Laws of Motion – Book 1
Written by: Ms Maggs / Edited by: KJT
Chapter 35
September 3, 2005
Wildfire Country Club
8:42 p.m.
As soon as Greg and Tawny had walked off stage to rejoin their family and friends, they were swarmed by well wishers. "Now I know what it feels like to be a celebrity," Tawny giggled as she left the embrace of the last stranger waiting to offer congratulations.
"Greg!" Chas Gracin called out upon approach. "Hello, Bev…Scott…and congratulations to the beautiful bride-to-be." He flashed a smile as he pulled out a business card. "Fantastic performance, Sanders…and I know talent when I see it. I cast you in that Puppy Chow commercial as a kid, remember?"
"You were in a Puppy Chow commercial!" Tawny exclaimed upon hearing the sweet tidbit about her man. "That's so cute!"
Shaking his head at his ecstatic mother Greg droned, "My mommy made me do it. I played the role of the cute dorky kid with big ears who was overflowing dog dishes with food. As I recall, those damn beagle puppies totally upstaged me. I hated that."
Scott added to the memory. "I recall you bawling your eyes out all the way home because you couldn't keep one."
Chas patted Greg on the back. "Perfect, you already sound like a star…overly-emotional, self-centered and hates working with animals." He extended his card. "Let's talk representation. Is your SAG membership still active?"
Staring at the card for Gracin's agency, Greg told the man with a smarmy reputation, "Thanks, I really appreciate the offer but…I already have more than enough drama in my life, and the only roles I want to star in are husband, father and Criminalist."
Persistence being one of Chas's biggest talents, along with manipulation, he turned to the giddy fiancée. "Maybe you can help me change his mind? The two of you could be living in LA and hitting the party scene. Have you done any acting work? I'm pretty sure I could get you something tomorrow if you don't mind showing some skin or…"
"Sorry…" Tawny took the card and then promptly tucked it in the man's jacket. "Greg and I aren't hip party people and I don't take my clothes off for money."
Scott stepped forward and escorted Chas away to give the kids a break. "How's your golf game these days?"
Grabbing Tawny's hand Greg laughed, "As if I'm not mental enough already…the last thing I need is the pressure of fame."
"Speaking of pressure." Tawny pointed. "Looks like Becca didn't follow orders."
When Bev heard the witch's name her blood pressure skyrocketed. "Thank god she showed up after…"
"She didn't." Greg cut her off and explained, "Becca cornered me right before I went on stage. Believe or not, she came here to offer Tawny money to leave me and raise the babies without me, citing that it was for the best since I'd suck at being a dad."
"What!" Bev and Tawny simultaneously shrilled.
"I'll handle…" Greg realized he wouldn't have a chance dealing with her alone when both women took off racing to get to Becca first. A second later he charged after them.
"Hoj? What the…" Robbie said as he and Joyce were returning with champagne and saw Bev and Tawny walking as fast as their heels would allow. "Ah…" He pointed to Becca. "Now here's an interesting twist to the usual catfight," Robbie joked with his wife. "The fiancée and the mommy both fight the meddlesome bitch. I bet Bev is an excellent hair-puller."
Having had more experience rushing from point A to point B in high heels, Tawny reached Becca first. "So, you were going to try and buy me off, huh?" When she was certain she had the witch's attention Tawny pointed to her fuchsia dress. "Nordstrom…two hundred dollars." Then she pointed to her borrowed shoes from Carrie. "Manolo Blahnik…six hundred dollars." And when she saw Greg approaching, she yanked him by the arm, almost knocking him off his feet. "Greg Sanders…priceless! So give it up already you pathetic, manipulative wench! The spell's been broken. He doesn't want you. He wouldn't want you if I disappeared tomorrow and you were the last woman on Earth. Comprehending!"
When Becca turned to look at him, Greg nodded. "Agreeing."
Bev couldn't resist throwing her two cents in. "Seconding."
"Mom…Tawny…can you give me a second here?" Greg quietly asked and when they reluctantly departed he looked over at Becca.
"You set me up," she snipped. "You told me to watch the stage and…"
"You set yourself up, Becca." Stepping closer he said, "When I told you to stay away from the club it was for your own good. I didn't want you to see me propose to Tawny in the state you were in, but you couldn't listen. You never listen to me. Do you remember what I said would happen if you didn't honor my request?" Deciding he didn't want to waste another second of his special night on Becca, Greg backed away. "Don't expect a wedding invite." After a quick nod he raised his right hand and in a voice devoid of emotion said, "Good luck pulling yourself together, Becca."
"I'm already on it," she snapped back. "This was a case of temporary insanity." Her laughter came quickly. "Like the time I decided to try things with that chick for the softball team. Hello? What was I thinking? You were right, Hoj…you and me, we never would have worked out because my mother was actually right about something for a change…" Her eyes narrowed as she delivered the message. "…you're not good enough for me. The divorce left me vulnerable and I thought you were what I needed, but I would have woken up and realized I made a huge mistake."
"In pre-Tawny life that kind of talk would have cut me deep, but now…it's laughable." Breaking into a smile Greg waved. "Bye! And just so there's no confusion, I mean that in the 'forever' context." Without feeling a twinge of regret, he walked away to rejoin his group.
"Whatever, Hoj! Bye!" Slipping into the shadows Becca watched Greg rejoin his parents and take Tawny's hand. Her eyes studied their joyous smiles and the way they clung to one another. Then, after enduring several minutes of their happiness, she turned and headed for the parking lot determined to rebuild her life and show them and everyone at the club gaping at her as if she were a pathetic spinster, that she was worthy of so much more.
Nick and Carrie's Apartment
9:01 p.m.
Sitting on the patio listening to Sara talk about her pregnancy with Carrie, Celeste felt the fissures in her heart turn to cracks. She knew they weren't doing it on purpose, Sara had no idea it was a sensitive issue and Carrie had downed enough wine to forget it was. They were both excited and she didn't think it fair to ruin their joy because of her misery so she kept smiling and nodding.
"What about names? Carrie prodded as she sipped from her latest glass of wine. "When it's our time, Nicky and I have agreed on Garrett or Megan."
"Garrett Stokes…sounds very romance novel cowboy," Sara teased before downing the rest of her faux-beer.
"Yeah…I know." Enjoying her night off from stress, Carrie kicked off her shoes and sighed, "Like father like son…I'm sure he'll be a heartbreaker until he finds the right cowgirl, and she'll be one lucky girl if Garrett is anything like his daddy…oh yeah…reeeeeally lucky."
Sara glanced over at Celeste and joked, "Normally she's an uptight lawyer-type, but if you get a little booze in her she overshares and does some pretty outrageous things."
"Can we drop the poolhouse incident already!" Carrie blurted before laughing hysterically. "Since your husband put my nephew on a 'sweat hunt' in my apartment, I'd say we're even."
"Our baby names are Erin or Owen," Sara finally answered the question. Glancing through the window she saw Gil at the dining room table teaching Sean from one of Nick's old Chemistry texts and cracked a smile. "Like father like son…I'm sure Owen Grissom will be a big time science geek and I couldn't be happier about that."
"I'm baaaaaaack!" McKenna greeted as she arrived on the patio displaying one of the Barbies she brought along. "See…doesn't this one look like Tawny?" Giggling she lifted the buxom Barbie wearing a tiny pink swimsuit to show her audience. "I'm gonna put on her wedding dress next."
The mention of Tawny made Carrie glance at her watch again. "The suspense is killing me! I wish they'd call already."
Inside the apartment, Gil was jotting down a complex chemical equation for Sean while Nick was explaining the intricacies of the latest Aggie play.
Waiting for the next commercial break to ask the next Trivial Pursuit question, Hodges sat like the odd man out. That's when he saw Celeste staring at him through the glass window. Already in the doghouse, he decided to impress her by making an effort to connect with the children in the room…but he had no idea how.
Clutching his football Ryan asked, "Would a trap play have worked there, Uncle Nick?"
"What's a trap play!" Hodges inquired very excitedly while having no interest in the answer.
Staring at the replay on his new fifty-inch plasma, Nick casually replied, "A trap play is when you have a double team where the ball will go, so the Running Back…that was my position…has a hole to run through while the double team blocks, and yeah, Ryan…it would have worked if the running back had gone inside instead of outside."
Ready to stupefy his annoying houseguest a little more, Nick grabbed the notebook Ryan had brought along in his backpack with his team's football playbook. On an empty page he feverishly jotted X's, O's and arrows while his nephew worshipped him. "You can have an inside or an outside trap…if defensive player A lines up in the A gap, then the Pulling Guard will trap that player. But if the Linebacker stunts between the Nose and the Tackle, then the Pulling Guard will trap the Linebacker. Now if a Defensive Tackle lines up in the B gap, and the Outside Linebacker is in the C gap, then the Pulling Guard will trap the Linebacker. In any case, the Running Back…me…would have intuit the block on the Linebacker in a split second and choose an inside or outside path. Once you have the ball, you can get a hell of a lot of yardage if you can get into the secondary and run like the wind." Then he winked at the boy. "And if you can manage a TD, you can get a hell of a lot of free beer and female affection post-game." Nodding at Ryan while he was snarking at Hodges Nick said, "Yeah…lots of quick thinking required on the field. All that practice is what makes me better at my job today."
Desperately wanting to contribute to the conversation, Hodges commented on the only part he could follow. "So that's why guys play football…for the post game booze and women. Mystery solved."
Having heard the exchange, Gil dropped his pencil and turned in the direction of the conversation. "I'm sure Nick could have had plenty of beer and women without playing football, Hodges. If you ask me, guys play football for the one of the reasons I do my job…to be a part of a team working to beat the bad guys on the other side, and getting a rush from moments of personal glory and team victories." When he saw Ryan and Sean exchange curious glances, Gil also saw an opportunity to help the brothers. Narrowing down to a simplistic comparison he said, "Football is played on the field, we do our work in the field. If you think about it, there really are a lot of similarities between being a football player and a Criminalist, one of the most obvious being they're both tough jobs and should be respected." Smiling, Gil added, "In any case, Nick's work on the field in the past and in the field today is nothing to joke about. He's made ample contributions in both venues."
"Thanks, Gris." Nick sat a little taller as he realized his mentor had more respect for him than he thought. It felt especially good since they had been on shaky ground recently over the Greg and Tucker Mifflin trauma. "So, nephews…don't be dissin' each other because you heard what Gris said…football and science are both to be respected." Then he tossed a nod at Grissom. "I think you're going to be better at the father thing than you think, Papa Gris."
"Phone!" Carrie shrieked as she rushed into the living room from the patio and when she saw Tawny's name on the caller-ID she yelled, "Quiet, everyone! Nicky! Mute the TV!" After a steadying breath she answered calmly just in case things had gone badly in California. "Hello…"
"Who needs a Maid of Honor! Me! What do you say, girlfriend!"
"Yes!"
Tawny replied in a scream, "That's exactly how I answered when Greg pulled off the perfect proposal!"
Having the confirmation she needed, Carrie jumped up and down covering the receiver. "They're engaged! And it was perfect!"
Nick raised his faux-beer. "I think I speak for everyone when I say…A-freakin'-men!"
Sara, Celeste and McKenna all gathered around Carrie while the guys slowly joined them.
Carrie returned back to listening. "Okay…she's right here." She foisted the phone at Sara. "She needs to ask you something."
"Congrats, Tawny, it's…"
"Sara, will you be my bridesmaid! I figure since Gil is walking me down the aisle, he can just join you up on the altar and…"
"Me…in front of all those people…in a dress and heels…uh…." Then she saw Carrie glaring at her. "Yes!" Needing a moment to swallow the nervousness she handed the phone back. "I know…I know…I have to do it at your wedding too, don't yell at me."
"I'm back, Tawny," Carrie announced while shaking her head at Sara. "What! Really! I'm so excited! Thanks!" Upon hanging up, she frantically said, "Greg's mom hired some high-tech crew to video the whole thing. It's already downloaded onto a laptop and they're sending it to my email address so we can watch!"
"Hey, Carr…" Nick hurried over to the boxes of equipment that she bought along with the TV for their eventual home theater. "I can rig it so you can play the download from your laptop on the plasma so we all have front row seats. Oh…" He realized he'd have to interrupt the game, but then doing some of that quick thinking he was just talking about, he remembered he could bring in the portable TV and keep an eye on the game and Greg's performance. "Gris…how about calling Cath and Warrick and seeing if they want to pop over for what I'm sure will be worth the drive?"
"I'm on it." Gil already had his cell to his ear.
"One important detail left to settle…" Sara rubbed her hands together in anticipation. "Do we have popcorn for the show?"
"No, but there's a convenience store down the block," Carrie replied while grabbing her wallet to walk to the store. "We'll get some champagne too."
Wildfire Country Club
9:27 p.m.
Enjoying every moment of the happy occasion, Scott stood at the table and raised his champagne flute. "I'd like to make a toast before the newly engaged couple leave for a more private celebration."
Tawny, Greg, Bev, Robbie, and Joyce quieted their dessert conversation and focused on Scott.
"I often wondered if my son would settle down one day and start a family of his own." Laughing sweetly he placed a hand on Greg's shoulder. "Many times I'd found it impossible to imagine, but sometimes I did envision you with a nice girl…but the girl in my dreams pales in comparison to Tawny."
Seeing Tawny's eyes welling up again, Greg took her hand under the table and gave it a squeeze as his father continued paying tribute to her.
"Special doesn't begin to describe her." Scott glanced down at his future daughter-in-law and smiled brightly. "When I was concerned that things were moving too fast between her and Greg, my son said…you don't understand how easy it is to love her...and I didn't." Moving his hand to Tawny's shoulder he softly said, "Until I spent these past few days with you, Tawny. In a very short time I've come to love you like a daughter and I'm thrilled that you're a part of my family now. Like Greg, I can't imagine ever going back to a time when you weren't a part of our lives." His eyes welling from watching Tawny's tears slip, Scott lifted his glass. "To Tawny Ann Cooper…a spectacular young lady, the future Mrs. Greg Sanders, and the mother of my grandbabies." Clinking his glass to hers Scott said, "They broke the mold when they made you, Sweetheart."
"To Tawny!" the tablemates all cheered in unison.
"Thank you," Tawny squeaked while dabbing her eyes with a cloth napkin and chuckled, "I really feel like Dorothy Gale from Kansas now, because I'm wearing borrowed shoes while on an incredible journey, and …"
"You defeated the Wicked Witch of the West?" Joyce blurted before holding up her hand. "Sorry…sorry…totally catty…totally true…but totally catty." She was relieved when everyone laughed.
Glancing at his watch, Greg stood. "But if you click those borrowed heels you're wearing three times, Miss Kansas…you won't be going home tonight, because I've got something else in mind."
"Tell me!"
"Tell us!" Bev demanded. "I hate being out of the loop."
"Okay." Having already impressed his friends and family once that night, Greg opted for a public announcement. "You know that Tawny loves movies. Moulin Rouge was the first movie we ever watched together and it's very special because while we were watching the movie and the characters were singing Come What May, unbeknownst to us, our fate was being sealed."
Robbie raised his hand and feigned cluelessness. "I'm not following. How was your fate being sealed during the movie, Hoj?"
"Dr. Schwartz…must I give you a Biology lesson?" Greg picked up a napkin and tossed it at his buddy. "What everyone doesn't know is, there is movie responsible for us meeting in the first place. Tawny watched a part of it with my boss, Grissom and my co-worker Catherine, in a booth at The Cheesecake Factory when she was their waitress."
"Pretty Woman!" Tawny shouted like a game show contestant while recalling the moment as if it were yesterday.
"Ding!" Greg pulled Tawny's ring-hand to his lips and brushed a kiss over it. "If she hadn't seen my boss watching Pretty Woman on a portable DVD player and struck up a conversation with him, my boss never would have thought to introduce me to her when we ran into her a couple of months later. So, in honor of the significance of that movie…and because I know you'll love this, Tawny..." Greg pulled a hotel brochure out of his jacket pocket. "In a few moments we'll be taking a limo to the Regent Beverly Wilshire to spend the night."
"The Pretty Woman hotel!" Tawny shouted. "Oh my god! Really!"
"Really." He helped her to her feet. "And tomorrow morning, I'm taking you shopping." He broke out laughing as he mimicked the movie dialogue. "Rodeo Drive, Baby. And I'll make sure the salesgirls suck up to you."
Placing her hand over her heart Tawny fell a little more in love.
Nick and Carrie's Apartment
9:41 p.m.
Walking back to the apartment Sara toted the grocery bags while an intoxicated Carrie clutched her arm and got emotional. "I'm so happy for Tawny and Greg…and I'm so happy Nicky's home and he's going to be okay…and I'm so happy that you're having a baby bug."
"I'm so happy that you're happy, girlfriend because you had a really crappy week." Sara tried not to laugh at her pal's silly state.
"I'm so happy to be out of that hospital and away from Nurse Nasty…ugh."
"Who's Nurse Nasty?"
Rolling her eyes Carrie slurred, "Some bimbo who thought she found true love with Nick because they both liked football, beef and sex. They spent seven quality hours together and she thought he should have cared enough to get allergy shots so he could live with her and her chinchilla."
"Nick's allergic to chinchillas?"
"No, he's not allergic to chinchillas," Carrie groaned. "It was a relationship-phobe lie. You know…" she mocked Nick's voice. "'I'm sorry, Sweetheart but it's not going to work out because…I'm allergic to your chinchilla; or I work nights and you work days; or your dreams to be a porn star one day really don't mesh with my plans to run the Crime Lab."
"Was that last example real?"
"Come on…do you think I would have made up something like that?" Carrie's hand came to rest on her head.
"Okay then…was that last example what he told Sofia?" Sara burst out laughing. "Sorry…that was uncharacteristically harsh of me."
"You're very bad..." Carrie giggled uncontrollably under the influence of wine and girl humor. "I really wish you could have been there to help me out with Nurse Nasty. I know! Maybe you could write down a hundred good one-liners for when I run into the rest of his one night stands."
A hundred? I don't think it was that bad." Sara shrugged and did the math. "Okay…even if it was that bad…Nick had some serious baggage when it came to women and trust."
"Oh!" Stopping in mid stride Carrie grabbed Sara's shoulders. "I didn't tell you. She's in jail…she entered a guilty plea when charged with raping a little boy named Carson in Illinois. Mama Stokes coordinated the whole smackdown. I'll have to tell you more about it when I'm sober because it was a fantastic bust. It all came down while we were in the hospital. It was so hard for Nicky…that's why I cancelled the party we were supposed to have tonight…that it seems we're spontaneously having anyway." She shook her head and looked forward to enjoying the bottle of pinot noir she had purchased.
Stunned by the news and grateful for an explanation for Nick and Carrie's erratic behavior over the past couple of days Sara clarified, "You are talking about the babysitter, right?"
"Yes!" Then Carrie quickly cautioned, "But don't let on I told you. Let him tell you. It will be good for him to tell a few people when he's ready. And if it's okay with you, I'd like to drop it for now because I'm so desperate to not be stressed out tonight."
"Wow…" Under the street light Sara stared at her friend. "You guys really did have a rollercoaster week. Since I've had a few in my lifetime I can tell you the good news is, if they don't kill you they make you stronger."
"They apparently can also drive you to drink a bottle and a half of wine," Carrie replied while her eyes went glassy. "Sister rule in effect?"
"Of course."
"I don't want Nicky to know how bad it is but…the last time I was this much of a wreck was when I found out my mom had terminal cancer." Saying it out loud released her tears. "I'm a pretty tough woman, Sara, but…with the whole Mike Rodgers greeting card thing…the fight with Drew and the life-threatening injury…working through all the abuse baggage after the bust…and Nurse Nasty giving me the blow by blow of her time with Nicky, honestly…there were moments when I thought I'd snap and not be able to pull it back together. I even went so far as suggesting we move to an island and live on the beach selling shells."
Trying to cheer her friend, Sara teased, "But you couldn't wear shoes on the beach."
"That's what Nicky said too," she half-laughed, half-cried. "He also said I was too high maintenance for the lifestyle. Which is totally true." Swiping her tears a smile quivered over her lips. "You know the Peace Corps saying…it's the toughest job you'll ever love? This week, being Nick Stokes's fiancée was definitely the toughest job I've ever loved. But, even though I love it, I really could use a very short vacation from it. The problem is, my tour of duty will never be up, because I signed up for a lifetime of service and sometimes that seems so…"
"Scary…I know." Setting down the grocery bags, Sara fished some tissues out of her purse and handed them over. "You feel so overwhelmed you can't think straight and when you live together there's nowhere to go to be alone for a while. I think it's harder for people like us because we've always lived alone and not had serious live-in relationships before the big one." Sara picked up the bags and nudged Carrie along because she knew Nick would be in near-panic by now, since she figured he would have expected them back five minutes ago at the latest. "Bottom line…it's normal to feel a little suffocated when things get out of hand. Don't beat yourself up over it. It doesn't mean you love him any less, it's just means you're human and exhausted."
The words caught in her throat. "Sara…I'm fronting so much in front of Nicky I'm afraid I might self-induce schizophrenia. Until now, when I've needed him he was up to the challenge…and when he's needed me, I've been up to it, but right now…he needs me, and I'm running on fumes. How do couples cope in that scenario?"
Thinking back to Tahoe when she and Gil were mending their shattered relationship Sara counseled, "You go back to the basics…assuring each other the love is still there and that it always will be…you hold each other and just know that when you work through everything and the smoke clears, you'll still be together. That's really all you can do."
"Thanks for…" When Carrie heard Sara burst out laughing she blurted, "What's so funny?"
Sara pointed straight ahead. "Someone's ears were burning…or he's worried."
"You didn't bring your cell, Sweetheart!" Nick yelled as he held up Carrie's phone. "I was worried because you're dyin' to see the proposal and you said you'd hurry back. You should have been back five minutes ago at the latest."
Halting her tears, Carrie cheerfully said, "You stopped watching your game to come look for me? Wow…you really must have been worried."
Coming to rest in front of his fiancée Nick chuckled. "Uh…would it mean any less to you if I said it was halftime?"
"Hey, Cath and Warrick are here." Sara pointed down the street and bolted as she said, "I'll meet up with them and catch you guys back at the apartment!"
Seeing Carrie's cheeks shiny with dampness Nick warily asked, "Is everything okay?" The lengthy trip to the store when she was dying to see the proposal video combined with Sara's awkward and hasty departure engaged his paranoia and when he thought back to Carrie's earlier funk and desperate need for a night off from handling things, Nick went from paranoia to panic.
"Yeah…everything's…" The jolt of Nick's embrace took her breath away.
"This week is the worst it will ever be, Darlin'." He strengthened his grip and his tone. "I know I don't deserve you, and you don't deserve all this crap you've had to deal with because of me, but please…I love you, Carrie. The thought of losing you…no, I can't even go there…come on, Sweetheart…I know you're exhausted, but you gotta hang in…you can't throw in the towel…you need to finish what you started with me."
In a tense voice Carrie replied, "Nicky…I need…"
"Anything, Sweetheart…whatever it is, I'll do it."
"Stop squeezing me so tight," she wheezed.
"Oh." He dropped his arms. "Sorry."
Once she could breathe freely again Carrie smiled. "I think watching football has upped your testosterone level because that hug was almost a tackle and the pep talk very fourth-quarter inspirational." When she saw his brow furrowed and his jaw clenched she knew joking wasn't going to cut it. "I'm not going anywhere, Nicky." Raising her left hand she reminded him, "A promise is a promise. I just needed to get some stuff off my chest …and I'm a little drunk, that's why I cried so easily. I didn't want to burden you, so I talked with Sara that's all." Brushing her fingertips over his cheek she smiled and did as Sara had instructed. "I love you and I know we're going to be fine. Okay? You were way off base. I can't believe you'd even think…"
"Right…okay." After huffing out a breath Nick confessed, "I guess I'm still a little freaked from when you told me you'd leave me when I was in the hospital."
"Now come on, Mr. Insecurity, you know I said I'd only leave to protect you from yourself if you insisted on going ape every time someone looked at me the wrong way." Reaching out she grabbed his hand. "No other reason." Trying another attempt at lightening the mood she joked, "Well, I would leave if you decided to take up with Nurse Nasty, but I know there's no chance of that happening, because of your deadly chinchilla allergy."
"No ma'am…not a chance." His pulse steadied from watching her smile. "By the way, I'm not only allergic to chinchillas anymore. Now I'm allergic to all women other than you. Seriously, one passionate kiss and I'd go into anaphylactic shock and die, so you can bet I'll only be kissin' you for the rest of my life."
"You're still smoooooth Stokes." Slowly they gravitated toward each other and Carrie whispered, "I bet halftime is over."
"I don't care." Much to his surprise, he really meant it. "Kiss me."
"Wow!" Carrie laughed with the zeal of a woman who had downed a bottle and a half of wine. "If the Aggies can wait, then I know you love me!"
"I'm still waitin' on my kiss, Darlin'." His fears gone Nick teased in a husky whisper, "And we both know your kisses are extra hot when you're drunk."
"Sorry…I follow the rules. You have to wait until the Aggies score to kiss your date." Tugging him by the hand she took the lead and headed for the apartment. "Come on…we abandoned our guests."
Nick and Carrie's Apartment
9:56 p.m.
"Look who I found loitering outside," Sara announced as she walked in with Catherine, Warrick and Lindsay. "I'll be in the kitchen making popcorn for the show."
Tossing her purse on the entry table Catherine strolled into the living room. "I want a front row seat to watch Greg's American Idol audition tape."
While the adults exchanged greetings, Ryan and Sean realized Lindsay was in the room.
When Lindsay saw that Ryan and Sean were in the room she froze. It never dawned on her that they would be here because their mother's van was in the driveway at home.
"We're back!" Nick announced as he hurried Carrie into the room. "What's the score, Ryan?"
"Same as when you left."
"Excellent!" Nick went directly to the plasma while Carrie and Sara readied the champagne and popcorn in the kitchen. "None of us have seen the tape or know anything other than Tawny said yes..."
Catherine raised her hand. "Since Jim couldn't be here I'll say it for him…shocking!"
While the group laughed Nick got back to business, "As I was saying…even though we know she says yes, I think there are still a few elements we can bet on. For instance…twenty bucks says Tawny cried, who wants the action?"
Warrick was the first to answer, "As a former gambling expert, trust me when I say, only an idiot would bet she didn't cry…same for Sanders and definitely his mama."
As the adults wagered on proposal elements and ignored the kids in the room, Ryan retreated to the kitchen to get away from Lindsay. Sean, on the other hand, remained in the room trying desperately to think of small talk. Much to his relief, something finally came to him. "Would you like to see what Dr. Grissom got me for my birthday?"
Ignoring the question, Lindsay snipped, "Why aren't you at Celine's party if you're her new best friend?"
"I wanted to be here with my brother welcoming our uncle home."
"He's not your uncle."
"Not officially," Sean explained. "But he said we could start calling him uncle early because it feels like he is one already. Kind of like how you call Warrick your stepdad, but technically he's not."
After staring at Sean for a while Lindsay prodded, "So, you don't think it's weird that I call him my stepdad when he's really not?"
"No." Remembering what Dr. Grissom had told him earlier about girls sometimes acting angry but being nervous or upset on the inside, he took a risk. "I know things got off on the wrong foot at school but…if you promise not to pick on me with your friends, I'd like to be your friend again. Since we're neighbors, it's going to be hard not bumping into each other all the time so, it's practical to be friends. And we're in the same youth group and go to the same church. We'll be seeing each other all the time."
Desperate for a friend at Butterfield Lindsay tested the waters. "I doubt Celine is going to let you be my friend if you're her friend."
"She can't tell me with whom to be friends."
"She told you how to wear your hair."
"I promise I won't listen to her if she tells me not to be your friend or to be mean to you." Smiling he said, "In Leviticus it says to be kind to others. That's a part of the Bible I believe. As long as you're nice to me, I'll be nice to you."
"Deal." Losing a little of her edge Lindsay returned to Sean's original question. "So what did Grissom get you for your birthday?"
"My very own ALS." He proudly retrieved it and handed the extra set of tinted glasses to Lindsay. "I'll show you how it works." Since the din of the room was too noisy, he motioned for Lindsay to join him at the rear of the couch. "See…" He pointed to the floor. "I found my uncle's sweat droplets."
After staring at the remnants for a few seconds Lindsay removed her glasses. "Do you ever watch TV crime dramas?"
"No, I'm not allowed," he replied in a sad voice. "They're PG-13 and I'm only twelve. Maybe my mother will let me after I turn thirteen next week, but I doubt it, because she says there is far too much sex and violence for impressionable minds to be watching."
Having received her education from watching phony forensic scientists solve sex crimes Lindsay educated the sheltered almost-teen. "That's not sweat you found."
Puzzled by her statement Sean informed her, "I hate to disagree but, everyone else seemed to think it was sweat. What do you think it is?"
In his ear she whispered, "Spunk."
Confused by the answer Sean prompted, "Spirited courage?"
"Huh?"
"That's the definition of spunk."
"Are you for real?" When she saw his clueless expression she knew he was so she whispered, "What do they call the guys on Navy ships?"
"Sailors."
"Sea-men!" she blurted in frustration, causing a hush to fall over the room. "Those drops belong to your uncle alright, but it's not his sweat…although he might have been sweating when he was doing your aunt."
Horrified by the revelation, Sean quickly switched off the ALS and removed his glasses. "Uh…my aunt said the carpet was used when she moved in."
Catherine rubbed her temples. "Please tell me that was not my innocent daughter speaking."
When he saw the mortified look on Sean's face, Grissom's Catholic guilt reemerged and he knew from the glare he was receiving from Sara that he should start praying for forgiveness.
Seconds after the revelation, Carrie returned to the room wearing a sunny smile and carrying a tray of Dixie cups filled with champagne. "What did I miss?"
"Nothing!" Nick and Sara both yelled, and then Sara went on to lie, "We were just placing bets on the proposal. Cue the tape, Nick!"
"Sorry we don't have champagne glasses," Carrie apologized while handing out the paper cups of bubbly with a shaky hand.
"Put them on your wedding registry," Catherine suggested before cracking a smile. "A carpet steamer is another must have item for newlyweds too."
"Here we go!" Nick pressed play and hoped Catherine would focus her attention on mocking Greg instead of Carrie. Circulating to the back of the room he nudged Sean. "We'll talk about that later, okay? Don't sweat it. I mean, don't worry."
"Look how pretty Tawny looks!" shrieked McKenna who had been tuning out the weird grown-ups while playing Barbies.
"I don't get it, Tawny looks pissed," Catherine remarked. "Like she's trying to bolt."
When Greg's voice boomed through the speakers another hush fell over the room and it remained quiet as the group watched in shock as Greg belted out his song.
"Aww." Carrie's hands covered her heart. "I'm crushing on Chuckles again. He's singing even better than that time after your party, Sara. Wow…I love this." Then she realized her fiancé was gaping at her. "Not as much as your proposal, Nicky!"
Turning to Gil, Sara remarked in horror, "I'm so glad I never said yes to Greg when he asked me out. If he sang to me in public I would have died. Take note of that, husband."
"As if you'd have to worry about me breaking out into song in public…or ever," Gil choked on his laughter. "Fear not."
His champagne already gone Warrick crumbled the paper cup. "Greggo…Greggo…Greggo…huge tactical error, Man. You're setting the bar so high with the proposal how the hell are you going to wow Tawny in the years to come."
Although he was mesmerized by Greg' performance, Nick heard his buddy and concurred, "Damn straight, 'Rick."
Catherine felt compelled to taunt the boys. "From what Tawny told me about Greg's performance in the bedroom, he'll have no problem wowing her nightly."
Gil, Warrick, Nick and Hodges drowned out the song with their laughter.
"He's going down on one knee!" Carrie shrilled while grabbing Nick's arm. "I know she says yes but…I'm still nervous."
The whole room erupted in applause when Tawny went nuts over seeing the ring.
"Greggo's gonna lose it," Nick announced while pointing to the screen. "Three…two…one…tears!" Somehow watching his buddy shed a few made him feel better about the ones he spilled several times that week. "He's such a girl."
When the camera zoomed in on Greg slipping the ring on Tawny's finger even Catherine choked up. "They look like two Parkinson's Disease patients with those trembling hands. That's so cute."
"He's singing again?" Warrick remarked in disbelief.
"Nice smooch!" Catherine gave it a thumbs up.
"Damn…" Sara shook her head at the spectacle. "The only thing missing is fireworks."
"Oh!" the group exclaimed as the pyrotechnics engaged.
In the corner Celeste frantically wiped her tears of envy. The romance of the proposal made her regret the informal drive-thru wedding she and David had opted for in the spur of the moment. To make matters worse, his comfort level around Carrie's nephews and nieces had deteriorated over the evening instead of improving as Nick had hoped.
Meanwhile, in the back of the room, Sean felt beads of his own sweat forming on his forehead. As if the ideas of having unwanted wet dreams, BJs and sex weren't enough to terrify him that week, now he realized there was something even scarier he'd have to do one day. His fears bubbling up like a volcano, he gripped his hair and erupted, "I'm going to have to get on stage and sing in front of tons of people to get a girl to marry me one day!" With that, he passed out and hit the floor hard.
"Sean!" Nick and Grissom rushed to the boy's side as the others followed. Seconds later they were relieved he was coming around.
"How did I get on the floor?" Sean asked while glancing around at the people staring at him.
"Hey, Nicky!" Warrick yelled. "Is he okay?"
"Yeah…he's fine."
"Okay then…Aggies are in scoring position."
Nick pointed at Gil. "Can you help him up? I'm not allowed to lift anything over ten pounds for a while." Then he hurried to the TV.
"It's okay, Sweetie." Carrie took her nephew's hand as Gil pulled Sean to his feet. "Don't worry about singing. Your uncle didn't sing to me when he proposed." She burst out laughing. "Good thing too…I probably wouldn't have said yes, because he sounds like a…"
"Roxie…" Nick droned while starting at the screen next to Warrick.
"Oops." She covered her mouth and laughed. "Busted."
"Touchdown!" Nick smacked Warrick's hand for a high five. "And that means my date owes me a kiss!"
"I'm not one to buck tradition," Carrie slurred while gripping the couch and pulling herself to her feet. "Plant one on me! Everyone! Uh…I mean, everyone should kiss their dates, not kiss me."
Ever the opportunist, Catherine saw a way to snag some much needed affection from her man. "I love football and tradition," she purred while snuggling up to Warrick for the mandated kiss. "We'll be rude guests if we don't comply."
In a moment of weakness, and not wanting to look like Hodges who wasn't getting any action from his date, Warrick brushed his lips over hers and whispered, "My grandma taught me to always be polite when visiting someone else's home.
As couple after couple engaged in a lip lock Sean stood against the wall trying to cling to consciousness.
"Are you okay?" Lindsay sweetly asked while extending a cup. "I got you some water."
"Thanks." With a shaky hand he accepted the drink. Noticing all the couples kissing he gulped, "I should probably get some fresh air."
"I'll go with you because this geriatric make out session is turning my stomach."
On the dark patio Sean gulped down the water Lindsay had given him and watched his uncle and aunt kissing through the patio window. "I wonder if there are specific time limits for the post-touchdown kiss? Because they haven't stopped yet."
"It's not true."
Sean's attention refocused on Lindsay who was now standing right in front of him. "What you said about the carpet?"
"No…what Celine said about me and the football team." Swallowing her pride Lindsay shyly said, "Other than your brother that day in your treehouse…before the nightmare in his room," she shuddered at the painful memory, "I've only kissed one other guy…Jake from church…and all we did was kiss. I know you probably don't believe me but…it's true."
"I believe you," he immediately confirmed while locked on her eyes.
"Why?"
"Because Dr. Grissom said the eyes are the windows to the soul. When interrogating a suspect you have to watch their eyes for the truth." He pointed to her face. "Your eyes tell me you're not lying."
"Cool."
Flustered by the subject matter Sean said the first thing that popped into his head. "Who was a better kisser? My brother or Jake?" I can't believe I asked that!
"I can't believe you asked that!"
"Sorry!" He pointed to his head. "My mind…it's always curious. That's why I'll make a great scientist…but a really lousy cool guy. Sorry again…sorry."
"You've never kissed a girl, have you?"
He shook his head while averting his eyes. Next he heard Nick yelling 'Extra point. Kiss me again, Darlin'!' "My uncle said he didn't kiss a girl until he was fourteen, so I'm not worried." Intensely uncomfortable Sean kept talking. "He said it was a party in his friend's basement…there was a bunch of kids there and they were playing spin the bottle. On his first spin he had to kiss the prettiest girl in school and he was real nervous because he never kissed a girl before but he had to act like he had kissed plenty and stay cool. Uncle Nick tells it better…he's a really good storyteller…yeah…um…do you want to talk now?"
"Why are you acting so nervous?" Lindsay flirted as she took a seat on the wicker bench on the patio. "Are you afraid I'm going to kiss you?"
"Well um…are you?"
"No way."
"That's a relief." He relaxed his shoulders and took a cleansing breath. "If you had said yes I think I would have fainted again. My knees are feeling a little weak and I'm a little dizzy."
"Then you better sit down because I'm not catching you." She rolled her eyes and huffed, "Not after you said it's a relief that I'm not thinking of kissing you."
"Oh…" Realizing his faux pas after the fact Sean rambled as he took a seat. "I didn't mean that it's a relief because it would be gross. I meant that I don't know how to kiss a girl so if you kissed me I'd have to kiss you back and then I wouldn't know how and you'd laugh and that would be very stressful…thus…it was a relief that you weren't going to pounce on me like you did my brother." He cringed. "That was bad to say too."
"How about you stop talking for a while and let me take it from here."
He nodded, grateful for the direct instruction and her willingness to take the lead. "Thanks."
Greg and Tawny's Limo
10:31 p.m.
Alone for first time since the proposal, Tawny and Greg were thrilled when the driver shut the limo door and locked out rest of the world.
"Finally some privacy." Greg kicked off his shoes and relaxed against the leather seat.
Sitting next to her fiancé Tawny threw her arms around him. "Thank you for making this the best night of my life."
"Uh oh," Greg chuckled as Tawny smothered him with kisses. "I just realized I set the bar so high I'll never be able to give you a better night than this."
"Yes, you will…it's not the perfect performance, stunning ring and amazing fireworks that made it special…it was the thought you put into it and how you made me feel…" Not sure how she could have a tear left, Tawny felt one slip. "You made me feel worthy of all that attention."
"You are." With his thumb he brushed away her thousandth tear of joy. "And watching your reaction while I sang, and when I showed you the ring, and most of all when you screamed 'yes', was fantastic. In my wildest dreams, and you know me…I've had some pretty wild ones over the years, I never dreamed a woman would be that excited to spend the rest of her life with me. So, thank you for making me feel worthy."
Their smiles quickly met, and for the first time since their engagement, the enamored couple shared a private kiss.
"Wow…can you overdose on romance?" Tawny joked to stave off another round of joyful tears. "Because if you can, we have to be reaching a dangerous level."
"And what are the odds I can maintain this level of perfect romance much longer?" Greg replied as he loosened his tie and popped open the top button of his dress shirt.
"So, how about we just relax and have fun?" Knowing her way around limos, Tawny went to work creating the right mood with music and lighting and mixing a drink for her fiancé.
After tossing his jacket and tie Greg confessed, "How pathetic is this…I've never been in a limo without my parents." It was obvious from her expert knowledge of internal limo operations that unlike him, Tawny had spent ample time partying in the back of limos over the years and he felt a familiar pang of insecurity.
Tawny temporarily stopped pouring cognac when she realized she had experienced dozens of limo rides with dozens of guys, the last one being Drew, while Greg was once again 'the virgin'.
"Yep…" Greg tossed his jacket to the corner. "...no prom night action in the back of a limo for Hoj…nope…my grandparents' funerals, and trips to the airport with my folks were the only times I got to ride in one of these." Laughing at himself Greg said, "How's that for buzz killing a perfect romantic moment? Actually, I did that in case you were worried 'fame' had gone to my head. Fear not, Princess…I'm still the same lovable dork, I'm just wearing nice clothes and had professional voice and drama lessons from my mommy to pull off my show shopper."
"Chuckles…you know I love you just the way you are." She handed over the drink she made and snuggled up to him. "Drink up and chill out, because after everything you've done for me today, I intend to spoil you."
Sniffing the drink he teased, "You didn't slip something in here so you could take advantage of me, did you?"
"Nah…the alcohol will be more than enough to loosen you up. It's called 'Between the Sheets'…generous amounts of Cognac, Triple Sec, Rum and a teeny tiny splash of lime juice." Kicking off Carrie's Manolo's Tawny giggled, "It will take the edge off so you'll stop talking long enough for us to fool around."
After a hearty sip Greg sweetly informed her, "No…I don't want to get naughty with you in the limo after working so hard to make you feel like a Princess."
"Oh, come on…you don't think Cinderella and Charming got hot and heavy in the back of the carriage after their engagement? Sure they did. Rumor has it Cindy was preggers on her wedding day because of it." Tawny studied his eyes and watched him nervously take sip after sip. "Enjoy your drink while I take care of logistics, Prince Chuckles." Sliding to the end of the seat she pressed the intercom button and quizzed the driver. "How long until we reach the hotel?"
"Thirty minutes without traffic, Miss, but I can take the scenic route if you'd like."
Knowing that was driver-speak for 'let me know if you'll be fooling around back there so I don't interrupt', she confirmed his suspicions, "Show us the sights."
"Very well, Miss…buzz me and let me know when you've seen enough."
"Will do, thanks." Winking, she clicked off the intercom and relaxed in the seat across from Greg. "Now we can take our time."
Feeling his tension rise, Greg quietly replied, "Honestly, I'd rather…"
"Sweetie…" Staring him down Tawny stated her suspicions. "I think you're dying to live out your prom night limo fantasy…I think that's one of the reasons you orchestrated this moment, but after seeing me in here, feeling a little too experienced, you suddenly don't want to fool around because it's your first time. I think you're worried you won't do it well, just like the time I asked you to..."
"What? No. That's so…that's ridiculous…you're my fiancée now…why would I…" Looking for a little liquid courage, Greg downed the remaining half of his drink in a lengthy gulp. "Yeah, okay, that's the reason…you know me too well." He laughed at himself. "I should have opted for professional coaching in this area as well as singing. Not from my mom!" he quickly clarified before laughing again. "No, I meant lessons from someone with experience who's not related to me...like Nick. And by lessons I don't mean going through the motions with him, I mean talking it through so I wouldn't feel like a fish out of water while you…yeah…I'm shutting up now."
"It's okay, Chuckles." Grinning, Tawny tugged out the rhinestone barrettes and set them on the console. "I'm a little tired anyway. I think I'll just lie down and nap during the ride so we can celebrate in our room at the hotel." Reaching for the remote she instructed. "If you're not sleepy, you can watch TV."
"Great." He took the remote and accepted the chaste kiss to the cheek Tawny bestowed.
"Mmm…" Tawny faked a yawn as she sat on the leather seat across from Greg. "Really sleepy." Sighing, she slid onto her side and sweetly rested her head on her hands.
While Greg beat himself up for letting his paranoid ego rob him of his limo fantasy, he mindlessly flipped through TV channels. "Is something wrong, Princess?" he asked when he saw her change positions a third time.
"It's this dress." Her lips in a perfect pout, Tawny sat up. "It's fine when I'm not lying down, but it's way too uncomfortable to sleep in." She waited with baited breath for him to say the obvious and when he didn't, she realized how anxious he really was and took the lead again. "Since no one can see in the windows, I think I'll take it off for my nap." In one smooth move she was next to Greg and sweetly asking, "Would you unzip it for me?"
The request sending a shiver of delight through him, Greg acquiesced, "Sure…um…can you lift your hair?"
With a purposeful slowness she moved her hands over her head and once she gathered her golden curls, Tawny peered over her shoulder and asked in a whisper, "Better?"
After wrapping his fingers around the top edge of the halter dress Greg gripped the zipper with his other hand and replied directly into her ear, "Getting there." He guided the zipper south at a snail's pace and during the journey, he discovered his fiancée was wearing a delicate white lace bustier. "Is this new?" Greg anxiously inquired in a whisper while slipping his hands over it and letting her dress fall to her waist. "I love it on you."
Releasing her hair she replied in her sexiest voice, "Everything's new tonight…new dress…new lingerie…" With expertise she shed her dress and reclined until she was on her back, with her hair fanning over Greg's lap and her gaze locked on his. "New ring…" Her smile glinted like the diamonds she flashed. "And right now I'm looking for a new experience with you."
Returning her smile Greg swirled his fingertips over the exposed flesh between her bustier and thong. "I'm sorry I balked…I just…sometimes I get stuck overthinking and…and this time I couldn't help but think…"
"Greg…" Reaching up, Tawny gently pressed her palm to his mouth. "We both know there's not much I haven't done with other guys, but what you don't seem to grasp is…every time you and I experience something together for the first time, it's all new to me…and it's always the best I ever had, because you're the only man who's ever loved me." When he took the tips of her fingers into his mouth a delicious shudder jolted her body.
"Come here…" Greg urged while tugging her up. "I have to hold you."
In a flash she was kneeling on the seat and then straddling his lap. "Better?"
"Yes," Greg quietly answered while tightly wrapping his arms around her waist. "Much."
"It's kind of like the glass slipper." Undoing Greg's shirt buttons she explained in a sultry tone, "I've sat on thousands of laps in my time, but only yours in the perfect fit." After undoing his cuff buttons, Tawny ran her hands up Greg's heated chest and worked his shirt off his shoulders. "Only your touch has the perfect feel." When his hands began to roam she purred in his ear, "And only your kiss has the perfect taste."
Lacing his finger through her head of curls Greg claimed Tawny's mouth with a tender kiss that turned fiery within seconds. "I can't believe I was ready to give up on this fantasy." His heart thumped as his hands and mouth raced over Tawny's body.
When Tawny found herself on her back staring at the limo's ceiling she giggled, "Pretty smooth for a first-timer."
"Maybe I'm naturally talented at this along with music, science and math." With impatient fingers he worked open his belt. "I hope you brought the condoms," he joked.
"They're usually stocked in the console next to the wet bar," she replied in a momentary lapse of judgment. "Uh…at least that's what I saw in a movie." She chomped her bottom lip hoping she didn't just kill the mood.
After reminding himself she was exclusively his forever, Greg forged on, "I wonder if it will feel different now that we're officially one hundred percent engaged."
Thrilled by his relaxed demeanor Tawny taunted Greg by running her left hand over her heaving chest. "How does my new ring look?"
"Small in comparison to the surrounding geography." With confidence to spare Greg tossed his pants and boxers, coming to rest kneeling between Tawny's knees. "Black socks on or off?"
"The answer to that tonight and always is…take them off!"
"Oh, okay…I thought when you said you were looking forward to a new experience with me you meant…socks on."
"I'm loving every minute of this," she confessed in a lighthearted chuckle.
"Me too." Wiggling his brows Greg reached back and tugged off the left sock. "To quote Prince Charming in the back of the carriage that night with Cinderella…get ready to be dazzled, Princess." Then with a little more zeal, he went for the right sock.
"Oh!" Tawny shrieked when Greg slipped off the edge of the limo seat and landed face first on the floor. "Are you okay!"
"Uh…" Flipping onto his back he finally replied, "I'm okay…just bruised my face and my ego." Just when he figured the mood was killed, Tawny's lacy thong landed on his chest and she pounced on top of him.
"I bet this works too," Tawny assured her befuddled mate. "Hmm…I'm thinking it may even be optimal because you can feel the hum of the engine and…hmm…but I don't know for sure because I've never be in this situation in a limo before."
His smile returning Greg moved his hands to Tawny's waist. "Me either."
"Actually..." Words momentarily escaped her as their bodies fused but when her eyes fluttered open she caught Greg's blissful gaze and murmured, "You really know what you're doing when it comes to pleasing a woman, Baby. This limo love making location is just like this night, my ring, and you…perfect."
"Not quite perfect…I still have one black sock half on," he joked while savoring every gyration of her hips.
"Don't take it off!" Tawny screamed with porn star verve as her hands feverishly explored her body. "No…don't…because that half-on black sock is really working for me, Baby."
A second later their laughter rattled the limo's windows and when it eventually quieted, Tawny removed the half-on black sock and smiled brightly at her future husband. "Now do you get it?" She twirled the sock and tossed it. "I love you so much, you can't possibly go wrong."
In that moment when every doubt about himself evaporated, Greg comprehended the words he heard from Nick earlier in the day but couldn't grasp…while the proposal was a fantastic moment in my life, I have to be honest, there have been a bunch of moments since then that rocked my world even more. "Did you feel that?" Greg whispered as he coaxed Tawny to blanket his body.
"What, Sweetie?" Tawny ran her fingers through his hair while enjoying his smile.
Taming his wild grin, Greg replied, "It was either an infamous California earthquake, or you just rocked my world." When she burst into a gorgeous smile a second later only one word came to mind as Greg's heart thumped a little harder. "Aftershock!"
Thanks for reading!
Greg's proposal was a hard act to follow but I went with focusing on couple/character issues/development in this chapter…and hopefully some humor! I wanted write shades of different characters in other characters…Nick relieved to see Greg shed some tears (and then him mocking him for it in a classic insecurity move)…Sean's discomfort from being with an 'experienced woman' paralleling Greg's. I wanted to show that even though the characters are coping and moving forward they are still dealing with recent issues and they haven't been forgotten…Carrie showing her emotions to Sara…Tawny thinking that the last time she was partying in a limo it was with Drew and that Greg realizes that…Grissom making an effort with Nick after their falling out over the Tucker incident…and of course Sean's continued battle with puberty LOL
Thanks to: CinnamonFaerie, reachthestars and rojaji for leaving reviews and letting me know you're enjoying the story:-)
KJT has been working overtime as my consultant and editor. THANKS!
I hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Maggs