The Reunion (18 page)

"Your decision honey."  Em stroked her hand over Mike's head.  "You can go with us to the Brockton's or hang out with Ty and Toni."

"I'm the third wheel in any case."

"Are you upset about that?"

"No.  I don't think so."  He shrugged.  "It's just so weird."

"
Ya think
?"  Em laughed.  She pulled him into an embrace.  "You're welcome either way.  I would prefer you coming with us so you can meet Charles's family but it's up to you."

"Uncle Ty thinks Uncle Tommy is going to kill him as soon as we get back to California."  Mike still sounded worried.

"Only if he makes Auntie unhappy."

"She seems really happy."

"You're very observant.

"I'm going to watch the pilot for a while."  He walked to the front of the plane and knocked on the cabin door.  They were on Ty's company jet this time.  It was considerably larger and very luxurious.  Toni and Ty had disappeared into one of the rooms a couple hours previous and hadn't been seen since.  Brockton was clearing up some business and she was evaluating the CPU usage on some of the networks server before they were at 100 percent usage as there was still a holiday on half the company's servers.  She was responding to emails and updating some of her research on her laptop when Brockton came in from the conference room and told her they were setting up dinner for them in the small conference room.  She signaled she wanted only another minute and he knocked on the bedroom door.  Then got Mike and took him to the conference room.

"We've got our first responses to the reconfiguration and security programs."  She sat down and started eating her salad with her fingers.  "The response speeds are up on the Internet and the servers seem to be handling the intranet more efficiently.  I think tomorrow we'll have a better idea of how the port patches and search and destroy software is working and should have our first tally by the end of the week on productivity estimates."

"No we're
not
doing business are we?"  Toni swept into the room.  "No business talk at meals."  She ordered.

"Thank you, Aunt Toni!"  Mike smiled.  "That should include homework and school also."

"You know better squirt."  Em chided.  "You can stretch a meal out for hours just to avoid homework."

"Ok, one thing, I'm supposed to be back at school day after tomorrow.  Are we going to make it?"

"NO."  Ty and Em answered at the same time while Toni laughed. 

"But we're going to get your assignments and you'll be back in school at the beginning of next week."

"NO SHIT!" Mike was jumping up and down.  "Sorry.  I meant no kidding."

"Em?"  Toni caught her change of color before Brockton did and had Em swept away into the bathroom.

"They should change the name to pregnancy sickness instead of morning sickness."  Ty sat back watching Mike's reaction.  "How 'bout it sport.  Come up with another name for this."  Brockton looked as pale as Em had.  "You mother used to get car sick as a child and had to sit in the front seat."  Brockton sipped some wine.  "I seem to recall someone said she got car sick even driving when she was pregnant with you."

"Really?"  Mike wasn't looking all that happy either.  "What can we do?"

"Nothing, it's a phase."

"Speaks the expert."  Toni came in and kissed Ty.  "She's lying down for a while.  She wants some ice."

"I'll get it."  Mike went to the galley and found a couple bags of ice and tossed several cubes in a Cuisinart to crunch it up.  When he passed through the conference room Ty and Toni were sitting talking quietly holding hands.  He knocked then entered the room his mother was in and she lay there with a wet towel around her neck and her eyes closed.  "Here mom."  He put a hand on her forehead, it was cool and sweaty.

"Thanks baby."  She smiled.  Brockton was pacing.  "Take Charles back and go finish your dinner."  She smiled but didn't open her eyes.

"Uncle Ty said you were sick when you were pregnant with me."

"This is just one of those things that happens kiddo.  I had my morning sickness with you mostly in the middle of the day."  She smiled remembering spending her lunch hour in the lady's room or with her head on her desk.  "It's nothing.  Just part of the changes."

"But you don't even show yet."

"Won't for another month or two."  Em took his hand.  "Don't worry.  This is fine.  I'm fine."  He shook his head and looked at Brockton who shook his head and indicated he wasn't leaving.  Mike went back to the conference room and picked at his food.

Brockton came in a few minutes later and they started talking about Atlanta and what Mike wanted to see there.  He wanted to do the CNN studio tour, Centennial park, see the Harris’s and where the Braves played.  He thought a battlefield would be cool too.

"I've never been to the East Coast."  Toni said solemnly.  "I'd like to see a plantation and a battlefield too."  She turned to Ty and he laughed.

"Of course.  We'll just play tourists for a day ok?"  Ty laughed and took her hand.  "I'll be right back."  He went in and checked on Em.  Who screamed and got everyone to their feet then they heard Ty and her laughing and he carried her into the room.

"We just discussed whether or not she was going to starve junior or not and I won."  Ty put her down in her chair and tossed her some crackers.  "Eat."

"He's a bully.  How is it we've stood him all these years?"  She asked Toni and laughed. 

"He has numerous other attributes."  She smiled at Ty. "Don't you baby?"

"I'm leaving before you two go at it."  Mike got to his feet and started for the door but was caught by Ty and tickled to the floor.  He was rolling and red faced and having such a hard time catching his breath when Ty put him back into his chair and smiled.

"I hope that resolves that.  Anyone else?"  He tried to look surly and everyone laughed.

Ty was leaning up on one elbow.  She was stretched out on her stomach, the sheets and blankets crumpled and discarded at the foot of the bed.  He ran his hand over her shoulder and down her back, over her ass and to her thigh.  God she was beautiful.  His finger traced a circle around the mole high on her thigh then he again stroked her from her head down the center of her back.  He'd been watching her for the last ten minutes.  She was breathing deep and steady.  Travel wiped her out.  He'd catch a few hours on the flight west, everyone had wanted quiet and sleep after the party.  The kid had curled up in a chair and nodded off sometime before eleven. 

Brockton's family was friendly enough.  Southern hospitality; got to love the south.  Em handled it better than he thought she would.  Probably having him and Toni there was the difference.  She wasn't the social animal Toni was or the sophisticated charmer Ty's own mother was but she held her own.  He'd thought the mother would be the problem; but, the sister was the bigger obstacle.  The parents seemed almost relieved.  They weren't happy about the time table, they'd be getting married in a matter of weeks, but they'd be there and be supportive.  The sister knew.  She knew there was more to this than Charles trying to capture the beach chick from California.  She'd loved Mike at first sight.  Everyone always did; the kid was fantastic; [he] just fit in anywhere; had no fear or social hang-ups.  Was never aloof or had to try to be cool.  He had always been around adults, if they could consider themselves adult that is.  He did need to watch the language a bit.  His mother's bar room diplomacy was evident there.  Mike had sensed some of the tension between his mother and Clare and was especially charming.  A born diplomat.   He pulled the sheet up to Toni's shoulders and slipped out of the room silently.

"Hey."  She yawned from the doorway sometime later.  She had thrown on his dress shirt, it seemed to reveal more than it covered, but it was kind of cold.  Even for Atlanta standards and this was only the beginning of January.

"Hey yourself."  He immediately went to her and picked her up.  "I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't.  You not being there woke me."  She kissed his neck running her hand down his bare chest.  He laid her on the bed and removed the offense garment. 

"Shhhh."  He lowered himself back onto the bed next to her.  She all but purred as he ran his hand over her.  He'd never get enough of her.  He never had.  She was like a craving, an ache that no matter what you took or did was still there.  Now she was here.  He couldn't believe it still, he'd have to do something special for Em for shoving them at each other, even if she did it by manipulating Toni.

"I can't."  She was exasperated.  She sat abruptly and put her head in her hands.  "No."

"Yes."  He continued to pace.  "What difference does it make really?"

"Just give me a couple of minutes.  I haven't thought this all through and I'm freaking out here."  Em shook her head and stared down at her bare feet.  Of course she would have to relocate.  His career
was
more important than hers.  It was just a matter of relocating; after all, she'd done it before.  She moved to Texas and back.  He was a freaking chairman of the board for God's sake.  "I know, computers I can do anywhere."

"You don't have to…"

"OH YES I DO!"  Snap.  There was that temper again.  She was definitely getting her Texican up.

"Mike, help me out here."

"I'm not stupid.  I'm not taking sides in this."  Mike laughed from the other side of the little living room.  It was the only home he remembered, he was four when they'd moved here from Texas.  He'd gone to school with the same kids since kindergarten.  But it didn't really matter to him. Here, Atlanta, New York, it was all an adventure.  There would be a lot of changes.  He understood both their positions.  His mother's need for independence, she hated being dependent on anyone; or needing anyone.  Brockton kneeled down in front of her and ran his hand over her hair. 

"We could stay here but we'll need a place that's larger anyway.  It's not that I'm asking you to sell it and cut all ties to California.  It's a matter of size and needs.  We'd need at least two more rooms, an office for me and a nursery."

"I know."  She whispered.  Her eyes were brimming with tears.  "I just hadn't thought about it was all.  It's all happening too fast."  She put her arms around his neck and he stood lifting her into a hug.  She buried her face in his chest.  Mike tisked behind him.

"
Here you go again
."  He tried to sound exasperated but was laughing so it came out more sarcastic.  He was cool; he'd be fine anywhere.  Em knew that.  It was selfish to want to keep her little condo.

"You can work if you want to."  Charles whispered lowering her back to her toes slowly.

"I don't want to fight."  She sighed.  "I just hadn't thought we'd move right away."

"You wouldn't move at all if you could have your way."  Mike interjected.

"No, we'd have to move like you said.  It's everything.  The baby.  The wedding.  The job.  Everything."

"She's overwhelmed."  Mike observed.  "She gets weepy when she's overwhelmed."

"Always?"

"Even when she's not pregnant."

"I do not."

"You do too."  Mike laughed again.  "Remember the time you bought that car and you cried most of the next day because you thought they had ripped you off over the trade in.  You got all freaked out over the paperwork until you had a couple of hours to research it and read through everything."

"Over a car?"

"I could give you a million examples."  Mike looked over at her again.  "No.  Mom.  Not really.  Stop it."  Tears were starting to stream down her cheeks now.  "It's a girl thing…"  Mike told Brockton as he walked over and hugged her.  "She's really not
that
bad.  She hates that she's an emotional creature."  Brockton watched the two of them and didn't feel like an outsider.  He realized this was his family.  He felt this warmth in his chest and it spread through him as he stroked her hair and watched the boy comfort his mother.  "But then, I'm used to it."

"Shut up!"  She sniffled.  "Brat."

"Cry baby."  He teased

"Snot nosed kid."

"Dopey."

"You've had it now kid."  She dug her fingers into his sides and he tried jumping back but hit Brockton and she got him giggling and screaming, the high pitch more a surprise than the volume.  When they hit the floor Charles knew his heart stopped.  He started to pull them apart and realized this wrestling was something they did, this was their way.  The both of them laughing and fingers digging into their ribs or grabbing the area above the knee.  His shoulder hit the chair as she kicked her legs and hit the back of Charles's knees sending him to the floor on top of them.  He rolled taking her with him then pinned her beneath him.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine!"  She laughed.  "I'm pregnant not an invalid."  She tried shoving at his shoulders but couldn't budge him.

"I'm out of here."  Mike made his escape. "This'll get messy in a minute." 

Mike saw Brockton's expression change from one of concern to hunger.  That was the only way he could describe it.  He looked like, Mike imagined, what he looked like when he wanted a Claim Jumper éclair.  All that chocolate and Boston cream filling and whipped cream…  YUM!  Mike assumed it was that passion or love thing that Ty had been trying to explain.  It kind of explained the goofy look Ty would get occasionally when he looked at Toni, now he knew what that look meant for Ty also.  Sex.  He still didn't get the passion part, the romantic part the flowers, poetry, forever and ever stuff.  Like on the Hallmark channel or commercials.  He could feel the tension between them, it was like walking into a room full of static; that led to the grasping, holding, kissing thing.  Mike equated it to a crush.  He'd had a number of them.  He felt all nervous and empty headed around Sarah and when he had a crush on Kayla he'd been tongue tied until they became friends now they talked all the time and texted.  He figured it was like that.  How had his mother gone so long without having someone though?  He wondered what it was like, what it had been like for her all this time.  She never seemed unhappy.  She never seemed to need anyone.  They were fine together.  Was that like sick or something?  They were kissing again and would never miss him.  He'd get on the computer and find out about Brockton's company.

"Alone at last."  Em sighed after a few minutes.

"This rolling around on the floor is kind of fun, but it would be better naked."  Brockton ran his hand down her face as he leaned up on one elbow.  "Of course we couldn't do that with the kid in the room."

"Thank you.  I started to wonder."  She joked and rolled away.  "It did the trick though.  I’m considerably saner."

"I wasn't trying to make a decision without discussing it with you."  He thought suddenly that he was maybe railroading her.  "We haven't talked dates or locations much."

"We haven't talked much period."  She teased. 

"True."  He smiled and followed her into the kitchen.  Hugging her from behind and running his hands over her still flat stomach.  "We've been busy."  She trembled slightly.  That troubled her somewhat.  He could be a serial killer for all she knew.  They'd only known each other all of two months.  How much do you really know about someone else?

"Where would you like to live?"  She asked.

"With you and Mike." Charles answered vaguely.

"Where?" She asked again.

"Doesn't matter.  I have to travel.  That's part of the job."  He was sounding like the chairman again.  "It really doesn't matter to me."

"What about your family?"

"My family's normal.  They really don't care as long as I see them occasionally."

"Meaning?"

"Are you looking for a fight?"

"I'm not as enmeshed in my family as it appears."  Em confessed.

"No?  You work with your uncles.  You eat at your cousin's, your other cousin holds the title to your house."

"Ok, I'm a mess."  She shook her head.  "How do you know so much?"

"Ty, Mike, Toni, being with you for almost two months."  He pulled her into a chair and sat with her on his lap.  "You don't have a lot of drive or confidence at work without the support of Ham and Sanchez.  You've developed several strong advocates, despite that.  People believe you're competent, more so than I feel you believe most of the time."  She nodded in agreement.  "You need to work, that's fine.  I don't have a problem with that.  You can work in any of the offices.  You're skills are of value anywhere, I would prefer if you stayed with the company though."

"I don't have a problem with that.  The benefits are great." She wiggled on his lap.

"Very funny."  He squeezed her.  "Neither of us have been married before."

"I assumed you had been married."  Em said softly.

"No."  He smiled.  "Never trapped."  She hit him softly but he got the message.  "I didn't mean it like that.  Anyway, that's going to be a big adjustment for me.  Probably you and Mike too."

"Probably."  She agreed.

"You have been using your family as a support system and I would like to provide that."  He tried to see her face but she was concealing it fairly effectively.  "Until recently my lifestyle has been very structured and scheduled.  I'm adjusting."

"Me too."  She smiled.  "Not the structure and scheduling stuff but the adjusting."

"What type of wedding would you like?"

"Small and quick."

"How small is small?  I heard there were two hundred at Stacy's wedding last June."

"Fifty, sixty.  No I'm kidding."  She started ticking off names in her head.  "fifteen.  Minimum fifteen."

"Josh, Carole, the two kids.  Ty, Toni, Tommy, Pete, Kim, their two kids, Ryan, Stacy, Parker, Your mother.  What about Connor?"

"Shut up."

"Mike, You, me and my parents, that should be 20, let's say 26 and invite my sister and brother and their spouses and the two kids.  Where?"

"NOT VEGAS."

"Why not Vegas?"

"We were just there."

"Yeah?"

"Not Vegas,
please
."

"Reno?"

"Funny."

"Jamaica?"

"Never been there."

"Maui?"

"Never been there either."  She snuggled into his shoulder.  "I don't care, Vegas is fine.  Mike's probably still high score on those two machines at the Lexor."

"Probably."  She rolled off his lap and started pacing.  "What?"

"I'm nervous.  I've never done this."

"Planned a wedding?"

"No, I've done that.  [I’ve never]
had
a wedding.  Thought about a wedding." She shivered a little. "Maybe it's not a good idea."

"It's a good idea.  What's the problem?"

"What if it doesn't work?  What if you don't want the baby?  ME?  Mike?  Do I have to sign a pre-nup, what's in those things anyway?"

"Now you're getting legal on me."  He stepped in front of her and took her by the shoulders.  "I want you, Mike and the baby."

"How do you know?  What if you change your mind?  What if you meet someone else?  What if I drive you crazy asking all these stupid questions that really don't mean anything other than I'm scared?"  He was laughing at her again.  He hugged her and she buried her face in his chest.  "I'm insane… I'm difficult to live with… [and] I'm a slob."

"You're short and pace when you're nervous and a terrific mother."  He found rubbing her back calmed her somewhat.  He tried that and felt her laugh.  "Let me turn it around on you, what if you change your mind and what if Mike doesn't want me to be his father?  What then?"

"We'd run away to Poe-dunk Texas and pick lettuce and hunt armadillos."

"Texas is a big state but you wouldn't be able to hide for long." He squeezed her again. "Not from me."  He decided to change it up on her again.  "What are you going to look like in 30 years anyway?"

"Like Bea.  I look exactly like Bea, looked like her when I was born, when I was five and now.  Just a little shorter."

"She's curvy too."

"I'll be curvier after the baby."  She sighed.  "I'll be curvier in a month too."

"Rounder."  He kissed the top of her head.  The thought of her body changes over the next several months made his mouth water.  He could see and feel what it would be like holding her in a few months time with their child between them.  It was awesome, overpowering, humbling.  "I thought you were beautiful before."  He whispered in her ear, "I had no idea you'd be this beautiful."  He had his hand on either side of her face now and looked into those blue gray eyes.  "I love you Em.  I want to spend every minute of every day with you."

"God!  You know just the right things to say."  She sighed and smiled.  "I'm such an idiot, how can you stand it?"

"It's not difficult, baby; you're special and you're mine."  He kissed her brow, her cheeks, her mouth.  She was melting in his arms.  "you're a treasure.  I need you Em, I need you like I've never needed anyone or anything."  Her responses to him inflamed his passions and needs.  He picked her up and carried her into her bedroom.  Mike heard the door being kicked closed and turned back to the computer and put his headphones on.   The light punk of Green Day filled his head while he read the public files on Brockton International.