Steele Dreaming
by Tanya Reed
Disclaimer: Remington Steele is not mine.
Note: Okay, folks, if there's still any of you still reading, we're getting pretty close to the end here...I think there are only 5 chapters left.
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"Well," Sam said, "I guess it's time."
She moved toward the door. Already, she had her jacket and sneakers on, there was nothing left to do. Laura couldn't help but notice how grown up her baby looked with her brown hair freshly cut to her shoulders and her blue eyes shining in excitement.
"The house will be so empty," Laura commented as she and Remington moved to the door with Sam.
"I'll visit, Mom. I promise."
Laura smiled sadly. "I know you will, sweetheart."
"Don't forget your promise," her father said firmly.
"I won't," Sam swore, then threw her arms around him. "I'll miss you, Daddy."
"I'll miss you too. You're the only one of my women who never yelled at me."
"Listen to him," Laura chuckled, "as if he didn't deserve it."
"My apartment isn't very far away," Sam continued. "The two of you have to come and visit me. Lettie's coming to help me move in today, and Grace, Eddie, Gail, and Remi are coming over tomorrow to help unpack. You guys will come too, won't you?"
"You know we never miss a chance to see our grandchildren."
This time, Sam threw her arms around her mother. "Mom, I'll call every day."
"Every day?"
"Every day."
When she pulled away from Laura, there was a grin of anticipation on her face. She turned it on both of her parents before picking up her small black purse and putting the strap over her shoulder.
"Good-bye."
"Bye," Laura and Remington replied in unison, and then Sam slipped out the door.
Her parents stood at the porch window watching. They saw her go down the two steps to the walkway and from there to the blue car waiting for her in the driveway with her new roommate Tabbie at the wheel. Sam turned once and waved before getting into the passenger side. As soon as she was in, the car took off, leaving Laura and Remington staring out into the darkness.
"Well, there goes the last," Laura sighed.
Remington put one of his long arms around her slight shoulders. "We made some good ones, didn't we?"
"So independent. They don't even need us anymore."
"Laura, love," he said, leading her away from the door and into their cozy living room, "they'll always need us--we're their parents."
"It doesn't seem like it. Grace is married and has two children of her own. Lettie's finished college and has a job…"
"Working for the agency."
"…and Sam just finished her course at the community college, and she's moved into an apartment with her best friend. They have their own lives. Who are we? We're just two old people that they have nothing in common with."
"We're Laura and Remington Steele, that's who we are. We're detectives; we're the most trusted private detectives in Los Angeles. And who did Grace call when Gail caught the chicken pox, eh? Even before she called her doctor, she called us. And Lettie, who did she call when she was having problems in ancient history? It surely wasn't her history professor. And who did Sam ask just a couple of months ago why life is so scary? They will need us forever, Laura. Don't you see?"
"I suppose your right." Then Laura's delighted smile, the smile that Remington loved the most, broke over her face. "We raised some pretty terrific kids, didn't we?"
"You bet we did--honest, self-reliant, independent, and loved. That most of all. They had everything that we never did-a mother and a father who loved them more than life itself. We did pretty good for a detective and a thief."
A dreamy, far away look came to Laura's eyes. "A thief. It's been so long, I had almost forgotten. Do you remember the first time we saw each other? I was so young, Grace's age. The moment I saw you, my heart flip-flopped. Murphy and Berniece almost completely disappeared. What did you say your name was?…Pearson. Ben Pearson."
"And I thought you were a secretary, an ordinary-albeit irresistibly cute-woman. Then, you opened your mouth. I think you had me from that moment, though I didn't realize it. I never would have believed that a woman like you could change a man like me."
"Change, dear? I never changed you. I just cared enough to disbelieve the costume you built to show the world, just like you cared enough to keep beating at my defenses until I really understood that you were not my father."
"Love happens in strange ways. We needed each other so very much. Do you realize that I never really believed in God until I met you?"
She hugged him tightly. "And I never really believed in love until I met you."
