Meanwhile, Laura fidgeted nervously as she awaited the next train to Oxford. She wondered if Robbie would try to stop her. Of course he would, she reasoned. The real question was if she could make it on board before he arrived. She willed the train to arrive swiftly- until the Lewis siblings raced in and called her name. "Laura! Thank God you haven't left yet!" Lyn said.

Laura put up her most professional façade. "I'm sorry I have to go, but there's been a crisis at work that I have to return to. Bus accident. They are having a hard time identifying some of the victims. All hands on deck, I'm afraid."

"Rubbish." Robbie's son interrupted. "I was a total prat. I was up for more than 24 hours- two flights and then the train from London- I know that's not an excuse, but I was exhausted and I overreacted. I'm sorry."

"No, no, you were fine. I really am needed in Oxford." Laura wasn't going to admit the truth, but she had quite a hard time lying to anyone named Lewis.

"Laura Hobson, let me tell you a few things." Lyn stepped in with surprising authority. "First, you are a terrible liar. You turned your phone off, and if there truly were a work emergency, you would have kept it on to be accessible to your colleagues."

"No doubt you're Robbie's girl, is there?" Laura acknowledged. Lyn didn't stop there, though.

"Second, you make our dad very happy- happier than he has been in years- so you are stuck with us, like it or not!"

The loudspeaker announced that the train would be soon approaching the station. "Thank you two for coming out, you're very sweet. I'm sorry; I have to go now." Turning to the young man, she said, "I hope that you have time to come to see us in Oxford before you go back to Australia."

Laura turned away to go towards the platform, but Lyn grabbed her by the wrist in a last effort to convince her to stay. "Dad wasn't shopping for the wee lad today; he was shopping for you. He needed advice. About jewelry. Try to act surprised on New Year's Eve."

At last, Laura's heart took the bait; the train would soon leave without her. "Why isn't your dad here with you?"

"He was afraid you caught an earlier train and is racing down the motorway with his siren blaring. We should give him a call, no?"

Robbie's son already had his phone out. "He's right here." While Lyn and Laura were talking, the son had rung his father to call off the chase and let him know the hotel was booked. He gave his phone to Laura.

"Oh God." She thought about Robbie and his proclivity for speed as she took the phone. "Robbie?" She started timidly. "I'm sorry I…"

"Don't say anything, love, just listen. Me son is going to stay in the guest room at Lyn's, so I'm going to a hotel. Lyn will take you there. I'm driving back to Lyn's for my things, and then I'll join you. Will you wait for me at the hotel?"

"I don't want to take you away from your family."

"We need to work this out, you and I. I'll spend the day with the kids tomorrow. I hope that you'll come too, but if you want to go back to Oxford, I'll take you to the train meself in the morning. Tonight is for us. Say you'll stay, Laura."

"Of course I will, Robbie."

The Lewis siblings flanked Laura as she entered the hotel lobby. "Reservation for Lewis."

"Robert?" The clerk asked.

"Yes. He'll be along soon."

"Very good. Sign here Mrs. Lewis." Laura whipped her head around and said, "don't roll your eyes at me, all right?" Lyn nudged her along while her brother just gave a smirk that would be best described as 'Hathaway-esque.'

"You know, Laura, dad said to wait for him here, but you can get settled into the room then come back to the house with us. You're always welcome."

"Thank you, Lyn, but I think that once I go upstairs and wash my face, all I'll really want is a stiff drink. The hotel bar will fit the bill right nicely."

"I couldn't agree more. Could I buy the first round?" offered Robbie's son.

Lyn squelched his idea. "We really ought to go back to the house. Tim and his parents are expecting dinner… " But she reconsidered when she realized that he brother was trying to make amends. "Oh, what the hell. Tim can have some time with his family. We need time for ours; like you said, little brother, it's been far too long. Come on; let's give Laura the blackmail information on dad."

Laura and the Lewises were getting better acquainted over gin and tonics (though it was orange juice for Lyn), and the spirits were quickly going to the younger Lewis' head. Laura realized that not only was he sleep deprived, he was also famished. "Didn't your dad ever tell you not to drink on an empty stomach? With all that travel, I bet you haven't had a proper meal in some time, eh?" Laura asked. He didn't answer but the look on his face was enough. "I'll get us a menu."

"No menu needed. Just chips would be nice."

Laura couldn't help but smile to think that was just what Robbie would order when he wanted comfort food. Robbie was the sort who would rather drown his sorrows in vinegar than alcohol.

An hour or so later, Robbie stood under the threshold of the hotel bar in awe to see his son and daughter entertaining Laura who had a rosy glow about her. Lyn waved him over as Laura was hanging on her brother's every word.

"For a Detective Inspector, he was surprisingly bad at Cluedo. I mean, really, really bad. Couldn't ever figure out which one of six weapons was in that envelope."

"Rubbish." Laura rose to Robbie's defence. "He is bloody brilliant when it comes to solving murders. He doesn't play guessing games with cards in envelopes. Besides, that's what he has me for- identifying murder weapons based on the wounds they inflicted."

"Among other reasons I keep her around." Robbie stood behind Laura now, hands on her shoulders, before bending down to kiss her on the cheek. "Are you all right?" he whispered in her ear, and she nodded discretely.

"Have you seen this boy devour a plate of chips? Definitely your son."

Robbie sat down at the table and ordered a pint. "Feeling better now, son?"

"Yeah, thanks."

Several pints later, Robbie found fit to suggest that it was getting to be bedtime. "Yours or ours, old man?" his son asked with more than a bit of cheek.

Robbie shot him a look in response, and then turned to Lyn. "Mind your little brother and drive safe, pet."

"Safely, dad." She grinned. "And I will."

They all said goodnight, and then Robbie and Laura walked hand in hand to their hotel room, both sublimely happy. When she had first arrived at Lyn's, "Aunt Laura" felt like things were positively surreal; now Robbie had come to know what she meant. The still-warm memory of his kids drinking with his girlfriend was a classic example of their quixotic relationship. Not that Robbie would use the word 'quixotic.' How did he once put it to James? "Really good strange."