A/N: Thanks to those who have left comments! Always encouraging and glad to know it is being enjoyed not only by me ;) On with the story…
The next few hours had passed with relative calm in Grey House. The twins went down for their nap after games and stories with their mother and honorary grandpa. Cassie now sat in the calm, sipping tea as she caught up on Grey House business. She had just gotten up for a refill when Brandon walked through the door.
"Hello Brandon," she said smiling.
"Hi Cassie," he said hugging her.
She was as proud of Brandon as she was of all of her children. Most of the family had been concerned when he began working for the Middleton Police department, but she was sure his mother and father were just as proud about how their son's life has turned out. He was working his way up the ranks, following in Jake's footsteps, and she felt he would become chief one day, just like his father.
"So, how are things?" Brandon asked trying, unsuccessfully, to sounds casual. He had been worried about his family ever since he had run into Sam and Cassie with Tara.
Cassie's pride swelled even more as Brandon's protectiveness for his family so clearly, and easily, extended to Sam, Nick and the twins. "Well, not much has changed for the better since we last saw you."
"Ah, sorry." Brandon sat on the kitchen barstool, picking up a scone and began picking at it.
"Mmhm, and to make matters a bit more sticky, Linda is in town. Sam and I thought it might be good to get him to encounter her here, uhm, unexpectedly…"
"And, that didn't work," Brandon finished.
"No, it didn't."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Cassie. I wish I could help you guys out."
"Actually, Brandon," she said. "Could you do me a favour and get these textbooks to Grace and Nick at the university?" She took some course books from the next counter. "Sorry, to ask this on your day off. The twins are asleep and I think Nick and Grace really need these for their next class"
"No, that's ok. If you think it will help…"
"Oh, it will," she said, a small smile on her face.
"Ok. I'll get right on it then."
"Thanks, Brandon," she said as he grabbed the books and headed out.
Linda strolled down Middleton's Main Street. The town hadn't changed that much since she had visited all those years ago, even if so much else had. She passed shops that were familiar and others which were not. Looking through the window of the Bell, Book and Candle, her encounters with Cassie came flooding back. What was I thinking, she thought to herself. She had seen the connection between Sam and Cassie. She had even told them, and yet she still tried to keep them apart. Suddenly she realised just how wrong and futile all those attempts had been.
Walking further along she noted the Bistro. Still the only real restaurant in town, she thought. The interior seemed to have doubled in size from the last time she had been there and large, leather couches replaced the tables that had once graced the front space of the eatery. It was just about lunchtime and a rush had already begun. At the counter she saw a familiar face talking rather intimately with the women behind the counter.
"Liam," she said approaching him. Sam's friend turned around, surprised by who he saw.
"Linda! What are you doing here? Do Sam and Cassie know?" he said in surprise.
"Yes, Liam, they both are aware of my presence here," she answered, slightly annoyed. "I am staying at Grey House."
He wasn't going to seek any further explanation from his best friend's ex. He would catch up with Sam later and grill him instead.
"So, you've made the move to Middleton too," Linda stated. Liam only nodded in response. "Sarah had told me you moved to the Midwest with Noah, but she just couldn't remember the name of the town."
"Well, Sarah and I haven't been in much contact since her marriage to Jason. She only stays in touch with Noah, really." Liam said simply.
"Right," she paused for moment, then continued. "She said he's at Fordham on a full baseball scholarship. You must be proud," she said.
"I am," Liam smiled. "You're still friends with Sarah, then?"
"Of course," Linda said, surprised by the question. "We all did spend some time together back in the day."
"Yeah, I guess we did. How some things change, huh…" he said poignantly. Just then Stephanie appeared looking from Liam to Linda. "Linda, this is my fiancée, Stephanie. Sweetheart, this is Linda…Sam's ex-wife."
"Oh, hello," Stephanie said, her voice thick with reserve. "I recall you came to town a few years ago, but I don't think we ever formally met."
"No, I don't think so. I came into the Bistro once, but one of your employees treated me quite rudely," Linda said looking around. "But, I see she no longer works here."
Stephanie stifled a laughed, but a small grin spread across her face. Abigail, she thought. "Well, feel free to look at the menu," she said giving Linda a menu and pulling Liam off the stool and around the corner. "What is she doing here?!"
Liam shrugged his shoulders. Linda had been one of the many reasons Stephanie decided to give up on pursuing a relationship with Sam when he first arrived in Middleton. From what she had heard through the grapevine, she wasn't thrilled to see her back and talking with her fiancé.
Liam, sensing Stephanie's distress, said, "Stephanie, don't worry. Sam and I have been friends a long time and that means we know our exes quite well. She is still friends with Sarah. This was just chit-chat. She is obviously here for a particular purpose and I am going to find out from Sam as soon as can."
She let her guard and worry down. "Alright, but I've got my eye on her."
"I do too, Sweetie, I do too" he said smiling and giving her a kiss.
They both returned to the front counter and Stephanie took Linda's order while Liam headed back to the brewery.
Grace and Nick sat in the university student union. When their schedules permitted, they met for a lunch break.
"I just can't believe it, Grace," Nick vented. "What were our parents thinking?" He had updated her on the unexpected encounter with his mother at Grey House and subsequent frustration with their parents.
"Mom and Sam, are only trying to help, Nick, you know that," Grace rationalised. "You do realise that not speaking to your Mom…"
"Grace, please," he cut her off sharply. "I know," he added, more calmly.
"Right, ok," Grace relented. She had learned to tread softly with her step-brother on some topics. "Just don't be mad at them," she stressed. "Our parents love you…we all do…and they want to do what's best."
"I'm not mad at them."
"Good," she said, her hand rubbing her step-brother's shoulder.
As their class time drew close, Nick rummaged through his bag. "Oh, brilliant," he exclaimed. "I must have left my book for Professor Dover's class at home. I could have sworn I had it. I made notes in it."
"Oh, you don't need notes for your Archaeology class. You know that stuff inside and out."
"Yeah, maybe," Nick smiled at the compliment and continued rummaging. "But, I still like to have them and could have sworn I had it."
"Uh, Nick," Grace questioned. "What time is your next class again?"
"Aw, crap, I'm going to be late if I don't hurry," Nick said glancing at his phone's clock. "I gotta go, sis. See you at home."
"At home," Grace repeated as Nick raced out the door. Going to her bag, Grace rummaged through it and realised her Anatomy book was missing as well, and she would have bet that she had placed it there last night before she went to bed.
Brandon pulled into a parking spot. A trip to the state university in Blairsville wasn't what he had planned on doing on his day off, but he was always happy to help Cassie and it seemed there was always another reason for an errand given by her. He knew it was a stressful time for his step-mother's family so he was happy to help in any way he could. With Sam's ex-wife staying at Grey House, and Cassie saying that there was some kind of strife between mother and son he knew something was definitely wrong, but everyone was keeping the details unusually close.
He walked onto the snowy campus. Suddenly he realised Cassie had not given him any information on Grace's schedule and he wouldn't be able to give her the books without it. He began to text Grace when he suddenly heard someone cry out.
"Watch out!"
He looked up just in time to see Nick slip on a patch of ice and was currently sliding toward him at quite a speed. Brandon braced himself, but it was too late and Cassie's step-sons both found themselves on the cold, hard ground. A small crowd gathered, making sure the two fallen 'brothers' were alright. They ensured the bystanders they were fine as they both brushed off snow and dirt from their clothing and checked for scrapes.
"I'm so sorry, Brandon. I'm late for my archaeology class, it's all the way across campus, and I wasn't looking were I was going…" Nick rambled.
"Nick, Nick," Brandon said in an attempt to get him to stop talking. "It's alright besides it looks like you might miss it anyway. We should get you to the student medical centre to get yourself checked out."
"No, no. I'm fine. I swear."
"Ok, but be sure to tell your Dad and Cassie if you're not feeling well," Brandon said reluctantly.
"Right," Nick said looking at the clock on his phone. "Well by the time I make it to class it will be halfway over and not worth it. Damn."
"Sorry you've missed your class."
"Oh, it's not really a problem," Nick answered. "I can ask my classmates for notes or speak with Professor Dover."
"Well, then why don't we grab a coffee, maybe some food? I'll buy. Besides I've got a couple things from Cassie that I am sure you and Grace will be happy to have," Brandon pulled the textbooks out of his bag.
"Huh, I could have sworn I put that in my bag."
"Yeah, apparently you two would leave your heads behind if they weren't attached to your body." Brandon pat Nick on the back and handed him his course book as they headed toward the student café.
"Thanks Brandon," Nick said holding up the cup of coffee in gratitude. Looking at Nick, Brandon could see why Sam and Cassie were concerned; he looked as if he were half a world away.
"Oh, I hear your Mom is visiting," Brandon said breaking the silence while nudging Nick for information. "That must be nice."
Nick looked up from his coffee, "No, not really. She and I aren't…really…getting along at the moment. In fact, I wish she would just leave, get out of my life."
Then it hit Brandon. He knew why Cassie had sent him on this particular errand. It was more than textbooks. "You know Nick, in my eyes you're quite a lucky guy."
Nick wasn't feeling particularly lucky. "Yeah?" he challenged. "How's that."
"You have both your mother and father. Granted, they've been divorced for a long time and that couldn't have been easy, but just think about it, at least you have them…"
Brandon let the words hang a bit. The silence encouraged him to continue; maybe Nick was listening. "I mean Lori and me, we had our Dad and then Cassie came along not too long after our mother passed away. And, we were both living our own lives by the time our Dad died, but that doesn't mean we don't miss them every single day and wish they were here to see how our lives have turned out."
Nick felt foolish. He hadn't even considered that he had both his mother and father, alive. "I'm sorry. I didn't even think…I don't even want to imagine what it would be like if my Dad, or even my Mom really, were gone. For good. And Grace, I remember when she told me that her Dad had died."
Brandon sighed heavily. "Yeah, it's not easy. Like I said, Lori and I were lucky that we had Cassie, and Grace is lucky she has Sam."
"Yeah, I guess she is," he responded absent-mindedly.
"It has taught me that you can't take your family for granted; any of them."
Nick sat silent. Brandon felt like he could see the young man thinking and considering his words as lines seemed to form on his forehead.
"Thanks, Brandon," he finally said.
"Hey, what is a step-brother, once removed, for" he said with a grin, getting up from the table. "Take care, Nick. And, please, have your Dad take a look at you. I may stop by to see him too, just to be sure."
With that he patted Nick on the shoulder and left him to his thoughts. It was time for him to find Grace and finish his errand, though he figured he had already done the bulk of it already. If he could help Nick in some small way, he thought, it was all worth it.