[6 Nadine Garner character drabbles, 100 words each. Not TDBM-related]
all the women who came before
Jennifer || City Homicide
In the end, it hadn't been a choice. Faced with two realities – a life without Homicide and relegated back to Fraud, or a life without Nick and his body in a ditch – it had been no choice at all to take the risks she was so afraid of.
They would get battered and bruised again. But like an ocean lighthouse, their foundations could withstand rough tides.
Nick was her safe harbour; made her more focussed at work and more relaxed at home, and she wondered why it took her so long to realise that they were stronger weathering storms together.
Di || Di & Viv & Rose
She sat and watched Viv over her cup of tea, hands wrapped around her mug for comfort. Neither of them knew what else to say. After standing in a country field and shouting all their dirty laundry, anything else seemed superfluous or trivial.
Viv never used to be so quiet. Or so small in her seat. They were both older now; world weary and so very wounded, but underneath the facade she could see the young woman who slept by her side and collected her homework during The Dark Time.
Their love for each other was stronger than any history.
Eve || It's a Date
They bumped into each other at a supermarket checkout five months later, and burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. Zara was shopping with her parents – introduced her as a woman she went on a blind date with once – and Eve was proud of her, because she didn't really know this woman at all but she knew it was a big deal for her to introduce her mother like that.
They exchanged numbers so they could get coffee again – not a date this time – but something about the way they both looked back over their shoulders held promise.
Anna || The Secret Life of Us
"Fuck" she hissed, slamming her laptop keyboard. "This is fucking crap"
She slapped the table too, for good measure, frowning at the offending document. The words blinked back at her as though they were mocking her efforts. She picked up her glass of wine and took another sip.
Across the room he sighed, hoisted out of the couch, and came over.
"Leave it for tonight, babe. Come and cuddle instead"
"You'd think writing a resume would be easier" she said, leaning into the hands that landed on her shoulders.
Zog just smirked, and then planted a kiss in her hair.
Lisa || The Wedding Party
She slammed the car door shut.
"How the hell am I supposed to push out a baby when it hurts just to insert your cock?"
He winced a little, still sensitive two years later that sex was more of a process and less of a pastime.
"The doctor said we can discuss some options" he reminded her.
He took her hand and made her look at him, gaze soft and understanding and full of hope.
"We're gonna be parents" he said.
Her eyes suddenly shone with tears. She grinned. "We're gonna be parents" she echoed.
He smiled into her kiss.
Paulette || Razzle Dazzle
The only time he seemed to sit still was when he was holding the baby. Then he was too terrified to move.
Finding out she was pregnant two weeks after her husband left was not ideal. Falling into a rebound relationship six months later was not ideal either. Having it be with her daughter's dance teacher was the icing on a very messy cake.
But watching her boyfriend try to look comfortable while holding her infant son was a precious sight to her.
"I don't want to hurt him" he whispered.
"You won't" she replied, never more certain of anything.