Frigate Cove Ch. 11-12

"Neither would the court, Cam. It's a non-starter and we can knock this down substantially based on previous similar claims. I'd say we'd be able to negotiate a hundred thousand as a top end."

"But that's like stealing, Aaron. She's not entitled to that kind of money."

"No, of course not. But court costs are a big factor, and that would be a reasonable settlement if it meant she went away forever."

~*~

"God, I hate that woman," Glynnis said angrily. "She's going to hurt you again. I wish there was some way I could hurt her back."

"Don't, Glyn. Don't let this ruin what we have. Someone once said the best revenge is living life well ... or something like that. That's what we intend to do, with or without the influence of Andrea Delahey. I have a feeling that there will be a day of reckoning for her. I don't know what it will be, but my gut tells me she will pay a price for her greed."

"Is your gut usually accurate?" Glynnis sniffed.

"Can't say. I've never had it talk to me before," he chuckled. "Let's just call it a hunch and leave it at that."

"Okay ... I don't want to talk about this anymore. It just makes me more upset."

"Just three more days, love. I'm in Seattle tomorrow and Vancouver the morning after. Then I'm putting Lauren on a plane to New York and I'm catching the commuter to Nanaimo. Are you going to be at the airport when I arrive?"

"Of course. You had to ask?" she snapped indignantly.

"Just checking to make sure there wasn't any change in plans. Don't get upset," he apologized.

"Sorry ... I'm a little stressed right now what with Andrea's threats and you being away for so long. Jamie will be with me too. He's just as anxious to see you as I am."

"I know. I can hear it in his voice, just as I can hear it in yours. Save your energy wildcat, you're going to need it," he laughed.

"You better save your energy, mister. Luckily we get to sleep in Sunday morning."

"I wonder just how much sleep we're going to get," Cam teased.

"Not much if I'm lucky."

They signed off with the usual "I love you" and hung up, each with their own thoughts about their reunion.

The wedding was scheduled for Saturday, March 1st, and Glynnis had booked the United Church's minister in the village to conduct the service. The reception would be at the Community Hall directly after the wedding. Both Cam and Glynnis's families had confirmed their attendance, along with Aaron and his wife, Larry Robertson and his wife, and ... Marjean Atkins was flying in from New York, as the guest of Cam and Glynnis. It seemed a fitting "thank you" for all the support and encouragement she had given Cam.

Glynnis had invited her boss and his wife, Howard and Anna Albright, as well as several others of the townsfolk whom Glynnis and Cam had come to know. All told, the guest list would number approximately fifty, filling the local B & B's at a slow time of the year, not to mention helping two of the motels up on the highway. Both sets of parents planned to arrive several days before the wedding to get to know each other. It would be an opportunity for Cam and Glynnis to show them around their lovely village and the surrounding area.

~*~

It seemed appropriate that Sunday dawned bright and sunny with a cool breeze from the Northwest. Glynnis and Jamie waited patiently as the twin turboprop aircraft taxied slowly to the airport gate. It would be a short walk from the aircraft into the terminal and across to the baggage arrival area. It was an open area, and Glynnis could follow Cam's path from the steps of the plane all the way into her arms.

"There he is, Mom," Jamie exclaimed, pointing at the figure of Cam as he stepped out of the aircraft.

Glynnis had a difficult time seeing him clearly as tears clouded her vision. Her man was home, and would be staying home for months to come. She realized just how much he meant to her. There wasn't a single moment of doubt in her mind that they were destined to be together. The marriage wasn't as important as that fact, but would be the formality that announced their union to the world.

The baggage was forgotten for some time as Cam and Glynnis embraced, kissed, gazed at each other and kissed again. Jamie waited patiently for Cam to acknowledge him and got a big hug and a fist bump in welcome. Cam's arm never left its place wrapped around Glynnis's slim waist, and hers wrapped around his arm. They had been too long without physical contact and neither wanted to let go of the other just yet.

Jamie rounded up a cart and helped Cam load it as the baggage appeared on the carrousel. Within a couple of minutes they were headed out the terminal doors and into the parking lot. Another thirty minutes and Glynnis had driven her Volvo up the driveway to the back door. He was home. It seemed like months since he had left. Cam and Jamie carried his luggage into their home and set it down.

"Put that black bag in the living room, Jamie," Cam directed. "It's got all the souvenirs I collected. We'll go through them after lunch, okay?"

"Yeah ... I can't wait. It's just like Christmas again."

Cam headed for the bedroom to shower and change into casual clothes. Glynnis had prepared a lunch of sandwiches and cheese snacks for them. It was exactly what Cam wanted after so many endless restaurant meals. A cold beer finished the light lunch off perfectly.

Cam took his time handing out the goodies from the black bag. Jamie was delighted with the baseball jersey from the Yankees, the new games for his Nintendo, and several other gifts from various locations in his travels. He held back Glynnis's gifts, suggesting they would be more suitable with just the two of them present. She grinned and nodded her agreement.

Glynnis insisted on doing his laundry after he had unpacked and told Cam to have a nap. She reminded him quietly that he would need the rest later that night. She closed the door to the bedroom and went about her chores.

Cam wasn't so sure he would sleep, but within a few minutes he was out, and the next thing he was aware of was Glynnis lying on the bed beside him, kissing him awake. He glanced at the bedside clock and saw that it was after four in the afternoon. He had slept for nearly three hours. He turned to her and saw her bright, sparkling eyes watching him with what could only be a look of love.

"This is what I've been missing," he said quietly, reaching for her.

"I know. I was so happy to see you walk off that plane today. You don't know how much I've missed you. You must be tired after that long trip, so I wanted you to sleep and be rested. I love you, Cam."

"Yes ... and I love you, Glynn. I hope we don't have too many more of these tours that keep us apart. We've both waited a long time to find the right person for us, and I hate to be parted from you as much as you hate to be parted from me."

"Well, it's not going to happen again for a while, so we can relax and enjoy being together again," she smiled, kissing him several times.

~*~

Glynnis lit the grill on Cam's deluxe five element gas range in preparation for their steaks. It was a once a month treat that Jamie particularly enjoyed. Glynnis had purchased some very thick tenderloins at the Duncan butcher shop, and Cam's mouth was watering at the thought of them. In the meantime, baked potatoes were in the oven while mushrooms and onions were in the frying pan.

Cam went to his wine rack and took down a bottle of French Pinot Noir. It was one of Glynn's favourites, and he would let it breathe while the dinner was being prepared. Jamie stayed out of the way while the two worked in harmony in the kitchen, but he wasn't far away when it was time to be called to the table.

With the dinner dishes cleared and either in the dishwasher or done by hand, they reconvened at the kitchen table for a game of Clue. It was fun just to be together that evening, celebrating Cam's successful tour and his return home. There was plenty of laughter and groans at the table as the game progressed. Glynnis ended up the winner, correctly identifying who, where, and how after a couple of hours play.

They continued to sit around the table afterward when Jamie asked a dramatic question.

"Would it be okay with you guys if I called Cam, Dad?" he asked.

Cam was caught completely by surprise at the boy's question. It took him a couple of moments to recover.

"Absolutely, Jamie. If that's what you want, I would be very pleased if you thought of me as your dad. Your mom and I haven't talked about it, but we could adopt you as my son officially. How would you feel about that?"

He glanced at Glynnis, realizing he had sprung this on her without discussing it first. Her smile told him that he was on safe ground.

"I've never had a dad like the other kids. I'd like you to be my dad if it's okay with Mom."

"Yes, Jamie," Glynnis jumped in. "I think that would be wonderful. I know Cam loves you as much as I do."

"I'll be a very lucky man to have your mother as my wife and you as my son," Cam beamed. "When we are married, we'll get started on the paperwork to make it happen."

"Yeah!" Jamie said with enthusiasm.

Cam glanced at Glynnis as saw the hint of a tear. He wasn't far from showing the same thing himself.

~*~

"You made our son very happy tonight," Glynnis said as they lay in bed together.

"He made me very happy with his request. I thought I was going to cry for a moment. I've never felt like that before."

"You love him and he loves you," she reassured him. "I never had a doubt, and adopting him will be the proof. We will be the Stuart family."

"About the wedding ... we have room for one set of parents. What do you think we should do?" Cam asked.

"It's not a problem. My parents have a motorhome and I know they'll be bringing it here. We can set them up near the back door. They can use that and your parents can stay in the guest room. They're a little older than my folks, so it makes sense."

"Have you talked to them about this ... your parents, I mean?"

"Yes," she confirmed. "We can't fit everyone in here, so let's do the practical thing. And here's another thing to consider. Jamie loves their motorhome, so he'll be happy to move in with my parents. We can use his room for Marjean. Considering how she's supported and encouraged you, it would be a nice gesture. I know my parents would be happy to have Jamie in their second bedroom."

"How big is their motorhome?" Cam asked in surprise.

"Thirty-eight feet. Everything in Alberta is bigger, you know," she grinned.

"Okay ... I'll call my parents and let them know the arrangements, and then call Marjean. I think bringing her out here is a wonderful idea, by the way. I know you'll enjoy meeting and getting to know her. I've told her a lot about you and Jamie."

"I do want to meet her and thank her for help making you famous," Glynnis smiled.

~*~

"This is getting us nowhere, Aaron. I'm not going to settle for a half-million or even a quarter million," Cam said in frustration as his lawyer relayed the latest negotiations.

"I agree completely. I get the impression from Mr. Faschinau that he's just as frustrated with his client as we are. So, what I've told him is that we don't have anything more to discuss and we will await their filing in civil court. The way things are going in Ontario right now, it could be two years before it comes up on the docket. I doubt Ms. Delahey is prepared to wait that long. I've made sure her representative is well aware that you don't feel you owe her anything and will resist any substantial settlement. Let's see how they play this now. In the meantime, I've made my arrangements for Sarah and me to be out your way in two weeks for your wedding. The flight and the hotel are booked, and we're both looking forward to seeing this paradise you so frequently talk about."

"I'm pleased you're coming, Aaron. You'll meet some people that are important to me as well. Marjean will be here too, so it should be fun."

"Yes, I've heard so much about her and talked to her on the phone, but I've yet to meet her. After the wedding, Sarah and I are flying down to San Francisco for a few days. We've decided our vacation will be there instead of the West Indies. Sarah has always wanted to visit the city, so it should be a nice break from winter."

~*~

"Your parents are arriving when?" Glynnis asked.

"They will be on the seven pm flight. They'll probably be pretty tired. They would have been up fairly early to catch the plane to Vancouver, and had almost two hours before catching the commuter to Nanaimo."

"Okay. I'm glad they're coming a bit earlier. They'll be able to get over the jet lag and rest up for the big weekend. Marjean won't be here until Thursday night. Your sisters are arriving Thursday as well. We're going to know the road to the airport by heart by the time this is over," she sighed.

"I saw both my parents and Donna and Gavin when I stopped in Toronto in January. Along with Pamela and Martin, they are here to meet you and Jamie as well as the wedding. Larry Robertson and his wife will arrive on Friday. I think he was stopping in Winnipeg to do some business. He'll be at the Crossroads Inn, but he has directions to the house. It could get a little crowded here for a while. I hope that won't cause you problems."

"No ... I'm excited to meet them all ... but far more excited about Saturday and our wedding. I'm getting a little jumpy, so if I go a little crazy on you, you have my permission to slap my bum to get my attention," she grinned.

"Oh ... really? Now there's an enticing invitation if I ever heard one," he laughed.

"Just make sure it's justified, Mister. Spousal abuse carries serious punishments in this country."

"I wouldn't dream of using it ... unnecessarily," he grinned.

~*~

"Mom ... Dad, I'd like you to meet my future bride and her son, Glynnis and Jamie Urquhart," Cam smiled, mirroring the smiles on the face of his parents.

Ian and Jeanette hugged both Glynnis and Jamie, genuinely welcoming them into the Stuart family.

"I'm so pleased to meet both of you," Glynnis said. "I know we talked on Skype, but to meet you in person is so much more important.

"We're just happy that Cam has found the love of his life," Jeanette said. "It's been a long time coming, but he has chosen well," she smiled, hugging Glynnis once more.

"I'm going to have two Grandmas and Grampas," Jamie announced. "Mom said I should call you Grandad and Nana. Is that okay?"

"Yes, that's fine, Jamie. We're so happy to meet you finally," Ian said, putting his arm around Jamie's shoulder.

"When are your parents arriving, Glynnis?" Jeanette asked.

"Tomorrow if they're still on plan. They're coming in their motorhome and Jamie will be staying in it with them. So both families will be close by."

"Oh, that's great," Jeanette smiled. "We're anxious to meet them."

~*~

"I heard a horn, Mom," Jamie said, racing to the front window. "They're here. Man, look at that motorhome, Mom. It's huge!"

"You've seen it before, Jamie. It hasn't changed," she smiled.

"No ... it's not the same one. It's even bigger!" the boy exclaimed excitedly.

Cam heard the commotion from his office and stepped out to greet the new guests. In the meantime, Jamie was out the door and following the slow progress of the big machine as it moved up the driveway toward the shed. Glynnis was right behind him while Cam stood on the porch, watching. His parents joined him as the motorhome was parked and Glynnis's parents alighted. There was much hugging and kissing before the Stuarts moved toward the group.

"These are my parents, Donald and Margaret Urquhart," Glynnis beamed. "And these are Cam's parents, Ian and Jeanette. I'm so happy you are all here."

The introductions, hugs and handshakes dispensed with, Cam helped Donald find a level spot beside the garage shed and helped him hook up the water and power services. That done, they retired to the house for some socializing.

Cam felt very comfortable in the presence of the Urquharts. They were pleased to meet him in person and Donald wanted to hear all about his book success. The three women decided to move to the kitchen for their discussions, generally getting to know each other as well.

~*~

As Saturday approached, everyone had arrived. Marjean got a big welcome from Glynnis and Aaron. Cam had given her all the credit for his success, and Aaron had agreed that she was the catalyst for turning Cam into a best-selling author. Larry Robertson kidded Cam about never thinking he would sell a book about 19th Century history, much less have it become a hit. Cam, in his usual self-deprecating fashion, agreed with him. Throughout the house laughter was common and the noise of conversation was steady.

Cam's sisters stood in amazement at the accomplishments of their "little brother." They bonded easily with Glynnis and her parents, and a women's club had been formed to compete with the men's club. As for the youngsters, Jamie became the official tour guide of both the house and the surrounding area. Although some of the youngsters were a good deal older than him, they all got along and were most often found on the beach or in the motorhome.

~*~

Ian took Cam aside Friday morning. "I can't tell you how proud I am of you, Cam. You have done remarkably well, and it appears to have happened very suddenly. I had a nice talk with Marjean and she can't say enough good things about you. I hope you are happy with your success."

"I am, Dad. But even without it, Glynnis and Jamie are the most important two things in my life. I never knew what I was missing until they came along. I find it hard to believe that it's all happening to me."

"Good things happen to good people, they say," his father grinned.

"What about you, Dad. Are you ready to retire?"

"Yes, definitely. But I haven't really decided just how to go about it. Your mother and I have talked about moving to somewhere where the weather is a little nicer and there aren't so many people. These two days here have really opened my eyes. I can understand how you can consider this a paradise. I think you mother is thinking the same thing. Do you think we would be happy in a place like this?"

"If you want some peace and quiet in a beautiful setting, yet not far from 'civilization,' then yes. There are several golf courses in the area, salmon fishing right off the entrance to the cove, and the people in this area tend to be a little older and more settled. There isn't much here for young people, so they are more likely to move on. But I don't want to influence you one way or the other. You have to decide what you and Mom want. That's all that matters."

His father nodded thoughtfully.

~*~

"Don't expect to hear anything from me about Ms. Delahey," Aaron said quietly that evening. "I've told our people that I'm on vacation and won't be in touch with the office. I want to put as much pressure on her as possible."

Cam grinned. "Good, I don't want to hear about her for the next two weeks anyway."

To Be Continued