(See the first chapter for disclaimer, notes, spoilers, etc.)

Chapter 14: "Intermezzo"

December 2000

"Oh, Mom," Caitlin sighs, clasping her hands to her chest. "It's exquisite!"

I smile, holding the silk cocktail dress against me. "It is, isn't it?" The hanger hooks snugly over the door of the wardrobe and I watch it for a long moment. It's not traditional, by any stretch of the imagination, but Colin loves the way I look in navy. "Can I see the diamonds?" my daughter asks from behind me and I nod, gesturing to the wood box on the bureau.

She jumps up from the bed and I hear her gasp as she lifts the walnut lid. "Oh..."

I chuckle, watching as she holds the diamond necklace up to her neck. "Aren't you a little old to be playing dress up?" I ask softly even as I reach up and fasten the necklace around her throat. Her hands fly up, gently skimming over the delicate setting. Our eyes meet in the mirror and she grins. When she was a child, she could spend hours lost in my closet and my jewelry box. Now, she stands in my room at Lavenham Hall, a grown woman still enchanted with pretend and playthings.

She giggles and leans against me as I wrap my arms around her. "This is stunning," she says softly as she nestles in my embrace. As I smile back at her, she continues, "You are going to look perfect tomorrow."

I kiss the side of her head and squeeze her shoulders before I move away. "I don't know about perfect," I muse. "Decent, perhaps."

She laughs aloud as she unclasps the necklace and gently lays it back on its velvet bed. "Decent? Mom, you've got to be joking."

I only glance up, smiling in reply. "Playing the part then," I suggest a moment later. The diamonds have been in Colin's family for four generations. His mother was quick to point that out when she entrusted them to me.

"Well, some part," she scoffs, tying her hair back into a loose ponytail. A moment later, the baby monitor on the bed lights up and the sound of Trey's whimpering fills the silence. "Oh no," she says, frowning as she reaches for the device. "I really thought he was finally over the jet lag. He hasn't slept through the night since we got here."

I nod, closing the wardrobe door. My grandson may not be ready for sleep, but I am. "Go to him, Caity. I'm going to say good night to Colin before I turn in." I follow her out of the bedroom and she turns to me quickly in the hall. She hugs me tight to her and I close my eyes, never tired of the way she feels in my arms. "Sleep well," I say softly as I pull back, kissing her cheek.

She grins. "You too, Mom. I love you."

"I love you too." I stand, watching her disappear down the long hallway to the nursery. It's such a joyous comfort to know that my children and grandson are just steps away instead of thousands of miles. Their time with me is sacred, occurring not as frequently as any of us would wish. No matter how hard I try, my clocks never slow when they are visiting. Time doesn't stop.

The eyes of Colin's ancestors follow me down the wide staircase and I shiver, still not truly at ease in their presence. Shadows cling as I come off the last step and the herringbone floor pops comfortingly beneath my feet. The country house never feels as large as it does when I walk through it at night on my own. The others have all gone into the village and, with Bette in the mix, who knows when they will return.

As I pass through the gallery, the golden light from the salon beckons me. I stand in the doorway, watching quietly. Colin's sitting at the grand piano, his fingers lazy on the keys. Occasionally, he reaches out for the sniffer of brandy standing in for the sheet music. "What's that?" I ask, the slow melody sounding familiar.

He looks up and smiles. Without skipping a beat, he slides over on the bench and I take the invitation. "A little something by Cole Porter," he says softly, watching me. "Because, after all, life is delightful, delicious-"

I inch closer to him, the lingering traces of his cologne surrounding me as I suggest, "De-lovely?" As I cup his face, his hands still and the piano falls silent as our lips meet. His arm wraps around my waist, drawing me closer as I sigh against his mouth. "I just came to say good night," I whisper and a low groan rises in his throat.

"Do you realize," he asks as he nibbles his way across my jaw bone, "that this is the first time we've been truly alone in days?"

"Darling, what did you expect with five children, three of their spouses, two grandchildren, and your mother?"

"Well, you brought Bette," he points out, as if that is somehow worse than his mother's presence. I chuckle, gripping his shoulders. The silence envelopes us our mouths meet again, deeper this time. His hand cups my hip as he draws me in, my arms going around him as his mouth drops to my neck.

A voice in my head whispers that I need to stop this now, before it's impossible to leave. But, I linger for several moments, my eyes closed as his lips mark a trail across my flesh. Tomorrow...tomorrow... Reluctantly, I pull back, his lips hot against my throat as I sigh his name and open my eyes. He looks up, his brown eyes glowing with lust as I explain, "I need to be up so early. The hair dresser is coming and-"

"I knew we shouldn't have chosen a late morning service," he grumbles, his hand heavy on my thigh.

I pat his cheek, my hand sweeping up to run through his hair. "Your mother said an evening wedding was inconceivable, remember?"

"Bah." He stands with me, wrapping his arms around me. "No matter. By this time tomorrow, you'll be Lady Lavenham." He catches my hand and brings it to his lips, watching me with a sparkle in his eyes. "The Right Honorable Olivia Baroness Lavenham."

I lean up, kissing him chastely on the mouth. "Yet, you may still call me 'Olivia'."

"How gracious of you." He chuckles, our foreheads touching as we stand together, knotted in an embrace. "I love you very much," he whispers after a long moment.

I smile up at him, a warm current going through me. He does, doesn't he? When I thought I was broken, when I thought I could never love again, he saved me. Slowly and patiently, he put the shattered pieces of my heart together again. He brought me back to life.

"I love you too," I murmur, nestling against his chest.

December 2001

"Well, isn't this a disappointing cliché!"

I lower the brief and toss it aside, smiling widely. The petite blonde stands in the doorway, her eyes bright as she grins back at me. "Alex," I sigh, standing and coming around the desk. She meets me in the middle of my office and her arms are around me a moment later. For such a small person, her arms always had the power to embrace me tightly. "What are you doing here?"

She groans, shaking her head like I've disappointed her. "Is that any way to greet someone you've known for over thirty years?"

"Well, I wouldn't want Ben to think I'm showing you any favoritism."

Her mouth tightens as I lead her over to one of the leather armchairs. I lean against my desk, watching her intently. She's got color in her complexion and her smile suggests the same zest I've always known her to possess. "Favoritism? I'm the minority shareholder!"

I chuckle as she sits back, exhaling deeply. "Not by much," I point out and her eyes narrow.

"Compared to Ben, maybe. But you? Ha!"

I shake my head. "I earned majority rights after a long and bitter divorce," I remind her and her face falls slightly.

"You know," she begins carefully, crossing her legs as she leans up, "I never liked Annie."

A half-smile comes to my lips as I look down at her. "I know. But enough about her." Alex beams as I ask, "How long are you visiting for?"

Something mysterious dances in her blue eyes and she begins quietly, "Well, I'm not visiting. I've decided to move back to Sunset Beach."

"Are you-"

She holds up her hand, smiling contentedly. "I'm fine." A wave of reassurance sweeps over me as she continues, "Still in remission and I feel better than I've felt in years."

"That's wonderful news," I tell her honestly as I reach out, taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "So, home for good then?"

She nods as her expression wilts slightly. "I want to be near Casey," she explains quietly. Our eyes meet as she continues softly, "The world is a dangerous place, Gregory, and nothing is certain anymore. September taught us all that."

I nod as an ominous feeling sinks deep in my stomach. "I think we're all more aware," I say softly as she squeezes my hand. "I'll be in New York City in the spring. Sean graduates from Columbia then."

She smiles broadly, the pressure of her hand increasing. "Early congratulations then!" She stands quickly, her arms around me again a moment later. I chuckle, the scent of her floral and cedarwood perfume dancing around me. "So things are good between you and him?"

"Well." As she looks up at me, I say diplomatically, "The distance between us has made the times when we're together a little easier."

"Gregory," she groans, pulling back and playfully smacking my arm, "what is it with fathers and sons? I've had to tell this to Casey so many times I've lost count. You've got to snap out of this rut and just...just appreciate each other."

I nod, patting her shoulder as I reach for a crystal glass. "How about a drink?"

"Of course," she says grandly, following me to the bar, "because I know you've got the good stuff."

A low chuckle rises in my throat as I pour the scotch. "Here," I say, passing her one. "What should we drink to?"

"To fathers and sons," she says merrily, clinking her glass gently against mine. I nod, rolling my eyes as I bring the glass to my lips. "And, to appreciation." She sighs happily and looks down at the glass. "Like I said, the good stuff."

"You know," I say, thinking aloud, "if I didn't know any better, I'd think you just came by for the scotch."

She giggles, flashing me a teasing smile. "Well, that and to catch up. So, it sounds like Sean's doing well in college. How's Caitlin and that little grandson of yours?"

"They're wonderful," I say, reaching for one of the picture frames on my desk. "This is from Halloween."

Alex laughs, looking at the photo. "What an adorable lion Trey makes," she exclaims and I watch as her eyes move over the print. "Caitlin looks terrific. She and Cole are happy?"

"They are," I admit grudgingly. It still kills me to admit that Cole has proven me wrong. He's shed his earlier reputation as a jewel thief and replaced it with the image of a successful business executive. He's done right by my daughter, who is the happiest she's ever been. Trey is a delightful presence in my life that I can't imagine not having. "So," I begin, changing the subject, "I'm sure that Casey is happy to have you home for Christmas."

"Well, he is."

I sense something in her tone. "But?"

Her cheeks blush. "But, I surprised him. He and Sara already made plans to drive to Kansas to spend the holiday with her family."

"I can't imagine your son wouldn't want you to make the trip if it meant being with you on Christmas morning," I point out.

"Oh, I've been invited. But, I don't think I want to spend three days in a car just to get there."

I scoff. "This from the woman who once camped at an African water hole for weeks?"

Her eyes twinkle as she looks up at me, feigning insult. "Are you making fun of me?"

"Maybe. Just a little."

"Besides," she continues, "I've never been landlocked before. Can you imagine me in Kansas cornfields?"

"I think," I say after several moments of silence, "that I can imagine you conquering just about anything."

She smiles bashfully, watching me over the rim of her glass. "It's a shame you don't let more people see just how sweet you can be," she says, her voice low and raspy. I smile and shake my head disbelievingly as she continues, "So, I'm looking forward to a quiet Christmas with a glass of wine and twenty-four hours of A Christmas Story."

"Or, you could join me for dinner on Christmas Eve."

"Oh, no. I couldn't intrude on your time with your children."

"Actually," I say quietly, "you'd be doing me a favor. Cole and Caitlin are spending Christmas Eve with Elaine in San Diego. Sean will be with his girlfriend, Tessa, and her family in Pasadena. I'll be seeing all of them for Christmas Day."

She looks back at me for a long moment before she takes my hand and squeezes it. "Thank you, my friend," she says quietly. "It's a date then." As she leans against me, I wrap my arm around her shoulders. Her petite stature lets her fit snugly in the nook of my shoulder and as I rub her arm, I hear her say, "I was looking forward to A Christmas Story though."

And, I chuckle as she peaks up at me, her eyes dancing.