CH31
It is now 5 days later:
The boys are in the pool trying to drown each other; Kate is certain that they're trying their best! Jim has Levi and James on his team, while Rick has Tom and Don on his. It's the only thing that made it a close match.
It could have been worse though. If Natalie wasn't pregnant and lounging on a chase lounge right next to Kate, the two of them could likely take all of them on.
"HEY, you're on my team." Rick complains while yelling at Tom.
"Sorry, I'm a Douglas and I had a moment of weakness." Tom grins since he actually did it on purpose.
Natalie and Kate soon heard noise inside the house that got their attention. "Sounds like Alexis and Amanda are finally here." Kate offers.
It took a few more minutes before Jenn, L and their kids to appear with Alexis and Amanda right behind them. They are all dressed to hit the pool, forcing whatever game the guys are playing to come to an end.
Soon everyone is watching Jenn and L trying to teach Alex and Allie how to swim while Guinness and Maggie run around the pool wanting in on the swimming action. Caesar and Zoe are following behind, barking at all of them.
"Come on Zoe, come on girl." Emily tries to coax her to jump in, mostly getting her to run around barking at her, till Zoe finally stops, winds herself up, jumps in, and starts paddling madly.
It soon looks like a heard of lemmings as Caesar followed, closely by Guinness and Maggie, jumps in one at a time.
Now there are four wet dogs paddling madly around the pool till they find the steps and climb out one by one followed by watching them shake themselves dry and run around the pool barking.
"This weekend vacation is a good idea, you really are brilliant girlfriend." Natalie knows that the next hard part of being pregnant is coming up in few weeks as they both get bigger.
"Plus there is the view." Kate adds smiling.
"Next time it is our house out in Victoria; it has a view too since it is at the end of a peninsula." Natalie points out.
"We'll bring our camping supplies so the boys can camp outside, they'll like that." Kate is actually worried that she won't ever see them again. "Any problems with construction?" Kate changes the topic.
"We are still right on schedule. There have been a couple of problems but having Lucile around to fix the design to counter the problems has made things go smoothly." Natalie admits.
"We better have the time Natalie, …we better have the time." Kate just knew they would come, listening to Rick explain it meant they would be coming eventually.
It's hours later. Tom and Don are on the grill cooking, while Jenn and L are inside working on other things, one of which was homemade ice cream.
Everyone else is sitting at the outdoor table drinking wine, watching the dogs sitting at the grill begging for little pieces from time to time. "We need to take the dogs for a walk right after dinner." Alexis says.
"We need to take some MREs and bottles of water to our guests soon too." Rick points out.
"What are we going to do with them anyway?" Kate asks knowing that just letting them die isn't a good plan.
"It's not like it was with Bracken's men; we don't have Sarah to leave them with anymore." Rick adds, since he wasn't sure either.
"That's how Sarah ended up with all those men that went down with Bracken when he was arrested." Jim suddenly lit up. "I knew Sarah was good, just not that good. I know she was pissed as hell that Bracken was whacked while still in her custody."
"Sarah was a lot happier when she and Mac finally got their act together. Sarah could be hard as nails one minute and a teddy bear the next. I only saw what she was like when Mac was around just a couple of times. It was the only time when she let the woman that was inside her ever come out." Jim adds.
"You miss her." Alexis remarks, not knowing the history between the two.
Jim suddenly becomes concerned; he didn't think of Sarah in the way he did his wife, but how does he say he misses her and not anger his wife?
"I miss her clarity of purpose and the time that I worked with her. She was like the sister that I never had. We both considered her a part of our family, and not just the Marine family.
I still don't understand why she transferred me to Seattle." Jim adds.
Natalie shot Kate a look of, "If you tell him I'll hurt you."
"You're a Marine Jim. Don't you go where you are needed most? Maybe she saw a career opportunity for you that she thought you would say no to, so you could stay loyal to her. Stunt your career by staying with her." Kate offers, knowing that it wasn't a career growth but something more.
Jim thinks about it. Natalie is already there and they don't really need him since she can take anyone on. He has gone up in rank since joining and meeting Natalie. They wouldn't be sharing command of the base now if he had stayed. Had Sarah thought that far ahead?
Natalie took his silence as a good sign and started breathing again. She loves him and doesn't want Jim to think that he has been set up. Natalie started rubbing her tummy.
"You alright?" Jim asks having seen her movements.
"I'm fine, he or she can smell BBQ and has decided that we're hungry." Natalie smiles and takes Jim's hand and places it on her tummy so he could feel.
Jim smiles since he can feel the baby moving. "Another Marine in the making." Jim offers.
"Does he or she have a choice?" Amanda asks, since she hasn't spent that much time around them.
"NO!" Jim, Natalie, Jenn and Emily respond at the same time; Rick and Kate start laughing.
"Did you two decide on where to look for a venue?" Natalie asks looking at Amanda, changing the subject.
"A little." Amanda makes a face. "We've narrowed it down to either Montreal or Barbados. Maybe a beach wedding."
"Out on a hot beach dressed in a white wedding dress?" Natalie is afraid they would bake wearing something that heavy.
"Or white bikinis." Amanda amends.
"The guests all dressed in swimsuits…I like it! Just make sure you get married AFTER I lose all this baby fat. I am not going to be caught dead dressed in a sexy bikini with baby fat hanging out all over." Natalie points at Amanda and Alexis.
"Have you two asked Lucile for help?" Kate asks, knowing Lucile is likely dying to be involved in Alexis' wedding since Amanda knows about her and Ray didn't. "Lucile, are you listening in?" Kate calls out.
"It is very easy to get married in Barbados since there is no required waiting period or minimum length of stay. Application for a marriage license must be made by both parties in person at the office of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Applications for marriage licenses must be made between the hours of 8.30 a.m and 3.30 p.m Monday to Friday. You will require:
Valid passports and birth certificates.
Return tickets.
If either party was divorced, an original Decree Absolute or a certified copy of the Final Judgment. The Decree Nisi is not accepted.
If either party was previously married and widowed, a certified copy of the Marriage Certificate and Death Certificate in respect of the deceased spouse.
For a Roman Catholic ceremony, the relevant documents must be sent by your bishop to the bishop of Bridgetown.
Where necessary, all documents not in English must be accompanied by a certified translation.
Arrangements should be made with a Magistrate or Marriage Officer to perform the wedding ceremony, prior to applying for the marriage license. A letter from either the Magistrate or Marriage Officer must be presented at the time of making the application.
Fees for the license are as follows:
If neither party is a citizen or a resident of Barbados: US$100 (BDS$200) cash and a US$12.50 (BDS$25) stamp
If either party is a citizen or a resident of Barbados: US$22.50 (BDS$45) cash and a US$5.00 (BDS$10) stamp
Fees for civil marriage ceremonies:
US$125 (BDS$250) - Magistrate fee for ceremonies held in the court
US$175 (BDS$350) - Magistrate fee for ceremonies held out of the court
"If you are wondering what to wear to a Caribbean wedding, whether as a Bride, Groom or guest, be assured that tropical wedding fashion runs the gamut from the comfort and simplicity of bare feet with sand between your toes, to the lavish elegance of Top Hats and Tails!
Caribbean wedding dresses range from 'barely there' white swimming costumes paired with a Sarong or Pareo, and fresh island flowers tucked into your hair, to vintage gowns with veils and tiaras that rival the movie Pirates of the Caribbean wedding dress! Even Pamela Anderson whipped off her ceremonial dress to reveal a white Melissa Odabash bikini underneath! So stay true to your vision of the wedding dress of your dreams, while finding a style that suits your body shape and our tropical climate! Romantic Caribbean weddings can carry your cutting edge mini, or Granny's dress customized to your own dream of a tropical bridal gown!" Lucile provides all of them with information.
"There are church locations, sea cliff locations and of course beach locations. If you are thinking everyone wearing swimwear, may I suggest that everyone wear a cover while you two can wear a white lace cover that flows in the breeze. Then you can strip the covers off and swim in the ocean immediately after saying "I do"." Lucile offers.
All of this had Alexis and Amanda looking at each other. "Beach?" Amanda offers, getting Alexis to nod her head.
"We can go shopping locally for swim suits and covers." Alexis offers.
"This wedding is going to be like no wedding I have ever attended." Natalie speaks up. "It's going to be gorgeous. I for one am so glad you two found each other." Natalie smiles.
"You were never this happy even when you married Ray sis. We're both happy for you. You deserve to have someone to love and love you back." L comments.
"Plus you can grow old together." Jenn comments about them both being part of the system.
"I just wish my parents could see this." Amanda has Kate and Rick now, and in a way Natalie and Jim, but she still misses her parents.
Amanda's statement causes Natalie to reach across and take her hands. "They're here honey, they're here. And I can guarantee that they are smiling and dancing about where you are now. Don't for a second think that they don't know." Natalie smiles at her.
"I'm not sure I have your faith." Amanda answers back.
"You don't have to honey, it's not a requirement that you believe. I have enough belief for both of us. They're both happy for you, trust me." Natalie squeezed her hands.
"We're ready if you are." Tom calls out from the grill. He notices that their wives already had their part on the table and that they have Alex and Allie in their arms.
"We should probably feed ours first and put them down. Fix me a plate babe?" Jenn offers and gets up to take Alex inside to feed him.
"Me too." L asks and follows her sister inside.
Dinner was over and Rick and Tom were feeding the dogs. "It sounds like you want a beach wedding; now you just need to find the right beach. Then you need to figure out a reception area." Natalie offers. "Lucile?"
"It would help to know when and where first. I understand on a beach, but during the day. Sunset or sunrise? Tiki torches in the sand? Chairs for the guests or does everyone stand? You could have a caterer set up and serve food on the beach. Dance in your bare feet on the beach? Invite people from either of your zoos or is it just family? You could rent a ship that has enough rooms for everyone and have the reception on the ship. Have the crew create the food while you all sail around for a few days." Lucile has several ideas.
"Do what you want honey. Your father and I will happily cover the cost." Kate offers.
"We need to talk." Alexis looks at Amanda who was nodding her head.
Natalie reached across to Amanda again. "Do what you two want, whatever that may be? Include us or don't include us. We just want you happy, that's all. Don't let us talk you two into something that you don't want. And don't let cost make the decision for you. Jim and I don't have their kind of money, but we're not poor either." Natalie didn't know how rich Rick and Kate were, just that based on where they lived and where they all were now, plus Montana, she knew they had money.
"We want you there, all of you. You're the only family I have and I want to share this time with all of you." Amanda tells Natalie and the others.
"We just need a date so we can arrange time off work since L and I work." Jenn reminds them.
The weekend is over too soon and everyone is back home. Jenn and L have work, Tom and Don have to go in to oversee construction, while Jim and Natalie have a naval base to run.
Rick is in the kitchen with his sons putting sandwiches together for lunch. "Where's your mother?" Rick asks them as he puts a sandwich with chips and milk in front of them. Only to get them both to shrug their shoulders.
"Lucile?" Rick calls out knowing Lucile keeps an eye on all of them. Everyone that she considers family.
"Kate is in your study." Lucile pops up and answers his question.
That has Rick's attention. "Put your plates and glasses in the sink when you're done boys. Since today is Monday you know what tomorrow is." Rick reminds them. That got the boys to moan. They loved having Guinness and Maggie, just not the picking up their poop from off the roof part.
"What are you doing?" Rick walks into the study finding Kate sitting at the desk with the laptop open. Rick steps up next to Kate and kisses her head.
It got Kate to smile, since even after all these years, she still loved how they show affection to each other. "Our conversation about how much money we have had me curious so I'm doing some book keeping with Lucile's help." Kate explains.
"One of the rooms at one of our hotels was trashed recently. Lucile is after them to pay for the damages. It needs to be repaired. Some of the kitchen equipment has gotten old and needs to be replaced. The other hotel needs to be painted, plus the water heater system is almost 16 years old and should be replaced. The husband and wife running our bed and breakfast have asked for money to go antique shopping for pieces for the B and B.
We should have the house in Montana cleaned, so we need to arrange to have a cleaning service get in and clean it.
I am thinking of having our other properties to be assessed so we know how much they are worth. I'm looking at the money the hotels, bed and breakfast and the restaurant that we own are bringing in. Plus the amount of money that the LIDAR system for the new space craft are utilizing. Also adding in the money from your book deal and my pay from being a professor at St. John's University." Kate explains.
"Reached any conclusions?" Rick left most of the financial business to Lucile since she was so much better at it than him.
"We stretched ourselves pretty thin when we bought that bed and breakfast. We are lucky that I didn't lose my job from that shooting." Kate points out.
"So are we broke?" Rick asks, not believing for a minute that they were. That got Kate to huff out a laugh. "Not even close, and you're on your final book for your current contract. Provided that the new one is at least the same as the old one, we're in great shape financially.
We're actually worth billions babe. I never dreamed we were worth this much and it doesn't even include this house that we have no intention of selling, … ever." Kate looked up at Rick shocked at the numbers she was looking at.
"And that is a problem?" Rick asks. He'll admit that he was used to doing what he wanted and buying what he wanted without regard to the cost.
Kate looks up at Rick. "No, not really. It's just that you need to remember where I came from when I met you. Even after I fell in love with you I never dreamed of having this life. I just don't think of myself as being this rich. I mean we're not rich babe, we're loaded." Kate was having trouble wrapping her mind around just how much they were worth. Except for owning the company that was making the LIDAR system, their money makers kept them pretty much out of the lime light. Only Rick's being a successful author still and her being a professor put them in the public eye.
"Homicide detective Katherine Beckett, who was looking into the death of someone that brought you to my front door. I couldn't keep my mind off of you the second I met you." Rick leans down and kisses Kate's head.
"I didn't want to fall in love with you. I didn't want to risk my heart, and yet you and Alexis wouldn't leave me alone." Kate still remembers her early years with these two.
"And now you're mommy to 5 children." Rick kissed her head again.
"Six actually if you count Amanda who does call me mom. Soon to be seven." Kate strokes her still enlarging middle. "I never thought I would have any children at all, let alone a family this big. Or any family at all actually. I was so convinced that after mom was killed I would be alone for the rest of my life." Kate is still coming to terms with how her life had changed.
"Your mother would be proud of you if she was here to see it all. You already know what your father thought before he left us." Rick knows what Kate's parents would think.
"And I still miss both of them." Having parents to talk to was something Kate missed out on for a lot of her life. "Take me to bed baby, I need some time with my husband." Kate smiles up at him. She is still so very much in love with him and her family.