A/N#1: Helllllooooo! I'm back!
So, remember in vs The Wedding Planner we saw Sarah's grandmother( or whom we assume to be), I decided to bring her back into this story and also delve a bit into Sarah's childhood. I think it's a novel concept, as I haven't read any stories which bring Sarah's grandparents into her current life or rather the life that the show seemed to be hinting at.
Huge thank you to charahkids for beta'ing this for me. I think before his help, this story was a diamond in the rough but because ck is so unbelievably awesome, he helped me to make it better.
I edited a bit after he sent me his changes, so all errors are mine.
Italics represent character thoughts.
Chapter 4~ Nana (10,821) words
Sunday July 22nd 2018
"I'm sure Mom, I miss her so much, and I want her to see how happy I am. You know she always worried about me and how I would turn out."
Emma nodded. She understood Sarah's desire to see her grandmother, but she also knew that Nancy had a limited time left. Sarah had been devastated when her mother had died at four years old, and Emma didn't necessarily want her daughter to reconnect with Jack's mother, only for her to pass away soon after. That would break her daughter's heart. "Honey, I understand that, but I just want to caution you. Your grandmother has gotten old and she may not be with us for much longer."
Sarah sighed. "I know Mom. But I think it would be nice for her to meet the rest of my family. And besides, she deserves to have some family member"
"Ok. I'll call the retirement home and let them know we will be visiting tomorrow."
/\
Sarah sat on the couch, waiting for Chuck and CJ to return from their trip to the grocery store. She shifted her attention from the Sci-fi movie that was showing on the television and glanced at the clock. It was 8:30, so she hoped they would be back soon. She'd had a craving for Rocky Road ice cream earlier and Chuck had volunteered to get it for her. Upon hearing of his father's errand, CJ had also indicated his desire to tag along.
Her hands drifted to her belly, which was still flat. A smile formed on her face as she thought about her unborn child. While it was too early to find out the sex, Sarah was hoping for a girl. In about seven months her second child would be here, and she would make sure their childhood was far better than hers. Sarah began to think of her grandmother and slightly frowned. She didn't know how she would react to seeing her after all these didn't think she would be too happy in that home, especially if her father had placed her in the home against her will; but if he had one that, she would be sure to let him have it the next time he popped into Burbank. She was still unaware of why and how her Nana had ended up in the home, and her mother either didn't know or didn't want to divulge the information.
Sarah sighed. There was no sense in worrying; she'd just have to find out for herself. She heard the front door open and turned to see Chuck and CJ coming through.
"Hey baby." Chuck greeted her.
"Hi Mommy." CJ said, carrying a bag of his own.
"Hey guys. You're finally back. What took you so long?" She asked and stood up to assist Chuck with the bags.
Chuck shook his head. "I got it babe."
Sarah huffed, and followed them into the kitchen. She hated when Chuck treated her like an invalid. Sure she was pregnant and shouldn't lift heavy loads, but it was only grocery shopping.
"Oh, I ran into one of the parents from the PTA and was cornered into talking with her for a bit, and then CJ and I picked up a couple of things we were running low in so you wouldn't have to later in the week."
"That was very thoughtful of you.
Chuck placed the groceries on the counter and began putting them away and Sarah moved to help. It was then Sarah noticed CJ didn't put his bag with the others. "CJ, what's in your bag?" she asked, her eyebrow raised.
"Daddy bought me a new cereal."
"Come on, let me see." Sarah said and looked in the bag. Thankfully, this cereal didn't have in too much sugar. Sarah insisted that her children would eat healthy; she shuddered when she remembered the last time Morgan had babysat. She and Chuck had come home from their date to find CJ and Morgan running on a sugar high and it had been extremely difficult to get him to fall asleep.
"Mommy, can I -"
"May I." Chuck corrected.
"May I have some ice cream please?"
"Sure sweetie, but after that, it's time to brush your teeth and then go to bed." Sarah told him, before addressing her husband. "Chuck, would you like some too?"
Chuck, who had finished putting up the groceries, shook his head no. "No thanks babe. I've gotta go check on this program. But I'll fill the tub for his bath, and be back in about thirty minutes." he said and exited the room, leaving Sarah and CJ to enjoy their ice cream.
/\
When Chuck entered the master bedroom an hour later, he found Sarah on her side. Thinking she was asleep, he tiptoed into the room and nestled under the covers. He was a bit startled when he felt a hand on his back, so he turned to face her.
"I thought you were asleep."
"How's everything with CJ?"
"I got him into his pyjamas, brushed his teeth and then I told him a story. He fell asleep in the middle though. So, I was thinking that tomorrow, we could go to work for half-day and then you and I spend the time together before we pick up CJ from school? Hello? Earth to Sarah?" Chuck said. "Hey. What's wrong?"
"Hmm?"
"You're really quiet. Come on; tell me what's bothering you or what has you so preoccupied. And don't tell me it's nothing. I'm your husband; I have the ring to prove it. You tell me things you wouldn't tell other people."
Sarah sighed and wiggled a bit to find a more comfortable spot on the mattress. "It's my grandma."
"Huh?" Chuck questioned. He'd never heard her mention the woman. The moonlight was shining through the blue curtains, illuminating the room slightly, so even in the darkness, Sarah could see his eyebrows raise.
"I talked to my Mom today and she told me that my grandmother, I call her Nana, is in a retirement home. I'm gonna go see her tomorrow."
"Oh honey, that's great. I bet you're excited. Do you want me to come with you?"
"No, my Mom is coming. I'm just a bit unsure of what I'm gonna say to her."
"Hey, don't worry about it. I remember I had this elaborate speech planned for when I saw both my parents again, a whole lot of things I wanted to get off my chest. But you know how that went." Chuck shrugged. "I'm sure when you see her; you'll know what to say." Chuck tried to pacify her.
Sarah huffed, still not convinced, but she was appreciative of Chuck's efforts nonetheless. "Thanks for trying to make me feel better."
"No problem." Chuck said then beckoned her into his arms. Sarah accepted and soon they were in their favourite sleeping position- him on his back, with her resting her head on his chest. Chuck wrapped his larger feet around Sarah's dainty ones, warming them up, as he usually did each night. Ten minutes later, Sarah fell asleep to the rhythmic sound of Chuck's heartbeat, comfortable and safe in his embrace.
~/0\~
Monday, July 23rd 2018
Sarah had no idea what to expect when she visited her Nana. When her mother took the key out of ignition, she cautiously looked around to assess the surroundings. She saw a few of the elderly getting ready to play a game of golf at the miniature golf course, others were doing some gardening. The roses especially caught Sarah's eyes; they were so beautiful, perfectly pruned. Her grandmother loved roses, and she wondered if she had played a part in their upkeep.
Sarah felt a warm, comforting hand over hers and turned to see her mother, looking at her. "You Ok?" She asked with concern.
"Yea, yea." Sarah said while nodding her head to convey the affirmative. "I'm fine."
"You know what fine means don't you?"
"Freaking out, insecure, neurotic and emotionally exhausted. I know, I use that same line on Chuck sometimes." Sarah said a chuckled. "I'm just a little anxious that's all." Sarah continued and smiled, hoping that it would mask the nervousness she felt.
Stepping out of the car, Sarah also noticed that there were a number of benches and picnic tables scattered across the premises and a duck pond a little further in the distance.
It looks nice. But then again, one couldn't go by looks alone. She'd been researching about relatives visiting their loved ones and found some guidelines of what to say and do and what to avoid. But in doing so, she'd also come across some stories about the unpleasant experiences some people had had at retirement homes, abuse of the elderly being one of the main issues identified. So then she researched this place, and it seemed like a fine establishment. They made their way up the steps of the building and entered the lobby.
"Welcome to Easy Living Retirement Home. How may I help you?" the receptionist said.
"Good afternoon. We are here to see Nancy White. I'm Emma Scott; I had called earlier to inform you of our visit."
Oh yes, I remember. You will both need to write your names in the visitor book before going any further." the receptionist told them.
Inside Room 11, Nancy stood in the middle, looking around the spacious room. There wasn't much she had brought from her home; most of it had been given to charity. She looked around at the framed photographs on her dresser and some which hung on the walls. Among them were those of her two children, her late husband and the one especially that she held close to her heart was with her and her granddaughter Samaria. She sighed as she sat in her rocking chair, one of her keepsakes from her old home.
Nancy sighed and sat down in her rocking chair, intending to do a bit of reading. About ten minutes had passed when she heard a knock on the door. The woman in the chair looked up from her book, expecting it to be one of her friends; she said "I told you guys already; I'll join you for Bingo after I finish this magazine."
Upon not hearing a reply, she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and turned to the door. Confusion became apparent on her face as she stared at the two women who had entered the room. One of them was about five foot nine, with blond hair and sapphire blue eyes. She's beautiful Nancy thought. With her blue-and-black patterned top and black pants, and black heels, she was the picture of poise. However, her posture and bewildered look on her face conveyed that she was feeling anything but fine. The other woman was a bit shorter, and she wore a smile on her face. Her copper hair was shoulder length and she too was well dressed looked chic and ladylike in a navy blazer and shell, tucked in to her white pants.
"Hello Nancy, it's been a long time." One of them said. She remembered that voice, she remembered that face, sure, the hair was a bit shorter than when she last saw her, but the person was the same.
"Emma?" She asked to be certain, a smile spreading across her face.
Emma stepped closer, "Yes it's me, and it's so great to see you."
Nancy rose from her chair and enveloped Emma in a hug, closing her eyes. Upon opening them, she focused on the other person, who remained glued to her spot by the door, watching the exchange with interest.
She stepped out of the embrace and looked at the person again. There was something so familiar about her. The blond hair, those bright blue eyes which seemed to convey her emotions and the slight shifting of her weight as thought she was nervous- it was the exact same thing her granddaughter did. Her granddaughter? She hadn't seen her in years and yet, this woman looked like an older, more mature version of her. Wait, Emma was here, so was this her granddaughter?
"Samaria ?" She asked unsure.
Sarah smiled and so did her grandmother. "Yes Nana, it's me." She said softly.
"I can't believe you're actually here." She noticed Sarah had yet to advance into the room and called out, "Are you just gonna stand there or will you come give your old grandmother a hug?"
Sarah didn't need to be told twice, and quickly met her grandmother halfway, enveloping her in a hug. She held on to her tightly, though mindful of her tiny frame. Sarah closed her eyes as she got lost in the hug. She smelt just the same, there was the faint hint of roses, indicating she had been in the rose garden mixed with her favourite perfume that Sarah remembered from her childhood. Sarah took it all in. Due to age, her hair had full turned grey, and there were wrinkles in her face, but she was just as Sarah remembered. She was soft, and warm, she was the same Nana.
Finally releasing each other, they stared deep into each other's eyes, attempting to familiarise themselves. Her grandmother raised her hand to stroke Sarah's face, and Sarah leant into her touch.
"Samara, it's so good to see you, I can't believe your here." Nancy breathed. "My precious Samara." She added as she placed a wayward curl behind Sarah's ear.
Sarah slightly cringed at the mention of her birth name, and her grandmother noticed. "What's wrong?" she asked.
Sarah and Emma sat on the couch, while Nancy reclaimed her seat in the rocking chair.
"Um, a lot has changed since you last saw me." Sarah said. Nancy nodded in understanding, encouraging Sarah to continue. "My name isn't Samaria anymore; I don't know who she is. I haven't known her for a long time. That girl died a long, long time ago." Sarah noticed the flash of pain that crossed her grandmother's face and took a deep breath before continuing, and Emma gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "You know how Dad was, what he did. Every time we moved to a new town, I became a different person."
"You know I never did forgive your father for taking you with him." Nancy said solemnly.
Nor myself for not trying harder to get you back.
"I left him with you for two weeks so I could go visit your aunt since she had a new-born and when I returned, you were both gone. " Nancy said quite furiously.
Emma slightly gasped. The only reason she had felt comfortable leaving Sarah with her father was because she would be living with her grandmother, and Emma knew she wouldn't have let harm come to Sarah and she would have looked out for Sarah's best interests, even if Jack didn't.
/\
McCall, Idaho
Sunday, June 28th 1988
Nancy thanked the taxi driver and exited the car. She had enjoyed her trip to Canada immensely as she got time to bond with her two grandchildren but she was happy to finally be home, and was anxious to see her only granddaughter. She was a bit puzzled to see that Samaria hadn't left her bike laying on the front lawn nor any of her other toys as she often did. Maybe Jack finally got he to be tidier she mused. She walked up the pathway, wheeling her suitcase behind her.
When she got in the house, she placed her handbag on the couch but was surprised that her home was empty, and as clean as she remembered leaving it.
"Jack? Samaria?" She called out, only to be met by silence.
She searched all three bedrooms, starting with Samaria's and finishing with hers, but still found no one. Growing concerned, she looked around the house for any indication as to where they could have gone. Maybe they went for ice cream...When she entered the kitchen; she was surprised to see a note attached to the fridge with a magnet. With slight trepidation, she took it off and began to read:
Dear Mom,
I'm sorry that I have to write this letter as our way of saying goodbye. Our? Goodbye? Nancy thought. Oh Jack! You didn't. I have decided to leave town and Samaria is going with me. I know that you will be angry, but please, try to understand. I'm sorry, but had I done this in person, you wouldn't have let me take her, you'd probably call Emma. I promise you that I'll take good care of her, so try not to worry too much. Samaria and I both love you. Hopefully you'll see us soon.
PS: Samaria left you a birthday card on your dresser.
Once again I'm sorry. We love and will miss you.
~ Jack
Nancy looked at the letter in her hands, experiencing a myriad of emotions, disbelief, sadness, hurt, and anger. What the hell was Jack thinking? Two weeks have passed since I left, they could be anywhere. I should've never left her with him. Give him an inch, he takes a mile. Ok, Nancy, calm down.'
She turned on the tap and filled a glass with water. She could already feel a headache coming on. Nancy took two sips of the water and sat down on the couch. Sighing, she placed the glass on the centre table and massaged her temples. They're gone….What can I do? Call the police? Emma? Would they be of much or any help? The ringing of her telephone pulled her out of her musings.
"Hello." She said, praying that it would be Jack. She was met by static and was about to put down when a voice came through.
"Mom?"
"Jack Milek Devereux! What in the world are you thinking? Are you out of your mind?" Nancy nearly screamed into the receiver.
On the other side, Jack winced. "Mom, Mom, calm down. You know what the doctor said. You've gotta watch your blood pressure. It's not good for you to be stressed." He advised.
Nancy laughed sarcastically. "If you were concerned about my health, you wouldn't have taken off with my granddaughter." Nancy spat. "Where is Samaria? How is she doing?"
"She's fine Mom; she's asleep right now." Jack said. "And I'm fine too, thanks for asking."
Nancy ignored his last remark. "Jack, you have to bring her back."
"I can't do that. I've already got a plan in action and I need her help."
Nancy was furious. "Jack, are you hearing yourself? You're putting your daughter in danger for your financial gain. She doesn't deserve that Jack. You have to put her best interests first and her needs ahead of yours."
"Mom, she wanted to come with me. She thinks it's an adventure."
"She's a child Jack. A ten-year old child, of course she thinks it's an adventure! She doesn't fully understand what's going on." Nancy said, trying to make him see reason. "And just because she wanted to come with you, doesn't mean you should have given in. You're the adult, you have to put your foot down sometimes, and she can't always get what she wants. What you're doing; involving her in your cons, it's not an adventure, it's dangerous and it was stupid of you." Nancy said.
"Mom I-" Jack attempted to speak.
"I wasn't finished." Nancy cut him off. "You know Emma left her with me, because she thought I would make sure Sarah grew up in a loving home, and away from your cons." She sensed that he was about to cut in again and continued on, "I'm not saying that you don't love her, I know you do. And that's why I need you to listen to me. Samaria, she deserves better Jack. Think about her, she needs a proper home, not to be hopping from one seedy motel to another. And what about school? Have you thought about that? How's she gonna get a proper education or meet friends if you're constantly dragging her from city to city so you can continue conning people? Jack, bring her home. Please." Nancy pleaded.
"Mom, I know what I'm doing. Listen, I've got to go. I promise I'll have Samaria call you soon, once we get settled in. I love you. I'm sorry." He said and hung up.
"Jack, you're making a mis-" Nancy said, only to be met by dial tone on the other line.
She slammed the phone on the receiver, her anger now boiling over. Jack was so stubborn and that irritated her. Once he made up his mind, nothing could change it; and that stubbornness often left them at loggerheads with each other. The stubbornness he had probably inherited from her, after all, she had left Poland and immigrated to Australia and subsequently the US when she was twenty years old, though her parents had pleaded with her not to go.
Since that call, Jack had called at least once a month and had let Samaria talked. That pattern lasted for about six months. After that, phone calls became more infrequent, reduced to Mother's Day, her birthday and other major holidays. That trend only lasted for a year, until finally, the calls stopped entirely.
/\
"I always feared that something would happen to you while you were with him and I'd never find out." Nancy said sadly.
"I knew you would've been angry, but adventures with Daddy always seemed so exciting." Sarah said. "And at the time, I honestly thought we would have visited you sometimes."
"But you were in danger." Nancy countered.
"Once you know all the cons, you can never be a sucker. You have to admit, Dad was good." Sarah said her father's favourite line. "And yes, sometimes I was, and as I got older, the danger became more real. Most times we got away with a clean break."
"And what exactly do you mean by that?" Nancy asked.
Sarah shifted in her seat, and glanced at her mother. Emma already knew most about her conning days with her father, but Sarah was unsure of how much to tell her grandmother.
"We had a couple of incidents with law enforcement. One time Dad was shot by an officer as we were escaping town. Another time, our lives were threatened after he conned some guy that had connections to a terrorist group. And when I was around fifteen, the police were on our trail. I honestly thought it would be the end for us. Dad needed some extra help, so he um, brought in one of his associates on the con we were working on. Anyway, the cops got ahold of him, and since he had a long list of priors and was wanted in ten states, he was looking at a long sentence. He cracked under interrogation, and gave up information on us, so he would get his time reduced. In the end, Dad and I had to abandon the job and hid out an abandoned mental hospital for about four days."
"I can't believe Jack was so stupid to put you in such great danger." Nancy said, conveying the sentiments of Emma as well.
"It's all in the past now." Sarah said attempting to steer away the conversation away from the past. "Anyway, Sarah Bartowski is who I am now, it's who I have been for a while now and I love it."
"So, you changed your name legally?"
"Um, yea, my senior year in high school, Dad was arrested and I was offered a proposition by the government, and from then, I became Sarah."
Nancy's eyebrows rose at the mention of the government. "The government? Samara, Sarah sorry, I hope you're not involved in any danger." She said in her worried motherly tone.
Sarah contemplated whether she should lie to her grandmother; she always could tell when she was. She decided to go with the truth. "Sometimes I am." She started and held up her hand when she saw her grandmother was beginning to object, "But don't worry, I'm part of a very good team, we watch each other's backs."
"That doesn't make me feel much better, but OK. You look as though you can handle yourself pretty well." she said. Silence perpetuated the room until Nancy said thoughtfully, "So Sarah? Hmmm, that's a pretty name. It means 'princess' in Hebrew, so it's quite fitting." She said with a smile.
~/o/~
"Nana," Sarah began, saying that word now, having not done so for a little over twenty years, felt a little weird to Sarah, "How did you end up here?"
"Well, where do I begin?" Nancy said as she stared through the window, seemingly caught up in the memory. "Your Aunt Karen and your father decided it would be best if I was placed in a home where I would be supervised and could have help if I needed it."
Sarah's eyebrows raised in confusion. "My Aunt Karen?" She asked for clarification.
"That's your father's younger sister." Emma said, "You wouldn't remember her, she only saw you when you were first born."
"Ah yes, that's a day I remember quite clearly. You gave your mother hell in that delivery room. And your father! He passed out a couple of times, and I think Emma here deformed his left hand from gripping it so tight." Nancy laughed, "And you were so beautiful, I could tell you would be stunning when you grew up, and it turns out I was right." Nancy said and Sarah blushed." Oh, and I'll save my inquisition about your husband for later." Nancy said. Seeing the Surprise on both Emma's and Sarah's faces, she said, "What? You think I didn't notice that huge rock on your finger? And from the way you smiled when I mentioned him, he must be pretty good to you. Isn't he Emma?"
"Yes, he is. They have a very deep and unbreakable bond. I'm glad she found someone like him." Emma said with a smile.
"Ah, that's very good to hear. What's his name dear?"
"Chuck. Well I mean Charles, but everyone calls him Chuck."
"Charles, that's a strong name. Now I'm getting side tracked. I was telling you two how I ended up here."
"A while ago, I had been in an accident, nothing serious, but it fractured my hip. And Karen had moved to Canada, and has a family there. But she came down to stay with me for a couple of weeks, much to my chagrin. But they agreed that I shouldn't be alone in the house by myself, and I admit, it often got lonely, so at first, we considered getting home assistance, but I was against that. So we decided to research some retirement homes, the children asked around, and this one had really good reviews. The house was placed on the market, fully furnished. I sold it to a nice couple who planned on starting a family, and I became a resident here about five years ago. So here I am. I don't mind it much. I occasionally miss the house and the comforts that came with it, but here, they try to recreate as much as they could. It's really nice; we have access to the kitchen, under supervision of course." She added when she was Sarah looking quite alarmed. "Then there's the golf course, the gardens, speaking of which, did you see the rose garden?"
"We did actually," Emma said "and we stopped to admire them. They're quite lovely."
"Thank you." Nancy said, "My friend, Lilly and I planted them. She loves gardening almost as much as I do. Come to think of it, we are practically twins separated at birth. The nurses call us two peas in a pod. Oh I wish you could've met her, but her son came yesterday and took her to visit the grand kids." Nancy said with a hint of wistfulness.
"I'm sure we can meet her the next time we visit." Sarah said.
"Next time? You'd come back to see me?"
"I would love to, but if you don't want us to, then-"
Sarah's grandmothers grabbed her hands and took them in hers, "Are you kidding me? I'd love for you to visit me again, the both of you, and you should bring this Charles with you too. It's so great to see you, how happy you are.
"Dad never told me you were here." Sarah said with a hint of anger. "I can't believe he would keep this from me!"
"He calls every month, you know, just to check in. From the time I've been here, he's visited twice I think. And Karen, well, she calls too, but now that management invested in some computers, I use that to communicate with her. Skype I think it's called."
"But why wouldn't he have told me about you?" Sarah questioned.
"Sarah, you know how your father is, he probably thought he was protecting you in some way." Emma said as she remembered Jack's unique thinking
"Now, tell me about you. What's been going on in your lives for the past couple of years?"
"My story is probably a bit longer, so maybe you should go first Mom."
"Hmm, ok. After our divorce, I moved to Riverside, and after I completed my diploma in Early Childhood Development and Education, I began working at an elementary school, and I love it."
"You always did have a way with children, you could understand them and had tons of patience to deal with them." Nancy mused.
And yet I couldn't get my own daughter to stay with me. Emma thought forlornly. She shook her head slightly, banishing such thoughts from her mind. It's all in the past now. "It's really nice. I think I found my true calling. I have another daughter, her name is Molly and she's almost thirteen years old."
Nancy's eyes widened, "Oh Emma, you remarried?"
Emma shook her head, "No I didn't."
"Oh, I'm sorry; I'm a bit old fashioned. Please forgive me."
"It's ok, I understand."
"Regardless, I'm sure she's such a delight to have around."
"No arguments about that. About two years after Sarah and I reconnected, I moved to Burbank so we could be closer to the rest of the family. Molly was glad that we did, because that meant more gaming sessions with Chuck and Morgan; she's got them both wrapped around her fingers."
"Who's Morgan?"
"Ah, that's where I come in." Sarah said. "Morgan is Chuck's best friend, has been since they were six years old."
"Oh, I see, you seem to be surrounded by some wonderful and loyal people."
"Yea. I am." Sarah affirmed.
"So, tell me about Charles. How did you the two of you meet?"
Before Sarah could reply, a ringing cell phone pierced the room. It was Emma's and she excused herself and walked to the other side of the room. "Hello." She answered, and then listened intently to the person on the other line, "Ok, I understand. I'll be right there."
"Something wrong?" Nancy asked and Sarah watched her mother with concern.
"It's Molly," Emma began, while picking her handbag up from the dresser. Sarah was instantly worried. "She fell at football practice and hurt her arm. They're taking her to the hospital to make sure that everything is ok. I've got to head over there."
"Do you want me to come with you?" Sarah asked.
"Emma shook her head no. "It's probably just a sprain. I'll call you when I'm there. OK?"
"Yea, yea that's fine. Go be with Molly, I'll call Chuck and get him to pick me up."
"Ok, I have to get moving or I'll be stuck in traffic." Emma said before bending down and placing a kiss on Nancy's cheek. "Nancy, it was great to see you, hopefully it won't be the last."
"You too my dear, I hope all is well with the little one."
Emma gave them one last small wave, bid them goodbye and then was on her way.
~/o/~
After Emma left, Sarah and Nancy spent the time continuing to catch up with the events in their lives. Nancy wanted to know everything about how she and Chuck met, so Sarah told her, though slightly altering it to leave out the parts about the bomb. Sarah had then told her about the proposal and the wedding. To Nancy, this visit was such a blessing, as Sarah recounted the significant events in her life, Nancy watched as her eyes lit up when she talked about Chuck. She had always believed that the eyes were the window to the soul, and if Sarah's eyes were any inclination, she loved that man with her heart, body and soul. And he loved her just as intensely from what she had heard. And that was all a mother or grandmother for that matter could ask for. Sarah had promised to show her the wedding video during her next video and she was thrilled about that.
"Well, let me see a picture of this Charles, he seems to quite the gentleman. I need a face to attach to the name."
Sarah quickly fished out her phone. There were so many pictures of Chuck in her phone, finally settling on the album from their recent weekend getaway, she held the phone up to her grandmother's face.
"Ooohhh, you've got yourself quite the looker haven't you Sarah? He is very handsome."
Sarah blushed, "Yea, he is."
"And what about children? Or are you guys just enjoying married life for a while?"
Sarah immediately smiled, "Actually, we have a son, CJ. He's three years old, and -" Sarah paused, they hadn't began telling anyone yet about her pregnancy, but her grandmother was hanging onto her every word, waiting for her to complete the sentence. Surely Chuck would understand. "We've got another one on the way."
Nancy's widened in delight. "Oh Samara, Sarah I'm sorry, that's gonna take some getting used to." Nancy gushed "You've already got a little boy, and you're having another baby. This is so wonderful! You know, I think today is my happiest day since I've been here. My precious granddaughter pays me a visit and then I find out how wonderful her life is. This is just absolutely amazing. I'm afraid it's a bit too much excitement. I'm not sure what to do, should I ask you to tell me about your son and to see pictures or should I ask about the baby?"
"It's fine either way, but since my phone is already out, I might as well tell you about the ball of energy that's my son."
Flipping through the phone again, she showed Nancy the adorable pictures of CJ.
"Oh my, he's a carbon copy of his father. There's no mistaking that he's Chuck's son."
She began talking, "Yea, I know, he definitely got his looks from Chuck, and personality too. They're both adorable and a little shy sometimes. He recently started preschool, his tendencies are a bit on the nerdy side, and he obviously gets that from his father." Sarah laughed "Chuck and Morgan really influenced him, and he's really into but he also has an athletic side. Whenever Molly comes over, they usually end up playing football in the backyard."
"He sounds and looks absolutely precious." Nancy gushed. "I hope I get to meet him soon."
"I'm sure you will."
"So, tell me about the baby. How are you feeling? Any morning sickness?"
"Morning sickness, afternoon sickness, evening sickness and sometimes night sickness, there's plenty of that."
Nancy smiled sympathetically, she knew all too well about morning sickness, having suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum when she was pregnant with -. She hadn't been able to keep anything down, and had to be hospitalized after she suffered from severe malnutrition. "How far along are you?'
"Ten weeks."
"Oh, that means there's not much movements I can feel. But would you mind if I touched your belly?"
"Of course Nana."
Sarah had maintained her fitness through her first pregnancy and afterwards, so her stomach was still relatively flat. Nancy placed her right hand over Sarah's stomach and sighed contentedly, this moment, just being with her granddaughter was never something she believed would have been possible.
After about two minutes, Nancy removed her hands and clasped them in her lap and appraised Sarah thoughtfully. "I know I might have said it before, but you are stunning, and you've got that pregnancy glow. I have no doubt that you are and will continue to be a fantastic mother."
"Thank you. I was a bit scared when we found out I was pregnant with CJ. I mean Chuck and I had decided we were ready to start a family, but when the test actually read positive and then we had the doctor's appointment and heard his heartbeat, suddenly everything became so real. We were having a baby." Sarah said as she remembered how absolutely terrified she was when she thought about all the responsibilities of being a mother, and considering her background, her childhood not having been ideal as she had a con man for a father, and her life as a CIA operative, she had long lost her innocence and had a lot of blood on her hands. How could those same hands be expected to hold a tiny baby in them in a short couple of months. A baby who would depend on her for love, protection, a home...but then she had corrected herself. She wasn't alone. She had Chuck, her mother, Mary, and the rest of her family and she had no doubt that they would provide her with a strong support system. And she hadn't been proven wrong, when everyone found out she pregnant, they were overjoyed for her and Chuck, and helped out in whatever way they could.
"But then, I remembered that I wasn't alone, and everything turned out ok." Sarah finished.
"Motherhood can be a very daunting task, especially when you're in it alone. And I should know. When your grandfather died, had it not been for his parents I don't know how I would have managed taking care of him and a young baby. But I've got something I want to show you." said Nancy as she got up from her chair and disappeared into one of the two adjoining rooms.
Sarah sat on the couch, waiting for her grandmother to return to the room. Nancy made her way to the couch, with a big box in her hands.
"I found it." She declared triumphantly.
Sarah eyed the box, her curiosity piqued. "Found what? What's in the box?"
Nancy smiled, and set the box on the table in front of her before sitting next to Sarah.
"This my darling Samara, Sarah sorry, is something very dear to me." She removed the lid and pulled out a large book. "It's our family's photo album." Nancy then flipped through the pages, naming the faces and telling Sarah when the pictures were taken, and if she remembered where. "Ah and here's your mom and dad's wedding." Nancy said while pointing to a slightly worn photo which showed her father, looking young and jubilant, his brunette hair slicked back and nicely filling out his penguin black suit. His hands were wrapped lovingly around Emma who had her hair in an up top bun. The veil covered her face, but you could still see the radiant smile beneath and she looked beautiful in her long-sleeved lace white wedding dress.
Sarah traced the outline of their face. It was a bit hard to believe that this was her parents, she didn't remember much from her childhood, but she did have a few memories of them fighting late at night when they thought she was asleep, oblivious from the turmoil brewing between them. "They look so happy."
"They were, and even more so when you came along." Nancy said.
Sarah was amazed by how many pictures her grandmother had of her. There were some from each of her birthdays, every holiday - Christmas, Thanksgiving, fourth of July, Easter, she found the one from her fist Easter was adorable as they had dressed her up as a bunny, when she lost her front teeth, her dance recitals, her riding or attempting to ride her bike as Jack stood next to her, bracing it, her first day of school, pictures of the family visit to the zoo, the circus, so many memories Sarah thought.
"I can't believe you kept all of this Nana."
Nancy laughed. "Are you kidding me? You were the apple of my eye, I wanted to capture every moment. And they became even more important to me when you left with your father. They were all I had. I thought I would have had more pictures, like your first day of high school, first date, prom, homecoming, but..." She trailed off sadly.
Sarah understood, her mother and grandmother had missed out on a lot, and Sarah had no doubt that had she stayed with either of them, her life would have turned out much more differently. But still, had she not been with her father, she may have never been recruited by the CIA and sent to Burbank to investigate a wonderful curly haired nerd. Maybe she wouldn't have met Chuck.
"I know Nana, and I'm sorry you missed out. But we shouldn't dwell on the past; you're back in my life now. And we should make the most of it. You don't have to miss out on any more important things in my life. You can be a part of my life, of CJ's life and this baby."
"Yes, it's best to look on the bright side. I got to reconnect with you."
They heard a knock on the door, and both turned their heads to it. "Come in." Nancy said.
A nurse entered, carrying a tray. "Sorry to interrupt your visit." She smiled apologetically, "But it's time for your medication Nancy."
Nancy took the two pills and downed them with water, then gave the glass back to the nurse. "Thank you my dear."
"You're welcome." She told Nancy, and then she turned to Sarah "Can I offer you anything?"
"No thank you, I'm fine."
"Ok then, enjoy the rest of your visit." the nurse said and then left.
"I think we've spent enough time cooped up in my room. I think it would be nice to take a walk in the gardens, and maybe I can introduce you to some of my friends." Nancy said.
"Ok, that sounds like a great idea."
/\
Sarah found that he grandmother was friends with practically everyone in the retirement home. Her friends complimented her on having such a beautiful granddaughter and then convinced the two of them to join them in a game of Bingo.
"So, do you guys spend a lot of time playing Bingo?" Sarah asked Nancy as they were walking through the garden.
"It's a regular past time, yes. But management likes us to have fun and try different things, so they often bring in different workshops. For example, we have cooking classes sometimes, Zumba, for the 4th of July, we make flags out of old magazines; it all varies.
"Oh that's nice." Sarah said, happy that this home actually provided quality care for the residents.
"You know, you've been here for quite a while, visiting hours are probably almost up."
Sarah stopped walking looked at her watch; it was almost half past five. "Oh my goodness. You're right. I need to call Chuck and get him to pick me up, and also find out about Molly." Sarah said. "But before I do that, I wanted to ask you something."
"Yes?"
"I read that sometimes the relatives can sign out the residents for a couple of days, once management approves. So, I was wondering, would you like to spend next weekend with my family in Burbank?"
"Absolutely. I feel like I haven't been anywhere except for church in a long time. I'd love to pay you a visit."
~/o\~
Saturday, 4th August
After pulling into the drive way, Sarah turned to her grandmother. "You ready?"
"You betcha." She said and gave a smile.
Nancy seemed to be in her own little world as soon as Sarah unlocked the red front door, and a huge smile was plastered across her face. She stood mesmerized by the many photos that lined the walls of the house, each capturing a happy moment in the occupants of the house's lives. The house was so warm and inviting, you could practically feel the love envelop you.
Chuck came down the stairs, dressed in a Star Wars t-shirt, jeans and his converse, CJ in tow wearing almost the same outfit, but instead he wore a plain red T-shirt.
"Hey honey, you're back." Chuck greeted her and leaned in for a quick peck on the lips.
"Mommy! I missed you. I woke up and you were gone." CJ pouted.
"Oh baby, I missed you too." Sarah said then bent down to pick up CJ. Resting him on her hip, she ruffled his curls and gave him a kiss on his forehead "But Mommy had to do something very important today, that's why she wasn't here when you woke up."
Nancy watched the family interacting with great delight. CJ had inherited his father's appetite and was quite heavy for his age, so Sarah soon had to put him down.
Oh, introductions Sarah reminded herself. Upon realising that there was someone else in the room, and that she was looking at him, CJ retreated behind the safety of his father's lanky frame.
"Nana, this is my husband Chuck and the little guy hiding behind his leg is CJ."
"It's very nice to meet you Nancy." Chuck said and offered her his hand to shake.
"Likewise, Sarah's told me so much about you. But if you don't mind, I'm more of a huger, not a handshake type of person." She said and pulled Chuck in for a hug. When they released each other, she looked at Chuck again "I must say that you are even more gorgeous in person."
Chuck blushed and then turned his attention to CJ when he felt him tug at his pants leg. "Hey buddy, aren't you gonna say hi to your Nana?"
"CJ, this is my grandma, so that makes her your great grandmother." Sarah told him when she noted his hesitance.
CJ looked at both his parents, who smiled at him encouragingly. "Hello." He said timidly.
"Oh my, you remind me so much of Sarah when she was younger, she was always so shy when talking to strangers. Hi CJ, I'm your Nana, and I'm very happy to meet you. Your mom told me that you like to draw, would you mind drawing something for me?"
At the mention of the word draw, CJ's eyes lit up, and he nodded in response. His shyness evaporated, and he took Nancy's hand, leading her into the study, where he had left his crayons and paper.
"I'll take her bag upstairs and you can show her to her room when she's finished. Ok?" Chuck asked.
"Uh huh. Sounds good to me."
When Chuck came back downstairs, he found Sarah in the kitchen preparing some sandwiches. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She immediately relaxed into his embrace. "Hey baby."
"Hi" she said then turned in his arms so she was facing him. Chucks eyes darted from her eyes to her lips, before he finally captured her lips in a kiss. It started out as a peck, but eventually turned into a sensual kiss. Soon enough, Sarah felt herself being lifted up by Chuck. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist and moaned when she felt his teeth gently graze her bottom lip. "Mhhm Chuck." She said when he placed her on the counter. His hand played with the hem of her top, before finally slipping under. The warm sensation on her stomach, combined with the way Chuck was kissing her, caused a fire to ignite in Sarah. She ran her hands through Chuck's hair, pulling him closer to her. When chucks hand cupped her breasts, and his mouth moved to the crook of her neck, she threw her head back in ecstasy. They had to stop before things got too carried away. Her hands were already under his shirt, her fingernails scraping into Chuck's back, which caused him to growl. "Chuck, we..." Good God, the things this man does to me! "Chuuucccckkkk...we...have to mhhhmmm..." What was I saying again? She started again "Chuck, we have to stop, CJ and my Nana are only a few feet away." She said.
Her message finally went through, and Chuck removed his hands from under her shirt, stepped back and then looked at her sheepishly. "Sorry... You're just so damn irresistible." Chuck said. You're not so bad yourself Sarah thought. "I guess we got a bit carried away."
"Yea" she agreed and hopped from the counter. "Maybe we can finish tonight?" She asked with a wink.
"Oh, most definitely." Chuck said, "Now my lovely wife, do you need any help?"
"Yea, you can pour the drinks while I chop these tomatoes. It's nice outside today, so I was thinking we can have lunch on the back porch."
~/o/~
After lunch, the three adults had watched CJ playing on the swing set in the backyard, while they talked. During that time, Chuck and Nancy got to know each other a bit better. Nancy was quite impressed with Chuck's intelligence and hardworking nature when he told her about his company. From the way he talked, Nancy, who considered herself an excellent judge of character, could tell that not only was he committed to his thriving tech company, but more importantly, to his family.
"So, what are we doing for the rest of the day?" Nancy asked when there was a lull in the conversation. "Well, first, you have to take your medication." The nurses at the nursing home had stressed the importance of Nancy following her schedule and taking her blood pressure and blood sugar medication on time, and Sarah was not going to compromise her grandmother's health, so she was following their advice. "And then I was thinking I could take you shopping and to my favourite spa."
"That sounds absolutely divine." Nancy said, "But what about you Chuck? What are you and CJ gonna do while we're out?"
Chuck shrugged. "I think we'll just hold down the fort. It's actually soon time for his nap. While he's doing that, I'll probably finish the coding for another program Morgan and I have been working on. After that, it'll be snack time and then we will probably just watch a movie or I might take him to the park."
~/o/~
Sarah was very cautious not to tire her grandmother out, so they kept the walking to a minimum, sticking to stores that were near to the car park. After loading their shopping bags I to the car, Sarah took her grandmother to a jewellery store.
"Hey Bob." She greeted the sales clerk when she entered the empty store.
The greying man who was in his early sixties looked up from the piece of jewellery he was polishing, and turned to address his customer. "Mrs. Bartowski you're looking lovely as always and it's so nice to see you again." Bob, the owner of the store said, then he noticed Nancy who was inspecting the store. If I may ask, who is this delightful old lady with you?"
"Bob, this is my grandmother Nancy, and she's in town for a few days. Nana, this is my jeweller Bob." Sarah said completing the introductions.
They both exchanged pleasantries. Then Nancy tugged Sarah on her arm, looking at her questioningly. "Sarah, what are we doing here? Do you need your rings cleaned or something?"
"Uh no." Sarah said.
Nancy furrowed her brows, "Then what? Does someone have an anniversary or birthday coming up?"
Sarah shook her head no. "We're here for you actually."
"For me?" Nancy asked puzzled. "Sarah, I don't understand."
Sarah only smiled and turned to Bob. "Bob, can you please show us your selection of gold lockets please?"
"Certainly," he said and unlocked the glass display cabinet. Bob then slid across one of the glass panels and took out the rotating necklace holder stand and the pillow on which the lockets were laid and placed them both on the counter. "Here we are."
"They're all very beautiful." Nancy said admiring the lockets and the selection of chains. "But I still don't understand why we are looking at them."
"When I was younger, you had this gold locket that you loved. And one day I was playing with it and it broke and the jeweller said it couldn't be mended. I know this isn't the same one, but that day I promised myself that I'd get you a new one, even if I had to use all my money. And that day is today, so choose which ever one you like the most, and it's yours."
Nancy shook her head, "No, Sarah, I can't accept this. They must be so expensive, and you've got a baby on the way, you could put that money to better use."
Sarah smiled; she had been watching her grandmother closely as she looked at all the lockets, so she was able to pick up the one that had caught her fancy. "Don't worry about it. How about this one?" Sarah said as she took up one of the lockets from the pillow and threaded it on to a gold chain. Sarah then clasped the chain around Nancy's neck, the oval locket which had a blumed finish, a crossed fern design on top, small natural pearls and nine round faceted strongly pinkish-red rubies rested right above her breast. Sarah then held up the mirror for her to see "Do you like it?'
Nancy smiled at herself in the mirror, the locket really was beautiful, but no doubt it was expensive and there was no way she could allow Sarah to spend such a large sum of money.
"It's a bit pricey, as most antiques are. This one is approximately fifteen carat yellow gold Victorian era, circa 1880." Bob said.
"We'll take it Bob. My grandmother did always love antiques, and I think this one suits her perfectly."
"Sarah, no." Nancy protested.
"Nana, I told you, whichever one you liked, it's yours."
"Do you need it wrapped?" Bob asked.
"No, that won't be necessary. I was wondering though, if an inscription could be placed on the back."
"Of course, I could do that for you today, and I'd also put in the pictures if you'd like. Free of charge, since you're one of my best customers." Bob said sincerely.
"Thank you Bob. We have another stop to make before heading home. Do you think it would be finished in about three hours?"
"Yes, just write what you want the inscription to say, and I'll get right on it."
"Thank you Bob."
"You're welcome, and that you too for doing business with me."
"Ah, it's no problem Bob. I mean if anyone in this town knows about jewellery, it's gotta be you. With your parents being antique collectors, I have faith in you."
Nancy unclasped the chain and handed it to Bob, so he could get started on the inscription. "You're sure it's not too expensive? Cause I can do without it darling."
"Nana," Sarah started, "for the hundredth time, don't worry about how much it costs. Trust me, Chuck and I have more than enough to last us and the kids for this lifetime. I can afford to splurge on this."
"Ok, ok." Nancy said. "Samara, Sarah, I can't thank you enough. This is so nice of you."
"It's no problem; I just want you to be happy." Sarah said and pulled her grandmother into a hug.
Sarah then wrote the cheque to Bob and then turned to her grandmother.
"Now come on, we've got an appointment at the spa."
~/o/~
"Wow, I've never felt so relaxed and pampered before." Nancy said as they excited the spa. Both ladies had gotten the complete package, inclusive of facials, body wraps, pedicures, manicures and full body massages.
"I'm glad you liked it then." Sarah said as they got into her car. "The inscription should be finished by now, so we can pick that up, then swing by my favourite Chinese restaurant before we go home."
"Sounds like a plan to me."
They arrived home thirty minutes later. After having dinner, Chuck gave CJ a bath, and got him dressed in his pyjamas. He then came downstairs to bid his mother and great grandmother who were watching the news good night.
"Good night baby."
"Good night my darling." Nancy said. "I think I'm gonna have a shower and turn in too. The excitement of today is finally catching up to me."
"OK. Good night Nana. I love you."
"Good night dear." Nancy said as she rose from the couch. "I love you too."
When Nancy got upstairs, she saw that CJ's bedroom door was ajar. Peeping in, she saw that Chuck was tucking him in. She knocked and entered the room. "Chuck, um do you mind if I got him to sleep?"
"Not at all." Chuck said and got off the bed. "Good night CJ. Love you."
"Love you too Daddy, good night."
When Chuck closed the door behind him, Nancy sat down next to CJ, who was looking at her expectantly. "What do your parents usually do to get you to sleep?"
"They read me a bedtime story Nana."
"Well, my eyes aren't as good as they used to be, and I left my reading glasses in my room, so how about I sing you a lullaby in Polish? I used to sing it to your Mommy when she was younger."
"Polish?" CJ asked confused. "What's polish Nana? Isn't that what my Uncle Casey puts on his boots? His boots are really big Nana." CJ continued to ramble. "My Daddy calls him a bear sometimes, and then Uncle Casey growls at Daddy." CJ said, giggling at the antics of his father and uncle. "
Nancy laughed at the child's initial confusion. "You know, you're pretty observant and smart for your age."
"Uh huh." He said and nodded. "I can count to twenty already, and I know my ABCs and a lotta nursery rhymes." CJ said proudly. "Mimi (Grandma Mary) says I'm just like my Daddy." CJ finished with a toothy smile.
"No sweetie, I don't mean shoe polish. Polish is another language dear. People from Poland or who were descendants of Polish parents speak it." Nancy said." You can learn it when you're a bit older."
"Oh." CJ said with understanding. "Will you teach it to me Nana?"
"In a couple of years, if you're still interested, I will." Nancy said, silently praying that she would be in good enough health to be able to teach her great-grandson her native language. "Now close your eyes." Nancy said and then began to sing the lullaby her mother had taught her, "Oj lulaj, lulaj. Siwe óczka stulaj. Oj, siwe ocie stulisz do mnie się przytulisz . Oj lulaj, lujaj. Maleńki sukole. Oj, jak ty mie urośniesz, pójdziesz ze mną w pole."
~/o/~
Sarah looked away from the TV when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs, when she saw Chuck, her eyebrows rose. "He's asleep already? That was fast." She commented.
"He's not actually; Nancy wanted to be the one to get him to sleep, so here I am."
"That was nice of her."
"Yea it was, so now, you have my undivided attention. I suggest that we turn off this TV, and retire to our room. I'm thinking a long shower, together of course, and maybe we will continue what we started earlier in the kitchen." Chuck said and gave her the Bartowski eyebrow dance.
Sarah laughed. "I think that's a fantastic idea. Come on." She said and pulled him up from the couch with her.
"What is that?" Chuck asked Sarah as they both stood outside of CJ's room, listening to Nancy sing.
"It's a polish lullaby. I remember she used to sing it to me when I had a hard time falling asleep. "
"Oh, ok. Now come on, I feel like we are invading their moment." Chuck said and tugged Sarah along.
On Sunday, the entire gang was at the Bartowski home for dinner. Upon meeting Nancy, everyone had declared how nice it was to meet her. It had been a challenge to get Molly, CJ, his two cousins Clara and Oliver to stop playing so they could sit down for dinner and even a bigger challenge getting them to make little noise as their two month-old baby cousin, Morgan and Alex's baby girl Cassidy slept. After putting in a DVD for the children to watch in the play room, the adults were finally able to relax in the living room. Casey had to leave early, as he had promised his girlfriend Gertrude a date at the shooting range. Chuck still couldn't believe they were together, that was a match made in a frightening part of heaven. Now that Morgan and Alex were finally parents, everyone was interested in finding out how they were coping. Alex said it was more tiring than she expected, but it was worth it in the end and all the adults in the room nodded in agreement. The conversation then drifted to work, with Chuck informing them that he and Morgan were in the process of developing two new games and that they were close to securing a multimillion dollar contract. Ellie and Devon also had some news to share, as they had both been offered the head of Neurology and Cardiology at Westside Medical respectively. In the words of Captain Awesome, life for everyone was pretty awesome.
Nancy and Emma slipped into the kitchen, intending to make some tea.
"She's so happy." Nancy said to Emma as they watched Sarah and the others in the living room playing charades.
"Yea. I know."
"I used to worry about her you know; with her father out conning people and her tagging along, I always worried that they would mess with the wrong people and both of them would end up in an abandoned alley somewhere, and I would never find out because they would be using an alias. And even though her father visited me a while back and told me Sarah no longer conned with him and that she was safe, I never did truly believe him. With her upbringing and his influence, I thought she might end up on the wrong side of the law. I guess I needed to see it for myself."
Emma nodded in understanding. "It's amazing, the transformation she's gone through. I used to worry that she'd never find true happiness, that she'd be jet-setting across the world, without ever getting to stop and smell the roses. But here we are now" Emma said as she watched Sarah interact with her family, "She's happiest when she's with Chuck. I only met him after they were married, but that same night, I could see how much they loved each other."
"Hey, you guys gonna spend the rest of the night cooped up in the kitchen?" Sarah asked as she entered the kitchen, looking for her jar of pickles.
"We were gonna re-join you guys soon." Nancy said.
Having found the jar in the top cupboard, Sarah turned to face them.
Emma noticed the pickles and asked "Craving?"
"Yup." She opened the jar and took out one and began nibbling on it, then remembering her manners, offered the two ladies. When they both declined, Sarah asked "What were you two talking about?"
"We were talking about you actually." said Nancy.
"Me, what about me?" Sarah asked surprised.
Both women smiled, before Emma answered, "We were just observing how happy you are."
Sarah looked into the living room, where her family was. The laughter from them all melded into a melodic tune which cocooned the house into love and warmth. There was a point in time when she worried that she didn't have any friends, but now, she had something oh so much better. No one in the world was closer than them, and now her grandmother had been welcomed with open arms into the fold. "Yes I am. I'm happier than I ever thought would be possible." She said as she locked eyes with Chuck and sent him a dazzling smile. "I'm living the life I only dreamed of."
A/N #2: Thanks so much for reading. I would greatly appreciate it if you guys leave a review, (even if it's as a guest). I have a couple of ideas for future one-shots, but if there is a scenario in particular that you would like to see, PM me about it or leave it in your review. And yes, in case you were wondering, I added in the part about Nancy emigrating from Poland because that's what Yvonne's parents did.
I don't speak Polish, I found the lullaby online. I only used two of the four stanzas in my story and they translate to: 'Go to sleep, go to sleep. Close your blue eyes. If you close your blue eyes, you'll cuddle up to me. Go to sleep, go to sleep. You little falcon. When you grow, we'll go to the field.'
Until next time,
~Bg.