The call in the middle of the night came from Rossi. "He's gone," was all he said.
"Oh, Dave, I am so sorry to hear that," Laurel exclaimed. "How are Joan and Jade holding up?"
"Well, they were expecting it," Rossi reported. "But, it's still hard. It is going to take them a while to process it all."
Joan had called Rossi several days earlier to tell him that the doctors weren't giving Michael much longer to live. He had immediately dropped everything and flown to Chicago to spend some final moments with his old friend.
"Are you planning on coming for the funeral?" he asked Laurel.
"Of course!" she immediately replied. "When everyone else was making fun of me because I was a single mother, paying for my daughter's skating by driving the Zamboni and cleaning up after the hockey players, Joan was there for me - She was my friend. She may have a multitude of friends and relatives located throughout the Chicago area, but I want her to know that I am there for her, too."
Three days later, Rossi spoke movingly at Michael Larson's funeral. "Michael Larson was a good man," he said. "He lived his life by the same ethics he taught his students. And, it is my sincere hope that the generation of lawyers he helped to train will strive to live their lives by that same code of ethics."
When Rossi flew back to Virginia a week later (he had stayed on after the funeral to help Joan sort some things out) he was met at the airport by Laurel and Jack.
"Dave, you are not going home to an empty house," Laurel told him. "You are coming home with us."
"What about my house?" Rossi asked. "I do have a home of my own, you know."
"I spoke with your housekeeper," Laurel reported calmly. "And she assures me that everything over there is just fine. If you need anything, call her and let her know. Either Jack or I will go over and pick it up."
"Aunt Jessica said you can stay in her apartment," Jack added. "That way you won't be bothered by all our noise."
"As much as you love the kids," Laurel smiled at him. "I am sure you will appreciate a little peace and quiet."
"And," she continued. "Tonight, after dinner, you and Aaron are going to go into his den and break out the scotch, or whatever it is that you are drinking these days, and you are drinking to Michael's memory."
"Well, it seems I am outnumbered," Rossi admitted, taking out his car keys and the claim ticket for his car.
"Here," he handed them to Jack, along with some bills. "Why don't you claim my car and drive it back to your house for me?"
"You're trusting me to drive your car?" Jack asked in amazement. "You love that car!"
"And, you had better deliver it in the same condition you picked it up in," Rossi threatened him with a smile. "Remember, I still know people!"
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
"World Junior Ice Skating Championships are being held where?" Paige asked, wrinkling up her nose.
It was late summer and the expected invitation had come through the USFSA.
"Why can't we go back to Canada?" she added. "I liked it up there."
"This year they are being held in Tallinn, Estonia," Laurel told her patiently. "And, to be honest with you, I'm not really sure how we will get there, except that it will have to be on a plane. I know that Estonia is one of the Baltic States, but I'll have to pull out the atlas and see exactly where it is."
"Uncle Dave is coming with us?" Paige questioned. "And Uncle Spencer?"
"Uncle Spencer definitely," Laurel responded. "He is working on getting his accreditation as a caller with the International Skating Union, and that will be a good place for him to get some practice. Uncle Dave is working with his publisher on his new book and may not be able to join us this time."
"Mom!" Paige complained. "I can't go without Uncle Dave!"
"We'll have to see what happens," Laurel replied patiently. "Now, how are you and Coach Ian coming on your program? I have a feeling you are going to be running into some really stiff competition."