Tuesday, July 17- 5:30pm-
Antonia chased the giggling little girl through the garden, her blonde hair bobbing as she hid behind the fountain, only to come running from behind it toward the swing again. "Get back here, you!" Antonia exclaimed playfully, knowing that though the little girl couldn't hear her, seeing the smile on her face only fueled her happiness as she turned and faced Antonia, collapsing playfully on the stone bench nearby as she caught her breath.
The day had started slowly when Aiden had left that morning, and he had checked in now and again, but said that it promised to be a late night before he returned back. She had been avoiding going outside for most of the day, until she noticed that Melody seemed to be getting a bit of cabin fever, and asked repeatedly if they could return to the garden. At first all Antonia could think of was that moment the day before, when she felt helpless and frozen at the hands of Agent Nichols, and redirected Melody to other activities that would keep her occupied. After lunch, she found herself thinking about the first time she had taken Aiden to the garden. It was the spring, when the cherry blossoms were first making their appearance, and some of the early spring flowers were just beginning to bloom.
"Where are you taking me?" Aiden asked, holding her hand as she drove up to the Hodgins gate. "Some kind of fortress?"
"This is the Hodgins estate." She explained, watching his eyes widen a bit as she grinned and reached out the window to punch in the code to the gate.
"You mean Jack Hodgins? Hodgins from the lab?"
"And Angela." Antonia said, watching the gate open, they slipped inside and waited as the gate closed automatically behind them.
"Are you serious? This place is amazing." He said, looking out at the old growth trees as they drove down the drive, past the main house.
"I've told you about their house. They have the guest house, that's where JV was staying." She explained.
"Yeah, well… I pictured a nice house with a garage and an apartment over it." Aiden said, enthralled by the beauty of the property. "I didn't expect this!"
"Just wait." She smiled brightly. "I'm about to show you my favorite place outside of the lab." She said, watching the wonder and amazement in his eyes, feeling the warmth in her chest as she pulled down toward the garden, pulling the car to a stop just outside the stone wall, parking in such a way that he couldn't see into the garden just yet.
"You have a favorite place outside the lab?" He asked, watching her stop from opening the door, she looked back at him. "Don't change your mind, don't change your mind. I was just picking on you." He said, watching her sly smile appear. "I want to see your favorite place."
"Okay, get out, and close your eyes." She said, watching as he gave her a skeptical look. "Just do as I say, or I'll drive out of here." She said, moving her hand toward the key.
"I'll close my eyes." He chuckled as he opened the door and stood beside the car, moving to the side he closed the door and his eyes, waiting for her. After a moment, she took his hand.
"No peeking." She said softly, carefully tugging his arm, he came willingly. She walked him toward the gate, stopping right before opening it, and turned to face him. "I've never brought anyone here before." She said softly. "I mean, my family has been here, of course, but I've never shown anyone this place before." She whispered. She watched his closed eyes as he listened to her words, a slight smile on his lips. "I hope you like it." She said, tugging at the latch on the gate, she pushed at it and tugged his arm, pulling him along with her through the entry, she entered the inner sanctum of her garden, pulling him alongside her, she positioned herself in front of him. "Open your eyes." She whispered, watching as his eyes opened upon hers, a bright grin on his face as he immediately noticed that she seemed calm and serene suddenly, the wind blowing through her curls as she watched him stare back at her. "You can look around." She whispered.
"I will." He said, watching her eyes curiously for a moment. "I just wanted to look at you for a second first." He said, watching a slight blush run over her cheeks she smiled.
"This is my garden." She said, finally looking away from him, he turned and his jaw nearly dropped. He was surrounded by greenery and flowers, the stone fountain, fruit trees, and decorative trees, large trees mixed in along a paved brick path that seemed to disappear into the brambles of roses and ivy that surrounded him. She watched his eyes look around him in wonder and excitement, his green eyes flicking from one plant to the next, and she pulled him along down the path, pointing out the different varieties of flowers and plants and why she decided to plant them. She explained how Hodgins knew of her love of The Secret Garden, and how she often wanted to be alone in her thoughts. She explained how he told her that he wanted her to be surrounded by beautiful things that made her think of beautiful things, and not of the sadness and fear of the past or uncertainty of the future. She explained how she picked varieties of plants that would bloom in each season, so if she decided in the dead of winter that she wanted to come here, she would be invited by the evergreen bushes and red berries of holly. She watched as he explored, walking and talking about his favorite flowers, and the simple amazement that so much love could come from a bit of earth. She celebrated in his excitement, and in her ability to share this very private place with someone new, someone who loved her and appreciated her not despite her faults, but because she had them. She watched his eyes dance over the fountain as he asked her questions, holding her hand, keeping her warm against the spring chill. She curled in his arms as he held her, closing her eyes against his warm sweatshirt, drinking him in, listening to the sounds of the birds and silence that surrounded them in her own personal paradise, in their paradise.
She had smiled as she picked up after their lunch plates, watching as Melody looked out the window yet again to see if her beloved 'Bean' had returned from work. She thought of her garden, and all of the memories, and that memory of the spring when she shared it with Aiden. She chose that to be the representation of her garden, and not the unfortunate events of the day before, and promised Melody that they would take a walk to the garden before dinner.
Now standing among the plants and trees, she felt that warmth in her heart yet again as she ran her finger across the velvety petal of a rose. She looked up when she heard Melody gasp, her eyes moving toward the sound of the gate opening. She didn't realize that Melody was keeping such a close eye on the gate, and when she watched the little blonde head jump behind a tree, she almost let out a laugh when she saw who was coming into the garden.
"Aunt Toni!" Nate called, running as quickly as he could through the gate, with Luke right behind, shouting her name, followed by a slightly bedraggled Grace.
"Hey, it's my boys." She said, taking their hugs with full force as she let out a laugh, watching them bounce around and giggle as she lifted each one for a hug and a kiss. She looked up at Grace, and smiled slightly. "Why do you have the boys?"
"Cheap labor." She said, looking around. "Where's Melody?"
"She's hiding behind the tree over there." Antonia said, watching as the little girl's face appeared, looking out at Grace, she noticed the two little boys, one being held by Antonia, and she scowled. "Come out, little girl." She signed, watching as she slowly walked around the tree.
"Who are they?" She signed, glancing to Grace, a slow lopsided grin appeared. "Hi." She signed, though her scowl returned on the two little boys.
"Hi, Melody." Grace signed back. "This is Nate, and Luke." She signed, indicating the two little boys. "They are our nephews. Our brother's little boys. Come meet them." She said, beckoning the little girl. She turned toward her sister. "I heard about last night." She mumbled.
"Of course you did." Antonia nodded. "That's why she's a bit nervous." She said, letting Luke down onto the ground, she tapped their heads and they looked up at their Aunt. "Melody, come meet the boys." She signed, watching as Melody walked slowly toward her, reaching her hand out for Antonia, she peered around her at Luke and Nate.
The boys knew a bit of sign language from their Aunt Grace, and Antonia, and Luke smiled and signed slowly. "Hello, Melody. I am Luke."
She watched for a moment and looked up at Antonia, then Grace, then to Luke. Nate move forward and signed. "I am Nate." He signed, smiling brightly, a smile that made him look exactly like Parker at his age. "Do you want to play on the swing with us?" He signed, looking to Grace, who nodded.
Melody looked up at Antonia, who nodded slightly. "Don't play rough." She signed and spoke to the boys and Melody, and before she even finished the sentence, the three were racing toward the swing.
"Well, that was easy." Grace said, watching as the three of them wrestled slightly over the swing.
"I think her apprehension is less about fear and more about jealousy." Antonia said, watching the children.
Grace glanced to Antonia, and watched the exhausted look on her sister's face. "Are you feeling okay?"
"Yeah. Tired and feeling out of the loop." She said, sitting on the stone bench, she watched the three kids for a moment. "Aiden's been out all day. They're doing searches and some arrests. Hopefully we can go home soon. Thank you for bringing the boys. I feel like it's been forever since I've seen them."
"No problem." Grace smiled, sitting beside her sister. "Besides, like I said. Cheap labor."
"What does that even mean?" Antonia asked.
"We have some wedding things to get ready." She grinned.
"I knew I should have locked that gate." Antonia groaned.
"Come on, Toni. It's good practice for your wedding." Grace teased.
"Uh, no. My wedding is going to be a small ceremony on the beach. No flowers, no party favors, none of this fru fru nonsense."
"You say that now." Grace teased her sister, glancing over toward the kids as the boys pushed Melody on the swing. "Look at that, she's got them wrapped around her tiny finger already."
"That's my girl." Antonia smiled, leaning against her sister for a bit of support, as they watched the children play.
10:30pm-
"Grace, please tell me we're done." Antonia whined, resting her head in her hands as she rubbed her eyes. She glanced over at the living room floor where the three children had fallen asleep, each one wrapped in their own sleeping bags provided by Grace, who knew exactly what she was doing. "I can't believe you planned for this."
"Of course I planned for this. This stuff has to get done, and you are a willing prisoner here." She grinned.
"I could leave if I wanted to." Antonia grumbled. "They look so cozy. I want to be cozy." She mumbled.
"Go lay on the couch. We're just about done here. I just have to clean up the ribbons and tulle we didn't use." Grace said, watching her sister continue to stare into the living room area. "Toni?" She said, nudging her sister, Antonia's attention snapped to Grace with a slight gasp. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine." She said, offering a half smile to her sister, she grunted as she stood up, shuffled to the couch and lowered herself onto it. She pulled at the blanket on the back of the couch, and was met with two brown eyes staring up at her. "I thought you were sleeping." She whispered.
"I am." Luke giggled, snapping his eyes closed.
Antonia shook her head and laughed a bit, closing her eyes to rest. It only took about five minutes, and she was sleeping soundly.
Grace continued cleaning up, glancing to her sister, she smiled when she saw that she had actually fallen asleep, and gathered the supplies they had used to create the party favors. She was placing them in the craft box when she heard a light knock on the door. She glanced to see that her sister hasn't moved at all, and quickly made her way toward the door. She approached it warily, and glanced through the peep hole, noting that her mother was standing at the door, and appeared to be looking through her keys. She opened the door and peeked out. "What's the pass phrase?"
"The pass phrase is that you will be paying for your own wedding if you don't let me inside." She said, clearly proud of her threat, she watched Grace close the door and unlatch the lock quickly, opening the door to let her mother inside. "That's more like it." Temperance said with a smile, walking into the dimly lit home, she looked around. "Where is Antonia?"
"Sleeping on the couch. The boys and Melody are all sleeping too." She said in a soft talking voice.
"Did you drug them or something?" Temperance asked, watching her daughter for a moment, she almost looked serious.
"Didn't have to." Grace said proudly. "They exhausted themselves. They helped with favors and a little bit of stuff for the centerpieces, and played together until they were ready for bed." Grace shrugged.
"You are exhausting everyone." Temperance teased, walking into the living room to look over the children, and Antonia. She smiled and glanced toward Grace.
"So what's going on? What brings you over here?" Grace asked.
"Your father, Ace, and Aiden have been away all day. I wanted to see how she was doing." Temperance said softly, walking with Grace toward the kitchen, her daughter began to put water in the tea kettle.
"She seems to be doing fine." Grace shrugged. "Just tired. Did you hear from Dad?" She asked, looking to see her mother had a slight smile on her face. She placed the kettle on the stove and turned it on.
"I did." She nodded, looking to her daughter, she sat down at the table and looked up at Grace. "Toni, Aiden, and Melody can go home tomorrow." She said, watching as Grace smiled.
"That's great. What happened?" She asked curiously, sitting at the table across from Temperance, she watched her for a moment as her mother took a deep breath.
"Well, the number that Fiona found in the coloring book was a bank account number. Melody's mother had her memorize it. The account was in the neighbor, Mrs. Farrell's name as trustee, and Melody as the intended beneficiary. It appeared that Melody's mother had a second account that money was being deposited into, and she would transfer it to Melody's account." Temperance explained, watching as Grace got up to prepare their tea as the kettle boiled.
"So, they were after the money?" Grace asked.
"Either they were looking for the money, or they were trying to get the account shut down to cover their tracks. Well, the forensic accountant found that the money that was going into Melody's mother's account was coming from three primary sources. One was Doctor Lloyd Martin, one was Matthew Boarder, a lawyer with the connection to DSS, and there was a third name, Gary Wilson, who is a lawyer that works in the city. His name hasn't come up anywhere else." Temperance said, thanking Grace as she placed the cup of hot tea in front of her. The forensic accountants also noted that a large sum of money was transferred to another party, Marcus Wood, who is apparently the name and description of our final suspect in the kidnapping and the murder of Melody's adoptive family."
"So they brought them all in?" Grace asked, the smile on her face bright and her eyes twinkling as she breathed in a deep breath. Temperance nodded and she released the deep breath in a relieving laugh. "That is awesome."
"I don't think the second lawyer did anything other than pay off the mother, so they are probably going to release him, but Boarder, Martin, and Wood are going away for a very long time." Temperance said definitively.
"Good." Antonia said from just outside the doorway, she stepped inside and gave her mother a little wave.
"Sweetheart, you look horrible." Temperance said, climbing from her chair, she approached her daughter and put her face in her hands.
"Just what I wanted to hear from my mother." She said, a slight smile on her face as she rested her head on Temperance's, looking into her eyes. "Thanks for coming to tell me the news." She said, wrapping her arms around her tightly, she rested her head on her mother's shoulder for a moment.
"I thought you'd like to know as soon as possible." Temperance said, kissing Antonia's temple, she smiled slightly. "Now go on back to the couch and get some rest." She said, pulling from the hug. "Aiden will be home soon, and your sister can keep me company."
"We can go home tomorrow?" She asked, watching as her mother nodded, kissing Antonia's forehead.
"You can all go home tomorrow." She smiled. "Now go get some rest, baby girl. I love you."
"I love you, Mom." She said, watching her mother's eyes for a moment. "Don't leave without saying goodbye."
"I promise I won't." She said, kissing Antonia's cheek, she watched her turn and head back toward the couch, looking a bit more awake than she had when she appeared at the doorway.