Hot Seat
A/N: I wrote most of this story right after Miami Confidential aired early last year. At the time I knew very little about Medical Examiner Alexx Woods' home life. I held onto the story because of events that happened in subsequent episodes. However, I later decided I didn't want to let the story go to waste after I had spent so much time on it. I hope you will read it and let me know what you think.
Chapter 1
It was Sunday morning and Alexx Woods, Miami Dade Medical Examiner, hoped to spend the day with her children. She loved her children and prided herself on being a good mother. She even still loved Derrick, her ex-husband, although he didn't love her occupation.
"Why can't you be a regular doctor?" he had often asked her.
Alexx had so wanted for him to understand and had tried explaining it to him. "Because I want to speak for the dead."
"It grosses me out," he had told her on more than one occasion.
She had wanted to oblige her husband and had tried being a "regular doctor," but she hadn't been fulfilled. When the M.E. opportunity opened up, she took it. After a few more years Derrick took his opportunity and left. Alexx didn't hold any grudges against him though. He was still a wonderful father to their two children, ten-year old Jordan, who looked just like his father, and eight-year old Destiny, who took after her mother.
***
Alexx had just set the pancakes, sausages, and warm syrup on the table when the phone rang. She knew immediately it was work. Another dead body.
"Come get your breakfast," she called to Jordan and Destiny.
Alexx then picked up the phone. The dispatcher told her the crime scene location. "I'll be there soon."
"Mommy has to go to work," she announced as she kissed each of her children on top of their heads.
"But its Sunday," Jordan protested as he put pancakes on his plate then on his sister's plate.
"Unfortunately, death doesn't take a holiday, sweetie." Alexx had never sugarcoated her work. Early on she had explained to them, in terms they could understand, exactly what she did for a living. Unlike their father, they hadn't been "grossed out." They only whined when her work interfered with their plans.
"We'll take a rain check," Destiny said as she reached for the syrup.
Alexx smiled. That made three rain checks this month. She'd honor them. She always did. "You too go ahead and finish your breakfast and I'll drop you off at Mama's."
Alexx hurried to her bedroom to get dressed. She was glad she had decided to pick up her dry cleaning yesterday. She pulled the plastic back from an outfit. She quickly decided against it and selected another one. Since she never knew when she would have to go to a crime scene, she always showered and did her hair and makeup as soon as she got out of bed. She didn't leave the house, even to go to a crime scene, unless she was immaculately groomed. As with her work she was meticulous with the details. Being meticulous didn't mean taking a lot of time. Preparation was key. Today she was ready to go in less than eight minutes.
It was important to Alexx to always look her best. Not that this had gotten her any dates recently. Not too many men were knocking down the door of a woman who handled dead bodies for a living then had two children occupying the rest of her time. However, Alexx wasn't bothered by this. She had already been married and had two wonderful children to show for it. What was important to her now was being a good mother, a good citizen, and the best M.E. Miami Dade had ever had.