The Look Of Love (part 15)
Gil and Sara's two weeks went by faster than they would have wanted it to.
Their first shift back everyone noticed a change in her.
Cath walked over to her, "Everything OK?" she asked.
Sara told her things were, she told her what she had done.
"I asked them to let me know when it will be done," Sara said, "I want to see it."
Almost as one the whole crew said they would be there too. That little lady had made an impression on all of them.
Sara was waiting for her assignment when she heard her name over the PA system.
She went to the reception desk and Judy told her there was a lady who wanted to see her.
An elderly lady was standing by the door, Sara walked over to her.
"Are you Sara Grissom?" the lady asked. "My name is Jane Miller, Sara Jane was my granddaughter."
Sara did not know what to say. "I read in the newspaper about what you and your people did for her, I wanted to thank you."
"We were left with the impression she had no family," Sara said.
"I am all she had," Mrs. Miller said, "I live in a nursing home and have no money. I could not afford to pay for her burial, that is why I did not come forward. I knew, with no family, the city would take care of it."
"You are welcome," Sara said. Sara also told her about the playground, she promised to pick her up so she could be there too.
Assignments were passed out. Gil put Nick and Sara on a dispute between two neighbors. Greg and Cathereine had a break in at the local school. He and Warrick were going to the landfill, a body had been discovered there.
"Good," Greg said, "someone else gets to play in the decomp."
Nick and Sara arrived at the house, sitting in the yard was a man, next to him sat another man, they were both bleeding. They had their arms around each other singing a song. As they got closer Nick put his hand to his face, both men had been drinking.
"You can get drunk just breathing the air," Sara said wrinkling her nose.
"Mr. White borrowed Mr. Ceder's lawn mower. They got into a discussion about the mower, the more they fought the more they drank,"Jim said.
"Why are they bleeding?" Sara asked. "Oh," Jim replied, "Mrs. White came out of the house, saw the shape they were in and clobbered them both."
Nick looked at Sara, they both laughed. "I don't think we are needed here," Sara said. Jim told them it was OK to go.
At the school someone had broken in through a window. They had sprayed paint on the walls and some of the desks. They had also urinated on the teachers desk.
"Thank goodness for foolish people," Catherine said as she used a swab to collect samples. Greg was gagging on the smell. Catherine laughed, "and you did not want to go to the dump."
At the landfill Gil was shaking his head and chuckling. "When are people going to learn the difference between a mannequin and a body."
Sift wrapped up and everyone went home. Nick and Sophia were packing, they were leaving for his parents, it only took 2 hours to get there.
Sophia was surprised at the number of cars there. "You did not tell me you were from a big family," she said starting to get a little nervous.
"Six sisters," he said, "I am the only boy. When my parents got married they said they wanted a girl and a boy."
"I see," Sophia said, "it took them a while to get the boy."
Nick parked the car and they walked into the back yard where everyone was assembled. Six girls came running to Nick and hugs and kisses were exchanged.
He took Sophia's hand and went to his parents and made the introductions. Mrs. Stokes welcomed her with a hug.
"We knew it would be hard to remember names so..." She handed them each a name tag, Nick's had his name on it and Sophia's said SOPHIA CURTIS, I AM WITH NICK. They had a cook out that night.
There were 25 children, all grandkids, and 3 great grandchildren running around. Each child had a name tag say who they were and who their parents were. Sophia said it was cute.
Mom (as Mrs. Stokes insisted on being called) told them she was sorry they did not have room for everyone but there were tents in the side yard they were welcome to use.
Sophia giggled, "Camping and cook outs, my two favorite things."
It was near midnight when everyone headed for their tent. Sophia and Nick were laying on their sleeping bags.
"You know, I never made love in a tent on a sleeping bag before," Sophia said. Nick gladly took care of that for her.
The next day the back yard was turned into a beautiful garden. Mr. and Mrs. Stokes renewed their wedding vows, after there was a fantastic dinner and wedding cake was served.
Everyone was talking when Mr. Stokes rang an old fashioned dinner bell to get everyone's attention. "My son has asked if everyone would quiet down, he has something to say."
Nick took Sophia's hand and went to the platform where his parents were sitting. He cleared his throat.
"It is a family tradition," he said as he faced Sophia, "that this is done in front of the family."
He had Sophia sit down next to his parents, he got down on one knee "Sophia Curtis, since you entered my life you have never been out of my thoughts or my heart. I told you 'I love you', those words cannot even begin to tell you how I feel. I would be honored if you would agree to become my wife."
Sophia looked at him with tears in her eyes, she was speechless. Nick's mom leaned in and whispered, "this is where you say yes."
Sophia looked at Nick, "Yes."
Applause rang out, congratulations were passed around.
One of his sisters said, "Make sure you tell us when, you know how we love a family get together."
Nick placed the ring on her finger and kissed her. Sophia smiled, "Can you imagine your family and the gang getting together?"
This made Nick laugh. The party continued well into the night, everyone went back to their tents happy and tired.
The next morning everyone helped 'break camp' and soon the Stokes' yard was back to normal. Nick and Sophia left. "What would you have done if I had said NO?" she asked. "Throw you to my sisters," he joked.
Archie and Tya had passed out invitations to their wedding, it would be in three months.
Greg and Candy had planned a trip to her home town, she wanted him to meet her parents.
Catherine is into her second month and her monring sickness has finally stopped, she is not sure who is more relieved, her or Warrick.