Chapter 4 –
Dinner with the Vecchio's
After the
quick visit at the station Ray, Ben, Stine and Diefenbaker all got
into Ray's car. Stan was to follow in his black GTO, where Francesca
had been quick to offer her companionship. “Is there something
going on between those two?” Stine asked curious, she really wanted
to get to know Ben's friends and that without putting her foot in
wrong. “Not that I know off” Ray answered, but again he didn't
like to think of his baby sister that way. “So here we are” Ray
said as he parked on the driveway to a big house in a nice looking
neighborhood “Did you grow up here?” Stine asked “Yes I did”
he said proudly “It's actually my house now, but my mother and
sister, Frannie, still lives here too” “Can't be easy if you want
to bring home a woman” Stine said “I mean...sorry...” Ray
smiled slightly “I know what you mean Stine, and no offense taken,
we're Italian and that's just how things are with us”
Stan had
waited about 10 minutes after Ray had left before he started the car,
he wanted to spend some time with Frannie. They had had an on and off
relationship mostly in secret for a while now, he knew her soft spot
for Fraser but as he came back married Stan knew his chances were
good now. He parked the car next to Ray's on the driveway as so many
times before and unbuckled his belt and turned to Frannie and without
a word put his left hand around her neck and pulled her close for a
kiss. He didn't mind a bit that the kitchen window was facing that
way and probably some of the Vecchio's could see them, unless they
were all busy fussing over Fraser and Stine. As they pulled apart he
rested his forehead against Frannie's and looked her in the eyes. He
was a bit scared about his feelings for this woman, this was
something else than he ever had experienced before. As they walked
around the house to the front door he put his arm around her
shoulders thinking that now was as good time as any to be caught
together. For once Frannie didn't squirm her way out of his
'embrace'.
Inside the
house the sounds were high and happy. Mrs Vecchio had hugged Stine
and in her broken English said it was about time at least one of the
boys got married on the same time shooting looks at her son. Sofia
who were named after their paternal grandmother was the older sister
of Ray and Frannie were home with her husband and two children “I'm
not getting any younger” Mrs Vecchio said “And I want more
grandchildren” she had taken first Benton and then Stan in as her
own. “Oh, I think we will wait a bit while more” Benton said and
kissed her on both cheeks as he always did when he came for a visit.
“Don't wait too long” she said with a longing in her eyes and
again shot an evil eye at her son “It will happen when it happens
Ma” Ray said and scooped up his nephew who were running by. No one
noticed that Frannie and Stan had come inside and when he helped her
out of her bedazzled jeans jacket he let his fingers run across the
smooth skin of her neck. Frannie shivered in a pleasant way. They
were all ushered into the dining room which held a big table with
room for more people than they were at this time. The meal was loud
except for when they were actually eating, or well the Italians spoke
with their mouths more or less full too. “Are you OK?” Ben
whispered to Stine at one time and she smiled at him and kissed his
cheek “Yes, just a little tired, it's been a lot today” looking
her straight in the eyes Ben suggested they'd try and cut the evening
short. Mrs Vecchio slapped her son on the upper arm and nodded
towards Ben and Stine “Look at those two, it won't take long before
they have a little family of their own” “Ma....” Ray protested,
although there were someone that he had at least one eye set on, but
she was hard to reach. The Vecchio sisters got up to clear the table
and in her usual helping manner Stine, although there were protests,
joined the sisters in the kitchen “I've always been curious on what
kind of woman would take Benny of the market” Sofia said and got a
look from her sister “As you had a chance with your pushy way, no
you stay with Stan, he'll be a good match for you” Frannie who
usually didn't blush turned red as a tomato “Come on sis” Sofia
said “You two been at it on and off for a good while now, don't you
think I've seen how you two look at each other when you think no one
sees” Frannie who also almost never was lost for words didn't have
a come back for her sister. Stine just laughed and the girls looked
at her “I wasn't wrong then, I got a feeling something were going
on with the two of you back at the station,but Ray didn't know
anything he said” she said “Well Ray's kind of blind when it
comes to Frannie, unless it's just in front of him” Sofia said.
After some coffee and dessert Ben and Stine made their excuses,
politely said no to the offer of Stan driving them home and left. The
fresh air was nice after being inside and the buzz of the city was
soothing to their ears as well. “Where's Dief?” Stine asked “Oh,
he'll catch up if he want to” it had happened more than once that
Dief had stayed at the Vecciho house as he got other food than he was
giving him. “So, how was your day?” Ben realized he hadn't had a
chance to ask her yet “It was fine, kind of the same thing I did
back home, but the pace at the Consulate is much slower” Ben knew
what she meant, usually it was mostly paper work and of course his
guarding duty he did, maybe that was why he liked to help Chicago PD
out. “And you, what did you get up to on your own?” she asked
curious “Oh, just another murder, but I believe we'll have the case
wrapped up before the weekend” he said just as he had been a full
member of the CPD. “So, this is what you do when you're not at the
Consulate? Solving murders with Ray and Stan?” she said “Well,
technically it first was Ray Vecchio and I, then it was Ray Kowalski,
playing Ray Vecchio and I” he started the long story and Stine just
listened to his voice. “So I guess from now on it will be Ray, Stan
and I” he finished three blocks from their apartment. When they got
inside Ben opened the window so if Diefenbaker were coming home he
could come inside from the fire escape. The apartment didn't offer
much of entertainment, he had a few books that laid neatly on the
mantle of the fire place, an old record player that he had found with
some records at a flea market, the small TV that he had borrowed from
the neighbor and a radio. He did miss a few of the more modern things
they had had in Stine's apartment, mostly now since they had been
back it was a private bathroom. “What do you say about looking for
another place to live” Ben suggested as they sat down in worn down
two seat sofa. “As I said the other day, I don't mind living here.
Although...” she didn't finish the sentence. “I will ask around
tomorrow, it wouldn't go amiss with a bathroom of our own” he said
“And a separate bedroom” Stine looked over at the bed in the
corner of the room as she laid down and rested her head in his lap.
“I don't own anything than what I got here” Ben said “But maybe
you'd like a few things brought over from Denmark” he said softly
and stroke her hair. It didn't take her long before she was fallen
asleep.
“You've
done good son” Ben looked around the room and found his father, or
the ghost of him leaning against the fire place, poking at the unlit
logs. “Oh, you say so?” Ben asked “Been a while since you were
around” he said to his father “Well as I explained in Copenhagen,
traveling isn't that easy when you're dead. I enjoyed the wedding
though, it was a nice ceremony” It had been, the spring had come
early to Denmark this year and the church had been filled with spring
flowers, family and friends. Outside the sun had been shining all
day. Ben had felt his father's presence but hadn't been able to talk
to him. “Thank you kindly” he said “So” his father moved to
stand in front of them “I guess I'll finally get the chance to be a
grandfather after all” Ben blushed, firstly his father hadn't been
around much when he grew up and secondly he didn't like talking about
it. “I know, it will come when it comes, you've said so before.
Maybe I should go talk to your sister instead” Fraser Sr said and
went for the door but changed his mind and walked out thru the window
instead.
Disclaimer/Copyright
2013 and forward: I don't own anything from the series Due South,
it's just borrowed for your entertainment. This is my story though
and I feel I own that.
No comments:
Post a Comment