Greatly Exaggerated
Chapter 9: Monday
Veronica's alarm went off at 5:30 AM.
"Logan." She said, shaking his shoulder.
"Mmm" He said, pulling Veronica's body tightly against himself.
"Uh-uh. None of that!" Veronica laughed. "You need to relocate to your own bed before the twins wake up."
Logan opened his eyes. "Can we have sex first?" He asked, giving Veronica puppy dog eyes.
"Oh no. None of that!" She laughed. "But after they go to school…" She looked at Logan suggestively.
Logan got up and dressed in his sweatpants and T-shirt. He leaned over the bed and gave Veronica a lingering kiss.
"Waking up next to you…" Logan said. "It feels like a dream."
"A really great dream," Veronica smiled up at him. "I've slept better the past two days, than I've slept in years."
"Yeah, Morgan brought you some sleeping pills that first day. Is everything OK?"
"It is now. I haven't needed to take one since you've been home." Veronica said.
She squeezed his hand.
"What time do the kids get up?" Logan asked.
"6:30."
"OK, I'll see you then." He gave her another lingering kiss.
"I love you Logan." Veronica said, as he unlocked her bedroom door and peeked out into the hallway.
"Coast is clear," He said. "Love you too! That was one." He held up one finger, gave her a smile, and slipped out of the room.
Upstairs, before heading to his room, Logan silently opened Lo's door, and peeked in. His heart clenched. Asleep, the little boy looked around 3 years old. No scowl on his face. No sneer. Just childlike innocence. He wished that he could hug him.
He thought about his own father and how much he'd wanted Aaron's love and approval as a little boy. He would be damned if Logan ever had to feel that way. But how could he cross that divide? Logan was enough like himself, that he thought that any attempts to push the issue would only make him more resistant. The only way to win over Logan would be to give him the space he needed while making it clear that he wanted to have a relationship. He silently closed the door and checked on Morgan.
Unlike Logan, Morgan didn't look innocent in her sleep. She looked mischievous, as if she were plotting some great prank. It was possibly one of the cutest things he'd ever seen. What had he ever done right for her to be so willing to accept him with open arms? He silently closed her door as well.
It seemed counterproductive to go back to sleep for only one hour, so Logan started with a shower. After he was dressed and presentable, he headed down to the kitchen, to make breakfast for his family. He smiled to himself.
My family. What's up with that?
He struggled a bit with figuring out the coffeemaker.
By 6:15, Logan had found all of the ingredients and equipment necessary to make pancakes, and got to work. Fifteen minutes later, Veronica was out of bed and waking up the twins.
"What are you making?" She asked, shuffling into the kitchen.
"Pancakes." He said, giving her a quick kiss.
"How?" Veronica asked. "I don't have any pancake mix."
"You don't need a mix, silly." Logan said. "Just a kitchen scale and a ratio."
"A ratio of what?"
"Flour, liquid, eggs and butter a bit of baking powder. It's like science. Look, I have an app on my phone. It even has a calculator that tells me how much of each to use."
"You've got to be kidding me. You're a food science geek now?"
"Hey. Don't judge what you can't understand." He smiled and gave her another kiss, before he began pouring batter onto the long skillet that covered two burners.
"Ugh. This coffee is gross." Veronica laughed.
"It's not my fault your coffee maker is 10 years old. I'm buying you a Keurig while I'm out later."
"What makes you think I want a Keurig?" Veronica asked.
"OK, fine. I'm buying me a Keurig later. Is that better?"
"No, it should definitely be for me." Veronica said smirking.
Logan flipped the pancakes.
"You mentioned going out later?" Veronica asked.
"Yeah." Logan sighed. "The weekend is over. It's about time for me to 'come back to life'. I figured I would go see Cliff first thing this morning. Who's the sheriff these days?"
"Oh. Um...Leo's the sheriff." Veronica said.
"Well that sucks." Logan said, scowling.
"Why?"
"Didn't you dump him for me the first time we dated?"
"Yeah, but he wouldn't hold a grudge like that. He's a nice guy."
"How come you and Leo never ended up together?" Logan asked curiously. "After I was dead?"
"He wasn't you." Veronica said, reflectively. "He ended up marrying a really nice girl. They're expecting their first baby pretty soon."
Logan flipped the finished pancakes onto a plate and poured a new round of batter onto the skillet. "Can you butter those while they're still hot?" He asked Veronica, and she complied.
"How are your pancakes so perfect? Mine are always too thick or too thin or too burnt."
"The secret ingredient is love." Logan said theatrically.
Veronica groaned and rolled her eyes.
"So the twins go to morning kindergarten?" Logan asked.
"No, they have all day kindergarten. Things have changed since we were in school."
"Wow. It seems too long for such a young age." He said. "They go to public school?"
"Yes, and if you start any of that classist shit…"
"Relax, it was just a question." Logan said, holding up his hands. "Are they in the same class?"
"Yes. Since they're not identical, the school doesn't have a problem with it."
"You think I should drive them in today, and introduce myself?" Logan asked.
"Why?" Veronica asked.
"I don't know. What's the usual process for a parent coming back from the dead?"
Veronica laughed, stepping up to Logan, wrapping her arms around him from behind, and putting her cheek against his back.
"You are so warm and solid." She sighed. Logan squeezed one of her hands.
"What are you doing?" Morgan asked, entering the room.
"Your dad was choking. I had to give him the Heimlich maneuver." Veronica covered, jumping away from Logan. "And didn't I talk to you about making footsteps? You can't just walk around silently like that. It scares people."
"I didn't hear him coughing." Morgan said.
"I didn't hear you walking." Veronica responded.
"Good morning Morgan. Are you hungry?" Logan asked.
"What are you making?" She asked interestedly. She usually only got to have cereal in the morning.
"Pancakes." Logan said.
Morgan cheered and then ran off to tell Lo.
A minute later, both twins were sitting at the kitchen table.
"Inspection!" Veronica said.
"Teeth?" Both twins flashed smiles.
"Faces?" She leaned in close to each face. "Clean."
"Fingernails" They held out their hands.
"Clean. Good. Collars?"
"Good Logan" She said, pointing at the folded down collar on his short-sleeved over-shirt.
"Shoes?" She looked under the table.
"Tied. Good. OK, you can eat now."
Logan set a plate of pancakes and a fork down in front of each twin and one for Veronica. He grabbed the syrup from the fridge, and set it down in front of Veronica.
"I can't believe they passed inspection on the first try this morning." Veronica said. "They must have really wanted pancakes. Lo even tied his shoes."
"I LOVE pancakes!" Lo said, happily.
Logan turned back to the stove, hiding his smug grin, and finishing the last batch for himself.
Both kids dug into the pancakes with the occasional "mmm's or yum's."
"There's more on the stove if you want them." Logan said. Lo took him up on the offer, afterwards groaning, pulling up his shirt, and pushing out his tummy in an exaggerated "full" belly.
OK, backpacks and to the door." Veronica said, cleaning up the breakfast plates and taking them to the sink.
Minute later, there was a beep and the kids were out the door and on the school bus.
"You sure I shouldn't have driven them?" Logan asked worriedly.
"You have other plans right now." Veronica said taking his hand and leading him back to her bedroom.
An hour later, Logan sat on a comfortable leather chair in Veronica's office while she sat at her desk.
"So you're going to be working from here?" He asked.
"Yes, I'm just not ready to deal with my father right now, so I'm not going into the office." She answered. "All of my cases are in the research stage right now, so I can do it right from home."
"Did you at least tell your dad not to expect you?" He asked.
"I sent an email." Veronica said.
"Ah...the personal touch." Logan said, picking up her Taser, which was hanging on its wall charger and pressing the button to watch it zap.
"Logan, put the Taser down." Veronica smirked. "Even my kids know that isn't a toy."
"Sorry." He said pouting. "I just haven't gotten to Tase anybody since…I guess since that guy who was beating up Dick at Hearst. I kind of miss it."
Veronica patted his hand. "Next time it's necessary, I'll let you do the honors."
"You spoil me, sweetheart." He said, giving her a chaste kiss.
"So how about you, Logan? Any thoughts on a job? Or working?" Veronica asked.
"As long as I have my laptop and a WiFi connection, I can work." Logan said. "I can work here, or I can work at Starbucks."
"What about on Thursday?" Veronica asked.
"Same as any other day." Logan smirked.
"It's a teacher work-day." Veronica said. "School's closed. Would you possibly be able to stay with the twins?"
"I'd love to." Logan said. "Maybe we can make a whole fun day out of it. Boardwalk, rides, cotton candy."
"Oh yay." Veronica said. "You get to be the fun parent."
"Oh. Well then, I guess I could keep them here and make them do math drills all day." Logan said.
"No...Actually fun kind of works for you. I imagine you would have been the fun parent anyway, if you'd been around. The boardwalk sounds like a great idea."
"Great, then it's a date." Logan smiled. "With the kids, at least. But what will I have to do to get a date with you?"
"You've already gotten into my pants. Why bother with a date now?" Veronica said.
Logan looked wounded. "You've known me since I was twelve, but you still don't know me at all." He sighed.
Veronica rose from her desk chair, walked to Logan, and dropped onto his lap, kissing his cheek.
"I was kidding, you big softie. I know all about your romantic streak, and it's one of the things I love most about you, but I also love to tease you." She said.
Logan looked mollified, leaned over and nipped at her lower lip.
"So hey, about your father, I might need his help during this next step."
"I'm fine with that. Just don't expect me to talk to him." Veronica said, her voice hard.
"OK." Logan said.
"Why do you not seem angrier with him?" Veronica asked.
Logan thought about it for a minute. "Well...it sucks that I almost scared you half to death when I showed up. And my fantasy never got to come true where you tracked me down in Australia, and knocked on my door wearing nothing but a trench coat. That kind of sucked."
Veronica pantomimed flashing Logan, and he smiled and pulled her closer against him, giving her a chaste kiss on the lips.
"But...the thing is...I've known Morgan and Logan for three days." Logan said. "And the thought of them being anywhere near some guy who was always getting shot at? Completely unacceptable. My protective drive is this strong in three days? I can only imagine your father's protective drive after he had raised you for nineteen years. I moved around for the first year. You would have had a hard time locating me. Then, there was the chance that you would lead the Sorokins straight to me, getting both of us killed, plus our unborn babies. I hate the time that I lost with you, Morgan, and Lo. But I owe your father a debt of gratitude, because the three people I love most in the world are happy, and healthy and safe." He kissed her forehead.
"So you're saying I should forgive my father?" Veronica asked, voice indicating this was a dangerous subject.
"I can't tell you who to forgive." Logan said. "I forgive him, and I'm grateful to him. What you do with that is up to you."
"I'm just not sure I can forgive, Logan. I had a breakdown over losing you. He could have helped."
"OK. This is the last thing I'm going to say on the matter:" Logan began. "My father was a sociopathic murder. Your father loved you too much. I would have given anything to have had the second daddy-issue instead of the first." He kissed the tip of her nose.
"God! Why do you have to put it that way?" Veronica whined.
"Because I know you can't be happy without your father in your life, and more than anything, I want you happy."
"You're hot when you're all romantic like that." Veronica said. "Let's go back to my room."
Logan laughed. "Can't. It's almost 9:00 AM. I have to go. Rain check?"
Logan returned later that afternoon to find Veronica in the kitchen, pouring a glass of water.
"Kids?" He asked.
"Not home yet…" She started to say, but was cut off as Logan swooped down and captured her mouth. Hard. Her arms went up around his neck and he pressed her back against the cabinets for a moment before picking her up and setting her on the kitchen counter.
Logan's mouth left hers to trail down her neck, while his fingers went to work unbuttoning her shirt.
"Somebody's feeling frisky." Veronica said as Logan's mouth trailed down to her cleavage. She twisted her hands into his hair, pulling him closer, while Logan pushed one of her bra straps off her shoulder.
"Wait." Veronica said, her head clearing. "Schoolbus. Soon."
"Damn." Logan moaned into her neck. He leaned back and began buttoning Veronica's shirt back up.
"What has you feeling so good?" Veronica asked.
"Your hands? Your mouth?"
Veronica gave him a look.
"OK. You are looking at a free man. They declined to press any charges against me, since there were three documented instances of attempted murder. All I have to do is pay my back taxes."
"How are you going to do that?" Veronica asked.
"Write a check to the IRS, silly." Logan smiled up at her. He kissed her more slowly this time.
"Cliff is working to reverse my death with the Social Security Administration. Would you believe I have to retake my driver's license exam since it's been expired so long?"
"I feel sorry for the license examiners." Veronica said. "The way you drive."
"I don't remember you ever refusing to get into my car."
"That's because I always had my eye on the backseat." She smirked.
"So once I'm officially back to life, I can do business under my own name, buy a new truck, real estate."
"You in a hurry to get out of here?" Veronica asked, her eyes hurt.
"I've learned a lot about investing in real estate" Logan kissed her on the mouth. "But unless you tell me to leave, I'm staying with you."
"Well, I know we had discussed you staying here until you decided on something permanent."
"I have decided on something permanent. You and me and the twins." Logan said. "Permanently."
Veronica's smile started small and hesitant, but quickly grew to engulf her face. She looked away shyly.
"Does that work for you?" Logan asked dipping his head to look into her eyes.
Veronica nodded, heart pounding.
Just then, the sound of a schoolbus pulled up, and Logan helped Veronica off the counter, fixing her collar and smoothing down her hair.
"I love you." He said, giving her a soft kiss before heading to the front door to greet his kids.