Chapter 83: Intervention

I woke with Dana in my arms. She’d crawled back up my body after finishing ‘her turn’ and laid her head on my shoulder sighing with contentment.

“You okay?” I asked her. She’d looked up at me and smiled.

“I am now,” she’d said. “I’ve been wanting to do that all night.”

“Next time Gracie goes away,” I’d told her, “come over. You don’t need to be on your own.”

“She’s hopefully not going to be doing that so often,” she’d replied. “Occasionally overnight, but this is the first time she’s been away for this long. I’d forgotten how lonely it was all on my own. It’s even worse now because I’m not in the dorms. At least there, there were some people to talk to.”

“Well like I said,” I’d told her, “if it happens again, let us know. At the very least you can come over for dinner some evenings or go with us when we go out.”

“I will,” she’d said. “Thanks.”

I slid out of bed, predictably waking Melanie who was on the other side of me, between the twins. She joined me as we got dressed and went out for our run. Sarah, it seemed, opted to stay with Arnie in their bed.

Everyone was up by the time we’d returned from our run.

“What time do you guys get up?” asked E, still looking sleepy.

“About four,” Melanie told him. “We run every morning.”

He shook his head.

“Did you sleep well?” I asked him and Connie.

“Eventually,” said Connie with a grin. “There was quite a lot going on around us.”

Josh and Louise just grinned while Arnie blushed. It seemed that Dana and I were not the only ones getting intimate last night, since the spare room was between Sarah and Arnie’s, and Josh and Louise’s rooms, I guess they got it in stereo.

I laughed.

We had breakfast and then I drove E and Connie to the gas station and then to his car. I waited until he’d got it started and then took my leave.

“Thanks for last night,” said E. “And for the...” he indicated his head, presumably referring to the Tatarabuela Gonzales.”

“No problem,” I said, “It was good to see you.”

“We should all go out for dinner some time,” said Connie “after you’re back.”

“Sounds good,” I said. “Give us a call after the break and we’ll get something set up.”

I headed back to the house. When I arrived, Ness and Jules were out giving Dana a ride back to her house.

“What time are your parent’s arriving?” I asked Sarah.

“Dad said any time after nine,” she said. “They should be here any time.”

Her statement was just about prophetic since, almost as soon as she said it, I heard a car pull up outside. Looking out of the window I saw Brian getting out of his car. Carrie and Edgar watched, making no move to get out of the car.

“It looks like they want to get going,” I said, and Sarah and Arnie went to the front door and opened it.

“You all ready?” asked Brian as he gave his daughter a hug.

“Sure,” she said. “Let me just get my bag.”

“We’ve got a long drive,” Brian explained, “so we just want to get going.”

“Okay,” I said, a little nonplussed. I thought it a little rude that Carrie and Edgar were staying in the car and not coming in to say hello, but it was their choice.

Sarah came out of her bedroom holding a small carry-on bag.

She went to Arnie, who embraced her. They kissed.

I saw Brian bristling a little at this. I was guessing he wasn’t overly happy with their relationship as it stood, and I wondered if Sarah was going to be in for some trouble while she was away.

“Remember we’re only a thought away,” I sent to her after she finished saying goodbye to her fiancé.

She didn’t answer, but glanced in my direction with a small smile.

Brian didn’t really make eye contact or speak to anyone else in the house. Instead, he picked up her bag and walked her out to the car. I followed to the front door and waved to Carrie and Edgar.

Carrie gave a half hearted wave.

“Hello,” Edgar sent to me as he waved.

Sarah and Brian got into the car, which he’d left running. They were moving almost before the doors were closed.

I frowned.

“What’s going on there?” I wondered to myself as I watched the car disappearing into the distance.

Arnie too looked uncomfortable.

“Tell me that wasn’t weird,” he said.

“I can’t,” I said. “There’s definitely something going on there, but I have no idea what. Sarah’s connected to us so if there’s any trouble, she can let us know.”

He didn’t look particularly reassured by that.

“I guess I should go,” he said.

“Us too,” I said. “Gerry is supposed to be meeting us at the airport. I’ll bet he flew up last night and is probably waiting for us already.”

We loaded up what we were taking with us which, to be fair, wasn’t much. Apart from Melanie, we all had clothing and everything else at the ranch, it was our second home when all was said and done.

The flight to the ranch was uneventful. Gerry was waiting for us, as predicted, and we were in the air within about fifteen minutes of arriving at the airport. Melanie was duly impressed with the jet, and Amanda was just as nervous about takeoff as she had been that first time. I sat with her, having my hand squashed, as we departed.

When we arrived at the ranch, the usual cacophony of barking greeted us as the dogs, led by Terra, dashed towards us. Melanie who’d been first out of the car recoiled in terror.

Jules and Ness, on seeing this, moved toward the dogs and met them a little way from the car. This allowed them to take the brunt of their greeting, and diverted them away from Melanie. Mary and Amanda, once they were out of the car, also helped occupy the dogs.

“Are you okay?” I asked Melanie, who was visibly trembling, now around the far side of the car from where the dogs were enthusiastically catching up with the girls.

“Dogs scare me,” she said. “I’ve had some not so nice experiences with them, had some set on me to chase me away, and stuff like that. When I was younger, I got grabbed by one. Fortunately it only got hold of the coat I was wearing at the time, but it shook me like a rat, and I had to leave my coat behind to get away.

I noted Terra breaking away from the pack. She approached us slowly, almost cautiously. She stopped about six feet from where we were standing, looking up at us, her tail waving gently.

“Melanie,” I said, “I’d like you to meet Terra. She’s my friend and she won’t hurt you, I promise.”

Melanie looked at me, and then at Terra, who stood perfectly still, waiting to see Melanie’s reaction.

I could see Melanie’s fear in her aura, but also her trust in me. She looked at Terra, and then, steeling herself, slowly, reluctantly, held out her hand toward Terra.

Terra moved slowly, giving Melanie every option to withdraw. I expected her to sniff at Melanie’s hand, but she didn’t. Instead, she simply walked up and, lowering her head slightly, placed her head under the hand as she’d done with me so often.

During all this time, her tail wagged gently.

Melanie stroked Terra.

“None of them would ever hurt you,” I told her, as her fingers ran through the short fur on Terra’s head.

I looked up to note the other dogs had stopped fussing around the girls and were watching us. It seemed that they were eager to come say hello to me and Melanie, but were hanging back.

I moved toward them, leaving Melanie with Terra, since she seemed okay with that, and petted the rest of the pack.

After a few moments more, Terra moved away from Melanie, and all four dogs moved back toward the house, leaving us a clear path to where Dean and Cheryl were currently greeting the rest of the girls.

I took Melanie’s hand and we joined them.

“Hey, Pops,” I said as we approached.

“Not a fan of dogs?” he asked Melanie.

“Some bad memories,” she said. He nodded.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “If we’d known we’d not have let them all rush out like that.”

Cheryl, having finished greeting the other girls, turned to Melanie, she held out her arms, and Melanie accepted a hug.

“I’m so happy to see you,” Cheryl said, holding the younger girl to her.

“And how are you?” Dean asked me.

“I think I’m okay,” I said. “I had some really good support, Thanks.”

He nodded, and pulled me into a hug.

“I’m proud of you,” he said. “Not just of what you did, but of the way you’ve dealt with it.”

“I couldn’t have done it without my family and friends,” I said. “You all helped me, a lot.”

“Which is what we’re here for,” he answered, releasing me. “Maybe we’ll talk later about it, if you want?”

“I’d like that,” I said. I turned to Cheryl who took her turn wrapping me up in a hug.

“Are you okay?” she asked, I smiled.

“I am now,” I told her, holding her as she held me, feeling a maternal warmth and protectiveness radiating from her.

“Come on inside,” she said after a few moments.

We followed the rest into the house and took seats in the living room. Ness was already in the kitchen making drinks, and she brought them through a few minutes later.

As soon as we took our seats, Terra sidled up to me and put her head on my knee. I was sitting next to Melanie, who stiffened as Terra approached but relaxed again once she’d sat herself at my feet and I was stroking her head.

“Is it just me?” I said looking at her, “Or is Terra getting a bit tubby?”

“She’s with pup,” said Cheryl. “We’re not sure which of these two miscreants it was,” she indicated two of the other dogs, “but we think she’s about four or five weeks in. We’re guessing she’ll be due around Christmas.”

“Well look at you.” I said ruffling the fur on her head and stroking her ears. She always liked that and pressed her head against my hand, groaning in pleasure.”

Melanie giggled.

After a few moments, I stopped stroking Terra’s head, and she sat with it on my knee for a moment. Then, realizing no more scratches were coming from me, she lifted her head and plonked it on Melanie’s knee, gazing up at the younger girl with huge brown eyes.

Almost without thinking, Melanie started to scratch Terra behind the ears, much to Terra’s obvious pleasure. I smiled to myself, and sat back, sipping at my coffee.

“Fiona and her Mom are coming over tomorrow,” said Cheryl. “I thought it would be good for you to see her face to face, since you haven’t for such a long time, and her Mom has a request for you.

“For me?” I asked.

Cheryl grinned. “Your timing isn’t great,” she said. “10pm on a Sunday night is not always convenient for her.”

I laughed. “She wants me to stop them?” I asked.

“Hell no,” laughed Cheryl. “She just wants to reschedule.”

That raised a laugh all round.

After we’d finished our drinks, we showed Melanie around, taking her up to our bedroom where I noted that more work had been done.

“What did you do?” I asked Dean.

“We merged the two rooms,” he said. “This room just wasn’t big enough for the new bed. We took down that wall, and made it into one room. Now you have all the space you need, and plenty of storage too.”

I looked at the new bed. Like ours at home it was an Alaskan King.

“Jules said that Arnie and Sarah sometimes shared with you. There wouldn’t be enough room if we’d kept your old bed.”

“Sometimes,” I said.

“We’ve still got plenty of other rooms,” he assured me, “if they don’t want to. Besides,” he continued walking me toward the back of the house, where it appeared some construction was going on, “we’re adding a couple more rooms. There are going to be a lot of people here at Christmas”

“So I hear,” I said. “Who is this mystery guest you mentioned?”

“I’m not telling,” he grinned. “You’ll meet them when you come up next. I’d like it to be a surprise for you all.”

“Okay then,” I said. He knew I could pluck the identity of the mystery guest from his mind without a problem, but he also trusted that none of us would do that. That trust was something I loved about him.

“Ness wants to talk to you,” I said.

“I believe so,” he said. “You going to give me a heads up?”

“Nope,” I said. “If you were anyone else, I might ask you to hear her out before you react, but I know you will do that in any case.”

He nodded to me. “You think I might not like what she’s going to say?”

“She’s worried about it,” I said. “Me, not so much.”

“Oh?” he asked.

“Nope,” I said. “I’m not worried at all.”

He shook his head with a wry smile.

“You can be an ass sometimes,” he said. “You know that, right?”

“Only sometimes?” I asked. “I need to try harder.”

He went quiet for a few moments, his face turning serious.

“When you’re ready,” he said, “will you show me what happened?”

Despite the change of subject, I knew instantly what he was talking about. I nodded.

“Later?” I asked. “I think you need to speak to Ness first. Let’s not keep things hanging over her for longer than they need to.”

Unsurprisingly Ness was in the kitchen, preparing lunch, or at least starting preparations. Cheryl and Dean sat themselves at the table. Ness looked at them, then at me. She sighed.

“Now?” she asked. I nodded. I headed for the door, but Ness stopped me.

“Caleb,” she said. “Please stay?”

I shrugged and took a seat on the opposite side of the table to Pops and Cheryl. Ness came and sat beside me.

I told you about our ‘lesson’ with Gordon Ramsay,” she started.

“Just a few times,” said Cheryl smiling. Pops grinned, having sat through several calls where Ness recounted the experience.

“There was something that I didn’t tell you,” she said. “I wanted to talk to you about it face to face.”

“Okay,” said Pops.

“Caleb,” Ness turned to me. “Will you give them the full memory of the day?”

Surprised, it took me a couple of minutes to collate the memory, and then I looked at them both.

“You ready?” I asked. They nodded.

I gave them the memory and watched as they assimilated it.

I saw identical grins from them, as they ‘enjoyed’ the experience, then a sudden understanding washed over Pop’s face. I was certain he knew what was coming. Cheryl, I felt hadn’t made the connection.

“I have a question?” said Pops, surprising Ness and Cheryl both.

“Okay,” said Ness nervously.

“Why,” he began, “are you wasting your time at Culinary School? You should be out there getting experience. That guy said so.”

“I...” Ness stuttered, caught out by this.

“I was going to talk to you about dropping out,” she said, “but I didn’t think you’d be happy about it. I know what you think of quitters.”

Cheryl smiled.

“Ness,” she said. “You wouldn’t be quitting. You already know everything they can teach you. If I remember correctly, Caleb already gave you all the memories from that girl from how he learned to cook. Didn’t she just finish school when he took them?”

Ness nodded. “And I got some more from the head chef at a restaurant who Caleb knows.”

“So what’s your next move?” asked Dean. “Do you have a place lined up?”

“I think I can get a job in a restaurant,” she said. “Not just a waitress or dishwasher, but a real job, in the kitchen, cooking.”

“When do you start?” asked Dean.

“I’m going to go and speak to them when we get back,” she replied. “But it might mean I might have to work over the Christmas break.”

I hadn’t considered that. I frowned, not looking forward to being separated from Ness for that break, if she had to stay and work.

“That’s the nature of the business,” said Dean. “You knew that going in.”

Ness nodded. “I know,” she said. “But it’s what I really want to do.”

“And you know we’ll support you all the way,” Cheryl said.

“Just let me know when you’re ready to start up your own place,” Dean said. “And we’ll talk about making it happen.”

“I need a lot more experience before then,” Ness said.

Dean smiled at her. “I know,” he said. “But it gives you something to work toward.”

Ness looked at her parents, then at me.

“So,” she said finally, “you don’t mind me dropping out of Culinary School?”

“Mind?” Dean asked. “Of course not. If they had anything to teach you, then I might try and persuade you to stay. But, from what I just saw, one of the best chefs in the world just advised you to do just that. Who am I to argue?”

“Aside from that,” said Cheryl, “you’re a grown woman now. It’s your life, so these are your decisions to make. We’ll support you in anything you want to do, and I’m sure that Caleb and the girls would say the same.

Ness looked at me. I nodded.

She looked from me to her parents with a slight look of confusion on her face. I didn’t think that she’d expected this reaction at all. Dean smiled at her gently.

“It’s your life Ness” he said. “We’ll always be here to help and guide you, but in the end it’s up to you. You know that no matter what happens, we’ll always love you.”

Ness stood and, stepping around the table, hugged her mom then her Daddy.

“One thing,” Dean said. “I know that it’s going to be long hours, and hard work, but remember your family. I’ve seen people get pulled into situations where, even when they have down time, still spend it with the people they work with, and neglect their families. Don’t fall into that trap, okay?”

“I won’t,” she said looking across the table from her father’s lap, to me. “I could never do that.”

Ness and I worked together to make lunch. Ness chattering away happily about what she was going to do when she got back, how Tiffany and the others would be shocked at her dropping out, and how she thought her teachers would try and persuade her to stay.

“When are you going to tell them?” I asked.

“That depends,” she said. “When do you think you can get me in to see the chef at Coquine?”

“He has a session booked for the Monday we’re back,” I said. “I could speak to him then.”

“Then I’m going to go in to school Monday and let them know I’m dropping out,” she said. “If your guy is not interested in me then I’ll start looking elsewhere.”

“Why not,” I said, “Email Chef Ramsay, and ask if he’ll write you a recommendation. If you take that and show it to people, they would be far more amenable to at least giving you a trial. What do you think of that?”

“That’s a great idea,” she said. “I’ll do that straight after lunch.”

We were just clearing up after lunch when the dogs all ran to the front of the house, barking. Melanie, who’d been petting one of the dogs, Blue I think, jumped at the noise.

“Sorry,” said Cheryl getting up and walking toward the entrance hall, “They always do that.”

Melanie smiled at her. “They just made me jump is all.”

A few moments later, Cheryl returned with two women. The older of the two looked a lot more relaxed than last I’d seen her. But the biggest change was in the daughter, Fiona.

She must have lost over a hundred pounds and, while she was still a big girl, she looked amazing. Not least because she broke out into a huge smile the moment she set eyes on Ness and the rest of us. The surly, bad-tempered teen was gone and replaced with a sunny, happy, and very pretty young woman. Granted she still had a way to go on her weight loss journey but it was obvious that her life was much different now than it had been all those months ago.

Ness stood up and accepted a huge hug from both Fiona and her mother. Fiona then came over to me and bodily dragged me out of my chair in order to give me a hug. Her mother laughed.

“I can’t tell you,” said Fiona, “how much I owe you. My life has completely changed, and I know it’s just going to keep getting better.”

“I’m glad things are working for you,” I told her a little breathlessly as she crushed herself against me, squeezing my ribs far tighter than was comfortable.

“Put him down,” chided Ness gently. “You’re going to suffocate him.”

“Oh, sorry,” she said releasing me from her hug, and grinning up at me.

“I’ve lost one hundred and seven pounds,” she said. “I’m over halfway to my ideal weight, and it just keeps dropping off me.”

I smiled at her. “Good job,” I said. “Is everything else alright? No unexpected side effects from the weight loss?”

“Not unless you count a pack of drooling guys,” she grinned. “Even though I’m still way overweight, it’s as if they suddenly realized I exist. I’ve been asked out so many times it’s just not funny.” She blushed. “One time, Rose Freeman even asked me out.”

“Rose Freeman?” asked Ness, a look of amazement on her face. “She was one of your biggest bullies.”

“I know,” Fiona said. “Her attitude has changed a lot over the last year. Not just to me, but to everyone. I didn’t even know she was gay while we were at school, but if you remember I told you she came out just after we graduated.”

“So,” said Ness, “anyone lucky enough to get a yes?”

Fiona blushed. “One or two,” she said, “but nothing more than a date so far. I’m saving myself for the right guy. I don’t seem to have a problem with that thanks to my Monday morning wake up call. In truth, I’m not sure that any guy will be able to compete with that.”

“Maybe you should give Rose a call,” laughed Ness. “If a guy can’t compete...”

Fiona quirked an eyebrow at Ness.

“Is it better with a girl?” she asked, looking around at the four stunning women sitting around us.

“Fiona!!” Her mom said. “What kind of question is that. You’re assuming...”

“Not better,” said Ness, “different. It IS better with someone who loves you though. Much better.”

Fiona’s jaw dropped, having not expected an answer. Her mother seemed also to have been stunned into silence.

“Can I get you guys some coffee?” Cheryl asked to break the silence. Both Fiona and her mom accepted. I followed Cheryl into the kitchen to help her make coffee for everyone. After a few moments, Fiona’s mom followed us too.

“Caleb,” she said. I turned to face her.

“Hey,” I said. “How’re things?”

“I’m still not smoking,” she said. “Not had a single craving. Whatever you did to me, it really works. I have some friends who are desperate to know how I did it. Would you be interested in taking on some clients up here?”

“Not really,” I said. “I’m actually cutting back my practice at home too. I just don’t have the time.”

“Oh,” she said a note of sadness in her voice. “That’s a shame.” She paused for a moment.

“That’s not really what you wanted to ask me is it?” I asked her gently.

She looked up at me, her face reddening.

“I...” she began. “It’s just...”

“When would be a good time?” I asked her. “Or I could stop them entirely?”

Her face went even redder “No, no.” she said hurriedly “There’s no need for that, but if I were in a little more control of when?”

“Tell you what,” I said. “How about if I give you a key phrase to say and then, as long as it’s been more than a week since you last used it, and you haven’t had a cigarette in that week, then you’d be good to go?”

She nodded, her face blazing now, “That would be really good,” she said. “Thank you.”

“Okay,” I said. “I could do with checking in with Fiona in any case. We can do both this afternoon if you’re good with it?”

We went back into the living room where Fiona and Ness were still chattering like magpies and the other girls were joining in appropriately. Dean, apparently, had excused himself and had gone into the den, ostensibly to do some paperwork, although I knew full well that Cheryl did all the paperwork for the business. I guessed that he just wanted out of that particular situation.

I took his coffee in to him.

“Tactical retreat?” I asked him as I placed it on the desk beside him.

“There are some things,” he said, “that a father just shouldn’t hear about his daughters, or their friends. I know that we are already way beyond that, but even so...”

“I think you shocked Ness,” I said. “She was expecting you to be against her dropping out of school.”

“And I would have been,” he said, “if I didn’t know she already knew everything that they could teach her. Qualifications like that are only worth the paper they’re on as a starting point. Once you get going on that kind of career, nobody cares if you graduated or not. In some cases, it becomes even more impressive if you didn’t.

“I can see the day coming where Ness Stott, the Michelin star chef, the girl who didn’t even graduate culinary school, will be taking the restaurant scene by storm. She has the skill and, thanks to you, the knowledge. What’s more, she has the determination to do it. With all that, and the backing of her family, she can’t fail.”

“Ness Stott?” I asked.

“I’m assuming you’re going to get married at some point?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said, “and no.”

He raised an eyebrow at me.

“I can’t marry them all, Pops,” I said to him. “There are laws against it. Oh yes we’ll have a ceremony, and I’m already thinking about how and when that’s going to happen. Each one of them is going to have the ‘wedding’ of their dreams, but legally...”

He sighed. “I know,” he said. “I just want the best for her, for both of them. I guess I’m still holding on to the ‘norm’ standards. I know you’ll love them both, all of you will. They’ll undoubtedly be loved more than any norm wife could ever hope for.”

“Definitely,” I told him with certainty.

“Then no matter what name she chooses to use,” he responded, “she’s going to make us all proud.”

“Of that,” I told him. “I am sure.”

I went back into the living room. As I entered all the girls, including Cheryl, looked up and burst out laughing. It seemed my timing was fortuitous for whatever they’d been talking about.

I shook my head wondering if it were too late to grab my coffee and retreat into the den with Dean.

Fiona and her mother left a couple of hours later, declining the invitation to stay for dinner. I did spend a few minutes checking Fiona’s compulsions and slightly changing her mother’s, giving her a key phrase that, as long as it was more than a week since she’d last used it, and she hadn’t had a cigarette in that time, would trigger her ‘reward.’ That would give her the control of when, and where, it happened, something that had been missing last time.

After dinner, Dean and I went out onto the deck with our beers. I was a little nervous because I know that he was going to ask if I would show him the events of the night when I shot Green. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to show him, I just didn’t want him to be disappointed in my actions. I know for myself, that there was so much I should have done differently. I didn’t like the thought that he would think less of me.

We sat for a few moments, each absorbed in his own thoughts, as we sipped at our beers.

“Will you show me?” he asked finally.

I’d already cue’d up the memories knowing that he was going to ask. I reached my mind out to his and gently placed the memories. I saw his eyes glaze for just a moment, a sign that he was assimilating the memory.

I’d included spotting the car earlier in the day, to put into context the fact that I’d been unable to feel Green with my powers. I also showed him the aftermath, all the way to giving my statement to the police officer who came to the house.

I waited while he thought about what he now knew.

“I’m sorry, son,” he said softly.

“Pops?” I asked not sure what he was talking about.

“I should have shown you how to clear a room,” he said. “I didn’t for two reasons. Mostly because I never thought that you’d have to do it, at least not before you’d been trained by the FBI, but also because the way WE cleared rooms is very different to the way civilian authorities would do it. Half the time we wouldn’t even go in through a door, we’d go through a wall.”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” I said. “If it weren’t for the training I got from you, then I’d probably be dead now. Even now I don’t know what made me chamber a round before going in. I only ever expected to use a weapon to hide the use of powers. It never even occurred to me that they wouldn’t work, and I’d actually have to shoot someone.”

“I’m glad you did,” he said. “And having seen it, I’m even prouder than I was before. I didn’t think that was possible. You saved that young family’s lives. That little girl ... who is she? It felt like she means something to you”

I spent the next few minutes telling him about Kirsty and how I’d become an ‘uncle’ to her. He’d seen my memories of the Marshal talking to Maggie about the WitSec situation, so he already knew all about that.

“It looks like,” he said. “you’ve figured things out regarding the shooting. You know that you had no other viable option don’t you?”

“I guess,” I said. “I don’t know that I couldn’t have used TK on him.”

“You don’t know for certain that you could,” he refuted. “Like Dianna said, you only have guesses about the reason your powers didn’t work on him. For all you know he was wearing some kind of device that prevented them. I never came across anyone in the desert that the Psi’s couldn’t affect, but there’s always a first time. You can bet your ass that someone, somewhere, is working on a technological counter to powers. Probably our own government among others.”