Life was no longer something to endure, but to live. - Hubert Selby Jr.
"Something you want to share, kid?
Face looked up, startled. "Share? Uh, not sure I know what you mean, Hannibal."
"He means that gal you've been seeing for the last five - no, six months. Excluuuuusively seeing." Murdock smiled brightly.
"Abbie?" He flushed, just a little. "Nothing to share. I mean, yeah, I've been dating her. For a while."
"Excluuuuusively dating."
"Okay, yeah, it's been... just her. For a while."
"You never stuck with just one for more than a few weeks, man. So is this the one or not?"
"What is this, the inquisition?"
BA just growled.
Face threw down his cards, a losing hand anyway. "Okay, okay! So, she... we've, uh, we've... talked... about... well, about stuff."
"What stuff exactly?"
He sighed, knowing exactly what was coming.
"She said yes."
It took the neighbor pounding on the wall to shut them up...
*****
Face scanned newspapers, occasionally circling items, jotting down names and phone numbers in the ever-present notebook. He was totally involved in his task and didn't notice Hannibal standing in the doorway, watching.
"House hunting already?"
The conman jumped like he'd been shot. "Damn, Hannibal, don't sneak up on me like that!"
"Getting a little careless, kid. Coulda been a bad guy sneaking up on you."
"Don't let BA hear you say that. You'd be insulting all that high-end - and very expensive - surveillance equipment he installed. Besides, who'd be stupid enough to try anything in this neighborhood?"
Hannibal had to concede that point. When they'd first set up shop after their pardons, Face had insisted they have an office that not only looked totally professional, but that it be situated in a good, if not fancy, business area. There were more rent-a-cops in the area than Planters had peanuts, and it didn't cost them a cent. The added benefit was that 'Paragon Ventures' gained a slew of high-priced security gigs which meant they could also afford to keep helping the little guys.
"So, a house?"
"Yeah, we want to have that taken care of before the wedding. Be able to come back from the honeymoon and have 'our' place." Face blushed. "Kinda silly, I guess, but it's not like we're having a huge wedding. Her family and a couple of her close friends, and, well, you guys, of course. Not like we have to worry that much about people's schedules..."
"It's not silly at all. It's practical." Hannibal chuckled. "I just hope that by the time of the wedding, you'll quit blushing every time you mention Abbie."
*****
"Two weeks?"
"Yeah, we kinda had to change plans. Her side can do it, and Father O'Malley said we can use the chapel, so if you guys can make it..."
"Of course we can make it, fool! But why so sudden? You haven't closed on that house yet."
"Well, we had a little... accident."
Murdock's eyebrows hit the ceiling. "Accident? You mean...?"
"Uh, yeah. I guess nothing's foolproof. And Abbie just didn't want to, well, be... obvious, so..."
Hannibal tried not to laugh when Face blushed. Again. "Don't worry, kid. We'll be there with bells on."
*****
"There! Can't even tell you got hit."
Mama B stepped back, grinning, as Face looked carefully in the mirror. He looked at her, returning the grin.
"Thanks a lot. It looks fine. Abbie was so afraid her folks would be upset, especially since that photographer they hired is a bit of a gossip."
Her grin wilted a bit. "Her folks know what you boys do for a living, don't they?"
"Yes. Well, more or less. And Abbie's fine with it; always has been." He gave her a quick hug. "And that cake is really beautiful! You really can do just about anything, Mama."
*****
"Hannibal, I, uh, we need to talk."
Hannibal frowned. "Is there a problem? The baby's okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, Sandy's great. But, uh..." He took a breath. "I need to quit, Hannibal. Mostly."
The colonel sat up straight. "Mostly? What do you mean, Face?"
"I can't do the hands-on stuff any more. I can still handle the accounts and the office stuff. But I can't go in the field any more."
"Abbie change her mind about that?"
"No. No, Abbie doesn't know anything about this. But, I look at Sandy, and Abbie, and the house, and... I think about what could happen, to me, and what would happen to them, and... I just can't do that to them. Hell, I've finally got everything I've wanted all my life, and I don't want to lose it. And I don't want to leave them alone. If something happened to me... I'm sorry, Colonel, but I just... I have to make a choice, and..."
"Hey. It's okay, kid." He pulled a cigar, lit while watching Face. This was obviously a choice he didn't want to make and just as obvious he was dead serious about it. "It really is okay. You have responsibilities the rest of us don't. Having a child - that's scary. I understand, and I'm sure the others will, too. So don't worry about it. It's probably time we all slowed down a bit, frankly."
Face raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Like that will ever happen."
"Yeah, well, don't think you'll have it easy. Not with a daughter growing up!"
As he watched Face walk out, his step a little lighter, Hannibal smiled. Face did indeed have everything he'd always wanted. Everything he deserved.
Finally.