That Blue Gibson

CH 97

Liz watched Dave and her father closely over the top of her red cup as they discussed some DC punk show they had both been at in back in the late eighties while her mother hovered around behind her with Jack and Owen, sneaking them cookies and whatever else she could find from the catering tables before settling them on a blanket in the grass at Liz's feet. She startled a little when Dave's laugh boomed across the tent but settled back in her chair more relaxed than she had been in hours. 

Jack had handled the official introductions back on the bus, turning what was potentially an awkward moment into something light-hearted and funny in the way only a seven-year-old could do. And Owen, for his part, clung to Dave like a security blanket, insisting on being picked up and nestling his face into Dave's shoulder the moment he was in his arms. Both boys were enamored with Dave and that apparently erased any hesitations her parents may have had, though a nagging worry still lurked about in the back of Liz's mind. Steve bonded with Dave instantly, just as Liz had hoped, but her mother was more reserved, opting to shake his hand and scrutinize him from a distance before fully welcoming him with open arms. 

"How are you, dear?" Nancy sighed and folded herself into the chair next to her daughter. 

"Good," Liz replied, keeping her eyes on Dave in case he needed an escape. "How was your flight?" She looked away when her mother didn't immediately answer and was met with a bemused smirk. 

"He didn't tell you, did he?"

"Tell me what?" Liz slowly shook her head, wondering what the hell was going on. Travis usually handled all of the travel details and would have let her know if something had gone amiss... 

"Oh, darling," her mother clucked her tongue with a knowing smile. "Dave went all out. Private jet for your father and I and another tomorrow for Will, Meghan and the rest. Rented us a house near Disney so we can take all the kids... he and your father were back and forth on the phone most of last week with the details. Doesn't he have an assistant that does all that for him?"

Liz's chest felt like it was collapsing. He had been so busy with last minute festival issues, when the hell did he have time to put all this together? And without her knowing? "I think his manager? But... I didn't know he was doing all that. I just thought..."

"Yes, I was a bit concerned myself," Nancy's gaze drifted towards Dave, then leaned in closer to her daughter. "Are you pregnant?" she whispered urgently. "Did he get you in some kind of trouble? Because I don't care who the hell he is, Nicole Elizabeth. I can get you out of anything, no questions asked."

"No...," Liz shook her head, trying to catch her breath. She hadn't heard her real name in so long that it felt foreign like it belonged to a completely different person. "No, none of those things, Mom."

"You're sure you're not pregnant? When was your last period?" her mother pressed on, blatantly examining Liz's belly hidden under her loose tank top.

"Mom, stop," Liz whined and looked up at Dave just as he glanced back at her. "I'm not pregnant." Even as she whispered it, she automatically went over her calendar in her mind before she remembered the IUD she had placed after Owen was born.

"I'm just saying, dear. If you're planning on having his baby, you better do it now. He's almost fifty, for Pete's sake!"

"So? Mick Jagger has a son younger than Owen!" Liz let out a frustrated sigh, unwilling to even entertain the idea of having Dave's children, especially not while he was less than fifteen feet away. "We're not having any more kids, Mom. We have plenty between us." She was about to update her on the potential surrogacy for Allison and Taylor, but her mother was already way past that.