Lead Me Home, Numb3rs, Part 23/84
Don't own; don't sue.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10
Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20
Part 21 Part 22
"So, this must be Abigail. I'm Jason, the big brother."
Abigail swallowed her bite of pie before speaking. "Nice to meet you. Keith speaks so highly of you."
"Does he, now?" Jason smirked at Keith.
"Of all of you, actually."
He laughed and ruffled Keith's hair. "Ahh, somebody loves us."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah."
"Jason, leave your brother alone and have a seat."
"Yes, ma'am."
There was a few minutes of silence before the boys started to fidget. Finally, Sarah and Emily took pity on them and took them into the den to restart their game of Candy Land.
"So what brings you all the way out here on Christmas, Abigail?"
Abigail looked around and then down. "Uh, I was supposed to go to my brother's in Twin Falls but when I got there... well, I just decided it was best to head back to Boise. But when I got there, I didn't feel like spending the day alone so I thought of Keith and his invite to come here and... here I am."
"But what made you decide to turn around? It's a good two hour drive down there from Boise."
The look on her face was chagrined. It was very clear she didn't want to talk about it.
"It's okay, Abigail. It's your family and your business."
Abigail shrugged, "I should be used to it by now. My brother and his wife were in the middle of having a fight."
Even though she was downplaying it, they all could tell she was deeply upset. Keith slid his arm around her shoulders. She didn't look up from her empty pie plate.
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"It would be funny if it were anyone else. I mean my brother in a pair of 'Ho Ho Ho' boxers on the front lawn, while my sister-in-law is in her skimpy lingerie on the porch, chucking the still frozen turkey at my brother. Both of them were so high, they didn't even notice my dad trying to talk them into stopping. And my mom is just leaning against the car and smoking a cigarette."
"Wow... that's, uh..."
"Pretty typical, actually," Abigail said with a wry shrug. "Well, maybe not for a holiday. I mean they've been sober for six months so they were due to fall off the wagon. It's just so sad that the neighbors are so used to that shit that they just call my folks instead of the cops."
"Abs, that sucks."
"In a nutshell, yep." Again, the embarrassed shrug came out. "But that's my family."
"They're didn't even notice you left?"
"Oh, I just drove passed. Wasn't much point to stopping. They wouldn't have even known I was there. Mom waved so she saw me at least. Of course that means she'll probably figure out I'm the one who reported the domestic disturbance so they probably won't speak to me for a couple months."
"Why? I mean obviously your brother needs help."
"Yeah, but my folks think they can help him, although they haven't had any luck for the last seventeen years. I don't know why they still think they can."
"Stubborn. I guess."
"Yeah," Abigail spoke, still without looking up.
After meeting Keith's eyes, Jason reached across the table and took her hand. "We're all every happy to have you here."
Abigail smiled at Jason, a real smile, perhaps the only real smile she'd given any of them except Keith. "Thank you."
"So do you ski? We're all headed out to the slopes tomorrow and you're coming along, right?"
"Uh, I do ski, but I didn't bring anything. I wasn't exactly planning on the trip up here."
Marie laughed. "Between Sarah, Emily, and I, I"m sure we'll be able to find something that will work for you."
"Thank you. I'd love to go skiing with you all."
Keith and Colby both let out a sigh of relief. Whatever reservations had been lingering in Jason's mind had obviously gone, leaving only the hospitality their family was known for. Now they could relax and enjoy the rest of the day.
"Now, Abigail, the important question."
"Yes?"
"Do you play cards?"
Nodding, she laughed. "You ready to get beat?"
"Bring it on."
Next
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10
Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20
Part 21 Part 22
"So, this must be Abigail. I'm Jason, the big brother."
Abigail swallowed her bite of pie before speaking. "Nice to meet you. Keith speaks so highly of you."
"Does he, now?" Jason smirked at Keith.
"Of all of you, actually."
He laughed and ruffled Keith's hair. "Ahh, somebody loves us."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah."
"Jason, leave your brother alone and have a seat."
"Yes, ma'am."
There was a few minutes of silence before the boys started to fidget. Finally, Sarah and Emily took pity on them and took them into the den to restart their game of Candy Land.
"So what brings you all the way out here on Christmas, Abigail?"
Abigail looked around and then down. "Uh, I was supposed to go to my brother's in Twin Falls but when I got there... well, I just decided it was best to head back to Boise. But when I got there, I didn't feel like spending the day alone so I thought of Keith and his invite to come here and... here I am."
"But what made you decide to turn around? It's a good two hour drive down there from Boise."
The look on her face was chagrined. It was very clear she didn't want to talk about it.
"It's okay, Abigail. It's your family and your business."
Abigail shrugged, "I should be used to it by now. My brother and his wife were in the middle of having a fight."
Even though she was downplaying it, they all could tell she was deeply upset. Keith slid his arm around her shoulders. She didn't look up from her empty pie plate.
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"It would be funny if it were anyone else. I mean my brother in a pair of 'Ho Ho Ho' boxers on the front lawn, while my sister-in-law is in her skimpy lingerie on the porch, chucking the still frozen turkey at my brother. Both of them were so high, they didn't even notice my dad trying to talk them into stopping. And my mom is just leaning against the car and smoking a cigarette."
"Wow... that's, uh..."
"Pretty typical, actually," Abigail said with a wry shrug. "Well, maybe not for a holiday. I mean they've been sober for six months so they were due to fall off the wagon. It's just so sad that the neighbors are so used to that shit that they just call my folks instead of the cops."
"Abs, that sucks."
"In a nutshell, yep." Again, the embarrassed shrug came out. "But that's my family."
"They're didn't even notice you left?"
"Oh, I just drove passed. Wasn't much point to stopping. They wouldn't have even known I was there. Mom waved so she saw me at least. Of course that means she'll probably figure out I'm the one who reported the domestic disturbance so they probably won't speak to me for a couple months."
"Why? I mean obviously your brother needs help."
"Yeah, but my folks think they can help him, although they haven't had any luck for the last seventeen years. I don't know why they still think they can."
"Stubborn. I guess."
"Yeah," Abigail spoke, still without looking up.
After meeting Keith's eyes, Jason reached across the table and took her hand. "We're all every happy to have you here."
Abigail smiled at Jason, a real smile, perhaps the only real smile she'd given any of them except Keith. "Thank you."
"So do you ski? We're all headed out to the slopes tomorrow and you're coming along, right?"
"Uh, I do ski, but I didn't bring anything. I wasn't exactly planning on the trip up here."
Marie laughed. "Between Sarah, Emily, and I, I"m sure we'll be able to find something that will work for you."
"Thank you. I'd love to go skiing with you all."
Keith and Colby both let out a sigh of relief. Whatever reservations had been lingering in Jason's mind had obviously gone, leaving only the hospitality their family was known for. Now they could relax and enjoy the rest of the day.
"Now, Abigail, the important question."
"Yes?"
"Do you play cards?"
Nodding, she laughed. "You ready to get beat?"
"Bring it on."
Next