When George Met Laura

Many thanks for the reviews on my other recent works, it is very much appreciated. Thanks also for the constructive feedback and support. Thanks to my Beta MrandMrsPerryMason

Just another silly little drabble written just for fun. Stay safe!

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Perry Mason & Della Street. The rights are the property of the estate of ESG. I'm just borrowing them again.

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'I don't like you Lady!' George Mason frowned with his eyebrows knitted together, his blue eyes darkening.

'The feeling is quite mutual young man!' Laura Robertson answered through gritted teeth and a cold glare at the six year old.

'You're not allowed in my daddy's office when he's not here.' He swung himself about in the large chair.

'I'm quite certain you shouldn't be in here alone either and certainly not swinging about on that chair!'

'It's my daddy's office I can be in here!'

'So which one are you?'

'Uh?'

'How many are there of you and where do you fit in amongst them?

George thought for a moment then kneeled in the chair and stuck out a hand.

'I'm George Arthur Mason, and I'm number four the youngest, how do you do?' Laura glanced at the tiny hand and raised an eyebrow whilst simultaneously pushing the shiver of disgust away. Reluctantly, she took the hand lightly.

'And I'm Mrs Robertson. Number four?' She pulled her hand away quickly at the feel of something warm and sticky in the small palm. 'What on earth is on your hands?' She rubbed her fingers together looking around for something to wipe them on other than her dress.

'Gum and a bit of snot. I spat the gum into my hand a few minutes ago, and wiped my nose 'cause it was running.' George shrugged casually. Laura's face morphed into alarm. 'Aunt Mae gave us all numbers. I'm number four.'

'George Arthur?' Laura asked lightly pushing away the nausea and wishing she had a handkerchief in her purse.

'George after Grandpa Street and Arthur is my Uncle. He's a detective.' George said the last part with a hint of pride and a puffed out chest.

Laura searched the recesses of her mind to locate an Arthur in Perry's family, but she couldn't recall him ever mentioning one. Then it struck her.

'Arthur Tragg? The homicide detective?' Laura's face showed surprise.

'Yup. Him and Uncle Paul are teaching me the tricks of being a great detective.'

'Paul Drake?' Laura interjected as she gave up, placed all her fine breeding to one side, and surreptitiously wiped the sticky hand on the lower part of her dress. Indeed, had she married Perry, this brazen little one wouldn't be around. The words Boarding School flashed through her mind and then out loud, 'Shouldn't you be in school or with a nanny?''

George nodded and flashed the Mason dimples. 'He's daddy's best friend. It's school vacation and we don't have a nanny. Mommy looks after us, well sometimes Aunt Mae. I like sitting with Gertie, she's nice, and she always has candy in her desk drawer.'

'You'd think your mother would have the decency to stay at home with you. She always did take liberties around your father's practice.'

George screwed his face up at that. He wasn't quite sure of the meaning of all that the cold woman had said, but he knew when she talked about his mother, it was in a harsh tone, and he knew it wasn't pleasant. He was about to say something back when the private entrance swung open making George jump in the chair.

'Laura?' Perry questioned in surprise.

'George?' Della who had followed right behind her husband, went straight to the desk initially ignoring their uninvited guest. Della ran her hand through her sons hair and asked softly, 'Darling what are you doing in here? You're supposed to be with Gertie for a few minutes.'

'This lady came straight into the office,' George explained. 'I came in to watch her just in case she was a burglar.'

Della caught herself in a smile. Perry chuckled.

'Well thanks Buddy,' Perry lifted him under the arms from the seat and sat himself in the chair. 'I think the law books and bric-a-brac are safe from this lady.' Perry dared a look at Laura, who plastered on a fake smile of indulgence. 'George, have you introduced yourself to this lady? Della would you put him back where he's supposed to be please?' He nudged George with his hand on his back to follow his mother. Della nodded as she threw a glance between her husband and Laura. Perry gave her the ghost of a smile to reassure her while his eyes conveyed he wouldn't be long.

George stopped by the edge of the desk and gave his father a look, waiting for approval that it was safe to leave him. Perry nodded with a wink. Twin sets of dimples faced off against each other.

'Come on Georgie, we have work to do.' Della piloted him through the door of her office as he responded.

'I don't like her mommy.' Della just nodded silently in agreement as the portal closed with a soft click.

Laura came back into the office a few moments after using the small bathroom to scrub her hands. She perched herself on the corner of the desk in immediate reach of Perry, who shot up from his seat as she reached out and placed a hand against his chest.

'I think you'd be more comfortable in the clients chair Laura.' He waved his hand in the direction opposite himself. Laura leered at the big lawyer then casually sashayed back to the chair.

'Have you named all your children after the…..people you've come across in the lower circles of your practice?' She shook her head. Perry answered evenly.

'Arthur's his godfather, and George loves him dearly. He's a great role model and spends time with him. Our children have family names or are named after their godparents. Perry is named after me, Lily Mae is named after Della's great grandmother and her Aunt Mae and Thomas Paul is for my grandfather and…..'

'I know, Drake. A close circle you have indeed. At least that one looks like you.'

Perry's eyes narrowed. 'What do you mean by that?'

Laura laughed. 'Oh I'm sorry,' she tried to save the situation on seeing the firm set of Perry's jaw. 'That came out wrong. What I meant was that he's going to be the spitting image of you when he gets older. Very handsome.'

'What are you doing here Laura? What do you want?'

'Well,' Laura turned on the charm, 'I was in town on business, it's to do with the Oldham Drilling Company. I know you've had dealings with them in the past, I thought we could have dinner and discuss them.'

'I'm sorry, no can do. It's school vacation, and Della has her hands full with the boys and this case we're currently in the middle of.'

'Surely the super mother/secretary or whatever you call her can deal with your children for one evening alone?'

'My wife.'

'I beg your pardon?'

'I said my wife. Della is my wife and a mother first and foremost these days, then she's my secretary in the office. Please have some courtesy to remember that Laura.' Perry softened his tone. 'I can squeeze in a lunch about now.'

Laura stood when Perry did. She took his tie and ran it seductively through her hands before snaking one of them to the back of Perry's head and drawing him down for a kiss. Perry managed to turn his head at the last moment so her lips landed on his cheek just as George popped his head back through the door. The littlest Mason froze on the spot, his eyes grew wide as his mouth dropped open drawing in a gasp.

'Didn't your mother teaching you to knock!' Laura snapped. George ducked back through the door and slammed it closed.

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Minutes later Perry walked into the law library where George ran to sit with his older brother Tom, who was wading through reading a law book. Della sat just inside her office off to the right typing up the notes from Paul's report and completing the court documents for the next session, the following Monday.

George scowled at his father but said nothing. Perry went to scruff his hair, but he ducked away in disgust.

'It wasn't what you think Georgie, I promise,' Perry tried to assure him. 'She's just an old friend.'

'It wasn't what?' Della came into the library.

'Nothing Baby. I'm going for a quick business lunch with Laura, I won't be long.'

Della's back straightened, and her shoulders stiffened. George crossed his arms and growled in a familiar way. Tom just looked between the three and wondered what was going on before he returned the book.

'We're just discussing the Oldham Drilling Company. We will be going to the Oasis Water Lounge, and I won't be long.' Perry drew a reluctant Della into his arms.

'Perry, we're in the office,' Della rest her hands on his forearms.

'I know.' He nibbled her neck then mumbled, 'But I don't want you thinking anything untoward is going to happen.' He raised his head and looked into her face smiling softly, using his finger to raise her chin. 'I know how you think when she's about. It's business. Take the boys to Clay's, and we'll all dine out this evening together. I promise.' Perry brushed his thumb across her lips before giving her a peck and disappearing.

After the door had closed, George excused himself to go sit with Gertie. If there was one adult on the planet who would tell him truthfully about people other than his mother, it was Gertie.

'Gertie,' George dragged a chair to her desk and sat himself down.

'Hey handsome.' Gertie chirped as she switched the last caller off. 'There's mint candy in the drawer today.'

'Thanks.' George dived into the bottom drawer and emerged with two sweets. One of which he pushed towards the perky receptionist. 'Gertie, who was that woman who went straight into daddy's office? She was very rude to do that.'

'I'll say!' Gertie huffed. 'She always does that. Always did it when she dated Mr Mason.'

'Dated?' George was shocked. 'She's daddy's girlfriend?'

'No little man. Not anymore. It was way before your mommy. It's ok.' Gertie gave his cheeks a little brush of comfort. 'Don't go screwy on me Squirt. Your daddy loves your mommy now, not her.'

George wasn't convinced, but Gertie never steered him wrong with her information so he drew in a ragged breath.

'I don't like her, and I don't think mommy likes her either.'

'You got that right handsome.' Gertie agreed with him. ' Many people don't like her. She's very bad-mannered with people.'

George nodded silently sucking on his mint sweet thinking deeply. 'So what are we going to do about it?' He asked suddenly.

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Almost three hours later Perry came back to the office with Laura in tow. His nerves were frayed. Laura had spoken little about the business she had supposedly called in to speak about. Instead she played coy, acted coquettishly, and giggled at the slightest remark. Then she had run her hands all over him at every opportunity and flirted outrageously and very suggestively with him.

Once seated at the table that had strangely been available at an in demand trendy restaurant, she had made digs about his family with particular emphasis on Della's lack of suitability as a wife to a man of 'his stature'. She had even ventured to comment on that fact they had four children when good manners in their social circle demanded just one or maybe two at a push. When Perry had fisted his hands under the table in irritation and smiled through gritted teeth, he had finally and firmly informed Laura that of the many reasons they would not have survived as a couple was the fact that she should not have been able to cope with any children, let alone one as strong willed as Lily or mishievious like George. He also informed her plainly, they would never send them away to be raised by others, and although not planned, he quite liked having four in their little brood. Perry even went so far as to tell a sneering Laura, they would have happily had more had the good Lord seen fit to allow it.

Throughout Perry's spirited defence of his family Laura went from sneer, to grimace and then finally settled on haughty arrogance, which she knew would rankle with her ex-lover. At the end of two out of three courses, he could tolerate her company no more and wished deep down he had gone to Clay's with Della and the boys for hot roast beef sandwiches and the mountain of ice cream Tom and George would have insisted on getting. Also he would have been far more relaxed, and his sides would ache from laughing along with his family.

Tom had waited by the outer door in a chair where he could watch down the corridor route from the elevators. On seeing his father approaching with the woman he had briefly seen, he shot from his seat to warn George they were coming back to the office. Della had just arrived back from speaking to Paul on the telephone and narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips, she began to have a bad feeling that they were up to something. They had been far too quiet at lunch and in a rush to get back to the office, before disappearing into the law library with Gertie, and hearing them banging about in kitchenette.

'Dad!' Tom was a little breathless. 'Mom needs you in her office.' He stood in front of Perry's door preventing him going through.

'Who are you?' Laura let her presence be known. She also didn't like a child preventing her going about her business, which at that moment was pulling Perry back from the edge of the emotional cliff that she had pushed him towards over lunch.

'I'm number three,' Tom dismissed Laura with a taciturn logical tone. 'I'm number two son actually, and the only one of us that looks like mom before you ask.' He explained it all so succinctly.

'I've just got a few more minutes with Mrs Robertson Tom, then I'll…..'

'No dad now!' Tom grasped his jacket sleeve and started pulling his father towards the law library door.

'OK, ok. Laura, wait in my office, I'll be along in a moment.'

Laura nodded shortly and with a sniff of disdain headed straight for the partially open office. Perry had barely made it through the law library door when he heard a loud shriek and even louder giggles.

'What the hell?' Perry made a u-turn and shot towards his office. George had tears of laughter running down his face, and his camera about his neck clicking pictures. Laura stood just inside the doorway covered in a green slime like substance opening and closing her mouth in shock.

'You….you..!' Laura finally thundered. Perry, rooted to the spot was torn between outrage and delight. Della and Tom flew into the room from the law library at the noise. Tom howled in laughter, strode towards his brother and high fived him.

'I can't believe it worked,' Tom manged between laughs. 'You evil little genius.'

'Perry!' Laura spluttered out green slime that was dripping from her head and down her face. 'Have you raised animals as children!'

Della closed a hand across her mouth and swallowed a smile as pride swelled within her. George had done something she wished she could have done years ago. He had bested the high and mighty Laura Robertson.

'George,' Della cleared her throat and managed to sound suitably horrified. 'In my office now, you too Thomas.'

As George jumped from the chair and walked slowly to the door and eyed Laura with disdain. He shoved his chin into the air in defiance and said, 'Only my mommy can kiss my daddy. Don't do it again!'

Fin