The main characters don't belong to me but to the creators of CSI NY tv series. But Maria Kostopoulos is totally mine! And Dr. Irene Samaras too.

Thanks again to Lily Moonlight for being there, always helping.

I Can't Say Goodbye

Chapter 22

After Maria had caught Mac and Stella in their highly pleasant and noisy lovemaking, they remained embraced for a few moments, until Stella sat up.

"Poor Maria, she must have heard us and who knows what she might have thought was wrong, when in theory I should be here alone... I'm going to talk to her."

"What a way to meet me!" Mac laughed. "I'd better get decent before the formal introduction. I don't want her to feel uncomfortable. I'll have a shower, shave and dress to try and make her opinion of me a little better."

Stella put on her gown, smiling, and headed to the kitchen. Maria was there, sitting on a chair with her elbow leaning on the table and her hand covering her eyes, not knowing what to do. She hoped that Stella wasn't very angry, it all was quite unintentional. She usually knocked the door before entering, in case Stella was in her bedroom, but she had been truly frightened by the sounds she heard. But without wishing to, what she had done was a blatant invasion of privacy of two people enjoying each other's company. And they certainly had been enjoying themselves! Her own thought made her smile. Suddenly, she saw Stella leaning in the kitchen door, arms crossed, watching her. Maria didn't know how long she had been there. Before Maria could say anything, however, Stella stepped forward.

"It's okay, Maria, don't worry."

"I ... I ... I'm sorry, really. I should have knocked, but I was scared..."

"Shhhh, I know, I imagined you were."

"If you had told me he was coming, I would have been more careful... Because he is... he is..." and she pointed to Stella's belly. Stella laughed.

"Yes, he is. But I didn't know he was coming, he just arrived yesterday afternoon... Surprise!"

"Well, I see, I actually saw with my own eyes, that if there were any problems you've solved it very well... Certainly for me the surprise was... I almost had a heart attack." Maria laughed, finally, and hugged Stella. She kissed her belly. "And do you know that when you do a lot of what I saw, these things (and she pointed to Stella's belly) happen?" She still had her face close to her belly when the baby gave a good kick. Maria's eyes widened. Stella laughed.

"Another novelty! The baby has been kicking like this since yesterday, when its father arrived. It seems to be its way of greeting." They both laughed. At that moment, Mac appeared in the door, clean, shaved and dressed in jeans and with the less creased shirt he had found in his bag. Maria stood up, with a trace of fear, but Mac's smiling face while approaching dissipated it a bit.

"Mac, this is Maria Kostopoulos, about whom I have already told you. Maria, this is Mac Taylor, my..." Stella hesitated to apply the adjective. "My fiancé." and showed Maria the ring on her finger. Maria smiled, satisfied.

"Mr. Taylor, I'm very sorry about before... It won't be repeated." Stella translated Maria's words for Mac. She had made the introduction in English, because she knew Maria understood the language almost perfectly, but she refused to speak it. An ancestral shyness and a tremendous fear of ridicule about an incorrect pronunciation (much less incorrect than she thought) prevented her from using a language that she really knew much better than she pretended.

"It's okay Ms. Kostopoulos... I know how much you care for Stella, and how you have cared for her these months, and I'm very grateful for it." He took her hand and kissed it. Maria didn't know where to look, she was excited. My God, how could Stella have been mad with this man, if, in addition to being more handsome and taller than he appeared in the pictures, he was so charming and gallant!

"Please, call me Maria" She ventured to say in English, her entire face red.

"Only if you call me Mac, OK?"

"OK, Mac."

They shook hands to seal the deal. That served to awake the real Maria and put her in "Maria Mode ON."

"For starters, while you have breakfast, I'm going to iron that shirt. Nobody in my charge is going to wear shirts as creased as an accordion. And bring me your other shirts and pants, too. Ironing service is open!"

Stella translated it for Mac, because Maria had changed her speech to Greek, so while Stella arranged the table for breakfast, Mac changed into a T-shirt and gave his clothes to "Sergeant" Maria, knowing it was useless to refuse her orders.

"Phew, who would dare to disobey," he muttered to Stella.

"She's a very good person, Mac, you don't know how much she's helped me"

"I know, it's obvious that she adores you, but how could she not?" He took Stella's hand and kissed it. "And I'm relieved to know she's been here with you these last few months so you haven't been so alone."

In this way started the most original Thanksgiving Day Mac and Stella had had in their lives. After breakfast and getting dressed, Mac in a perfect shirt now, they put into practice the idea of the previous day to take some good pictures to send to their friends. So they could tell them their news and wish them a great Thanksgiving. Stella knew she owed her friends an explanation and that she had to apologize for her hasty departure and the subsequent lack of news, but she was sure nobody would stay angry when they saw and understood the situation. Of course, they only knew the discussion that she and Mac had, but perhaps they didn't know why or what had happened after her birthday's celebration. Over time she would explain it all to Lindsay. Regardless, she was sure that now the problems were solved between her and Mac, no one else would feel uncomfortable. She expected quite the opposite, that they would be happy for them, as she felt that day, happier than in her entire life.

The morning was a bit cool but very bright. Mac spotted a garden area where a clematis plant was in full bloom, which he liked as a background for the pictures. He arranged the tripod and camera, ready for everything to be perfect. They called Maria to appear in some pictures with them too, and although at first she flatly refused, saying she was not well groomed and dressed, they were finally able to convince her and everyone had fun posing and then seeing the result on the computer's screen. There were some really beautiful photos. Mac promised Maria copies of them all, seeing as she wasn't able to choose some and discard others, she wanted them all to remember. At that moment, after the joy she had had for Stella, she knew that the farewell was coming.

Just a month more and she would go, perhaps for her never to see her again. And taking with her the baby she wouldn't know... It was going to be tough, much more than with any of the families she had been with previously, because although she had appreciated everyone, with no one else had she had the loving relationship she had with Stella. Maria was comforted seeing her well and happier than she had known her so far... but seeing her leave would be very difficult.

At noon, Mac and Stella arrived at the city, Stella anxious to show Mac the wonders of the Acropolis. They planned having lunch in Plaka, the old part of the town, and Maria had left the turkey ready for the traditional dinner in the evening. She had been invited to stay with them, but Maria knew very well the rule of "don't disturb" and it seemed that those two had much time to recover together. Knowing there would be time during the next month to get to know Mac better and share more things, she had refused their invitation politely.

It was a good time for sightseeing, without the crowds of summer visitors. They were fortunate to find a clever young man who took some great photos of them beside the Parthenon and the Erechtheion temple with Mac's camera. Mac's favourite picture was one in which Stella was ahead and he was surrounding her with his arms under her belly from behind, Stella's hands above his. Many times, when he stroked Stella's belly, the baby gave a tap, as if she knew he was there... Or that's what Mac wanted to believe. Back home in the afternoon they had the difficult task of selecting photos, but eventually they chose two of them, one in which they stood next to the Parthenon, which would save the explanation of where the hell they were... and another one in the garden of the house in which, according to Mac, Stella couldn't be more spectacularly beautiful, with rays of sun shining on her hair like a golden halo and the colour of her eyes competing with the intense green of the leaves from the climbing plant full of flowers. Mac was with her, with an adoring look at her, in what seemed to him a fair reflection of reality, his hand resting on her belly, along with hers.

"It's terribly fluffy, don't you think?" Stella thought that their facial muscles were resent so much goofy smiling. Mac looked at her, raising his eyes, with that gesture so characteristic of him. Thoughtfully, he replied:

"Yes"

The two burst into laughter. Mac sent the photos to their friends, and wished he had the gift of ubiquity to be there with Stella, and inNew Yorkseeing their friends' faces when they received the photos. Being a public holiday each of them would receive the pictures at home, if they decided to open their email... Mac would have given anything to see the way every one reacted. Well, Adam would probably be less surprised, being the only one who knew where Stella was and what her condition was, but he also would be surprised to learn that Mac was there with her, when everyone thought he was spending the holiday with his mother in Chicago...

Lindsay didn't have much to do this holiday. They were going to have dinner with the whole Messer family, and her contribution was her special apple dessert, which was already prepared. Lucy and her father were sharing a nap, perfectly synchronized, and Lindsay thought it was good time to send the latest picture of the little girl to her grandparents inMontanaand wish theMonroesa good day. The previous year they had been there and then had spent Christmas with the Messers, this year they alternated and while they stayed in New York for Thanksgiving, they had planned to travel to Montana for Christmas.

When Lindsay opened her email, she saw the incoming message from Stella. She was surprised, and even more because the beginning of the message text wasn't Stella's style... Her eyes immediately went to the signature, Mac and Stella. She opened her mouth, without any sound out of it, and opened the attachment before reading the message. The two were next to... Was that the Parthenon? They were in Greece! The image was too large to fit on the screen, so all she saw were their faces and the temple behind them. Lindsay clicked to accommodate the size, and... This time the sound came loudly out of her mouth.

Lindsay's whoop awoke Danny completely, and he left the bedroom running, scared. He thought Lindsay had fallen, or that something had fallen on her... But she was there, sitting at the table in front of the computer... When she saw him, she pointed her finger to the screen. "What, baby? You scared me, "Lindsay still didn't utter a word, she continued pointing. Danny walked over, stood behind her and saw what had left his wife almost catatonic, after the initial shout. He couldn't help doing the same.

"Heyyyyyyyyyyy!"

The Messers looked at each other and burst out laughing. Lindsay stood up and hugged her husband with a force that nearly knocked them both over.

"April Fool's Day isn't today in Greece, is it?" Danny asked, still stunned. They were looking at the picture again. Never in all the years they had known Mac and Stella had they seen them with such a happy expression on their faces. The next photo merely confirmed it. Stella looked at the camera, showing her proud status of mother-to-be and Mac looked at her, no less proud and jubilant. It was... just perfect. After the first impression, they were prepared to read the text.

In this very special Thanksgiving Day I want, we want, to wish you a good day and share our happiness with you. We hope you'll be glad to know that in three months Stella and I will be parents of our first baby. Everything is perfect, Stella couldn't be better. We'll leaveAthensin mid-December and then we'll see you all..

Mac and Stella

Lindsay immediately took the phone to talk to Don. His way of answering told her that, like Danny moments ago, Don was at that time practicing his favourite sport after meals, napping.

"Flack"

"Don, it's Lindsay. Have you opened your mail?

Don was still a little sleepy, but he remembered what the day was.

"Today is a holiday, they don't deliver mail. Why do you ask?"

"I mean email."

"Ah ... No, I haven't. Why?"

"Will you look at it, please? But don't hang up!"

Don went to his laptop and turned it on.

"You'll have to wait until it starts and loads, it's very slow."

"I'll wait"

"What is this mystery for you to be so...?"

The mail had been opened and Don immediately saw the newest message, Stella Bonasera.

"Oh, good... News from Stella!"

Lindsay had enough.

"Open the photos first!"

Almost before she finished saying that, Don's yell made her move the phone away from her ear. Danny heard it too.

"Wooooowwww" And almost immediately: "Lindsay ... Is that ... that is ...?

"That's exactly what it seems... A six-month pregnant belly!"

"But... How... how is that possible?"

"Don, didn't they explain all that stuff about the little bees, the flowers, the tiny seeds to you in school... And why you have to use a condom?"

Don was now laughing heartily.

"Yes, but... Mac? When?"

"It seems that the arguments between them apparently had more depth than we knew... But, in short, all is done and, according to their message, they'll back soon. And Don, happy Thanksgiving."

"The same to you too, thanks. My day's improved a lot with this."

The rest of the team had a similar reaction, with the popular "Woooowww" from Sid, the "Yessssssssss" from Sheldon and the quiet smile and sigh from Adam, relieved for having the freedom to openly tell what he knew, the secrecy having been so hard to keep in the few days that had passed since the discovery of where and how Stella was and the resolution of the mystery.

While Adam was still looking at the photos, a light beep warned him about another incoming mail. It came from the same sender, Stella Bonasera, but Adam knew it was from Mac, and this was only for him. It just said:

"Thank you!"

To be continued...

Sorry, I left by mistake some of the Lily's comments in the text... I corrected it and now I think all is OK.