Almost done. One more chapter :)
M was nearly beside herself as she paced around her sitting room. "What on earth could have happened with Paul to make Joanna to call James for help" she sputtered "Well at least she is comfortable enough with him to ask for his help" Just as she was about to sit down she heard the door bell and rushed to the hall. She hesitantly put her hand on the knob and opened the door to find Paul staring back at her.
"Paul" she said in a tone just barely above a whisper
"Mum. May I come in?" he said quietly
"Yes of course" she said motioning for him to enter
Paul stood in the foyer staring at her with an expression she couldn't quite pin down as she closed the door and held her breath. It had been nearly three years since she had seen him, and that meeting consisted of multiple arguments, several shouting matches and one loud door slamming in her face, and yet here he was standing in her flat of his own free will.
"Would you like a drink?" she asked cautiously
He nodded as he followed his Mother into the sitting room, watching suspiciously as she poured the drinks. As she moved toward the sofa, Paul took the drinks and placed them on the table as he turned to face her.
"My mother the spy" he said almost as though he couldn't believe he was actually saying it
"What?...who told you that?"
"Would you believe my sister and some knob called James or 007 as you call him "
"Paul...I can explain"
"Save it, they've already explained it, I just want to hear it from you" he said with a rather hurt expression
"It isn't that I didn't want to tell you.."
"Did he really try to kill you?" asked Paul abruptly changing the subject
"Who?"
"That man that James was protecting you from?"
"Just how much did your sister and James tell you?" asked M in a slightly demanding tone
"Oh Mum" he said pulling her to him and holding her tightly "There were so many times I wished you were dead, but I really didn't mean it." he said with a crack in his voice
"I know darling" she said in a soothing tone as she wrapped her arms around him and held him. "I know I wasn't the perfect Mother..."
"But that's just it." he pulled back with a look of surprise "You WERE the perfect mother, I just didn't know it. Do you know how many kids dream of having a spy for a parent? Here I thought I had a crap childhood when all the time I was the luckiest kid on the planet and I didn't even know it!"
"You didn't seem to think so at the time" replied M with a laugh
"Well that was before I knew what it is that you actually do!"
"Listen Paul...about that..."
"Yeah, I know. I cannot tell anyone, not that anyone would believe me anyway. My Mum, the head of the government hit squad" he said shaking his head
"And just who told you about that?" she said sternly, the smile quickly disappearing from her face
"James. He thought it was best to get everything out in the open"
"Oh did he now!" she said arching her eyebrow "And what else did my agent tell you?"
"That he loves you and he wants to marry you"
"We'll see if he still feels that way when I get through with him" she snapped "What was he thinking and for that matter what was your sister thinking. I specifically told her not to..."
"Mum" said Paul as he put his arm around her "They were thinking about you and how much they love you. Look Jo and I are especially good at keeping secrets. I guess the apples didn't fall far from the tree in that respect, and James risked his job by telling me so go easy on him"
"Paul, you don't seem to be grasping the gravity of the situation here. It's not just his job he's put in jeopardy, but mine and your sisters as well"
"True, but aren't you the boss? Can't you fix this?"
"Where are they now?"
"They're just around the corner at the cafe waiting for me to call them"
"Well call them. It's time for a little family meeting about our situation"
Paul did as he was told and called Joanna and James. He could tell that M was mad by the way she stormed around the flat while they waited. He had learned early on that when she had worked herself up into this kind of state, it was best to keep out of the line of fire, so he remained on the sofa and let her fume in silence. When the door opened, James and Joanna were met by one of M's famous death glares and the smiles quickly disappeared from their faces.
"I thought you told him not to tell her what we told him?" said James under his breath
"I did!" replied Joanna as she and James followed M into the sitting room
"M, let me explain..." started James
"Oh I think you've done quite enough explaining today!" she snapped "In fact you may have just explained the three of us right out of our jobs!"
"Mum, if you would just listen for a minute..." started Joanna before she was interrupted by M
"And you. What part of you CANNOT tell your brother did you not understand?"
"I was just trying to..."
"Joanna, why don't you and Paul go pick up something for dinner, preferably across town while I sort this out with your Mother" said James
"Great idea" said Joanna as she grabbed Paul by the arm and began dragging him toward the hall.
Joanna and Paul headed out the door, leaving James and M glaring at each other. As soon as the door shut M took a deep breath and was about to launch herself into one of her legendary rants when James suddenly crossed the room and pulled her to him, kissing her deeply. M found herself involuntarily responding to the kiss, and when he finally released her, M was both breathless and a bit dizzy from the lack of air.
"Don't think for one second that you can kiss your way out of this," she said sternly as she leaned against him for balance
"I wasn't planning on stopping at kissing" he said mischievously as he held her close
"James, what were you thinking?"
"I was thinking" he said as he began to place soft kisses on her face "That they are your children, and if we are to be a real family then there can't be so many secrets"
"But you of all people..."
"I know, but I love you M" he said as he began maneuvering her toward the stairs "They are YOUR children after all, so God knows they know how to keep secrets. As far as Paul is concerned, after the novelty has worn off, things should go back to the way they were, only now he doesn't hate you and he just may visit a little more often. And as far as Joanna is concerned, being that she works for MI5, she won't go boasting about her Mother being the head of MI6 as it could very well harm her own career, besides who in their right mind wants to live in the shadow of their mother"
"You really are impossible you know that, but how can you be so sure that things will all work out?" asked M as she stopped at the foot of the stairs
"Because believe it or not, they really do love you" he replied as he began kissing her neck "And after having your life explained to them, albeit the abbreviated version, there isn't anything they wouldn't do to protect you."
"How did I get so lucky?" she asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck
"Karma" he replied, giving her a gentle kiss "Sooner or later it was bound to catch up with you and find that you have been sorely lacking in the happiness department. Now if you play your cards right, we have just enough time to go upstairs before the kids get back" he said with a slightly wicked grin as he began to unbuttoning her blouse "Or, we can lay the table and discuss just exactly when it is that we intend to be married"
"As much as I love your first suggestion, I think the latter would be more appropriate as my children have always appeared to have a terrible sense of timing" she replied with a laugh "I take it you have some special date in mind?"
"As a matter of fact I do" he said as he put his arm around her and escorted her to the kitchen
"And just when were you thinking?" she asked curiously
"How about the day after tomorrow?"
"You can't be serious?"
"Why not. Your children are here, I'm here, and all appears to be right with the world at the moment so why wait?"
"You really still want to do this?" she replied as tears began to form in her eyes
"More than anything in the world" he said as he leaned down and captured her lips in a deep passionate kiss.
James and M were so preoccupied with canoodling in the kitchen they failed to hear the front door open and were both startled and somewhat embarrassed when Joanna loudly cleared her throat to get their attention.
"Judging by your rather compromising position, I assume that you two have made up" she said with a grin
"Oh Joanna, Paul...we didn't hear you come in" replied M as she turned toward the sink in an attempt to conceal her embarrassment
"Apparently not" said Paul with a smirk "You know you really should have locked the front door if you intended to take advantage of my Mother" he said as he put the food on the counter
"Actually it was a collaborative effort" replied James without batting an eye
"That's really more than I needed to know" retorted Paul
"Listen" said M as she began to unpack their dinner "As long as you are both hear, what are you doing day after tomorrow?"
"Why?...What did you have in mind?" asked Joanna curiously
"A little family outing" replied James as he put his arm protectively around M "Say to the Registrar's office"
"Really? Mum, James that's wonderful, but isn't a bit quick? I mean what about the license and..."
"Relax Sis. They work for the government. One wave of HER magic wand and all the usual red tape just disappears" replied Paul
"Well it's not quite as simple as that, but my position does come with a few perks, such as the ability to bypass certain rules and regulations that apply to the general public" said M with a wink
"Mr. Bond, Who is this woman, and what have you done with our Mother?. Under ordinary circumstances she would be all for following every asinine rule and regulation to the letter."
"I guess you could say that I'm a bad influence" replied James with a grin
"That being said, we have a lot to do in the next few hours" said M as she picked up her plate and headed toward the dining room with Joanna following close behind
"You do realize that we won't have a moments peace until you say I DO right?" said Paul with a deep sigh
"I know" replied James, as he leaned back against the counter with a wide smile
TO BE CONTINUED...