A Price Worth Paying

Chapter Twenty-eight. Year Four, part two.

Year 4. Part 2.

Sean looked at Sang, grinned and shook his head. "Why am I no longer surprised that you found a use for a stethoscope outside the medical profession."

"And, now I think about it, did you look just a little sad at opening that safe before you could suggest explosives." Sean smirked.

"I am not a proponent of explosives Sean. Especially after an Ashley Waters School experience. But you must admit they do have their uses. That just wasn't one of them."

"Oh yes, proponent. Word for the day." Sang said winking at him before she gave a little giggle.

"Miss Sorenson, is it possible to dream that abseiling is the last we see of you jumping off the edge of anything tonight?"

"Anything is possible when you dream Mr Blackbourne. Unrealistic maybe, but possible."

Grinning at the resigned look on his face Sang continued "The only way to avoid seeing any more interesting exits tonight Mr Blackbourne is to turn the DVD player off."

Mr Blackbourne closed his eyes and sighed. "Somehow I thought that might be the case." He murmured.

"You certainly had interesting summers with your grandparents, Miss Sorenson. Did you ever stop thinking of Great Ideas and Big Plans?" He asked, his eyes soft and that millimetre smile appearing.

"No. I'll show you the list of things we didn't get to one day."

Sang grinned as Sean cracked up once again.

Crossbows and Catapults.

"Hey Grampa, want a brownie? I found a new recipe. No carob, I promise." Sang asked seeing her Grampa walking in with a hopeful look.

Laughing loudly, he shook his head as he placed the shopping bag he was carrying on the table.

"Love one sweetie." He said grabbing a coffee and pouring Rose a milk.

"So tell me which one of you ladies devised this week's instrument of torture. Sorry," he smirked "I meant to say shopping list. Which one of you geniuses decided upon 'un fiore caduto in disgrazia' as a grocery item.

"Um, that was me Grampa."

"Grammy, can you figure that one out?"

Sitting down and sipping coffee Grammy thought hard. "Mmm. A disgraced flower! Well, disgraced can mean loss of reputation, respect. Things like that. They can carry a social stigma." Throwing her head back thinking hard. "Social. Stigma. Wait, wait. I've got it. Stigma. Flower. Of course. It's obvious. Saffron."

"That's right isn't it Rose?" Grammy grinned, looking at the shock on her husband's face while Rose nodded quickly.

"That took you 30 seconds tops. That is really annoying. You two do know that don't you. I officially hate your secret codes." Grampa grumbled.

"You did get the saffron though, didn't you Grampa?" Rose asked anxiously. "You and I are making paella for dinner tonight remember? Since I've been learning Spanish.

"Yes. I got it. It just took me 40 minutes to figure it out, that's all."

"Never mind Grampa." Rose said sympathetically. "Have another brownie. I promise I'll make the next list really, really easy."

"How about you make the next list in plain English, no codes." Grabbing another brownie to console himself he continued, "That would work just fine in my opinion, you know."

"Okay Grampa. Maybe we can do that. I'm sure I can think of something else to do that keeps me busy instead of thinking up codes." Sang smiled and paused a little.