Brian spent time with Serenity, either at her apartment or his home. He also bought a Harley, and the pair cruised around Orlando together.
Kevin and Irene spent time in New York and in Lexington. Ann Richardson got to know her future daughter-in-law, sharing stories of Kevin's childhood. Kevin helped in the gallery, watching in delight as Irene finally sold the Degas she had purchased several months earlier. They celebrated the sale with dinner and dancing at their favorite jazz club.
Nick hung out in Orlando, even sitting in one of Allyson?s senior classes. He was afraid his mind would explode with all of the numbers and equations flying across the whiteboard, but he was very proud as he watched his girlfriend calmly answer all of her students' question. When class ended, he pressed her against the whiteboard and kissed her soundly before they left for her office.
Howie and Lumien spent time together, and even though he wanted to introduce her to his family, she resisted.
"What? You don?t want to meet them?"
"I...just...well...She pressed her fingers to her temples before running them through her hair as she tried to find a way to explain herself.
"You don't have to be afraid." Howie gently tugged her hands out of her hair and caressed the trembling fingers. "I love you. They will love you."
Looking into the soft brown eye, Lumien was overwhelmed by the love and acceptance she saw in them. Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, she nodded once. He kissed her, cupping her chin with his fingers. "It'll be fine."
And it was fine. His parents accepted with her smiles and hugs, his siblings accepted her with laughter and smiled, and she sat down next to Howie at the dinner table and realized what she had been missing ever since her father had passed away.
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Meredith breathed a sigh of relief, wrapping her arms around herself as she saw the plane crew step onto the tarmac.
"You okay, love?" AJ's arms came around her as they watched the men and women wave at the crowds before heading into waiting vehicles.
"Yeah. Just glad they're okay." She leaned against him, snuggling into his arms as he continued to hold her.
She had watched the coverage of the internment of the captured crew members and the negotiations for their release with a cross between worry and returning memories. She had nightmares twice, and AJ would wrap his arms around her as she started to moan. His voice and his touch soothed her from degenerating into screams and struggles. When she was startled out of her dreams, she would hold onto him and cry, and he held her close to his heart and whispered how proud he was of her and how much he loved her.
Nick checked on her several times, and AJ was glad to see that when she told the young man she was okay, she really meant it. The younger man gave both of his friends relieved looks, and when he left, he hugged AJ and thanked him for taking care of Meredith. AJ just smiled and promised him that he would do it forever.
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During their break, Brian rounded up the group to celebrate Serenity's birthday at his house. He even managed to surprise her by bringing her family to Orlando, a gift that touched her more than the 2-week vacation he planned for them when the tour was completed. As she looked around the group of family and friends gathered in the living room of the large house, Serenity felt her whole life stop and shift in a new direction.
Brian looked at her and saw the look of wonder on her face. Leaning close, he whispered in her ear.
"You okay, babe?"
She nodded, pressing her hand to his cheek. "I'm wonderful. Thank you for the most incredible birthday I have ever had."
He looked at her for a moment and saw the joy and love radiating in her eyes. Nodding, he kissed her softly. "I love you."
She smiled against his lips. "I love you, too."
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AJ hung up the phone, pressing his fingers to his eyes as he sat there. After several minutes, he got up and walked into the office to find Meredith sitting at her desk working on tour details.
"Hey, mine." She didn't look up from the computer as she typed.
He stood there for a moment, and she looked up at him when he didn?t answer. Seeing the redness of his eyes, she was out of the chair and moving towards him before she even realized it.
"What's wrong?"
He folded her into his arms, crying into her shoulder. "Grandma's gone."
Shock froze time for a moment as Meredith digested the news. Tightening her arms around him, she closed her eyes as the tears slipped from them. They both stood there and cried for the woman who meant so much to them.
The funeral was hard; AJ, his mother, and his grandfather all distraught. Meredith took on a lot of the planning, making sure everything was handled as his grandmother had requested. Sitting in the front row of the church, she held on to his hand as the kind words were spoken. When the music began, she gripped his hand a little tighter before he stood up and joined the other guys to sing.
At the graveside, she followed behind AJ and placed a white rose on the casket. Resting her hand on the cool mahogany, she whispered "te amo, siempre" then walked back to her seat.
At home, after thanking everyone who came and sending them on their way, she put Adolfo and Denise to bed in the guest rooms. She walked through the house, turning off lights and making sure everything was locked up tight, then headed into the master bedroom.
AJ stood at the window, his hand pushing the sheer curtains away from the glass. Meredith moved to stand behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her cheek against his shoulder. She never said a word, simply kissing his skin and squeezing him gently. He rested his hand over her clasped fingers and allowed himself to lean back against her.
She closed her eyes as she realized how much he was saying by relying on her to support him. He realized that he would always have her support and that he could let her be the strong one for a while. They stood at the window and looked out at the night.
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MAY
The tour picked up again, sending the group hurtling down a path they had traveled many times before. Lumien sprawled on a sofa one morning after a particularly difficult appearance and just stared Meredith.
"When will the madness end?" She was only half joking.
Meredith shook her head and passed out the new itinerary for the week. "It never ends."
"I was afraid you would say that." The young woman sat up and studied the schedule, along with the rest of the security team.
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Kevin sat down next to Meredith as she was working through the logistics for the next three appearances.
"Can I ask you a question?"
She looked up for a moment, biting a pen, before turning her eyes back to the computer screen. "Sure."
"What does Irene want for her birthday?"
Meredith raised her head, the pen still gripped in her teeth. She spit it out on the table. "What?"
"What does Irene want for her birthday?"
"How should I know? You spend more time with her than I do."
"What do you usually get her?" He leaned against the sofa back, his hands settled on his belly.
"Something stupid and money. I gave up trying to pick things out after I discovered she gave away most of what I gave her. Now, I try to find something incredibly inane and give her a gift certificate to one of her favorite stores."
Kevin shook his head. "I don't think that's gonna work for me. I need something good."
She shrugged and shook her head. "Can't help you, Kev. This is something you need to figure out on your own."
Sighing, he got up and headed for his room.
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All the way to Lexington, Irene kept asking Kevin what they were going to do. He just smiled and kissed her, leaving her a little frustrated?from both lack of information and lust. He pulled the car into a cemetery, driving slowly until he reached a grove of trees. Turning the car off, he smiled at her and climbed out of the car, coming around to the passenger side to help her out.
Taking her hand, he led her to a simple gravestone. Bending, he swept away the dried flowers, replacing them with a fresh bouquet. Irene looked at the inscriptio
Beloved husband and father
He looked down at their joined fingers. "I wish you could have met him. He would have loved you."
Irene slipped her fingers beneath Kevin's chin, raising his face to look at him. "In a way, I have. I?'ve met the best part of him."
Smiling gently, he leaned forward and kissed her. They sat there for an hour as he told her stories about his father, and she could see the deep love he had for the man. When the silence lasted longer than a few moments, she leaned forward and pressed her palm to the stone.
"I'm going to love him forever, just like you did. And I'll take care of him." She patted the smooth marble.
Kevin hugged her as he pressed his fingers over hers. Then he pulled away and stood up, helping her off the ground. They walked back to the car and climbed in, heading back to his mother's house. Irene turned around and looked at the cemetery as they drove away, feeling a sense of peace drift over her. She rested her hand on Kevin's knee, smiling at him as he covered it with his own.
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When they returned to the tour, it took a few days before there was an opportunity to celebrate Irene's birthday. On a free day, everyone gathered in the hotel's private dining room. Kevin had the event catered, ordering Irene's favorite foods. When they finished the meal, he tapped on his wine glass for everyone's attention.
"I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for coming to celebrate Irene's birthday with me. She's a special lady, and I want everyone to know how much I love her."
Irene smiled and kissed him gently after he sat down. Presents were passed over to her, and she chuckled with glee as she began to open them. She hugged Nick in thanks for his portrait of her and Kevin, the charcoal drawing filled with detail. She stroked the glass covering the paper, knowing she would treasure it always.
She laughed as she opened Brian's gift of a photo album filled with pictures of Kevin growing up. He groaned at some of the photos, but she just patted his leg as she flipped through a couple of pages. Howie gave her a silk scarf he had designed for her, the rich reds, blues, and greens a wonderful contrast to her skin. Lumien handed her an envelope. Irene looked at it carefully before opening it. Grinning widely, she hugged the young woman before showing everyone the certificate where Lumien had a star named after Irene. The paper listed the coordinates of the star, and she promised to show Irene the next time they were out in full view of the night sky.
AJ smiled as she opened the small box and gasped. Lifting out the alexandrite earrings, she cradled them in her hand.
"They're gorgeous. Thank you." She hugged him and kissed him on the cheek.
Grinning at Meredith, Irene opened the envelope on top of the box. Gift cards to Macy's, Victoria's Secret, and Nordstrom's slipped from the envelope, and she held them in her hand as she read the card. Laughing, she winked at her sister then opened the box. Folding back the tissue paper, she couldn't stop the roar of laughter that escaped her.
Irene held up the sleep shirt and showed everyone the front of it. It was black and had the skeleton of a pig in iridescent white, the words "bad to the bone" scrawled across the bottom. She stood up and hugged the other woman.
"This is so cool. Thank you."
"It kinda matches your slippers." Kevin grinned.
When she sat down again, he placed the long velvet box in front of her with a card. Irene slid her finger under the flap and opened the envelope, pulling out the card to read it. Meredith could tell by the way her eyes glowed and her lips parted that the message was an outpouring of love. She set the card down and picked up the box. Opening it, she looked at the contents, slowly brushing her fingers across the necklace. Irene looked at Kevin, knowing there was a story behind the gift.
His fingers joined hers, taking the pearl necklace from the box and fastening it around her neck. "This belonged to my grandmother. My father gave them to me to give to the woman who would take my name and walk by my side."
A tear rolled down Irene's cheek as she wrapped her arms around Kevin's neck and whispered in his ear. "Thank you. I love you so much."
The others watched as the couple kissed, happy to see them so in love. When they parted, Irene looked around the table, wiping her cheeks.
"Thank you, everyone, for your gifts. They mean so much to me because they came from your hearts."
The waiter took that as a sign to bring out the cake, one candle lit on the surface. Irene closed her eyes and made a wish before blowing out the flame. Slices of cake were passed around, and the group sat back to just enjoy the time together.
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JUNE
Meredith felt the hand on her back right before she was pushed into the bar.
"What?" She spun around, and her eyes narrowed.
"They let just anyone in here, don't they?" He sneered as he gestured at her with his beer.
"Apparently so." She raked her eyes over him, dismissing him without a thought as she turned around and ordered drinks.
"Hey, Mom?" Nick's voice trailed off as he saw the man. His reaction was instinctive; he growled softly and moved towards Winston.
Winston backed up one step and looked to each side for the rest of his security team. The hulking men appeared, looking unconcerned. Meredith reached out and grabbed Nick's shirt to keep him from moving forward.
"Still keeping him on a leash?" Winston smirked.
Meredith quirked an eyebrow, turning back to the bar to gather the bottles and glasses. Shoving beers into Nick's hands, she nudged him back towards their table. Nick was still pissed an hour later, glowering in the direction of Winston's little entourage. The group stood and headed towards the exit. As they drew closer, they could hear Winston's voice, insulting Meredith on anything he could think of, driven on by the chuckles of his men. She ignored him, the insults rolling off her back like water. She knew that Nick, Kevin, and AJ were barely holding their tempers and the bodyguards were just waiting for the word.
"Yeah, she thinks she's such hot shit, but she didn't seem to be able to watch out for the boys, now did she? They still got hurt, even after everyone thought she would be able to protect them. Guess she couldn't keep 'em safe after all."
Meredith stopped, spun around as she ducked below AJ's arm, and pushed between Nick and Kevin. She strode towards Winston, fury radiating from her in palpable waves. One of his men laughed and sauntered towards her, intent on cutting her off after Winston gave him the order. His mocking grin quickly changed to a pain as she kicked him in the belly. Reaching out, she knocked his head against a table, leaving him unconscious. Unconcerned, she stepped over his body and continued on her mission.
The three other men in Winston's group were stunned and looked to Winston for instructions. He gestured frantically for them to stop her. With two quick hand movements, she sent Marcus, Leary, and Ramos to intercept; they had no problems keeping the other security team away from her.
Meredith stood in front of Winston, a predatory smile on her lips. From the sidelines, AJ, Nick, and Kevin watched in fascination.
"You know, I'm getting pretty fucking tired of your mouth. You're nothing but a fuckup, and you're dangerous. I gave you every opportunity to work with me, and you pissed it away. Getting fired was your fault. Buy a clue, get a life, and get over it."
He swung out at her, and she moved back but caught a glancing blow to her cheek. Out of the corner of her eye, Meredith saw AJ move, and she waved him away. Winston pulled out a knife and brandished it.
"Bad move." Leary shook his head, and Ramos nodded in agreement.
Feeling overly confident, he looked over at his men and smirked, paying no attention to the woman in front of him. She reached out and grabbed his wrist, bending it down and under. The move brought him to his knees as surprise then pain crossed his face. She pulled the knife from his useless fingers and pressed it against his throat. Winston whimpered in fear as he felt the cold steel against his skin.
"You know, the last time I held a knife like this, I buried it in the throat of an Iraqi colonel."
He gulped, feeling the blade bite into his neck. He looked into Meredith's eyes, almost hypnotized by the arctic blue gaze.
"If I ever find you near them, looking at them, talking about them, or thinking about them, I will come back and finish this." She held the knife there a few moments to make her point.
Pulling it away, she drove it into the table next to his head. It quivered from the force, and Winston's eyes were drawn to it. Straightening, she released him, and he sprawled on the floor. She looked at her team and nodded.
Nick and Kevin fell in behind her, and AJ tentatively reached out to hold her hand. She smiled at him, her eyes warm and full of love as she twined her fingers with his.
"Fuckin' A." Ramos laughed as he, Leary, and Marcus brought up the rear.
"You still got it, AoD." Leary chuckled.
Marcus leaned close to the other man. "AoD?"
"I'll explain later." Leary nodded.
The seven of them exited the bar and headed for their limo. The ride back to the hotel was silent. The bodyguards made sure their charges were safe in their rooms before heading down the hall. Marcus studied the two men with him.
"What does AoD mean?"
Leary smiled. "That's Meredith's call sign. When we picked her up from the camp in Iraq, she looked like an avenging angel, so we started calling her angel of death, AoD for short."
"Camp? Iraq?" The confusion was evident in Marcus' voice and eyes.
Ramos stopped walking and looked at the other man. "Meredith was a POW during Desert Storm, and we were on the team sent to get her and the others out. She was well on her way to escaping when we got there. She killed the guy in charge of the place, apparently he was a sadistic bastard, hence the knife comment. It?s best not to piss her off."
"I knew that even before I heard her call sign." Marcus shook his head as he walked towards his room.
"Night, Marcus." Leary saluted the other man as he turned to head for his room.
Ramos took his post at the end of the hall and leaned against the wall, the grin still lingering on his face.
Table of Contents
Chapter Forty-One