Wednesday, December 15th, Jeremy's home:
"Man this sucks. Do you guys really have to leave today?" Jeremy almost whined.
"Yeah." Happy nodded. "The Christmas ball always falls on the Saturday before Christmas. So this will give us a couple of days to get over the jet lag." Happy sighed. "But, I'll have my laptop so we can video chat each day."
"I won't once we leave Saturday. I can only use it for school work." Jeremy complained.
"Well, I'll leave mine connected so if you can convince them to let you call me you'll be able to." Happy grinned.
"Actually we discussed it last night, guys." Mrs Bottoms told them. "As long as the Dineens say it is okay, you can have one hour before our dinner time. So from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. you can visit over the internet."
"Really?" Jeremy looked at his Mom as she nodded with a smile.
"Thanks Mom." Jeremy told her quickly.
"Thank you and Good night Mr and Mrs Bottoms, hope you have a wonderful Christmas." Happy told them as she stood up to leave.
"Oh, are you leaving already? I thought you'd be here a little longer." Mrs Bottoms said as she stood. "I hope you have a safe trip over and back and a wonderful time in Ireland."
"Thank you." Happy waved as Jeremy walked with her to the front door.
As Jeremy kissed Happy on the porch he decided to press his luck and pushed his tongue out and against Happy's lips.
Happy grinned a bit but let his tongue slip past her lips.
They kissed for several minutes before Happy broke the kiss off. She grinned at him and winked.
"Don't forget me." Jeremy told her.
"Like that is possible." Happy told him before walking out to the SUV with her agents.
Mr and Mrs Bottoms watched from behind the curtain of the front room window.
"You know, I'm glad that girl has those agents." Mr Bottoms told his wife. "Hopefully it'll keep them from going too far and doing something that will hinder their lives."
"You're terrible." Mrs Bottoms told him.
"Terrible for not wanting a grandchild right now?" Mr Bottoms asked.
"No for even thinking they would try and do that already." Mrs Bottoms told him.
"Ha…you don't remember teen boys." Mr Bottoms laughed.
They watched Jeremy standing outside just watching as the SUV drove away and then finally disappeared.
"Maybe we should have gone to Thanksgiving dinner with the Dineens and met them. Mom would have missed Jeremy, but he could have gone with them." Mrs Bottoms sighed leaning into her husband.
"Right, go eat with snooty people, and like we could afford that." Mr Bottoms sighed.
"Hey, we have a good home in a very nice neighborhood. You provide for all our needs and most of our wants. Besides, as a big time diplomat they probably fly in a private plane, no extra cost." Mrs Bottoms told him. "And as polite and every thing as Happy is, there is no way they are snooty. Stop judging them without knowing them."
Mr Bottoms sighed as he nodded.
"Maybe, but I'm still only making about half what I should." Mr Bottoms reminded her.
"That isn't your fault. You had no choice but to accept the deal." Mrs Bottoms told him as she kissed his cheek.
Saturday, December 18th, 2004, Dineen home Callan:
"Fine!" Happy yelled at Toby. "If you don't want to be my escort to the ball, then don't be." Happy turned and stormed up the stairs.
"I didn't say I didn't want to be your escort Happy." Toby called up to her.
"I'm sure one of the marines would be more than happy to escort me." She shouted down the stairs before slamming her bedroom door.
Toby sighed.
"What's the problem?" Ralph asked as he walked down the hall from his study.
"Happy never said or even hinted that she wanted me to be her escort. I figured with Jeremy in the picture she'd rather not, since he has a problem with me. So when she asked me a moment ago, I just asked if she thought that would be a good idea." Toby explained.
Ralph sighed even as he nodded and started climbing the stairs.
"Happy?" Ralph knocked on her door.
Happy sighed.
"Come in." Happy called out.
"What's going on?" Ralph asked as he stepped into her room.
Happy sighed even as Ralph walked on over and sat on the edge of her.
"I wish I was still small enough to crawl onto your lap like I did five years ago." Happy said softly.
"You're my child, if you ever need comfort, you are more than welcome to sit on my lap." Ralph smiled.
Happy moved over quickly and sat down on his leg and leaned back against his chest as Ralph wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
"What's going on?" Ralph asked after a minute of Happy just sitting there with her arms curled around his left arm.
"Why do boys have to be so difficult?" Happy sighed.
"Are you speaking of one boy in particular?" Ralph smiled as he kissed the top of her head.
"Why can't Jeremy understand that Toby is just my friend?" Happy asked.
"Is Toby just your friend?" Ralph asked gently.
"Of course he is. I mean, he is special to me. But we're just friends." Happy told him.
"Maybe it is the special part he doesn't like. But regardless of that, pumpkin. Lots of people have insecurities and jealousies." Ralph chuckled. "Remember Walter when he has to allow Paige to dance with the sons of the other diplomats?"
"You could have fried an egg on his head. He was so mad about that. Not to mention faking that Paige had a broken leg that one time." Happy laughed.
"Did you ask Jeremy if he would have a problem with Toby escorting you?" Ralph asked.
"No." Happy bit her lip. "I didn't want to hear him questioning my relationship with Toby, again." Happy sighed. "I mean, we're always surrounded by my detail, even if I'm with you guys. I just don't understand what he thinks we could do in a situation like that. Not that we even think about that."
"Sweetheart." Ralph kissed her head again. "It isn't what you two could do in that situation that he fears. He fears what I fear with you and any boy. And that is the simple act of growing closer together emotionally."
"Did you feel that way with Paige?" Happy asked.
"Of course I did. I almost turned down this posting because I really didn't want to be someplace long enough for her to get to know any boys. But Ireland is where I wanted to live for most of my life." Ralph laughed. "She sure got me back though." Ralph sighed happily. "When I saw her in that hospital room after Walter had saved her from Thomas and Conner, oh the stars in both their eyes when they looked at each other. Her first full day in Callan and she'd found the one boy that would change her world completely. Not to mention he was lying there with a busted up hand, could barely see and he was ready to challenge me because I got upset at her for not using her panic button."
Happy laughed.
"Reminds me of when Drew grabbed Paige's butt the second time. Walter just came unglued as he leaped up, out of the seat. Didn't matter that Drew was bigger than he was." Happy said as she could see it in her mind as it all happened again.
"Pretty much. You know Toby is just worried if he escorts you that it will cause Jeremy to be upset, maybe even break up with you. Toby just doesn't want to cause you pain, of any kind. He's more than willing to escort you if that is what you want." Ralph told her.
"Yeah, I blew up at him for no reason. I guess I better go apologize so we both can get ready." Happy smiled. "Thanks Daddy."
"You're welcome pumpkin." Ralph kissed the top of her head before she got up.
"Toby." Happy said as she stepped into the family room. "I'm sorry for getting mad at you earlier. I know you weren't rejecting me."
"That's okay, I know it is a tough situation." Toby said as he stood.
"No, it isn't okay. I shouldn't have gotten mad. You didn't do or say anything wrong. You were just making sure I was thinking it through." Happy told him.
"If you want me to, I'd be honored to escort you to the ball." Toby said as he stepped up.
"Just for future reference, when I tell you I want you to do something or ask if you will do something, that means I've considered everything. Even Jeremy and his feelings. If he can't understand that you are my…friend, then that's too bad. I'm not giving up what we have to make him feel secure in our relationship." Happy told him.
"I'm glad you and I are…friends." Toby smiled.
"Good, then go get dressed while I get ready too." Happy grinned.
"Come on Happy." Ralph called up the stairs as he looked at his watch. Everyone else had already been ready to go for almost ten minutes. "How can someone who hates getting dolled up so much still take so long to get ready?" Ralph asked Veronica exasperatedly.
Veronica just laughed.
"I'm coming Daddy." Happy said as she turned the corner and began walking down the stairs.
All five sets of eyes were staring at her as she descended the stairs. Happy had once again gotten into it hot and heavy with the Embassy's office of Protocol again. But this time she hadn't told anyone but Paige what she'd be wearing.
Happy grinned at the stunned looks on their faces looking at her in the knee-length dress with heels. They'd never seen Happy in heels and a dress before. Happy had asked Louise to modify the dress for her before she had it shipped over to Ireland. Louise had cut it into diagonal strips and then dyed it with all the colors of a rainbow as Happy had asked. Then she'd sewn the pieces back together again.
Paige gasped, staring at her.
"Happy! That was a four thousand dollar original Azzedine Alaïa." Paige gasped again.
"It still is sis, technically." Happy grinned as she shrugged her shoulders. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and took hold of the gown by her thighs. She pulled the sides of the dress up so the hem was to her mid thigh and then twirled for the five of them. "Do you like it?"
"You look amazing." Toby said as his mouth hung open. Slowly his hands raised her black jacket up so she could slip her arms in.
"Thank you." Happy grinned.
"Who modified it for you?" Paige asked as they settled into the SUV.
"I asked Aunt Louise. She said she'd be happy to, she told me to make sure I bought it a size bigger so there'd be material to work with. So I sent it to her over a month ago." Happy said as their parents' SUV began moving.
"Does Mom know how much that dress cost?" Walter asked.
Happy shook her head.
"Oh man…Happy, don't ever tell her. She'll be very upset, she'd have never agreed to do that to a perfectly fine dress, especially after spending that much money on it." Walter told her.
"I can't believe it." Paige said again as their SUV took off. "I mean, I know it was your money, but still. What did the office of Protocol say?"
Happy smirked.
"Well I sent them a link to the dress I wanted. After all the arguing we went through they were so relieved I settled on a real dress. They approved the design instantly when they saw it." Happy laughed. "They just said it couldn't be white. So, I didn't tell them I planned to have it rainbow colored."
The woman in charge of the dress code for the office of Protocol stood back behind the photographers, watching as each car arrived and the people who stepped out. She smiled each time they did. She smiled seeing Ralph and Veronica emerge from their SUV and then Louise and Sean. As the next SUV pulled up she was really pleased. Happy had been her biggest problem when it came to the dress code. She had been involved in many discussions about what she had finally allowed Happy to wear. This was the one time she'd go into work the next day with her head held high.
As the photographers moved about to get pictures at different angles, her eyes went wide seeing Happy standing there posing in the rainbow dress. She wanted to cuss so bad. Happy had pulled the wool over her eyes. Happy had fought and argued with her so much that she hadn't even questioned it when Happy asked if the dress was acceptable. She was elated to see Happy looking at something so stylish and elegant. Other than telling her it couldn't be white, she never dreamed…She sighed at the conversations she knew she was going to have to be part of next week.
Friday, December 31, 2004, Dineen Cambridge home:
Since they had spent the last two weeks apart. Jeremy's parents had told him he could go to their family's New Year eve party. They couldn't agree with him spending the night as they talked to Ralph on the phone so he promised he'd have Jeremy home by 1 a.m.
Jeremy walked the four blocks from his house to the Dineens. After climbing the first set of steps from the main walk to the top of the Dineen yard he stepped to the side and looked at the driveway. He frowned seeing Toby's car there. The pictures of him arriving with Happy at the Embassy and then dancing with her that had been in the society paper had really irked him.
Jeremy climbed the next six steps to the porch and then pressed the doorbell.
Happy opened the door with a big grin and pulled him into her arms and hugged him tightly.
Not wanting to upset Happy he quickly hugged her back.
"It is so good being back with you." Happy said and then kissed him before he could say anything.
Jeremy swallowed hard and then was surprised that Happy French kissed him.
"I'm really glad you are home. I really missed you." Jeremy grinned back at her as they broke their kiss and then moved into the house.
It was just family and a few friends there. Jeremy got to meet Cabe.
As the youngest, Sylvester, Happy and Jeremy spent most of the evening together. Sylvester got to demonstrate his math proficiency after he thanked Walter for the lesson plan he'd written up for Sylvester's teachers. Everyone gave him various numbers and equations to calculate.
Walter smiled, nodding his head with each answer.
Sylvester proudly displayed his college reports for his advanced math classes, duly impressing everyone.
At one point Toby walked into the kitchen to get some more dessert. As he opened the fridge to get it out he heard someone clear their throat.
"Hey Jeremy." Toby smiled. "Hope you had a good Christmas. Did you want some pie too?" Toby asked as he closed the fridge.
"What I want is for you to stay away from Happy." Jeremy told him from between clenched teeth.
"Oh, you do?" Toby said as he sat the pan on the counter. "You do realize we're just friends, right?"
"Yeah right, you're just an old creepy pervert. Stay away from her." Jeremy told him.
"Oh that hurts." Toby said, smiling as he continued getting a piece of the pie. "I'm not a pervert, or creepy and I am far from old, but to a young mind I suppose I could seem old." Toby looked back over his shoulder at Jeremy. "You know Happy and I have been friends for over four years? Does she know how jealous you are?"
"I'm not jealous." Jeremy lied.
"You do know what I do for a living right?" Toby continued to look at him. "I can read you like a newspaper. You have no skill in hiding your tells. Just trying to be honest with you here, if Happy finds out about you being this upset and jealous, she's going to be upset. She might even kick you to the curb."
"Stay away from her, I'm warning you." Jeremy said before he quickly left the room.
Walter walked into the kitchen as Toby was putting the pie back in the fridge.
"What was that all about?" Walter asked.
"Jeremy, he's jealous of my friendship with Happy." Toby smiled.
"He better watch it or Happy's going to end their friendship." Walter told him.
"That's what I said." Toby laughed.
Greetings! I hope this finds you all well! We're at a slight pause as we switch over to "Lady Aine" for a few chapters next. Then back at least for 10 chapters of "Callan". The Muse has still been rather silent, so not sure about after. I can continue "Callan" beyond that for a bit, but...Just hoping to get the rest of 2005 written first.
Railman - hehe Yep, definitely was a tip of the hat to "A Knight's Tale"! hehe Did you notice the name of the event? King Raynold? lol Happy definitely likes Jeremy, maybe not his dislike for Toby. Hope he takes Toby's advice...Where is Happy and Jeremy headed? Well, chapter 77 might have some insight on that...
Pearliegirl - lol Well I don't know about that, if Paige wanted to go, I'm sure Walter will, provided they don't have commitments for something else. But since the event runs for half the year or so I'd imagine they could find time to be there at some point. lol I'll do my best at keeping an open mind over it...but, we'll have to wait and see. Jeremy is still in the running for now. lol You're welcome. The last thing I want to do is act like I know the rules of grammar. LOL I constantly am double checking things as I write.
LouBe - hehe Glad you liked the opening. lol Poor Paige, has to even corral her own Dad at times. lol Yup, Walter had some fun, he was with Paige, he'll always have fun with her. lol Ah...see now...The wee-willy doesn't know fear or embarrassment. The wee-willy just loves to rise up and "look around" to cause embarrassment...lol Yep, this version of Toby has certainly changed, really looking forward to the future with him. Now that would have been amazing for Paige to have done some kind of song with the Bard that was at the faire. I do hope Ralph keeps all his heart appointments! lol You are welcome for the age guide! You know in the Pilot of the show the partner of Cabe called him "Rainman" who in the movie I guess could have been called an "idiot savant". I just never saw Sylvester that way, he had an amazing math aptitude but I never thought it was like "instantaneous"...he still needed to learn the steps, his proficiency was in how quickly he could apply the formulas. At least that is how I approached this story. Hope it still works for you!
To the Adventure! -Tim