This story is intended for
amusement purposes only. This story is not meant to infringe on the names of Remington
Steele, Laura Holt or anything that would cause MTM productions or anybody else to sue
DeLois. This story is the property of DeLois Booth ã 2002.
Steele Destined
Part 6
By D’Lois
Laura and
Rita were standing in a wall-to-wall mirror dance room with a hardwood floor.
“Rita,
I haven’t practiced any ballet moves since you left North Carolina.” Laura looked at her white leotard and lacy
wraparound. “I think we should go with
the guys to the gym more often. Rem loves
watching Rick play basketball.”
“Laura,
please! Rick and I can’t spend that much
time together.” Rita checked her ballet
shoes then smoothed her hand over her pink leotard and wraparound. “Aunt Hazel called me again today.”
Laura didn’t
respond but checked her hair to make sure the bun was still tight.
“Harry wants to meet
you.”
“Rita!” Laura shrieked.
“I told you no.”
“You told me no meaning
yes.”
“No. I told you no meaning no. You sound like a guy. No doesn’t mean yes.”
“Sometimes it does;
like when Rick asks me…Well, forget about that.
Laura, please, do it for me. The
man sounds like he needs SOME just as bad as you.”
“Please.” Laura said placing her leg on the bar in front of
the mirror.
“He’s a widower
with a daughter close to Rem’s age. He
hasn’t been with anyone since his wife died. Can
you imagine the build up?”
Laura shook her head and
pretended to ignore her friend.
?
LaTrac
“Chief.” Mildred said walking into Remington’s office.
“Yes, Mildred.” Remington said looking over some orders.
“I just got off the phone
with Hazel.”
“So?”
“So, she finally got her
niece’s friend new phone number.”
Mildred waved the piece of
paper in his face.
“Here name is Laura, too. It’s a sign Boss.”
“Mildred, don’t be
ridiculous. Laura is a very popular girl’s
name. The girl at the newspaper stand
downstairs is named Laura, the clerk at the supermarket name is Laura.”
Mildred frowned when he didn’t
take the piece of paper.
“You promised.” Mildred reminded him.
Remington looked up, put his
pencil down, and snatched the piece of paper out of her hand.
“I promised so you would
leave me alone.”
“Come on, Boss.” Mildred sat on the edge of desk. “Laura Micelli is perfect for you. She’s
a loan officer at the Bank of LA.”
“Really?” Remington said being sarcastic.
“You have a lot in common. According to Hazel’s niece, she was an
orphan, born and raised in North Carolina, married her high school sweet heart and lost
him when he had an aneurysm a few years ago. Their
son was only a few weeks old.”
“Besides from the orphan
part Mildred, how can you say we have anything in common?” Remington asked still not buying into it.
“She had amnesia back in
’88. You had amnesia.”
“Mildred, do you know her
social security number, too.”
Remington looked stupefied when
Mildred crossed her arms in front of her chest.
“Chief, I have to know
everything if I am going to put my name on this match up.
I can’t just get a number and a name.”
“Spoken like a true
meddler.”
“It’s fate, Boss.” Mildred pleaded.
“And how can you be so
sure Mildred?”
“Laura’s son’s
name is Richard Eric Micelli. His initials are R.E.M.
She calls him Rem.”
“And?”
“Remington. Rem.”
“Mildred, you have lost
it.” Remington picked his pencil up and
went back to work.
“Okay. If I am losing it, how about this?” Mildred waited until Remington looked up for
effect. “His birthday is on May 16th,
too.”
Remington frowned.
“Mildred, my birthday is…”
“According to your REAL
birth certificate its May 16, 19…”
“Mildred are you going to
let me get any work done?”
“Come on, Boss. All we want you to do is take her out to dinner. We aren’t asking you to marry her.”
“Tracy probably will.” Remington sighed.
“She wants a Mummy.”
?
T
hree Weeks Later
Rita walked up to Laura in the gym locking room.
“Hey Stranger.” Rita teased.
Laura smiled.
It had been two weeks
now since she moved out of Rick and Rita’s place and found a two-bedroom apartment in
Los Angeles. Rita was shocked that she didn’t
look for a place in Beverly Hills, but Laura had an unexplainable force calling her to Los
Angeles. The surroundings felt uncomfortably
familiar to her. She felt more at home than
she had in the last six years.
“Let’s go
get some Chinese instead of working out and you can tell me all about your phone convo
with Mr. Blue eyes.”
“Can’t.” Laura said taking her shirt off and revealing her
leotard. “It seems your Mr. Blue eyes
changed his mind.”
Rita frowned when she
heard the disappointment in Laura’s voice.
“It’s okay.” Laura said noticing Rita’s expression. “I have been busy anyway. Remember I have a new job and a new home.”
“Yes, Mrs.
Micelli, Bank Loaner.” Rita teased. “Then, how about we go get some Chinese and
talk about the new job and decorating.”
Laura smiled.
“And Chuck.”
“Chuck?” Rita shrieked.
“I met him at an
Antique store near the bank.”
“Do tell. What color are his eyes?”
“Money green. Money green.”
Laura laughed forgetting about Mr. Blue eyes.
?
LaTrac
“Daddy. Daddy.”
Tracy ran into Remington’s office.
“Did you call her today?”
Remington put down his
pencil and turned his attention to a wide-eyed and excited Tracy. She has been asking him the same question every
day since Mildred mentioned the number in front of her.
“Hello to you
too.” Remington noticed her hair was no
longer in the ponytails he’d done this morning and she wasn’t wearing her school
uniform. She was now sporting a French braid,
T-shirt, and jeans. Mildred must have taken
her to the beauty salon.
“Did Nana take
you to the beauty salon?”
“You promised!” Tracy yelled knowing the answer to her question
since he was avoiding hers. She had seen him
do that with Mildred, Daniel, and Abigail on more than one occasion.
“Excuse me young
lady, I’m still your father. Now, lower
your voice. This is a place of business.”
“No! You lied.”
Tracy accused.
Remington watched her
put both hands on her little hips, pucker her lips, and prepare for battle.
“You promised
this morning you would call TODAY. YOU
PROMISED.”
Remington was stunned. Tracy has never acted like this with him. She was always well mannered and respectful, even
when she didn’t get her way.
“What has gotten
into you? Did Linda braid your hair too
tight?”
“You said you
would call her and ask her out.”
“Boss, what’s…”
Mildred stopped in the doorway when she saw Tracy and Remington standing face to face in
the middle of the office. Tracy was pointing
her left index figure up at Remington, and he was standing with his hands on hips. The scene reminded her of when Remington and Laura
would face off.
“Nana, he
promised he would call her today.”
“Mildred, she
didn’t give me a chance to answer before she became disrespectful.” Remington challenged, knowing he was reducing
himself to her level.
“Did you?” Tracy asked looking up at him with her hands
crossed in front of her chest now.
Remington opened then
closed his mouth and looked down at her. He
was astounded.
‘God,’ she
looked and acted so much like Laura –
more so when she was mad.
“No. But, that doesn’t give you the right to
disrespect me. I’m still your father AND
an adult. I should turn you over my lap.”
“See.” Tracy accused looking at Mildred not moved by his
threat. “You said your word was your
bond. He said it was important to keep
promises.”
Remington was stunned. This was his six-year-old daughter talking like a
grown up – using his own words against him.
Abigail had told him several times she was too young to watch his old
classical favorites. Now, he wished he had
listened. Maybe, he should force her to watch
Atomic Man as punishment.
“Now, you two
calm down. We can hear you in the restaurant.” Mildred said stepping between.
“You crossed your
heart and hoped to die.” Tracy’s
face was red now as she looked at Mildred then back at Remington.
Remington couldn’t
believe what he was hearing and all because he didn’t call some silly woman. Maybe if he just called the bloody woman, everyone
would get off his back.
“Only to get you
to leave me alone.” Remington admitted
then looked at Mildred. He remembered he said
the same thing to her only weeks earlier.
“You have to do
what you said you would do.” Tracy
ordered.
“I will. In my own time.” Remington said acting just as childish as she
was.
“Why not now? You said it was always good to do things now. So
you won’t forget.”
Remington thought for
a moment. It was at times like this he wished
the child would turn a deaf ear to some of his lectures.
Smiling to himself, he squared his shoulders.
“Fine. You want me to call her. I’ll call.”
Tracy and Mildred
watched as Remington walked over to his desk and picked up the phone and the piece of
paper with Laura’s number. He dialed and
waited.
“Answering
machine.”
Tracy and Mildred
nodded to the answer to their questioning glaze.
‘You have reached
the Chalmers’s residence. Sorry we’re
not here, but if you leave a name and number, we’ll get back with you as soon as
possible.’ Beep.
Remington smiled while
his voice played off the answering machine. He
should have thought of this idea before.
“Yes. My name is Harry Chalmers. I got your number from Mildred’s friend,
Hazel. I was wondering if we could go out on
a date. Call me at 5-5-5-5-6-5-3.” Remington hung up the phone and stared directly
into Tracy’s blue eyes.
“Happy?”
“Yes.” Tracy said softening.
While Tracy was asking
Mildred if she could have some ice cream, Remington was making a mental note not to play
the answering machine until Tracy went to bed. He
could erase the message then without her hearing it.
Remington couldn’t help but feel a small victory
for winning the argument with his persistent daughter.
? Laura’s Apartment
“Auntie Rita.” Rem walked into the living room wearing his Batman
pajamas.
“Hey, Rem.” Rita put the Vogue magazine she was looking
through down on the coffee table. “Why
aren’t you in bed, little one?”
“I want my Mommy.” Rem said climbing up on the couch.
“Well, Mommy is
out on a date.” Rita explained as the
child sat on his knees staring into her face. Rita
observed Rem had five freckles on each cheek and three across the bridge of his nose. “She will be getting in very…” Rita
started to explain but keys in the door caught both of their attention.
“Mommy.” Rem hollered climbing off the couch and running to
her.
“Laura?” Rita said standing.
“Hey, Mommy’s
big boy. What are you still doing up?” Laura picked Rem up and ignored Rita’s
curious look.
“I was waiting up
for you. Can you tell me a bedtime story? A scary one.”
“Sure. But, first, I want to see Rita off.” Laura put Rem on the floor and ruffled his curly
hair. “Go brush your teeth.”
“He did.”
“I did.”
Rita and Rem said in
unison.
“Go do it using
toothpaste.” Laura said looking at her
son.
“OK.” Rem disappeared down the hall.
Laura smiled as Rita
watched the boy.
“Sometimes you
have to be specific.” Laura commented.
Rita turned her
attention back to Laura.
“It’s 9:30. Why are you home at 9:30? You left at 8.”
“Let’s say
Chuck is boring. I’ll call you tomorrow
with the details.”
“Laura, the
details of your date was going to be MY bedtime story.”
Laura smiled as her
friend pretended to pout.
“I’ll call
you after I put Rem to sleep. Deal?”
“Deal.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
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