"Mother, what are you doing here? Didn't I just see you yesterday?" Laura inquired.
Abigail stepped past Laura and into the living area of her loft. Laura had no choice but to follow her mother and wait for her to answer.
"Yes dear, I know I saw you yesterday but I had to speak with you and it couldn't wait. Abigail looked at Laura for a few seconds before she spoke.
"Laura, how well do you know your boss?" Laura wasn't prepared for that question and it showed.
"What? I know Mr. Steele very well of course. Why do you ask mother?"
"I asked Laura because I don't think you know the man at all! I've found out some rather disturbing information about your boss and I feel its my duty as your mother to tell you." Abigail said with concern.
Laura could sense the danger before it came. The hair on the back of her neck was standing straight up. A clear indication that she should be alarmed.
"Tell me what mother?" Laura said quietly.
Abigail grabbed her daughter by the shoulders and took a deep breath.
"That the man you know as Remington Steele is a fraud! He's a fake Laura, a deceitful con man who's been taking advantage of you. I have it on good authority, from a close friend that paid me a visit that he is a professional thief! Lord knows why he decided to pose as Remington Steele. Just think Laura, he's become a world famous detective, I'm sure that's just a cover so that he can be apprised of jewel and art shows. To think, my daughter has been working for such a man! Oh and he had us all fooled didn't he? The cool blue eyes, the air of mystery, that gentlemanly charm. Yes indeed, he had the whole world fooled. But no more! I won't have my daughter dragged down and professionally ruined when this gets out! I won't allow you to be used one minute more and I told him as much!" Abigail finished in a huff.
Laura head was still reeling from her mother's outburst that she had barely caught the last part. Laura closed her eyes to try to regain her composure. Her eyes still closed, she asked for confirmation of what she'd thought she'd heard. Her mother acknowledged that Laura had in fact heard correctly. That's when Laura lost her last shred of sanity.
"Mother how could you do that! What were you thinking going over to Remington's apartment and dropping a bomb like this! And just where the hell did you get your facts from anyway mother. Exactly what "friend" was this that decided to clear their conscience?"
Abigail looked indignant as she told Laura the name.
"Felecia? That was the close friend of Remington's that came to see you? Why that sneaky conniving little..."
"Laura Holt! I did not raise you to use the language you were about to use! Goodness what's gotten in to you? I came here to tell you about whatever his name really is, and this is the thanks I get? You know he actually tried to convince me that he would never do anything to hurt you and that he cared about you? Hah! He certainly has a strange way of showing it. Lying, stealing, betraying your trust? And you try to make ME feel bad for trying to protect you?" Her mother stormed.
"Mother when are you going to get the hint that I don't need protecting? I KNOW all about his background mother, I'm not being used by him. It's not what you think, at least not all of it." Laura said evasively.
Abigail was stunned as she looked at her daughter.
"Do you mean to tell me that you KNEW about his past and you still went to work for him? My God Laura, haven't you learned by now not to be taken in by a man? Haven't you learned from my mistakes with your father and your mistakes with Wilson? Honey you can't be so naive to trust everything a man tells you as true. I haven't struggled all these years since your father abandoned us to watch you make the same mistakes I made Laura! I've tried to watch out for Frances but you have always been so willful and now he's going to ruin your life just like your father ruined mine!" Abigail cried.
"Mother when will you get it? I am not you! This isn't your life all over again, it's mine mother! Mine to do with as I please, mine to make mistakes with, mine to learn from. You can't run my life like you ran Frances'. Yes daddy left you, he left us all mother but YOU chose to stop living your life, you chose not to fight and move on. You stayed in place mother and you tried to turn Frances and my life into the life you should have had. Can't you see that? " Laura sobbed.
"Do you know how hard it was for me to pick up the pieces of my life after daddy and Wilson left? It's taken me a long time to trust in someone, a long time to believe that there can be a happy ending. I have lived my life being closed off from relationships. I told myself I didn't need one, I refused to allow myself to be hurt again by a man I loved leaving me. Can't you see how wrong that is mother? I finally see it mother and it's taken me so long to stop being afraid to trust, afraid to love. I have spent the last five years being closed off, fearing being left and what did that get me but a broken heart? But I refuse to continue being scared to give myself to someone. I'm getting on with my life mother and you have to let go of the past too and learn to live in the present." Laura said wearily.
"Laura you have no idea how hard I've tried to let go. Your father was my whole life! I had grown up to believe that a woman's life was dedicated to making her husband happy. And I tried to make your father happy every way I knew how but it wasn't enough, I wasn't enough! Do you know how that made me feel? I felt as though I had failed. I admit I tried to make sure that Frances wouldn't suffer the same fate I had but couldn't you see how much I wanted to protect you both? Oh Laura, I know we've never gotten along like a mother and daughter should. It's just so hard for me. I look at you and I see how much you are like your father, so independent, so ready to take on the world and everyone in it. Please forgive me for the pain I've caused you. I just didn't want to see you hurt." Abigail said sadly.
Laura felt the tears running down her face and couldn't stop them. How long had it been since she'd seen her mother so open and vulnerable? She'd always longed to be close to her mother but they always seemed to bring out the worst in each other. Laura went to Abigail and hugged her. Abigail returned the embrace with equal measure. They were both crying by the time the embrace ended. Laura knew it was time to set Abigail straight about a few things so she guided her mother to the couch so they could both sit down. Laura inhaled deeply and prayed she'd have the nerve to get all of it out. Her mother needed to know the truth, all of it.
"Mother, there are some things you need to know. I hope that they will help you understand the situation better than you do now. You see mother, I always loved excitement..."
An hour later Abigail and Laura were still sitting on the couch. Abigail looked at her daughter as if seeing her for the first time.
"Laura, my goodness, I had no idea the obstacles you've had to overcome just to be a private investigator! To think, you've had to deal with so much just to be considered an equal to the men in your field. Oh Laura, I'm so sorry I misjudged you. The truth is I am as proud of you as I am of Frances. I admire your strength and your drive. I've never had the gumption you've possessed but I can see now how it has allowed you to get where you are now." Abigail said in awe.
Laura blushed. She'd never been given such open praise from her mother. She wasn't used to them being on the same side of a conversation.
"Laura dear, I believe I owe your Mr. Steele an apology. I misjudged him and I shouldn't have confronted him like I did. I feel so foolish being used by that woman, she seemed so trusting too. She actually had me believing it was heart wrenching for her to tell me about Mr. Steele." Abigail sighed.
"Mother I understand, but do you fully grasp what I've told you? About Mr. Steele's past and why I did what I did?"
Abigail grasped Laura's hand and squeezed it.
"Of course I do dear. Granted I am surprised to find out that you actually own the Remington Steele Agency and about Mr. Steele's past but I am glad that it worked out so well for all concerned in the end." Abigail smiled warmly.
There conversation was stopped short by another forceful knock at the door. Laura went to answer it as her mother was grabbing her coat and purse. Laura swung the door open and spotted a nervous looking Remington Steele.
"Laura, thank the Lord you're here. I've been trying to catch up with you since this morning. I...Ah Mrs. Holt, how nice to see you...again." Remington finished with slight uncertainty.
He didn't know which reel he'd come in on and didn't want to say the wrong thing. Abigail walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder.
"Hello again Mr. Steele. I'm rather glad to see you so soon. I owe you an apology for what happened earlier," Abigail began.
"Nonsense Mrs. Holt, you were merely trying to protect your daughter from being hurt. I understand your motive completely and I can't say that I blame you. It's unfortunate that you had to hear about the way of things from such a unpleasant source. For that you have my apologies." Remington said sincerely.
"You're forgiven Mr. Steele. I am relieved to know that my first opinion of you is still an accurate one." Abigail said patting Remington's shoulder.
Abigail gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek, which for once Laura returned, and left.
Laura closed the door and turned to see Remington sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. Laura walked over and asked him if he was ok.
"Not really Laura; to be honest, I haven't fully recovered from my first visit with your mother this morning." Remington grinned.
Laura walked to the kitchen to pour them both a tall glass of wine. She sat down next to Remington and laid her head against the back of the couch. If she were honest with herself, she hadn't fully come back to her senses either. This had been a very emotionally draining day and it would be a while before she recovered. They drank their wine in companionable silence for some time before Remington asked Laura what had happened with her mother. Laura related the events that had transpired before he'd arrived.
"I had to tell her the truth Remington, I hope you don't mind." Laura said.
"Good Lord no, Laura, I'm quite relieved actually. I didn't mind Abigail knowing about my past, I just didn't want her thinking that I was planning to drag her daughter's reputation through the mud and break her heart in the process. Laura I can't tell you what the hell possessed Felecia to go over to Abigail's like that. You can't imagine what I went through when Abigail burst into my apartment mad as hell and ready to have me arrested!" Remington shuddered at the memory.
Laura moved closer to him. Instinctively, he put his arm around her.
"Oh yes, I can! Probably the same thing I went through when she came here," Laura surmised.
Remington pulled Laura closer to claim her mouth for a heated kiss. She responded with all the pent up feelings she had. Easing her lower on the couch, Remington continued the onslaught of her mouth.
Laura allowed him greater access to her body. She needed this man right now and wanted to show him how much she cared for him.
Remington was kissing Laura's neck when he felt her go still. Still too familiar with this reaction, he stopped immediately, eased off her, then pulled her to a sitting position in one motion.
"Laura?" he said uncertainly. "What's the matter?"
Staring at him, it took a few seconds for her to answer. "Oh nothing, I just want to know which one of us is going to thank that conniving bitch, Felecia, for all her help?"