Steeling a Dream:
Part 3: House of Steele (R)
Part 3: House of Steele (R)
Steeling a Dream:
Part 3: House of Steele
Part 3: House of Steele
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Steele Holting On
Chapter Nine: Peace
Friday, 23 September 1988 -- 27 weeks, 1 day
On Friday, Remington picked up Siobhán from school. Nervously, she worried at her thumbnail while
she sagged into the passenger seat of the Lexus. He cupped her check, asking, “What’s wrong, a stór?”
She leaned into his touch, sighing. “Jennifer and Caitlin are coming over tonight, and I don’t know what
we’re supposed to do. Listen to music? Watch a movie? Maybe they’ll get bored with me and want to
go home. Da? What do I tell them?” Her words practically tripped over themselves.
He stuttered, “Ah … ah, hmm.” He pulled his hand away to reach for the car phone and hand it to her.
“Call your mother?” he offered wryly.
Rolling her eyes at him, she punched in the number to her mom’s private line at the agency.
“Laura Steele.”
“Mom?”
“Hi, Siobhán. How was your day, sweetie?”
“Fine, got an ‘A’ on my physics test. Mom, what am I supposed to do with Jennifer and Caitlin? I don’t
want to bore them? And Da’s no help at all.”
Ignoring her dad’s shake of the head, she heard her mother laugh on the other end of the line. “We
picked out a movie yesterday, remember?”
“Yeah, but what else are we going to do?” Siobhán began twisting a curl of hair. She really wanted to
make a good impression on her new friends.
“Well, why don’t you figure out how you want to decorate your new bedroom and bathroom? The walls
will be coming down next week, and you’ll be moving into your new rooms the week after that. Even if
you don’t like what your friends think, you can still have fun talking about it. Do you want some
magazines or books to look through?”
“Oh, that would be totally awesome, Mom.” Siobhán heaved a sigh of relief and slouched down in the
seat even further.
“All right, sweetie. I’ll do that. I’ll be done before too much longer, and I’ll stop at the bookstore.”
Saying goodbye, she dropped the phone on the cradle. “Mom’s going to get some decorating books for
us to look through tonight.” She leaned back against the seat and watched the cars zip by.
“Decorating books? What for?” Remington asked.
“So I can pick out what I want for my room. Is it true? The walls are coming down next week?”
“Ah, yes, actually. It’s planned for Wednesday.”
Siobhán played with a strand of hair. “Is it going to make a big mess?”
“Undoubtedly.”
She heaved a huge sigh. “Mom’s not going to like that.” She glanced over to her dad, who gave her a
funny look.
“What tipped you off?” He said it with a straight face, but she could see the lurking smile.
“Oh, I don’t know, Da. Perhaps the way the house is perfectly neat--all the time.”
“I’m neat,” he objected.
“Yeah, but your neatness is because you like the way it looks. Mom’s is because she can’t stand for
anything to be out of place.”
Later, Remington reflected again on Siobhán’s insight. She continually surprised him with astute
observations about them. Perhaps it came from being forced to merely observe others for so long, but in
any case, Siobhán had yet to peg someone wrong. Her accuracy matched his own ability to size
someone up in an instant, leading him to wonder if perhaps they shared a genetic trait rather than a knack
that was a defense mechanism as Laura speculated. Then again, Siobhán’s upbringing wasn’t exactly
filled with happy childhood moments either, albeit not the harsh ones he’d endured.
That evening, at Laura’s suggestion, Remington set out a fruit tray, a plate of chocolate chip cookies and
a bowl of popcorn in the kitchen. Fussing over the presentation for several minutes, Laura finally steered
him out of the room.
“You’re making Siobhán even more nervous, Rei.” He arched a brow, but noted Siobhán biting her
thumbnail as she casually paced between the kitchen and her bedroom.
When Jennifer and Caitlin arrived, Siobhán made awkward introductions. Neither of the girls managed to
conceal goggling eyes at Mr. Steele. Remington manfully concealed his grin, amused at the
uncomfortable foot shifting and shy glances. The promised pizza arrived at that moment, which the girls
happily retrieved from the lobby. Most of it disappeared with the rest of the food into Siobhán’s
temporary bedroom along with a stack of magazines and books. When Jennifer and Caitlin found out the
plans for the evening, shrieks echoed in the penthouse.
Left with half a pizza and two cookies that Remington snitched before the girls made off with the entire
plate of them, the Steeles headed for the terrace to escape the thumping of the music on the radio and the
laughter coming from behind the closed bedroom door. Laura promptly dropped into a chair and opened
the pizza box.
“Laura?”
“Hmm?” Busily devouring a large slice, she concentrated on catching the dripping cheese.
Leaning against the rail, he tugged at his ear. “Pardon my question, for it will seem impertinent, but why
in bloody hell are you so calm about everything?”
Laura nearly choked on the bite she had in her mouth as she snorted. “What?”
He frowned at her reaction, somewhat annoyed at her levity. He tried to explain, “Love, you’re six
months pregnant; we have a new teenaged daughter in the house with all that entails; we’re renovating
the apartment, and both of us are still working full-time in the agency. We haven’t finished the nursery
either here or at the office, and you don’t want to know what we’re having. Bugger me, Laura, is
someone slipping you Valium while I’m not looking?”
She recovered with a large drink of water, but her face was pink with delight. Rising from her chair, she
laid her hands on his chest. “You really don’t know?” She gave him that wide, confident smile he loved.
Shifting from foot to foot, he stuffed his hands into his pocket before shaking his head.
“I’m happy, Remington. Extraordinarily happy. The renovations are coming along. When the nursery is
ready to decorate, we’ll do both this one and the office at the same time. Frances will want to help, I’m
certain. So will Siobhán. Kate’s already given me a list of ideas. Siobhán is a wonderful girl. How
could anyone not love her? And do you know what else?” He shook his head. “I’m happy because I
have you. I didn’t think I would find someone to love that would treat me as an equal in everything we
do. I’m pregnant, and you still don’t coddle me--even though I know it annoys you not to do so.” She
took his hands then. “I love you.”
Remington could only tug her to him and lay his cheek against her hair, wondering how long it would last.
3 November 2009
Chapter Ten: Third Base
Friday, 23 September 1988 -- 27 weeks, 1 day
On Friday, Remington picked up Siobhán from school. Nervously, she worried at her thumbnail while
she sagged into the passenger seat of the Lexus. He cupped her check, asking, “What’s wrong, a stór?”
She leaned into his touch, sighing. “Jennifer and Caitlin are coming over tonight, and I don’t know what
we’re supposed to do. Listen to music? Watch a movie? Maybe they’ll get bored with me and want to
go home. Da? What do I tell them?” Her words practically tripped over themselves.
He stuttered, “Ah … ah, hmm.” He pulled his hand away to reach for the car phone and hand it to her.
“Call your mother?” he offered wryly.
Rolling her eyes at him, she punched in the number to her mom’s private line at the agency.
“Laura Steele.”
“Mom?”
“Hi, Siobhán. How was your day, sweetie?”
“Fine, got an ‘A’ on my physics test. Mom, what am I supposed to do with Jennifer and Caitlin? I don’t
want to bore them? And Da’s no help at all.”
Ignoring her dad’s shake of the head, she heard her mother laugh on the other end of the line. “We
picked out a movie yesterday, remember?”
“Yeah, but what else are we going to do?” Siobhán began twisting a curl of hair. She really wanted to
make a good impression on her new friends.
“Well, why don’t you figure out how you want to decorate your new bedroom and bathroom? The walls
will be coming down next week, and you’ll be moving into your new rooms the week after that. Even if
you don’t like what your friends think, you can still have fun talking about it. Do you want some
magazines or books to look through?”
“Oh, that would be totally awesome, Mom.” Siobhán heaved a sigh of relief and slouched down in the
seat even further.
“All right, sweetie. I’ll do that. I’ll be done before too much longer, and I’ll stop at the bookstore.”
Saying goodbye, she dropped the phone on the cradle. “Mom’s going to get some decorating books for
us to look through tonight.” She leaned back against the seat and watched the cars zip by.
“Decorating books? What for?” Remington asked.
“So I can pick out what I want for my room. Is it true? The walls are coming down next week?”
“Ah, yes, actually. It’s planned for Wednesday.”
Siobhán played with a strand of hair. “Is it going to make a big mess?”
“Undoubtedly.”
She heaved a huge sigh. “Mom’s not going to like that.” She glanced over to her dad, who gave her a
funny look.
“What tipped you off?” He said it with a straight face, but she could see the lurking smile.
“Oh, I don’t know, Da. Perhaps the way the house is perfectly neat--all the time.”
“I’m neat,” he objected.
“Yeah, but your neatness is because you like the way it looks. Mom’s is because she can’t stand for
anything to be out of place.”
Later, Remington reflected again on Siobhán’s insight. She continually surprised him with astute
observations about them. Perhaps it came from being forced to merely observe others for so long, but in
any case, Siobhán had yet to peg someone wrong. Her accuracy matched his own ability to size
someone up in an instant, leading him to wonder if perhaps they shared a genetic trait rather than a knack
that was a defense mechanism as Laura speculated. Then again, Siobhán’s upbringing wasn’t exactly
filled with happy childhood moments either, albeit not the harsh ones he’d endured.
That evening, at Laura’s suggestion, Remington set out a fruit tray, a plate of chocolate chip cookies and
a bowl of popcorn in the kitchen. Fussing over the presentation for several minutes, Laura finally steered
him out of the room.
“You’re making Siobhán even more nervous, Rei.” He arched a brow, but noted Siobhán biting her
thumbnail as she casually paced between the kitchen and her bedroom.
When Jennifer and Caitlin arrived, Siobhán made awkward introductions. Neither of the girls managed to
conceal goggling eyes at Mr. Steele. Remington manfully concealed his grin, amused at the
uncomfortable foot shifting and shy glances. The promised pizza arrived at that moment, which the girls
happily retrieved from the lobby. Most of it disappeared with the rest of the food into Siobhán’s
temporary bedroom along with a stack of magazines and books. When Jennifer and Caitlin found out the
plans for the evening, shrieks echoed in the penthouse.
Left with half a pizza and two cookies that Remington snitched before the girls made off with the entire
plate of them, the Steeles headed for the terrace to escape the thumping of the music on the radio and the
laughter coming from behind the closed bedroom door. Laura promptly dropped into a chair and opened
the pizza box.
“Laura?”
“Hmm?” Busily devouring a large slice, she concentrated on catching the dripping cheese.
Leaning against the rail, he tugged at his ear. “Pardon my question, for it will seem impertinent, but why
in bloody hell are you so calm about everything?”
Laura nearly choked on the bite she had in her mouth as she snorted. “What?”
He frowned at her reaction, somewhat annoyed at her levity. He tried to explain, “Love, you’re six
months pregnant; we have a new teenaged daughter in the house with all that entails; we’re renovating
the apartment, and both of us are still working full-time in the agency. We haven’t finished the nursery
either here or at the office, and you don’t want to know what we’re having. Bugger me, Laura, is
someone slipping you Valium while I’m not looking?”
She recovered with a large drink of water, but her face was pink with delight. Rising from her chair, she
laid her hands on his chest. “You really don’t know?” She gave him that wide, confident smile he loved.
Shifting from foot to foot, he stuffed his hands into his pocket before shaking his head.
“I’m happy, Remington. Extraordinarily happy. The renovations are coming along. When the nursery is
ready to decorate, we’ll do both this one and the office at the same time. Frances will want to help, I’m
certain. So will Siobhán. Kate’s already given me a list of ideas. Siobhán is a wonderful girl. How
could anyone not love her? And do you know what else?” He shook his head. “I’m happy because I
have you. I didn’t think I would find someone to love that would treat me as an equal in everything we
do. I’m pregnant, and you still don’t coddle me--even though I know it annoys you not to do so.” She
took his hands then. “I love you.”
Remington could only tug her to him and lay his cheek against her hair, wondering how long it would last.
3 November 2009
Chapter Ten: Third Base