Си Паради - Dancing With Shadows

Tony and Megan looked at Rosa. "What are you laughing at?" Tony asked.

"You two," Rosa said smiling.

Megan and Tony answered a multitude of questions during the meal. Megan found Rosa easy to talk to, and had relaxed enjoying the dinner.

Her outgoing nature reasserted itself and she often gave elaborate answers to Rosa’s delight.

When they were finished eating, Rosa said, "I made cannolis for dessert. Anyone want one?"

Tony’s mouth watered. Not only had her mother made her favorite meal but also her favorite dessert. "I do."

Rosa smiled when she saw the delighted look on Tony’s face. It was so good to have her daughter back again.

Megan had never had a cannoli and had no idea exactly what it was other than a dessert, but judging by Tony’s reaction, she was willing to try it. She had a weakness for desserts anyway. "I’d like one too, please."

Megan took a bite of the Italian delicacy. It was delicious. The pastry shell was filled with a blend of cheese, chocolate and fruit.

She and Tony both consumed two of them before helping Rosa clear the table and retiring to the living room.

Rosa sat in her favorite chair facing Megan and Tony on the couch. She had decided to be blunt. This was a personality trait her daughter shared.

"Tony said you took care of her when she was injured. What happened?" Rosa asked.

Megan glanced over at Tony who just shrugged her shoulders. Ok, where to start. "We were working on a serial murder case together. Tony had only been in Cleveland a few days and she was stabbed when we were investigating the area the murders occurred in," Megan said, trying to be honest but not wanting to embarrass Tony.

Rosa turned her attention to her daughter, "You were stabbed?"

"It was just a fluke. The guy got lucky," Tony hedged. "It was no big deal."

Rosa looked pointedly at her daughter. "No big deal huh? Have you been wounded before?"

Oh God. How do I get out of this one? "A couple of times, but never anything serious," Tony said knowing her comment was not entirely accurate, but she’d come out ok, so her mother really didn’t need to know the details.

Rosa had a feeling Tony was down playing her answer but decided to let it slide for now. Turning to Megan, she said, "Tony tells me she loves you."

Tony’s eyes widened and she had to stop her mouth from dropping open. "Mom," she said in a cautioning voice.

"Tony, I want to talk to Megan about this. You told me you love her." Directing her attention back to Megan, she asked, "Do you love Tony?"

Megan had become very uncomfortable. It just seemed so strange to be talking to Tony’s mother about her feelings. But this was a question she could answer easily.

Meeting Rosa’s eyes, she said, "Yes I do. More than I ever believed possible." Glancing at Tony, she continued, "I can’t imagine life without her."

Tony smiled at Megan and relaxed a little. Even though she and her mother had already had this conversation, she had not wanted her partner to feel uncomfortable. But it looked like Megan was handling it just fine.

Rosa met Megan’s eyes and what she saw there wiped any doubt about this woman’s commitment to Tony from her mind. She was also surprised to find that she liked Megan. She had been prepared not to.

Rosa was a religious woman, but she knew that God would never condemn two people for loving each other. Setting aside years of religious indoctrination, she made a decision.

"Well then I’m happy for both of you. But you do know you have chosen a path that will not be easy."

Megan and Tony both nodded, acknowledging the truth of the words. "We know that and we’ve talked about it," Tony said to her mother.

"But it’s the right path for us and that’s what really matters."

"Yes it is," Rosa agreed.

"So Tony… how about telling me about some of your adventures?"

The rest of the evening passed quickly.

Tony looked at her mother and said, "The cab is probably here. We should get going." She had insisted on calling a cab because of the late hour.

Tony paused and then added, "Mom, I want to go to the cemetery while we’re here. Would you come with us?"

Rosa looked at Tony and said warmly, "Of course I will."

"We could meet you here at 9am," Tony said.

"How about if I pick you up from the hotel at 9am?" Rosa asked. "There’s no reason for you to have to take a cab here first."

"Ok. Thanks."

Tony and Megan stood up and walked to the door. Turning around Tony hugged her Mom and said, "Thanks. Dinner was great. We’ll see you in the morning."

Megan said, "It was nice meeting you. Thanks for dinner." Before she had a chance to turn around, she found herself being hugged by Tony’s mother.

Rosa said, "It was nice meeting you too, Megan. See you both in the morning."

Barbara was frustrated. Every time she called Megan’s number the answering machine picked up. It was 10pm, and it didn’t make sense that she wasn’t home yet. And it didn’t help matters that Charles kept insisting she keep trying.

Knowing that Megan and Ashley kept in close contact, Barbara decided to call her oldest daughter.

"Hello," Ashley said, placing the phone between her shoulder and her ear while taking the twins’ clothes out of the dryer.

Sitting down, Barbara said, "Hi. How are the kids?"

Surprised to her from her mother this late, Ashley said, "Hi Mom. They’re fine. Let me tell you bedtime didn’t come soon enough tonight. I don’t know where they get all their energy from."

Barbara laughed and said, "They take after their mother. You were quite a handful yourself."

Ashley snorted, "Yeah right. Why is it that all mothers love to tell their daughters that?"

Still chuckling, Barbara said, "Because it’s true. But the reason I called is because I have been trying to get a hold of Megan all evening and there’s no answer."

So that's why she's calling now. "She’s on vacation. She’ll be back tomorrow or the next day. I forget which."

Barbara was surprised. "Megan actually took a vacation? I can’t believe it. She hasn’t taken vacation since she started that job."

"I know. It’s about time she took some time off," Ashley agreed, preparing herself for the questions that were sure to follow.

"Where’d she go?" Barbara couldn't believe Megan hadn't even mentioned taking a vacation to her.

"She went to D.C. with a friend of hers," Ashley said, still expertly holding the phone while folding clothes.

"What friend? Has she met someone finally? It’s about time." Barbara said pleased.

Ashley smiled to herself, thinking, Oh yeah Mom. She sure has. But you’re going to go off the deep end when you find out.

"She went with the FBI agent she met while working on that murder case. What did you want her for anyway?" Ashley said, attempting to redirect the focus of the conversation.

"Your father wants her to come over for dinner. I showed him the articles in the paper. He’s really proud of her."

Ashley rolled her eyes. Yeah right. "You mean she finally did something he approves of? I can’t believe it."

"Ashley!" Her oldest daughter could be so impertinent.

The way Ashley saw it, she was only stating a known fact. "Well it’s true."

Deciding to ignore the last comment, Barbara said, "Well if you talk to her before I do, tell her I’ve been trying to get a hold of her."

"Ok. Mom." Ashley said. Once she finished with the clothes, she planned to call and leave a message for Megan so she could give her fair warning.

"Bye."

"Bye," Ashley said before laying down the phone. Her thoughts turned briefly to her younger sister and she smiled remembering how happy

Megan had been when she told her they were going on vacation.