So sorry this took so long. Please enjoy it.
"Do you like that?" Natalie giggled as she dipped Liam's toes in the water. "It's nice being able to go in the pool in November, isn't it?"
"Looks like he's enjoying himself," Emily said as she sat down next to her.
"He's such a water baby," Natalie smiled as Liam giggled with glee as he kicked his little legs, splashing water everywhere. "I had to literally drag him kicking and screaming out of the pool all last summer."
"My niece is like that," Emily smiled. "Robin says she's the only toddler who likes taking baths."
"Emma, right?" Natalie asked as she searched her memory.
"Yeah," Emily nodded. "Our family has an Emily, an Emma, and an Ember. We're original, aren't we?"
"My grandfather named my mother after himself and before my dad adopted him, my brother Joey was Joseph Riley, Jr.," Natalie pointed out. "The Buchanans are a little more creative with names."
"How so?"
"The best example is my uncle Bo's name."
"What is it? Beauregard?"
"No," Natalie shook her head. "It's Beaufort Oglethorpe."
"You're kidding," Emily stared. "What? Did your grandparents hate the kid on sight or something?"
"I think Beaufort was somewhere on my grandma Olympia's family tree, but I have no idea where they got Oglethorpe. I should look on the family tree Grandpa left me. Perhaps I'll find a clue."
"Speaking of family, how'd your talk with my sister go?"
"I'm going to call Mom in about ten minutes. It'll be nine pm last night back home when I do. I'm hoping that with the time difference and the stress, people will have gone home by then."
"Not to mention the holiday that's fast approaching," Emily pointed out.
"What?"
"Thanksgiving," Emily reminded the redhead. "I may not be living in America anymore, but I still make a turkey and sing the Quartermaine Thanksgiving song every third Thursday of November."
"Family traditions are hard to kick," Natalie agreed. "Would you mind taking Liam for a while? I don't want any distractions when I call my mom."
"No problem," Emily said as she took the little boy from Natalie and dipped him in the water. "Good luck."
"Thank you," Natalie nodded as she rose out of the pool and took the cell phone Zander had given her that morning after Emily had convinced her to call Rebecca. It was untraceable.
-d-d-d-d-
Viki had just locked the front door after sending Lois up to make up a bed for John when her cell phone rang. She picked it up off the hall table and answered it.
"Hello?"
"Mom? It's me."
Viki sighed in relief, "Natalie. Oh honey, where are you? Are you alright? Is Liam with you?"
"Of course Liam's with me," Natalie said. "We're fine. We're safe. I just didn't want you to worry anymore."
"Darling, I'm not the only one who is worried," Viki reminded her daughter. "Your father, your brothers, Jessica, Roxy, Rex, Shane; they're all worried too. Not to mention John. Sweetheart, I'm glad you called me, but I'd rather you'd just come home."
"I will. Soon," Natalie said. "I just needed a few days to wrap my mind around everything."
"And have you?"
"I'm getting there. Mom, how's Brody?" Natalie asked. Now that the anger had begun to dissipate she was worried about how her former fiancé was taking the loss of another child.
"He's worried," Viki admitted. "He's called a few of his friends from the service that went into law enforcement and having them put out feelers."
"And I suppose John's calling the FBI to do the same thing?" Natalie guessed.
"Yes, he is. Sweetheart, he's here you know. He, Shane, Roxy, and Rex have been staying here since you left. Is there anything you want me to tell them?"
"Tell them I'm safe and make sure Lois sets a place for me at the table for Thanksgiving. Liam and I will be home for dinner."
Viki laughed through her sudden tears, "I will. We'll see you soon."
"Yes, you will," Natalie agreed. "I love you, Mom. Tell Dad and Jessica that too."
"I will. Natalie, will you do something for me?"
"Okay," Natalie said cautiously.
"Call your brothers," Viki requested. "They are so worried about you, and I know hearing your voice right now would be an enormous relief."
"I'll call soon," Natalie promised as she mentally did a calculation. It was two am in London right then. As worried as she knew her brothers might be at that point, she also knew that if she called and woke them up, they'd kill her.
"Alright. We'll see you for dinner on Thursday," Viki said.
"Yes, you will," Natalie assured her. "Bye Mom."
"Bye Darling," Viki smiled.
-a-a-a-a-a-
Natalie stumbled into the kitchen around three o'clock the next morning and was surprised to see Zander at the counter.
"Sorry," Natalie said. "I didn't think anyone would be awake."
"Don't worry about it. I needed to have a conference call with someone in California. They're seventeen hours behind us."
"Right," Natalie nodded tiredly. "At least you have a better excuse than I do for not sleeping."
"Nervous about going home?" Zander ventured.
"A little bit," Natalie said as she took a seat across from Zander. "It wasn't even in the plans until I heard my mom's voice. The things they can get you to do without even trying is amazing."
"They are an unusual breed," Zander agreed.
"So are brothers," Natalie pointed out.
"How'd your talk with them go?"
"Kevin yelled at me for ten minutes because I just up and left without a word to anyone. Then Joey got on the phone and lectured me about being more responsible. I'll probably have a similar lecture waiting for me at home even though Rex is younger and when Cord surfaces from his honeymoon, I am sure he'll call to yell at me."
"Four brothers? Where are you in the lineup?"
"Cord is first. He is the son of my dad and my dad's first love, Maria. Dad didn't know about Cord until he was grown because my grandpa sent Maria back to Mexico when he found out about the affair. Kevin and Joey aren't biologically my dad's, but he adopted them when he married my mom. Their father was a man named Joe Riley."
"And Rex?"
"He is younger than me and Jessica. My dad had an affair with a woman named Echo DiSavoy and low and behold Rex was the product."
"Your mom has another daughter, right?"
"She had another daughter. Megan died twenty years ago this February," Natalie told him.
"I'm sorry. I know what that's like."
"I never met Megan," Natalie shook her head. "It's nothing like you losing your brother. How old was he?"
"Not old enough to die," Zander said.
"I'm sorry," Natalie shook her head. "God, we're depressing aren't we?"
"New topic?"
"God, yes," Natalie nodded.
"You want some coffee?"
"No, thank you," Natalie shook her head. "I'll take some of that iced tea though."
"Okay. Glasses are next to you. I'll get the pitcher."
Natalie nodded as she reached up to open a cabinet and grab a glass. In doing so, she knocked over a pile of pictures that had been sitting next to Zander.
"Oh God, Zander I'm sorry," Natalie apologized as the photos fluttered to the floor. She knelt down and started to pick them up.
"Don't worry about it," Zander said soothingly as he set down the pitcher and bent down to help her pick the photos up. "They're just some surveillance photos of a plastic surgeon in Brazil. He's got some hinky practices, and we're just keeping an eye on him."
"Oh," Natalie said as she gathered up the photos. She glanced at one and then did a double take. "Oh my God."
"What's wrong?" Zander looked at her. "Natalie?"
"I know her," Natalie pointed to the picture of an older blonde woman.
"Alexandra Olanov," Zander nodded. "Right. She was one of your grandpa's wives, right?"
"Yes," Natalie nodded. "But I can't figure out what she'd be doing there with him."
"Who?" Zander looked over Natalie's shoulder.
"Cutter Wentworth," Natalie shook her head.
"Wentworth? I know that name," Zander frowned.
"He's a con artist, so you might have run across him at some point or another."
"No," Zander shook his head in thought, snapping his fingers as it came to him, "That's it. William Wentworth was a stock trader years ago. His wife left him and then after going broke trying to find her, he committed suicide."
"Cutter's father," Natalie realized. "Never thought I'd feel sorry for him, but that's something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy."
"That is rough," Zander agreed.
"Yeah, it is," Natalie agreed as she gathered up more pictures. "Let me help you put these back in order."
"Alright. I want to have them arranged by time stamp."
"Sure, no problem," Natalie said as she looked at the corner of each picture. "They're still pretty much in order, it's just a few of them that fell out of-Oh my God."
"Natalie?" Zander looked at her. "What is it? You look like you just saw a ghost."
Natalie looked at him and then back at the picture in her hand.
"Gigi," she whispered.
