by Grady, D. R.
“Why would she lie? She had no idea her brother was videotaping her. I doubt Melly knew, either.” Mitch chewed his cookie, but didn’t taste it.
“I got the same impression. That the end of the video?”
“Yeah.”
“Hhhmmm.”
“Yeah?”
“Let's see the other one.”
“Sure.”
Mitch located the first video he'd watched and slipped the disk in his computer. Lainy came into view again, as her sister and brother-in-law entered the closet and Lainy began directing traffic.
Al laughed at all the appropriate places and shook his head. “This really happened?”
“Yes, and from what I gathered, it isn't the first time, either. I think she's some sort of legend.”
“Wow. She sure seems brilliant. I wonder if her brother's brain really is pea-sized,” Al spoofed and Mitch groaned as he sorted through the other videos.
“I wonder how long we'll have until we get shipped out again.” He contemplated between the DVDs entitled Bentley the Lake Tosser and Lainy the Commando.
“Don't know. Haven't heard.” Al peered over his shoulder. “You got others?”
“Two more.”
“How does her brother get into these places without Lainy knowing? She's supposed to be an electronics expert.”
Mitch shot him a look. “She is an electronics expert.”
“I know, but how does she not know?”
“Her brother, Ed,” Mitch said, when his brain finally engaged.
“Ed, who?” Al sounded like he'd lost the conversational thread.
“Ed Morrison, Lainy's brother. He's the one who records these videos.”
“Ed Morrison? Isn't he that military expert?”
“What do you mean military expert?” A grain of knowledge niggled in his mind.
“High powered rifle scopes, top of the line security cameras that can record in the darkest places without detection-” Al rattled off.
“-And those telescopic lenses we use, those are his design and the-”
“-The man's a genius.”
“So, there isn't just one electronics expert in the Morrison family,” Mitch mused, pausing in the annihilation of his next cookie. “That's how he got all those shots without Lainy knowing. He must be using some sort of high powered camera.”
“I wonder if we'll get that technology.”
“Probably.”
“No wonder Lainy let him video tape all those things he's filmed. She had no idea.” Al shook his head.
Mitch stared at his new computer. “She knew, but didn't know when or where. I think she suspected he would have a camera.”
“I wonder if she knows about his work?”
“Probably has an inkling of what Ed does, but I doubt she knows details, since he mostly sells to the military.”
“She doesn't?”
“No, her stuff is more commercial.” Mitch thought about her battery packs.
“Probably good money in that.”
“I don't think she worries too much about money.”
“Wonder if Ed has to?”
“Don't know, but I doubt it. I think all Lainy's relatives, at least her immediate ones, own a cottage at the lake. Those don’t come cheap.”
“Right. Maybe I'll buy me a house at the lake. Find a Morrison girl to marry,” Al decided and leaned back on his elbows.
“I think there's a pretty large selection. Maybe not within Lainy's immediate family, but in the family. She's got lots of relatives.” Mitch still couldn’t decide which DVD to watch next.
“She does seem to be related to a lot of people.”
“I can have her start looking for a woman for you,” Mitch invited.
Al sent him a withering death glare and Mitch laughed. “Hey, don't say I didn't offer. Something tells me if Lainy couldn't help, any one of her siblings would be willing.”
Al's glare kicked up a notch and grinning, Mitch selected another cookie.
“Ah, I forgot, I've got a meeting in twenty minutes.” Al glanced at his watch and frowned. “Don't watch these without me.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Mitch muttered, still swinging back and forth between the two DVDs.
Chapter Fourteen
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: The lake
Attachment
Hello Mitch,
We're off to the lake this weekend. Since it's the Fourth of July, we'll be there for a long weekend. Some of the families will stay the week, so Bentley and I might, too. Depends on how adept I am at packing.
I was a little fried from a project I'd been working on. There should have been at least three others working with me, but the company thought they'd save money and only hired me. Since I did the work of four people, I billed for five with a huge bonus. I was so burnt out from that it was weeks before I could tackle anything more advanced than replacing light switches. Although, everyone did get new light switches in their homes and at the lake. Some of them were in dire need of replacement, so I suppose everything works out the way it should.
I told Bentley we were off to the lake and he ran circles around me. I had to send him outside, so he's otherwise occupied with the herd. Thank goodness! He gets so excited whenever we go. I think he enjoys the water and the kids, and the root beer. We're leaving early tomorrow (Thursday) morning to beat the traffic and won't be back until sometime next week.
Fortunately, none of us have to be back at any set time next week. The guys all took off work and most of the ladies don't work outside the home.
I'm the only single woman who'll be there, unless K.C., Max’s partner, or Treeny, a sister-in-law’s sister, show. Granted, some of my nieces are in college now, but now that I think about it, I'm the only Morrison female out of college who isn't married with a passel of kids. Well, Dory and her husband only have one, but she'll be pregnant again soon, I’m sure. ☺
Our folks do plan to be there this time. The grandparents too, as usual. All ten sets of them. There'll be about double that in parents, I think. Our family with our family’s family now own the entire west and north sides of the lake. All the cabins are ours. (By that many sets of parents and grandparents, I mean the in-law’s family, too.) No one gets left behind. There will probably be close to 200 rellys there this weekend. Bentley should be well entertained.
Be safe, and I'll have a computer at the lake, so let me know how your visit with Ben goes.
Yours,
Lainy
Lainy sent the message and kept packing. She didn't want to forget any of the parts she'd need to build another computer like the one she'd sent Mitch. She hated when she left things behind and didn't want to risk having to stop simply because she forgot something necessary. Of course, her brothers would have spares she could bum, but she intended to limit borrowing since she wanted to make this second computer as much like the first as possible.
Her parts hadn’t been rifled though since she’d finished Mitch’s laptop. One of her brothers could have helped himself, since they all had keys to her house. The hacking efforts continued, however.
Lainy frowned. She’d designed a third virus to attach to her firewall. One should have been sufficient. Her efforts to locate the hacker caused her to grind her teeth. At least Ed didn’t seem any closer to finding them either. She’d called him in three days ago to help track the problem.
She paused to watch Bentley romp with her nieces and nephews and smiled at their antics. Having all these yards certainly aided the kids in wearying themselves by evening. And their parents could rest assured they were safe.
How she longed to share all this with Mitch. She couldn't think of a better place to raise kids. She had never visited a more welcoming town. Plus, they had all the advantages of city life without having to actually live in a city. They had three cities to choose from if they wanted to visit one. Harrisburg, Lancaster, and York. Each provided something a bit different, a
nd a little further – but still within day trip status, were Philadelphia, Baltimore, NYC, and Washington, D.C.
She felt safe and well loved in this town. There was always something to do. Someone constantly had a cookout planned in the summer or baking and hot chocolate during the winter. They carved pumpkins and held a community leaf raking during the fall and planted seeds and flowers in the spring. Many a garden needed readying and Lainy loved every aspect of each season’s activities.
Would Mitch? And would he want her involved if he did?
*****
Before he could select a video, Mitch was called into the same meeting Al remembered. He figured he'd have a little while to decide which to watch, only to discover a unit would be sent out and his group were the chosen few.
He'd have just enough time to pack. On the bright side, by leaving today, chances were even better he'd be on base for whenever Lainy's cousin Ben showed up. He still didn't know if he would create the impression he wanted with her cousin, but decided this visit might give him some insight into Lainy.
Plus, if the guy proved to be someone he felt he could trust, he'd ask him about Lainy's bad self-esteem. He really needed some help on that vein. Of course, he'd have to be careful, because this guy's swim buddy had been interested in her, and Mitch wasn't about to step on toes.
A thrill of satisfaction coursed through him at the thought of Lainy not remembering the guy. Hopefully that was a good omen for his chances. Should this Sam guy prove to draw Lainy out of herself, though, Mitch would still feel good for Lainy. Awful for himself, but good for her. He didn't have much to offer a woman at this point. When he did leave this God forsaken land, he'd have to prove, at least to himself, he could fit comfortably into her huge family.
Eight hundred relatives. What was the likelihood of all of them accepting him? Shaking his head, Mitch switched his attention back to the meeting. He'd need this information so he'd better pay attention. No more thoughts of Lainy. For now.
After the meeting adjourned, Mitch met up with Al. “Don't watch my videos.”
Al affected a wounded look. “Would I do that?”
Mitch continued to stare him down and Al did the belly laugh thing again. “Okay, so I would.” He laughed again.
“I've known you way too long to trust you with my videos.”
“Yeah, well, tha's how it goes sometimes, Cookie Boy.” Al shrugged.
“No moving in on Lainy while I'm gone either,” Mitch said as an afterthought. Not that he worried Al would do anything of the sort, but he did worry that his friend would try to “fix” things, because he'd want to see Mitch happy.
“It'd be for your own good,” Al defended himself, although not very strenuously.
“Right.”
“I might look at your videos, but I'm not about to interfere.”
“I can live with that,” Mitch responded, already compiling a list of the things he'd need to take with him.
“See ya later.” Mitch waved him off with an absent grin.
Could he handle being a part of such a huge family? Even if they accepted him, could he accept them?
Chapter Fifteen
“Bentley, no,” Lainy shrieked, but it was already too late. He'd spied her grandfather with a root beer and took off, running full throttle at her grandparent.
To give him credit, her grandfather took the subsequent dunking with aplomb, and didn't seem to change his attitude toward Bentley, but Lainy still felt terrible. She really hoped this wouldn't set the tone of the weekend.
Fortunately, Treeny, Will’s wife’s sister, was a doctor and had pulled up in time to witness the entire occurrence. She’d looked over Granddad, despite his protests of being fine.
Lainy paused now to appreciate the sunlight catch in Treeny’s red gold hair. The other woman had been busy with her residency so they hadn’t caught up in a while. Lainy made a mental note to pull her friend aside for a chat session at the earliest possible moment.
For now, though, she’d better get her truck unloaded. She lugged the last bag from the back and piled it on the grass next to the other luggage.
Carrying three small bags into the house she owned and would use this weekend, she snapped on lights as she went. Normally she rented out the house, but she'd turned down renters for this week.
Lainy trailed outside and grabbed the next set of bags, treating them tenderly because they contained parts for her new laptop. Bentley ran up long enough to shake water all over her before racing back to join his friends.
“Need help?” Melly bellowed from the doorway of her cottage three down.
“Yes,” Lainy bellowed back and Melly trotted over.
“Goodness, Lainy, did you bring your entire house?” Melly huffed as she picked up one of the bags and staggered beneath the unexpected weight.
“You're a mother, you're supposed to be strong.” Lainy stared at her sister in concern.
“I didn't say I couldn't do this, I was just surprised.” Melly followed Lainy into the house. “I really love this house.”
“Uuummm, you own one just like it, three doors down,” Lainy felt the need to point out.
“Yes, but yours doesn't have kids, toys, pets, and unmentionables strewn all over.”
“All moved in are you?” Lainy set the final bag on the floor and headed back outside to wrestle with the cooler. Melly followed her.
“Of course we're all moved in. We've been here since the crack of dawn.” Melly’s voice held a tart edge.
“I see.” Lainy fought to contain her laughter, but failed.
“Go ahead and laugh, but just wait. One day you'll have gung-ho fishermen in your house who'll insist on getting onto the water first thing and you'll be waking up at three a.m., too,” Melly threatened.
“You did not wake up at three a.m.”
Melly sent her a glare. “You think not? That's what my clock said. That's what my husband said when he nearly bounced me out of bed in his haste. It's not like he slept the few hours we were in bed, anyway.”
By the time Melly finished, Lainy had plunked herself down on the cooler and let loose with the barely contained laughter. “As if you'd have it any other way.”
“Well, I am sort of fond of the man.” A smile flirted with Melly’s lips.
“Like you slept any better.”
“Okay, well, I will admit I was excited about coming, too.”
“And when Rick gets back from fishing, the two of you will snuggle up together in the cottage and take a cozy little nap.”
“Probably,” Melly prevaricated. She looked everywhere but at Lainy.
“Look, use some birth control this time, will you? It's not as easy directing traffic in your house as it is in Will's.”
“We're not Laurie and Greg, either, so that should be in our favor.”
“Yeah, like that makes any difference at all. You've still got four munchkins running around here.”
“They're not so little now.” Melly’s lips twisted down.
“Hello, your youngest isn't even ready for potty training yet,” Lainy reminded her sister.
“But Brent is already eight. How did that happen?”
“Well, he was born and then he had his first birthday and then his second and then-”
“I get the picture, Lainy, thank you,” Melly said half laughing, half in exasperation.
“I hoped you’d know how he came to be that age.” Lainy shrugged.
“You'll understand when you and Mitch have babies,” Melly said firmly and Lainy’s heart wrenched.
“Excuse me?” Not believing Melly had just said what she heard.
“I said, when you and Mitch have babies, you'll understand,” Melly repeated patiently and Lainy’s heart lurched again. She stood abruptly to drag the cooler to the fridge.
“I don't recall mentioning I wanted babies, and even if I did, I doubt Mitch would be willing to help me. We’re just friends.” How she wished those words weren't true, because somewhere along the wa
y she’d obviously ceased thinking of him as just a friend. When had that happened? She had dreaded sending that first e-mail and now he was more than a friend?
Lainy busied herself by shoving the cooler contents into the fridge. She didn't miss Melly’s raised eyebrow. Her sister said, “If you think so.” Her tone belied her words.
“What do you mean if I think so?”
“Well, I don't know for certain, but I think Mitch would be more than willing to help you have a baby. I also believe he'd start breaking heads if some other man decided to make moves on you.” Melly sounded firm and honest. As though she believed her own words. No doubt - just simple fact.
Heart thumping painfully, Lainy stared at Melly. What if Mitch was slightly interested in her? What if he would be open to dating her? Even on a casual basis? Swaying under the impact of the emotions bombarding her from unknown directions, Lainy groped for a chair.
Shell-shocked, she dropped onto the seat and stared at Melly like she'd never seen her before. “Do you think so?” she whispered.
Lainy couldn't quell the fiery desire and the rampant need to be close to a man she'd never met. She couldn't halt the overwhelming need to know him better. He’d been a friend in her mind a minute ago, but now...
Mitch had already touched her soul. She wanted to be a part of him, already felt as though he were a part of her. A missing, vital piece she hadn’t realized wasn't there until he and his dog barreled into her life.
And she hadn't met him in person yet.
What if he decided he didn’t want her?
She'd know him the minute he did materialize, but would he know her? Indeed, she'd be able to locate him in a crowd of thousands of Marines. She could probably find him through scent alone. Which was ridiculous since she'd never smelled him. Yet she knew him.
“Oh, baby, I'm not positive, but I believe Mitchel Monahan feels something for you. He might not even realize it yet, but I think he'd get pretty possessive.” Melly’s voice broke into her thoughts and Lainy’s heart skittered.
At this rate, she'd end up in the hospital with a heart attack and she really wanted to enjoy this newest revelation. The thought that Mitch might be interested in her had been an unspoken, anguished hope, yet she'd never dared to allow the thought to fully materialize.
