SURPRISES
Locking the bedroom door behind her, Laura crossed the room and slipped quietly into the steamy bathroom. Releasing her hair from its clip, she ran a comb through her hair.
"Elena asked I let you know dinner will be ready in ten," she addressed the man beneath the running water in the shower. Remington's only acknowledgment he'd heard her was a short grunt. "I thought you were going to take a bath?" she tried again.
"I'd intended to until I realized I'd have to sit upon the offended areas," he answered in an accusatory tone. She rolled her eyes.
"You and I both know you brought this on yourself." He pursed his lips, recognizing the truth in what she said, but brushed the thought aside.
"Perhaps. But you'd think one's wife would take pity upon a man after he fell a good two dozen times… in front of his children, no less." She laughed silently and shook her head at his exaggeration.
"Aren't you going a bit overboard?" she questioned, drily. "You didn't fall more than ten… maybe a dozen times. As for your children, they thought you were doing it intentionally." The water turned off and the door to the shower slid open. He stepped out, plucked a towel off the rack and began drying himself.
"When did you intend to tell me Lina took pictures? Hmmm?" She fingered her throat.
"In all honesty? Not for a couple of weeks. By then I'd hoped you'd have put into perspective 'the numerous indignities' you suffered," she answered, echoing the words he'd said a couple hours before.
"My own father literally skated circles around me, Laura! Tell me he wasn't a part of this!"
"He wasn't, at least not wittingly," she assured, then sighed. "Last summer while we were in London, Catherine shared with me the story of when she'd known Thomas was 'the one.'" Despite himself, he found she'd aroused his curiosity.
"Oh?" Hanging the towel neatly over the rack, he left the bathroom and walked to his closet. She followed behind him.
"Not long after they'd met, Catherine had mentioned winter was her favorite season of the year, because the snow covering the countryside made it appear pure and unblemished, while breathing in the frigid air invigorated her. Most important of all, however, was her love of ice skating. When she put on her skates, for just a little while she felt completely free, able to forget, if only for a little while, the responsibilities placed on her shoulders at a young age after the passing of her parents. That winter, Thomas had appeared at her pond, skates in hand. He'd been taking lessons for months to show her that what brought her joy was as important to him as she was." She shrugged her shoulders. "I suppose I wanted you to share with the girls something they enjoy so much." He nodded his head as he tucked his shirt tails into the jeans he'd put on as she talked. Tugging a cardigan off a hanger and picking up a pair of boots, he ushered her towards the bedroom.
"Father's never shared the story with me." He wasn't sure why it bothered him, but it did, something his perceptive wife picked up on immediately. She sat next to him on the edge of the bed.
"The similarities between you and your father are far more than skin deep," she observed thoughtfully. The hands pulling a sock over his foot briefly paused, his curiosity piqued by the statement. Turning his head to look at her, he resumed his task.
"Yes, so you've told me before: Our love of cooking, our mannerisms—" She shook her head slowly.
"That's not what I mean," she cut him off. "Both your pasts hold not only very painful memories, but deeds you both fear will make the other feel less of you." She held up her hand when Remington's lips parted to speak. "I'm not finished," she simply stated then continued, "You and Thomas have spent more than seven years – forgive the pun – forging a bond of steel as father and son. It's time to trust in that bond, don't you think?" She laid a hand on his thigh. "Ask him the things you want to know, whether it's something as simple as when he learned to skate or something as difficult as telling you more about your mother. He'll no more lie to or judge you than you would him." She gave that thigh a squeeze, then stood. "Don't forget, you both already know the only thing that matters: You are loyal, kind and loving men who would, without hesitation, lay their lives down for the people they love. The rest is just pieces of the puzzle that made you who you are today." Leaning down, she pressed a kiss to his cheek before walking to the door.
A corner of her lips tipped up, sight unseen. She knew she probably shouldn't but…
"You might want to take a pillow to sit on, those chairs are pretty hard." Shifting on the bed, he shot her a look that said she lost her mind.
"Remington Steele neither sits upon pillow to cushion aching bones nor allow others to the considerable contusions caused by his cruel wife."
Laughing, she exited the room…
By nine o'clock, the Steele's and guests had scattered: The under 10's were tucked soundly in bed while the youngest were snuggled into cribs and spare beds upstairs until their parents were ready to take the short walk to their townhouses Joselyn and Lina sat on one of the sofas looking over the specs and pictures of the houses Remington had selected to purchase for the foundation, discussing the work that might need to be done and what they would need for inspection, while Laura surprised Sherri with the change in plans for her and Murphy's Agency housing as Mildred oohed and aahed over the impressive home; the tweens and teens had taken over the theater, again as Helena, Francis and Elena had taken over the kitchen to provide the kids - and the men - with an endless flow of snacks and baked goods. And those men? Well, they were ensconced in the smoke-filled game room, split up across two poker tables, toking on cigars while enjoying beverages of the non-virgin variety.
It was a tad after ten when kitchen, game room and living room came to a standstill at the chimes of the doorbell. In the game room, Zeth vaulted to his feet.
"It would seem my surprise has arrived, right on time at that." Remington leapt out of his seat and followed. He'd no idea what Christos had done but he'd made it clear Lina would not like it. Maybe if she found whatever it was unpleasant enough, he could suggest a trade: The film in exchange for aiding her in paybacks. He was so enamored with the plan that a smile lit his face when they cut through the kitchen towards the front door.
"Zeth?!" Laura's surprised greeting reached the kitchen. "What are you doing here?... I mean, come in, come in."
Remington and Christos stepped into the living room just in time to watch Lina bound across the room, nearly knocking her oldest brother over with her exuberant hug.
"What are you doing here?" she echoed Laura's question, then hit him with a rapidfire succession of questions. "Has Calista come as well? The children?" She peered over his shoulder. "Weren't you to spend the entirety of the holiday with her family? How did –" Laughing, Zeth extracted himself from the hug, as Remington joined Laura at her side, trying to figure out what his brothers were about.
"Calista's parents, as you well know, would have been terribly disappointed if she and the children left, so they remain home, whereas they understood why I needed to come. How could I not come to wish well wishes on my little sister when word of her engagement reached me?" Lina's smile abruptly faded at his next words. "And, as Chris reminded, it is our duty…" he nodded in the direction of Remington then Chris "… as your brothers to –".
"Brothers? As in the plural?" Remington challenged, holding up a hand and shaking his head, "Ohhhhhh, no-no-no-no. Leave me out of it. Given I'm the one who must return to LA with Lina, I've no desire to do anything to prick that temper of hers." Zach guffawed.
"You? Afraid of our little Lena?" A step behind Remington, Christos joined in the laughter making him drew up to his full height.
"Of Lina?" He mocked the notion. "Only that she deafen me with her constant squawks and screeches."
"My squawks and screeches?!" Lina demanded, outraged.
"It is not Lina of whom he is afraid," Stavros admonished Zeth, stepping through the front door, overnight and garment bags slung back over a shoulder, allowing the man to point a playful finger towards Laura's nose, "It is our Lara. I can only imagine the punishments she might mete out should Xen step out-of-line, especially in light of the dozen or so men still limping about the village after she put those heels of hers through their toes." Laura laughed warmly, stepping towards him so he could place a chaste kiss on each of her cheeks.
"You're exaggerating," she chided, pretending to mull his statement, tapping a finger against her lip in exaggerated consideration as she stepped back. "There can't be more than eight… maybe, nine…" she drew out the last word, "…who needed a reminder to behave—"
"If you don't include close and extended family members in that count," Christos joined in, drawing another laugh from Laura and shrug.
"If my heel meets your toes, you've no one to blame but yourself. A wise man learns that lesson the first time around, while the foolish…" she eyed her husband,"…still needs reminders to this day."
"Little does my beautiful wife know," said husband grinned down at her and lifted a teasing brow, "I haven't felt my toes since '86."
"Ah, but I've picked up more interesting ways to catch your attention since then," she reposted, in good humor. Pursing his lips, he hummed and nodded his head.
"Which is precisely why I wouldn't s," he rejoined, the lift of his brows daring her to question his veracity. With a grin, he turned his head and offered his hand to Stavros. "Kalos irthate sto spot mas. khairomai pou so blepo, xadelfe."
"Geia sas, xadelfe. einai kalo kai gia essays." They shared a quick hug, Stavros giving him a tri of lung jarring slaps on the back.
"An bhfuil tuairim ar bith agat céard atá i gceist leis na deartháireacha seo de mo chuid?" Remington asked after they separated. The heads of all three of his siblings snapped to the side to regard him, while Laura's brows knitted together, perplexed at first.
"Ní hea, cé go bhfuil amhras orm go bhfuil an duine atá ar tí dul in éineacht le Mikos istigh, go toilteanach nó go toilteanach, mar chuid de." Remington felt a sudden need to escape. Laura gave her head a small shake.
"You've never told me Stavros speaks Gaelic," she accused her husband. Having just stepped out of the kitchen, Murphy propped a hip on the back of the couch where Sherri sat, and, with a huge smile on his face, settled in to see just how far Steele had stuck his foot into something this time.
"Hey, you're not allowed to do that!" Christos was the first to demand.
"Which is why they're not supposed to do that," Zeth passed a hand back and forth between the two men.
"Inis dom nach é sin a cheapann mé atá ann," Remington continued his conversation with Stavros, ignoring the chatter around them.
"Tá go leor a dhéanfainn duit, a chol ceathrar, ach seo ní féidir liom a dhéanamh," Stavros explained. Remington drew a hand through his hair, weighing his options. Either way, he acknowledged, he'd be getting an earful – of the 'they're your family' variety – as soon as they were alone. But why do today what could be put off 'til tomorrow? With that thought in mind, he leaned down until his lips hovered near her ear.
"I was thinking some time in the hot tub with a certain woman would be just what the doctor ordered for my aches and pains." A smile twitched at the corner of her mouth.
"Nothing doing," she refused, the words as good as an announcement she wasn't moving until she figured out precisely what was going on.
She didn't have long to wait. Mikos stepped through the door and immediately on his heels…
Laura blinked, then clarity dawned. Her shoulders stiffened, her back losing its relaxed lines and turning ramrod straight. The worst, though, were the thinned lips. She was utterly furious and the ice cold darts she shot at him with her eyes promised a difficult woman tonight… and, to tell the truth, he was as equally put out. A muscle flexing in his cheek, didn't prevent him from putting a wholly fake smile on his face while offering his hand to one man…
"Mikos, good to see you, cousin. Welcome to our home."
"Thank you and I must say I am impressed, cousin."
…Then with stiff jaw and suspicious eyes and the same, fake smile pasted on, Remington again offered his hand.
"Cousin," the other man greeted.
"Ioseph, welcome." The words tasted like vinegar on his tongue.
"Such an ostentatious display of your wealth is a cardinal sin, or have you forgotten, Xenos?" Ioseph inquired, with a snide edge to his tone, quickly grasping then releasing Remington's hand. Watching her husband's skin blanche – not that anyone but she would notice – Laura's formidable temper was triggered. With a smile as forced as her partner's, she stepped forward and offered Iospeh a cheek at a time to buss.
"I'd have to disagree," Laura shared in a sugary sweet voice that promised he was about to be verbally fileted, not that he had any suspicion… yet. "This home is not an attempt by Xenos to either brag about his wealth or to gain the attentions of others so that they might envy what it is he has. It was designed and built so that family and friends could gather here, spend some uninterrupted time together, Or…" she drew out looking over her shoulder at Thomas, Catherine, Marcos and Elena "…to try to make up for more than two decades of Christmases lost…" then at her husband "…and yearned for. This house, Ioseph, is not about being a display of what Xenos has; If anything it stands as a testament to his gratitude to be surrounded by…" She stumbled then turned to face the room, holding out a hand to indicate Thomas "…The father he once thought he'd never know and is so thankful for…" She moved to point out Catherine "…an unexpected step-mother who not only loves his father but has embraced Xenos and fiercely loves his children." She turned further to her left to nod towards Elena and Marcos. "Your aunt and uncle, who showed taught him humanity and unconditional love and never, once, forgot the son of their hearts when they lost him." She turned again, wagging a dismissive hand first at Christos then at Zeth. "The brothers of his heart…" she glared at each "…although there are times I wonder why." She smiled at Lina. "The little sister who loves, shelters and protects our children…" she snorted "…and is the only person I've ever met that can render Remington Steele silent with just a hush -"
A laugh went up around the room. One look at Remington's face and she knew her temper had led her off into a soliloquy. His pursed lips failed to squelch his bemused smile as he watched a pretty blush steal across her face, showcasing all those freckles for which he still held a weakness.
"Oh, I don't know," he shook his head, looking down at her fondly, recognizing she'd given him the opening to change the trajectory of the room before things became too tense. "Seems to me there's a woman in my life who has long been able to hold me silent simply by stepping into a room." Her eyes sparkled up at him. Uninterested in idle chatter, Ioseph slipped away to greet Helena, Marcos and Elena.
"Only when you're in trouble," she replied, pertly, as her lithe mind rotated through options available to combat Zeth and Christos's scheme, while teaching a trio of men a valuable lesson. "Otherwise," she added drily, "I can never get you to shut up." More laughter filled the room. With a final smile, meant only for him, she drew Lina's attention. "Lina, what do you think about having Jacoby move into the… extra… room here?" Her sister-in-law's lips parted to remind Laura the only empty room in the house was the one designed for Calista and Zeth…
Then it clicked and she gave the slightest nod of her head, telling Laura she understood.
"I think he'd do so gladly. Being in the main house will allow him to work more with Xen on the properties we are considering for the foundation…" A smile lit her face "…and will allow him to be closer to me." Laura nodded her head while sharing a smile with her sister-in-law. Turning, she addressed Bernice.
"Bernice, with Mildred and Rusty gone we have their room—" Bernice didn't even allow her friend to finish. Finished with greeting Ioseph, Helena crossed the room to join the group.
"You don't even have to ask," she assured. "We'd have to drag Bo out of here with one of those snowmobiles of yours, anyway."
"Well, there we have it," she announced with a crisp nod of her head. "Stavros and Mikos can stay in the townhouse where Jacoby currently is and Zeth and Ioseph can stay in Bernice and Jason's townhouse." This time it was Zeth's skin that paled as Christos laughed boisterously at the news.
"This is going even better than planned," he boasted, already imagining all the penance Ioseph would heap upon Zeth's shoulders, for even the most innocent of slips, when they were in such close quarters for anything but a few minutes.
"Me? And Ioseph? You can't be serious," he rejected, sotto voiced. "And what crime is it I've allegedly committed to earn such a sentence?" he demanded to know, eyes shifting between Remington, Laura and Lina. Laura snorted her disdain at his feigned ignorance.
"An educated guess after spending the last eight years with the four of you?" She held up a finger before the group. "One. We all know Ioseph favors Melina as the youngest of the cousins and a female at that." Lina considered denying the charge but simply shifted her weight to one hip then, grinning, lifted and dropped her shoulders in an exaggerated shrug. She always took a bit of pride in the fact she had Ioseph partway wrapped around her little finger. "Two," Laura continued, lifting a second finger, "Lina makes no secret of the fact she enjoys that favoritism, some might say even flaunts it." A tilt of Lina's head was her only reaction, while the brothers hummed in unison and nodded at the truth in Laura's statement. "Three. With Lina now an engaged woman, you're hoping the bloom has worn off the 'baby cousin' rose and he'll be as tough, if not tougher, on her, as he is on you." Christos crossed his arms and his chin ticked up a notch.
"You can hardly blame us," he challenged.
"I understand the urge," she answered truthfully. "I too have been on the wrong side of inequitable doling out of penance by Ioseph," she reminded, then waved off the thought. "But that's neither here nor there right now. Which brings us to four: The two of you thought to spend the remainder of the holiday tossing Lina under the proverbial bus as often as possible while…" she paused to hold up five fingers "…Five, hazing Jacoby."
"All in the name of fun, no malice intended, I assure you, Laura," Christos pled his case.
"Innocent people, such as myself, have a habit of finding themselves in Ioseph's crosshairs when the three of you decide to have 'a bit of fun.' Well, I'm not racking up unjust penance for the holidays." She took a step closer to him. "If I could – which I can't if I don't want to tip off Ioseph that the three of you are up to somethi—"
"Three?!" Remington protested, holding up his hands. "Might I remind you I am an innocent man?" Laura gave him a quelling look. He held those hands up again and dropped them, uninterested in getting on her bad side at the moment.
"As I was saying, if I could, I'd banish you to Bernice and Jason's right along with Zeth." She smiled at the people gathered in the living room behind her, then turned to her errant husband. "As for you, don't think for even a second that I don't know you would have joined right in with these two had the opportunity arisen."
"Ah, but what's important here is I didn't know what they were up to so I can hardly be found guilty for what I've not done." Bloody hell. If the scowl Laura was wearing was any indication, he done what he'd just pledged not to do: He stepped right in it. The way she sashayed a pair of steps to him, and lay a single fingertip on his chest, sent chills up his spine.
"Since you're so confident you would have resisted the urge to engage in the Androkus game, tomorrow morning you'll be going skiing with Ioseph." He openly grimaced then altered to a pout.
"But, Laura," he drew out her name. "That was supposed to be some much needed alone time for the two of us. We'll never have a peaceful moment, never mind a moment alone, with Ioseph yapping at our heels."
"Oh," she began, her words full of mirth, "I won't be going. I have no intention of putting a bullseye on my back. And…" she jabbed that finger at him, still smiling but her eyes glazed with warning, "If you have any thought of tossing me to the lions, remember, I hold the key to the den."
Christos guffawed at the threat, Zeth was seized by a fit of coughing, Lina and Helena laughed openly – with pity, nonetheless, to Remington's horror – while he felt his ears grow bright red. Gathering himself, he glowered at his two brothers.
"Splendid way to ruin an otherwise perfect holiday."
"If it makes you feel any better," Laura cut in, "Feel free to throw Christos under the bus as much as you wish when you're with Ioseph."
"Wait. What? Ti sto diáolo, Laura?! It was Zeth's idea!"
"Yes. I would have expected it from you, but not from Zeth. Which is why when you take Ioseph into Vail and show him around before picking up the grocery order tomorrow afternoon, you can feel free to serve up any of Zeth's shenanigans to Ioseph." Zeth's jaw slackened, then he pulled himself up to his full height with resolve.
"I will not be participating in this game of yours, Laura," he informed her.
"It's not a game. It's an attempt to teach the three of you that there is a time and a place for these games, but that is not over the holidays while your sister is celebrating her very recent engagement and the place is not here. And, oh, I'm sure you'll participate." Her eyes slanted towards Helena. "Helena, how would Calista feel to discover Zeth rushed here, leaving her home alone during the holidays with the kids, in order to give Melina a hard time rather than celebrating with her?" Helena hadn't needed to say a word. Coloring draining from his skin, he arrived to that conclusion on his own.
"And Xen? I suppose he's exempt from this little game of yours?" Remington grinned smugly.
"I seem to recall only finding out myself minutes ago what the pair of you were up to so, of course –"
"No, he's not," Laura deadpanned. Remington looked at her aghast.
"You must be joking!" he insisted.
"Oh, but I'm not. As previously stated, you may not have known what they were up to but you would have been in the thick of it as soon as you found out. Now, the rules—"
"I thought this wasn't a game," Zeth groused, crossing his arms.
"Again, as previously stated, it's a lesson. Be careful, however. Lina, Helena, Calista and I will decide whether the loser is the person being told most upon because obviously they've been up to no good or the loser is the person who sells out their brother most often, because obviously they have forgotten little matters like family loyalty and putting aside pettiness to celebrate their sister's engagement. Now," she waved a hand in feigned disgust, "…Have at it. Lina, Helena and I are going to enjoy a glass of wine while discussing wedding plans." She leveled each man with a disapproving look, then spun on her heel, Helena and Lina mimicking her and doing the same.
By the time they returned to their original seats in the living the three were snickering, while the three men remained grouped together by the entry.
Bernice keyed in to something afoot.
"Laura, what have you done?" Laura stopped laughing, and pressed a hand to her chest.
"What have I done?" she asked with feigned innocence.
"Yes, you." Laura let the pretense go.
"Since they were determined to stir up a little trouble with these games of theirs, I merely changed the rules of the game." Bernice looked at the men who were now talking animatedly between themselves.
"My boys and their mischiefs," Elena lamented.
"Don't worry, Mama," Lina comforted, "After what Laura's done, mischief will no longer be their companion, rather it will be self-preservation."
"I most enjoyed when Laura informed each of them they would be escorting Ioseph throughout the day during his stay," Helena laughed, merrily.
"Agapite kyrie, aux Marcos t echei ta car the gemata. Marcos will have his hands full," Elena worried.
"Papa will make Ioseph behave and we will have a wonderful holiday!" Melina predicted optimistically. Laura wasn't too sure about that, but it should be at least less chaotic than Christos and Zeth had intended.
"Maybe not for Jacoby," Helena commented wryly. Lina's head snapped around to hone her attention on her sister-in-law.
"Why not for Jacoby?" she demanded to know.
"Laura didn't restrict them from hazing him." Lina blinked a pair of times, then looked to Laura who held up her hands in self-defense.
"They're your brothers," she emphasized the last. "There's nothing I can do to stop what they see as their brotherly duty." Shifting on the couch, she tucked her feet beneath herself. "If I were you, I'd just sit back and enjoy it and remember every time Jacoby did something to irritate you."
"If how hard they are on Jacoby is based on Lina's temper, they'll be… what you call it? Hazing?... Jacoby until we leave," Helena commented laughingly, the women around her joining.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Lina demanded to know. Laura checked out of the conversation and slanted her eyes towards the men still fussing between themselves near the entry.
"Now, look what the two of you've done," Remington accused. "Laura's going to make me pay for this in some form or fashion until the new year, I can promise you that." He slapped Christos hard enough on the upper hand, to move the solid man. "Don't worry, Christos. I won't be sharing a one of your misdeeds. I've no intention of finding out what my wife's prize is to the…" he cleared his throat "…uh, winner." With that he turned to return to the game room and the poker game he'd been enjoying before the bell rang.
"Well, little brother, I warned you we'd never get away with it," Zeth reminded. He'd been vociferous about there being hell to pay should Laura discover their little game. "Not here even five minutes and we've not only been found out, but neatly trapped in a game of her own making." He gave his taller, larger brother a heart slap on his other arm. "I'd be worried, were I you." Christos looked at his brother, askance.
"And why should you worry about me? You heard Xen, he intends to say not a word of my transgressions," he smirked.
"Nor I of his. You, however, little brother, don't' know how to keep your mouth shut. I may do the penance for what you reveal, but it will be you who receives our Laura's prize." With a guffaw, Zeth followed Remington down the hallway, leaving Christos to try to figure a way out…