"Rafa, can we stop for a minute?"
"Of course. You okay?" Rafael asked, concern etched on his brow. She'd only recently gotten over the flu and was still easily fatigued.
Olivia nodded. "Yeah, I just…" She gestured to a bench a few paces ahead. "Can we sit?"
"If you want." Rafael wasn't too keen – February evenings in New York weren't exactly balmy – but it was their anniversary, so he was willing to indulge here for a few moments. They'd had an early dinner before seeing Hamilton. She'd never seen it, but he had a few years ago and wanted to share the experience with her. She'd insisted on splitting the cost – the same with their dinner – because they'd agreed not to exchange gifts. Between Noah's birthday, Christmas and her birthday, both their expenditures had taken a hit. After the show, he suggested a walk through the park. It was a clear night; he thought they might be lucky enough to see some stars.
When Rafael sat down, Olivia turned to him. "So, I know we said no gifts, but…" She forced back the butterflies in her stomach and held out her hand to reveal a small drawstring pouch dangling off her index finger.
Rafael raised an eyebrow. "Liv!" he chastised playfully.
"Do we want to talk about the 'anonymous' bouquet of flowers that was delivered to the precinct for me this morning?" she replied with a smirk.
Rafael did his best to school his features. "You must have a secret admirer."
Olivia tilted her head and jiggled the pouch gently, "Maybe I should give this to him then." Rafael quickly snatched it out of her hand and Olivia giggled. "No, I thought not.
Rafael carefully opened the ouch and tipped the contents into his hand. He looked down. There, sitting in his palm, was a key. One that looked very familiar. He pulled his bunch of keys out of his pocket and, sure enough, the one to Olivia's apartment – that he'd had for years before they were anything more than friends – was missing. He wracked his brain, wondering when she could have snuck it off its ring.
"It's yours, yes," Olivia explained hastily. "But the key isn't the gift. Well, it is – you can have it back, of course – but it's more of a representation. And a question."
"A representation and a ques…? What exactly are you asking?" Rafael thought he knew where she was going with this, but he needed to be sure, to hear her say the words.
"They key represents a toothbrush in the bathroom, closet space, waking up together every day, mingled mismatched furniture, joint utilities… Y'know, all the things you have when you live with someone."
She looked down at her hands, clasped in her lap. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. She'd never initiated a step like this in any of her relationships before. It had always been her partner who had made suggestions to live together if the relationship ever got that far.
"Liv, I…"
Rafael's voice hitched with emotion and she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.
"Liv, look at me. Please?" She did as he asked, and he reached for her hand. "I want to say yes…"
"But?" Olivia tried to hide her disappointment. She'd been waiting for the other shoe to drop since they started dating a year ago, and now it seemed it was finally happening.
Of course, Rafael could read her like a book and was quick to reassure her. "There's no need to look so worried, mi amor. I just want to speak with Noah about it first, see how he feels."
Olivia sighed with relief and unclipped her purse. She retrieved a folded piece of white paper and handed it to Rafael. "Way ahead of you, Rafa."
His brow furrowed as he took the paper from her, but his confusion was short-lived. Unfolding it, he found a short note, written in Noah's distinctive penmanship.
Dear Uncle Rafa,
Momma said she was going to ask you if you wanted to come live with us.
I hope you say yes then we can play Lego all the time and you can read me
as many stories as I want and make pancakes for breakfast every day.
Please say yes.
Love Noah (and Eddie)
There were a few spelling mistakes – Noah had wanted to write as much of it as he could independently Olivia would later explain – but that didn't detract from the message or the sentiment. Noah had signed off with a long line of kisses that stretched over the entire page and underneath that, he'd drawn a picture of the three of them (and Eddie) stood outside an apartment building. There was an arrow pointing to one of the windows and it said 'OUR HOUSE' in big red letters.
"He's moved you down three floors," Rafael said, mentally counting the windows.
Olivia shrugged. "It's wishful thinking for when the lift's broken."
"An apartment without a working lift? That could be a deal-breaker, y'know."
"You already said yes. No take-backs," she teased. "Seriously though, I know your place is bigger, but my apartment is Noah's home. It's close to his school and he's settled there. It's where he grew up. There's–"
"Memories. I get it." He flashed her the little half-smile that he only ever used with her. If he was honest, he'd imagined the living together several times over the past few months and every time he pictured it, they were in Olivia's apartment rather than his.
"I'm barely living at my place now as it is," he reminded her. He stayed at hers at least five nights a week – only going home to change or to pick up new clothes. "It's just an expensive storage unit. I have no problem moving into your apartment."
Rafael placed his arm along the back of the bench; an invitation for Olivia to snuggle up against him. Her hand found its way inside his coat, stroking his silk tie gently.
"I'm going to need a bigger closet though," she teased.
"Maybe, but for you, I think I could ditch some of the suits. The older ones of course."
They would talk later about shared closet space and the other logistics of combining two households – Rafael wanted to contribute equally, which meant his name on the lease, joint bank accounts and everything else that went with it – but for now, they sat huddled together under the stars, basking in their happiness and dreaming of their future together.
The chill of the late winter evening had reluctantly moved them from their spot on the bench before either of them were really ready for their date to be over. But the knowledge that they would be falling asleep in each other's arms within a couple of hours – and every night for the rest of their lives – helped them detach and continue their walk back to what was now their apartment.
Awaiting them, much to their surprise, was a very tired, but excited Noah.
"Did he say yes, Momma?" were the first words out of his mouth as Olivia rounded the corner into the living room from her small hallway, Rafael still hidden behind the wall.
Olivia smiled at the way her son, dressed in his pyjamas, scrambled to his knees on the sofa as she entered, and was now leaning forward an eager, expectant look on his face. "And just what are you doing up, mister?"
"Sorry Liv," Lucy replied from the kitchen. He insisted on staying up until you got back so he could find out if Mr Barba would be moving in."
"I see."
"I couldn't sleep without knowing, Momma," he stated as if it should be obvious. "So, is Uncle Rafa coming to live with us?"
"Why don't you ask him yourself, sweet boy," she said, as the man in question stepped into the living room behind her.
"Uncle Rafa!" Noah launched himself from the sofa towards Rafael, throwing his arms around his waist.
"Hey!" He returned the embrace. "Shouldn't you be in bed?" he asked, pulling away and ruffling the boy's curls.
Noah deliberately ignored the question. "Did Momma give you my letter?"
Rafael nodded. "I did. It was lovely."
"So? Are you coming to live with us?"
He glanced at Olivia, reaching for her hand. She slipped hers into his, interlocking their fingers and gave the boy a small nod.
"If you're sure you want me to, then yes, I'm going to come and live with you."
"Yay!" Noah exclaimed, pumping his fist before wrapping his arms around Rafael's middle again.
"Congratulations Liv," Lucy added, smiling at her employer. "Mr Barba."
"I think, given that I'm going to be living here pretty soon, you can probably start calling me Rafael now, Lucy."
The young girl nodded. "Right. Well, Rafael, Liv… if you don't need me anymore, I'll be on my way."
Rafael frowned. It was dark and cold out and he didn't feel comfortable allowing Lucy to make her own way home. "Let me order you an Uber."
"That's not necessary, Mr… I mean, Rafael," called from the hallway where she was retrieving her coat.
"Please. It's late and the weather is turning." He waved his hand to the window where flakes of snow were fluttering past. "I insist."
Sensing that this was an argument she wouldn't win, Lucy nodded. "Okay. Thanks." She pulled on her coat and hat as Rafael tapped at his phone.
"It'll be here in," he glanced back at the app, "three minutes. Driver is 'Nick'."
"I'll see you out," Liv said. She needed to pay her for the extra hours anyway.
"I'll get this one," he nodded at Noah, "into bed." He turned, addressing the boy. "Say goodnight to Lucy."
"Night Lucy."
"Good night Noah. Sweet dreams."
Rafael ushered Noah towards his room and, once he'd grabbed Eddie from the dresser, helped him clamber into bed. Pulling the covers up to Noah's chin, Rafael sat down on the bed. He was just about to ask if Noah was sure about him moving in when the boy spoke.
"I can't wait until you're here all the time," he whispered sleepily, his eyes slipping closed.
Rafael pushed Noah's curls out of his face. "Me neither, mi amigo. Me neither."
