Hello people! Thank you so much for the feedbacks and the new followers. Hope you're going to enjoy today's next part :) xoxo
/
Three long hours had passed. The party was over, and the guests were leaving by small groups, as well as the catering service. It was late and the night was dark and fresh.
Martha Rogers opened the fridge of the kitchen to put a plate of toasts away. When she turned back, she saw her son standing in front of her, smiling softly. Without saying anything, he kissed his mother on the forehead.
"Thank you, mother," he said as he slowly stepped back.
"What did I do?" Martha asked. Rick grabbed her hands and shrugged.
"Thanks for being such a perfect mother…for helping organizing the party, and thanks for telling the caterer to add an extra layer of whipped cream on the choux pastry."
Martha smiled.
"My pleasure, honey. Celebrating your birthday without whipped cream, it would be like crime novels without yours…" she joked.
"Or the world of theater without your talent", Castle added, amused.
"Aw", Martha said, as she tenderly stroked his cheek. "Where have you been?"
"I was leading Gina to her car", Rick explained as he took another potato chip from the almost empty bowl on the counter of the kitchen.
"Did she have fun tonight?"
"We didn't fight if that's what you're asking."
"That's what I'm asking", Martha nodded, softly smiling.
"Well, as you can see. I'm a grown-up man. Everything happens", Rick teased.
Martha gazed at him tenderly for a few seconds.
"I can't believe my little boy has become a so grown-up man. And so old…" she added with nostalgia, as she pinched his cheek.
"That's what you say every year…"
"But I have to admit something…It's more and more difficult through the years", she confided with emotion.
Rick smiled and hugged her tight, laying his chin on her red hair.
"For you, I'll always be the little boy adventurer who skipped classes to hide in the library…" he whispered, feeling nostalgic as well.
"I miss those years…even if I would have preferred you didn't drop school that much", Martha teased as she closed her eyes, resting against his chest.
"How touching", a third voice interrupted behind them, after a few seconds.
Alexis was standing against the wall of the kitchen, wearing a white and blue striped pajama. Rick let his mother go.
"And for you, I'll always be the father shocked that his daughter isn't in her bed at late hours!" Rick said as he gave her daughter a fake offended look.
"Dad, it's just 4am," Alexis protested. Rick looked back at his mother.
"Don't look at me like that, honey. She didn't get that trait from me this time. I'm exhausted," Martha said as she yawned.
"Alexis, do like your grandma. Bed time now", Rick ordered.
"But Lanie, Kate and the boys went to the Jacuzzi with the last pack of beers!" she claimed. Rick frowned.
"So what? Is that supposed to convince me?" he said. Alexis rolled her eyes.
"Dad, it's your birthday!" she tried again. Rick shook his head.
"Nope. Actually it was a month ago. And no, I won't let you see this. Seeing adults ending their party at 5 am, desperately wallowing in beer…that's so pathetic", he realized as he spoke.
Alexis gave him a look.
"But you're going to join them!" she said. He shrugged.
"What can I say? I'm a pathetic guy," he said, with a victorious smile. Alexis sighed.
"All right, I got it. I let you have fun with your pathetic adult activities. But at least, can Royal sleep in my room tonight?" she asked, grinning. The kind of smile she always used since she was little so that her father wouldn't refuse. From that point of view, nothing had really changed. It was always working.
"Why are you even asking? I'm sure he's already on your bed", Rick replied, amused.
Alexis tried hard not to grin. Of course he was. The writer rolled his eyes.
"Of course, take that fluffy dog with you if you want, but honey, remember what Kay told us when she dropped him here. He snores at night and drools. Besides he takes all the space in bed," Rick said, thinking it would make her change her mind.
But Alexis shrugged again, not scared at all.
"I'm used to it with you, you know. Thanks Dad! Good night!" she said quickly before she rushed into the stairs victoriously. Rick stood still a few seconds before he turned to his mother, searching for support.
"When she was younger and we used to sleep in the same bed, she threw me her pillow for snoring loud. But with that dog, it's okay…She prefers Royal over her own father…" Rick concluded with a pout.
He placed a hand on his chest and swallowed hard, as if he was having a heart attack, which amused his mother.
"Well, you have to admit he's cute", Martha said.
"I am cute too!" Rick said offended. The actress smiled.
"Well, you know, the teen years…Anyway, I'm going to bed now", Martha said. "Did you have fun tonight, are you sure?" she asked again before leaving. He nodded and smiled.
"Yes mother. It was great."
"I'm so happy…Now that everybody's gone, let me tell you that I'm glad to spend the weekend with your friends from the precinct. They are adorable…especially Kate."
Rick stared at his mother, knowing perfectly what she meant.
"Mother…"
"Oh, by the way", Martha continued, ignoring him. "You know she felt a little bit abandoned and lonely in that crowd?"
"We spent a lot of time together!" Rick protested.
"Except when you were with Gina", Martha objected.
"There was more than 300 people tonight, mother…And everybody came to see me. What was I supposed to do? Spend the night with Beckett, handcuffed?"
"It wouldn't be the first time…besides, she definitely gave you a sign with her gift…" Martha said.
Castle gave his mother the eye and raised an eyebrow. "Did you see them?"
"Come on, I could see them out of your pocket", Martha nodded, grinning.
"It's a symbolic gift, mother."
"Whatever you say. Listen, darling. Let me tell you something. Life is short. Time flies…so don't run away from happiness for too long", she ended with emotion, before she kissed him on the cheek.
"I'll consider that. Good night, mother."
"Good night, son."
Martha disappeared into the stairs, letting the writer stand in the kitchen, lost in tracks for a few seconds. He finally smiled and walked towards the garden to join his guests left who had decided to improvise an after party in the Jacuzzi.
/
"So, are you guys having fun without me?" Rick Castle said offended, as he arrived at the Jacuzzi area, not too far from the pool of the property.
"Look who's here", Kate said, as she was resting in the bubbly water. Her hair was tight in a high bun, as she didn't want it to be soaked.
"Sorry, I was putting my daughter to bed…as well as my mother", he said. "But I can see you didn't wait for me to enjoy yourselves", he noticed as he looked at them all.
Kate and Ryan were playing with the water and splashing about, while detective Esposito was sipping another beer, letting his friends playing their childish game. Next to Ryan, Lanie Parish was enjoying the feeling of the hot tub and the bubbly water on her skin, her eyes closed. Her long hair was also tight in a side ponytail as she didn't want it to be wet either.
"That is soooo good…" she moaned in pleasure, without opening her eyes.
"That's what I used to hear when we were together…" Esposito whispered as he glanced at Ryan, proud of his joke. His friend let out a silent laugh, hoping Lanie wouldn't hear. But even her, she couldn't help but smiled, her eyes still closed. Kate gave the latino a disapproving look.
"Ouch!"
Lanie's foot had just kicked Esposito's tibia.
"Now you shut up," she ordered.
"Well done", Kate nodded, amused by Esposito's face. He was massaging his painful leg.
"Anyway, I want the same Jacuzzi at my place," Lanie said.
"I promise you, Doctor. I'll be thinking about it for your next birthday", the writer smiled. He took off his pants and his t-shirt, revealing his blue swimming short suit. Then he carefully entered the Jacuzzi and found a seat between Kate and Esposito.
"Watch out, it's narrow here. We're gonna get close", Rick warned as he slipped into the water. He gave Kate a charming look but didn't really want to come closer. That was Javier who felt the writer's body so close to him. He was almost touching him. With a disgusted look, detective Esposito slowly shifted towards Lanie.
"Sorry", he warned her. "Castle takes all the space", he added as he looked at Lanie with a soft smile. Lanie nodded and ignored him, smiling slightly though.
"Finally, some rest," Castle sighed as he appreciated the feeling of the hot water and the bubbles on his skin.
"Poor Ricky…were the guests that difficult to endure?" Kate teased him.
"If only you knew. It was a great party, but the best part is when it ends…Did you guys have fun tonight at least?" he asked as he looked at his friends.
"Awesome", Ryan nodded. "The caterer food was delicious. Not as much as your mother's cooking though", he added.
"Flattering", Rick smiled, while Lanie and Esposito shared a look, both of them thinking about their own "crush" earlier. They wouldn't say any comment about it though.
"The music was great too", Kate said with a smile.
"Yeah, thanks to whom?" Esposito asked proudly. He opened another bottle of beer and lent it to Castle who grabbed it with a smile.
"So, you're not mad at me anymore about the Ferrari, right?" he asked carefully. Esposito shrugged.
"Nah. If you let me drive this weekend, it should be fine."
"I promise. Cheers, guys", Rick said cheerfully as he clinked his bottle against Esposito's, and then Ryan's, in front of him.
Kate glanced at them with a disgusted look.
"How can you drink beers again at that time of night?" she asked.
"If you had joined the army, you'd know", Javier chuckled.
"I don't know about the army, but I'd say there's no time to enjoy ourselves", Rick added.
"One point goes to the writer", Ryan approved. Kate and Lanie shared a look. Kate was searching for her friend's support.
"Don't worry. I don't get it either, Kate. They disgust me too…" Lanie admitted.
"Amateurs", Ryan teased as he looked at the girls.
"Well, less than Jenny at least," detective Beckett replied.
"That's right, where is she?" Castle asked.
"My girl went to bed. She was too exhausted, she had a tough week", Ryan explained with a soft smile as he thought about his wife.
"Poor thing", teased Esposito. Lanie yawned.
"I think I'm going to do the same…"
Kate's eyes widened.
"Hey, you're not leaving me alone with them, right?"
Esposito frowned.
'What is that supposed to mean? Are we disreputable or something?" he said before he took another sip of his beer. Next to Kate, Ryan made a sound that was similar to a burp while Rick scratched the wing of his nose and sniffed out loud.
"I don't even want to answer to this," Kate whispered as she dropped her eyes. "Lanie, please, I'm begging you, stay with me," she pleaded, as she looked at her with puppy eyes. Lanie rolled her eyes.
"All right, I'll stay. But let's find something more interesting to do otherwise I'm going to fall asleep..."
"You know, there's plenty of interesting things to do for 5 people in a Jacuzzi", Rick said cheerfully. "Right, guys?"
Esposito glanced at him.
"Are we talking about the same thing here?"
They shared a knowing look for a few seconds.
"Sure we are," Rick grinned. "So…you're in?"
"No need to ask me twice," Esposito nodded with a husky voice as he gave Lanie and Kate a charming look.
Kate opened her mouth in shock. She couldn't even reply something. Lanie spoke for her.
"Guys, you can go to hell," she barked before she stared coldly at Esposito. "And you, you disgust me."
He gave her a surprised look.
"Ryan, please, say something," Kate pleaded. Ryan nodded and gave the two men a disapproving look.
"Even if I think the girls are beautiful, there's no way I would do this to Jenny! Do you know the meaning of this?" he said as he pointed his wedding ring.
Rick and Javier shared a surprised look.
"What the hell?" Esposito managed to say. Rick let out a laugh.
"Come on Ryan, I'm shocked. You too, girls. Seriously", the writer laughed.
"Yeah, what's wrong with you and your dirty minds?" Javier added. Then he glanced at Lanie. "And you, do you really think I would be gross and dare asking you that?" he asked his ex girlfriend.
"Gross, you said it", Lanie replied.
"We were talking about poker, Lanie", he mumbled.
"Yeah, sure, and we were talking about Ludo", Kate said as she rolled her eyes.
"Come on, it's true!" Rick interrupted to support his friend. He left the Jacuzzi and came back a few seconds later with a box in his hands. One of many of the gifts he had received tonight.
"We're 5, the perfect number for a poker game… I was thinking we could christen this brand new aquatic poker set and its waterproof plastic cards the boys offered me…Look, there are also floating chips," Rick explained cheerfully, grinning like a kid on Christmas.
Seeing those proofs and hearing those convincing explanations, Kate and Lanie shared a look.
"Did… did you guys offer him that?" Kate asked, looking at the boys.
"We crossed all Manhattan to find it", Ryan nodded.
"Oh", detective Beckett just said, feeling a little bit awkward and foolish.
"So, are you in?" Rick asked as he slipped into the water again and started to open the carton box.
"As long as it's not a strip poker, I'm okay," she replied. Rick gazed at her, raising an eyebrow as he immediately pictured the beautiful detective taking off the top of her bikini.
"As if you'd be shocked, Beckett…" Esposito teased her. Kate stared at him, waiting for an explanation.
"What do you mean?"
"You offer him fluffy handcuffs and you're asking me what it means?"
Kate sighed heavily as Ryan let out a laugh.
"Nice ones, by the way", he added.
"It was a symbolic gift, but it sounds too complicated for you guys to get it," Kate explained, on the defensive before she gave Rick a cold look.
"And you, of course, you had to show them to everybody!"
"They were out of my pants, even my mother saw them", Rick claimed.
"Your m…?!" Kate swallowed hard. "Great, I feel humiliated," she stammered.
"Well, as a future daughter-in-law, that's awkward for sure", Ryan said as he glanced at Esposito. Then he felt a kick in his legs.
"Ouch!"
"Oh sorry, did I hurt you Ryan?" Kate asked ironically.
"All right, what about playing now before somebody dies? I have my first-aid diploma in case of drowning but I don't want to use it tonight," Lanie interrupted as she grabbed the plastic cards from Rick's hands.
"No strip poker then?" Esposito tried again, as he glanced at Lanie with a half-smile.
"All things considered, it should be fun, Kate…they've got less clothes to take off than us," the medical examiner said, smiling, as she started to shuffle the cards. Kate glanced at Rick and Esposito, suddenly thinking that maybe a strip poker wasn't a bad idea…
The boys shared a look, suddenly feeling not that enthusiastic.
"Yeah…I guess I wasn't considering things from that angle", Rick said to his friend.
...to be continued