Chapter 2
I was sitting cross legged as I scribbled in my black and white aztec journal when I heard mumbles and footsteps from outside. I sat up straighter, turning towards the door as the lock turned and the door was pushed open.
"Hey, guys", I greeted, putting my journal down on the coffee table as a smiling husband and wife walked through their front door.
"Hey, sorry we were a little late", Nick apologised, loosening and then removing his bow tie from his neck, discarding it on the kitchen counter.
"It's okay, babysitting is the only time my mum allows me to break my curfew", I replied as I stood up from the couch and packed the journal back in my bag.
"Zara asleep?", Maria asked, shrugging off her coat and hanging it by the door.
"Yeah, she knocked out as soon as her head hit the pillow. I think I tired her out", I chuckled.
"What did you both do?", she asked as she slipped out of her heels.
"Well, first we coloured in some princesses, then we built a fort and had a war... I won of course. The fort transformed into a tent soon after that and we played Go Fish inside with a torch", I answered with a smile. I actually had fun tonight with Zara. She's so energetic and cute.
"You built a fort?", Maria asked surprised.
"Affirmative. I'm an expert fort builder", I answered seriously with a nod.
Maria chuckled and shook her head, "I'm going to check on Zara", she said before leaving to her daughters room.
"So how much do I owe you?", Nick asked, pulling out his wallet from his back pocket.
"No, no", I said quickly, moving from around the couch towards him. "This was a favour"
"Nah, I insist", he mumbled, still fiddling with his wallet.
"I'm as stubborn as my mum, so don't bother."
"Fine", he groaned, "Come on, I'll take you home?", he gave up, walking back towards the door.
"Did Zara misbehave?", Nick asked as we got into the car.
"Not at all. She was polite and actually has manners unlike some kids I've taken care of", I trailed off in thought, remembering those five-year-old twin boys I took care of once. They didn't listen to a word I said and ran a muck around their whole house. I had to give them so many time outs but it didn't do much good. I think I grew a grey hair that day. Never again did I take another job from their parents.
Nick smiled at this, proud of his daughter as he pulled away from the curb.
"So hows it like having Olivia Benson as a partner?", I asked, making small talk.
"Hows it like having her as a mother?", he threw back the question, as he took a turn.
"I asked you first", I pressed with a smile.
Nick gave in as he looked over at me, "Well, she's smart, tough... definitely has more guts then half the guys back in narcotics"
"I'll bet. My mums badass", I grinned, proudly.
Nick chuckled, "You want to be like your mum when you finish school?"
"I don't know", I sighed, looking down at my hands. This is a subject I've thought a lot about. "I see what this job does to my mum. Even though she's good at hiding it, I know that some days she can't help but take her work home with her", I answered softly, finally looking up at Nick who was giving me a side glance before returning his eyes back to the road. "But then again, she drives me to want to help people like she does"
Nick nodded, "It's not an easy job"
"I know", I mumbled softly and I felt the car slow down as he pulled it to the curb.
"Thanks for the ride, Nicholas", I smirked, grabbing my bag and getting out of the car.
"It's Nick", he pressed, and seemed a little irritated when I used his full name.
"Ah ha", I teased, slamming the door shut.
He groaned as he spoke to me through the window, "Thanks for taking care of Zara tonight. You're a life saver, kid"
"Anytime, Detective", I saluted him and spun on my heel as I made my way towards the apartment building. He waited until I was safely inside until he drove off.
I made my way to the apartment and unlocked the door, finding the house dark and quite. I sighed as I pulled off my jacket and threw my keys on the kitchen counter. It was almost midnight and my mother still wasn't home. I went into my room and changed into plaid grey boxing shorts and an over sized shirt before getting into bed. I played around with my phone for a little, waiting for my mum to get home but she still wasn't back. I groaned after ten minutes and threw my phone on my bedside table before switching off my lamp and resting my head against my pillow.
"Jaime! You're going to be late for school!", I heard my mother yell before I felt a pillow being thrown at my head.
I groaned, getting ripped out of my dreamless sleep as I opened my eyes. The sun was shining through cloudy skies outside my window, fortunately the sun glare wasn't strong enough to make my eyes burn. My mother definitely pulled my blinds open again in attempt to get me out of bed. I just wanted to let my head fall back onto my pillow and sleep for another couple of minutes. But if I do I know my mother will say that my babysitting jobs on school nights are tiring me out, and then she won't let me do them anymore. I groaned again, pulling myself off the bed and dragging myself into the shower.
Ten minutes later I was all showered, in my school uniform and had my shoulder length chocolate hair in a tight braid. I grabbed my bag and walked into the kitchen, seeing my mother scramble a few eggs on the stove, her back towards me. I rose my eyebrow, "So you don't need to leave early today?", I perked up as I sat on the bar stool at the kitchen counter, dropping my bag on the floor happily.
Olivia shook her head, "We closed a case yesterday so I have no need to rush", she smiled as she turned around with the sizzling hot pan in her hand, scrapping the eggs into the two plates in front of me that have already been set. Just then the toaster popped out some toast and my mother quickly buttered them before plopping them into our plates and sitting beside me.
"What was the case?", I asked curiously seeing that I knew it has been stressing her out these past couple of weeks.
"You know I can't discuss cases with you", Olivia answered in that motherly warning tone of hers that I've heard so much before, as she took a sip from her coffee.
"I know", I grumbled, taking a bite from my fluffy eggs as I turned to my cup of juice. I pulled my hand out and grabbed my mothers mug, taking a long gulp from her coffee.
"Hey!", Olivia scolded taking her coffee off me. "What did I say about drinking coffee?"
"Come on, Mum. You drink like five cups of coffee a day. I don't see you dying from it", I argued.
"Jaime, you're sixteen. You don't need the extra energy", she said, giving me that signature motherly glare that's frightened me ever since I was little.
"Fine", I groaned, in defeat as I munched on my toast.
There was a silence between us as we ate, the small argument we had melting away as we just enjoyed each others company. It wasn't every day that we had the luxury of just sitting and eating breakfast together.
"So how was babysitting Zara last night?", Mum asked, turning to me slightly as she ate.
"It was...", I began to answer but was interrupted by my mothers ringing cellphone.
Olivia dropped her fork and retrieved her phone from her pocket, unlocking it with her thumb. "Benson...", she answered and there was a pause as I heard the barely audible mumblings of the person on the other end, "Okay, I'll be right there Nick. Bye", she hung up and slid off her stool. She leaned over her plate and poked her fork into the remaining pieces of eggs and plopped them in her mouth before putting her plate in the sink. "We just caught a case. I'm sorry honey, I got to go", she apologised.
"It's okay", I said, trying to hide the disappointment in my voice.
"You and Danny riding to school?", she asked as she quickly pulled on her coat.
I nodded as I played around with my remaining eggs with my fork.
"Okay, be careful", she said rushed as she got everything she needed in her bag for work. She then came towards me as I sat at the kitchen counter and placed her hand on the back of my head, getting me to look up at her, "How about we order Indian tonight and rent a movie, hmm?", she asked, trying to cheer me up.
I smiled with a nod, happy to have some time together. It's Friday and I had plans with Danny tonight but I'll cancel them. I've barely spent anytime with my mother lately and I've missed just hanging out and doing nothing together.
"Good, I'll see you tonight then", she smiled and pushed my head slightly forward with her hand that was still resting on the back of my head, and planted a kiss on my forehead.
"Okay...", I nodded.
She gave me a smile and quickly pulled away, heading towards the door in a hurry as she slammed it close behind her.
I finished my breakfast and was washing up when I heard a familiar bell ringing from outside and my name being called. I placed the last plate in the dish rack and dried my wet hands on a tea towel before I rushed to the window, poking my head out. I saw Danny, my best friend on the sidewalk with his thumb on the bell on the handle of his bike waiting for me.
His short light brown hair blew slightly in the soft wind as his soft hazel eyes stared back at me. His Hispanic background has given him nicely tanned skin in comparison to my pale skin colour. Danny and I practically grew up together and he's the reason I know a lot of Spanish. My pronunciation has gotten better and better through out the years and now I'm pretty good at it. We've known each other since second grade. We both become best friends when we both rocked up at school at the beginning of the year with the same Batman lunchbox. We've been close ever since.
"Give me a sec", I yelled back seeing that we were on the second floor.
He nodded and I quickly closed the window and grabbed my bag. I slammed the front door shut behind me before jogging down the stairs to the bottom floor. I pulled my bike from the residents garage on the ground floor and met Danny outside.
"Hey, shorty", he greeted as he swung his leg over the bike, getting back on it.
"Hey, dweeb", I replied, getting on my bike as well as I pulled the strap of my messenger bag across my chest so it wouldn't fall while riding.
We didn't say another word as Danny swung his head and began to pedal with me following by his side.
It's been two weeks since I first babysat Zara for the Amaro's, and last night I did it again. And don't worry, I got paid this time. It was Friday again and thankfully the last day of school for the week. I couldn't wait for the weekend! My mother has been going through a very hectic, very public case where a fourteen year old orphan girl got raped at a charity event by some rich hotshot company owner. It's been very complicated and messy because this accused rapist is so loved and adored by the public. His name is Gregory Austin and he's a very rich man that's been very generous at a lot of fundraising events. My mother has been through a lot of stress this week, getting a lot of pressure from the press.
And the reason that I couldn't wait for this week and this case to be over is because every time there's a case that the public isn't happy about involving the NYPD and my mother, it isn't very easy for me at school. The kids at school just glare at me, whisper when I walk past, yell out side comments when they see me and so on. Let's just say I'm not the most popular person at school. Troy and I never really fit in with the rest of my classmates. We try to keep to ourselves, especially it times like this.
When I got to school, it was another day of taking the heat from my classmates and honestly my patience was wearing thin. They yell and taunt me like its my fault. Just because my mother is on the case doesn't mean I have any say in it. I ignored and held in the anger that was bubbling up inside and was so relieved when it was lunch time. Troy and I were pushing past the kids in the hall, trying to get outside as the lunch bell rang through the school. I suddenly felt something push hard into my shoulder and I stopped in my tracks turning around to who was responsible and wasn't surprised at who I saw.
"You're mother would do just about anything to make the NYPD look better", Lena Green grumbled as she turned to face me.
Lena Green.
I think its safe to say were enemies. We were actually best friends once. Troy, Lena and I got really close in fourth grade and we were best friends. We used to call ourselves 'The Triple Threat'. It was pretty lame but we found it cool back then. Everything was going good until the sixth grade when my mother had a case involving her uncle, who she adored. It was a very messy case but he was arrested for rape at the end of it and Lena never forgave me after that. She blamed my mother for putting him away and let her anger out on me. We had a big fight and ever since then we've been enemies. That's way she has so much hate towards my mother. She takes any opportunity she can to shame her. And this day wasn't any different.
"Go away, Lena", I grumbled, not having the energy or the patience to deal with her right now. I readjusted my bag on my shoulder that nearly got knocked off when she barged into me and began to turn and walk away.
"You'd think she'll learn not to jump to conclusions after the whole Jetson's accident", she yelled urging me into an argument, mentioning an old case where the NYPD got it wrong. A small crowd was beginning to surround us, clearly rooting for her to win.
I stopped and turned back to her, "She's doing her job now, just like she did then", I argued in a forced calm voice, taking a step forward angrily which made Troy take a step closer to me in caution.
Lena glared at me, "Just like she did her job years ago when she locked up my Uncle?", she spat out angrily.
"Oh, would you let that go!", I groaned, getting irritated with her always throwing that back at me.
"Let that go? Your mother took away one of the most important people in my life. Uncle Jason was like a father to me!", she yelled her voice cracking a little as she glared holes through my head, "But you wouldn't know what it feels to get that taken away from you because you never had a father, did you?", she spat out through venomous eyes.
My blood instantly spiked up to boiling point, my hands automatically clenched into fists at my sides.
How dare she talk about my father! She knows how much it hurts me that he died, and that I can barely remember him. I told her that my father died in a car accident when I was six years old when we became close in fourth grade. I never knew back then that she'd betray my friendship and throw it back in my face.
"Jaime...", I heard Troy's soft voice, warning me to calm down because he could see how angry I was.
"What nothing to say to that?", Lena pressed with a smile as she took a step towards me. "Just admit that even though your mother's a police officer, she's always done more harm than good."
Before I could even stop myself, I stepped forward and swung my fist.
A cellphone rang through the already loud precinct. People walked hurriedly around busy, some were talking urgently into their phones, and others were at their desk typing away on their computers. The cellphone rang again, making people look down at their phones just in case it was theirs.
Olivia quickly finished typing what she was doing into the computer and hurriedly picked up her phone, hoping it was a call she was waiting for that was important to the case.
"Benson... ", she said as she pulled her phone up to her ear. There was a pause as she listened to the unexpected caller, "She what!", she snapped, gripping her cell tighter. There was a longer pause as she listened to the person on the other end of the line, "Okay...", she sighed, rubbing her forehead in frustration, "I'll be there as soon as I can", she shut her phone, dropping her hand tiredly.
"What?", her partner Amaro asked alerted, sitting across her at his desk, only having heard one side of the conversation.
"Jaime got in some trouble, they need me to go down to the school", she grumbled angrily, annoyed that her daughter has gotten herself in this situation and frustrated that she was so busy that she couldn't fathom having the time to deal with it.
Just then Fin walked into the precinct urgently, "Liv, Sarah Collins just woke up... and she's asking for you. She's terrified"
"I c..."
"Liv...", Nick cut her off, standing up from his desk, "How about I'll deal with Jaime and you go talk to Sarah. You've built a bond with her and we really need her to co-operate if we want to win this case", he said, already pulling on his jacket and grabbing his phone from his desk, shoveling it into his back pocket.
"No, Nick. I can't...", Olivia began.
"It's okay. I'll handle it", he gave her a reassuring look.
"You sure?", she asked, not feeling so great about the arrangement. She didn't want her partner to deal with her personal problems but she didn't really have a choice. Sarah Collins was a fourteen year old girl that has been through so much. She has no parents to help her through this horrible time in her life, and if she felt safe with Olivia after being severely abused then she will do anything to make her feel secure.
"Yes, now go", Nick urged her.
Olivia nodded as she pulled on her coat and turned towards the exit. "I'll call the school, tell them you're coming", she called over her shoulder before walking down the hallway, towards the elevator.
Writer's Note:
So there was chapter 2!
Thank you to all who reviewed, followed and favoured. I'm glad you liked it so far. Please let me know if you enjoyed this chapter or what you would like to see happened next. By the way, I know a lot of you pointed out that I spelt Benson wrong... my bad! LOL, sorry for the fail.
Rose x.