Brennan and Angela sat in the booth opposite Sweets and Cam. They had been meeting up for lunch about once a fortnight so that Brennan could fill them in on how Booth was doing. Mostly she just sat and listened to them talking about work. She had kept working until her seventh month, then Cam had insisted she stop. She was cumbersome and tired. Her work, while good, had not exactly been exceptional as they had been used to. Cam had noted the dark circles under her eyes, the sallowness of her skin, her swollen hands and feet.
Brennan had not even put up a fight as they had expected. She had simply taken off her lab coat, hung it on the hook in her office. Switched off her computer and closed the door behind her. She had been spending more and more time at the hospital with Booth anyway. Reading to him, talking to him. She had taken over his personal care. She would shave him, wash his hair and face. She had started moisturising his skin as it was starting to show signs of dryness. Booth would hate that she had thought. His acne problem, which he had suffered from badly as a child had reared it's head and she was also treating the raised red bumps that appeared on his face.
The on duty nurse would sit and watch this woman, care for him, she was clearly in love with the sleeping man. When she had first started showing, they had been curious and had talked amongst themselves, wondering. Finally they had asked her. She had been quite open and honest. Telling them about the artificial insemination and her joy at finding that she had conceived after the second attempt.
Sweets had raised some concerns about her relationship with Booth. It wasn't exactly normal. But Brennan had howled him down. Arguing with him that she had known Booth for years. Was his friend, his partner, his confidant. She told him that they had told each other things that he would never know about. They were a couple in spirit long before he had gone into surgery. Her having his baby, was her business. Her's and Booth's. When he woke up, they would be there waiting for him.
Sweets had looked at Cam and Angela and shook his head. There was no arguing with Brennan. But he was worried about her state of mind. The facts pointed to Booth never waking up. But Brennan would not listen. He closed his mouth and sat back eating his sandwich. He didn't want to alienate her completely. She may need him when the baby arrived. God help her if she developed Post Partum Depression.
Life had been good for them. Booth and Wendell's new business had taken off and they were working steadily. Seems that private investigators were in quite high demand, which surprised Booth initially. Brennan had reached the end of her pregnancy. It was just a matter of days now until their child would make it's long awaited entrance into the world. She and Angela had become quite close over the last couple of months. It seemed that despite their personality differences, they actually had a lot in common. Angela had been invaluable to Brennan, helping her set up the nursery and shop for baby items, while Booth had been working, building up the business with Wendell.
They had already been recognised by the local police department and given the thumbs up. One of their first cases had helped the police shut down a drug dealer by the name of Charles Bamford, who had been dealing with a group of high profile businesses in town. One of which they uncovered was Mecca. Formerly known as The Lab.
It could have gone pear shaped, but fortunately, the dealings with Mecca had begun well after Booth had sold the business. They quickly turned over the cast to the Federal Police as soon as they realised the connection. After some in depth discussions with the police, they were released from any connection and wiped their hands of the case. It did however result in a very large reward, and a commendation from the police department, which didn't hurt their reputation at all.
Fortunately none of Booth's former staff were implicated and most of them had moved on shortly after the business had opened anyway. None of them had been happy with the way Arastoo had chosen to restructure their jobs and the business. All except Vincent, had resigned. Vincent Nigel Murray had been fired a week after Arastoo took over the business because he had been drinking on the job. Apparently he had an ongoing struggle with alcohol and the stress of the job change, brought it all bubbling back to the surface. He had checked into a rehab facility and apparently was doing OK.
It was a chapter that Booth and Wendell were both happy to have closed.
Angela made notes as the caller gave her details of a new job. It was a man, who was convinced that his pool man was, shall we say, dipping his pole in the wrong place. His wife. Angela rolled her eyes as she thanked the client and hung up the phone.
Wendell walked in as she leaned back and covered her face with her hands and groaned.
"What's up babe?" he asked as he stepped behind her and massaged her shoulders. Angela dropped her hands and let her head roll forwards, her frustrated groan turning into a contented moan.
"How about you two get a room on your own time" Booth quipped as he walked in the front door of Booth & Bray Investigations.
Wendell jumped back and strode around the desk his hand extended "Morning Booth! I was just. She just. I" he stammered.
Booth laughed out loud "Relax Wendell. I was joking. Apparently you two are adorable according to Bren. "so anything new?" he finished.
Angela grinned at him "Actually yes! Just now. This guy" she held out the note she had taken to Booth "wants his pool boy investigated. He suspects his wife is having an affair with him."
Booth stared at Angela and then looked at the piece of paper then looked back at Angela. "You're joking, right? No? I thought this only happened on Wisteria Lane!"
They all laughed out loud at Booths dig at the television show that they all agreed was one of the worst things on television. Booth still chuckling, wiping a tear from his eye. "OK. So what have we got" he murmured while reading the details of the job. He handed the piece of paper to Wendell to look at once he had finished.
"Well, I suppose we could head down to the pool company and just make some general enquiries about the business. See if we can glean any info on this guy. What's his name?" he asked Wendell.
"Juan Pablo. He's been working for them for about four months it seems." Angela answered for Wendell.
"Right! Well I suppose we should make a move." Booth said rubbing his hands together. "After coffee!" he added walking over to the coffee machine which was beeping the announcement that it had just finished brewing a fresh pot of black gold.
He poured a general slug of rich black pungent coffee into his favourite mug. An oversized manmug with Worlds Okayest Boss was written across the front of it. Angela had bought it for him on her first official day of work. Wendell had also received one that said Coffee. The Most Important Meal Of The Day. Which was funny because it was true where Wendell was concerned. He couldn't eat until after he had at least two enormous cups of coffee in his system.
"You want?" Booth asked Angela holding up the pot with about a quarter cup of coffee left in it.
I should have bought them smaller mugs she thought as she smiled and shook her head. She would make a fresh pot once they left the office.
The phone rang and she picked up the receiver, her mouth dropped open "Booth!" she held out the receiver to him. She looked at Wendell, biting her bottom lip her eyes wide.
Booth listened for a moment then literally threw the receiver at Angela.
"We're having a baby!" he yelled as he ran out the door.
