Thank Erin for this one. 

Rollie looked up from his work, startled at the tornado that tore through the workshop. "Angie?" He thought the tornado was Angie, but he wasn't positive considering how it was moving. It was blonde though. "Angie, is that you?"

For once second, the blonde tornado paused and glared at him. Yep, it was Angie, but considering the tears in her eyes and the uncharacteristic behavior, he knew something was wrong. "Angie, what's wrong?" Rollie followed the storm upstairs where it came down to sit on one of the kitchen chairs. He approached carefully and touched her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"I hate Mom! I hate her!"

"Angela, you don't mean that! You just miss her, that's all. Now, come on, tell me what's wrong." Rollie coaxed gently.

Angie looked up into the concerned brown eyes of her father's assistant. They hadn't known each other a full year and yet this man had found his way into her confidence. She knew she didn't hate her mother, but the pressure had been building and along with it the pain. Normally, she would have kept it bottled up deep inside for fear of hurting her father. But right now, it was safe to open up, he was on the other side of the country and the only one who would hear was the Australian. He would understand, his mom was gone too. "I... it's... it's almost..."

Recognition dawned in Rollie Tyler's eyes. It was almost Mothers Day. Angie's friends, what there were of them, would be getting ready, buying presents and making cards. Angie didn't hate her mother, Angie hated the fact there wasn't any way she could give a token of her love to her mum. Mom, he corrected himself in his head, here it's mom. "It's almost Mothers Day." Well, he certainly knew how she felt and Manny wouldn't be back for a week. Rollie wasn't sure if he'd left Rollie in charge of his beloved daughter or his daughter in charge of his assistant. He wondered how Manny usually dealt with this particular storm and then he remembered. This problem wouldn't have been coming up very often. It was only the third Mothers Day since Angie had lost her mom. The first year, the shock would have kept the pain away. The second... the second, he decided, Angie would have hid it from her father. He'd done the same thing with his dad. Of course, Dingo was hardly the caring father Manny was. There was no comparison between the two men. Rollie loved Dingo more than anything, he just didn't have the handle on things that Manny did. So, this was the third year and the pain was as raw and fresh as if it'd just happened. He could sympathize with that pain. It was something he had felt until... until one day he realized he could do something, he could give her a token of his love. Rollie considered carefully. Would his solution work for Angie? It was one he'd found all by himself and he'd never shared his secret with anyone else. Perhaps it would help Angie with her loss. Decided, he looked into the stormy blue eyes of his young friend. "Would you like to go on a picnic?"

"Huh?" Angie blinked at the change in topic.

"A picnic. You know a picnic. You do call it a picnic here. Don't you?" Rollie clearly hadn't considered that possibility.

"I know what a picnic is, Rollie!" Angie responded angrily. "I just don't know what it has to do with anything!"

"Oh. Yeah. Well I thought maybe we could go on a picnic Sunday."

Angie started to say NO she wasn't interested in going on a picnic, thank you very much. Then she paused and thought about it. Wouldn't getting out of the workshop and away on a picnic help her forget for a while? To get away from her memories and the pain. Even if it just worked for a little while, it might be worth it. She glanced at Rollie and seeing the hopeful look on his face, answered. "Yeah. I... I guess so."

Rollie silently released the breath he'd been holding. She'd agreed. Now he just had to find a place to do it, but where? Somehow, he had the feeling that they'd frown on this type of thing in Central Park. Oh well, it was a place to start. Maybe the park superintendent would have a suggestion. "Good." He smiled at her. "Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

Damn, Rollie thought. They did frown on it, but the guy didn't have to yell at him like this! At least, he'd asked first. He could have just done it, to hell with the consequences. Tired of the tirade, Rollie interrupted. "All right, I get the point. It's not allowed. Sorry to be a bother," he took a deep breath to still his anger and added, "thanks for your time."

The burly park superintendent blinked and watched the younger man leave. Well, he was certainly politer than most. Usually the people asking things like this yelled at him like he made the rules! "Wait a minute!" He called roughly. "Come back here. I got an idea."

Rollie returned, wary and uncertain. He didn't want any more abuse. Fortunately, the superintendent did have an idea. One that might actually work. Rollie listened carefully and the minute he got back to the workshop, he pulled out the phone book and started making calls. Things began to fall into place and it wasn't long before he had everything ready for their picnic.

Her latest guess proved true when Rollie pulled into one of the park's entrances. A couple of rangers met them there. Rollie got out and spoke quietly with them. They pointed out something on a map, while Angie watched curiously from the shotgun seat of the pickup. Obviously, Rollie was getting directions, but to where? A small backpack with something in it that Angie couldn't see from this angle was passed over to Rollie. He placed it carefully in the bed of the pickup, securing it with their picnic lunch and his battered knapsack. What, she wondered, was the Aussie up to now? He'd been careful not to let her see what he'd been given. She was positive of that.

A mystery! Angie began to guess the contents of that small backpack, but couldn't decide. It wasn't drugs or anything illegal. She knew that Rollie would never do anything illegal. At least... not illegal illegal, especially with her here. So what? Maybe it was a radio for a fire tower or explosives to blow up something for the rangers... Or maybe it was climbing gear... But why not bring their own gear if they were going climbing? Angie worried the puzzle so much, she didn't even notice when they stopped.

"Come on, Ange. We've got some walking to do." Angie jumped when Rollie opened her door.

"Where are we going?"

Rollie smiled. "You'll see. We're almost there." He already had his old knapsack on his back and the small backpack was in his hands. "Here you take this."

Angie looked curiously at the backpack. Trees? There were two seedlings nestled together in the backpack. Why were they taking trees? She allowed Rollie to help her shrug into the pack and patiently waited while he pulled out the picnic. With the picnic in one hand and her hand in the other, Rollie led them off into the woods.

They walked quietly for a mile. Rollie occasionally pointed out a bird or blooming flower. Things she might've missed. This was fun. Though she wondered about the little trees she carried. Why? Once they almost walked up on a fawn, but Rollie led them around the beautiful animal without disturbing it too much.

Finally, the Aussie stopped. He put the picnic down and turned to take the backpack. She shrugged out of the straps and watched full of curiosity as he leaned it carefully against a large rock. Only then did he shrug out of his own knapsack. Angie could see where he'd mended the strap from that fateful day. The day she'd finally accepted Rollie Tyler into her life.

Rollie rolled his shoulders, grateful to be relieved of the heavy weight. He opened his knapsack and pulled out a small folding shovel. With Angie watching, he began to dig a hole. Eventually and unsurprisingly, it was two holes. Side by side, but not too close together. Rollie worked in silence, not yet ready to explain what they were doing. Angie was content to watch and wait. To make the mystery last just that tiny bit longer. Obviously, they were going to plant the trees, but why?

Rollie stepped back once he was satisfied with both holes depth and stretched. He placed the shovel down and pulled a seedling from the backpack. He solemnly turned and handed it to Angie. She held it carefully cupped in both hands. Now what? Rollie pulled out the other seedling and turned to face Angie.

"We're here on this day. To say to our mothers that we love them. And that we miss them."

Angie felt tears sting her eyes. She blinked and looking up at the tall brown haired man, realized he had tears in his eyes as well.

"This tree is my gift to you, Mum. To carry your memory in the living world. As other years and in other places far from here, I've planted flowers. Today I plant this tree." Rollie looked at Angie, slightly anxious, but she knew exactly what they were doing now and why.

"This tree is my gift to you, mom. To carry your memory in the living world." Angie carefully echoed Rollie's words. "Today I plant this tree. The first of many living memories." She impulsively added the words and looked at her friend for approval. Angie found herself smiling when Rollie nodded solemnly in agreement. She repeated Rollie's movements carefully placing the tree into its new home and packing the dirt just so.

Angie pulled herself back from her memories of the first time they'd done this and smiled at her best friend and boss. A lot had happened in the intervening years, good and bad. Angie was grateful Rollie had shared his secret and eased her loss that first year. And every year since they had done this or something similar. Always planting trees or flowers for their mothers. Even after Rollie left her father to strike out on his own, he returned to her for this moment. Never missing a single year. Even when he broke his leg the week before, Rollie still found a way. Rain or shine. Healthy or sick. This shared moment was theirs... and their mothers.

Angie gave the dirt one last pat and took the water jug that Rollie pulled out of his knapsack. A black one with the Tyler FX logo embroidered on it. He added organic fertilizer to the two trees and she poured the water, giving the seedlings a good start in life. If they were lucky, the little seedlings would grow tall and strong like their older "siblings" that were scattered through out the park. Rollie always got the trees and directions from the park rangers, placing them where they were the most needed. Angie pushed her hair out of her eyes, leaving a dirty streak on her face. She wondered if any of the park visitors ever wondered about the paired trees. This year they were planting maples. Somehow, they'd never repeated species. The flowers were usually planted in the years they weren't home for the occasion.

Rollie pulled his memories back from their first time and laughed at the dirty streak on Angie's face and knew his was probably dirtier. Angie claimed boys always got dirtier than girls. It was a knack of the sex. The solemn moment was over. Complete until another year rolled round.

Now chattering happily, they cleaned up and unpacked the picnic. Angie spread the red and white checked cloth. Rollie placed the food out on it and Angie passed a plate, cup and eating utensils over to him. Between bites of delicious food, they shared memories of the year past and precious memories of their mothers. Reviving them, breathing new life into them. Making sure they stayed fresh and strong... until next year.