The Adventure Continues

[abrightboy]

For thatsfascinating.



The villa Malcolm rented was in the Languedoc, not far from Marseilles, south of Avignon. It was a very historic region, though Malcolm was particularly not interested in visiting Marseilles again. There was a charming village nearby the villa and if they were going to go to an historic city for a day, he'd rather make the trip over to Montpellier, where he'd never been at all, much less with Dr Whitly.

The villa had six bedrooms. As the driver brought their luggage inside the bright and spacious main room, Malcolm handed him some folded Euros and thanked him and shut the door behind him.

"First choice of a room is yours," he told Edrisa with a smile. "But you might want to explore first."

Comments

[thatsfascinating]

"I expected to be there to welcome her into the family," Jessica chided right back. "She is a lovely young woman. This isn't about her."

Edrisa raised her eyebrows, noting Jessica's words with not a small amount of relief.

[abrightboy]

Malcolm sighed. "Mother.... I say this with the utmost love and respect but... sometimes, it is not about you." He glanced over his shoulder at Edrisa and Ainsley sitting together, then looked at Jessica again. "We had to do what was right for us at the time. I would love it if you would welcome her into the family now."

[thatsfascinating]

Jessica sighed and set her empty glass down. "Yes, you're right." She squared her shoulders, clasped her hands, and smiled, making her way over to Edrisa. "Edrisa, dear," she said to her, holding out her hands. "I am so happy to have you as part of our family, and as part of Malcolm's life."

Edrisa accepted her hands and smiled as she stood...then hugged Jessica enthusiastically. Jessica blinked, then raised her arms to wrap them around the smaller woman in kind.

[abrightboy]

Malcolm started to raise his hand to maybe explain that they weren't so much a 'hugging' family, but then Jessica was already in the enthusiastic embrace and.... well, it was probably good for her. He still winced a moment, glancing at Ainsley, until Jessica reciprocated the gesture and he relaxed.

[thatsfascinating]

Ainsley had stood up as well, and when Edrisa hugged Jessica she ducked her head to hide a smile of amusement. She glanced over at Malcolm and flashed her eyebrows playfully.

Edrisa pulled back, beaming, totally missing Jessica's taken aback look. "Thank you. So much. I'm so happy to be part of your family, too."

"One thing about being a Whitly," Ainsley said. "It is never boring."

"Edrisa Whitly," Jessica said. "Or did you keep your name, dear?"

Edrisa opened her mouth and looked at Malcolm.

[abrightboy]

"She took my name, mother," Malcolm piped up from behind Jessica. "And my name isn't 'Whitly'."

[thatsfascinating]

Jessica's jaw clenched, but she gave Edrisa a tight lipped smile.

"Well then, Edrisa Bright it is," she said.

[abrightboy]

"How many times are we going to have this argument?" he asked frankly, spreading his arms. "I can't work in law enforcement with his name. I can't... spend my life being his son before I'm anything else."

[thatsfascinating]

"I'm not arguing, Malcolm," Jessica said. "I merely..."

"Ummm," Edrisa pipped up. "Isn't there something else we need to talk about right now?"

"Yes, there is," Ainsley said, shooting a look at both her mom and brother. "Can we put the fight on the back burner, please?"

[abrightboy]

"My mistake. Your face looked like an argument," he pointed out.

He turned to the kitchen and put the kettle on the stove.

"So..." Everything had gotten derailed. "What do you want to do about Eve? Do you want me to talk to her?"

[thatsfascinating]

Jessica followed him and went for the alcohol again.

Ainsley rolled her eyes at her mother, then turned to Malcolm. "You're probably the one most likely to help her. Unless she talks to the Surgeon."

"Ha," Jessica laughed bitterly, pouring another glass.

[abrightboy]

"If she does talk to the Surgeon, I don't think she should do it alone," Malcolm said. He looked at Edrisa. "What do you think?"

[thatsfascinating]

Edrisa thought about it for a moment. "You should talk to her," she said. "Definitely. She might be able to tell you more about the girl in the box. And...I think you should bring her to talk to your father. If she does know the girl...then I think she has a right to face the person who killed her."

[abrightboy]

He looked over at Jessica.

"My wife says I should talk to her. Do you have her phone number?"

[thatsfascinating]

Jessica sighed and pulled out her phone. "I hope you find what you're looking for," she said, finding the number and putting it into a text. "At least you're going into it with your eyes open."

She sent the text to him.

[abrightboy]

"You mean unlike if she was, say, my girlfriend right now?" he said pointedly. He checked his phone that the message came through. "Anything else exciting happen while we were away?" he asked.

[thatsfascinating]

"Yes, exactly unlike that. And there's no need to rub it in, Malcolm, it's unseemly."

Edrisa came to stand next to him, taking his hand in hers and giving him a small smile.

"No," Ainsley said, "the woman who infiltrated our family in order to try to get in touch with our dad to confront him about someone he might have killed was pretty much it."

[abrightboy]

"Wow, you guys never seem to lead such a boring life when I'm here. Well, I hate to kick you out of my house, but, if that's it, I think I'm going to kick you out of my house now," he said pleasantly. "We just got back from a long flight and we're jetlagged and I think we're going to rest before we make Gil put us back to work."

[thatsfascinating]

Jessica grumbled a little at that, but Ainsley gave Malcolm a hug, then Edrisa. "Don't worry," she said to them both. "I'll get mother home. You kids have fun!"

When the door was closed behind the two Whitly women, Edrisa turned toward Malcolm and wrapped her arms around him tightly. It wasn't as terrible as it could have been, but it was still pretty rocky, and she wanted to comfort him and seek comfort from him.

[abrightboy]

He couldn't say he was convinced it was over even yet. There were rarely last words with his mother. But he would take them existing in their own space for the comfort it was and wrapped his arms around her tightly, pressing a kiss into her hair.

After a couple of moments, he pulled back enough to look at her face.

"Now. Where were we?" he said with a suggestive lift of his eyebrow.

[thatsfascinating]

She grinned back at him.

"About to make love for the first time in our home, I think!" she said. She pulled back, took his hands, and tugged him toward the bed.

[abrightboy]

He smiled broadly, about to go with her when he hesitated, holding up one finger.

"Don't move."

He let go of her hands to go over to the door and put the chain on. Then he stepped back over and took her hands again.

"Proceed," he said theatrically and then laughed at himself.

[thatsfascinating]

She laughed with him, squeezing his hands.

"Good idea," she said. "Makes sure no one interrupts us again. If anyone knocks, we are not here."

She led him the rest of the way to the bed, then turned them round to gently push him down, climbing into his lap.

[abrightboy]

"Remind me when I get this cast off again?" he said, fumbling at pushing her shirt up with his good hand and his free fingers.

[thatsfascinating]

"Really soon," she answered, helping him with her shirt. "When do you have an appointment with your doctor?" she asked as she worked on his buttons.