- HAVE I TOLD
YOU LATELY THAT I LOVE YOU?
- by Leire
Gomez
I don't own the
characters of "Remington Steele" (even though all of
us would like to). I have written this just to see if I'm able
to. I read that Pierce's favourite singer was Van Morrison and
I found this song in a CD of Irish songs. I think about this
story as I listened the song. I hope it makes sense to you and
you like it.
Steele residence
Los Angeles 1998-11-23
It was a sunny day in Los Angeles and for any determined reason
there was not school. Niamh (pronounced niz) Steele was
enjoying her day away from school by spending the whole day in
the swimming pool with her two sisters. Their father had taught
them to swim a long time ago and now the three of them were playing
a basketball game in the water. They heard the telephone ring
and Niamh moved to the house in order to answer.
"Hello?"
"Hello, is this the most beautiful blue eyed black haired
girl in the whole world?"
"Yes Daddy I'm here." Niamh adored her father and she
was in the stage of thinking of him as the best man in the world.
She knew that somehow she was his favourite because she looked
exactly like him.
"How is everything around there, sweetie? Where is Mom?"
"She's in the kitchen with Aunt Frances and Grandma. Girls
and I got bored so we're playing in the swimming pool now"
"What are you playing?"
"Basketball -and of course I am winning"
Remington couldn't help but laugh at his daughter's attitude.
Now matter how the girl looked like him physically, she had her
mother's character. " Do you remember our plan?"
"Yes, I do Daddy. I'm 12 years old so don't treat me like
a toddler, ok?"
"Sorry, your Highness," he teased. "Now go to
the kitchen and tell Mommy I want to talk to her"
Niamh ran to the kitchen and nearly fell into her mother's legs.
"Niamh, how many times I have told you not to run inside
the house."
"Sorry Mommy. Dad's on the phone and he wants to talk to
you"
With that, the little earthquake left the room. Laura walked
to the foyer and took the receiver. "Hello?"
"Hello beautiful"
"Don't do that, my husband might hear you."
"Don't worry, I'm stronger than him"
Laura enjoyed these little jokes and teasing from her husband
after more than 14 years of marriage. "What's the matter?
Don't you dare tell me that you have to work tonight"
"Well......."
"Harry! It's my birthday today. We have plans to go out
for dinner."
"I remember, and it 'ss not my fault. This Ford case is
getting on my nerves. I just received a phone call and I think
I can find a lead that will help me to solve it. Laura, I'm so
sorry. I promise we'll take a long time just for us as soon as
I finish with this."
Laura could hear the sadness in his voice. She knew he wasn't
doing it on purpose so there was no reason for blaming him. "Ok
sorry. I'll wait for you here. Try not to be too late, we still
can celebrate or -something here"
"Oh Laura, that's not fair. Now I know you only want me
because of my body."
"Didn't you know by now Mr Steele?"
"I had some ideas about it but I wasn't completely sure.
Listen, Laura love, I can't say how sorry I am. I wanted this
birthday to be special for you after all you have gone through
this year. I promise we will do something about it."
"Don't worry. Just try to be home early."
"I will. Bye Love. Kiss the girls for me."
And they hung up. Remington was right. This 1998 hadn't been
her year. First her mother had been in the hospital for nearly
three months and doctors were not sure about what had caused
her illness. Then while working on a case, she had been shot
and her situation had been critical. She had been in the hospital
for a long stretch. During that time, she had had a lot of time
to think about her life. She thought about her three adorable
daughters, her husband and how it would be to leave them. Laura
was not coward by any means but the idea of not being able to
see them again sent shivers to her heart.
She had taken a leave absence and her contribution to the investigations
was more in a consultative vein. But now she was considering
her return to the agency as a full operative.
After her mother and Frances went, the house became very quiet.
The girls had insisted on going with Aunt Frances and spent the
night there. Laura had said no at first but Frances had convinced
her that it would be nice to have some youngsters around again.
Her own children were older and now they spent more time out.
So with the girls gone, the house was awfully quiet. Since they
were born, the house remained in a constant state of chaos that
she tried to avoid but that Remington helped to improve. Her
husband had turned to be a wonderful father. He spent most of
his spare time with the girls, in the swimming pool, playing
soccer (they even had T-shirt of the Irish team) , or simply
messing around. Laura once thought that Remington would miss
that father- son connection but he didn't show it at all.
The ringing of the phone interrupted her thoughts. "Hello?"
"Hello Mrs Steele, Happy birthday, how are you feeling?"
"Thank you Mildred. Well I'm just here accepting that I
am getting older and that my family leaves me behind in my birthday."
"Oh! I guess you aren't having a good day. I left Mr Steele
at the office working hard in the Ford case. He was very sorry
for not being with you today."
"Yeah, I think I have made him feel guilty about it and
that was not my intention at all."
"Don't worry dear, he understands. What do you think about
going out and see a movie? I have heard that the new James Bond
movie is very good. I never lose the opportunity to see that
Pierce Brosnan wearing those expensive suits and tuxedos."
"Yes, he really knows how to wear them, doesn't he?"
"So, what do you say?"
"Sounds good to me Mildred. What time?"
"What about 5?"
"Perfect, I'll pick you up at 5. Thanks Mildred. This means
a lot to me"
"You're very welcome Mrs Steele. See you at 5"
Laura led to the big bathroom of the master room and filled the
tub with warm water. Next time she opened her eyes, it was 4:15.
She got out the tub and chose some informal clothes to wear.
Without knowing exactly how, she arrived at Mildred's house just
when the older lady was locking the door.
"Hello Mrs Steele, Happy Birthday again."
"Thanks a lot Mildred. We should go to the theatre now or
we'll miss the first part of the movie."
They enjoyed the movie a lot and agreed that Pierce Brosnan knew
how to wear a tuxedo. "Mrs Steele doesn't James Bond remind
you of your husband?"
"Oh Mildred, I made the mistake of telling him once and
then I found him saying the "My name is Bond, James Bond"
phrase while brushing their teeth. It was funny, really, a grownup
man dressed only in a towel and getting toothpaste all over the
mirror."
Mildred laughed at Laura's comment and tried to imagine her boss
in such comic situation. Laura was leading to her car when Mildred
said. "Mrs Steele, would you like some coffee? It's cold
and hot coffee would hit the spot."
"Ok Mildred, I'll buy you for being with me in my birthday.
We can go to the Irish Tavern that Remington likes so much. He
spends a lot of his extra time there."
"Does he?"
"Yes, he's found a lot of Irish people there so they talk
about the old times while drinking Guinness and listening to
Irish Folk. I guess your boss is in touch with his Irish part
there."
They decided to walk to the Tavern only to arrive and see all
the lights were very low. "I hope it is open, because my
feet wouldn't stand the way back without complaining."
"No Mildred, it seems to be someone inside. They only keep
the lights low to create a kind of spooky atmosphere. That's
why Remington loves to be here........I suppose".
Laura opened the door closely followed by Mildred to see that
there was no one in the place. She began to get nervous when
a terrible scream made her nearly jump over Mildred.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
Suddenly the lights were turned up so Laura could see the place
full of smiling People. In the front part were Remington and
the girls, all of them dressed up for the occasion. Laura was
speechless and the only thing she could do was approach her husband
and daughters and gave a tight hug to them. She closed her eyes
and let her brain assimilate this happy moment. Niamh broke the
hug.
"Happy Birthday Mommy. Do you like the party? We planned
it just for you. I helped Daddy and didn't say a word."
"I see, Niamh you are becoming a little conspirator. Thank
you Honey, this is the best Birthday party I've ever had."
With that the girls left their parent's hug and began wandering
around the room and talking with everybody. Remington took again
his wife in his arms and gave her another hug."This one
is only for you. Hope you like it"
"What are we talking about now Mr Steele, the party or the
hug?"
"Both Mrs Steele, but if you only wanted a hug, you could
have told me before, you know. I have been preparing this for
a week."
"Don't complain, the girls helped you."
"And great help they are" Remington joked. "Let's
talk with the guests".
Laura was amazed how many people were there. Lt Jarvis, Jackie,
the young boy they took out of the streets, even Bernice and
Murphy were there. She talked with every single person in the
room and had fun remembering the old times with Bernice. When
the music began, Mildred was literally taken by the girls who
made her dance like she hadn't done it years. The youngsters
found their way in the dance floor and the grownups just watched
them and smiled.
As the party went on, the kids were getting tired so the music
changed for the older ones to dance. Laura was talking with her
mother and her sister about the party when the music stops and
Remington took the mike. "Laura? Laura, love, I want to
dedicate this song to you. You will never know how meeting you
changed my life. You have made a honest married man of me and
believe this is something I've never dreamed of before. You know
how difficult is for me to show my feelings but I have some help
here. This song represents all I want to say to you. It's an
Irish love song from an Irish man to the woman he loves more
than life itself."
Everybody left the dance floor and Remington led his wife there
with him and they met each other in a tight embrace. There was
anything apart for them in that moment. Laura had never listened
the song before but as she heard the lyrics, she couldn't help
but cry. Her husband loved her indeed and this was the best birthday
she had ever had.
Have I told you lately that I love you?
Have I told you there's no one above you?
Fill my heart with gladness.
Take away all my sadness.
Ease my troubles that's what you do.
On the morning sun in all its glory.
Greets the day with hope and comfort, too.
And you fill my life with laughter.
You can make it better.
Ease my troubles that's what you do.
There's a love that's divine.
And it's yours and it's mine.
Like the sun at the end of the day.
We should give thanks and pray to the one.
Have I told you lately that I love you?
Have I told you there's no one above you?
Fill my heart with gladness.
Take away all my sadness.
Ease my troubles that's what you do.
There's a love that's divine.
And it's yours and it's mine.
And it shine's the sun
at the end of the day.
We will give thanks and pray
to the one.
THE END
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