Mother of Steele 1/5

Mother of Steele 1/5
Date: Sunday, May 20, 2007
From: "Lori Lanham" <lanhamlj@yahoo.com>

Okay gang, since I've been writing around holidays lately, I thought I'd attempt a Mother's Day story. After I wrote the flashback vignettes in "Legacy of Steele," a few people asked me to expand on them, so this is my first attempt at a story in a "Kate Universe." You don't have to have read "Legacy" to get it, but it helps.

Remember that this is a Lori story, so it's a bit mushy... and it's definitely PG (one of these days, I'm gonna let Xenos write the Director's Cut. <g>)

Thanks to Debra, Zinger and Judy for reading and offering great support and advice.

Permission to archive

Mother of Steele

Malibu, CA 1989

Laura Steele looked down at the tiny bundle she held in her arms. Her four month old daughter was still a constant source of amazement. Her life was a constant source of amazement. Had it really been three years since she'd married her Remington Steele on that smelly tuna boat? Her husband had settled into married life with so much ease that it scared her. She'd taken a little longer, okay… a lot longer. Even now, sitting in the rocking chair in Kate's nursery and looking out over the Pacific, it all seemed more than a little surreal.
He stood in the doorway watching them-the two most important people in his life. He watched them, his beautiful girls. Laura had no idea what a good mother she was, and he couldn't imagine loving her more than he did at that moment. So much had changed in the past six years. Had it really been almost seven years ago when he'd first come to Los Angeles in pursuit of the gems of Royal Lavulite? When he'd first laid eyes on the beautiful woman sitting before him, he had known she was special. He had known he wanted her. What he hadn't known was the extent to which she would change his life. He was truly Remington Steele now and he strived every day to live up to the name-not just for Laura, but for little Katharine, too.
He walked up behind them and leaned in to kiss his wife. Then he walked around to face her and he reached down to pick up his daughter. Murmuring softly, he held the baby to his chest. Laura stood and followed as he carried Kate over and laid her down in her crib. Remington turned his attention to his wife and pulled her into his arms as they stood watching their baby girl fall asleep.
Remington leaned in and kissed Laura as he reached into the pocket of his robe and pulled out a light blue rectangular velvet box.
"Happy Mother's Day, Mrs. Steele," he said softly. He handed her the box and then placed another gentle kiss on her lips.
"Oh," Laura said quietly, her eyes growing wide as she looked up into the beautiful blue eyes of the man who had captured her heart. "You shouldn't have done this. You already gave me those gorgeous flowers."
"Ah, but my darling, " he said with another soft kiss as he led her out of their sleeping daughter's nursery, "Mother's Day is quite a momentous occasion and we must commemorate it accordingly. But I didn't do this."
"You didn't?" she asked, confused.
"No," he shook his head, taking her by the hand and leading her into their bedroom. "This is from Katharine. Picked it out all by herself." "Oh, she did, did she?" Laura asked her eyes sparkling as confusion turned to merriment.
"Oh, yes," her husband went on. "She insisted we buy it." Remington smiled, recalling taking his daughter on her first trip to Tiffany & Company.
"Of course she did," Laura said with a nod as she sat down on their bed.
"You doubt my veracity, Mrs. Steele?" he asked, as he sat down next to her. "I'm wounded."
"I'm sure you are, Mr. Steele," Laura said, laughing as she took his hand in hers.
"Are you going to open it?" he asked.
"Shouldn't I wait until Kate wakes up?" Laura answered his question with one of her own. "After all, she went to such trouble picking it out for me."
"I don't think she'd mind," Remington answered, leaning in for a kiss.
"Besides," he said, "it didn't take too long for her to choose. Like her father, our little girl is drawn to shiny objects."
Laura rolled her eyes and laughed. She loved this man so much more than she ever thought possible-and she was beginning to believe that he loved her just as much.
He couldn't wait any longer. "Open it, Laura."
She looked into his eyes and then down at the box in her hand. She lifted the lid to reveal a gorgeous sterling silver locket. It was heart shaped and had a small deep red stone set in the front.
"Ruby?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Garnet," he answered. "Your birthstone."
"And Kate's," she responded, finishing the thought. "It's beautiful," she told him, leaning in for a kiss. "Thank you."
He pulled her into his arms and as their kiss grew in intensity, Remington had to force himself to pull away from his wife.
"As much as I'd like to let you thank me properly, Mrs. Steele," he said to her, "your family will be here any minute."
"My fam--- brunch!" Laura exclaimed, as realization dawned. Remington had invited her family to brunch to celebrate Mother's Day.
"Yes, love," he replied with a quick kiss. "We'd better get dressed."
~*~*~
Abigail Holt smiled as she leaned in to smell the huge bouquet of flowers that sat on the table behind the Steeles' sofa.
"These are lovely," she said.
"They are, aren't they?" Laura said with a smile. "They were a Mother's Day gift from Remington."
"But they're not nearly as lovely as my beautiful wife," Remington said, walking into the room. He wrapped his arm around Laura's waist and held her to him.
It was nice to see Laura and her mother getting along. When the baby was born, Abigail had decided to move back to California to be closer to her girls and her grandchildren. Laura had been apprehensive, to say the least, about having her mother so close. She'd had visions of Abigail second guessing her every move and criticizing her efforts at motherhood. Everyone had been pleasantly surprised, however, to find Abigail to be mostly supportive. It might have been because she was so pleased that Laura had married her Mr. Steele, or maybe Abigail had realized what a wonderful mother Laura was turning out to be. In either case, it had been nice for Laura to have her mother around.
The three of them stood talking, while Laura kept an eye toward the other room where her brother-in- law Donald was in deep conversation with Roger Winters, the new man in Abigail's life. Frances was entering from the kitchen where her three children were eating their meal. They were more interested in playing on the beach than having brunch with the adults. They looked up when the doorbell rang.
"That will be Mildred," Remington said. "I'll get it."
"Mildred?" Abigail asked indignantly. "I thought this was a family gathering."
"Hush, Mother," Laura admonished. "Mildred IS family. She's the closest thing to a mother Remington has ever had and it's only right that she share Mother's Day with us. Besides, she IS Kate's godmother."
"Don't remind me," Abigail said, under her breath.
"I heard that," Laura told her, following her husband to the front door to greet the woman who was really like a mother to both of them.
*~*~~*
It was a beautiful afternoon in mid-May, so the Steeles served brunch on the deck overlooking the ocean. The adults sat where they could see the children on the beach below, and enjoyed the gourmet feast that Remington had prepared.
"This is wonderful, Remington," Abigail raved to her son in law.
"Absolutely," Frances agreed. "This hollandaise is amazing. You're going to have to show me how you do it."
Laura smiled as her husband preened. He did love attention, and her mother and sister were definitely lavishing him with it. They always did. At first she'd found it annoying, but soon realized she should consider it a compliment. Her husband WAS wonderful, and she was happy that her family realized it.
"I'd be happy to share my secrets with you, Frances," Remington said between mouthfuls. "But not today. Since it is Mother's Day, you lovely ladies will not be doing any work. Especially not in my kitchen."
"Laura, you are so lucky," Frances gushed to her little sister. "Remington is such a wonderful cook. My Donald, dear as he is," she went on, patting her husband's hand on the table, "is a disaster in the kitchen."
"I am lucky, Frances," Laura said, looking over at her handsome husband.

"And it has very little to do with my husband's gourmet gifts." She gave Remington a wink before speaking to him. "They're right, Sweetheart, the meal was incredible. Thank you."
Laura caught the smirk on Roger's face at the mention of Remington's culinary skills.
"I'm going to go and check on the baby," she said, placing her napkin on the table. "Excuse me."
"I'll join you," Frances said, anxious to see her niece.
Remington and Donald stood as their wives got up from the table. The fact that Roger rolled his eyes wasn't lost on Remington.
"I think I'll begin to clear the table," Remington announced. "Donald, care to give me hand?"
"Sure thing," Donald answered, and began picking up dishes.
"I'll help, Chief," Mildred offered.
"Nonsense, Mildred," Remington answered. "I told you that you ladies would not be doing any work today."
"But," Mildred insisted, "I'm not a mother…"
"You are to me," Remington said softly, leaning over to kiss the cheek of the woman he'd come to care so much about.
As tears filled her eyes, Mildred looked at Remington, pleading. She did not want to be left alone with Abigail and Roger, and Remington caught her meaning.
"Why don't you come and keep Donald and me company?" he suggested. "But no work. I mean it."
Mildred got up and followed Remington and Donald into the kitchen. Remington poured her a mimosa and showed her to a counter stool. She sat back and enjoyed the easy camaraderie that had developed between Remington and his brother-in-law.
*~*~*
In the nursery, Laura looked down at her daughter. Kate cooed when she saw her mommy.
"She's such a happy baby," Frances noted as she watched her sister with her child. "Too happy, sometimes," Laura said. When Frances looked at her curiously, Laura went on. "She needs changing," Laura told her sister. "You'd never know it, would you? The only time she really gets fussy is when she's not feeling well."
Frances was amazed at how well Laura had taken to motherhood. She'd always thought that would be the one thing she had on her sister. Although it seemed that Laura excelled at everything she attempted, Frances was always the exemplary wife and mother. Watching her little sister now, Frances didn't feel the pang of jealousy she expected to feel. She was proud of Laura and thrilled that she and her sister had become much closer over the past year.
"So," Laura said as she worked to change Kate's diaper. "What do you think of Roger?"
"Mother seems to really like him," Frances said, busying herself by picking up and refolding Kate's outfit that Laura had laid out on the changing table.
"That's not what I asked," Laura replied as she looked at her sister pointedly.
"He seems nice enough," Frances hedged.
"Come on, Frances," Laura glanced up at her while she dressed the baby. "He's a pig."
Frances sighed. She'd noticed the way the man had conducted himself. He had practically ridiculed Donald and Remington when they'd behaved like the gentlemen that they were. If she were to be honest, she really didn't know what her mother saw in him. But at the same time, it had been a long while since she'd seen Abigail so happy.
"She's always had such terrible taste in men," Laura said, more to herself than to her sister.
"What do you mean?" Frances asked.
"Well, obviously Daddy was no prize," Laura stated, matter of factly. She looked up at her sister, "Did she ever tell you about Harvey Fennerman?"
to be continued..

To Part 2.

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