Pretty Is...

Happy Thanksgiving? Part One

By Cat

Copyright 2001 © Cat

This story may not be reproduced in any way without express written permission of the author.

*****

"I'll get it, Baby," Jason called as he walked down the hallway to the living room to pick up the ringing phone.

"Thank you!" Nicky yelled back then sighed in exasperation.

The phone was ringing off the hook today and he was on a deadline for his new pieces of jewelry. The company that made his jewelry, needed it by the end of the week in order to get them out before Christmas. The latest piece was a time consuming choker of woven beadwork. The company had raved about it when they'd seen the drawing. He hoped they were still raving about it once they saw the real thing and knew how hard it might be to duplicate.

"Nicky?"

The brunette looked up to see Jason standing in the doorway with the cordless phone. The older man had a worried look on his face.

"Jason what's the matter?" he asked, carefully laying aside the piece of jewelry.

"My Mom is on the phone. They'd like to come out and visit us for the week of Thanksgiving," the big man told him.

Nicky's eyes widened in distress. "They want to come out and visit 'us'?"

He couldn't believe his ears. For five years he'd been resigned to the fact that his in-laws disliked him, that they disapproved of him and his life style. They'd finally come to terms with Jason's homosexuality. At least his parents had, but they'd never approved of Nicky because of his cross- dressing.

He could still remember the horrible twenty-four hours of shunning he'd received when they had gone to his husband's family reunion weekend the first year they'd been 'married'. He and Jason had left on the first flight out that the older man had been able to arrange. Jason had been livid and Nicky had been in tears. He had never gone again. But he had encouraged his husband to go because he didn't want to see Jason lose his family the way he had lost his own.

"They want to visit 'us', Baby," the big dark haired man replied soothingly. "I think they've finally come to their senses and would like to get to know you."

The little brunette stared at his husband uncertainly. He didn't know if he was ready to face them. Didn't know if he was ready to deal with the rejection if they decided he still wasn't what they wanted for their son. But he didn't want to alienate them further by refusing to allow them to come and spend time with Jason either. He looked up at his husband his hazel eyes filled with the misgivings running rampant inside of him.

"Okay, they are more than welcome to come," he whispered.

Jason looked at him with concerned silver blue eyes. "Are you sure, Nicky. I'll understand if you say no."

"Really it's okay. I want them to come. You haven't been able to have a family Thanksgiving or Christmas since we got married," the younger man stated firmly.

"Nicky, you are my family," he said softly. "You're my husband, my lover and my best friend. The holidays alone with your are wonderful."

The brunette gave him a trembling smile. "You know what I mean. Now go on their waiting."

The big man kissed his small husband softly and pressed the button on the phone to turn off the muting and went back to his mother. "Mom, we'd love to have you. What were your plans?"

Nicky sat and listened to Jason's end of the conversation staring at all the work he had to try and get done. How could he do this and get the house ready for his in-laws? His memory of Maura Sullivan's home was of an elegant, colonial showcase. Spotlessly clean and beautiful, in a don't touch sort of way.

Slowly he stood up and walked out of his studio. In the kitchen he pulled a note pad out of the utility drawer and began making a 'to do' list. He made two lists, one that he would need to do on an almost daily basis and one that he could do and then it would be over. He was standing in the living room looking around when Jason found him.

"Baby, please if you don't want to do this I can call them right back and tell them no," he said drawing the small man into his arms.

"I'll be all right," Nicky answered trying to force his voice to be light. "I was just making a to do list, to get ready for them."

"Would you like to call and ask Sally and Eric if they'd like to come too?" the big man asked looking down at the brunette. "I really enjoyed meeting them this summer, it would be nice to get together with them more often."

"I can call and ask them. They normally get together at either Eric's brother's or sister's place. So I don't know if they would be able to come, but it would be polite to ask them," the small man murmured.

"Let's call them right now. Maybe we can catch them before they make other plans," Jason suggested.

*****

"We'd love to come," Sally replied happily. "When do you want us?"

"Eric normally takes that whole week off doesn't he, because you normally have to travel?" Nicky asked uncertainly.

"That's right. We wouldn't want to over stay our welcome though," the blonde said smiling at her husband as he slid down on to the couch beside her.

"After all the times that you've let me stay with you for the festival, believe me you won't be overstaying your welcome," the brunette answered with a chuckle. "Any way I'll get you to help me with the wiring on my dollhouse while you're here."

"Oh, a working vacation," Sally laughed and grinned when she heard her friend chuckle. "If it won't be too early why don't Eric and I come on Sunday. That way I can help you with any of the little last minute stuff before the Sullivan's arrive on Monday morning."

"That would be wonderful Sally. I hate to do that to you but I would really appreciate it," Nicky stated.

"No problem, Honey. I know all about entertaining your in-laws for the very first time. Even knowing Eric's parents, I was still a basket case the first year."

"Thanks Sally. I knew you'd understand. We'll see you the Sunday before Thanksgiving," the small man sighed.

"You're welcome, Nicky. You're my best friend. You know I'll always be there for you." Sally waited until she heard the phone disconnect on the other end then hung up.

"What's up, Sal?" Eric asked as he pulled his wife into his arms.

"The Sullivan's want to visit Nicky and Jason over Thanksgiving. They've invited us to come too. I really think that Nicky needs the moral support. Do you mind if we don't go to your brother's this year?" She looked at her husband questioningly.

"Of course not. Matt and Jackie can see us next year. And they will both understand that Nicky needs us there with him this year," the blonde man told her. "Jason thinks that his parents are coming around but I know that it's going to take some time for them to break the ice. It will be easier for all of them if they've got someone else to help bridge the gap."

Sally hugged her husband. "Softy you're as worried about Nicky as I am."

"Damn right. After this last summer..." he broke off. It still embarrassed him to think about how he'd hurt the small brunette. "After this last summer I know how fragile he is about acceptance. I want to make sure he's got lots of support in his corner if things don't go as well as Jason hopes."

"I love you Eric Constantine," his wife murmured as she kissed his cheek.

"And I love you, Sally Constantine. Hand me the phone okay? I want to call and let everyone know not to expect us this year."

Sally handed her husband the phone and leaned into his shoulder listening as he talked to his brother first, since that was where they had been meant to go this year.

*****

Jason set his briefcase by the front door under the little table there, dropping his keys into the drawer in the front. He picked up the mail that Nicky had left for him and started for the living room.

"Nicky, I'm home Baby," he called then stopped in stunned surprise as he looked around the room.

He walked over to the end table closest to him and touched the lampshade on the antique Victorian lamp. Gone was the beautiful bead lampshade that Nicky had made during their first year together. He looked around and realized they were all gone.

He couldn't believe it. Nicky had been so proud when he'd made them. He'd used a pattern he'd found in a magazine from the 1920's. They had been perfect. The small glass beads in gold, lavender and blue throwing soft shaded light and rainbows around the room.

The woven throw rugs had been replaced with small Persian carpets in cream with a flower design in the center to match the couch and chairs. They were perfect, but not as homey as the woven rugs had been. And the wedding ring quilt that they liked to snuggle under, when the breeze off the ocean was cold, was gone off the back of the couch.

"Nicky?" he called moving out of the living room. Getting no reply he went through the kitchen and looked into the carriage house that attached to the house. Nicky's car was gone.

Sighing he closed the door. He pulled a highball glass out of the cupboard and put a couple of pieces of ice in it. Walking back into the living room he went to the hidden bar and pulled out the bottle of Scotch pouring himself a double. He sank down in a chair and wondered if he wanted to see what else his small husband had done trying to make their home acceptable to his parents.

*****

Nicky pushed open the door to Jason's study and peeked in around the door. Not seeing his husband at his desk he crept inside the door and turned to close it behind him.

His big husband stood on the other side of the door. He had obviously been going through his bookcase. Now he stood with his arms crossed looking at Nicky expectantly.

"Jason I was just... I was...."

"You were just coming in to see what changes you could make to my inner sanctum," the big man said with a frown. But his eyes were twinkling.

He'd known Nicky wouldn't be able to resist. He'd already redone every other room in the house in one way or another. Even his own workroom and their bedroom hadn't been left untouched. It was only a matter of time before his overanxious lover tried to invade his study.

The brunette scuffed one small bare foot against the hardwood flooring. He looked more like a child caught making mischief than an adult trying to do everything needed to prepare for an important visit. He looked up through his lashes at his husband.

"I just wanted to see how bad it needed to be dusted and how many old newspapers you've got lying around that need to be tossed out," he murmured.

Jason wrapped his strong arms around his lover and picked him up. Walking over to one of his big burgundy leather chairs he sat down with his husband on his lap. With years of knowledge behind him, he unerringly found all of Nicky's ticklish spots.

The small brunette giggled and squirmed, trying frantically to escape the tickling fingers. The little notebook, that never seemed far away these days, slipped out of his hands along with its ever-present pen landing on the floor beside the chair.

"Stop Jason, stop!" he shrieked as the giggles turned to hysterical laughter.

"Do you promise not to touch my study?" Jason inquired slowing his fingers enough to let his little husband breath. "You swear that not even one little dust bunny will come to harm in my office?"

"I promise, I promise!" Nicky howled, gasping for air.

The big man ceased his tickling and wrapped his arms around the little brunette hugging him close. "That's better," he murmured brushing a kiss over his husband's lips. "I haven't heard you laugh for two weeks. I've missed that."

"I'm sorry," the younger man sighed snuggling up tight to his lover. "I just want everything to be perfect."

"It is Baby. The house looks wonderful. But I thought it looked wonderful before too. I know asking you to relax isn't an option. Just don't make yourself sick. Remember this is 'our' home this time and they asked to come. I think things will be different this time."

"I hope so," Nicky whispered.

*****

"Which one do you think your Mom would like?" Nicky asked looking up at Jason.

The big man sighed silently and tightened his arms around his husband. "Baby, my Mom doesn't have to look at it for the next several years. Which pattern do you like?"

They were standing in front of a display of bone china. The little brunette had decided that he wanted to use their good china for everyday and get a new set to use for Thanksgiving. Jason hadn't even tried to talk him out of it. He knew how terrified the small man was. How desperately he was trying to make everything perfect for the visit. Honestly he was worried about the brunette, he wasn't sleeping well or eating and he seemed to be going nonstop. With less than a week left to go until his parents arrived, Nicky was becoming frantic.

At least his lover hadn't wanted to get all new furniture. The house they'd bought in Half Moon Bay was a replica of an old Victorian. So when they'd gone looking for furniture they'd visited antique shops all over the Northern California coast picking just the right pieces to match. The brunette's artistic eye had carefully scrutinized every table, chair and knick-knack shelf before purchase just to make sure they were exactly perfect.

Jason knew that his small husband was intimidated by the perfect show home his mother had put together. What Nicky didn't realize was that his mother had been doing it for years a piece here and piece there. Until she had it just the way she wanted it. And while he'd been growing up it hadn't looked anything like the pristine showcase it did now.

"I like the one with the blue bouquet in the center and the silver edging. It would match the curtains and the covers on the chairs in the dining room," Nicky said finally.

Jason smiled. That was the set that he liked also. He'd been worried that his husband was going to pick the plain white with the gold edging similar to his mothers. While nice he felt that it was a little on the drab side. And since it wouldn't get used very often it should be something pretty that would make a nice display in their heavy mahogany china cabinet. He motioned to the clerk that was hovering close by.

"We need that design in a place setting for twelve," he said motioning to the dishes that Nicky had chosen. "Also the set of serving platters in the same design and the serving bowls. What do you have by way of wine glasses and water glasses that would match it?"

The brunette looked up at his husband surprised. But a smile curved his lips at the idea of everything matching. "Thank you."

"I just want everything to be perfect for you, Baby," he replied smiling softly.

They followed the clerk into the glassware department and looked at the selection he showed them. Nicky found a set of crystal that had the same silver around the edge and had blue stems and bases the same color as the flowers on the china.

"Is that the set you want, sweetheart?" Jason asked looking down at his lover.

"I think their perfect, yes please," the brunette smiled up him.

"We'll need twelve of the wine glasses and twelve of the water glasses in this style. And can we get all of this delivered this afternoon?" he turned to look at the sales person.

"Yes Sir, just let me pull everything and we'll take care of that right now."

They wandered looking at tablecloths while the clerk pulled together their purchase. Nicky found a white linen cloth with hand tatted lace along its edge and matching napkins which they added to their order.

"Is there anything else you need Baby?" Jason questioned as they stood at the register.

The smaller man was looking at all the extra serving dishes, making sure there was nothing missing. Finally he looked up with a contented smile and shook his head.

"It's all here, the gravy boat, sugar bowl, a platter for the turkey, a creamer... oh can I get a second set of the serving bowls and I need the big soup tureen that goes with the set also."

Jason nodded to the clerk with an indulgent smile and watched as the man hurried away to get the requested items. "This should make a beautiful table. And we can use the silver candlesticks I got you last year and the big silver punch bowl. We can fill it with fall Mums, that would make an excellent center piece."

"Where would we put the turkey?" Nicky giggled.

"We'll set it down next to my Dad and let him carve. That way we won't have too," the older man chuckled.

"I like that idea," the brunette replied smiling widely.

*****

Nicky ran to answer the door as the bell rang. He pulled it open and immediately engulfed his best friend in his arms, then turned to hug Eric just as tightly. "Thank you! Thank you for coming. It's so good to see you both again. I don't know why we don't do this more often. It's not like it's far to drive."

Sally laughed and shook her head. "Slow down, Honey," she said as she slid her arm around the small brunette's waist and walked inside. She smiled at Jason who went to help Eric with their suitcases.

"I'm sorry," the small man groaned. "I can't help it. I'm just so nervous."

The blonde woman looked at her friend and frowned. There were dark circles under his eyes and he'd lost weight. The choker around his slender neck barely sat properly he'd gotten so thin.

"Nicky when did you eat last?" Sally asked sternly.

"I haven't been able to get him to do more than nibble since my parents called," Jason answered her from the stairs as he and Eric went up to drop off their bags.

"You come with me right now," the blonde admonished. Then stopped and laughed. "Where's your kitchen?"

Nicky giggled and led his friend down the entry hall and into the big kitchen. She promptly pushed him down in a seat and then went exploring. When Jason and Eric came into the room fifteen minutes later. Sally was regaling the brunette with the trials and tribulations of last minute Christmas orders for her dollhouses. The small man was drinking a thick chocolate milkshake through a straw and shaking his head.

"How in the hell did she do it? He's almost half done and that thing looks huge," Jason murmured to Eric as they stood in the doorway.

"Nagging and chocolate," the blonde man laughed.

"But a milkshake?" the larger man asked as they slipped away and headed for the study.

"Hey think about it. Eggs, milk and the little bit of fat and sugar in it isn't going to hurt him any," Eric replied. "He's lost a lot of weight since we saw him at the end of July."

The older man nodded. "I know and all of it in the last three weeks. If this doesn't go well..." he broke off the worry plain on his face.

"Don't worry I'm sure that everything will be okay," the big blonde stated. "He's in his own home and he's got all of us."

Jason smiled gratefully.

"There you are!" Nicky exclaimed standing in the doorway. He looked around and sighed seeing the dust coating the surfaces of the furniture.

"We just thought we'd give you two some privacy to talk girl talk while you had a snack," his husband chuckled. "And I promise, Baby. I'll dust in the morning after breakfast. I'll even throw out all the papers that are more than a week old. Okay?"

The brunette rolled his eyes and laughed. "You promise?"

"I promise. First thing after breakfast," his husband reassured him.

"Okay, I'm going to show Sally around and see if she spots anything I've missed," Nicky stated.

This time it was Jason's turn to roll his eyes. "I don't think that you have missed anything, Sweetheart."

"Well better to be safe than sorry."

Eric shook his head as the small man tugged his wife out of the room. "Shit, the place looks perfect. I was actually glad to see the dust in here. They really did a number on him didn't they?"

"Has Nicky told you anything about the reunion I took him to the year we were married?" Jason inquired sadly.

"No, in fact about all he's ever really said is that they don't approve of him. We kind of avoided the issue once we realized he didn't like to talk about it," the blonde stated.

The older man sighed. "Do you know what the Coventry treatment is?"

"I've heard the term before. Isn't it like not talking to someone?" the other man asked.

"When someone is given the full Coventry treatment it means that they are treated as if they don't even exist. For the first couple of minutes we were there everything was fine. They thought I'd stopped being gay. For whatever reason they disregarded what I'd said in my letter and thought that Nicky was a woman," Jason told him.

Eric nodded. He understood how they would have believed that. He'd spent three years thinking Nicky was a woman, while Nicky believed that Eric knew about him.

"Then Nicky told them?" he concluded.

"You know Nicky he doesn't normally deceive people that are important to him," the other man sighed.

"Then all hell broke loose?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I have to say in my parents' defense that they weren't as bad as my brother Jack and his wife. Jack just went ballistic. What I really blame my parents for is that they could have stopped the shit that Jack and Cheryl pulled and they didn't. My parents were at least civil, but what my brother pulled. I was ashamed to think we were actually related. We stayed just barely twenty-four hours. I got us on the next available flight. Nicky was devastated even though he'd tried to be prepared."

"So Jack was the one that treated Nicky like he didn't exist?" Eric inquired.

Jason nodded. "He and Cheryl. They ignored him at the table. Talked about hooking me up with their lady friends right in front of him. And Mom and Dad though they were polite could have frozen boiling water with a glance."

"Damn," the blonde muttered thinking of the small brunette and how desperately he longed to be accepted and how just the tiniest show of friendship seemed to mean the world to him. "No wonder he's so freaked out."

"Yeah, I'm just really worried that he's going to make himself sick or worry himself into a state of exhaustion," the bigger man replied anxiously. "I can't thank you and Sally enough for giving up your family Thanksgiving and coming here to support Nicky. He's right we should do this more often."

"Hey, Nicky is family. I told him that the third weekend that we knew him. He already - Jesus," Eric hissed suddenly. "That was the weekend."

"What?" Jason asked confused.

"That was the weekend that Nicky must have told Sally about himself. I remember they went off to the ladies room together. Normally he would just go by himself if we were close to home or the hotel and come right back. They were gone so long that I started to get worried. And I noticed afterwards that they both started watching me a lot closer. Damn they were trying to figure out if I knew or not. And I must have been giving off all kinds of singles to the positive."

Jason smiled. "Yes, he called me that night. He was walking on air he was so happy."

The blonde chuckled. "Did he ever tell you how we all met?"

"He said you got pushed into him by someone else, at the Saturday night play, his very first weekend," the big man answered.

Eric nodded. "One of these days I'm going to have to find the person who did that and thank them. Meeting Nicky was probably the best thing that happened to us that summer."

*****

"Nicky, Honey. If this place were anymore perfect I'd be afraid to touch anything," Sally told her friend once they'd finished the tour and come back down stairs.

"Really? I mean I haven't dusted today or vacuumed yet," the little brunette said worriedly.

"Nicky look," the blonde insisted. She pulled a white tissue from a box on the coffee table and ran it over the wood. Then held it out to show not a speck of dust.

"I'm overreacting aren't I?" the small man inquired.

"A little, but it's understandable. We all do it the first time. Really Honey it's perfect. Why don't you go up and take a nap? I think I'll take a look at your wiring problem and I know the boys are still happily ensconced in Jason's study."

"But you only just got here. What kind of a host would I be?" the young man answered worriedly.

"Just take a short nap. And don't you worry about entertaining us. We're family. Actually I might steal Eric from Jason and go walk on the beach for a little while. You never told us the house backed right up to the ocean," the blonde admonished.

"I guess I'm so used to it I don't even think about it anymore," he laughed. "You don't mind if I go up?"

"It was my suggestion, remember?" she smiled back at him.

"Okay, but ask Jason to wake me up in two hours. We were going to take you two into San Francisco for dinner tonight," he informed her.

"I will, Honey, you go on and rest."

Nicky started back up the stairs to his and Jason's bedroom then turned and looked at Sally. "Thank you, I really appreciate the two of you coming."

The blonde smiled. "I was glad to come. I missed you even though we talk on the phone all the time."

Nicky smiled broadly. "Me too," he told her and turned to go upstairs.

Sally went down the hall to the study and found Jason and Eric happily watching a football game on a big screen TV that was normally hidden behind a sliding painting. She crossed the room and sat down on the footstool in front of her husband's chair and then leaned back between his spread legs sighing as his arms came around her.

"Where's Nicky?" Jason asked.

"I sent him upstairs for a nap," she told him.

"Damn Sally, I should have asked you to be here three weeks ago," the big man sighed. "Why can't I get him to do that?"

"Because you're too close to the situation. He knows you'll tell him everything is perfect whether it is or not, because you love him. He knows that I love him too, but that I see everything from another perfectionist's point of view. If it's not right I'll tell him." She laughed at the incredulous look on the man's face.

"Believe her," Eric chuckled playing with his wife's shoulder length hair. "I can tell her a dollhouse is perfect until I'm blue in the face and she won't believe me. But let Nicky take one look at the same one and tell her it's perfect and she believes him."

The blonde woman shrugged and smiled ruefully. "It's the artist in us. We understand each other and what we're trying to achieve. So we know when the other has got it right."

Jason just smiled and shook his head at how easily the woman handled his high strung husband.

*****

"Nicky, eat," Sally said firmly, holding the brunette's fork out to him. "You don't want to embarrass yourself by fainting from hunger in front of your in- laws do you?"

The brunette got wide-eyed at that thought and immediately dipped his fork into the seafood pasta that the blonde insisted he order. In fact from the way the table was piled with grab legs and lobster shells and hushpuppies and salads it looked like the other woman was trying to put all the weight he'd lost back on him with one meal.

Jason watched his husband begin to eat with a relish and just threw up his hands in defeat. He smiled at the blonde in thanks as he watched the food on his husband's plate slowly disappearing. He pulled a lobster off of a plate that held them in the center of the table and carefully removed the meat from the tail sliding it onto the plate beside his husband.

Nicky looked up and grinned at him. "Thank you."

"Baby, I'll keep plying you with lobster and fettuccini all night or until we're broke which ever comes first if you'll just eat," the big man smiled back. He used his napkin to wipe a tiny spot of melted butter off his husband's chin where it had dripped.

"Have I been very hard to live with the last three weeks," the brunette asked anxiously.

"No Sweetheart, you haven't been hard to live with at all. But you were starting to worry me. I should have had Sally come out ages ago," Jason grinned.

Nicky chuckled. "She's a good nagger."

"Nicky Sullivan you take that back!" the blonde exclaimed smacking her friend lightly on the arm. "I do not nag. I just suggest, often." They all burst out laughing, causing people around them to look and see what was so funny.

"We bought a new house last week," Eric dropped the bombshell once everyone had caught their breath.

"A new house? Where?" the small brunette asked looking at him in surprise.

Sally grinned. "One block closer to the park. We didn't want to move out of Knights Landing. We just wanted a bigger house." She looked pointedly at Jason. "We thought with a three bedroom it would give me a studio and a bedroom for you and Jason when you come to the festival in the summer."

"Is that a little of that suggesting I hear?" Nicky's big husband asked with a wink.

"You better believe it Mister," the blonde woman laughed.

"Give in gracefully," Eric chuckled patting the big man on the shoulder. "Believe me when these two decide to gang up on you it's no contest who's going to win."

The bigger man took in Sally's determined look and his husband's hopeful face, with those big hazel eyes staring at him so pleadingly and shook his head in resignation. "I see what you mean," he sighed. Then he turned and looked at Sally. "All right, I will do my best to start getting the weekends in July off so that I can come with Nicky to the festivals."

The little brunette grinned enormously, clapping his hands before jumping up from his chair and hugging his lover tight around the neck. "We are going to have so much fun!"

Jason laughed and popped a bite of crab in his husband's mouth as he pulled the smaller man into his lap. "Yes we will, Baby."

*****

Eric looked up from the sports pages and his eyes widened in surprise. "Nicky?"

Sally and Jason looked up from their own sections of the newspaper and just stared. Nicky stood in the living room doorway in a suit. It wasn't even one of his more feminine suits, but a man's suit. His long hair was slicked back severely and tied into a long ponytail from the nape of his neck.

His big husband stood up from the couch his hand clenched on the pages in shock and anger. "No!" he growled fiercely.

"What?" the little brunette whispered shocked at the anger in his husband's voice. His eyes got big and his lower lip trembled.

"You are not wearing that to the airport!"

"Jason?" Sally hissed looking back and forth between her friend and his husband.

"I just...."

"I said no - shit!" the big man swore as his small husband turned and fled up the stairs.

"What the hell was that!" Eric snarled pulling Jason around by the arm and glaring up at the bigger man. "There was no call to yell at him like that. He's just scared."

"I know damn it, I was just - I'll be back." He walked swiftly out of the room and up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Outside the bedroom door he stopped and tried to pull himself together. He couldn't believe what he'd done. He'd never raised his voice to the younger man. In fact in the five years they'd been together they'd barely even argued. Slowly he pushed open the door and stepped inside. He could hear Nicky crying and followed the sound into the brunette's dressing room.

His small husband was standing in front of his closet. The suit jacket and tie lay on the floor and he was in the process of unbuttoning the white shirt he'd been wearing underneath. Jason moved up behind the younger man and wrapped his arms around him.

"I'm sorry, Baby. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you," he murmured sadly.

"You...you've never... never yelled at me... before," Nicky stammered wrapping his arms around his stomach, which was rolling horribly. The stress of meeting his in-laws had already upset it and having his husband yell at him had only made it worse.

"I know Baby and I shouldn't have yelled at you now. I can't tell you how sorry I am. I was just so shocked," the big man replied contritely.

"I just want them to accept me. I thought since they are okay with you being gay it would be easier for them if we were just more like a regular gay couple," the brunette whispered.

Jason knelt down and turned his lover in his arms tilting his head slightly to look up at him. On his knees they were almost eye to eye. "I know you want them to accept you, Sweetheart. Believe me I know how important it is for you. But it's not fair to you or to them if you have to pretend to be something your not. I love you just the way you are and I expect them to accept you the way I love you. Yes, they're my parents and I love them. But you are the light of my life, it's you I can't live without."

"I don't want you to lose your family the way I lost mine," Nicky sniveled burying his face against Jason's throat.

"Baby, they've known we were together for five years and they haven't pushed me away. I don't think they will now either. I think they've just finally realized that I'll never give you up. Not for anything, so they want to make an effort to bring you into their lives as my lover, as my husband." The dark haired man lifted his lover's head from his shoulder and gently wiped the tears away with his thumbs. "I didn't want to say anything before because I didn't want to get your hopes up. But when you called me that Friday night in July, I think they were as worried and upset as I was."

"Really?" the brunette asked blinking in surprise.

Jason smiled and nodded. "Yep, Mom was on the phone to the airport getting me a flight while I was still on the phone with you. And Dad drove me to the airport himself. Scared the hell out of me the way he drove to get me to the plane on time."

"They... they were worried about me?"

"Damn straight. You should have heard Mom bitch me out when I forgot to call them until Sunday morning to let them know everything was okay," he replied with a rueful chuckle. "Maybe I should have told you sooner. I just didn't want you to be hurt worse if things didn't go as well as I hoped."

Nicky nodded and laid his head back on his husband's shoulder taking deep shuddering breaths as he tried to calm down. He sighed deeply as Jason's arms wrapped around him pulling him close.

"They just need time to get used to you, Baby. Remember how long it took me to get over how much like a woman you were once the clothes went on? They just need time to make the same adjustment. They can't do that if you deny them the beauty I get to see everyday."

"Will... will you help me find something to wear?" the brunette asked leaning back to look at his husband.

"I'd love to. Why don't you jump in the shower and wash the gel or whatever you put in your hair out and I'll pull a couple of things for you to pick from," Jason told him reaching up to caress the small face.

"Okay," Nicky leaned in and kissed his lover and then slipped out of his arms heading for the bathroom that was set between their two dressing rooms.

Jason was just standing up to start going through the closet when he heard a soft knock on the bedroom door. He went out and opened it to see both Eric and Sally standing on the other side.

"Is everything okay," Sally ventured, looking up at him with a disapproving frown.

The big man gave her a lopsided smile. "It is now. I'm sorry I never should have reacted the way I did. And to do that to him in front of his friends..." he shook his head. Then a small smile curved his lips and he looked at Eric. "I think this is one of those times where you get to throw the bastard the first punch. I don't think I could hit myself hard enough."

The blonde man gave him a stern look but a smile tugged the corners of his mouth. "I would but I don't want your parents thinking Nicky beats you. Shall we say swords at dawn on the beach?"

Jason couldn't stop the laugh that escaped him. "Okay, I'll have to find us a pair of swords though." Then he looked at Sally. "Would you help me find something for Nicky to wear to meet my parents. I'm worried that he won't like my choices because I'd be picking things to make him look beautiful and sexy. I don't think that's the image he's wanting for this."

"I think your right about that." Sally walked across the room and into the dressing room. Eric and Jason followed her.

She started going through the section of the closet that held all of the brunette's pretty dresses. Finally she pulled out three and hung them on hooks on the wall where Nicky could look at them and choose.

"Any of those should be perfect. They're pretty, but just a touch conservative without looking prim or formal. They say 'hi I'm Nicky and I'm so glad you're here and I want to make you happy I am'," she said turning to the two men.

"A dress can say all that?" Jason laughed. He heard the shower go off and knew his husband would be out soon so he motioned them into the bedroom.

"Jason, when you go to a big board meeting how do you pick your clothes?" she inquired.

He nodded grinning. "Okay I see what you mean. According to what kind of meeting I'm facing I pick certain colors and styles in order to set the tone."

"Exactly," Sally smiled at him. "We should go I heard the door open." She caught Eric's hand and pulled him out of the room just as Nicky walked into the bedroom wrapped in a long silk robe.

"I thought maybe you went downstairs. The dresses are perfect," he said giving his husband a grateful smile.

Jason smiled sheepishly. "Actually Sally helped. They just left, they wanted to make sure everything was okay."

The little brunette laughed and walked over to his husband. He stretched up on his toes and the bigger man leaned down and they kissed deeply. "Give me twenty minutes and I'll be down."

"Take your time, Baby. We still have two hours before their plane gets in. We'll be there on time. Hey," Jason tugged Nicky back tentatively as the smaller man started for the dressing room. "I love you and I'm very sorry for yelling at you. You think your friend Robert could come over with a couple of those padded swords so Eric can pound some sense into me?"

The brunette just laughed and hugged his husband tight. "Nah, but since we actually had our first fight. You'll just have to make it up to me the old fashioned way." He swayed his hips as he walked away and the big man's eyes lit up thinking about just how to make it up to his small lover.

*****

"Now that is my beautiful Baby," Jason smiled as Nicky walked into the living room thirty minutes later.

Out of the three dresses Sally had set aside, the little brunette had picked one in a soft lavender shade. It was fitted to the hip and then flared slightly so that the skirt still seemed fitted but had plenty of give for walking. It had small cap sleeves which left most of Nicky's slender arms bare. Around his throat was a lace choker just a shade darker than the dress.

"You look great, Honey," Sally beamed and went over to hug her friend. "Is there anything you need me to do while you're gone?"

"No, the pot roast for dinner is cooking in the crock pot and I made up a batch of New England clam chowder for lunch. It's in the fridge. I just have to put it on when we get home to heat up. Why don't you and Eric take that walk on the beach while were gone?" he suggested.

"Maybe we will," his friend grinned. She hugged him again. "Now don't you be nervous. Everything is going to be okay," she whispered in his ear.

The brunette gave her a shaky smile and nodded, then took his husband's hand as they headed out the door to the car.

*****

Nicky wandered back and forth between the long window and the first row of seats in the waiting area. He and Jason had arrived at the airport with time to spare, only to find that the Sullivan's plane had been delayed in Denver by a snowstorm. It was on its way now but wouldn't land for another hour and a half.

Jason sighed as his small husband passed in front of him for the sixth time heading back for the windows. He stood up and followed catching him in front of the glass and wrapping his arms around him.

"I'm sorry, Baby. I know this waiting is just making it worse for you," he murmured softly. "Close your eyes and open your mouth."

The brunette looked up at him questioningly, but did as he was asked. A slow smile spread across his face as the rich dark flavor of chocolate filled his mouth.

"Chocolate?" he asked around the bite. Then he grinned. "Is it a treat for being good?"

The big man chuckled. "No I brought it just incase. I was hoping the caffeine would top you out and help calm you down."

"I don't know if it will do any good. But a cup of coffee sounds really great," Nicky answered.

"There's a Starbucks just a little way down the concourse. Why don't we go down? We've got plenty of time," Jason commented.

The brunette nodded and they walked down to the coffee shop together. Once they'd gotten some of the strong dark coffee and a muffin to share, Nicky pulled out his cellphone.

"Who are you calling, Sweetheart?" his husband asked.

"Sally, since we're going to be late I wanted to see if she would do a few things in the kitchen for me. I don't know if she'll be in the house though since she and Eric were going to go for a walk on the beach," he explained as he listened to the phone ring.

"Sullivan residence."

"Hi Sally I wasn't sure if you would be there," Nicky smiled.

"We just came back about ten minutes ago. I found some beautiful shells. I'm going to have to see if I can use them with a dollhouse. Unless you want them for jewelry," Sally laughed.

"Maybe we can split them. Sally, the plane got delayed it's not going to actually arrive until twelve-thirty. Can you do a few things for me?" the brunette asked.

"Sure, Honey. What do you need?"

"At twelve o'clock will you turn the crock-pot down to low? And in the fridge there is a container that has all the vegetables in it that need to be added to the crock-pot," Nicky replied.

"The one with the little potatoes, the onions and carrots?"

"That's the one. Just pour them in and make sure that most of them kind of settle down in the juice."

Sally grinned and refrained from telling her nervous friend that she knew how to make a pot roast in a crock-pot. "Is there anything else you need?"

"Yes please. At twelve-thirty take the chowder out of the refrigerator and put it in the big pot that's sitting on the stove. Just turn it on low and let it simmer. The bread machine should start at one. I've got all the ingredients in for making hot rolls to go with dinner. Just make sure it starts for me ok?"

"Nicky when did you get up this morning?" the blonde asked her voice slightly scolding.

"A little after four," he muttered his face flushing. "I couldn't sleep."

"Hopeless, absolutely hopeless," Sally sighed in aggravation. "Okay, Honey. I've got it all written down. I'll make sure everything keeps going smooth for you."

"Thanks Sally. You're the best," Nicky told her. He heard her chuckle as he said goodbye. "What are you grinning about?" he asked his husband with a frown.

The big man laughed and reached over to take the smaller man's hand. "Nothing Baby, really. It was just starting to look like Sally was a miracle worker. But I guess even she can't do everything."

The brunette giggled. "I just wanted to have as much done as possible so I didn't spend all day in the kitchen."

"Good thinking," Jason smiled.

They finished their coffee and wandered slowly back down the concourse looking at things in the little gift shops as they passed them. At one point Nicky grinned and pulled his husband into a shop to look at the jewelry. They had a display of items that were part of the brunette's line. He picked up the bead choker that he'd been working on the day that his in-laws had called.

"Well damn, look at this," he muttered in aggravation.

"What Sweetheart?" Jason said studying the piece.

"They got the design wrong. See they've got three lines with the same color all at one time. It throws off all the rest of the weave." He shook his head. "I was afraid that this one was too intricate for them."

"It still looks beautiful, Baby," the older man answered. He had to stifle a laugh. Leave it to his small husband to notice such a small flaw in something where the beads were so tiny they could barely be told apart.

"But it's wrong." Nicky took the choker over to the register and paid for it.

"Why are you buying it. You've got the original and one for yourself at home already," his husband asked confused.

"I'll take it to the company next week and talk to them about it. See if they can fix it so that the rest that are made are right," the small man answered as they left the shop and started back to the waiting area.

Jason chuckled and shook his head. "If they can it means that everyone who has bought one of your bead chokers with the flaw will have a collectors item."

"God don't say that," the brunette replied mournfully.

"Don't worry about it Baby it just kind of makes them special."

"That kind of special I could do without," he groused stuffing the small plastic sack with the choker in his velvet bag. He went to the window and stared out as Jason went to check the arrival board.

"The plane has landed. It should be here in a few minutes," he said as he wrapped his arms around his small lover.

Fifteen minutes later the plane had pulled up to the ramp and the passengers began to disembark. Nicky held Jason's hand tight as they watched the people come through the doorway. The older man squeezed his husband's hand gently as his parent's came through and made their way towards them.

"Jason!" Maura Sullivan hurried forward and hugged her son.

"Hey Mom, I'm sorry your flight was messed up," he said kissing her cheek.

"Not your fault, Dear. Anyway it gave your father and I a chance to stretch our legs." She turned to Nicky and smiled, holding out her hand. "Thank you for letting us come."

The brunette ducked his head and took the hand. "You're welcome. I'm glad you could come visit."

"Dad," Jason grinned and held out his hand to his Father. "Good to see you again."

Jonathan Sullivan took his son's hand and pulled him into a strong embrace. "I think I'm sorry I put you in charge of the West Coast office. Your just too damn far away."

"Too late Dad, I don't think you could get me to go back east now even if you gave me the home office and doubled my salary," his son laughed.

Mr. Sullivan snorted and cuffed his son gently. Then he turned and looked down at Nicky. "Nicky it's very nice to see you again. You gave us a scare in July."

The small man smiled hesitantly and shook the hand held out to him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make such a horrible fuss and ruin your reunion it turned out to be a horrible mistake all around."

"Don't be sorry," he reassured him. "I'm glad things worked out all right. Honestly Jack and Cheryl were making a royal nuisance of themselves. Their 'friend' left right after Jason and we were glad to see the back of her."

A small light of hope flared in the hazel eyes and the brunette squeezed his husband's waist as they headed for the baggage claim.

*****

Nicky sat in the back of Jason's Sedan with his husband's Mother, while his Dad sat in the front. So far things were going much better than he had ever hoped, but he was still nervous having his in-laws visiting a full week.

Maura reached across the seat and took the brunette's hand in hers. "Nicky, before we get to your home and meet your friends. Jonathan and I want to apologize for how badly we treated you when you came to visit us. It was very rude."

The small man squeezed her hand. "It's all right. I know I wasn't what you were expecting."

Mrs. Sullivan shook her head. "Jason sent us a letter telling us about you. It just didn't do you justice, I'm afraid. You're right you weren't what we were expecting. I guess we imagined a man who was a little feminine and maybe wore dresses. We weren't expecting someone that was so womanlike that he could even fool us."

"I always knew I could pass fairly easily. But it wasn't until this summer that I realized how well I'd succeeded. I thought Eric knew from the second weekend that we knew each other. I couldn't believe it when he told me he thought I was a woman for three years," Nicky replied with a rueful smile.

"I hate to say it but even then we thought maybe Jason would change his mind and find a nice girl to marry," Maura explained embarrassed.

"Sorry Mom, never happen. I'm happy with who I am," Jason answered from the front seat looking at her in the rearview mirror.

She chuckled and patted her son's shoulder. "We know that now. What I'm trying to say, is that when we saw you, Nicky, it kind of backed up that hope. I'm sorry. We treated you so badly because we thought if you weren't so perfect Jason might find a nice girl. But as long as he had you, why bother."

"Mom!" Jason exclaimed.

"It's okay, I understand what she's saying," Nicky told him. He turned and smiled slightly at his mother-in-law. "Actually, Jason and I almost didn't get together because he thought I was a woman and he wasn't interested. It took weeks after we got together for him to get used to seeing me dressed like this, knowing I was really a man. It was only by sheer luck that we had a mutual friend who finally introduced us."

"Well now, if he'd said that in the letter we might have been more prepared," Jonathan Sullivan said from the front seat. "It really did take us by surprise to open the door and see Jason with this beautiful young woman, just when we'd finally started accepting that it wouldn't happen."

"We were sorry when you didn't come the next year. But we understood that you probably didn't want to have anything to do with us. Then after the phone call in July we realized that we couldn't keep sitting around waiting for the right time to change things. If something had happened and we'd never gotten the chance to say how sorry we were, well we'd never have been able to forgive ourselves. Thank you for giving us a second chance," Maura stated patting Nicky's hand.

Nicky blinked rapidly touched by the words and the sincerity in the woman's voice. He gave her a shaky smile when she squeezed his hand gently.

"Oh my is that the house?" Mrs. Sullivan asked as they pulled into the driveway.

The brunette nodded. "We knew it was perfect the minute we saw it."

"It's just a replica of course but they did a nice job with it didn't they?" Jason grinned as he parked in front of the garage.

"They certainly did," Jonathan said as he helped his wife out of the back. "Even the carriage house."

"We use it as a garage for Nicky's car. He's got a convertible. And even though we don't get a lot of rain, the salty dew off the ocean in the morning is hell on the leather interior." Jason explained as he opened the trunk.

The front door opened and Eric and Sally came out.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan, these are my best friends Sally and Eric Constantine. Eric, Sally, these are Jason's parents Maura and Jonathan Sullivan." Nicky said introducing everyone.

"Nicky you either call me Mom or Maura, which ever is more comfortable. Sally, Eric that goes for you too." Mrs. Sullivan insisted as she shook hands with the blonde couple.

"Well it's certainly easy to see where Jason got his height from," Eric laughed as he looked up at Jason's Father and almost eye to eye with Maura.

Jonathan grinned as he shook hands with Nicky's friends. "Of our three boys Jason was the one that really took after us. Remind me to tell you the story of Jason and the High School Basketball coach later."

"God, Dad," his son protested as he pulled luggage out of the back of the car. "You swore you wouldn't embarrass me with that story anymore."

"Now you wouldn't deny Nicky the chance to hear about you as a kid would you?" Mr. Sullivan responded with a sly grin. Jason just hung his head in defeat.

While Eric helped bring in the bags, Nicky and Sally led Mrs. Sullivan inside. The little brunette took his Mother-in-law's coat and hung it in the closet by the front door while the other woman looked around the entryway.

"Something smells wonderful," Maura said as they walked towards the living room.

"Thank Nicky. He was up at four this morning getting things ready," the blonde told her.

"You didn't have to do that sweetheart," the older woman exclaimed looking at her son-in-law.

"I didn't want to be stuck in the kitchen on your first day here. But I thought that after airplane food you might want something home cooked. It's just pot roast in the crock pot for dinner and Clam chowder for lunch," Nicky replied with blush.

"Don't you believe him. That clam chowder is homemade and he's got dough rising for fresh rolls for dinner," Sally insisted.

Maura Sullivan laughed. "Be careful Nicky. Jonathan may never want to leave if you keep this up." She stopped as they stepped into the living room and then made a beeline into the room and to the lamp closest to the door. "Nicky, where did you find these. They're gorgeous."

Nicky stared at the bead lampshades that he'd removed over two weeks ago, then turned to look at his best friend who smiled innocently and found a very interesting spot on the ceiling. The brunette wondered what other changes he was going to find.

"I made them. I found the pattern in an old magazine from the twenties," he murmured hesitantly.

"Would you make me a pair just like these?" his mother-in-law asked turning excited pleading eyes on him. "I've been wanting something like this for the salon. But the closest I could find were the stained glass shades, which just aren't right."

"If you want. There are a couple of different patterns. We can look at them later and you can pick the one you'd like," The brunette replied awed at the idea that Jason's mother actually liked the lampshades.

"Mom." Jason was standing in the doorway of the living room. "Why don't I show you and Dad to your room. You can unpack and change, then Nicky and I can show you around."

"I would like to get out of this suit," Maura grinned. "It was perfect in Boston. But it is just a bit too warm for here in California."

"I hope you did bring a sweater or shawl," Nicky observed. "It can get cold at night if the breeze picks up off the ocean."

"I brought one, maybe we could go shopping so I could pick up a couple more?" she asked.

Nicky and Sally grinned widely and Eric groaned.

*****

"This is the parlor, " Nicky said as he slid open the sliding doors across the entry hall from the living room. "We don't use it very often. Only when Jason and I have his clients over."

Maura Sullivan walked around looking at the beautiful cherry wood furniture and the glass fronted curio cabinets. The room was perfect, elegant, but all the small knick-knacks and warm colored throw pillows gave the room a cozy comfortable feel. "Nicky this is wonderful, you've done a splendid job with this room. It took me years to put together the salon at home."

The brunette smiled gratefully at the compliment. "I spent a lot of time going through the antique shops. I do it on a regular basis anyway to get idea's for my jewelry."

"I can't wait to see some of your work," his mother-in-law told him. She watched confused as Nicky and Sally both giggled and looked at their feet embarrassed. "What?"

"Your wearing one of the pieces that Nicky made last year," the blonde grinned.

The older woman reached up and took off the bead necklace she'd put on to go with the skirt and top she was wearing. She looked at the chunky beads and then back at Nicky.

"This is one of your pieces?"

Nicky blushed and nodded.

"I would have thought they'd be smaller more delicate," Maura said in surprise.

The brunette smiled and shook his head. "I usually adjust them for myself. I started making them for my friends. They usually need things that are larger, to help give them that more feminine look. But they became popular with lots of people, so the company that makes them increased the retail base."

"Now I can't wait to see what your other pieces look like, to see how many more of them I have," the older woman laughed.

"If you see any you don't have but would like to just tell me. I'll make them for you," Nicky replied as he closed the doors to the parlor.

They walked into the kitchen and while Mrs. Sullivan looked around at all the carefully camouflaged modern appliances Nicky checked on the clover leaf rolls he and Sally had put together while his in-laws had been upstairs. They had risen nicely so he removed the pan from the convection oven and started it preheating. The left over clam chowder from lunch had cooled enough so he carefully ladled it into a Tupperware container to put in the fridge.

"Uhm, Mom?" he paused uncertainly, but the wide happy smile Maura turned on him, chased any doubts he still held about his acceptance out of his mind.

"What Sweetheart?" Maura asked walking over to him.

"Do you think... Dad would like more of the chowder with dinner or should I save it to have with sandwiches for tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow with sandwiches. That way the three of us can go shopping and all Jason has to do is heat it up," the older woman chuckled. "I love how the contractors designed the outside of all the appliances to match the house. And this kitchen is huge."

"It was one of the selling points for us. Honestly I think the realtor thought he had a pair newly wed chumps on his hands. The problem is he didn't realize we didn't care about cost. We just wanted the house to fit us," Nicky giggled.

Sally laughed. "Yeah, Eric and I are wishing we'd bought the three bedroom house right off the bat instead of the two bedroom first. It's such a huge investment. But when you know your probably never going to move the house becomes more important than the money."

Maura nodded as they walked out of the kitchen through the dining room doorway. "Jonathan and I moved twice while we were having the kids. The last time we said the hell with the money, we want a house where we won't have to move again. We've never regretted it."

"It's hard though," Nicky sighed as he watched his mother-in-law running a hand over the heavy china cabinet. "So many people have to move for their jobs these days. Jason and I are just lucky that we both have jobs that will keep us here."

"How did you find dishes and glasses that match so perfectly, Nicky?" Mrs. Sullivan asked.

The brunette blushed and scuffed the floor with one small bare foot. "I wanted something new and pretty for your visit so Jason and I went out and got everything all at one time."

He was surprised when the older woman walked over and hugged him tight. "Thank you, that was probably one of the nicest compliments I've ever had. That our visit was so important to you."

Nicky ducked his head. "I just wanted to make it nice. I just really think that it's great that you love Jason enough that you want him to be happy and not desert him because you don't like the choices he's made."

"He's always made us proud. Sometimes it takes us a little while to understand, but then he's always walked to the beat of a different drummer." She told him.

Next door to the dining room was Jason's study. The three big men were grouped around the coffee table looking over an article in the Wall Street Journal. They barely noticed when door opened.

Maura chuckled. "He's as bad as his father. I bet he has a weeks worth of newspapers stacked somewhere."

Nicky and Sally burst out laughing as they went back out in the hallway. "Jason just threw away anything that was older than a week this morning."

"Like I said, just like his father. He won't let me touch his study even when company's coming."

The brunette opened the door across from the study and walked in. "This is my studio. Go ahead and look around, I just want to run and check the oven. It's probably preheated by now."

Maura was intrigued by everything. She asked questions about the different beads, what materials Nicky used for different pieces of jewelry. She spent an hour going through the carefully organized clear plastic tubs that Nicky kept his past projects in according to the year they were designed. In the end she had picked five pieces that she wanted Nicky to make for her.

"The upstairs is all bedrooms and they are basically laid out the same as the one your in. The only difference is that the master bedroom has two walk-in dressing room closet combinations on either side of the bathroom," he said as he led them to the last doorway on the long hall.

"I saw that. I hope you don't mind I snooped a little before we came back down. It looks like you've got six bedrooms. Why so many?" his mother-in- law asked.

"We thought it might be nice if the family reunions came out west sometimes," Nicky murmured quietly as he pushed open the door to his sitting room.

"I think that is a wonderful idea!" the older woman exclaimed as they walked into the room. "Oh, Nicky did you make this?" She went over to the Victorian dollhouse sitting on one side of the room.

"Actually it's still in the making. Sally is teaching me. She builds dollhouses that sell in specialty shops all over the West Coast," the brunette stated proudly.

"Really?" Maura asked looking at Sally.

"I've been building them since I was about twelve. My parents bought me my very first kit," the blonde replied. "I've been doing it ever since."

"I would love to see some of your work."

"There's a shop in San Francisco that carries them. We can visit them tomorrow. I'd show you the ones that I'm currently working on but we're in the middle of moving from our old house to the new one. But maybe you could come for one of the weekends of the festival next summer and we can show them to you then," Sally told her.

"I'll start working on Jonathan as soon as we get home," Maura grinned.

*****

On to Part Two

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