FIC - Wedding Letters
Title: Wedding Letters
Characters: Charlie Eppes & Amita Ramanujan
Rating: G
Author's Note: This is my response to a challenge by the awesome recapper, The Original Spy.
Spoilers: Possibly for "Cause and Effect"
SPY'S CHALLENGE: Wedding cards, from each of the main characters + 3 recurring characters.
As usual, it was a mad dash to the airport. Charlie had forgotten his computer and had to run back into the house while Alan, Amita and Don sat impatiently waiting in Don’s SUV. “Come on, Chuck!” Don called as Charlie climbed back into the car. “At this rate, you’re going to have to hitchhike to London.”
“We’ve got plenty of time. Remember Nancy Hackett, the lottery lady? She had a way of calculating how early she had to arrive at the airport.”
Don pulled out onto the street. “Yeah, and if I remember right, didn’t she miss her flight into LA?”
“There is that…” Charlie admitted.
But apparently the stars were aligned or the gods were smiling that day. The traffic was amazingly clear, and they arrived in the airport with plenty of time. “See,” Charlie said with a grin, “you didn’t have to worry.”
“You got lucky, kid,” Don said as he pulled up to the terminal. “Listen, I’m not going to be able to park here, even with my FBI permit. Let me help you with your luggage, then I can park…”
“Don’t worry about it,” Charlie said as he climbed out of the SUV. “It’s not like we’re leaving forever.”
“True,” Amita said. “We said our goodbyes already.”
Alan chuckled. “I don’t know about you, but I’m about goodbyed out.”
After they had all the luggage out of the SUV, including Charlie’s computer bag, they hugged, said one last goodbye, and Alan and Don watched as Amita and Charlie walked into the terminal.
Two hours later, Charlie and Amita were settled in their seats in first class waiting for the plane to take off. Charlie opened his carryon and began rifling through the papers. “Do you have the London guide book? Never mind. Here it is.” He pulled out the guide book and noticed a large, unfamiliar envelope. “What’s this?” He took out the envelope. “It says ‘To Charlie and Amita.’”
“Well, open it,” Amita said.
Charlie hesitated, wondering if someone had slipped the envelope into his bag in the airport. But then he chuckled, realizing he hadn’t let the bag out of his sight except for the moment it had run through the xray machine. “Good idea.”
He opened the flap and found a stack of greeting card envelopes and a folded piece of paper.
Amita picked up the paper. “It’s from your dad. He says, ‘Since there wasn’t time to give you a proper wedding with gifts and all, we thought the least we could do is send these along. At the least it’ll give you something to read on the plane. Love, Dad.’ That’s sweet,” she said, handing Charlie the paper.
He slipped it back into the envelope and pulled out the first card. “It’s from Don.” He slipped his finger under the flap and opened the envelope. Amita rested her head on his shoulder so she could read along. The card was a standard wedding card, white and silver with doves and a cake large enough to feed the whole LA office of the FBI. Inside was written, “Congratulations, you two. Took you long enough. Chuck, you’d better treat Amita right. I’ve got a gun and I’m not afraid to use it. Amita, welcome to the family. You can’t say you didn’t know what you were getting into. Seriously, I’m happy for you two and can’t wait for the term to be over. I’ll keep some interesting cases for you. Love, Don.”
The next card was from Liz and Nikki. It was a little fancier than Don’s card, with a nice poem inside. Across from the poem, was written, “Congratulations! Nice wedding, quick and to the point. But we missed out of giving Amita a bachelorette party. When you get back from Cambridge, we’ll have male strippers and cosmopolitans all night long! Charlie, you’re not invited. Take care you two and we’ll see you soon. Love, Nikki and Liz.”
The third card was from Larry. Stuffed into the envelope were several sheets covered with Larry’s distinctive scrawl. “What is it?” Amita asked.
Charlie unfolded the papers and laughed. “It’s the full technical version of his wedding speech.” He folded the papers and returned them to his envelope. “I think I’ll read this later. Or not.”
The next card was from Colby. “Hey, professors! You two have taught me an awful lot about how math can do just about anything. I hope we’ve taught you a few things too. Have a nice break from all this so you can come back ready to dive back in. And, Charlie, I hear a rumor Liz and Nikki are planning something for Amita. I guess this means David, Don and I need to outdo them with our bachelor party. Be prepared! Colby.”
“I think we’re going to be in trouble when we get back,” Charlie chuckled as he pulled out the next card. “Speaking of trouble…”
The next card was from Ian Edgerton. Charlie’s hands shook as he opened it.
“What’s wrong, Charlie?” Amita asked.
“Don told me that Ian was ticked off that he wasn’t invited to the wedding.”
Amita glanced nervously around the cabin. “Well, he’s not here, unless he’s in disguise as a flight attendant. Open it.”
“Charlie and Amita, I understand you were pressed for time and I’m not the easiest guy in the world to get ahold of. I’m sure we’ll run into each other somewhere along the line so I can give the lovely bride a big hug. The two of you take care. Enjoy England, but come back soon. California won’t be the same without the Eppes brothers team. Ian.”
Charlie breathed a sigh of relief as he opened the next card. It was from Robin. “To the happy couple, I’m not sure if I should turn to you for wedding planning tips. It was a lovely wedding, though, and I know the two of you will have a wonderful marriage. Love, your sister in law (still getting used to saying that!) Robin.”
Charlie pulled the last card from the envelope. He smiled sadly. “It’s from Dad.”
“To my son and daughter in law, You’ve make me so very happy. I only wish Margaret could have been there to see this day. She would have been so proud and happy. Amita, I know she would have loved you just as much as I do. She always wanted a daughter. Love, Dad.”
Charlie blinked back tears as he put the last card back into the envelope. Amita took his face in her hands and leaned over to kiss him. She whispered, “I know my father is still alive, but your dad has always been a real father to me. And these,” she touched the envelope, “these friends of ours, they’re our real family.”
“They are,” Charlie said as he kissed her. “I’m going to miss them.” He pulled away and grinned. “And I’m really looking forward to the bachelor party.”
Characters: Charlie Eppes & Amita Ramanujan
Rating: G
Author's Note: This is my response to a challenge by the awesome recapper, The Original Spy.
Spoilers: Possibly for "Cause and Effect"
SPY'S CHALLENGE: Wedding cards, from each of the main characters + 3 recurring characters.
As usual, it was a mad dash to the airport. Charlie had forgotten his computer and had to run back into the house while Alan, Amita and Don sat impatiently waiting in Don’s SUV. “Come on, Chuck!” Don called as Charlie climbed back into the car. “At this rate, you’re going to have to hitchhike to London.”
“We’ve got plenty of time. Remember Nancy Hackett, the lottery lady? She had a way of calculating how early she had to arrive at the airport.”
Don pulled out onto the street. “Yeah, and if I remember right, didn’t she miss her flight into LA?”
“There is that…” Charlie admitted.
But apparently the stars were aligned or the gods were smiling that day. The traffic was amazingly clear, and they arrived in the airport with plenty of time. “See,” Charlie said with a grin, “you didn’t have to worry.”
“You got lucky, kid,” Don said as he pulled up to the terminal. “Listen, I’m not going to be able to park here, even with my FBI permit. Let me help you with your luggage, then I can park…”
“Don’t worry about it,” Charlie said as he climbed out of the SUV. “It’s not like we’re leaving forever.”
“True,” Amita said. “We said our goodbyes already.”
Alan chuckled. “I don’t know about you, but I’m about goodbyed out.”
After they had all the luggage out of the SUV, including Charlie’s computer bag, they hugged, said one last goodbye, and Alan and Don watched as Amita and Charlie walked into the terminal.
Two hours later, Charlie and Amita were settled in their seats in first class waiting for the plane to take off. Charlie opened his carryon and began rifling through the papers. “Do you have the London guide book? Never mind. Here it is.” He pulled out the guide book and noticed a large, unfamiliar envelope. “What’s this?” He took out the envelope. “It says ‘To Charlie and Amita.’”
“Well, open it,” Amita said.
Charlie hesitated, wondering if someone had slipped the envelope into his bag in the airport. But then he chuckled, realizing he hadn’t let the bag out of his sight except for the moment it had run through the xray machine. “Good idea.”
He opened the flap and found a stack of greeting card envelopes and a folded piece of paper.
Amita picked up the paper. “It’s from your dad. He says, ‘Since there wasn’t time to give you a proper wedding with gifts and all, we thought the least we could do is send these along. At the least it’ll give you something to read on the plane. Love, Dad.’ That’s sweet,” she said, handing Charlie the paper.
He slipped it back into the envelope and pulled out the first card. “It’s from Don.” He slipped his finger under the flap and opened the envelope. Amita rested her head on his shoulder so she could read along. The card was a standard wedding card, white and silver with doves and a cake large enough to feed the whole LA office of the FBI. Inside was written, “Congratulations, you two. Took you long enough. Chuck, you’d better treat Amita right. I’ve got a gun and I’m not afraid to use it. Amita, welcome to the family. You can’t say you didn’t know what you were getting into. Seriously, I’m happy for you two and can’t wait for the term to be over. I’ll keep some interesting cases for you. Love, Don.”
The next card was from Liz and Nikki. It was a little fancier than Don’s card, with a nice poem inside. Across from the poem, was written, “Congratulations! Nice wedding, quick and to the point. But we missed out of giving Amita a bachelorette party. When you get back from Cambridge, we’ll have male strippers and cosmopolitans all night long! Charlie, you’re not invited. Take care you two and we’ll see you soon. Love, Nikki and Liz.”
The third card was from Larry. Stuffed into the envelope were several sheets covered with Larry’s distinctive scrawl. “What is it?” Amita asked.
Charlie unfolded the papers and laughed. “It’s the full technical version of his wedding speech.” He folded the papers and returned them to his envelope. “I think I’ll read this later. Or not.”
The next card was from Colby. “Hey, professors! You two have taught me an awful lot about how math can do just about anything. I hope we’ve taught you a few things too. Have a nice break from all this so you can come back ready to dive back in. And, Charlie, I hear a rumor Liz and Nikki are planning something for Amita. I guess this means David, Don and I need to outdo them with our bachelor party. Be prepared! Colby.”
“I think we’re going to be in trouble when we get back,” Charlie chuckled as he pulled out the next card. “Speaking of trouble…”
The next card was from Ian Edgerton. Charlie’s hands shook as he opened it.
“What’s wrong, Charlie?” Amita asked.
“Don told me that Ian was ticked off that he wasn’t invited to the wedding.”
Amita glanced nervously around the cabin. “Well, he’s not here, unless he’s in disguise as a flight attendant. Open it.”
“Charlie and Amita, I understand you were pressed for time and I’m not the easiest guy in the world to get ahold of. I’m sure we’ll run into each other somewhere along the line so I can give the lovely bride a big hug. The two of you take care. Enjoy England, but come back soon. California won’t be the same without the Eppes brothers team. Ian.”
Charlie breathed a sigh of relief as he opened the next card. It was from Robin. “To the happy couple, I’m not sure if I should turn to you for wedding planning tips. It was a lovely wedding, though, and I know the two of you will have a wonderful marriage. Love, your sister in law (still getting used to saying that!) Robin.”
Charlie pulled the last card from the envelope. He smiled sadly. “It’s from Dad.”
“To my son and daughter in law, You’ve make me so very happy. I only wish Margaret could have been there to see this day. She would have been so proud and happy. Amita, I know she would have loved you just as much as I do. She always wanted a daughter. Love, Dad.”
Charlie blinked back tears as he put the last card back into the envelope. Amita took his face in her hands and leaned over to kiss him. She whispered, “I know my father is still alive, but your dad has always been a real father to me. And these,” she touched the envelope, “these friends of ours, they’re our real family.”
“They are,” Charlie said as he kissed her. “I’m going to miss them.” He pulled away and grinned. “And I’m really looking forward to the bachelor party.”