Bobbie set the last load of food on the table and took a quick inventory.  Potato salad, slaw, pickles, olives, ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomato, mayo, baked beans, onions, cheese, burgers, hotdogs and buns.  The beer was on ice, and there was ice tea.  Dishes, utensils and Leroy had the grill going.  She'd made blueberry pie and it was ready and waiting upstairs.  She wiped her hands on a towel and grinned.  She had lost count of the times they'd done this, living here.  Sometimes just themselves and sometimes with friends.  Sitting out here around the table, fireflies lighting up the yard, the scent of cut grass in the air, mixed up with the the odor of charcoal and food cooking, and the sound of laughing and talking.

They'd always known they'd leave this behind someday but she at least had never really imagined it or the wrench it would be when it happened.  But life, as they say, goes on and comes around cycle by cycle.  She pushed the nostalgia away.  Not now she told herself.  She tweaked the volume down on the music and sat down next to Betty, giving her a quick hug.  "So is Leroy doing okay?  We spent the last few days coaching him."

Betty and Billie both laughed.  "He's working hard," Betty said.  "Your effort's paying off."

"Hey," Leroy whined. "I'm an expert! No coaching required."

"But you swore you didn't know how to cook, honey.  We both heard you," Billie said, laughing harder at the look on his face.  "Are you saying you lied to me?"

"I don't cook. I just grill," he said airily. "Not the same thing at all. I can't put the kitchen on fire this way.  Just the yard."

"Oh is that it?" Betty said.  "I always wondered what the difference was."

"My mother wouldn't let me in the kitchen, it isn't my fault," Leroy added defensively.  He was feeling outnumbered.

"Well we'll teach you to cook, honey.  Nothing to worry about." Bobbie promised.  Then she turned to Betty.  "So how'd he take it?"

Betty Jo frowned.  "As you'd expect.  He understood.  He expected it.  He didn't want me to resign.  He wants me to stay on indefinite leave.  And if something comes up that I might be interested in he'd let me know and I could decide then."

"So what did you say?" Billie asked.

"I told him I'd think about it.  That I need to talk to Ian before agreeing to anything.  But that I didn't think it was likely there'd be something that would interest me enough to come back. at least not for the foreseeable future.  Then he talked about how sorry he was it all happened.  And I said it wasn't his fault, that he couldn't have done anything about it.  But I was glad to see that the increase in staffing was going so well as was the training plan he and Stephen were working out."

"It's a pretty good plan," Leroy commented listening in. "Oh, here's your hunk back from his 'smoke.'  For someone who smokes he smells remarkably smoke free."

"Superior choice of cologne," Betty said.

Lev sauntered back toward them and dropped into a chair on the periphery of the group. Leroy cast an eye on him and frowned.

"Yes Leroy?" Billie asked.  "Something on your mind?"

"No, I don't think so," Leroy replied, still frowning toward Lev who was doing a remarkable job of ignoring him.

Betty Jo rolled her eyes.  "He's being a guy.  So tell me about Sam.  You said he was a diplomat?"

"Oh yeah,"  Billie said.  "Bermudan at the British embassy."

Leroy rolled his eyes. "He's not normal."

"Not normal?" Betty Jo echoed.  "What does that mean?"

"He cooks and he likes opera," he said as he rolled his eyes again. "Not to mention he's neat."

Betty Jo burst out laughing.  "I gotta tell Ian that.  He's neat and likes opera.  Is he not normal too?"

Leroy pointing the turner at her said, "Now that you mention it... I've been meaning to warn you he's probably a serial killer."

"Oh God, Leroy," Billie said, batting him on the arm.  "What is with you these days?"

"Just ignore him, sweetie.  He'll get over it.  It's just a reaction to you getting shot at that formative stage in your relationship when he didn't know if he was coming or going,"  Bobbie told her.  "Just pass him another beer and he'll be fine."

"Yeah, pass me a beer. You want one Lev?"

Lev looked up and stared at Leroy for a moment. "No thank you."

"You don't have to be on the clock here, buddy. She's with a bunch of cops. Sheesh."

Bobbie Jo frowned.  "I wish folks would quit calling me a cop," she said before anyone else spoke.  "I was a federal marshal."

"Which was why you went there wasn't it?  So you wouldn't get called a cop," Billie said.

"Absolutely.  Plus I got Tommy Lee Jones for my role model.  All you had was Robert Stack and Ephrem Zimbalist Jr," Bobbie retorted.

"Well there was also Sean Connery and what's his name...Costner?...in that movie," Betty pointed out.  "Easily the equal of Tommy Lee Jones...both of 'em."

Leroy shook his head. "You women are seriously warped.  Aren't they Lev."

Lev grinned and actually nodded.

"You're just jealous.  I mean really.  Who'd you get for a role model with the Little Rock PD?" Billie said. 

Bobbie laughed.  "And don't forget Betty gets Denzel, or no...wait.  Didn't you guys disown him?"

"We did officially.  But I only pretended.  I mean seriously, who could disown Denzel?" Then she grinned, looking beyond Bobbie.  "Oh hello.  You must be Sam," she said.

Sam, wearing a suit with the jacket opened up and his tie askew, smiled. 'Yes. You must be the owner of my apartment."

"Yes, Betty Jo DuBois," she said.  "And that's Lev Nazarov.  You're just in time for food."

"My Mama always said I had the timing down good.  Let me change and I'll be right back," he said as he headed to his apartment.

"Don't say it. Yes, he's cool and handsome and perfect. That's what worries me," Leroy commented with a grunt attached on at the end.

Billie shook her head and popped an olive in her mouth.  "Just ignore him.  I think he's jealous or something, the way he's been going on about Sam."

Leroy opened his mouth to protest then shut it with a snap. It was hopeless when they were all together. Logic ran away and hid under the bed when those three got going.

Billie smiled at him serenely and ate another olive.

"So," Bobbie said, "what are you going to do instead, now that you're unemployed?  You never said last night when I asked you."

Betty blushed.  "No, I didn't, did I.  It's because I'm not entirely sure.  But one of the things I'm considering," she said, inspecting the olive dish, "is getting serious about writing."

"Oh really?" Bobbie said, delight on her face.  "I thought you hadn't done any since college, that you'd completely given it up."

Betty nodded and moved on to the pickle dish.  "I did.  There was never any time and I never got back to it afterwards.  But there's time now and who knows...if nothing else it's always been fun.  Plus I can get one of those tee-shirts that say 'Be nice to me or I'll put you in my novel.'  I'm also thinking about grad school."

"You're brainy enough," Leroy commented, as Sam sauntered out now dressed in blue jeans that had knife edge creases down the front and a sweatshirt that didn't.

"Is it safe?" Sam asked, looking at Leroy and then at Lev.

"Yeah, they're not talking shopping yet.  Beer?" Leroy asked.

Sam accepted a long neck from Leroy and took it to sit with the sisters.

Bobbie scooted over to make room for him on the bench.  "You look much more comfortable," she said.

"Yes. It is good to be free of the suit for a bit. How long are you staying in DC Betty Jo, if I may call you that?"

"Please do," she said.  "And I'm not sure.  No more than a couple of days though.  Long enough to pack up some things.  I hope I won't be in your way.  Don't hesitate to tell me if I am."

"Oh, you won't be, I'm sure. I gather you plan on staying in England for a longer time?"

"Until I'm deported as an undesirable alien.  Or at least that's the plan.  How long to you expect to be here?" she asked.

"I'm hoping no longer than six months," Sam was saying as Lev sat up a bit straighter, his eyes on the door that led into the backyard from the house. 

Ian came sauntering through it about then. "Hullo all, sorry I'm late. Hullo darling," he added, bending over to kiss Betty Jo's cheek. Leroy almost dropped the hamburger he was flipping.

She smiled at him, giving his hand a squeeze.  "No problem," she said and then introduced him to Sam.  "Sebastian Andrew Markham, I think it is, otherwise known as Sam.  He's renting the apartment.  Sam, this is Adrian Blakesley, otherwise known as Ian."

Sam stood and shook hands with Ian. "The British Lord, I think."

"I'm just Ian here."

"Well, pleased to meet you then. Moreso even."  The two men sat and Ian took a beer from Leroy.

"See, he even drinks beer on occasion," Leroy commented.

"Beer? This is piss," Ian replied with a grin.

"Yeah, I know. You guys and your warm beer no one can see through."

Bobbie laughed.  "Would you prefer scotch?" she asked.

"No this is fine. I'll just complain long and loudly so Leroy can groan." Which Leroy did.

"We've English style pubs in Bermuda too, Leroy. I'm afraid you'd find warm beer there too."

"Oh gods. No cold beer?"

"They usually have Budweiser and Fosters on tap and cold. You'd survive," Sam added with a smile.

"Thank the Lord for that," Leroy said fervently.

"Plus there's rum and all those tropical drinks with the fruit and umbrella's in them.  You'd love..." She stopped and a huge smile lit her face as the air shimmered at the edge of the patio and figure began to materialize.

Lev was on his feet and reaching inside his jacket. But seeing Bobbie's and Billie's reactions he left what he was reaching for where it was. 

All three sisters converged on the figure as she materialized, squealing 'Dia' in perfect unison."  She was a curvaceous woman, and on the tall side.  The evening sun struck blue glints off crow-black hair and warmed the ivory skin to a creamy glow.  She hugged each of the sisters in turn, laughter filling eyes that were the the same blue as theirs.  The bone structure of her face was almost identical to theirs as well, giving her the same outrageous beauty.  The differences lay in the almond shape of the eyes, the flaring wings of the eyebrows, the widow's peak of the hair, the sculpture of her lips and the shade of rose tinting her cheeks.  There was no difference at all in the firmness of the chin, the straight spine and the direct, appraising look that swept the four men staring at them.  "Ya'll," she said in southern drawl the equal of theirs at their best, "have been getting up to mischief.  Ah can tell already, just by looking."

Billie giggled.  "Dia, starting with the cook, that's Leroy, then Sam, Ian and Lev."

Bobbie nodded.  "And this is Badi'a Batal, our other sister.  We think of her as the black sheep of the family."

"Ya'll didn't tell me she was comin'," Betty said.

"There are MORE of you?" Leroy asked, a bit gobsmacked.

Ian stood and held out his hand. "Hullo. Nice to meet you."

Sam too was on his feet, of course that might be because of the magical appearance.  Lev sank back into his chair over against the wall.

She shook hands and nodded to Lev.  "Ah'm sure pleased ta meet ya'll.  Ah've heard some about some of you and ah've been looking forward to it."

Betty hugged her again.  "This is so wonderful.  Does Daddy know you're here?  And how long can you stay?"

Dia laughed.  "No, and long enough to eat dinner tonight and then go shopping with ya'll tomorrow.  Billie says there's a sale at Victoria's Secret and at Bloomie's on bikinis and shoes."

Billie nodded.  "There is.  And don't worry, Leroy honey.  She's the last, that we know of anyway or that Daddy confessed to having.  She's usually in Tel Aviv but we convinced her to come visit."

"All right. Burgers and dogs are ready. Uhm, I guess you and Lev won't have the dogs?" Leroy added to Dia. "Nobody told me, yah know, or I'da bought all beef."

Dia grinned at him.  "That's alright.  A burger's great."

Bobbie took the platter from Leroy and set it on the table, checking one last time.  "I think that's everything, but if I've forgotten something tell me now, before I sit down."

Billie, passing out plates, shook her head.  "Nope, I don't think so.  You can have a seat and relax."

Dia opened a beer and sat down next to Betty.  "I'm real sorry I wasn't here.  I'd have come sooner," she said, "but I was tied up on a job.  You look great though and Bobbie said that you're completely recovered."

"For the most part," Betty said, passing the potato salad.  "A twinge now and then but that's about it.  Mama told me you called every chance you had, to see how I was doing."

Ian was staring down at the hamburger on his plate was if he were wishing he could use a knife and fork.  Leroy was digging in enthusiastically, as usual. Sam was eating but also listening to the conversation.  Lev hadn't moved toward the table.

"Shall I bring you a plate or will you join us?" Ian finally said.

"Well, it's a family thing," Lev replied.

Betty shook her head.  "We're open to adoption.  Just look at Sam here.  Besides, we planned for you and if you don't it'll go to waste."

Lev clearly doubted it watching Leroy eat. "Yes, then, thank you."  Lev took the last seat and helped himself as everything was passed his way.

"You hardly sound like a Tel Aviv native, Dia," Ian commented. "Have you been living there long?"

She nodded.  "Off and on most of my life.  I tend to up at least put on the southern accent when I'm with them.  Comes from being around them so much when we were growing up."

"Ah," Ian replied. "I can imagine the four of you making Jonah's life miserable all summer long. I enjoy the fantasy anyway."

"We did," Dia said.  "Libby encouraged it, said it was good for him."

Betty Jo rolled her eyes.  "Poor Daddy.  And he wanted a son so bad, too, just to even things out."

"Did ya'll go skinny dipping in the crick and huntin' frogs?" Leroy wanted to know.

"We did," Bobbie said.  "And brought 'em home to Mama.  Then Dia started teaching us how to play army and Daddy decided if we were doing that then maybe he needed to teach us few things too, like how to fish and shoot a gun."

"And at least three cops were born," Ian replied with a grin. "No four. Jonah must've turned one of the frogs into Leroy."

Leroy glared while the others laughed.

"It's okay sweetie, we all think you're real cute," Billie said, patting him on the arm.  "So it must've been a real handsome frog and one of Daddy's better spells."

After everyone had had enough to eat, they cleaned up the food and the women huddled to plan their shopping trip. The guys took their beer and settled in their own little clump.

"Who knew, when I rented an apartment, I'd end up in..." Sam said.

"A loonie bin?" Leroy suggested. "I know. Imagine me. I was happy in Little Rock. No complications."

Ian raised an eyebrow as his eyes drifted over to Betty Jo. "Well, they are entertaining."  The guys clicked beer bottles.

"Wonder what they're plotting," Bobbie said as the bottles clicked.

Betty Jo shrugged.  "Nothing we can't handle, I'm sure," she said and all four of them cracked up, high fiving themselves.  "So Dia, do you have to go back or could you maybe come visit for a while?" she asked when they got control of themselves again.

Dia shook her head.  "No I don't actually.  And I was planning a trip to London this summer to check some of the holdings at the British Museum.  I also have an appointment to access the Vatican holdings, and then another stop in Athens.  So it would work out well.  Are you sure Ian won't mind?  I could go back for a few days to wind up the semester and then join you there."

Betty Jo beamed.  "It sounds wonderful.  We'll be in the country, not London but I imagine Ian wouldn't mind if you needed to use the town house, and he and I or just me could come up to town with you."

Ian, overhearing the last, added, "By all means. Do come to stay."

"Well thanks then, I think I will," Dia said.  "As soon as the semester ends."
 
Betty hugged her.  "It'll be like old times.  We'll get Billie and Bobbie to come too."

Dia giggled.  "But is England ready for that?"

"Who knows?  Who cares?" Bobbie said.  "We just won't leave a mess."