Disclaimer: I don't own the TBs or the Tracy family with the exception of Sam.
Warning: There are scenes with sexual content contained in this chapter. May not be suitable for younger readers.
A/N: The poem included in this chapter is entitled "The lower leaves of the trees" and was written by Sone No Yoshitada. All credit goes to the poet for such a visual poem that fit within this chapter.
Chapter 31
"Dad, do you have a minute?" asked Sam as she and John stood outside his private office. Jeff looked up from where he was reading over various reports from his department heads at Tracy Enterprises.
"Yes, as long as you can give me a few minutes to get a cup of coffee," he replied. Sam walked over to his desk and picked up his mug.
"I'll get it for you. John, do you want anything to drink?" she asked. He shook his head and walked over to one of the chairs near his father's desk. Sam went down to the kitchen and refilled her dad's mug and grabbed two bottled waters from the fridge just in case John changed his mind. She went up to her dad's office and nudged the door closed with her hip and carried the coffee to her dad's office and set it on his desk. She handed John a water bottle and sat down in the chair next to him. Jeff looked up at them expectantly.
"Dad, we wanted to talk to you more about the project that you're working on and our future," began Sam a bit nervously. She handed him two envelopes and sat back in her chair. She and John grinned at each other and waited for their dad to finish reading the letters. When he was finished reading both of them, he looked up at them.
"So, you decided to stick with Harvard," he said. "They certainly didn't waste any time in accepting the both of you." Sam and John's expressions turned to one of worry as they listened to their father.
"We thought that you'd be pleased that we were both accepted at the university we really wanted to go to," said Sam quietly. Jeff looked directly at her and that was when she noticed the teasing glint in his eyes.
"Dad, you had me worried for a moment," she said in a much more relaxed tone. Jeff handed each of them a paper with a picture at the top.
"What's this?" asked John as he read over the paper.
"That is the townhouse that I just bought for you to use while you're both at Harvard," he answered. "It's big enough that your brothers will have a place to sleep when they come down. We can fly out to Boston a few times over this summer and next to get it ready for you when you start school." John and Sam looked at each other and then back at their dad.
"Thank you for thinking of doing that for us," said Sam as she stood up and went to give her dad a hug. After she hugged him, she went back to her chair and cleared her throat.
"Um, we also wanted to talk to you about IR," she said. "John and I will be able to graduate after three years at Harvard because of the classes we've taken up to now and will continue with during the next year. That will put us at twenty-two when we graduate and then hopefully we'll be on to NASA. That is still too far away to keep putting IR on hold. We know that TB1, 2, and now 3 are done and ready to use. John told me about the plans for TB5 and we want to help now as limited members of the group."
"Dad, we want to help get things going faster," added John. "Virgil also wants to help and I know Scott would want to be a part of it. That would give you four more people even in a limited role to help out and get things moving."
"I'll have to think it over," replied Jeff. Though if he'd have to admit, he was truly touched at how much the project seemed to mean to John and Sam. "Let me say this before we go down to lunch, if I agree to your help it will be restricted as a limited member. You are not in charge and you have to follow orders to a precise degree. This is not child's play, it is serious and I don't want any of my children hurt because of lack of responsibility or maturity." He stood up and went to the office door, Sam and John followed behind him. Together, they went down to the dining room just in time to watch the rest of the family run in from the pool deck. The room was soon filled with the sound of chairs scraping back on the floor. Virgil and Sam bumped heads as they sat down much to the amusement of Gordon.
"OUCH!" cried Sam as she rubbed the side of her head. Virgil mirrored her motions while glaring at Gordon. Jeff took his spot at the head of the table and Kyrano began setting platters of food on the table. The conversation at the table was lively and entertaining. Gordon was full of energy and hyped up largely due to the letter that he'd received that day. He had been selected for the Men's U.S. National Swim Team. If he did well with that then it was a good possibility for him to be selected for the U.S. Olympic team.
"Way to go, Gordon!" enthused Sam as she smiled at her second youngest brother. "I knew that you could do it." The rest of their brothers echoed her sentiments and uncharacteristically, Gordon blushed.
"Wow, he can be embarrassed," teased John as he saw the blush deepen in color. Unable to resist, Virgil added his own comment.
"Watch it Gordy, if that blush continues then we won't know where it ends and your hair begins." The family erupted into laughter as Gordon's face did indeed get redder. He joined in the laughter, knowing that he was getting some payback for some of his pranks and he accepted it.
"What kind of training and where will you have to go for it?" asked Jeff as the laughter died down. Gordon handed him the letter and continued to eat his lunch. His unnatural quietness drew the attention of his older brothers and sister. They glanced around the table at each other. Jeff laid the letter on the table and looked at Gordon.
"Do you really want to do this?" he asked. Gordon looked directly back at his dad.
"This is the opportunity that I have trained for all of my life, Dad," he answered honestly. There was no hint of joking on his face.
"Even though this means we'll have to relocate you to another school closer to where you could train with the rest of the team?" Jeff asked. Alan looked over at Gordon clearly confused.
"What does he mean 'relocate'?" asked Alan. Gordon sighed and put his head in his hands.
"It means that I will have to switch schools so that I will be closer to the team so that I can train with them," he answered quietly. Alan looked around at his family and scooted his chair back abruptly and stood up.
"You mean, you're leaving me," he shot back. "First, Scott left to go to Yale and now you're planning on 'relocating'. Next year, Sam and John will be at Harvard and that leaves me and Virgil and then he graduates a year after them." He stormed angrily out of the dining room and ran out to the pool deck and towards the hangar.
"I can't believe he's leaving me," Alan thought to himself as he ran up to the hangar to change into his riding gear and take off on his motorcycle. His thoughts jumbled together as he rode his cycle into the jungle towards a hiding spot that not even Gordon knew about.
"Fine, if he wants to leave me and the rest are going on with their lives, screw them," he thought as he reached his destination and quickly hid his cycle and went into the little cave. He had a couple of blankets and a small cooler with water bottles hidden in there already. He sat his helmet off to the side and spread out one of the blankets and laid down on it and tried to sort through the confused thoughts and anger that he was feeling. Lost in his thoughts, he began to doze off.
"Has anyone seen Alan?" asked Jeff as he walked out to the pool deck where his children were relaxing or goofing around in the pool. Sam looked up from the chair she was relaxing in.
"Not since he stormed off at lunch," she replied. "Why?"
"There's a storm coming in and I'd feel better knowing that all of you were near the house," he answered. "Can you all kind of check his hiding places and get him back here?"
"Sure, Dad," replied Sam and John at the same time.
"I'll help, Mr. Tracy," volunteered Tin-Tin. She quickly ran down to the beach and began searching some of Alan's hiding places that she knew about. Sam and John had run up to the hangar to see if Alan's motorcycle was there. When they noticed it was gone, they both realized that the hunt would be harder. Sam called Scott on his cell phone.
"Scott, Alan took off on his motorcycle. He could be anywhere," she said. "John and I are taking ours out to see if we can find him."
"Be careful and I'll tell Dad," he replied. Sam and John changed into their gear and were soon racing over the trails looking for any sign of their baby brother. Sam noticed some fresh tire tracks and followed them. She had just reached the end of the trail when she lost sight of the tire tracks. She parked her cycle and John parked his next to hers.
"Did you see something?" he asked as she ducked under some of the branches and found a small clearing with a little cave near it. She noticed some more tire tracks and followed them to the hidden motorcycle.
"Thank goodness for Grandpa's training," she remarked as she looked at John. "All that time learning how to track an animal came in handy for tracking Alan." She peered into the dark cave and cautiously entered it, calling Alan's name as well.
"Alan, are you in here?" she called softly. She heard some shuffling ahead of her and dimly saw her brother's outline.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded angrily. Sam sat down on the blanket next to him and waited until John had sat down before speaking.
"There's a storm heading our way and Dad had us all come out and search for you," John answered as Alan continued to glare at them. "You've been gone for about four and a half hours and Dad was worried."
"I'm fine and you can both go home," he snapped. Sam tentatively reached out to touch Alan on the shoulder. He jerked back out of her reach.
"Don't touch me," he growled. "It's not like any of you really care. You all promised that we'd always be close yet everyone is leaving me behind. The only ones not really affected are you two and that's cus you're always together."
"That's not fair and you know it," said Sam. "John and I drove all of you down to see Scott every other weekend last year and we'll gladly do it this year too. None of us will get to see him as much after this year cus he's going to Oxford. So, I really don't think that you're the only one affected by that. If anyone should be upset it's Virgil and I don't hear him complaining. As for Gordon, we should all be happy for him. He's trained hard his whole life to be selected as a top swimmer. He has the potential and the drive to be an Olympic champion and I for one want to see my brother achieve his dream. So what if he has to relocate to Colorado. Why don't you just relocate out there with him? You don't have a girlfriend in New York so you won't be leaving anyone behind."
"Sam and I are affected by what you all choose to do just as much as the next brother," added John. "The only difference with us is that we're the same age and twins. We can't help that we have similar interests and that both of us had planned on going to Harvard and got accepted. That was a crappy thing for you to say to us when you know how much family means to us." John got up and headed back for the entrance to the cave. Sam got up and followed him, pausing to add one other comment.
"You better get back to the house," she said as she turned back to leave. She was surprised to see the storm clouds fast approaching the island.
"Looks like we better hurry up," said John as he walked in the direction that they'd left their cycles.
"ALAN, HURRY UP THE STORM IS COMING IN FAST!" screamed Sam into the cave. She heard rushed movements as Alan came running out with his helmet in his hand.
"Get back home now and be careful," she ordered as she ran after John to get to their cycles just as the first raindrops and flashes of lightning began. They had just reached their cycles when Alan came racing up behind them. He paused as they started their cycles and motioned him ahead of them. Sam and John raced side by side back to the hangar as the storm intensified. A huge crash behind them made both of them glance over their shoulders to see a large branch fall on the trail where they had been just seconds before. They glanced at each other and opened up a bit more on the throttle. Five minutes later they raced into the hangar and parked their bikes. Alan was waiting on them to enter the hangar so that he could shut the doors behind them. They had no sooner shut the bikes down and got off of them that a huge clap of thunder sounded overhead.
"Do we wait here or run back to the house?" asked Sam as she looked at her brothers.
"I say we wait in the office," said Alan as he jumped when another clap of thunder sounded. John led them to the office and pulled out his cell phone.
"Dad, can you hear me?" he said loudly. He paused and shook his head. "Too much interference from the storm, I can't get through." They all sat down on the floor of the office and waited for the storm to blow over. Sam ran out to the lockers and grabbed all of their clothes and ran back to the office.
"You two can change out here and I'll change in the bathroom," she said. "Let me know when you're changed." She shut the door to the bathroom and changed out of the wet clothes and put on her dry clothes. She sat down on the toilet seat and waited for her brothers to change.
"Sam, you can come out now," called John. Sam opened the door and joined her brothers in the office. "The storm is easing up. Do you think that we should make a run for it?" Sam looked out the window to see for herself. She cautiously opened the door that led out of the hangar. The rain was just pattering down a little bit and the winds had slowed down. The occasional clap of thunder could still be heard as well. Sam motioned both of her brothers to her side.
"Let's go for it. Alan, you go first and we'll be right behind you," she said. Alan began to run down the path with John behind him. Sam paused long enough to close the door securely and followed after them. They reached the house as the storm picked up again. Before anyone could say anything, they bolted through the lounge doors. Jeff jumped out of his chair as they came to a sudden stop by the couch.
"We found him," said Sam as she looked up at her dad. Scott and Virgil stood up next to the couch and offered them a place to sit. Sam shook her head as she made a move towards the stairs.
"I'm going to go dry off and change into my pajamas," she said as she jogged up the stairs.
"Stop right there," ordered Jeff. Sam stopped with her foot on the bottom step. She turned back to face her dad and brothers.
"Where did you find him and how come it took so long for you to get back here?" he asked. Sam sighed as she walked back into the lounge.
"Dad, he was in a little cave that is just off one of the trails. We got to the hangar just as the storm hit and we waited there until we could safely run back down here," she said. "John tried to call you on his cell phone but there was too much interference and now I would really like to get into some dry clothes, please." Jeff nodded in her direction and motioned for John and Alan to go change also.
"After you change, Alan, I want to see you in my office upstairs," he said as they headed towards the stairs again. Virgil and Scott were right behind them.
"What was all of that about, Scott?" asked John as they reached their floor. Scott leaned against the wall and looked over at Alan.
"Dad's pissed that Alan through a fit and now Gordon has shut himself in his room and refuses to talk to anyone. Sam, this may be your area of expertise," he said calmly. He saw how Alan tensed up when he had started talking. "You better go get changed before you all get sick."
Sam went to her room and grabbed her pajamas and headed for her bathroom and took a hot shower and washed her hair. As soon as she was dressed she went back out to the hallway and went next door to Gordon's room. She knocked gently on his door and waited for him to answer.
"Gordon, its Sam. Will you please let me in?" she called softly. The door slid back and she entered his sitting room. She was surprised at seeing him sitting on the couch watching a video. The door slid shut behind her and locked. She sat down next to him and watched the video. It was the one Scott had filmed at the district meet before the regionals.
"I thought that I had all of my family's support no matter what," he said quietly. Sam looked over at him and sighed.
"You know you do, Gordy," she began. "We're all so proud of you. It's awe inspiring to see you achieving your goals one step at a time. You deserve this and I will be there for you every step of the way even if there are miles separating the two of us. Our brothers feel the same way."
"Alan doesn't feel that way," he said sadly. He put his head in his hands and sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. Sam reached out to pull him towards her. He leaned against her and began to talk again.
"Sammie, I've trained most of my life to get to this level and now that I'm reaching my goals the one brother that I've always had on my side is mad at me," he said. "I would support his decision to pursue something that he's always trained for. Do you know how much I have sacrificed to get here?"
"I know how hard you worked for this and never doubt for one second that we don't know of your sacrifices," she told him. "Alan just feels as if we're all leaving him and you were the constant in his life. I encouraged him to relocate to Colorado Springs with you so that you'd still be together. John, Virgil, Scott, and I won't be able to get out to see you as often this next year but we'll try our best. After that things will be harder especially with John and I at Harvard, Scott at Oxford, and Virgil completing his senior year of high school. I can promise you this though; no matter where we are we will always be just a phone call away if you need to talk."
"Do you think Alan would really relocate with me?" he asked.
"Without a doubt, big brother," said a voice from the hallway. Alan had used the code Gordon had given him. "I'm sorry for acting like such a jerk." Sam quietly got up and left her younger brothers alone and went back to her room. John, Scott, and Virgil had just come out of Virgil's room as Sam was opening her door. They could tell by the slump of her shoulders she was upset about something and followed her into her room. She flopped down in her favorite chair and closed her eyes as she rested her head on the back of the chair and sighed. Her brothers sat down on the couch and waited for her to calm down.
"Sammie?"
"I'm fine. Just a little tired and chilled," she answered. She grabbed her blanket off the side of the chair and covered up with it. John got up and went over to the chair. He nudged her over and she shifted enough for him to sit next to her. She leaned against him as he held her in a protective hug.
"Now, how about you tell us the truth," he said.
"They'll be okay," she replied. "They were talking when I left Gordy's room. It's just that all of this has made me realize we're all scattering. After this next school year, Scott will be in Europe, John and I will be at Harvard, Virgil will be in New York unless he relocates with Alan and Gordon. Those two will be in Colorado." She looked around at her brothers and sighed again.
"We're all splitting up, aren't we?" she asked. "Now we have to either let it sever our bonds or increase our desire to keep the bonds strong. I want to keep them strong. I have to know and feel that my brothers are always there for me." She snuggled closer to John as he tightened his hug. He glanced over at Scott and Virgil to see their expressions. He felt something wet on his neck and leaned back to look at Sam's face. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she tried to hide her face from him.
"Sam, it's alright, we're not going to grow apart," he said softly. "Remember what are plans are? Virgil knows and he's going to be a part of it, too."
"Part of what?" asked Scott.
"Should we tell him?" asked John as he looked up at Virgil. Virgil nodded his head in agreement. "Before we can tell you, you have to promise not to say a word to anyone. Dad made each of us swear to secrecy."
"I will not say a word, I promise," replied Scott sincerely.
"Dad's building a rescue organization that will respond quicker to anyone that needs help. He feels that maybe more people would have survived the avalanche that killed Mom if help would have gotten there faster," Virgil started.
"He and Brains have already built three of the five main craft that will help with the rescues. Thunderbird 1 is the recon ship, TB2 is the transport ship, TB3 is the rocket ship, and TB5 is the space satellite but it isn't complete yet," continued John.
"Dad is thinking about letting us be limited members until we get done with our schooling and live a bit," finished Sam. "Let's go talk to him now and maybe he will let you see what the three of us stumbled upon." John gave Sam another quick squeeze and kissed the top of her head.
"I'm always here for you," he whispered so only that she could hear. She smiled at him as he wiped the tears from her face. He stood up and held his hand out to help her to her feet. They followed Virgil and Scott up to their dad's office. Scott knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter.
"Come in," he called. Scott opened the door and let his younger brothers and sister in first. They all sat down and waited as Scott closed the door behind him. Jeff glanced at each other before shaking his head.
"So, Scott knows," he said.
"Yes, we told him and Dad we want to help now," replied Virgil.
"I want to be a part of this too," added Scott as he met his dad's stare. "Even in just a limited role until I'm done with school and the Air Force. That way everyone else is getting a chance to complete school." Jeff stood up and motioned for his oldest children to follow him. He pressed a button and a hidden door appeared behind a bookshelf. He led them down the passageway and then down some stairs until they were in the hidden hangar with the completed Thunderbird 2. Scott looked around the room in amazement and awe.
"This has to remain a secret," stated Jeff. "The technology that is here is the most advance in the world and I can't take a chance of it falling in the wrong hands. That's where Lady Penelope is helping us. She is a special operative for me and is networking for more."
"Where are the other ships," Scott asked. "They said that there were three completed one. I just see the one."
"Follow me," said Jeff as he began to walk to another door. "Thunderbird 1, the recon ship, is in this silo. Thunderbird 3, the space ship, is under the Roundhouse." He stopped when they all entered TB1's silo. Scott looked up at the ship in total wonderment.
"Dad, this is absolutely amazing," he breathed quietly. He reached out to touch the side of TB1 and lightly moved his hand. He walked around the base of the craft and muttered to himself.
"Can I fly her?" he asked as he finally looked back at Jeff. "How fast can she go? Has anyone flown her yet?" Jeff smiled at his oldest son and held his hand up to stem any more questions.
"You can fly her once you have tested out on the simulator," he began. "She can go up to 15,000 miles per hour and yes, she has been flown by me. All of the craft have been flown by me and Brains."
"Even the space ship?" asked John and Sam at the same time.
"Even the space ship," answered Jeff. "The space satellite is just about complete. All that is left is the living quarters and the main computer needs to be brought online."
"Can we go up there to see it?" asked John.
"Not yet. Neither of you has any kind of training on TB3 or on being an astronaut," Jeff answered. "You will all need to test out on the simulator for the various craft. My goal is to have everyone cross-trained but specializing on one craft."
"I claim Thunderbird 1," called Scott as he continued to circle it.
"I call Thunderbird 2," said Virgil. He had thought of little else since he had first seen the huge transport craft.
"We call Thunderbirds 3 and 5," called the twins simultaneously. Jeff looked around at each of them and chuckled.
"What about your brothers?" he asked.
"They won't be old enough for sometime," answered Scott. "Besides if we have to wait then so do they."
"Fair enough," Jeff thought.
"Let's get upstairs for dinner and remember not a word to anyone especially Gordon and Alan for now," he reminded them. "Don't mention this to your friends, close or otherwise."
"We won't, Dad," they all promised as they walked back to the stairs in the main hangar where TB2 was stored. Virgil stared at it as he walked towards the stairs.
"I can't wait to fly her," he thought to himself as a small smile played upon his lips. Sam and John noticed the look he was giving TB2 and smiled at each other.
"You'll get your chance, Virgil," Sam said as she followed him up the stairs. They got to the top and walked down the hall to Jeff's office and headed for the dining room before Grandma got irritated with them for holding up dinner.
"What smells so good?" asked Scott as he walked into the dining room with Virgil and Jeff behind him. Sam and John detoured on the second floor and came down via the balcony stairs and through the outside doors. They hurriedly sat down next to Virgil as Gordon and Alan smirked at them.
"What prank should I be weary of now?" asked Sam. Gordon gazed back at her with an innocent expression.
"Great, I am the target," she groaned. "Dad, can I sleep in a guest room until I can have my rooms totally redone and cleaned?"
"No, but Gordon and Alan will be more than willing to help you clean yours if you choose to do so," answered Jeff as he helped himself to the roasted chicken and fresh vegetables that were being served for dinner.
"We didn't do anything," Alan whined. "We just wanted to thank Sam for helping us come up with an idea so that Gordon and I can continue going to the same school. Dad, can I relocate with Gordon to Colorado Springs?"
"What about Virgil?" asked Jeff as he looked at his children.
"I'd rather finish out the next two years in New York," answered Virgil. "Sam and John will be there this year and within driving distance next year. I also want to be kind of close to see Scott this year before he heads overseas to Oxford."
"There is no need for us to transfer now at the start of our senior year," added Sam. "Not only that, John and Virgil have girlfriends and I have a boyfriend. Oh, before I forget, I also made captain of the cross-country team and John and I are in the running for Co-Valedictorian." Jeff and Scott looked up at her when she said that.
"Would you like to repeat the last little bit?" asked Jeff. Sam looked at him and shook her head.
"I said, I made captain of the cross-country team and John and I are in the running for Co-Valedictorian," she repeated.
"That's terrific!" Scott said as he looked at his immediate younger brother and sister. They shrugged their shoulders and continued to eat their dinner. Neither of them thought it was a big deal. Sam had been more excited when they'd gotten their acceptance letters from Harvard. Virgil hugged Sam really fast and reached over and patted John on his back.
"Great job," he said softly. Sam smiled at him and looked back at their dad.
"May I be excused, please?" she asked.
"Yes, make sure you take your dishes to the kitchen," he said as she got up and took her dishes to the kitchen. She went out to the pool deck and sat on the side of the pool and took her shoes and socks off. She let her feet dangle in the water as she gazed at the illustrious colors of the sunset. She thought back to a poem that she'd heard from her mother when she was younger.
The lower leaves of the trees
Tangle the sunset in dusk
Awe spreads with
The summer twilight
She didn't know why exactly that poem came to mind except for the beautiful sunset before her. She sighed as she realized that things were changing again and her mom was missing out on even more in their lives. With a last glance at the sunset, she picked up her shoes and socks and walked up the stairs to her balcony. She opened her door and windows once she got into her room and turned on her stereo. She programmed in some classical music that comforted her as she curled up in her sitting room with a book of poetry. She didn't hear her brothers enter her room from the balcony. She never felt her book being picked up off of her chest and the page marked and set down on the small bookshelf next to her chair. A light blanket was draped over her and the light shut off. Her five brothers quietly went back out the balcony door and carefully closed the screen door so as to not disturb her.
A week later, Sam, John, Virgil, and Scott flew the prop plane to Boston so that Sam and John could see the townhouse that Jeff bought for them to use when they started Harvard. Jeff had flown Gordon and Alan to Colorado Springs to get them ready for the new school year and Gordon had to take a physical and drug test as part of the requirements for his position on the U.S. Men's Swim Team.
"Wow, this place is huge," said Sam as she looked around the living room. One wall was dominated by a fireplace with built in bookshelves on either side. The colors were neutral which suited Sam and John. The kitchen was a cheerful and bright room that Sam saw no reason to change. Their bedrooms were on the second floor at opposite ends of the hallway. Sam took the one furthest from the stairs and immediately decided that it would have to be repainted. She wanted to go with white and a light blue trim. John had decided his room was to be a dark blue with white trim. Both agreed that they wanted king size beds in their rooms. Each of them had a private bathroom attached to their room.
The third floor had three more bedrooms and two more bathrooms. Even though they were smaller than the ones on the second floor, two of them were large enough for two brothers to share. The third one could be for a guest or Jeff if he needed a place to stay. Sam went back down to her room with Virgil. She stared at the wall where she would place the headboard of her bed.
"Virg, could you paint a picture that I could hang on the wall just above where the headboard would be?" she asked. "I was thinking of a lone wolf sitting on a rocky ledge with a full moon outlining it."
"Yeah, I could do that for you," he said as he tried to envision what she wanted and the right shades to use. "Is there any other artwork that you may want to have around the house?"
"Let's go downstairs to the living room," she replied. Together they went down to the living room. She looked at the fireplace and cocked her head to the side. Virgil was staring at the same spot trying to get some inspiration that could be used to fill the space.
"Do you want a nature scene or a portrait?" he asked as he continued to stare. Sam shrugged her shoulders and glanced over at him.
"I don't know. I just know that something needs to be there," she answered. "The colors in here are neutral, so maybe something soft yet colorful to remind us of home. A scene of the beach at sunset or something like that would be comforting when we miss home. We have another year to figure it out so let's not rush it." She walked back to the kitchen and looked around again and opened a notebook she had with her. She began making a list of things that they would need for the townhouse. Basics like linens, towels, dishes, and the like were already on the top of the list. She looked in the laundry room and noted that they would need a washer and dryer. The refrigerator and stove appeared to be brand new so they wouldn't need those. There was a microwave built in above the range.
She joined her brothers in the living room and looked at them questioningly.
"So are we going shopping?" she asked. "I have a list of stuff that we need plus I need to hire a painter to paint the bedrooms and upstairs hallway. I want an electrician to install better lights around my bathroom mirror. You guys can stay here but I want to get some of this done this trip so next time we come there won't be as much to do. Dad also wants the security alarm hooked up and all of the windows and doors to have sensors on them." She picked up her purse and held out her hand for the keys to the car. Scott held up the keys and shook his head.
"We all go together that way we get back and then we can do some things around here while we wait on the painter and the electrician," he said.
"We have to call and get a painter and electrician first," said Sam.
"Sis, Dad has already hired them and they'll be here in about four hours so let's go," he replied. He opened the door for them and made sure that it was locked as they headed for the car. Scott and Virgil sat in the front seat and Sam and John sat in the back. Scott drove them to the nearest mall and parked the car.
"Most everything we need is in that one department store and they deliver," said Sam as they walked towards the entrance. She went straight to the appliances and picked out the washer and dryer that would fit their needs. She paid for them and told the clerk that she wanted it delivered and gave him their address. Her brothers followed her upstairs to where the living room and bedroom furniture could be found. John followed her around as she looked at the living room sets.
"I want furniture that is comfortable," she muttered as she looked at the various pieces. Finally in the corner she found a light beige couch with two matching chairs. One of which was like the one in her sitting room on the island.
"Is this alright with you?" she asked John. He shrugged his shoulders.
"Looks alright to me," he answered. She picked out an entertainment center and another living room set to go in the family room that was in the basement. They headed for the bedroom sets next and both of them quickly found the sets that they wanted for their rooms. Scott and Virgil picked out the furniture for the bedrooms on the third floor. Sam paid for all of it and had it all delivered to the townhouse.
"Now all we need are the linens and electronics," she said. She led them to the domestic area and picked out the curtains for all of the rooms except for the third floor bedrooms and John's room. When she had everything that she thought that they would need she paid for it all and started handing bags to her brothers.
"Let's go back to the car and put this stuff away. Then we can get a bite to eat," she said. "Then all we need to do is get a television for the family room and each of the bedrooms as well as four stereos. I don't want anything big just decent for the family room, living room, and mine and John's bedrooms. Oh, and telephones for those rooms and the kitchen and office and two computers for us to use in the office. Thank goodness that the office is big enough for the both of us and all of our books." Her brothers groaned as she rattled on about what they would need. Scott leaned next to John.
"I'm glad I have my own place," he said just as Sam paused in her muttering. She glared at him.
Later when they had completed the shopping Sam had insisted on they went back to the townhouse. The painter and electrician arrived shortly after they unloaded the car. They ended up getting just one stereo and one television and all of the telephones. Sam had decided to rent an SUV the next day to finish getting what she wanted. Her brothers had opted to stay behind while she shopped just incase the appliances and furniture was delivered.
Sam explained what she wanted to the electrician and he went to work installing the lights that she wanted. The painter was given paint samples of the colors that were wanted in the two bedrooms and hallway. He was finished with both rooms and the hallway by the time the furniture was delivered. Sam had him repaint the bathrooms and the living room. She decided to stay with a soft creamy white color for the living room.
By the end of the week, the furniture was arranged the way Sam wanted it and the curtains were all hung. Sam looked around the townhouse and relaxed. They had accomplished quite a bit in just a week. The bedrooms were all set up and ready for when they came to town. The whole townhouse was ready for when they started school the next year except for the artwork that Virgil was doing for them and the pictures that Sam wanted to have around.
They locked up the house and armed the security alarm. Sam glanced back at the nice home that she would share with her brother for their college days. Scott returned the rental and soon they were flying towards Colorado Springs. They were going to meet up with the rest of the family and then fly home.
Jeff and Alan met them at the airport. Gordon was training with the rest of the team.
"Well, did you put us in the poor house?" he teased when he saw how tired looking they all were.
"Nope, but everything is ready for next year," answered Sam as she slid across the seat so that John could sit down. Virgil climbed in next. Jeff drove them to the hotel where he had been staying. Sam grabbed her stuff and went straight to her room and flopped down on the bed and fell asleep. John came in a few minutes later and was surprised to see her sound asleep. He set his stuff down and went to the next room where Scott and Virgil were sharing a room. Virgil opened the door and let him in.
"Sam's asleep. Can I stay here for awhile?" he asked. Scott motioned to the bed for him to sit on.
"Sure, little brother," answered Scott. "We're just watching some television and relaxing before we go to dinner." John sat down on the bed next to Virgil and accepted the cola Scott handed him.
"Did Dad find a school for Gordon and Alan to attend here?" asked John as he set his drink down.
"Yeah, they start the week before we do," Scott answered. "I think that we're flying home tomorrow and Dad will be bringing them both back here in about three weeks. The four of us will head back the to the East coast a couple of days later."
John sat back and thought about the new school year. His thoughts were interrupted when Virgil began to talk.
"This year is going to be weird," he said. "It will just be the three of us and then next year it will just be me."
"Virgil, will you be alright on your own?" asked John. "We can talk to Dad about letting you attend school in Boston and you can stay with me and Sam."
"Thanks but I want to finish out my senior year at our school," he answered. "Besides, Jodi is there and I'm active in the drama stuff." John got up and told his brothers that he'd see them later. He went back to his room and lay down and dozed off until Sam shook him awake in time to get ready for dinner. Gordon was excited to see his family together again but due to his practice he was tired and asked if they minded if he turned in early. The rest of them followed his lead and the next morning they were in separate planes flying back to Tracy Island.
The next few weeks went by fast and Jeff had to fly Gordon and Alan back to Colorado Springs so that they could get ready for the new school year. Two days after they left, Sam, John, Scott, and Virgil flew back to Connecticut and Scott went back to his house and Yale. Virgil flew the plane back to New York and landed in the little airport near their school. As soon as he had completed the post-flight work, they were heading back to their school. Sam was driving and John was gazing at the scenery, thinking of his girlfriend. Virgil had gotten the talk from Grandma and had received his box of condoms much to his embarrassment and John and Scott's amusement.
They had just unloaded their stuff and carried it to their rooms when their significant others came up to their floor. Catie went straight to John's room and locked the door behind her. A few moments later music could be heard coming from John's stereo. Jodi made a beeline for Virgil's room and he had her in his arms before the door was closed. Alex was the last to show up and Sam was organizing her room when she heard her bedroom door shut and lock. Glancing up she smiled at her longtime boyfriend. He handed her an envelope.
"Read it," he said as he sat down on her bed. She opened the envelope and read through the letter. She looked down at where he was sitting and walked over to him.
"I guess that we have some celebrating to do," she said as she leaned over to kiss him. He was quick to pull her down on top of him and held her close. "I got accepted too. So did John…we already…have a townhouse…you can stay…with me…if you want."
"I'd love to wake up next to you every morning," he groaned as she ran her hand down his towards his leg. "Sam, can we play later? I need you now!" He flipped her over and pushed into her. She gasped as he began making love to her in a frenzied manner.
"A-Alex," she moaned as he held her close.
"Love you, Sam," he said as he fell asleep. She held him close to her and realized that she really loved him and wanted to wake up with him next to her every morning.
They joined her two brothers and their girlfriends for lunch. They all went out that evening to the movies and dinner. The semester passed by with John and Sam turning eighteen. Virgil, John, and Sam drove down every other weekend to see Scott. Sometimes they brought along Alex and Catie. Scott tried to give them a lecture but John and Sam were both adults now and there wasn't a lot that he could say especially when Sam found a stray pair of panties in between the couch cushions. She refused to sit any where but on the floor whenever she came down to visit from that point on.
The day before the semester ended for the holidays, the seniors had a free day. Sam and Alex, and Catie and John signed out and drove to another town and rented two nice hotel rooms for the night. The next morning they drove back to the school and dropped Alex and Catie off and picked Virgil up. Before they left, Alex pulled Sam aside.
"Samantha, I love you more now than I thought I could," he said shyly. "I love how you make me feel and I want to wake up with you by my side every morning. I want to share my life with you. I know that we're only eighteen but I have spent the last three years loving you and only you. I…" He took her left hand in his and slowly slid a ring on her finger. "This is only a promise ring. I will remain faithful to you and only you. I want to speak to your father and brothers before I ask you to marry me." She looked at him with tears in her eyes. He reached out and pulled her against him.
"I love you too," she said softly. "I want to wake up every morning and have you by my side. I will be proud to wear this ring. I just want you to understand that I want to get through college before I make any life changing decisions. I also plan on applying to NASA, Alex. I want to be an astronaut like my dad was. There are all sorts of risks that I'll be taking if I get accepted and I want you to be aware of that." He gently lifted her face to look up at him.
"I wouldn't expect anything else from you," he said. "I love that you are your own person and I have no desire to change that. It's one of the things that I love about you." He leaned down and kissed her with such tenderness that she knew that they belonged together. She heard a sharp whistle and saw her brothers walking towards her. Alex wrapped his arm around her protectively and walked with her towards them.
"Let's go, we have to pick up Scott and get to Kansas tonight," said Virgil as he noticed the tears in Sam's eyes. "What did you say to my sister?"
"Virgil, that was rude," said Sam.
"Why are you crying?" he demanded. John stood by and watched them.
"I'm happy that's all," she said evenly. "Alex wouldn't do anything to hurt me and you know it. He's been there for me for the last three years so calm down." Virgil stomped up to Alex and Sam and glared at him.
"If you have done anything and I mean anything to hurt my sister I will kick your ass," he snarled angrily. Alex met his stare and refused to back down.
"John and Virgil, not that this part is any of your business but I gave Sam a promise ring," he stated. "I'm not asking her to marry me now; I'm just promising my love and future intentions to her. I have done nothing to hurt her. I just know how special she is and I want her to be in my life and I want to be a part of her life. I don't have any desire to cause a rift in her family. I hope to one day be a part of her family. I like each and every one of her brothers and can't think of a more solid family to be a part of." Sam's eyes teared up at his heartfelt speech. She turned away and wiped her eyes only to have Alex turn her to face him. He wiped her eyes with his sleeve and gently kissed her.
"I love you and I'll see you after the holidays," he said as he walked her to the SUV. "Be careful and call me when you reach Kansas." She got into the truck and he shut the door for her. Virgil and John got in the front seats with John driving. He drove them to the airport and within an hour they were flying to Connecticut to pick Scott up. Scott and Virgil flew the plane to Kansas. John and Sam sat in the passenger cabin.
"Do you love him?" he asked. Sam looked at him for just a moment and took his hands in hers.
"Yes, I love him," she answered. "He also knows that anyone I'm with has to accept that you are very important to me and that we have an unusually strong bond. Alex accepts that and will do nothing to cause a rift between us." John relaxed a little at her words.
"Are you sure that he's the one?" he asked next.
"We're not engaged," she responded. "I told him that I don't want to make any life changing decisions until after I graduate college and find out if I get accepted to NASA. I told him that I want to be an astronaut like our dad. He is fine with that and if he wasn't then I'd know that he isn't the one for me."
"I'm happy for you, Sam," admitted John. "I can see how much he loves you and how much you love him. It's kind of like the love Mom and Dad had. You light up when he's around. I will say this though; if he hurts you I will hurt him worse." Sam leaned over and laid her head on John's shoulder.
"Thanks for being my bestest brother and I love you," she said as she drifted off to sleep.
"I love you, too, bestest sister," he replied as he let himself drift off to sleep. Scott and Virgil had heard the conversation because the call system was accidentally pressed.
"Is that why you were in a foul mood?" asked Scott. Virgil nodded weakly. He didn't realize how involved Sam and Alex were. He had jumped to the conclusion that Alex was doing something to hurt her instead he was promising himself to her until such time he would propose marriage to her.
Hours later they landed in Kansas and drove to the farm. Virgil followed Sam to her room.
"Sam, I owe you an apology and Alex too," he said as he stared down at his shoes. "I jumped to the wrong conclusion and thought that he hurt you or something. I'm sorry for opening my mouth too soon." Sam walked over to him and hugged him to her.
"You were just protecting me and there is nothing to forgive," she said honestly. "Just know that Alex would no sooner hurt me than any of my brothers." Virgil smiled at her and made one more remark.
"That's because Scott already threatened him when you started dating him," he said. Sam giggled as she thought back to the day after their first date.
After dinner they all went to bed and got up early and flew to Colorado Springs to pick Gordon and Alan up. From there they flew to the island and spent Christmas with their family. Gordon and Alan called their older siblings everyday and each of them called them everyday.
After the holidays were over, Scott and Virgil flew the Tracy kids back to Colorado Springs to drop Gordon and Alan off at their school. And then they flew back to Kansas. From there Sam and John took over and flew to Connecticut and dropped Scott off. They then flew to New York and stored the plane in the private hangar and Virgil drove them back to school. Sam and John started their final semester of high school.
The semester went by and the month before Sam and John graduated they were named Co-Valedictorians. They both were to graduate with honors. The whole family flew in to New York for the ceremony.
"Fellow Graduates, parents, families, and other esteemed guests…Thank you for the honor of naming us Co-Valedictorians for we have always done everything in our lives as a team. Both of us would like to thank our family for the amazing support that they have given to us as well as the unconditional love. Dad, thanks for all you have done to make our lives better. Grandma, thanks for being there since Mom couldn't. Scott, Virgil, Gordon, and Alan, thank you for being the best brothers anyone could ask for.
We begin our lives taking little steps until we achieve each goal and that is how we should continue our lives outside of school. Anything good worth having takes time and patience to achieve. That is what makes it all the better when we accomplish something. These honors and certificates are all the better to us because of the sacrifices that we made to achieve them, as well as the obstacles that we faced and overcame in our short lives.
Thank you again and to our class- We did it together!"
The audience and graduates cheered as Sam and John turned to each other and hugged. Holding hands they ran down to where their family waited on them.
"That was such a wonderful speech," said Grandma tearfully. Sam and John hugged her and kissed the top of her head.
"Thank you for taking care of us and helping Dad raise us," they said quietly. Jeff pulled his twins to him and hugged them tightly.
"You have made me proud," he said quietly. "Your mother is proud of you too and she is watching over all of us." Sam looked up at him as the tears tracked down her face. John's eyes got red as he tried to hold his emotions in check. He pressed his face against Sam's hair and struggled for control. A wall of Tracy brothers suddenly surrounded him to let him regain his composure. Alex and Catie joined that wall of protectiveness. Jeff was stunned to see the bond so strong despite the degree of separation that they had all faced the last year.
"Thanks guys," said John when he was okay. He grabbed Catie's hand and they walked around the reception area.
"John, I decided to go to school in California," she said hesitantly.
"I knew you would and you know that I'm fine with that and I wish you all the best," he said as he kissed her one last time. He walked off to find his family. Sam and Alex were talking to Jeff and Grandma.
"Mr. Tracy, I love Sam and one day I would like to marry her but she and I have much to do before we take that kind of step," Alex was saying. Grandma was nodding her head in agreement.
"My Sam has found herself a young man that will always put her first," she thought. "I look forward to the day that they marry. There's John and he seems to have expected this. He and Sam have talked and he is fine with Alex and his sister. That's good because those two need each other and anyone they choose to marry has to accept that. Alex seems to be accepting of her bond with John and the rest of her brothers."