him. "Go ahead, Uncle Nick, tell him what it is."
Finally realizing his faux-pas, Sean's hand held his head. "It's a sex thing, isn't it? I can't believe I asked my mother about a sex thing."
"Yeah…it's a sex thing," Nick nodded and hoped he'd leave it at that, while knowing it wasn't going to happen.
"So, what does the acronym stand for?" the always inquisitive boy inquired.
Watching his uncle squirm Ryan prodded, "Yeah, Uncle Nick…what does it stand for?"
"You should really ask your dad to explain this to you."
"He can't ask Dad," Ryan merrily informed him. "He left on his last business trip today. He won't be back until Tuesday. That's an awful long time to leave Sean in suspense, don't you think? He could get made fun of at school if he doesn't know and…"
"Okay…okay." Nick cleared his throat. If it were Ryan he'd just say it straight up, but Sean was a whole different story. He knew he'd have to delicately frame it and build to the finale. "What do you know about sex so far, Sean?"
"It's what a man and a woman do to reproduce. First they kiss a little bit, then they remove their clothes to allow the man's penis access to the woman's vagina. Once inside, the man let's his seed flow, and then, God willing, an egg is fertilized and a baby created."
"That's good…yeah, very good," Nick stalled trying to think of a segue. "Okay…here's the deal. People have reproductive sex for the biological reason you just outlined, but some consensual adults…also have sex for another reason."
"Which is?" Ryan stared at his uncle.
"Because it feels nice," Nick replied, making a mental note to torture Ryan at some later date. "And when something feels nice, you like doing it just for fun, right? The goal of reproductive sex is a baby, and the goal of pleasure sex is happiness." Proud of his explanation he rested. "I hope that clears things up for you."
"How could it?" Sean wondered. "You didn't answer my question."
"Right." Nick cleared his throat once more. "Okay…like there is more than one reason to have sex…there's more than one way."
Channeling his inner smart-ass Ryan commented, "You mean like you can do it in a bed or on the floor?"
"Yes, Ryan." Nick shot daggers at the boy. "But that's not what I was alluding to. Logistically people can have sex in lots of locations…"
"Like the backseat of a car!" Sean was happy he could finally add to the conversation. "I saw that in a movie my parents were watching one night when I got up to get a glass of water."
"Right." Lowering his voice Nick explained, "And just like people can have sex on a bed or in a car, there are different places on a person's body that can be used for different types of sexual activities."
"Like what places, Uncle Nick?" Ryan inquired in faux confusion.
"You know…I won't be physically restricted forever, Punk," Nick warned.
"Okay, I'll help." Ryan placed his hand on his brother shoulders and helped, "The mouth dude."
"Oh, okay…I've seen Uncle Nick do that with Aunt Carrie."
"You have!" Ryan yelled while Nick's heart stopped.
"Yeah…and I couldn't figure out why she would want your tongue in her mouth after you ate onions, because, that has to taste gross."
Nick's heart resumed pumping as Ryan moved in for the kill. "Bro, when I said a girl let's a guy put it in her mouth, I wasn't talking about the guy's tongue, I was talking about his..." With his index finger he pointed at this crotch.
After taking a moment to process the information, Sean jumped back yelling, "But that's how we go to the bathroom! Ewww! Why would any girl let you do that! You're telling me girls let guys pee in their mouths? Lindsay let half the football team pee in her mouth!"
"No…" Ryan guided his brother towards enlightenment. "The other stuff…the same stuff used to make a baby."
"You guys are making this up," he insisted, finding the concept impossible to believe.
"We're not, Bro. Tonight, we'll sneak into the living room and put on Cinemax and I'll prove it to you. There's always a girl doing it to some guy every time I turn it on after eleven."
In shock he asked, "Girls really like doing that?"
"You'll have to ask Uncle Nick to field that one, I've never been in the situation, but I'm sure he's been there plenty of times."
When Sean turned to face him Nick knew exactly what he was thinking…my Aunt let's you do that to her! "Sean…think of it like you would a birthday gift…it feels good to give someone something that brings them happiness, right? And then, when it's your turn to celebrate, that person gives you something that makes you happy in reciprocation. The man and the woman celebrate, by taking turns making each other happy. Now, in my experience, some girls are very eager to celebrate…some like to party just a little but prefer you leave before the end…and some, decline the invitation and don't party at all."
Still reeling from the newly acquired knowledge he remarked in a shaky voice, "But girls don't have a ..."
Dropping his head back on the pillows Nick groaned, "Your mother owes me big."
"No…" Ryan gave an assist. "The guy has togo to the girl to make her happy."
Overwhelmed by the weight of this new task, when he was still trying to get over what he'd have to do to make a baby one day, and what his brother insisted he'd end up doing with his hand, Sean took a seat. "I think my head's going to explode."
The unintended 'in context' reference sent Ryan into hysterics while the dutiful uncle thought…Sean, that's exactly what you'll be thinking when it's happening to you.
Once the laughter quelled Nick re-focused. "Guys, you do realize this is all information for future reference, right? This isn't something I did at thirteen and not something you should be doing at thirteen, no matter what the kids in school tell you or what's on TV."
"How old were you?" Sean warily asked, wondering exactly how long of a reprieve he had.
"Seventeen," he answered honestly. "Now…you also need to know there are disease risks anytime bodily fluids are exchanged so, you don't want to be doing it ever without knowing who you're with. Got it?"
"Got it," they echoed.
"And here are two other very important uses of your mouth when you're sexually active…if you're not comfortable doing something the girl wants to do, you use your mouth to say no, and before you try something new with a girl, you always use your mouth to ask her if it's okay…don't just spring it on her."
Ryan huffed, "I really think it's Lindsay that needs to hear that last part, because she didn't ask me and she didn't hear me."
Catherine's House
4:45 p.m.
Sitting on her bed Catherine clutched the phone to her ear with one hand and her hair with the other. "Wendy…I…"
"You know how vicious kids can be…there's an excellent chance it's not true," Wendy soothed.
"Considering she tackled your son in his bedroom I'm inclined to believe there's a chance it is."
"I told you because I'd want to know if…"
"I'm glad you did." Catherine stared at her reflection in the dresser mirror and noted the worry lines cutting deep into her flesh. "Thank you, Wendy. I'm uh…going to sit down with Lindsay right now."
"I'm sure I'll see you this weekend since you're moving in."
"Yeah…see you then. Bye." Upon disconnecting from the call she threw the cordless phone into the pillows and cursed herself for letting things get this out of control. Her plan from the moment she had learned of her pregnancy was to raise the child differently, and make sure it wouldn't make the same asinine decisions as she had. "Shit!"
"Yeah…it's that kind of day alright," Warrick announced as he shut the bedroom door behind him. "You know that bet we made, Cath?"
Masking her anxiety she shoved a smile on her face. "Which one? We've made plenty."
"The one about Greg's umbilical cord being cut and Nick becoming a millionaire overnight…ring a bell?"
Suddenly his expression sent a chill through her. "He told you about the settlement."
"He's my best friend…when you're close with someone you usually share things and tell them the truth. I thought I'd point that out since it seems to be a foreign concept to you." Tossing his keys on the dresser Warrick stared at his partner with contempt. "It's not the fact that the settlement occurred, it's that you played me…even if was a joke…especially since it was a joke." He went to the closet and grabbed a duffle bag, proceeding to randomly toss in items.
"What are you doing?"
"I need to clear my head and I can't do that here."
Leaping out of bed she yelled, "Are you crazy? We're closing on our house tomorrow afternoon. We're moving in this weekend."
"Yeah…and before I make that move I think I need to sort through the shit in my head because as of right now…" Turning to face her he said, "I'm have second thoughts."
"And what? Tomorrow you decide you don't want the house, what am I supposed to do then?"
Throwing his bag over his shoulder he coolly replied, "You can go to your Daddy and have him buy the house with you."
Rushing for the door she threw it open and headed for the kitchen. "I'm calling in sick tonight!" she yelled while opening the fridge and grabbing an open bottle of wine.
"Noted," he simply replied upon joining her in the room. "Maybe you should use that time to find out what your daughter's been up to. It will also give you an opportunity to find out what it feels like to have someone do something behind your back and lie to your face."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nicky told me that Lindsay was a grade-A bitch to Sean at school yesterday. The guy was so mortified from her public humiliation of him in the hallway, he ended up hiding in a closet crying. I can relate…it sucks having a woman make a joke out of you. Congratulations…" he snarked, "…you've done an excellent job coaching Lindsay on how to make a guy feel like shit."
Seconds from losing it Catherine lifted her wine glass. "Do I get a plaque that says 'Mother of the Year' or a trophy?"
Dropping his bag Warrick raised his voice. "On Tuesday I spent all night parenting Lindsay about morals and values and this morning you let her go to school carrying a $700 purse."
"How could I take it from her?"
"By holding out your hand and saying the purse stays home or you're not going anywhere! Just like my grandma did with me when I tried to go to school with a chunk of gold around my neck." Stuffing his hands on his hips he mimicked his guardian's voice. "Mr. Brown, you take that chain from around your neck and hand it to me or I will yank it off and take your ears with it. No grandson of mine is going to school looking like a pimp because he'll attract nothing but whores."
"It's complicated," she protested. "It was a gift from her grandfather, and she has a right to know her grandfather even if he is Sam Braun."
Angered to an extreme he blasted, "What kind of man wants his thirteen year-old granddaughter carrying a $700 purse to school! Putting aside the fact that it makes her a prime target for robbery, it makes her look like a materialistic bimbo. Is that the image you want for Lindsay? Your daddy is a hotel mogul, maybe he wants Lindsay to be the next Paris Hilton but, I can't stand by and watch that happen. I'm not going to wait until we find her in some hotel suite flipped on ecstasy and unable to recall how many guys she was with that night."
Considering the news she had just received from Wendy about Lindsay and half the football team, Catherine realized she couldn't argue the point.
Grabbing his bag from the floor Warrick pointed out, "I had a long talk with you this weekend and said the shit has to stop. I had a long talk with Lindsay on Tuesday and said the shit has to stop. You both looked me in the eyes and agreed, but as soon as I wasn't looking you went about your old ways. I can't have you and her asking me to play the partner and father roles one day, and completely tossing everything I value out the window the next. It's insanity, not to mention a complete waste of my time and my life." Knowing she didn't have a reply he went to the door and when he opened it Warrick said, "You know what I think has been going on here…I think she's been using me to keep you in check and you've been using me to keep her in check." Shrugging, he turned and walked through the door. "I'm tired of being used."
When the door shut Catherine slid down the wall clutching her wine glass. "Shit, shit, shit!" Silence filled the kitchen and in that silence she finally heard the sobbing in the living room. "Lindsay?" Jumping to her feet she raced into the room.
"What's wrong with us, Mom?" Lindsay asked as she choked on her tears. "Why can't we do anything right?"
In a maternal reaction Catherine's eyes welled. "I don't know, Honey." Taking a seat next to her she pulled her close. "That's the first thing I plan to ask Dr. Myers when we see her for our first appointment tomorrow."
Highway 101 California
Greg's Mommy's Mercedes
5:01 p.m.
"It's Dr. Myers. She loves the flowers," Tawny informed Greg when she covered the receiver of her cell phone. They had sent her a beautiful bouquet with a card that said, Thank you for getting us to California! We're having a great time. "We're really happy you like them. You deserve them...actually you deserve a lot more but, we're on a budget now."
Through the phone the doctor chuckled. "Don't forget, I'm getting paid well, so don't feel guilty."
"We're going out on our first date," Tawny gushed into the phone. "Greg looks totally hot and he's taking me to watch the sunset and then we're going to have a fabulous dinner. After that, we're spending the night at this very luxurious B&B that only the rich and famous know about. It's so close to the ocean you can hear the waves crashing." After winking at him she commented, "It's just like a fantasy I once had."
"Sounds fabulous, Tawny. Have a wonderful time."
Waving his hand Greg said, "I need to talk to her."
"Greg would like to talk to you."
"He's driving. He knows I don't talk to patients when they're driving."
Before Tawny said anything Greg decelerated and pulled into a rest stop. "I know she won't talk to me if I'm driving."
"We've pulled over," Tawny informed her. "Here he is." She handed over the phone and relaxed against the leather.
"Hey, Doc. I was planning on calling you with this tomorrow, but since you're on the phone I figured I'll ask you now." Taking Tawny's hand he brought it to his lips for a kiss. "I know you said I shouldn't tell my dad the truth about what happened when I was thirteen without being in your office but, we've got this great bonding vibe going and I think…"
"Stop."
"Stopping."
In a stern voice the doctor said, "I told you that the revelation will be a huge blow to your father and he will need professional support to cope. It doesn't have to be me. If there's someone out there you can see that's fine. To casually tell him will be an immature and selfish move. We've discussed at length how you get over-excited and make decisions based on what you want, without considering what's best for all parties involved. Here are two words to jar your memory…unprotected sex. If you tell your father, you'll feel better because you transferred the angst off your shoulders to his, but he'll be devastated…and you're not qualified to help him cope with that devastation. Are my thoughts on the matter crystal clear?"
"You had me at immature and selfish." He glanced over at Tawny. "Those are two things I'm desperately trying not to be anymore."
"Thank you." She blew a heavy sigh. "I can do a little research and find you a reputable therapist in California if you feel you can't get your father to come to Vegas."
"No, I know he'll come with me if I ask him. I told him about being in therapy and you thinking it would be a good idea for us to have some sessions together."
"Then why do you sound conflicted?"
"You know why." When Tawny slid closer and rested her head on his shoulders his tension eased. "I don't want my mom to know what I'm doing because she'll try and stop me. She doesn't think he should ever know."
"And why do you think she thinks that, Greg?"
"Because he'll think less of me. The thing is…after talking openly with him about other stuff, I really don't think that's going to be the case."
"Can you tell your mother that? You know my professional opinion is that your mother should be a part of the session too because she's the one who drafted the ruse and lied to your father."
"No, I can't tell her…I can't handle both of them there at once. I want to tell my dad, and then tell my mom I told my dad. After that we can have some sessions together." He took a centering breath. "I'll ask my dad to come to Vegas and help me with some stuff and once he's here I'll ask him if he'd like to come to therapy with me."
"Call me and let me know as soon as you have a timeframe, so we can arrange something. We'll need a two hour block for the initial. I'm proud of you, Greg. You're making solid progress."
"Thanks." His smile returned as he gave Tawny's left hand a squeeze. "I'll be making a little more progress before Monday. Take care, Dr. Myers."
"You too, Greg. And have a great time on your date. Try not to be burdened tonight. The two of you deserve a stress-free night. I look forward to hearing from you again when the ring's on her finger."
"You bet. Bye."
Returning to the road Greg sweetly said, "There's a sunset with your name on it, Princess."
"Not just any sunset. A sunset on the ocean."
"I'm psyched I'll be with you for your virgin glimpse of the surf." Reaching in his jacket pocket he pulled out a CD. "Here…I picked this up for you today. Play number six."
"Ooh, Faith Hill. I love her music. Breathe is like one of my favorite songs ever." When she caught him grinning Tawny said, "But you knew that because you've caught me playing it a million times. I didn't know she had a new CD. Then again, I've been a little preoccupied lately." After popping in the disc she grinned at her date. "Thank you."
"How am I doing on the date so far?"
"You're nailing it, Sweetie."
His grin as bright as the California sun, Greg waited for Tawny's reaction to the lyrics to Fireflies. He had heard his backup singers discussing it with his mother and asked to listen to it on the girl's Ipod.
When he saw Tawny carefully swiping tears from her eyes Greg tenderly said, "I didn't mean to make you cry. Now you're going to ruin your make up. I'm really sorry."
"No." She fanned her hand in front of her eyes. "I planned ahead and wore waterproof makeup because I figured my tears would be flowing several times before night's end…all tears of joy of course."
"Thanks for clearing that up, Sweetie."
"Those lyrics about using a glass bottleto catch fireflies...I used to catch them in one of my mom's canning jars,bring it into my room and pretend it was Tink."
"I know…" he answered with pride. "When I heard the song, I remembered seeing you with a jar full of fireflies in the childhood photos you showed me."
"That's so…" Choking up, she placed her hand on his thigh. "Do you mind if I play it again?"
"As far as I'm concerned you can program the song on repeat and listen to it the entire ride if you'd like." Placing his hand over hers he lovingly said, "Tonight is all about you, Princess…making you feel as special as you are." His voice cracking he added, "And how I wish I treated you from the moment we met."
"Seriously crying here."
"Joy?"
"An overdose."
Author's Notes:
In 150+ chapters Gil and Sara have never both been out of a chapter so, I hope GS'ers will forgive me and remember Nick and Carrie just had a 'no show' chapter as well and Greg and Tawny will have one in the future.
Thanks to Misty-J for leaving a review!
Next Chapter: Someone receives a warning that they could be in physical danger in the future…someone figures things out a little too late…someone has a dream come true and so does someone else…someone suffers a fate worse than prison…someone gasps at the sight of a diamond ring…someone has their ass kicked and so does someone else…someone spends time at a no-tell motel…someone realizes they chose well. LOL…I'm in too nice of a mood to make you sweat. I'm having a little fun with deceptive spoilers here. No one should be too worried ;-) Posting: Friday morning
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts,
Maggs