A/N - I enjoyed writing these next couple of chapters, tried to have a little fun with them. Hope you guys have as much fun reading them.
Railman - They aren't done with New York yet. Walter is actually out of the loop on this surprise for once.
Pearliegirl- Yes, I was lucky enough to grow up so close to the city. Both my parents worked in the city. So much to do and see. Did the ball drop on New Years four or five times. The craziest was 2000 for Y2K. Crazy how many people were there and yes for over six hours! Maybe I'll try to do a little of Paige worship towards Walter in a future fic.
LouBe - You can definitely pack in a lot of sites in a short time if you do it right. Hopefully you get to return sometime soon and hit the ones you missed out on. Without any restrictions on food, the city has so many amazing choices. Without giving anything away about the remaining chapters, I'll just say well done. Thanks for the comment about my upcoming trip, can't wait to be back there!!
MarieMac - Guggenheim is a unique building for sure. Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece. Glad to bring back some fond memories.
Margaret - My dad was a NYC fireman for 24 years. He had retired a few years before 9/11 but seven firefighters from his station lost their lives that day. I was in NY that Christmas as well and went to ground zero with my brother. Haven't been able to watch any kind of tv special about the events of that day. Too close to home.
Part 28 Tuesday July 14, 2018
Walter had been looking forward to this day of their honeymoon because he had a truly special surprise for Paige today.
"Today we have the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the morning and then a stop at Grand Central Terminal and Carnegie Hall before we go to see our Broadway show."
Since the hotel was only a mile from the museum, they again decided to walk. Knowing they would find several places along the way to pop into and buy some souvenirs as well as find an enjoyable spot for one of the city's famous fried egg sandwiches on a kaiser roll.
Paige was blown way at all the art in the museum. Works from all the masters housed within its walls. The Met contained one of the largest collections of artwork in the entire world. Walter knew they would spend a large part of their day here, and he had no intention of rushing Paige through any of it. He planned for five hours. And it took every bit of it. But Paige was happy. That was all that mattered to Walter.
A quick subway ride from outside The Met to Grand Central where they walked inside the huge lobby and looked up at the ceiling to see all the amazing sights. They watched as the crowds of people entered and exited the lobby, some running trying to catch their trains and others just there to gaze and people watch. Food stands were everywhere on the lower level as commuters grabbed something to eat on their way to wherever they were heading. They were amazed at just how many people were inside. Another short ride to see Carnegie Hall and then they were set to see the musical he knew Paige had been hopeful to see. Walter had even arranged for a courier to bring over a nice dress for Paige and a suit for him to wear to the show. They matched and he knew Paige approved of his choice after seeing the smile on her face. He really did think of everything.
"Walter, why do our tickets look different from everyone else's?" Paige asked nervously. "Are you sure you didn't get something mixed up?"
"I'm not sure, maybe I did. Should we ask someone?" Walter asked playing along.
"No, it's okay, I just hope you don't have the dates mixed up or something." Paige said as she continued to look for anyone else who had the same tickets as they did.
"Paige, seriously? Do you think I would mix up the dates. I think there would be a better chance that everyone else is here on the wrong day. I'm sure everything will be fine." Walter told her smiling. He was President of the Planning Committee; he had this.
"Tickets sir, madam." The usher asked as Walter handed the tickets to the man, "Backstage, very nice. Are you familiar with where you need to go after the performance is finished?" The usher asked as Paige turned towards Walter who had a smug luck on his face trying not to smile.
"Not quite, no." Walter said smiling seeing the look on Paige's face.
"Okay, just remain in your seats till the theater is mostly empty then you can make your way over to the east side of the theater. They will scan your tickets again and you should be good to go. So don't lose these, you may want your wife to hold on to them for safe keeping. There are usually only a few lucky people who get to go backstage so the wait is never long. Enjoy."
"Thank you." Walter told him while handing the tickets to Paige with a smile.
"Walter, did he say you got backstage tickets for us." Paige asked in disbelief.
"He might have, why, will that be a problem?"
Paige, at that same time, saw a man coming out of a small closet and before the door could close, she yanked Walter inside with her. There was something about his ravishing wife and small closets, but Walter wasn't complaining at her fascination with them, not one bit. He even thought he might start pointing them out to her anywhere else they found themselves. Just in case.
Walter had been informed several times by Paige at how similar people always told her she looked to the star of the musical; Katharine McPhee. She even showed him pictures of her, and he had to admit at first glance at least, she looked very much like her. Walter did notice a few differences though. He was quick to point out that where Ms. McPhee's facial features were stunning, they were slightly less symmetrical than Paige's were, who Walter had determined some time ago to be perfectly symmetrical. He also pointed out to Paige, through strictly research of course, that her breasts were actually a full half cup size bigger than Ms. McPhee's; probably due to the fact that she had gone through childbirth. He had gathered a few other differences but when he saw the look on his wife's face after mentioning that fact, he thought it best to quit while he was ahead and avoid getting himself in any further trouble. He did however point out to her before quitting that he thought her voice was more soothing to his ear than Ms. McPhee's as well.
Waitress the musical was a blast. Paige loved the songs that were sung and the whole experience was one she would never forget. She herself had dreamed of performing on Broadway when she was a little girl. And they were now just a few minutes from meeting the lead in the musical. The usher was right, there weren't many people there at all, as a matter of fact they were the only ones there. The last bit of the surprise that Walter had been keeping from her.
"Walter, are we in the right place? Nobody else is here. Are you sure this is the east side of the theater?" Paige asked a little worried as she looked around at the now entirely empty theater.
"Yes, Paige, we are right where we are supposed to be, let's sit down right over here and wait." Walter told her as he escorted her to some seats to wait.
"Walter are you sure? This couldn't have been easy to get these passes, I want to make sure we aren't missing out on our opportunity to meet her." Paige was telling him just as the stage doors opened and Katharine McPhee appeared.
"Walter, oh my gosh, she's here." Paige told him as they got up from their seats.
"Hey guys! How are you? Hold on, I think I know who; wow we could pass for twins."
"Ms. McPhee, hi, it's an honor to meet you." Paige started to tell her.
"Stop. First, it's Kat. Not Ms. McPhee. Walter, oh man, what is your last name, give me a minute." Kat said as she was snapping her fingers trying to remember Walter's last name. "Walter Bryant?"
Paige spun around towards Walter and was wondering how this famous star knew who he was.
"O'B…" Walter started to answer her as he looked at Paige not knowing how she could possibly know who he is.
"O'Brien that's it. Walter O'Brien, Scorpion. I've seen you guys on the news a couple of times. You are from Los Angeles, right? Tell me I'm not crazy."
"Yes, um we are from L.A. I mean, and I yes that is me, um us. Scorpion is our um company, this is my wife Paige, Paige O'Brien." Walter proudly told her.
"Well, I gotta say Walter, you obviously have good taste in women." Kat said with a wink, laughing along with Paige.
"Yes, I do." Walter said smiling, but not getting why they were laughing.
"So, you guys are the ones who set this up, huh?" Kat asked now smiling.
"I'm not sure I know what you are talking about." Paige told her.
"Um yes, it was actually a surprise for Paige. Paige, I um called the producers of the musical the other day and asked if there was any way to have a private meet and greet with um Ms., um Kat, sorry. That was the call I got at the resort, them approving the meeting." Walter told her getting a hug from his new wife.
"Newlyweds, is that right?" Kat asked, "Hey follow me back to my room, we can sit and talk there for a while."
"Are you sure, we don't want to intrude. Yes, we are newly married. You were amazing by the way." Paige told her turning to Walter in disbelief as they headed to her dressing room.
"Oh, thank you. No intrusion at all, come in and sit, grab something to eat. They bring all this food every night. It's so good too. Especially the pizza. Wow, I would almost think I was looking in a mirror when I look at you." Kat stated.
"Actually…" Walter started.
"Walter, not the time." Paige cut him off. "Sorry." She finished trying to put on a smile.
Kat started to laugh, "Wait a second, you are like super smart, right. I kind of remember one of the news reports now. I wanna hear what you were going to say."
"Oh boy, go ahead Walter." Paige said, "But please take whatever he says with a grain of salt, please. Okay Walter, let her have it." She finished with a real smile.
"I am only stating facts. Where Paige's face is actually perfectly symmetrical, yours is a bit askew. Um much closer to symmetrical than most everyone else, but it is askew none the less."
Kat was looking at him like he had grown a third eye, or a second nose. Thinking to herself, The F'; did he just say my face was askew!
"Your um right eye is offset 5 percent more than your um left, and your um nostrils are not the same uh size, the left is almost 4 millimeters bigger." Walter told her, honestly.
"You can tell that by looking at me?" Kat said almost not believing him. As she felt of her left nostril.
"I um looked at a picture of you that Paige showed me. And yes, I can um confirm it now." Walter told her with confidence. "What, she asked."
Paige looked mortified. Maybe letting him speak was a bad idea. Damage control!
"I cannot believe you can see that. You're right, but how could you see that. You know they told me the same thing when I first got to Hollywood. And if I remember right, you got the exact amount too, although they used all these lasers and crap for imagining. Asked if I wanted to have plastic surgery to fix it. Told them hell no, I'm good." Kat said in disbelief that he could recognize the differences.
"Good for you, you are beautiful by the way." Paige told her thinking maybe it wasn't as bad as she thought.
"Yeah, just not as symmetrical as you, I guess." Kat said not seeming to mind, "So is that it, Walter?"
Not the breasts, please Walter do not mention the breasts, Paige was telling herself as she sat back down. Anything else is fair game.
"Your breasts are a half cup size smaller than Paige's." Walter told her.
Paige was smiling and shaking her head, thinking to herself, damnit of course he was going to mention the breasts.
"Get up, I'm comparing." Kat said as she felt of her breast and then one of Paige's.
"Holy Shit, how could you tell that. Paige, you feel." She told her as she gave Paige's breast a good feel.
"Sure, why not." Paige said smiling to herself thinking she might as well grab Kat's since she offered.
"Get up here and tell me how you could tell." Kat told Walter still grabbing Paige's breast.
"Um, I think I should um pass on that one." Walter said with a very nervous smile while Paige had a quizzical look on her face.
"You know, any other man would probably jump at the chance right now. You got a good man there Paige." Kat told her.
"Thank you I know. Maybe he just needs a little bit of a filter sometimes." Paige told her while smiling with her head tilted at Walter.
"What else genius?" Kat asked.
"Paige is um a sixteen of an inch taller than you and her um muscle density is roughly 12 percent more than yours probably from all the missions we have been on, and Paige is also 2 pounds lighter than you even though she is taller. Her um…"
"Hey, you calling me fat? I work out. Let me feel the arms." Kat said still smiling. "Damnit they are pretty firm."
"Walter O'Brien. Enough. I am so sorry. He doesn't mean anything bad. Walter, apologize now."
"I um am um sorry. You are um a beautiful woman, just not um as beautiful as Paige. What? I am telling the truth. Sorry." Walter said as Paige looked like she wanted to practically strangle him.
Kat couldn't help but to laugh at the whole thing.
"You want to be my agent? I could use someone who tells the truth. I'm kidding, I love my agent. Alright enough about my inefficiencies, tell me about your wedding, where was it."
"Tahiti. It was magnificent. Walter, tell her what you did." Paige said, so relieved that the subject had changed.
"We um got married." Walter deadpanned.
"Walter Patri…" Paige started to say to him.
"I'm kidding, I mean we did get married, but Paige has a son, Ralph, who is thirteen. I have always thought of him as my own since I first met them both about four years ago. But after the wedding I was able to officially adopt him." Walter told her with tears in his eyes, the same ones found in both Paige and Kat's.
"Oh my gosh, that is so sweet." Kat told them. "Was it a surprise to him?"
"I know, it was so so sweet and yes we surprised him with the news. The whole story is so…, you don't probably want to hear that."
"No, no. I love stories like this. Why don't you guys join me for dinner, or a drink at my hotel. You can tell me the whole story. They have me at the Ritz, it's freaking fancier than hell."
"Oh my gosh, we are there too." Paige told her.
"Well, it's a date. First, more about your wedding."
They told her all about the wedding, Paige told her about the vows, the reception, and the honeymoon.
"Marryoke, I love it. Don't hate me if I steal that someday. So, you look like that, and you can sing."
"Better…." Walter started.
"Walter, stop it." Paige quickly told him.
Kat leaned back and laughed out loud.
"Fuck the hotel; you, me and the genius are going to a karaoke bar right now." Kat swore. "I want to see if you can really bring it!"
The three of them did just that. Tore the place down too. Well Walter didn't, but the twins did. Power ballads, rap songs, rock 'n roll, country. They did them all. Paige definitely brought it. Walter sat back and watched like everyone else. Recorded the whole thing until he was dragged up on stage for a duet with his beautiful wife.
Their duet was so good Katharine McPhee posted it on her social media accounts telling everyone it was her on stage with a friend of hers. No one could tell it wasn't either.
Paige and Kat hit it off and they were actually going to get together back in California. The two of them with Walter's approval even planned a little surprise of their own for this coming weekend since Kat had a break from Broadway for the weekend and planned on flying back to LA anyway.
They said goodbye for the night, but not before exchanging phone numbers. Oh, what a night.
"Walter, can you believe the night we just had with Kat freakin' McPhee. She is so incredible and down to earth. Beautiful too, and don't say a word. Oh my gosh, I had so much fun tonight. You are the best husband ever, you know that? I love you so much."
"I love you too. Tonight was really fun I have to admit, and I'm sorry for anything I said to her that may have upset you or her." Walter sincerely told her.
"I think she was fine. I still can't believe you told her some of the things you did." Paige told him. "I'm glad she laughed at all of it."
"Well, I can't believe you grabbed her breast."
"Jealous? I can't believe you didn't." Paige told him looking to see his reaction.
"Not in the least. Besides, I have two that I am quite fond of, and they are the only two I need, and they are both bigger than hers and perfectly symmetric; and no I don't know if hers are symmetric or not and I don't care to find out either."
Paige laughed as she started to kiss him. "Well come and get them, genius." Walter didn't pass at the chance this time.
They woke up the next morning to a ding on Paige's phone from her new friend Kat.
"Look, she's on the treadmill and she wrote Got to dump those 2 pounds somehow. Drinks tonight – no backing out, have fun at Statue! I can't believe we are friends with a real Hollywood star. Should I write something back?"
"Tell her thanks, see you tonight, or something along those lines. Or..., never mind." Walter started before thinking twice.
"What Walter?"
"I was going to say you could ask her to join us for dinner on the cruise, but this is our last night here and I would prefer to just eat with you."
"Aww thank you, I want that too. Let me just tell her thanks and we will see her tonight. Are you okay with hanging out with her tonight for a little?"
"Sure. And I won't say anything negative to her this time, I promise." Walter told her.
"I sure do love you, Walter." Paige told him.
"I love you too. How about another bagel for breakfast today. I don't know if I can eat bagels anywhere else ever again after having the ones they have here, they are so good."
"A bagel sounds great to me. We will have to bring some home with us when we leave, they really are good." Paige confirmed to him.
"OK. If we leave in an hour or so we should be able to make the 11:00 ferry ride out to Ellis Island."
"So, we have an hour or so before we need to leave?" Paige asked with a look. Walter loved that look.
"Mmmm, I like the way you are thinking. We can grab breakfast to go if we need to."
"Good hubby, now take me back to bed lover boy."
"Don't start that again." Walter told her to a giggle as he grabbed her and carried her to bed.
Closer to two hours later, they rushed to take a fast five minute shower, together, before grabbing a bagel to eat on the way, and they were off to catch the 12:00 ferry boat over to Ellis Island.
The thirty-minute boat ride gave them some more amazing views of the tip of Manhattan as it made its way from Battery Park towards its destination. The closer they got to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty; their attention drifted to the large statue.
They spent about an hour at Ellis Island looking around at the place where so many immigrants passed through as they came to America around the turn of the century. They then hopped back on the next ferry for the quick jaunt to see the Statue of Liberty.
They spent the next three hours taking their time and admiring the same sight that all those immigrants first saw as they approached their new home. They made their way to the top of the statue after a while and had fun looking out the crown after they took the 363 steps up to the top. They ate a small lunch when they got back down to the bottom. And they picked up some more souvenirs in the gift shop. Paige even grabbed one for Kat as a thank you for her generosity and the fun they had with her singing karaoke.
They made their way back to Battery Park around 5:00 and had some time to enjoy to themselves before they left in a couple of hours for their dinner cruise. They found a small café that had seating outside and they enjoyed a cup of coffee and just relaxed and talked for over an hour. They talked again with Ralph and told him they would see him tomorrow evening. They sent him some of the pics of the Statue of Liberty while they were talking to him and Ralph thought they looked cool, especially the ones of each of them posing like Lady Liberty.
Walter had thought ahead again, and had sent a nice outfit for each of them to wear to the dinner cruise to be waiting for them to change into before they left. And of course, they matched perfectly. Paige's dress sparkled in the moonlight. Walter thought for sure she looked like an angel the way she glowed in the dress.
They both got seafood. A shrimp dish for Paige and a salmon dish for Walter. They ate off each other's plates throughout the meal as the boat slowly passed by the tip of Manhattan Island and out towards Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty.
They made their way back to the hotel and arrived around 9:00. And they were set to meet Kat McPhee at 9:30. The thirty minutes gave Paige a chance to freshen up before going down to the restaurant.
"Hey lovebirds!" Kat said to them as they made their way over to her. "Wow, you guys look amazing, how was dinner?'
"It was so good, and the cruise was so romantic too. The skyline just looks so pretty at night." Paige told her.
They made some more small talk at first, well Paige and Kat did, Walter was mostly quiet.
"We going to have to put a microphone in your hand to loosen you up, Walter?" Kat asked getting a laugh from Paige.
"How about I get you two a drink instead?" Walter asked. He knew what Paige would want and of course Kat wanted the exact same drink. They really were quite similar.
Paige was showing Kat some of the pictures of the Statue of Liberty as Walter was getting back with their fruity drinks.
"It takes a real man to carry back a couple of drinks like that." Kat told Walter.
"Anything for the twins." Walter told her.
"The twins?" Kat asked.
"Yes, Walter gave us a nickname." Paige said smiling at her husband. "He thinks fraternal, but he said everyone else would say identical."
"Oh, I love it." Kat told them. "Can I take a pic of us and send it to my sister, she won't believe it. Me and her look nothing alike. I mean the two of us don't either, right Walter. I wore my push up bra just for you." Kat said with a wink, getting a snort from Paige and a blushed face from Walter.
The same kind of banter went on for the next couple of hours. The three of them had a legit good time together. Walter made several trips to the bar grabbing them drinks. He was glad to see Paige having so much fun. Kat thanked them for the fun evening, telling them it was so nice to unwind after several straight weeks of performances.
"I love being up there performing, but I'm looking forward to go home tomorrow afternoon for the weekend too." Kat told them. "You know, some normalcy and then back here for another month to finish up the show."
"Hey, don't feel obligated to come by when you are in LA. That was just a silly idea I had. We know how busy you are." Paige wanted to tell her.
"Oh no, I'm not gonna miss it. You really think your friends are going to fall for it?" Kat asked them.
"I would say there is a very good chance they fall for it. Around 92 percent. Ralph told me yesterday that he has been dropping hints about it for us." Walter told her.
"I have wanted to prank these guys for so long. They don't fall for anything." Paige told her.
"Glad I can help, twinkie." Kat told her with a high five. "So, I have a rehearsal at 8:30 tomorrow morning, you guys want to meet for a lunch before you leave tomorrow, or better yet, you want to come to rehearsal with me Paige, and then Walter can meet up with us for lunch?"
"I couldn't…" Paige started.
"I offered, I would be thrilled to let you experience the rehearsal. You told me you always wanted to sing on Broadway when you were a kid." Kat told her.
"You should do it Paige. I could meet you both for lunch when you are finished." Walter told her.
"That would be fun. You sure you don't mind?" Paige asked, still not sure if she wanted to go.
"Not at all. I might want to play a little joke of my own on some of the guys there anyway."
"Then I'm in." Paige told her with a smile.
"What time does your flight leave tomorrow? We will have to make sure you have time to get to the airport after lunch." Walter asked Kat.
"Oh, my flight is at 6:30, it was the only flight I could grab on short notice. Layovers in St. Louis and Denver. Ughh." Kat told them, "But it gets me home for a few days."
Walter looked at Paige and he knew what she was thinking instantly, he smiled at her, and she knew exactly what he was saying. The "conversation" took less than a second between them.
"Why don't you join us? A friend of Walter's loaned us the use of his private jet for our honeymoon. There is more than enough room." Paige offered.
"No, I couldn't impose. Especially on your honeymoon." Kat told her.
"We offered, it's not an imposition at all. We would be happy for you to join us."
"You sure? I really don't want to impose."
"It would be inefficient not to join us. You would get more time at home this way. And you could offer to let someone else use your ticket on the other flight." Walter told her.
"Thank you guys, I accept. I think I'll call the airline and offer it up to someone in the military." Kat told them with a smile.