Laws of Motion – Book 4
Written by: Ms. Maggs/Edited by: KJT
Chapter 4
Tuesday, December 6, 2005
Crime Lab – Nick's Office
10:03 pm
"Nicky…" Carrie raced into her fiancé's office and shut the door. When he looked up, she anxiously asked, "Why didn't you tell me that Tawny went to the hospital? When I was leaving Jim's office, I heard two people talking about her in the hall. I don't want to hear from strangers that one of my best friends going into pre-term labor."
Lifting his eyes from the mound of paperwork on his desk, Nick quietly replied, "Sorry, Sweetheart, but Tawny asked me not to tell you until they knew more, because she didn't want to bring back bad memories of losin' our baby."
"Oh." She dropped into a guest chair. "That was really sweet of her to think of me when she was under duress."
"Yeah, I thought the same thing."
"I called Greg, but he didn't answer."
"I left two voicemails." Holding up his empty coffee mug, he redirected his fiancée's thoughts, "Hey, how about I take you across the street for one of those frou-frou coffees you love so much?"
"I could use the caffeine before I head home and start working." She jumped to her feet. "How late are you working tonight?"
"I was gonna try and make it 'til one, because I have a lot to catch up on before our three-day birthday weekend."
"One birthday hint."
"One kiss at Starbucks and I might be persuaded to drop a clue or two." Winking, he opened the door for her.
"Then I'll definitely be puckering up." Walking down the hall at Nick's side, Carrie asked, "Even though I'm not supposed to know she's there, I really want to stop at the hospital and check on Tawny."
Desert Palms Hospital
10:14 pm
"Thanks for stopping by." Standing in the hall outside Tawny's room, Scott Sanders hugged Becca. "Things haven't gotten worse, but they haven't improved either."
"I'm sure things will change for the better any minute now."
"Greg really needs to take five, but he won't leave the room. I thought if you were here, he might go for a walk with you. Hang out here while I try to convince him, okay?"
"Of course." Upon receiving Scott's frantic call, Becca had left Drew's, where she and Tony had been discussing The Jamal Jones Community Center. Although her husband wanted to accompany her, Becca asked him to stay behind, because she didn't want Greg to feel pressured to stay tough.
"Hey, thanks for coming, Becks." Greg cleared his throat. "Where's Tony?"
"I told him I wanted to come alone."
A sigh of relief later, Greg said, "So, uh…my dad said he gave you all the details."
"Everything will be fine, the babies are going to be perfectly healthy."
"We don't know that yet."
"I do." She clasped his hand. "Do you remember how your psychic grandmother said I too had the gift?"
"Uh," running his fingers through his unkempt hair, Greg replied, "You mean that time we were at her house going through my grandfather's old stuff?"
"Right!" Becca threw her arms around him. "Today I had a vision, the most wonderful, marvelous vision! It was Bella's ninth birthday, and Haleigh and Heidi were there looking vibrant and beautiful."
"Becks..." He was too drained to cope with his friend's hysteria. "Sorry, it's just that I'm exhausted and…"
"You don't believe me." She stepped out of the embrace. "I'm serious, Hoj! I saw the future."
"Did you stop your meds again?"
"No!" She dropped her hands on his shoulders, giving him a shake. "I have proof! I was telling Tony about my vision while we were waiting to be called back for our ultrasound. I also saw that I had a son, Zack. He asked me 'How old was Zack?' You know, he wanted to know if we had the boy or the girl first." She tossed her arms in the air. "I said 'That's funny, I don't know. Zack seemed the same size as Bella and his best buddy was nine year old Kyle Stokes'. I didn't think anything of it, but when we had our ultrasound, we found out we're having twins!"
"Really?" For a moment, Greg got caught up in his friend's glee and forgot his problems. "Congrats."
"Don't you get it?! In my vision, Bella and Zack looked the same age, because they are the same age. They're twins and I have a psychic gift. I didn't curse Marlene to get hit by a bus or die at the banquet, that was just me seeing the future without knowing I was seeing the future. I said those things because in my mind, I knew they were going to happen." With a smile she added, "Apparently, I'm a blurting psychic."
"I…"
"Haleigh and Heidi will be alive and well at Bella and Zack's ninth birthday bash. They're going to take turns riding Bella's new horse, Barnum, and later on, they're going to bicker over who picked out the better gift. I hear them arguing in my head, Hoj, I swear. It's not just wishful thinking, it's me embracing the gift your grandmother saw in me. Please, you have to believe me."
"Well…" In need of a straw to grasp, Greg embraced the idea. "My Nana Olaf did predict I'd get a stripper pregnant if I moved to Vegas, so why shouldn't I believe what she said about you, right?"
"Exactly!"
"Why is Bella's horse named Barnum?" he asked, intrigued by the level of detail in Becca's supposed vision.
"Because she loves the circus. Tony took her when she was three and has every year since." Becca's hands flew to her mouth. "That just rolled off my tongue. Oh, Hoj…I'm so totally psychic."
"I believe you, Becks." Hugging her tight, he closed his eyes and grasped the straw a little tighter. "What color eyes do my little girls have?"
"Beautiful brown ones, just like their daddy. They have Tawny's hair and petite build, but your adorable smile. I hope my babies have their daddy's sweet smile," she chuckled, "but my nose."
"I don't blame you there." Greg released her. "I can't believe you're having twins too."
"They're our second chance babies," she sighed. "The one I didn't get to have in college, and the one that died when Tony's high school girlfriend was murdered. Oops, you never heard that part about Tony's girlfriend, that's a big time secret."
"You're a blurting psychic and a blurting wife."
Clutching Greg's hand, Becca enthusiastically suggested, "How about I buy you a drink in the cafeteria and tell you the rest of my vision?"
Soothed by his friend's presence, he nodded, "I hope they have tequila shooters."
"Considering how spent you look, one drink and I'm sure you'd pass out cold."
Mike and Lissa's
10:22 pm
With his wife knocked out in bed next to him, Mike swallowed his Percoset and fluffed a pillow. "Finally some friggin' peace and quiet." Glancing over at Lissa's naked body, he grinned. "Looks like I got the dosing right. You stayed conscious just long enough to ride me into ecstasy, and then you graciously passed out. Married life doesn't get better than that."
Flicking on the TV, the happy husband asked his drugged wife, "If it's alright with you, Lissa Dear, I'm going to watch a little porn. Oh, and don't worry, if I get a little wound up, I'll just help myself to your body. I'm looking forward to doing you when you're unconscious, because I won't have to listen to you. No offense, but your bedroom noises are as awful as your technique." As he stood, Mike smacked his wife's naked ass. "The Texan must have gotten off on banging a supermodel, because you suck at sex. Actually, I guess 'don't suck' is more accurate." Walking to retrieve a DVD from his hardcore collection, he sighed, "Poor ol' rich Drew."
Drew's Home Office
10:26 pm
"Do you think she'll like the ring?" Drew asked Tony as he returned the Tiffany box to his wall safe. "It only cost ten grand, and I don't want her to think I'm cheap, but it seemed right for her."
"She's gonna love it, and your proposal idea is great too." They were on a break from discussing the Community Center and obsessing over the day's tragedy. "I'll never forget the look on Becca's face when she saw hers. I had the bellman deliver a vase of red roses to our hotel room in San Diego. The box was hidden in between stems. With all her money, I thought that getting a diamond ring wouldn't be that exciting, but she went nuts."
"Isn't it hard bein' married to someone with more money than you? I know I'd hate it." Drew pulled two beers from the small fridge in the corner of his office. "Your wife just wrote BPAC a check for three million dollars and you make what…seventy, eighty grand a year?"
"Eighty-five, thank you very much." Tony rolled his eyes while accepting the Heineken. "Not everyone measures their worth by salary alone, but to answer your tacky question…it's been difficult, particularly with my brothers, because they don't have a lot of cash and suddenly I'm driving a Ferrari Spider and living in a McMansion." After a swig, he shared, "Until this evening, I had no idea how wealthy Becks actually was. She told me she was worth ten mil. Ten mil intimidated the hell out of me, but I love her, and I was getting comfortable with it. I lied to my family though, I told them she was worth four. Four made them squirm, so thank Christ I didn't tell them ten."
"How much is she really worth?" Drew asked as he kicked up his feet on the desk.
"Thirty-eight."
"Noooo. Seriously?"
"Yep." Tony gulped down half a bottle before explaining, "She told me about her money from the divorce, her trust fund, and her earnings from working and investments, but didn't mention that she was the sole heir to her grandfather's fortune. Her ex-husband never knew either. She didn't tell him, because she didn't trust him. She didn't tell me, because she was afraid it would scare me off, which it definitely would have. Greg knew, but he didn't tell me. The money's hidden, how ever you rich people do that…special accounts, overseas, I don't know."
"So it's not in your pre-nup then?"
"We don't have a pre-nup."
"Holy hell," Drew's laughter filled the room. "We all know your wife is a little crazy, but damn. She's lucky you're an honest guy."
"Are you going to make Marta sign a pre-nup?"
Drew instantly sobered. "My lawyer wants me to. He already drafted the damn thing. I've been obsessing over it since he delivered it this morning."
"Don't you think she'll be offended?"
"Would you have married Becca if she made you sign a pre-nup?"
"No," Tony answered after his latest sip. "It would have made it feel like a business transaction."
Drew couldn't resist, "As opposed to spontaneous insanity."
"As opposed to being romantic, asshole." A smile blooming on Tony's face, he said, "No matter how crazy our wedding night was, Becks and I can look back and say it was about two people taking the plunge because they felt undeniable chemistry and wanted to spend the rest of their lives making each other happy. If you make Marta sign a pre-nup, the two of you won't be able to look back and say the same. You'll know you entered into marriage with a plan in place for when it ended. That's incredibly unromantic."
"If I hadn't had a pre-nup with Lissa, my kids would be livin' under a murderer's roof half the time and she'd have half my assets. That's incredibly scary, so…"
"Hey, if you believe Marta is no better than Lissa, then why the hell are you marrying her, man?"
"That's a very good point." Drew smirked. "I said my lawyer wants me to have her sign it." He reached into his desk drawer, retrieved the document and ripped it in four pieces. "I'm goin' balls out this time around."
"Good choice." Tony raised his beer. "What better motivation is there to make your marriage work than to know you'll lose millions, right? Maybe that'll force you to take it seriously and not run around town banging twenty-one year old strippers." He laughed, "That was in retaliation for asking me how much I make."
Returning the laughter, Drew grabbed his beer. "Yeah, I deserved that."
"I'm a seasoned Detective, remember? I can read people. Marta's not a player."
The fiancé-to-be breathed a little easier. "Thanks, I feel much better after talking this through with you."
"Glad I could help." Tony shrugged. "Then again, I didn't know my sister-in-law was secretly in love with me, so when it comes to women…what the hell do I know?"
Desert Palms Hospital – Ante Partum Room
10:51 pm
"We don't know if the labor will stop," Scott whispered to Carrie at the door to Tawny's room. "Magnesium is nasty. She's weak and her vision is blurred, but I know she'll be happy you're here for her." He stepped to the side. "Tawny, you have a visitor. I'm going to grab a cup of coffee and come right back."
"It's Carrie, Sweetie." The worried friend walked to the edge of the bed and took Tawny's limp hand.
"I didn't…"
"I know. Nicky didn't tell me, I overheard some women when I was at the lab. Thank you for thinking of me, but please…I'm tough and I want to be here to support you, okay?"
"Thank you." When she opened her eyes, Tawny immediately got dizzy and snapped them shut. "Greg's with Becca. He's so worried."
"Because he loves you." Carrie stroked her friend's hair. "It's hard to see someone you love suffering in the hospital."
"I'm scared." Tawny smacked her dry lips. "All this way to lose them."
Knowing first hand that all pregnancies didn't have happy endings, it was hard to feel positive, but Carrie forced a sunny tone. "The doctors here know what they're doing. They'll be able to stop labor."
"I don't deserve babies," Tawny rambled. "You do. Not me. I'm a terrible person. I was trying to trap him."
"Oh, Honey…that's just the medication making you say crazy things." Carrie sweetly chuckled, "No offense, but Greg's not the type of guy a girl tries to trap."
"No…Drew, I was trying to trap Drew." Tears slipped from Tawny's closed eyes. "That's why I was off the pill in July when I slept with Greg. Drew didn't know what he was doing at the party because I had my friend doctor his drink. He never would have had unprotected sex if…I'm such a bad person, Carrie. Greg told me he had a trust fund. I was so desperate, I had sex with a stranger hoping I'd get pregnant. Then I did and he really didn't have any money, but he was so sweet and I wanted to love him, and now I do love him, but don't you see…this is it, this is me paying for all that. Bad people always get their comeuppance. Look at my mother. She got hers. Like mother like daughter. This is it, my babies are going to die."
"Honey, please." Carrie cupped her friend's face. "Listen to me. Innocent babies are not punished for what their parents did wrong. You're in pre-term labor because you have a medical issue going on and that's it. Stressing out over something that's in the past isn't going to help your condition. What's done is done. It doesn't matter how you got pregnant, or why you slept with Greg in the first place. What matters is that you love each other now and want these babies. That's it. And I don't believe for a second that you're any more or less deserving of children than me, so please never say that again."
"Really?" Tawny squeaked.
"Absolutely. You're going to be a terrific mother to these little girls." Wiping her friend's tears, Carrie whispered, "They can't wait to meet you, that's why they're trying to get out early. You've been talking and reading to them, putting headphones on your belly so they can hear music. They know they have a fantastic life waiting for them on the outside, and unfortunately…they've inherited their father's hyperness. Just like he couldn't wait to be with you that first night you were together, these girls can't wait to see their mommy." Crying with Tawny, she leaned over and spoke directly to girls. "Haleigh and Heidi, you have to believe us when we say that it will be much more fun for you to come out in a few months when you can go home to your beautiful nursery and be spoiled by your mommy, daddy, grandpa and Aunt Carrie. I know it's hard to wait, because we're counting the minutes until we see you too, but we all have to be patient and wait for you to grow a little more. Are you listening, girls?"
"They kicked," Tawny cried, wishing it was as simple as willing the babies to stay put. "Seriously."
"I felt them."
"Keep talking. Use your persuasive lawyer skills."
Chuckling through her tears, she announced, "Attention, hyper babies! This is Assistant District Attorney Caroline Blake."
Steve Ogden's Home
11:08 pm
After working on his opening statement for two hours straight, Steve glanced up from his papers and rested his gaze on the new photo of Carrie he had framed on his desk. "This is going to be a rough trial."
Sitting back in his chair, he smiled, "Thank you, Caroline." He could always count on her smile to boost his confidence. "How about we call it a night?"
Standing up, he clicked off his antique desk lamp and held out his hand, wishing she were there to take clasp it like his loving wife used to as they retired for evening. One day it would be real, but for now he would have to be content with being friends by day and a couple in his dreams. "I'm tired too." Luckily, patience was a virtue he had in spades.
"I bought your favorite muffins for breakfast," he announced while flicking on the bedroom light. Smiling at her 8x10 photo, which was poised on the pillow next to his, he said, "You won't have to thank me for rescuing you from your life. I love you, Caroline. I'd do anything for you." Shedding his clothes, he reminisced, "I fell in love with you the first day I met you. If only Stokes hadn't tempted you into a relationship before you met me, we'd already be living our happily ever after." He firmly believed that God had taken the baby she had sinfully made with Nick so she would be free to eventually marry and have children with him. "We'll be together very soon, I can feel it."
Sitting on the edge of the bed, he softly said, "With your abusive past it's probably very difficult to stand up to your fiancé and tell him you don't want to marry him. I understand that, I do. But he's not worthy of you, we both know that. Just say the word, and I'll step in. I'll take you away if it's too uncomfortable here. I know just where we can go to live a simple, Godly life together. Once you join The Church, we'll be sealed in marriage and begin our family. After that life, we'll have all of eternity together in the Celestial Kingdom along with my first wife. You'll love her like a sister, you'll see." He lowered his head as tears formed. "Heavenly Father, please guide Caroline to open her eyes and choose the right."
Wednesday, December 7, 2005
Desert Palms Hospital – Ante Partum Room
5:41 am
Opening her eyes, Tawny struggled to speak, "Really? Labor stopped?" Waking from a heavy slumber, she wasn't sure if it was a dream.
"That's what the doctor said when she was here!" Greg cheered, his cheeks damp with tears. Only five hours before, the doctor was preparing them for the worst case scenario. "Your cervix is holding at two and you haven't had a contraction in ninety minutes."
"The babies are doing great too, Sweetheart." Scott kissed his daughter-in-law's hand. "Their heartbeats are strong."
"Carrie?" Unable to see, Tawny cried for her friend.
"I'm right here, Honey." Carrie stepped forward, brushing her tears. "I promised you I would talk to those little girls all night and I did."
Greg laughed, "ADA Blake, since our daughters listen to you, we're definitely going to ask you to lecture them about the dangers of sex before marriage when the time comes."
"It won't help," Becca blurted from her spot in the corner of the room. "Haleigh gives it up to Zack on prom night while Heidi is making out with Kyle Stokes. Wait!" Her hands rushed to her head, and after a moment of silence she excitedly shared, "It's okay! I see a condom wrapper."
High Roller Motel
7:14 am
"I found a used condom in the bathroom," Sofia remarked while dangling an evidence envelope in front of Nick. "Still juicy."
"Are you tryin' to make me lose my breakfast?" He rubbed his belly.
"Hey, you're the one who insisted on stuffing his face before work," she laughed. "I can't believe you ate two massive burritos." They had bumped into each other while jogging through their neighborhood park and when Nick mentioned he was starving, she extended a breakfast invitation at her new place.
"I couldn't help it," he chuckled with her. "I haven't had a home cooked meal since Thanksgiving." If he had been thinking with his head, not his stomach, he would have declined the invite.
"Stokes, I'm going to be highly suspicious if you suddenly show up on my jogging trail every morning."
"Well you're rentin' a place on the other side of the park from where I live, so it could be coincidence, not your eggs. Vartann moved into my brother's neighborhood. Some days I'm gonna run with them, but if I'm short on time, you'll see me in my own neighborhood."
"Does Carrie run?"
"Only if there's a shoe sale at the mall." After laughing at his own joke, Nick clarified, "She likes to release her job stress in aerobic kickboxin' class at the gym."
"Bummer for you," Sofia smirked, referring to Nick's preference for releasing job tension in bed. "Before I finish processing the bathroom, I'll step outside and ask Jas to run this back to the lab."
"Sounds good." Crossing the room, Nick stood in front of the DB, a thirty-nine year old male from Gilbert, Arizona, and asked, "See anything odd, Super Dave?"
"You and Sofia flirting." The Coroner glanced up shaking his head. "Oh, you meant in regards to the DB, didn't you?"
"That wasn't flirting," Nick snapped. "We're good friends, and I'm more than a little offended that you'd accuse me of disrespectin' my fiancée."
"I'm really sorry." Feeling terrible, David backpedaled, "The baby is colicky and has my wife and I up all night. I'm slaphappy." He recalled the story of the Stokes brothers nearly fighting to the death at The Tempest. "I hope you'll forgive me…and not punch me."
"Gimme a break. I'm not gonna punch ya." Nick rolled his eyes.
"Wanna play 'Guess the COD'?" the coroner asked to lighten the mood.
"Twenty bucks."
"Hey," Vartann ducked under the tape. "The wife confirmed her husband was out here for the Optometrist convention."
"SuperDave and I were just about to play a round of 'Guess the COD' for twenty." Nick pointed at the detective, "You in?"
"Yeah. My money is on 'Embarrassed to Death'." Tony snarked, "It doesn't get more humiliating than paying for sex in this shit hole."
"How do you know he paid for it?" David queried.
"What woman would come here for free?"
"Come here for free," Nick high-fived his buddy. "Good one. Okay, my COD guess is drugs."
"We'll see what Tox has to say about that," the coroner replied, "but my guess is coronary episode, no illegal substances."
"Really?" Vartann found the answer surprising. "Thirty-nine with an athletic build…that would be unusual."
Nick embellished his answer, "I think the chick he paid gave him something and he didn't handle it well."
"While you're waiting for DNA, I wouldn't exclusively question the working girls in the hood." David pointed at the dead man's posterior. "I'm no expert, but it would appear someone might have gone in the backdoor. Note the bruises on the hips, he was being gripped very tightly from behind."
"Looks like the person gripping him had long nails." After a quick inspection, Nick said, "I think it was a woman wearin' a strap-on."
David glanced up at the vastly experienced ladies men. "That's not something most men enjoy, right?"
Nick and Tony exchanged glances and silently agreed to have a little fun with the conservative coroner.
"You mean you've never let your wife…"
"Gosh no!" His face burning to a bright red, David defended her honor, "She would never want to do something like that."
"Are you sure?" Tony pushed out a labored sigh, "I think you're wrong, because I've never met one who doesn't love it. You know…they groove on all that role reversal shit. It makes them feel powerful. That's why Lady Heather's Dominion is so popular. Am I right, Stokes?"
"Hell yeah, it's like their favorite thing. Seriously, if your wife isn't asking to let her give it to you, I'd worry."
"Worry?" Beads of sweat formed on David's head. "Worry about what?"
"That she thinks your sex life sucks," Tony huffed. "Trust me, I can tell you from first hand experience that when your wife is secretly craving something that she's too afraid to ask you to do…your marriage is doomed to fail. She's probably bitching to all her girlfriends that you don't let her pound you."
"Uh." The man who believed missionary with the lights on was risqué, quietly asked, "You mean even Carrie likes to…"
"Big time." Nick whispered, "If she calls me to say a male lawyer or judge is giving her a hard time in court, I know for sure I'll be bending over that night."
"It's not too late to save your marriage." Tony handed over a piece of paper. "Stop at that adult store on the way home tonight and ask for the Vac-U-Lock starter kit."
"And lube," Nick added with a shudder. "Lots of it."
"I uh…need to get something from the van." David made a bee line for the door.
"We're terrible," Tony stated as he laughed.
"Awful."
"We're on a bullet train to hell, man."
Nick nodded in agreement. "I loved every minute of it."
"Me too. Are you going to tell him you're lying?"
"Lyin' about what?" Nick asked with a poker face.
"That it's not really Carrie behind you in your twisted fantasies, it's Sanders."
"There goes my breakfast."
Desert Palms Hosptial – Ante Partum Room
7:30 am
"Her breakfast is stayin' down," Greg reported to Tawny's doctor when she stopped by on rounds. "She's still having problems with her vision, but she's been making more sense and is able to move easier."
Tawny loved hearing Greg taking care of her. "When can I go home, Doc?" she asked, hoping the answer was 'right now'.
"If your contractions don't return, I'll take you off the Mag tomorrow. If you remain stable on Terbutaline, I'll let you go home when you hit twenty-eight weeks."
"That's almost two weeks!" Tawny protested.
"Keeping you in here two weeks will prevent your babies spending months in the NICU. If you don't believe the precautionary measures are worth it, I'll ask a mom visiting her one pound baby to come down here and scare the living crap out of you."
"Hospital's good, thanks."
"I thought you'd change your mind." After a wink, the doctor left the room.
"Good choice, Princess." Greg squeezed his wife's hand. "I went up to the NICU last night with Becca, it's scared the hell out of me. There's one baby up there that actually fits into the palm of her father's hand."
Imitating Becca, Tawny replied, "Staying!"
Crime Lab – Grissom's Office
7:51 am
"I'm stuck here for the duration of my pregnancy," Sara huffed when she forcefully shut the door to her husband's office. "I'm grounded. Nick grounded me. Does the control freak think I'm too irresponsible to know what I can and can't do in the field? Can you believe him?!"
"Well…" Removing his glasses, Gil quietly replied, "Department policy states that a supervisor has that option. With the recent violence in the field, I'm sure Nick felt it was warranted. He's not in violation of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, if that's what you're wondering."
"Oh! You told him to ground me, didn't you?" She hated that the realization just hit her. "It wasn't Nick coming up with this out of the blue, it was you telling him to mandate I stay out of the field before my third trimester begins. Admit it!"
"I might have mentioned that I'd kill him if anything happened to you or our unborn son, yes." Shrugging, he added, "I didn't think I was capable of Neanderthal behavior, but I was pleasantly surprised to find I have a natural gift."
"Okay, Caveman." She stuffed her hands on her ever-widening hips. "Why not just ask me to stop working field assignments?"
"And make my life hell?" Gil chuckled. "Nah, I'd much rather Nicky take the heat."
"I really loathe you right now," she said through a smile.
"I'll let Flash have my side of the bed and take the dog house."
"We don't have a dog house."
"Lucky for me." Gil smiled, "Did you get a message from Greg?"
"Yes."
Gil pointed at his wife. "You love me for worrying about that baby."
"Shut up." She headed for the door.
"You do!"
She plugged her ears as she walked out. "I can't hear you!"
High Roller Motel
8:08 am
"What did you just say, Stokes?" Sofia's face flushed red. "Who did you ask to run the Community Center?"
"Irving." Nick stopped lifting prints. "I can't think of anyone more qualified. His knowledge of gang behavior and athletics, combined with his extensive volunteer experience with at-risk kids makes him the ideal candidate. Not to mention he's huge and won't be scared to work in the hood. Why? Is there a problem with me offerin' him the job?"
"Yes, there's a problem!" she blasted. "I move out of his apartment and you offer him a job. I can't believe you'd take his side."
David clamped his lips tight so he wouldn't blurt the thoughts popping up into his mind.
"Hold up." Nick asked in confusion, "How can there be sides if you two aren't in a fight? I thought you just weren't ready to live with someone yet? I thought it was an amicable split."
"Giving him a job is like you saying 'I think Sofia was a total bitch to you', which I'm sure is easy for you to believe."
"What?" Nick laughed. "How the hell did you come up with that?"
"Don't laugh at me, Stokes. You didn't like when I laughed at your quirky behavior one night, did you? No, so don't laugh at mine. I can't believe you." Miffed by the slight, she stomped out the door. "I can't believe I made you breakfast!"
Thoroughly confused, Nick yelled at her back, "Ever since that bump on the head, you've been acting crazy!"
LVPD – North Trop Station
9:29 am
"I'm not crazy!" Becca yelled at the bookish receptionist. "I'm Mrs. Lieutenant Tony Vartann and I want to see my husband." Waving her cell phone, she explained, "I tried calling, but he's not answering."
"Hey, Mrs. Vartann," Officer McNicholl nodded at the loon he had met during an altercation between her and a construction worker outside a nail salon. "How are you?"
"Agitated!"
The officer kept on walking, hoping to escape any further interaction with the nutcase.
"You really are Vartann's wife?" the receptionist said in surprise. "Sorry, I just got back from medical leave, so I'm a little behind. I'll page him for you."
"Thank you." Becca grabbed a seat in the waiting area. "Jeeeeez, you people need some new magazines. There's nothing feminine."
"People usually aren't looking to read fashion magazines when they come into the station." The receptionist rolled her eyes at the priss.
"Becks?" Tony hurried over to his wife. "What's going on? Why are you here?" He crouched down in front of her. "Is it the babies?"
"It's Zack," she replied in a hush. "He's going to have sex with Haleigh Sanders on prom night."
"Huh?"
"I had another vision, and you wouldn't answer your phone, so I stopped here on the way home from the hospital to see if I could talk to you."
"Jesus, Becks." He clutched his chest. "I thought something was wrong with the babies."
"No." She patted her belly. "They're fine, but that son of yours…"
"Since he's not even born yet, do you think we can wait and talk about this when I get home tonight?" After kissing her hand, he whispered, "I was in a meeting with my boss, Honey."
"Oh. I'm really sorry for bothering you." Suddenly she realized just how insane she sounded. "Actually, uh…I just missed seeing you off this morning. You have a dangerous job, so I always want a hug before you go out the front door to serve and protect the people. May I have one?"
Standing, he pulled Becca to her feet. "You may always have one." Knowing the snarky receptionist was rolling her eyes at the public display, Tony embraced his wife. "I love you, Honey. Have a great day."
"I love you too." Reluctantly she stepped away. "I'm still a little tense from yesterday's drama, and I didn't get to work away my tension at the gym."
The Training Zone
10:02 am
"Hey, Nick," Irving gripped his cell a little tighter. "I've been thinking about the offer you made me last night. I'd love the job."
"Seriously?"
Taking a seat on a weight bench, the former gang member explained, "I've enjoyed training, and I like studying to be a Physician's Assistant and the concept of being one, but it's not my calling. Helping kids have a shot at the future is where I'm meant to be. Running the after school sports program at the Boys and Girls Club and volunteering as a Big Brother have been the most fulfilling things I've ever done in my life. Running the BPAC Community Center will give me the chance to help thousands of kids in my lifetime."
"I'm certainly hopin' that's the case."
"I would have died twenty years ago if I didn't have help getting out of the gang lifestyle. I owe it to these kids to give them the same chance."
"Welcome to BPAC, Irving. You won't regret your decision."
BPAC Offices
10:13 am
"You'll regret it," Mike Rodgers warned Drew as he stood in the man's office. "Kids who have bad relationships with their mothers grow up fucked in the head." He glanced at Becca, who was standing guard in the doorway. "You know I'm right. You hate your Mommy and you're certifiable."
"As much as I hate to admit it…he's right about that." Becca stepped over to Drew's desk. "It would be better for your kids if they didn't have an adversarial relationship with Lissa." Then she glared at Mike. "But that doesn't mean I think they should sit on their stepfather's lap for story time."
Turning on his most sympathetic voice, Mike said, "I understand that you're suspicious of my motives, Stokes. I was a jerk to you when Nick was in the hospital, but you have to understand my position that night…you all were acting like ungracious assholes after I risked my life to save your brother's. Who wouldn't have been pissed off in that scenario?"
Becca bit her tongue so she wouldn't side with the bad guy again.
"I also understand that your brother and his cronies have scared you to death about me, that's why I have no intention of going anywhere near your children when they're spending time with Lissa. All I want is for her to a have a positive relationship with them instead of being painted like an evil monster."
"She is an evil monster," Drew snapped. "She was callin' our little girl fat. You think not havin' a relationship with their mother is detrimental, but I think havin' one with a mentally abusive mother is worse."
"Agreeing!" Becca raised her hand. "Now that I think about it, I don't hate my mommy because she was absent seventy-five percent of the time, I hate her because she when she was there, she was mentally abusing me. Not having a mom is sad for a kid, but having one around that makes you feel like shit about yourself ruins a kid's life and hurts their chances of having healthy relationships with other people. It also makes a kid grow up and be hurtful to other people, because being abusive is all they know."
"The visits can be supervised until you're comfortable that Lissa has changed her way." Mike made one final plea, "If you agree to the increased visitation, then I'll call off Schultz and Lissa won't sue for part-time custody."
"Why the hell is this important to you?" Drew asked in a huff.
"Lissa grew up with an abusive mother. As a result of that, she's damaged. Her spirit is broken and I'm trying to mend it. You may hate her, but I'm falling in love with her, and when you love a broken person, you want to do anything and everything you can to fix them." Looking at Becca, Mike smiled, "I'm sure your husband knows exactly how I feel."
Drew stood and barked his final answer, "No deal! Now get the hell out of my office and don't come back here again."
"Fine." Mike stepped into the hall. "I hope you enjoy explaining to Cassie that your stubbornness is the reason she had to start sleeping at her Stepfather's house every other week."
"Out! God dammit!" Drew launched a book at the bastard's head.
Mike laughed at the move. "Throwing shit at a cop recovering from a bullet wound? Mental instability is going to be as easy to prove as your immorality. Did I mention that Schultz went to Iowa to meet with Marta's parents? They're going to make wonderful character witnesses. Mr. Mueller is prepared testify that there was sex and underage drinking going on under your roof during a family Thanksgiving party, and that you were bragging about supporting homosexuality and sex before marriage. What color should I paint Cassie's new bedroom?"
"Don't!" Becca shrieked when Drew rushed around his desk. "He wants you to hit him!" When her boss froze in his tracks, she calmly said, "Officer Rodgers, stop being a dick and go. If you don't, I'll have you arrested for trespassing, which will cost you your job."
"It's a sad day when the crazy chick is the voice of reason." Grinning, Mike strolled toward the door. "Leaving!"
Desert Palms Hospital
12:47 pm
"I'm not going anywhere for a while," Tawny informed Sara, who had stopped by for a visit on her lunch hour. "The girls and I are just gonna chill out and listen to TV. Hopefully after I'm off this Magnesium stuff I'll be able to focus my eyes and watch it too…and read. Carrie and Becca were taking turns reading celebrity gossip to me and Scott is at Barnes and Noble getting some of my favorite DVDs. If I know the movie by heart, it's not as important to see it on the screen."
"If you need anything else, let me know and I'll bring it by after work."
"Thanks. So, tell me…are you excited about having a boy?"
"Yep, I'm more than happy to let you, Carrie, and Becca have all the girly girls." Sara patted her bulging belly. "Gil and I are perfectly content with a bug-loving boy. At least, we hope he'll love bugs."
"He's going to be a total bug freak like his father. Little Owen is going to put a cricket down the back of Heidi's shirt at the park when he's five."
"What?" Sara figured the drugs were making her friend spacey.
"Haven't you heard? Becca has psychic powers."
"You mean psycho, right?" After a shared chuckled, Sara apologized, "Sorry, that was terribly catty."
"As well as funny and slightly true. But who isn't without a personality quirk among us, right? Becca wouldn't be fun to have around if she was boring and normal."
LVPD – North Trop Station Receptionist Desk
1:03 pm
"I have a delivery," announced Hoss Stevens, a scruffy two hundred and eight pound courier, as he stood in front of the mousy woman behind the counter.
"For who?"
"It says on my routing sheet 'the bitchy receptionist'." Smiling, he added, "That's a quote, not my opinion. Sign here."
"What am I signing for?"
"Fifty magazines. I'm supposed to fan them out on the tables for you too."
"Magazines?" When she saw copies of Seventeen and InStyle it was obvious who had sent them. "Whatever." Afraid she would piss off Vartann if she rejected his wife's donation, she signed off on the receipt.
"I also have four plants, a small tree and a Feng Shui fountain." He handed over another receipt. "Sign at the 'x'."
"Fine! But it's not in my job description to water plants, so tell her she better get her husband to take care of them."
"Lastly." The courier presented a small Godiva shopping bag. "This is for you." He held up an envelope. "I'm supposed to read you the card." He cleared his throat. "Roses are red, violets are blue, chocolate is good for PMS." Dropping the bag on the counter, he laughed, "I'll be right back with the rest of the delivery."
Carrie Blake's Office
2:16 pm
"Lunch delivery." Steve held up a plastic bag from Chen's. "I hope I got your favorites right. Chicken Fried Rice and a spring roll?"
"Yes!" Starving, Carrie leapt out of her chair. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
The joy in her eyes overwhelmed him, "You're very welcome."
"How much do I owe you?"
"It's my treat." Sheepishly, Steve explained, "It's to thank you for your compassion yesterday when I was having a moment about my wife."
"Aww." Carrie flashed a smile. "That's what friends are for. If I had to buy lunch every time a friend helped me through a bad moment, I'd be broke."
He adored her sweet laugh. "Understood." Steve held up his bag of food. "I'll be in my office if you…"
"Why don't you eat with me?" Carrie took her bag over to the small conference table. "We can run cases."
"Okay." Thrilled by the offer, he strolled to the table on air. "Did you see the email on the two-day DA conference being held in LA this month?"
"No, did we just get it?" She stopped to savor the aroma of her food.
"Yes. The boss is sending me, but I can choose one other colleague. I haven't heard back from anyone yet. Tessa Steinway is one of the speakers and…"
"Oh!" Carrie lowered her fork. "Tessa Steinway is one of my DA idols!"
"I thought I remembered you mentioned her lecturing in Seattle. Hey, if you want to go…"
"I'd love to go!"
"Then I choose you," he replied, masking his glee. "I'll have my secretary make the reservations this afternoon."
Carrie giggled into her Chinese food container. "And after work I'll stop and buy a new suit to wear in front of my idol."
When Nick entered the office, he was surprised to see his fiancée eating and laughing with Ogden. "Hey, Darlin'. The door was open, so I didn't knock. I hope I'm not interruptin'."
"Nicky!" She mindlessly jumped up with her spring roll in her hand.
"Hello, Nick," Steve managed to choke out.
The CSI gave a gentlemanly nod. "How are ya, Steve?" Not that I care.
"Fine, thanks."
"Are you hungry, Nicky?"
"Yeah, I had to come here for a meeting, and I thought I'd see if you had eaten yet."
"Here." Carrie presented her spring roll for a bite. "My favorite Chinese food and my favorite man all in the same hour. It must be my birthday week."
Steve's bliss snapped into irritation when he saw Nick biting the spring roll he had purchased for Carrie to enjoy. It took all his willpower to politely say, "I'll let the two of you visit. I should really be prepping for trial anyway."
"Thanks again for the lunch." Carrie waved, "And for the conference invitation."
Steve rushed out, certain he'd vomit Lo Mein if he delayed his departure. "I'll see you later." He couldn't wait for LA. Certainly once Carrie was away from Nick, his influence over her would disappear and Carrie would wake up and return her engagement ring.
"What conference?" Nick asked after a second bit of spring roll.
"A DA conference in LA this month."
"So you fly over for the day and…"
"Two days." She pecked her fiancé's lips, which were shiny from the greasy spring roll. "Don't worry, I promise not to shop on Rodeo Drive this time."
"You're spendin' the night in LA with Ogden." Nick gave an anxious laugh. "Wow…I really hate the sound of that."
"Nicky." Her smiling fading, she snipped, "Not this again. Steve Ogden has zero romantic interest in me, because he's hardly the type of guy who hits on engaged women. Besides that, he's a devout Mormon and I'm not. When he remarries, it will be to someone of his faith."
After shutting and locking the door, he heatedly said, "I can't help it, Darlin'. He gives me the creeps! I come in here and he's bought you lunch, is making you laugh, and has invited you on a trip to LA. It makes me uncomfortable to know my fiancée is hanging out with another man who, in spite of what you think, is crushin' on you. You really shouldn't…"
"Are you serious?!" Carrie laughed at the insanity. "You were alone at your ex-lover's new place eating breakfast this morning, but I can't have lunch with my co-worker in my office with the door wide open without you flying off the handle? Do you have any idea how unreasonable you sound?! I didn't bat an eye when you told me Sofia made you an omelet this morning, which had to be a trip down memory lane because…"
"Burrito!"
"What?!" She stuffed her hands on her hips.
"I didn't have an omelet at Sofia's, I had a burrito. When I question people, if their story details change, it's a red flag that they're lyin' to me. I intentionally try to trip people up by changin' elements of their story to see if they'll correct me! I told you I ate a burrito, so I corrected you."
"Oh."
"I can't believe you said omelet to trick me!"
"What? I didn't! I said omelet because I forgot it was a burrito!"
"Oh, so you just weren't payin' attention to me this mornin' when I was talkin' to you."
"Yes!" Then she realized what she said, "No! I was paying attention to you, I just…I…I can't believe we're having this totally ridiculous argument, that's what I can't believe."
"Me either."
Laughing at themselves and each other, the tension dissipated.
"Sorry," they chimed.
"I have an idea." Nick pointed to the door. "Wanna take a walk and talk?"
After a quick check of her watch, Carrie nodded, "I have thirty minutes." When he turned to open the door, she grabbed his hand. "Kiss me, Stokes!"
"Your wish is my command."
Lady Heather's Dominion
2:31 pm
Standing in her office, Heather shrilled at the Vice detective, "I'm sick and tired of hearing the same broken record from you."
"This time we received several anonymous tips claiming that drug trafficking and prostitution are regular occurrences at the Dominion."
"Conservatives who don't understand what we do here are always trying to bring us down."
"These tips were very specific," replied Detective Hewitt, "and then they were substantiated by someone under your employ." He held up a warrant. "That's why I was able to get this."
"Who?"
"I'm not obligated to say." He couldn't wait to bust her and shut the place down once and for all.
"Fine!" Heather marched out the door. "Like I've told you before, look anywhere you'd like, because we have nothing to hide. All I ask is for you to respect the privacy of my patrons while you're on your witch hunt."
"We'll try our best."
Trinity Christian
4:07 pm
"Do your best, Honey!" Wendy shouted from the bleachers where she was sitting with the rest of the family. "Cheer for your brother, Ashley," she instructed her two year old. "This is Sean's first track meet. Say 'Go Sean! Go Trinity! Beat Saint Augustine's!'"
"He'll be eating dust," Ryan pessimistically informed his parents. "Look at the other seven. They're much jockier."
"How about a little optimism, son?" Paul gave his boy a shove. "Think positive."
Ryan nodded, "It'll be positively humiliating when he loses to Lindsay's boyfriend."
"Ooh, which one is the girl stealer?" Wendy felt bad for disliking a boy she'd never met, but couldn't help it.
"Colin is in lane two." Ryan grumbled, "But he's not a girl stealer. In order to steal Lindsay, the skank had to tell him she was Sean's girlfriend. Being the lying witch that she is, she neglected to mention it to him."
Paul pulled McKenna on his lap so she could see better. "When will we be done beating that dead horse?"
"There's a dead horse?!" McKenna screamed. "How did it die?!"
"No, Honey, it's just a funny expression, like 'raining cats and dogs'."
"Shh!" Wendy jittered in anticipation. "They're taking their marks."
"Go Sean!" Paul screamed when he saw his athletically challenged boy get a great start off the block. "He looked good, didn't he, Wen?"
"Yes!" The proud mother cheered along with little Ashley.
Several minutes later, Ryan said in surprise, "Sean's in the lead!"
"How many more laps?!" Wendy clutched her head. "Good Lord, the suspense is going to kill me."
Author's Notes:
Thanks for reading, everyone!
Maggs