A/N: It was mentioned that Olivia and Amanda get closer due to the common factor that they are both single mothers. This is a look into their lives and their relationship, one single mother to another.
"Jesse not wearing shoes."
"Noah, honey – "
"I don't wear shoes, don't like the shoes – not fair, not fair…"
"Noah, please…"
"No no..."
"NOAH!"
The three year old gave his mother a quizzical look. "Whhaaatttt Mommy?" He crooned innocently. It was very rare that she ever raised her voice at him like that and, when she saw the confused, hurt look on his face, she instantly regretted it.
"Jesse is wearing shoes. Her mom just hasn't put them on her yet," Olivia explained, with far more patience than she thought she had left, "Isn't that right, Amanda?" She asked, looking over her shoulder for backup.
But the detective was paying her superior no mind. On the other side of Olivia's living room, Amanda was wrestling with a very agitated and fussy Jesse, who was resisting her shoes at every turn. Obviously irritated at the sudden restriction of her foot after her mother had finally secured one shoes, Jesse shook it off and gurgled, smiling sweetly up at her mother, which in baby speak could've easily been the middle finger.
"Fine, don't put the shoes on!" Amanda said, slamming a pair of Buster Bear shoes onto the dining room table. "Are you going to fight me on the bonnet too, or am I going to continue to suffer at the hands of my three-month-old daughter?"
"Jesse first," The curly-haired boy said indignantly.
Why the hell does it matter who goes first?
Olivia sighed, lower her head in defeat as she hung onto what felt like her shred of sanity. It was quite clear that she was on her own here. She pushed the brown dress showed towards Noah once more. "Noah, please put the shoes on. Uncle Sonny is going to be very upset if we are late," Olivia said, much more firmly than before.
The little boy stuck a finger in his cheeks, as if pondering the consequences of obliging his mother's request and putting the shoes on. With a smile that could melt Olivia's heart after even the toughest case, he stuck his feet out obediently. She kissed the top of his head and slipped the brown loafers on him.
"That's my good boy," Olivia said, tousling his hair gently, "Ready?"
"Uncle Sonny!"
She scooped him up easily and sat him on her hip. She struggled to stifle a laugh as Jesse pulled her bonnet off each time Amanda put it back on. "I don't think anyone will think to call Child Protective Services if she goes without the bonnet, Amanda," Olivia whispered, squeezing the detective's arm gently. "Besides, if we're not there in the next – "She checked her watch briefly, "Fifteen minutes, Carisi might have a conniption."
Amanda stuffed the bonnet into an already clumsily packed diaper bag. "Finally gave your mom a break huh, Noah?" She asked the toddler as she grabbed Jesse's car seat off the table and followed Olivia out of the door.
"Yeah," Olivia said, chuckling, "And it only took an hour this time."