My apologies to anyone who came to read chapter 44 yesterday and instead found chapter 85 of Lady Knight. LOL Still not sure how I did that but after about 15 minutes and LK hadn't been updated I knew something wasn't right and quickly fixed it. I know at least 1 of you did and thank you for messaging me! -Tim
Sean shook his head at Walter as he left with Louise to go to the store. At first he'd been dead set against allowing the kids this time to do things they should have to be married for to do. Louise had waited until he was all the way in the back paddock to tell him about the deal that her and Veronica worked out with Paige. She knew how he would react and she wanted a good solid distance between them and anyone who could possibly over hear them. And she was right, he began blustering and swearing and stomping around, but after listening to his complaining, Louise put her foot up his butt over it. Figuratively speaking of course. Using his own behavior against him.
While Louise hadn't really minded, he still always initiated sex with her before they were married. The first time was just a few months before he was sent by a judge to serve in the army. She had only been sixteen and he was eighteen, technically statutory rape. He'd even gotten her pregnant about a month before their wedding. His Mom had asked Louise if he really thought he was kidding anyone by saying that his newborn who weighed in at eight and a half pounds was a month premature. Louise had just blushed and laughed.
Then Ralph showed up and had a long talk with him over it. He had to give him credit. Part of Sean's worry was over how it would impact their friendship. And at first he thought Ralph was insane accepting this so easily. If it had been Megan, he'd have been out of his mind. But Louise and Ralph had made good points over all and he finally came around.
He sat down to talk to Walter and Paige with Louise. Ralph had been right in wanting to be sure that they understood that while they as parents weren't happy about it, they wanted them to know they were in their corner to help.
Paige looked at Walter as the door shut behind Louise and Sean.
"Don't you have something to do up in your loft?" Paige asked him.
Walter stood up and walked into the kitchen.
"Is that what you call it? Doing something?" Megan snickered.
Paige laughed as she shook her head.
"No, that's just my code for him to leave the house so we can talk." Paige told her.
Megan frowned even as they heard the backdoor screen slam shut.
"What do you want to talk about instead of going to spend quality time alone with Walter?" Megan continued frowning.
"I wanted to talk with you about Billy!" Paige said excitedly.
Megan blushed instantly.
"What could you possibly want to talk about concerning him?" Megan asked even as she picked at her teeth with her fingernail.
"Sis, come on. You had your big date at his apartment. No one around…nothing to distract, passions." Paige pried while grinning.
"Paige!" Megan said as her cheeks went red.
"Come on sis, talk to me. It isn't really like I can sit and talk with either of our Moms about sex. And I can't talk to any of the girls at school without getting my name trashed. You guys did make love didn't you?" Paige asked.
Megan blushed deeper but slowly nodded her head.
"Hey Walter." Happy called out as she began climbing the ladder to the loft.
"Happy?" Walter replied and then saw her head come up. "How did you know we weren't up here doing…something?"
Happy giggled.
"I saw you come out here by yourself with your head down. I couldn't imagine you coming out here to spend time alone with Paige like that." Happy told him as she sat down on a hay bale.
Walter nodded.
"What did you want to talk about?" Walter asked.
"Why didn't you ever challenge school? You are far more intelligent than I am." Happy asked.
"I didn't see a point in it to start with. No one believed that I was smart. Most of them thought I was a bragging idiot. So trying to get them to give me a test seemed futile. And this way I can study what I really want." Walter told her as he showed her his books on quantum physics.
Happy nodded.
"I want to go to MIT when Paige and I graduate." Happy told him.
Walter looked up at her in surprise.
"Really? I thought you wanted to do your associates here at Dublin University?" Walter asked.
"I kind of did, but mainly because Paige is talking about doing her two years there. I thought maybe you guys could look at some of the American colleges and pick one of them instead." Happy smiled. "Then we could go together. Dad could get us a really nice place to live together. Toby thought that I should consider MIT only."
Walter sat there for a moment as he thought about it.
"I'm not going to go to college, I'll be working on building capital for Scorpion. But you're still two grades behind Paige." Walter finally spoke.
"I'm going to challenge the school's coursework for the next two years so next Fall I'll be in the same grade as Paige." Happy explained.
"Huh, well don't forget they also got to gauge your maturity factor not just your knowledge." Walter reminded her.
"You don't think I'm mature enough?" Happy looked pointedly at him.
"I didn't say that. But it isn't me you have to impress. If it hadn't been for Dad pushing I am not sure they'd have moved you up those four grades already." Walter told her. "And Mom wasn't happy about it. She's going to see this as you trying to get away from her as quickly as you can. She's going to wonder what she did wrong to hurt your feelings."
Happy frowned as she thought about it.
"You really think so?" Happy asked.
Walter nodded.
"Is this really about going to MIT? Or is this really about Toby?" Walter asked.
Happy made a face.
"Gross, no. I mean sure, he's interesting and stuff but I'm not interested in anything beyond talking about ideas and stuff. I don't want to hurt Mom's feelings." Happy sighed as she thought that over.
"Mom?" Happy said quietly as she sat beside her at the piano as Veronica listened to her practice.
"Yes baby?" Veronica smiled.
Happy's fingers slowed to a stop and she half turned to look at her Mom.
"You know I love you right?" Happy asked.
Veronica smiled and nodded.
"And I hope you know I love you too kiddo." Veronica said as she reached out and adjusted a lock of hair over Happy's ear.
Happy looked down for a moment.
"What's going on with you Happy?" Veronica asked.
"I didn't stop to consider what it could seem like when I pressed you and Dad to get me moved ahead in my schooling." Happy said softly.
"What do you mean?" Veronica asked as she lifted Happy's chin.
"I don't want you to think I'm just wanting to grow up quickly and to get away from you. I really love you. I just don't feel challenged by what they offer." Happy explained.
Veronica smiled with misty tears in her eyes.
"I know baby, it's okay." Veronica told her.
"Well I don't know if Dad told you yet, but I asked him the other day if he'd consider pushing to get me advanced to Paige's grade starting next fall. I just really feel like I'm being held back. Even being taught four levels higher than I am." Happy explained.
Veronica looked down for a moment and then looked back up at Happy.
"Sweetie, if you honestly feel like you are being held back, then we'll fight with everything we have for you to be advanced. I would be sad, especially if it leads to you seeking out an order of emancipation and moving out sooner. But sweetie, I would never think it is because you wanted to get away from me. I don't want you holding back on what you can do because of me. I want you to do what you need to do, safely of course." Veronica explained.
"So you would be okay, if I wanted, with me going to MIT after graduating?" Happy asked cautiously.
"MIT? As in Massachusetts…in the US?" Veronica asked in shock.
"Yes Ma'am. Provided Walter and Paige are going to move to the US for her college." Happy said slowly.
Veronica sat stunned for a moment.
"I'm not sure I'm ready for that far away. You'd only be twelve if you did this. I thought you were going to go on to the University of Dublin for your associates?" Veronica asked.
"Well that was the original plan, but one of my professors has said he thinks I'd do well at MIT. And Toby said he'd be happy to help look after me. And no, we're not interested in each other that way." Happy explained quickly.
"Oh dear, okay, I'm going to need some more time to think about this then Happy. Can we table this conversation for a while?" Veronica asked quietly.
Happy nodded.
"I'm sorry Mom. I didn't mean to cause you any stress." Happy said as she hugged her Mom.
"No, you are talking to me about what is important to you and I really appreciate you doing that Happy. I want you to always feel comfortable and able to speak with me about anything. Let's go ahead and finish your lesson." Veronica smiled after hugging her back.
Happy nodded as she turned back to the piano. Her hands rose up to the keys as she began playing "Prelude and Fugue No.1 in C Major". Veronica smiled as she ran her hand down the back of Happy's head as she played.
"Ralph, how could you not tell me what Happy had asked you?" Veronica asked as they lay in bed that night.
Ralph's eyes closed as he sighed.
"Sweetheart, I'm still trying to get my head around it myself. I didn't want to hit you with it until then. I've barely been keeping it together. I mean I get it, I understand what she means. The school work is just too simple for her. It would be like us going to first grade and trying to endure the class as a student. She's just so intelligent, just like Walter. But at the same time she's just a little young lady that hasn't a clue of the horrors beyond our door. I figured as soon as I could come to grips with it, then I could hopefully tell you. Why did she bring it up?" Ralph asked.
Veronica sighed.
"After we finished her piano lesson she said that Walter was worried that she might give me the impression that she was wanting to get away from me. So she felt she needed to talk to me about it." Veronica told him.
"Did she really say she wanted to go to MIT?" Ralph asked dejectedly.
"She really did. If Walter and Paige were to go, of course. She mentioned that…that Toby said he'd help make sure she was okay." Veronica told him.
Ralph's eyes went wide.
"Ah hah, now we know what is going on. The little pervert is trying to get his claws in our girl." Ralph said as he tried to get out of bed.
Veronica grabbed his arm and kept him from getting up.
"Where do you think you are going?" Veronica asked.
"To let the Secret Service know so they can watch out for this creep." Ralph told her.
"No, you aren't. It might be a scary situation but I don't believe he means any ill and we're only talking about the possibility right now." Veronica demanded.
"You mean you are okay with this?" Ralph asked incredulously.
"Of course I'm not okay with this, right now. But maybe in two more years I could be. But not by herself, only in the context that she was living with Walter and Paige." Veronica sighed.
"Or us?" Ralph asked softly.
"You mean, give up Ireland and move back to the US? But this has been your dream since you were a boy." Veronica asked, completely shocked.
Ralph shrugged.
"Dreams change and by then we'll have been here for five years. Plus we could always keep our home and after Happy has graduated we could always move back." Ralph told her.
"You've never looked sexier than you do right now Ralphie." Veronica purred.
"Hey Grease Monkey." Toby typed into the chat window of the MSN messenger.
Happy smiled at him unwittingly using her Secret Service code name.
"Hey Doc. Finally come up for air? How was the date?" Happy asked.
Toby laughed.
"The date was good, but then I got pulled into a huge forty car pile up caused by dense fog on the 93. This is the first chance I've had to be on the computer since our last chat." Toby replied.
"Oh wow, I'm sorry. That must have been really rough." Happy typed back.
"It's okay Happy. Of course Amy is really mad at me. I didn't get a chance to call her after the date. She left me a spectacularly nasty voicemail." Toby told her.
"She knew you were an intern right? Surely if she is wanting to be a microgenetist she could put 2 and 2 together and realize you had been called away for a medical emergency." Happy typed back.
"Eh, I can't blame her. She wasn't too crazy about going out with someone a year younger than her in the first place. Probably just figured I was too immature like she originally thought." Toby laughed.
"That's no reason to assume the worst." Happy typed back but paused before hitting enter. "I talked to my sister's boyfriend today. About the three of us moving to the US when I graduate secondary." Happy finished and hit enter.
"True enough. And that is great, was he receptive?" Toby asked back.
"Yes and no. He's okay with the idea provided my sister and parents are." Happy typed.
"And how do you suppose they would react?" Toby asked.
"Well, Paige might be okay with it, she's still very attached to the idea of being here and not moving around. Mom wasn't as against it as I figured she'd be. But she wants time to think about it. But that is almost two years away. Provided the school lets me challenge the next two years and I pass so next year I start the equivalent of my senior year." Happy typed back.
"Well you know you'd pass, you are too intelligent not too." Toby typed back.
"I know, but like Walter said, it also depends on if they think the student is mature enough." Happy told him.
"Well my expert opinion is that you are very mature for your age. Oh I found out something interesting after we talked last." Toby typed.
"Thanks. That's how you are going to leave it?" Happy asked.
"Well I found it so interesting how you know all about my police and juvie records. And then I get a visit from the Secret Service asking about how my records had gotten expunged." Toby smiled as he hit enter.
At first Happy was mad and then embarrassed. And then she sat there trying to decide how to respond.
"It isn't like I think you did it." Happy read from Toby.
"But I seriously doubt you are shocked by the fact that they were deleted." Toby typed.
"After all, you are just so intelligent. I bet you could help me figure it out if I really wanted to know." Happy read next.
"I'm not sure, but yeah, I probably could help you figure it out. If you really wanted to know and I really wanted to help you. But big brother is always watching and I'd hate to get someone in trouble." Happy finally typed back.
Toby grinned. He knew by her typing big brother she was admitting that her sister's boyfriend was the one, but most people would only see it as meaning the government could be watching.
"Yeah, that's kind of what I thought. I'd hate to think they were so skilled they could trash my credit score or something. After all, why would they do this for someone they don't know? Doesn't make sense." Toby typed back.
"Maybe it is one of those pay it forward type things. So the next prostate exam you have to do, you can't charge for it. haha" Happy grinned.
"Oh, you are just so wrong, girl." Toby typed.
Greetings! I hope this finds you all well!
Railman - lol Yeah all true. But will Toby? lol I have my doubts.
Susan - So glad you enjoyed their conversation! Certainly a better conversation than the last one they had out in the pastures...LOL
Pearliegirl - Yep...I didn't want to follow that part of the backstory of the show but Callan demanded it. What can ya do?
Margaret - I agree, I can only believe it would have to hit a Mother much harder than a Father. Not to say it like it is a bad thing, but given everything a woman goes through to bring that child into the world. Part of what guided the talks between Walter and Ralph in Lady Knight. When that episode of the story aired I was really disappointed in how they wrote Cabe and how he reacted to Amanda's death, but then I remembered what I had seen around me. And I knew some guys reacted as he did so while it was a real possible reaction, it still was disappointing for me. I'm sorry your husband wasn't there for you during that time.
Lucy - So glad to see you back! Will probably be a while before you see this, you've got a lot of ground to cover! hehe Good thing there is only 1 more chapter for now.
To the Adventure! -Tim