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Could Have Been Colder
Chapter Twelve
The room hummed with laughter, conversation and clanging of glasses. Olivia found herself talking with Mayor Bloomberg on one side and Jack McCoy on the other with the police chief fastly approaching. She had no idea what they were talking about. She would just politely glance at her watch, then the door and then scan the room. She repeated this every few seconds. A tall dark haired woman came behind her and whispered in her ear.
"Did anyone tell you its rude to ignore your guests?" The smile could be felt through the words. Olivia turned around and was relieved to see a friend finally.
"Why Ms. Carmichael. Whatever do you mean?" she said slyly in her best southern accent. With the mention of the name, Jack turned and saw his former ADA.
"Abbie, what a pleasant surprise." He gave her a light embrace and a short peck on the cheek. "Mayor this is Abbey Carmichael. " Abbie reached and shook the extended hand. "She was my best ADA during my prosecution days. She with the state department now."
"Yes, I have had the privilege of seeing her in action. She is doing a fine job with our Wall Street criminals." The Mayor said placing his empty glass on the passing tray.
"I thank you, Mayor, but I do not think that many of the good people in this room would say the same thing. Who else could get the Wall Street elite and the people that they aided in relieving of funds in the same room but, Alex."
"I agree. Or Christina." Jack added.
"Well good luck. You do have your work cut out for you." The Mayor excused himself to speak to an older couple waiting to speak with him.
"Speaking of Alex. Where is the party girl?" Abbie asked.
"I was beginning to wonder that myself. The natives are getting restless." Jack said. "Good to see you Abbie. Olivia." He nodded his head and he too went to speak to another waiting voter.
"You look worried." Abbie said looping her arm with Olivia's.
"She hasn't been feeling well. And she really should have been here by now." Olivia said looking once more at the door.
As if on cue, the door opened and the two centuries parted to reveal Alex. All in the crowd silenced in the awe of the beautiful woman. The green dress caught the light just right giving the effect of a true American beauty. The diamonds seemed to send twinkles of light to all that looked at her. As she made her way towards the room, it erupted in applause. She smiled and waved at everyone in the room. The princess had arrived at her ball.
"Isn't she beautiful." Abbie said to Olivia. Olivia said nothing as she slid her arm from Abbie and merely floated over to Alex's side. The couple looked at one another and produced the most loving smiles. Olivia took Alex by the hand and gave her a short kiss on the cheek.
"I Love you." She whispered in Alex's ear. Alex just squeezed Olivia's hand tighter. "Shall we?' Olivia motioned to her bride. One last smile and they were off into the crowd. The volume of conversation pick up. Well-wishers took turns talking to Alex, complementing how beautiful she looked, how much she has been missed. At one point, Olivia leaned over and spoke in Alex's ear.
"Is the princess's ego getting stroked enough?" To which Alex just turned to her smiled and nodded. After half an hour of listening to all the smiley speak, Alex squeezed Olivia's hand and closed her eyes. Has if she were protecting a witness, Olivia excused her and Alex from the young ADAs that had surrounded them and took her towards their table.
"Here sweetheart." Olivia said handing Alex some water. "Are you hungry I could have them bring you dinner now." Olivia said motioning for the table captain.
"No, I am fine really." Alex said with a sigh. "I am just tired I guess."
"Well we can go home if you like. Its not a problem for me." Olivia moved her chair closer to Alex and placed her hand on the other woman's lap.
"What and miss your big debut has the 'Vanna White' of the evening?" Alex replied with a smile. "Not a chance."
"Fine. But the moment you start feeling bad. We go home. No matter what." Olivia moved her head so that she captured Alex's eyes. "I promised to take care of you and that is what I have set my life to do."
"And we love you for that." Evan said has he and Christina approached the couple. "Let me see you." He extended his hand to his daughter indicating he wanted her to stand. Without letting go fully, he stepped back and gave Alex a huge smile while shaking his head in approval. "Just as beautiful as the day I first met you."
"I was wrinkly and covered in goop." Alex said making a funny face.
"Yes, but still the most beautiful person I have ever seen."
"Ahem!" Christina added.
"Of course next to your mother." His face turning a slight red.
A loud but pleasant carol of bells began to ring. At the head of the room, an array of men in tuxedos stood ringing the bells calling all to their seats.
"Saved by the bell." Olivia said to Evan. The four laughed.
"Wish me luck." Christina said taking time to kiss each one before heading to the stage.
"She is quite beautiful." Alex said in admiration of her mother.
"That's why I married you. I saw what you were going to look like in 20 years." Olivia told Alex who rewarded her with a kiss on the cheek.
Jack McCoy
"Good evening all and thank you for coming to the fourth annual ACCO Charity Ball. I know most of you hear me daily and are frankly tired of hearing me." A hushed laughter filled the room. "So I will be brief. When Christina and Evan Cabot began this organization it was to serve a greater purpose then a mere way for them to 'feel fulfilled'. It was to push the envelops on research, care and life for all of those stricken with Cancer. Since its inception, ACCO has raised over one hundred million dollars in funding for various research centers across the globe" Applause erupted in the room. "And although it may not seem that a cure is in sight, rest assured we are much closer to its prevention with the help of these wonderful people. And those that sit amongst us tonight. Our fight goes on and I hope all of you will help us continue." Heads shook in agreement and quiet conversations began at various tables. "So, now the highlight of the evening." Jack looked over at Christina who was waiting just off stage behind the black curtain. "Five years ago this wonderful woman came to my office to' talk'' Jack actually made the quotations with his fingers. "I knew at the moment she sat down at the chair across from my desk, she had no intention of leaving till I heard every last word." Laughter came from the audience once again. "I am glad I listened and honored to have been a part of this organization for the last five years. Ladies and Gentlemen, Ms Christina Cabot."
The room exploded with applause. Jack stepped towards the center of the stage and waited for Christina to reach him. He extended his hand, and said to her. "Go make money out of putty." With that he turned and offered his arm. A brief peck on the cheek once they reached the podium and then Christina stood there alone. She raised her hands and began moving them to make the crowd stop with their applause. This only made it grow louder.
"If you do that all night, the Mayor will have us sited for rioting." It didn't work more applause. "Please, please…" Finally it began to die down. "Thank you all. Tonight we are all gathered among friends. Tonight we all give a bit of time to hear pretty speeches, bid on items we really don't know what to do with and eat pretty good food." Small chuckles. "Tonight….wait" Christina took the speech that was placed before her and turned it over. She then took the microphone from its stand and walked to the front of the stage.
"This is going to be good." Abbie said. Alex, Olivia and Evan shook their heads in agreement.
"Tonight we are blessed each one of us, for we are here among friends and for some enemies. Some of us have been touched by cancer, some have lost loved ones and some are thankful that they have no connection with the disease at all. Tonight we are blessed to have the most wonderful woman with us." She glanced at Alex who smiled at her. "As a mother, you take every step with your child. You teach them the good the bad and the indifferent. You expose them to life. They see the beautiful sides filled with love, laughter and life. You watch them has they grow and dream of their future. You may not always be happy with their choices, but you accept them because they belong to your child. You help them when the choice is bad and you help them when the choices are too many." She began walking back and forth on the stage, making eye contact with various members of the audience. 'In 2004 there seemed to be no choice for my child. There were no real answers; no path that could be taken that was common. We had cancer. Yes we. For this is not something you go alone, life. You have it filled with everything imaginable and you go together. Tears did not heal what we were suffering from; anger did not make it go away. And there was no ignoring it. It was within us. There was a time when we weren't on the good side of cancer. We were sliding into Neverland." Alex reached for her father's and Olivia's hands. She squeezed them tightly. "What got us through was belief. Belief that by sure will is the best medicine. That and Love. The power of both is undefeatable. I ask that each of you dig deep into your own souls and find that spot, that inner most area that keeps you in check. The one you fear or revel in. What is the cost of that? What is the cost of cure? Endless, boundless. No Its priceless. I ask that you now pull out that check and right a few zeros behind that 10! Thank you all."
The room once again erupted in applause and cheers. Christina bowed to each side of the room and made her graceful exit down the stage stairs. Has she passed Jack she crossed her fingers for him to see and he returned the gesture. Evan met her just inside the curtain.
With a peck on the cheek, "I love you. You had them eating out of your hands."
"Let's hope they put a check in there instead." She smiled back.
They heard the auctioneer's voice begin to describe the first open bid item. "Better head to the table, there's a little something I would like."
Olivia stood at the first sign that the auctioneer was taking the stage. It was hard to miss. He was a rather large man with an even bigger cowboy hat on his head.
"Game on." She said bending to kiss Alex's before manning her spot in the audience.
"Just give them that Olivia stare. We'll make millions." Alex whispered in Olivia's ear. With a smile Olivia was off into the crowd.
See I can make a happy chapter.