It had been a few years since the whole Vic Mackey mess had ended. Most of everyone, except for the police force, had moved on, and Vic and Shane were no longer headline news. Ronnie was still in prison, apparently paying the price for his cohorts' misdeeds. Time had moved on, leaving Vic and Shane and even Lem pretty much behind.
Of course, Mayor Acevada had tried to distance himself from the scandals, tried to make it seem as if he'd been trying all along to clean up the force. Everyone in the station that had knew him knew he was full of shit, but you know, what can you do at the end of the day? Most everyone had families to feed, and bills to pay. It didn't do any good to fight the system, so they just did their jobs and went home to their families.
It was weird. On what should have been the happiest day of Dutch's life- he'd managed to marry, and on this day his daughter would be born- he couldn't' help but feel a twinge of sadness of all that he'd lost. Not Vic, of course, he was no loss. Shane- he couldn't possibly understand as a father how any man could do what he'd done to his children and wife. Lem- Dutch always felt there was more to Lem's story than what Shane or Vic or even Ronnie would admit to. Still, this day was not about them. It was about his wife, Sheila, and their newborn daughter.
Dutch had only one request. He'd wanted more than anything to be the one to name their daughter. Only one name came to mind.
Claudette.
Sheila had wondered, of course, but hadn't pushed him. Dutch would talk about whoever this special lady was whenever he was ready. Until then...Claudette...she could get used to the name.
"Are you happy?" Sheila smiled as she held on to their newborn daughter.
Dutch didn't say much. Of course, he looked at his little girl with pride, the kind even Vic Mackey must have felt at one point. But this wasn't about Vic, and to a point, it wasn't even about Dutch himself.
"Are you hungry?" Dutch asked, seemingly out of the blue. "I think I'm going to make a food run. You want anything?"
"They have a cafeteria here," Sheila reminded him.
"It's okay. Denny's has...has a special. I'll be back in a little bit."
"Aren't you going to kiss your daughter goodbye"?" Sheila smiled, but it was too late. Dutch had already gone, and there was no stopping him.
0000
Of course, Denny's was the last place on his mind. He'd stopped by the florist, and picked up two sets of roses. One for his wife, of course. But one was for the other lady who'd always held a special place in his heart.
As he drove across town, he couldn't wait to tell Claudette...the original...was there any doubt that she'd been one of a kind? About his new daughter. What she looked like. How good she smelled. How little she was, yet seemed so strong.
Once Dutch arrived to his destination, he let himself in. He knew the way by heart.
"Claudette...it's me. Your favorite partner, ever. I know...I know you have a hard time with words, but I know I was always your favorite. Even after you made captain, you had to pretend not to play favorites...but I knew, I always knew..." he smiled.
"I got these for you. I know you always claim not to care about roses...but every woman deserves roses, right? And you know...you're not just every woman. You're a one of a kind, and no woman can ever take your place.
"I knew you were happy for me when I found love, when I met Sheila. I think, if I'm not mistaken, you were the one who encouraged me to go out with her. I didn't want to, not because I didn't think she was pretty or anything...but because...you were my first love. I know, you'll probably roll your eyes at me, but really, Claudette...you were the woman, other than my mom, who believed in me. Who pushed me. Who gave me chance after chance. I never met a woman like you, and I don't think I ever will.
"I just wanted to say...I love you, Claudette. I know, you can go ahead and strike me for that. I deserve it. But you know what...as much as I love Sheila, as much as I love my daughter...you were the first woman I gave my heart to.
"I miss you, Claudette. There's not a day in my life when I haven't thought about what you've taught me, what you've given me, what I learned from you. I just want you to know I'm sorry you couldn't be here right now. I know no one would have been happier for me than you would have been. You might have rolled your eyes for my naming my daughter after you...but you know what? I only pray that I can raise my daughter into half the woman you were.
"Take care of yourself, Claudette. You made the world a little safer when you were here, and now that you're gone...well, I can honestly say the world's a little worse off. I know my world is."
Dutch then wiped his eyes, and planted the roses at Claudette's headstone, then realized he'd better stop off to get some coffee, to pull himself together.
He may now officially love two Claudettes, but Wyms, she was one of a kind, that much was for certain.
The end