"Basketball?" Echo said dumbly as she watched Luke take off his jacket and tie. The net was set up against one of the garage doors where it had been since Ben was 19. Before that it had been replaced regularly after he moved out, they hadn't even bothered removing it. Once, one of the gardeners had offered to take it down but Alice had refused. She was just very sentimental over it.
"What did you think they were going to do?" Lena asked, appearing beside Echo.
Echo tried not to blush- she wasn't about to admit that she thought they had a fight on their hands.
"Not basketball." She muttered. "Does Luke know how to play?"
Adelia shrugged.
"I don't think so... at least, I've never seen it. I've never seen Luke do anything that made him sweat." Adelia said, making Echo chuckle.
"I can't imagine him playing basketball." Echo replied. She knew he worked out, he had to. Otherwise, how could he look as perfect as he did? Echo let out a sigh, a long, dreamy sigh. But she'd never seen it... she only ever saw him looking impeccable as always.
Echo blushed... that wasn't necessarily true. She shook her head. This was NOT the time to be thinking of THAT.
"Do your brothers play?" Adelia asked, watching as Ben began to dribble the ball.
"George a little, Ben played in high school." Echo said, "They're gonna kill him."
"I think that's the point." Lena added, watching the game carefully.
"Those two feel like they have to establish their dominance... men." Karen said from where she was sitting. The family had their staff set up a few chairs and a table, and now they were all getting comfortable.
"Luke." Echo said as he handed her his things.
"Yes?" He said, turning to look at her and noticing her frown.
"What are you doing?" She asked and he smiled, dashing as ever.
"I'm going to beat your brothers." He said, leaning over and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Wish me luck."
"Men." Romy said from where she'd seated herself. "I don't understand it. Sports in general."
"Romy, you spend 6 days a week at the gym. You're the epitome of fitness." Vera said.
"That's different." Maru volunteered.
"Correct, Maru." Romy said without batting an eye.
"This is great." Adelia said suddenly, making them all turn to her as she laughed.
"What is?" Echo asked.
"This... siblings fighting, teasing each other. It's great." Adelia said enthusiastically.
"Didn't you and Luke do this type of thing?" Echo asked.
"Well, Luke is a lot older. He just sort of... spoiled me." She said.
Echo turned back to Luke, watching as he ran around with George and Ben... doing absolutely horrible. She couldn't help it, a smile curled on her lips.
"George tells me all the time how lucky he is to have found the Reids." Karen said.
"Found them?" Adelia asked, confused.
"George isn't actually our son." Michael said.
"But he is." Alice added with a smile. Adelia turned to Echo.
"He fits in perfectly, I thought he was your brother too." Adelia said and Echo nodded.
"I've known him all my life... he is another brother to me." Echo said.
"To all of us, really." Vera replied.
"That's nice." Adelia said.
"It is. It's going to be really hard on him when we leave." Karen said, making everyone turn to her. The girls were all silent.
"I'm sorry... what?" Lena said, staring directly at Karen. Karen shifted uncomfortably in the chair.
"I thought that..." Karen said, realizing she'd spilled the beans. Michael and Alice sighed.
"It's okay, Karen. We'd hadn't gotten a chance to tell the girls yet." Alice said .
"Tell us what?" Lena demanded.
"George is going to help us open a new office... in New York." Michael said.
"So... that means..." Lena said, trying to put it all together.
"We're moving to New York, after New Years." Karen said.
Again, everyone was silent. Silence so thick... you just sort of get stuck in it. As much as everyone searched for the words, any words to slice through it... no one could. Everyone was drawing a blank, even Romy who usually had a good quip to help in situations like this.
"Hey!"
Everyone turned back as George called out and the ball bounced in their direction, slowing to a roll and eventually bumping against Lena's feet. She picked it up slowly, holding the ball in her hands.
"Hey, Lena... over here." George said, holding his hands out as if to catch the ball.
Lena smiled before throwing the ball and hitting George hard in the stomach.
"Oh no... sorry." Lena muttered, a cynical smile on her face. George gasped for air as the girls all stared silently.
"Ummm... I'm fine." George said before Echo turned to a confused Adelia.
"She's been playing since she was 6."
---
"Vera!" Romy called out, tapping her foot impatiently as she stood outside the hotel restaurant.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Vera called out, picking up her pace as she approached her. "I got... distracted at work."
"At the Non Profit?" Romy asked with a raised brow. "Couldn't you do some of that from home?"
"In theory, yes." Vera said, moving towards the entrance as a doorman held the door open. "But realistically, no. I have no idea how Echo gets anything done."
"I lock myself away for hours at a time." Echo said, appearing from beside them with a smile.
"She's got talent for that." Romy said and Vera smiled as the attendants took her coat.
"Not so much anymore." Vera said. "I'm sorry I'm late, Echo."
"Don't worry about it. I honestly don't even know why we're here. I told mom that Luke and I want to have the wedding in the garden of his home." Echo said, as they walked into the restaurant where Alice was already seated with Maru and Lena.
"Will everyone even fit in that garden?" Romy asked. She was having a hard time picturing it.
"It's a lot bigger than you imagine but yes. I don't want a big wedding. I want something small, cozy." Echo said. "and still, they dragged me around today looking at venue after venue... in case I changed my mind."
"At this point? It's almost December- your wedding is in four weeks." Vera said.
"Don't remind me." Echo said with a shake of her head. "I still have so much to get done."
"I thought you said his aunt was taking care of everything." Romy said.
"Yes, she is. It's this intimate, tradition, Italian wedding feast. It actually sounds lovely but I mean other things. Getting everything packed up, finishing up my last assignment at work." Echo said as they sat down.
"What do you mean your last assignment?" Vera asked, prompting everyone to look at Echo. Echo nodded.
"Yes, I'm leaving my job." Echo said, making everyone's jaws drop open.
"I'm sorry, honey. You're leaving your job?" Alice asked as Echo finished settling back into the table.
"Well, Luke and I talked about it and there really is no need for me to work." Echo said. "It's not like I have this great career to protect."
"I thought you liked your work." Alice said.
"I do, I did. Besides, Luke does well." Echo said, feeling how all eyes were on her.
"More than well!" Maru added with a grin.
"Oh, Maru!" Vera said, admonishing her.
"Let her be." Romy said with a shrug. "If Echo has decided that right now she'd rather be a stay at home wife, that's her choice. It doesn't mean she can't ever go back to work."
Echo nodded but in her head she was remembering her talk with Luke. She would have other things to keep her occupied and it was just not looked upon with favor for his wife to work. She'd struggled with it, of course she had, but she knew this was part of the territory. And; in any case, he said that if she ever did want to work again, they could talk about it.
"I don't know if I could feel comfortable being economically dependent on someone else." Lena said, biting her lip.
"Well she's not. Hello! The trust fund? Our company shares? I mean, unless mom and dad are disowning her for running off with some Italian dream boat, I'm pretty sure Echo is doing as well as any of us" Maru said, wiggling her brows at her.
Echo laughed. Obviously, there was that. But she and Luke had also discussed those funds and she was surprised at home many limitations there was there. Luke had been clear- if it had to do with Echo, her clothes, her home, her food, her shoes... anything that had to do with her, he was going to pay for it. End of story. As for her money, Echo was free to use that on family, charity, even their kids. She blushed, remembering how he'd insisted they'd have at least four. He'd clearly told her that he wanted a big family.
"Right." Alice said, "And you always have our support, in any way."
"So did you see any place you liked today?" Vera said, trying to change the subject as she noticed how uneasy Echo seemed.
"There was plenty of nice places, had you come, you would have seen them too." Romy said with a raised brow.
"I took the opportunity to catch up on a couple of cases." Vera said with a sigh.
"Well, it doesn't matter because Echo didn't choose any of them." Alice said with a grin. "Garden wedding it is."
"It really is a very nice garden, mom." Echo said.
"I'd like to see it. It would be nice to know where you're going to be living." Alice replied.
"I'll be living in North Town, just a two hour drive from the office, with Luke in his giant house." Echo said, "You'll get to see it... plenty of times. I expect you'll be visiting me."
"Of course!" Maru said excitedly. "I'm actually really excited for an Italian wedding."
"Yeah, I didn't realize how very traditional he is or what a traditional background he has." Vera said.
"Very." Echo said. "I just can't believe how fast time is flying. Before you know it, Christmas will be here."
"You are joining us for Christmas right?" Alice asked and again all eyes were on Echo.
"Yes... with Adelia." Echo said.
"That's obvious." Romy said, "I liked her."
"Yeah, she's cute." Alice said with a smile.
"So now what? His aunt is pretty much taking care of everything." Lena said and Echo sighed.
"Well, there's my dress, your dresses..." Echo began to say.
"The bachelorette party." Maru said, making Echo frown.
"Oh no, no." Echo said, shaking her head.
"Oh come on, It'll be fun." Maru replied.
"No, those things... nope." Echo replied
"It's not like we have to do anything crazy, no strippers if you don't want them." Maru said, making everyone chuckle but Echo shook her head.
"NO. I'm having trouble dealing with the attention I'm getting as it is." Echo said, "Besides, we still have to plan George's going away party."
The table grew silent. That was still a sore spot, for everyone in their own way, but Lena shook her head.
"What else do you have to do, Echo?" Lena said, changing the subject. She did not want to go down that road again so soon.
"I have my lessons with Nadia and Adelia." Echo muttered without thinking.
"Lessons?" Romy and Vera questioned in unison. Yes, her lesson. Luke had told her clearly that there was a lot to learn about living in his world and she would need to learn it as soon as possible.
"Yes." Echo said, searching her mind. "My... Italian lessons."
Romy and Vera both raised their brow.
"Italian lessons?" Vera asked.
"Yes. You know, to fit in with his family and friends." Echo said.
"Do they speak a lot of Italian?" Alice asked.
"Sounds like." Echo said, "I just want to try to fit in."
"That shouldn't be too hard, you're a smart girl. Besides, it's not like you have a time limit to learn." Vera said.
"I know but I want to get a head start and surprise Luke before the wedding. That's why his cousin and sister are helping me." Echo said. Maru watched her closely. In the last several months she'd gotten very good and detecting when Echo was lying.
"Sounds exciting."