Chapter 1

"Mom! I'm so glad you're here!" Lynnette nearly squealed as she saw her mother enter Dave's home. Both mother and daughter hugged and Diana kissed her daughter on the cheek.
"I'm happy to see you too darling," Diana said, as she hugged her youngest close.
When the greetings were over Lynnette turned in Dave's direction. "Mom, I would like to introduce you to David Rossi, my fiancé."
"It's very nice to meet you Mr. Rossi," Diana said shaking Dave's hand.
The two stared at each other like predators circling. Diana's look was accessing her daughter's supposed fiancé and she liked what she saw so far. He was certainly handsome enough, even if he was at least a decade older then her daughter, not that that really mattered nowadays. He was also properly dressed in expensive but casual clothes, from good brand names and that Diana definitely approved of. He also didn't have an earring or nose ring that some people used even today. He did have a beard when most men didn't in this day and age, but that didn't really matter so long, as he was a good person.
"It's very nice to meet you Mrs. Reid," Dave said with a twinkle in his eyes. "I've wanted to meet you for a while and thank you for raising such an amazing daughter whom I love very much."
"So, my children have told me," Diana said. "And so long as you remember to treat her right..."
"She has become very important to me in a very short time," Dave said his sincerity obvious. "She is my world. I never imagined that I would fall in love again."
"So, you've been married before," Diana asked.
"No, me and Letty never had a chance to get that far," Dave explained great pain in his eyes. "She was murdered shortly after we met. We had only been dating for a few weeks when she was taken from me, so we never had a chance to get married or have children. I never imagined I would feel this way about anyone again until I met Lynnette."
Sincerity was practically oozing off Dave, which Diana could sense, so she relaxed slightly.
Dave didn't tell Diana that Lynnette was Letty from so long ago and she had finally been reincarnated. He was utterly thrilled to finally have her back at his side.
For one thing, he doubted that Diana Reid believed in something so fantastic as immortality or reincarnation. She was a literature professor after all, so she probably didn't believe in such things. It had been great trouble to get Spencer to believe in something like immortality and Dave had no doubt that Spencer was a great deal like his mother, since his father had hardly been positive influence on any of his children.
Besides, his new son-in-law was stubborn enough and certainly intelligent enough to turn out exactly the opposite of the father who had abandoned his family, even if before that event, Spencer had had a somewhat different personality, more like his father than his mother. Over time those personality changes, if any, would've become ingrained into Spencer's personality to where he was like he was today.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Diana said knowing she had brought up some painful memories for her daughter's new fiancé.
"It was a long time ago, back when I was much younger," Dave said. "I'm actually looking forward to the future for the first time in a very long time. I have your son to thank for introducing us and I will always be grateful."
"That kind of pain of losing someone you love is always with us. Congratulations on your engagement," Diana finally said accepting Dave as her future son-in-law.
Lynnette stepped forward now that the confrontation seemed to be over, not that it had been much of one.
"See mom, I told her you would like Dave," Lynnette told her mother pointedly.
"It's your mother's prerogative to worry about her children, even when they're grown-up," Dave reminded Lynnette gently, "and I am considerably older, so your mother just wanted to make sure that I wasn't trying to take advantage of you. You have to remember that she raised you and your siblings by herself with no helpmate since your father abandoned you before you were even born."
Diana who was listening agreed with all Dave was saying and was nodding in approval of his words.
"You might be grown-up, but you'll always be her baby, one she never expected. As a parent just doesn't stop loving their children, even when they're 50," Dave said and Lynnette nodded looking ashamed of her words.
"The good ones certainly don't," Diana who had been silent said.
Lynnette looked startled, as she had forgotten her mother was even there. "I'm sorry mom," Lynnette said, as she gave her mother another hug.
"It's OK sweetie," Diana said returning the hug.
"Why don't we go sit down in the living room and be comfortable," Dave gently suggested. "We can have something to drink while we talk."
The three of them walked towards the living room Dave leading the way.
"So, I hear you have three children?" Diana said once she had sat in a comfortable chair facing her daughter and her intended
"Yes, I do, but they are all adopted," Dave said. "I love children, just like many people do, so I adopted them. I love all three of them very much. They brought happiness to my rather solitary life. That's not to say, I didn't miss Letty, but she's been dead for many years and when my three were young they distracted me from thinking about Letty constantly."
"So, what are their names, though I know that my son's fiancé is Michelle," Diana said.
"Yes, Michelle is the light of my life and she is in the middle of her siblings age wise," Dave said, "but I actually adopted her first."
"Why not just get married and have children naturally?" Diana asked curiously.
"I could have," Dave answered easily, "but I never did fall in love again until I met Lynnette. I know that many of the rich do exactly that, but if they do they are not happy, mostly because they do it by arrangement and it's not someone they choose. Even though I'm very wealthy I'm not really part of that circle nor would I want to be, as there are too many expectations that are antiquated. You are expected to marry whoever your parents pick out for you, though I know those expectations don't always happen if a child is strong enough to buck what their parents want, but if they do, they risk being cut off from the family teat. Still, I didn't feel like going through that and being miserable. I have no one who can tell me what to do, as my parents died many years ago and even if they hadn't, they would never have forced me to marry someone I didn't love. They just didn't think like so many wealthy people do. They always believed in letting me marry for love."
Dave didn't bother to tell Diana why his parents would never have forced him to marry. Still, he spoke nothing but the truth, something that Diana recognized.
"Even if they had wanted to arrange a marriage, I never would've agreed to it, as I am my own man. If they had done so I more than likely, never have talked to them again. I would never have married at all if Spencer hadn't introduced me to Lynnette. I don't particularly care if my legacy lives on by having children related by blood. Losing Letty destroyed me for many years, so if I had been foolish enough to marry just to have children, it probably wouldn't have lasted long. I believe then and now, that adopting was just a better option. Why traumatize a child, if I happened to have one, if I had gone that route?"
"I won't disagree," Diana who had been listening intently said taking a sip of her tea that had just been delivered by a droid. "I believed that Will and I would be together forever and then he left."
"I, for one, I'm glad he did," Lynnette snorted from where she was sitting beside Dave. Her contempt was obvious in her tone.
"I can't really blame you for that," Diana sighed taking a sip of her excellent tea. "I never saw that selfish side of him, that childish side that made him leave. Normally, I would've boxed your ears for such a comment, but I do understand your feelings for the father you never met. That makes you lucky, that you never knew the man that was down underneath the façade he put on most of the time. He certainly fooled me for years."
"I mean, look at what he did to my brother. Gave him all kinds of twisted ideas about himself not caring what kind of damage he was doing," Lynnette said.
"I have to agree with Lynnette," Dave said. "I've gotten to know your son quite well and I can see why Michelle fell in love with him. He's a good man, no doubt about it, but Lynnette's father gave him all these ideas about how he'd never get married just because he was too intelligent and a lot of other negative things I won't bother to repeat.
"I mean, he was not even a teenager when your former husband told him these things and how he could possibly know how his son was going to turn out is beyond me. With Spencer's memory he remembered every word of his father's hatefulness, which only shattered what little self-confidence he had."
"I know," Diana sighed finishing her tea. "I tried my best to encourage him, but he really needed a decent male role model in his life, as Will just wasn't up to the job. He seemed to resent his own kids, particularly his oldest son. However, I will not regret my relationship with Will if only because of my children, even if Lynnette was something of a surprise. I'm just sorry that he turned out to be such a sorry father and human being."
"Spencer certainly turned out better than he would have without his siblings around," Lynnette said. "He has his hangups that's true, but most people do. Spencer's are just a bit worse and I know his memory doesn't help."
"If you knew how much trouble Mellie had of getting Spencer to actually date her well, you out of everyone know, how stubborn your son can be," Dave said.
"Boy, do I. He comes by it honestly from both sides of the family," Diana nearly snorted in amusement. "He certainly uses it better than his father ever did, however, and mostly not about the wrong things. I can see my son telling your daughter that he wasn't worthy of her, because he was weird, plain and too smart for his own good. He might even have told her that you would never approve, because he was a nobody without money or connections. I know plenty of wealthy people think like that and I know it's a stereotype for a reason, but still, that's not always the case."
"All of the above," Dave said with a laugh sipping his coffee. "The way he was seeing himself was not how others saw him, but Mellie couldn't convince him otherwise for some time. Mellie, gave me a full report and she was quite frustrated with him, which is not usually an emotion you can associate with my daughter."
"Unfortunately, his father really did a number on Spencer's self-confidence," Diana sighed. "Your daughter must have really liked my son to go to such lengths, as I know very well how stubborn he can be. It would've taken quite a bit to get Spencer to see himself like he really is, not like his father saw him."
"He's doing a lot better mom and you'll see for yourself once he and Mellie get here. I won't say he doesn't still have his fears and hangups, but he's improved beyond all recognition. So long as he and Mellie are together I can't see that changing. You know, I have occasionally, felt like going to strangle William Reid and you know the reason why," Lynnette practically growled.
"I have too," Diana admitted, "Will, will never know what he's missing by abandoning his children, as he just doesn't have that capacity. He's just so uncaring, something I never saw when we were dating. I've often wondered if he had any true emotion or if he's just the type to insult when something doesn't meet his expectations and that definitely includes his children. William just didn't understand that children take that kind of thing too heart, because he was their father and even if he had thought about that he probably wouldn't have cared. I admit, I was actually glad when he just left. Things might've been a bit tight financially due to him leaving, since four kids take a lot of money to raise, but we managed just fine."
"No, thanks to that man, I share DNA with," Lynnette growled again.
"I don't blame either of you for your feelings towards your father and husband, but he's out of your life so leave him in the past where he belongs. Let's talk about something happier," Dave urged gently. "I'm happy to welcome Spencer and Lynnette into my family. My daughter, usually gets what she wants, just so you know, as she can be very determined and can out stubborn most people."
Dave didn't bother to tell Diana why his daughter had been so determined to get Spencer to see that he wasn't like his father had often told him as a child.
"That's a good thing," Diana said approvingly. "Otherwise, I know Spencer would have fobbed her off no matter what his feelings for her were. My son can be stubborn about the wrong things sometimes and also in the wrong way. He would have sabotaged his own happiness, if your daughter hadn't been so stubborn and got him to see that he was nothing like his father had often told him."
"He tried, but I set him straight, as I could see that he was crazy about her, even if he refused to admit it at first," Lynnette snorted. "I had come to visit him as I was having nightmares or as Spencer said, night terrors and he helped me sort them out. The fact that I met Dave soon after that, means I'll always be grateful that I did."
This was not the complete truth, but close enough that Diana accepted it.
"I'm glad he did," Diana said warmly looking at her daughter who looked comfortable sitting beside Dave as close as she could get. Lynnette was practically glowing in happiness and contentment. Of course, Dave holding her hand, probably had something to do with that as well.
Spencer had always been close to his youngest sister, closer than to her other two children. There was just a connection between them and while Lynnette and Spencer loved their other brother and sister a closer bond had formed between her oldest son and her youngest daughter. It's just happened that way sometimes Diana knew. Spencer had always been Lynnette's protector, her confidant, her best friend and while the other two were close as well they just weren't as close as Spencer and Lynnette. No, Spencer's and Lynnette's closeness was on a whole deeper level.
"I see you love my daughter so welcome to the family, Dave," Diana said finally. "Having two of my children wed close together is a dream come true for me and hopefully, you'll give me some grandchildren in a few years."
"We plan to mom," Lynnette said blushing. "You're just going to have to be patient."
"We are planning the wedding already and it will take place a few months from now. I've given Lynnette a copy of my credit card to pay for anything she wants, even though she protested. She's made me so happy that I would give her the world if I could," Dave said.
"Well, I'll be looking forward to an invitation," Diana said approvingly looking at Dave.
"You'll get one," Dave promised. "We'll plan it for the summer so that you won't have to go into the university."
"Very good," Diana said pleased really beginning to like Lynnette's fiancé, as he was courteous, polite, thoughtful and obviously adored her daughter.
Besides, even if she didn't approve Lynnette would still marry him as she was of age. Luckily, she did approve of Dave despite the age difference, because it was clear Dave truly did love her daughter and wasn't just stringing her along.
"So did the police ever catch the people who murdered your love?" Diana asked.
"Unfortunately, they never did," Dave said smiling sadly, "so I never did get closure."
"So where did it happen?" Diana asked.
"In a small town in another country, not here in New York. I was only passing through until I ran into Letty totally on accident. It was love at first sight for both of us," Dave answered honestly. "Cops are often incompetent or possibly on the take in such a small town unfortunately."
It'd actually been more of a village than a town, as there had only been a few hundred residents, but still it was true enough that Diana didn't ask any further questions.
"I traveled quite a bit when I was younger and it was long before I adopted my three children when we met," Dave explained
"That's really too bad. I'm sorry they never caught Letty's murderer," Diana said.
"Yeah, it is," Dave agreed soberly. The sadness in his eyes and his voice was heartbreaking and Lynnette gave his hand a gentle squeeze to let him know that she was here. "I didn't have as much influence back then, as I do now, so there wasn't really anything I could do to get the cops to do their job properly."
"So, when do I get to meet Michelle?" Diana inquired changing the subject.
"Tonight, at dinner. She and Spencer are kind of busy right now," Lynnette said, "The food is great here and we can talk farther, as I know you're probably tired from the trip up here, since you took the train. Why don't I show you to your room for now so you can freshen up. You can take a nap if you want to as dinner isn't for several hours."
"That sounds good," Diana said, as she rose and shook Dave's hand again before her daughter led her to the guestroom that had been prepared. Obviously, Lynnette knew the way as she guided her mother unerringly to the right room.
"Will this do mom?" Lynnette as she opened the door.
"Oh, this is grand," Diana said startled at the opulence, as she looked around the large single room with a door in one wall, which was probably the bathroom. The room was large, with even a little sitting and eating area on one end. "I didn't expect such a nice room since I need to leave on Sunday."
"This will be your room whenever you visit mom," Lynnette said warmly. "Dave wants you to know that you're welcome at any time and that this will be yours whenever you're visiting. Also, that you have free access to one of his shuttles. Why pay to take the train or a flight out here if you don't have to?"
"That's very generous of him," Diana said.
"You're family," Lynnette said simply. "There are plenty more guestrooms just like this, as it's not like we're short on space. As for the free transportation we want to see you as often as you can get away from the University. We want you to be a major part of your grandchildren's lives."
Diana nodded with understanding feeling touched at Dave's generosity. It looked like her baby girl had picked herself a winner, which just proved that her daughter was wiser than she had been when choosing a mate. Diana was smiling as she closed the door after Lynnette had left disappearing down the hall, probably heading back to the parlor where they'd had tea.

~~~Dave and Lynnette~~~