Chapter 83

"I'd better go check the turkey." Sara started to stand from the chair she was sitting in.

"Relax Mom, I'll go." Brianna grabbed the excuse to escape from the living room full of family gathered for Thanksgiving. After checking the turkey, she sat down at the kitchen table and wondered how long she could hide out.

"You can't hide out in here forever you know." Richard handed her a glass of wine and sat down on the other side of the table. 

"I can try." Brianna responded dryly.

"Okay, tell your big brother what's bothering you."

"Nothing you can fix."

"Are you sure? I'm pretty good at fixing things."

"Can you change Father's attitude about what my place is and what type of man is acceptable for me to be involved with?"

Richard snorted. "I'm good, but I'm not a miracle worker."

She raised her glass. "There you go."

"There you are." Michael observed as he and Lisa entered the kitchen and sat down. "Where's the rockstar?"

"At home with his family."

"I thought you might have brought him with you."

Brianna snorted. "I'm lucky he didn't cut and run after we had dinner with Mr. Equality in there."

"Bad?" Richard winced.

Brianna shrugged. "The usual."

"I don't get what he'd have against Jon. He must know how much money the guy makes." Lisa frowned.

"He knows." Richard assured her. "I did the background check and sent Father the report. It's not about money, or rather not just about money."

"He could have enough money to make Warren Buffet look like a pauper and it wouldn't matter. He still wouldn't be an acceptable mate for Bri."  Michael added.

"Why not? What's he got against him?"

"It's because he's a musician." Rachel explained as she joined them. "It's not a respectable enough occupation."

Richard grimaced, but didn't dispute his wife's assessment.

Lisa was stunned. "You're joking." She looked at Brianna who shook her head. "Well that's just...... Does he treat you right? Take care of you? Include you in all aspects of his life? Is he considerate of your feelings?"

"Yes." Brianna responded.

Rachel grabbed the bag of potatoes and brought them to the table, handing her sisters-in-law paring knives. While they peeled, she continued the questioning. "Do you enjoy his company? His kids? Do you miss him when you're not with him?"

"Yes."

"Are you in love with him?" Lisa asked.

They all waited for the answer Brianna didn't have. "I think I could be in a very short time."

"You met him?" Richard asked his brother.

"Yes, at a charity function."

"And?"

Michael shrugged. "He seemed like a decent enough guy. Pleasant enough to talk to. Really keen on finding new ways to help the less fortunate."

Lisa eyed Brianna carefully. "Does he love you?"

"I don't know. He cares about me, but I don't know if it's love." Liar! Her subconscious screamed.

"Then why are you here?" Rachel pressed. 

Brianna glanced towards the living room.

"Bri....I hope you don't take offence to what I'm about to say. I love you and just want you to be happy." Rachel took a deep breath. "You're a grown woman, not a child. It's time to live your life for you. Do what makes you happy and quit trying to please your father. You married the type of man he decreed was best for you and look how that turned out." She reached out to lay her hand on Brianna's. "If he makes you happy, go for it. Life's too short to let opportunities pass you by."

Brianna sighed. "I appreciate what you're saying, but it's not quite that easy - and not just because of Father."

"The deceased wife?" Lisa guessed.

"Sort of. I don't know how I will ever know if his feelings are real or if he chose me because I'm handy and......comfortable. Or because it's what his wife wanted." At her siblings looks, she explained. "She made it very clear that she wanted him to move on and that she thought I was a good choice for him to do that with." She would keep the details to herself.

"That is a tough one." Lisa agreed.

"And you won't find the answer here." Rachel added.

They were all seated around the large dining room table trying to find the energy to move after gorging themselves on turkey, mashed potatoes and cranberries, when Kelly turned to her aunt. "Aunt Bri, are you staying here for the weekend?"

"Of course she is." Edward answered his granddaughter.

Suddenly, Brianna realized she couldn't do it. Rachel was right. This wasn't where she wanted to be. "Actually, no, I can't. I need to get back. I've got a lot of work to do."

Edward frowned. "Brianna..."

"It's for work Father." Brianna interrupted what was sure to be a lecture with the one excuse he wouldn't argue with. "Jon's got a couple performances coming up in the next couple weeks and we're working on some Christmas programs for his Foundation."

Edward just grunted.

Michael eyed his sister. "We're going back too. We can give you a lift. I brought the company jet."

"Thanks."

Sara walked them out to the car. Richard was driving them to the airfield. She pressed a plastic container into Brianna's hands. 

"Leftovers?"

"Treats for the kids. Say hi to Jon." Sara hugged her daughter. "Do what makes you happy."

"Thanks, Mom."

Back in New York, Brianna packed a bag, then crawled into bed for a few hours sleep. When she awoke, she dressed in jeans and sweatshirt, grabbed her bag and headed down to the garage to get her car. 

Halfway through the Battery Tunnel, the heater made a rattling noise, then conked out.

"Great. It's only thirty below, what do I need heat for?" She debated turning around, but finding an open garage or an alternative form of transportation would be difficult and time consuming. Time she didn't want to waste.

So she kept going.

By the time she pulled through the gates, her hands and feet were pretty much numb. Fumbling with her purse, bag and the door handle, she stumbled into the foyer.

"Hey sugar. I didn't expect to see you this weekend. I thought you were staying at your parents in Chicago." Jon watched her struggle to get her gloves off and frowned. "Honey? What's wrong?"

"It's f..f...f...fricken cold out there!"

He helped her off with her coat and noticed her trembling. He took her hand to help her balance while she removed her boots and was shocked. "You're freezing!"

"C.....car h...heater b.....b...broke."

"When did it quit?"

"T...tunnel."

"So you drove all the way here without heat? Are you crazy?" He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back.

She clung to his warmth. "N..n..needed t..to b...be h...here.  M...m..missed y..you g..guys."

Jon smiled and kissed her temple. "We missed you too."

"Bri? Are you okay?" Stephanie came out to greet her.

"Mmmmmhmmm."

"She drove here with no heat in her car." Jon explained. "She's frozen."

"Brr."Stephanie shivered. "Do you want coffee or tea?"

"T..tea p..please S.....Steph."

"I'm on it." And she disappeared into the kitchen.

"Bianna!" Jake ran over to hug her.

"Hi B....buddy."

"What's wrong wif you?"

"She's really cold." His father repeated. "Come into the living room. The fire's on." With an arm around her, Jon turned Brianna towards the doorway.

"I get a blanket!" Jake announced and ran ahead of them.

Brianna sat on the couch and accepted the blanket Jake brought her. "Th..thanks buddy."

When Jon sat beside her, she turned to sit facing him, lifted her feet onto the couch and burrowed her toes under his leg. He could feel their coldness even through his jeans.

"Jesus! Your feet are like ice cubes!" Lifting her feet onto his lap, he pulled off her socks, pulled the blanket over them, and rubbed them with his hands to try and warm them. "You should probably get out of those cold clothes too. Jesse, run upstairs and grab a pair of my sweats and a sweatshirt for Bri please."

"Sure."

When he returned a few minutes later, Brianna took the clothes and managed to change without removing the blanket - or exposing anything that would shock the kids - although Jon had to reach under and help with the button on her jeans since her fingers were still not up to that kind of dexterity yet.

Stephanie brought in the tea and Brianna wrapped her hands around the mug, sipped and sighed. "Thanks guys. You really didn't have to go to all the trouble, but I appreciate it."

Stephanie shrugged. "You've done so much for us, it's our turn to help you."

"Feel better?" Jon asked.

She nodded. "Starting to thaw out." She glanced around. "Where's Romeo?"

"Napping. Where are the keys to your car?"

"I left them on the table in the foyer."

"I'm going to go have a look at the heater." He stood and tucked the blanket in around her feet.

Fifteen minutes later, he returned, sat down and picked up the phone. "Nate? Hi, it's Jon. How are you? Good. Listen, my girflfriend's car heater concked out. Looks like it's the coil. Yeah. Thanks. I'll bring it over on Monday. Right. Bye."

"You didn't have to do that." Brianna stated quietly.

"Of course I did. It's my job. You look after dinner, I look after the vehicles."

She laughed.

Half an hour later, Brianna finally felt she'd reached room temperature and thought about getting up.

"Bina!"

She turned to greet the toddler, but her words stuck in her throat when she got a look at him. She choked and burst out laughing.

"What the..." Stephanie stared at her brother.

"Romey, what have you been into?" Jon asked.

"Yummies!" He replied, his grin - and most of his face - covered in chocolate and sprinkles.

"Do you like my mom's treats?" Brianna managed to get out.

Romeo nodded. "Dey good!"

At Jon's raised brow, Brianna explained. "My mom sent some squares."

"Romeo, were you looking through Bri's bag?" Jon frowned at his son. "That's not yours. You shouldn't be going through other people's stuff."

Frowning at his father's reprimand, Romeo's bottom lip came out and started to quiver.

Wanting to ward off the tears, Brianna stood up and her hand. "Come on little man, let's get you cleaned up."

"I hope he saved us some." Jesse commented.

After the little ones went to bed and the teenagers went to their rooms, the adults settled into their favourite evening pastime, curled up together on the couch in front of the fire with a glass of wine.

"Okay Golden Eyes tell me what happened in Chicago that sent you running back here in frigid temperatures with no heater."

"Nothing happened." She insisted. "I just....." She sighed. "I just realized that the holidays are meant to be with the people you care about and as much as I love my family, that wasn't where I wanted to be." She turned her head to look at him, lifting one hand to cup his cheek. "This is."

Jon smiled and bent his head to kiss her. "That makes two of us."