Chapter 6

For Frank and Elaina, time flew by, between running the ranch and going off to work . Each of them learned as much as they could about the ranch before her parents took off for George’s implant surgery. He was having his implants put in at the Cochlear Implant Center in New York by the specialists there. Frank contacted his parents for them to stay with them, since Elaina was on an assignment at the time. Not only were her parents staying with his, but his father offered to stay with Elizabeth while George was having the procedure. Frank went with Elizabeth and George to New York, so he could introduce them to his parents.

It seemed like the bad guys were working against them getting married. Once they set a date they had to cancel it due to Frank leaving the states for a few weeks. Then when they set the date again, it was canceled because of Elaina being called out to negotiate a prison riot.

Elaina had Allison come to Laurel so she could help take care of Derek. Being in Laurel with Elaina meant she would know more about Reese and could see him more when he had time off. They had become very close over the years.

Reese and Allison became close friends when he was going through his divorce. His ex-wife got custody of their daughter when she claimed his career was too dangerous and he wouldn’t be home enough to take care of the little girl. He was devastated during that time. Elaina tried to help him through the rough days, but she would be called away, leaving Allison to step in. They would talk for hours on the phone or he would fly to Virginia to talk to her in person.

After a while Reese started asking Allison out on dates but she always refused. When he asked Elaina why she wouldn’t help him get a date, she told him Allison had to explain in her own words why she didn’t date. He called on day not giving up on her, asking her if he could make dinner for her at his place. He figured maybe she just didn’t want to go out in public for some reason. He didn’t know that Elaina had spoken to her and was shocked when she offered to make dinner at her place instead. She even said she would explain to him why she was turning him down for dates.

After dinner she told him the whole story. It wasn’t that she didn’t care about him it was the fact she had been raped as at age fifteen and still didn’t trust too easily. He was a little shocked to learn she became pregnant due to the rape and that she had the baby.

Her family didn’t believe in abortions no matter what the circumstance. Her father made her put the baby up for adoption even though she wanted to keep him. The only thing she knew about the baby was that she had a boy, the birth date, place, and time. Where the boy was taken afterwards she didn’t know. She despised her father for what he made her do. She blamed him for the kidnapping as well, since it was a disgruntled employee who had committed the crime. When she was eighteen, her mother gave her control of the trust fund they had for her. She went to college and became a psychologist so she could help people though their traumas. In her spare time, she tried to find someone who might know about her son. She was nearly broke when she took a position at UCLA where she met Elaina.

When she was through explaining, Reese told her he understood the situation and they would be friends if nothing else. Allison admitted she wanted to know what it would be like to make love to someone and not taken by force. One night Allison surprised Reese when he visited her. She wanted him to make love to her. He was hesitant, he thought it would ruin their friendship if they made love. One night, while Reese was visiting her, she asked him if they could make love. She explained she had stronger feelings for him than a friendship. He was thrilled to hear the words, promising he would never hurt her.

Reese came home one day after a mission had gone bad. He had half expected for one of his parents to answer the phone when he called but it was Elaina who answered. After talking to her and finding out Allison was now staying at the ranch, he decided to surprise her. Elaina told him she would arrange it so Allison was there to answer the door.

“Well, look what the cat dragged in,” she said, hugging him.

“How’ s my best girl doing?”

“I’ve been a bit lonely. Did you know I was here or is this a coincidence?”

“I talked to Elaina and she filled me in on you and my mom and dad.”

“You look tired,” she said, wrapping her arm around his waist as they walked to the kitchen.

“I came here to tell you that I quit flying for the government. I’m coming home to stay and run the flight school full time.”

“Really? Why did you quit? I thought you liked your job.”

“My plane was technically shot down during a mission. I can’t tell you where or anything else about it. I managed to crash land it without killing myself. I had to move from the plane due to hostiles being in the area. I was scared and I don’t know how, but I managed to get to an area where I could call for help. I vowed then, I was getting out,” Reese explained.

“I‘m glad you did.”

“Me too. What are the odds of you and I having some private time today?”

“Elaina just got back from her assignment. I guess I could sneak away,” she said, smiling.

“She didn’t tell me she just got in. She did sound a bit different. You know; not her bubbly self when we talked on the phone,” Reese said.

“I’ll go freshen up while you go talk to her. I think she’s missing Frank.”

“Okay, I‘ll see if I can cheer her up.” He kissed Allison then walked out the back door. He saw Elaina sitting on a blanket, watching Derek play ring toss with one of the ranch hands. He went over to see Derek then went over to talk to her.

She looked up and smiled when she saw him approaching her. “Why are you out her ean dnot with Allie?” asked Elaina, folding the book she had in her lap.

“She said you might want to talk.”

“She knows me too well. Pull up a piece of blanket.”

“Have a rough one?”

“Yeah, thirty six hours of trying to get a guy to release his wife and kids without harming them. He was wanted for smuggling. When DEA went to arrest him, he started running and ended up at his house and barricaded himself inside with his family.”

“Did you get them out safely?” Reese wondered,

“Eventually, yes.”

“Have you heard from Frank?”

“Not in a week or more. I tried to get his superiors to tell me where he is, but I only got stonewalled.”

“Did you try threats?” he asked, laughing.

“Yeah, it didn’t work. They said he would probably call when he reached state side and they gave him his messages.”

“I hope he calls soon.”

“Do you realize, he and I have yet to celebrate a birthday or holiday since we got together? It‘s been over a year. One of us is always gone,” she said angrily. “We can‘t even get married because of our jobs interfering.”

“Sis, things will work out for the two of you sooner or later. Just give the government time to find a new golden boy and girl to take your places. If you weren’t so damn good at what you do, they wouldn’t call you all the time,” Reese said.

“You got a point. Maybe I should just quit.”

“You can’t quit. It’s in your blood. The minute you hear of a kidnapping or something else you would be itching to go back.”

“You’re right. Maybe I can use my negotiating skills to get some time off for both of us,” she said, thinking.

“Now, you’re on the right track. My work is done here,” he said, laughing. “Oh. by the way, I’m stealing Allie for a while. I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, she deserves some time away from here. Too bad she has to spend it with you,” she said, laughing.

“Oh, I will pay you back someday for that one,” he said, standing to leave.

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll be waiting.”

Frank was home by Mother’s Day and they spent the day together with Derek. However, the night belonged to the two of them. With Hank volunteering to take Derek with him, they were able to have the whole night to themselves. They spent the night making love not wanting it to end. However, as the saying goes: All good things come to an end. The next afternoon, Frank was called to duty once again. This time it was in Iran and Elaina had an uneasy feeling about it. She went as far as to use her influence to get them to not send Frank. Her request fell on deaf ears.

After he had been gone for a while she had a nightmare that he was hurt and couldn’t find anyone to help him. She made several calls the next day, but no one had anything to tell her. She couldn’t shake the feeling of doom she had, but there was nothing she could do but wait to hear from him.

A few weeks later, she was out training a horse when she saw a strange car coming up the drive. She shielded her eyes from the sun while she looked at it. She saw Frank in the passenger seat and went running to the house to greet him. When he got out of the car, her uneasy feeling had been right; he had been hurt.

“Hey, baby! Its good to see you,” he said, smiling.

“What the hell happened to you?” she asked with her hands on her hips. Her frustration of not knowing anything now turned into anger.

“I can explain everything if you just let me go sit somewhere,” he said.

Elaina finally saw who the driver was. “Trevor! You knew where he was. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I told him not to. I didn’t want you worrying about me,” Frank said, getting out of the car. He had a cast on his left leg and she could tell by the way he was moving he must have had broken ribs.

“You didn’t want me to worry? What the hell did you think I have been doing for the past few weeks?”

Trevor helped Frank to the porch while she continued her tirade. He helped him sit in a chair then turned his attention to Elaina. “Listen, he doesn’t need you throwing a bitch fit. He can’t change anything now. Be glad the man is back here,” Trevor said, getting toe to toe with her. When she went to take a swing at him, he grabbed her arm. “Don’t even think about it!”

She stormed off into the house, leaving them alone on the porch. Hank had been watching the fracas and decided to go welcome Frank home. “I hope you know she is just upset. When she cools off she’ll baby you for a while,” Hank said.

“I guess it would have been better to tell her than protect her from it,” Frank said.

“What happened to you?” Hank inquired.

“All I can tell you is that I damn near got blown up. I had to stay in Germany to heal up some before they let me come home,” Frank explained.

“There is something you need to know about Missy. It seems she has inherited my grandmother’s sixth sense. She knows when something is not right. It eats her up inside when she can’t pinpoint it. She thinks I’m just joking, but I’m not,” Hank said.

“The agency said she was a human lie detector. I thought they were joking until I thought about how she knew when I was lying to her. I was stupid to keep this from her. I only made things worse,” Frank said.

“Sounds like you have a lot of groveling to do, little brother,” Trevor said, laughing lightly.

“Instead of joking around, go find her. I need to talk to her,” he ordered.

Trevor went in to look for her. He searched everywhere then found her sitting in her father’s den. “I’m sorry for telling you off like that,” Trevor said, getting no reaction from her. “Do you realize he traveled against doctors orders to get back to you?”

She kept her back toward him while she gazed out the window. “All I needed from him, or you, was a phone call. Both of you betrayed me. How can I trust either of you?”

“All I can say is that it won’t happen again. That’s a promise,” Trevor said, turning the chair around so she could face him. “I will never lie to you for Frankie. He is on his own from now on.”

“Just how bad is he hurt?”

“He has the broken leg, broken and bruised ribs and he did have a concussion. I did warn him you would be angry for keeping this from you.”

She shook her head then laughed. “Everything happens for a reason. This was a lesson in trust and forgiveness. He failed, but I won’t. I forgive both of you.”

“Why do I get the feeling Frankie is going to have to squirm for a while though?”

“You’re learning how I think, Trevor. I’ll have to watch you closely,” Elaina said coyly. “Let’s go see how much I can make him squirm,” she said, laughing.

When they went back out, her parents and Derek had arrived back home from town. Derek was sitting next to Frank and they were talking quietly to each other, while Hank was talking to Liz and George before they went inside with the groceries.

“Did my boy have fun in town?” Elaina asked, pulling a chair over to sit next to them.

“Yep, Grandpa got sparklys.”

“I bet you mean sparklers for the party,” Elaina said with Derek nodding. “They were ordering the Fourth of July Fireworks today.”

“You have your own fireworks show?” Trevor asked.

“Every year we have a large barbeque for the hands, their families and ours. It’s a lot of fun. We have games, music, and horse races during the day, then right at dusk we have the best fireworks show,” Elaina explained.

“Why don’t we add to the festivities and get married?” Frank asked.

“Did Hank tell you to ask me that?” Elaina wondered.

“No, I just thought since we’ve been putting it off due to our work, we could get married now that I’m on sick leave.”

“Well, if you had called me sooner, you would have known I was hoping to get married on the fourth,” Elaina said.

“Really? You were planning our wedding without me?”

“Like I said, you should have called,” she said, coolly.

“I’m sorry. I have seen the error of my ways. I hope you will forgive me for my stupidity and marry me,” he said, reaching over to hold of her hand.

“Since you can’t navigate stairs too well. I’ll make up a bed in the guest room downstairs,” Elaina said, getting up to leave, ignoring his statement completely.

“Wait a minute!” Frank said, stopping her. “Are we going to get married?”

“Have you not been listening to me? I have it planned for the fourth. When you have rested, I’ll give you all the information you need,” she said, then walked back into the house.

“Trevor, if she hasn’t picked my best man for me, would you do the honors?”

“What about your friend Teddy?”

“I called him before we left Germany. He’s unavailable,” Frank answered.

“Then I’m here for ya. I’ll call my superior and make arrangements to have the extra time off,” he said, laughing.

“Thanks, can you help me to my room?”

“Sure, Derek you want to help me take Daddy in?” Trevor asked.

“Yep, I get the door.” Derek said, with Trevor lifting him off Frank’s lap. He walked over and swung the door wide open.

“Little pup, wait until they get closer,” Hank suggested.

Derek closed it and waited patiently for his dad and uncle to get closer before opening it again. “That good, Hank?”

“You did good.” Hank held the door for Derek to go in, then went back to work.

Frank and Trevor walked in the guest room while Elaina was finishing up making the bed. Trevor helped Frank into a chair, sitting next to the door then walked out with Derek, leaving them alone. She didn’t say anything to him, so he dove right in. “I realize we have missed a few holidays with our schedule. I like that we are going to be together for this one.”

“Derek has a father’s day card for you in his room. You missed that one by not calling us,” she said, “I’m sure he will bring it to you when he thinks of it.”

“It isn’t all my fault I missed it. I didn‘t ask to get hurt. Why are you being so bitchy?”

She knelt down in front of him, taking off his one shoe for him. “I’m sorry. I guess being pregnant does that to me.”

“Pregnant? You‘re…we‘re having a baby!”

“Seems, you gave me a fitting mother’s day present, last month,” she said, hugging him gently. “Now, do you see why you need to call when you aren’t working. As in, being in a hospital where your wife can’t reach you.”

“I swear on our love, I will never keep anything from you again,” he said.

“I believe you. Come on, I’ll help you get in bed.” She started to lift him, but he stopped her. “What?”

“You shouldn’t be doing this. I can manage on my own.”

“Wait one minute. Don’t you dare start acting like I am made of china,” she said. “I had one baby without anyone treating me that way and I will have this one as well.”

“I’m new at this. I missed out on the first pregnancy.”

“Which I am deeply sorry for. Now, help me as much as you can.” She helped him up and got him over to the bed. “Do you want me to undress you?”

“I’ll leave my clothes on for now. Will you stay with me a while?”

“I’ll be back. I need to check on Derek and tell Mom where I’ll be.”

“I’ll be waiting for you, my lady.”