"I am so overwhelmed!" Abby wrote in an email some days after she returned. "Gibbs got a gazillion things for me from the field. Last night, I went to Darkness Personified, ya know that Gothclub I like, and hung out with my good friend Vixen.We had a blast!"
Alan wrote back " Don't you have anyone else at that lab working with you? You seem to be doing the work of a dozen people. Believe me, I know what that's like! I went to see Don, at his office,and had a talk with him about his behavior. His mother and I did not raise him to treat people that way! Right now, Charlie is working on an article for some math journal. As usual, he won the coin toss and I got stuck loading the dish washer."
Abby emailed him the next day, "Maybe you guys could roll dice? Well, I gotta go! Gibbs is coming in with my caffeine fix, and I need to talk to him about some lab results!" She hit the send botton.
"Things must've gone very well in L.A!"the ex marineteased.
"He already has a girlfriend!" she got defensive again.
Eventually, Edna returned.Alan was there to greet her at the airport. They hugged and kissed upon seeing each other.
"I missed you!" she gushed.
"So did I!" Alan kissed her again. "How's your sister?"
"Pretty much recovered."
They had dinner and spent the night at her place.
The next day, Alan wrote "Edna finally returned yesterday! I missed her, but didn't realize how much until we meet at the airport. We're going to see a newly released French film tonight. Anyway, it's about time for me to cook dinner! "
"Ain't post-return-from-long-trip- sex great?" Abby wrote back at eight in the morning her time.. "I was gonna see a movie with Kate last night, but both of us had to work late at the last minute.. Well, looks like Ducky has more stuff for me. See ya later!"
Alan choked on his coffee when he read the first sentence of Abby's email at nine in the morning his time.
"You okay dad?" Charlie asked with concern. He was just about to leave for his morning class.
"It's just Abby being Abby" Alan said in an annoyed voicewhile the mathematician laughed. Charlie discretly read over his father's shoulder and giggled.
"Your mother and I did not raise you to read other people's correspondence!" Alan gave him a look. "Don't you have a class?"
Alan's next email went like this: "Abby! I've told you that there are things I'd rather keep private! Anyway, I'm due at the shelter in about an hour, so I should really hustle. Tell Gibbs not to work you so hard."
Abby told him, via email "You want me to tell Gibbs that? Easier said than done. Today he slapped Tony in the back of the head twice in half an hour! See, we were talking about a case where a petty officer was found dead wearing bondage gear. Tony made some inappropriate comments. Ducky's comig in, so I'll click send!"
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A week and a half before Alan's birthday, Abby had an idea. After making the arrangements, she wrote the following to Alan:
" I'm having something delivered next Wednesday for your birthday at six in the evening." she wrote him. Abby had decided to have her present come early because she knew that Alan would have plans with Edna and his sons. "I know it's early, but who doesn't like to get premature presents?Try to have Don, Charlie, and Larry there!" She mentioned Don only because she knew how much he meant to Alan and it would look bad on her part to invite Charlie, but not the agent.
"Abby! You shouldn't have!" Alan protested in his next email. "I'll try to get them all to come!"
"Are you and Larry busy next Wednesday at six?" he asked Charlie over dinner.
"I don't think so why?"
"Abby is having something delivered for my birthday, then and asked that I invite you, Don, and Larry to be present."
"But it isn't until next Saturday." Charlie was puzzled.
"She thought it would be nice to give itearly."
"Larry and I'll be here!" Charlie grinned, and could not wait for Wednesday to come.
Alan called Don the next day at work. Things had settled between them somewhat.
"Eppes?"
"It's me!"
"Hey dad!"
"What are you doing next Wednesday evening?"
"Why?" Don wondered if Alan was going to announce his engagement to Edna.
"Abby is having a present delivered to me then, and asked that I invite you, Charlie and Larry."
"Sure" Don, while he knew, of course, that it wasn't a bomb, he still wanted to be there to see what Abby was up to.
Larry, Charlie,Donand Alan were all at the house at five thirty in the evening of that Wednesday.
"Any idea of what the surprise might be?" Larry asked Alan.
"Nope" the retiree shook his head. "Abby is rather unpredictable."
"I'm sure that it's gonna be great!" Charlie said.
"or shocking" Larry thought to himself. The timing of Abby's visit still gave him cause for thought.
Don rolled his eyes.
Finally, the fateful hour came and the doorbell rang. Alan ran to the door, and saw, through the peephole, that it was a woman in full, formal belly dancing dress, with a CD player in her hand. Her coal black hair went to her waist and she was appropriatly full figured. The dancer's costume was an emerald green with gold plated trimming.
Puzzled, he opened the door.
"Yes?"
"Are you Alan Eppes?" she asked.
"Who are you?" Don asked suspiciously. He had quickly come to the doorway.
"I've been hired to dance for you and maybe teach you." she told the retired city planner.
"Really?" Charlie had come to the doorway as well. He looked forward to seeing her dancing.
"Well, uh..come in." Alan said lamely. Abby never failed to surprise him.
"Come on Don! Help me move this table!" Charlie ordered his brother.
TBC
Chapter End Notes:
I've got lots of chapters in this story, so I'll put a bunch at a time together.