Chapter 11 - Pink or Blue?
He knew he needed to lay low for a while. He was officially on their radar. He blinked. His plan was not to draw any attention to himself. He just needed to get close to her. Now, he had defiantly drawn attention to his acts. He just couldn`t help himself. He needed to see her. As close as possible.
It was freezing outside, he thought as he felt his skin act up goose bumps. It was almost December. The city of Toronto was covered in a white blanket of snow. Yet he could sit outside for hours looking at her. At them.
In a car parked on Redwood Lane, in the middle of the night, Adam Lewinsky was looking through his camera and zooming in on the bedroom window of the house Andy McNally was living in. With him. The man in the black shades and leather jacket. The jealousy had gotten to him. Thinking that this man was kissing her whenever he wanted to. Touching her, feeling her soft skin and feel her swollen belly. That was supposed to be him, not the man in black shades and leather jacket. Although, Adam had a plan. A well prepared plan. Each day, he prepared himself for the great finale, the takedown, the first day of the rest of their life.
As much as he wanted to just go for it this second, he couldn't. He needed to stick with his time framed plan. It needed to be perfect, thorough and well prepared. No mistakes, no blinks and no being-on-their-radar. He needed to give this time. Laying low. After all, in the end, he was getting what he wanted, what he needed, dreamt of and what he thought belonged to him.
The next morning, Sam left their house, before Andy had even woken up. Quietly, he had gotten out of bed, got dressed, made coffee and locked the door behind him. He had been looking forward to this day for almost 5 years. It was time for him to get it together and seal all the deals there was...It was a good thing she slept in, he thought as he got in the silver truck. It was a beautiful morning. During the night, a brand new layer of snow had covered the city of Toronto, and the sun barely peeked out from behind the clouds, making a dimmed light that Sam just loved. He sure loved this time of year. He especially loved this year. Sure a lot had happened, but they were in for some exited happenings to come.
20 minutes later, he parked the truck outside a small, but yet exclusive shop. He looked up and then he saw her. He got out of the truck and walked towards the woman walking up to him.
"Hey! I`m so glad you could come with me Nash. Besides me, you are the one that knows Andy the best".
"I wouldn`t miss this for anything in the world Swarek, besides I need to approve".
Sam and Traci walked inside the jewelry store aiming towards the lady behind the counters.
"Hi, welcome to Ardene`s, how may I help you?" The lady in her mid 50`s asked them.
"I have three engagement rings on hold in the name Swarek", Sam told the lady.
"And I brought backup. You know the best friend always seem to know which one is the perfect ring". Sam smiled at the lady.
"How, exiting! I`ll be right back with the rings".
"I can`t wait to see what the options are", Traci said as the lady came back with a board, holding three beautiful, shining diamond rings.
Traci gaped as she looked at the rings in front of her.
"Oh my god, Sam. Those are gorgeous! This is a though choice". She looked at Sam, waiting for an answer.
"Tell me about it Nash, but that is why I brought you with me on this one. I want it to be perfect for her. I want it to represent how much I love her".
Traci`s eyes landed on the ring to the left. It was a stunning, white gold ring with one center diamond in the front middle. A glowing diamond. Just like Andy.
"It got to be this one here", Traci said picking up the ring.
"That was the one I wanted to go for too! Didn`t I say that last time I was here?", Sam asked looking at the lady behind the counters.
She nodded to Traci. "I swear, it was".
"Well, there we go. I think that one is the one for my McNally".
The lady put the ring in a deep purple velvet box and put it in a small bag for Sam.
"I owe you Nash! Big time", Sam called after her as he got in his truck after he had paid for the ring.
"I just want an invitation the your wedding!", she called back, as they both went separate ways.
A week later, Andy and Sam was in the waiting room, waiting for Dr. Elaine Herer to call them in. They were both nervous, but really excited. Today, they would find out if they were going to buy pink or blue clothes, which color to paint the nursery, and if Sam`s latest predictions about them having a little girl were true.
It really didn`t matter to them. All they wanted was for the baby to be healthy, and to hear a strong heartbeat.
Andy looked discreet at the young woman a cross from them. She was so young, Andy thought. She couldn`t be more than sixteen, top. She assumed the woman next to her was the girl's mother. The girl looked to be further along than Andy. Maybe seven or eight months. Her lion`s heart kicked in, making Andy feel sorry for the girl. Wondering if the girl knew what was coming for her. She was just a child. A child having a child. That`s tough, Andy thought, thinking if the baby would have a father around or not.
Sam must have noticed that she was almost staring at the girl, and feeling something for her destiny, when he placed her hand in his, squeezing it hard, but in a nice, comforting way. Andy squeezed back, thanking him in her way.
"Andy McNally?", a soft and familiar voice spoke, making Andy and Sam look up.
"It`s so good to see you again. Both of you. How are you feeling Andy?", Dr. Elaine Herer asked as she opened the door to a room, letting them go in first.
"I`m great, thank you".
"Good, good. How is pregnancy treating you?
"Pretty well. I`m past the morning sickness, have a few cravings, and we have felt it kick up a few storms lately", Andy said, almost proud.
"Wonderful! How about what we talked about the last appointment? Have you gained any weight?"
"Yeah, not much, but a couple, maybe three". Andy told her, rubbing her belly.
"Great, that was what I was hoping for. Don`t be afraid to gain more though, it wouldn`t hurt", Dr. Elaine said, smiling at her.
"Well, you know the drill, hop up on the bed, and we`ll see what your baby is up to".
Andy did as the doctor told her, and pulled her shirt up, exposing her bare belly to the room. Dr. Elaine put some gel on her belly, making Andy shiver a little, and then she placed the doppler on her stomach, moving it around a little before she found what she was looking for.
"There it is. Still a great amount of amniotic fluid, a very strong heartbeat and perfect size at almost five months. You are doing a great job Andy", Dr. Elaine told them as Andy wiped a tear away.
"So, now that I know what you're having, do you want to know?", she asked them with a big smile on her face.
They looked at each other and nodded slightly. "Yes, tell us doctor. Are we buying pink or blue paint?" Sam said, as he took Andy`s hand in his. Holding it tight.
"Congratulations, you`re having a baby girl!, so why don`t you buy that pink paint huh?"
"Wow, a girl? I told you Andy. I was right my last time. It`s a daddy`s girl right there", Sam said kissing Andy`s hand.
"I can`t believe it, it`s so surreal, I mean a girl? I just... oh my god". Another tear made its way down Andy`s chin. A happy tear.
This was almost unreal. They were actually having a girl. A little pink bundle of joy, that was theirs. Made out of love.
Everyone at 15 division were thrilled that a little girl was joining their family. Oliver kept joking that another troublemaking girl was about to stir things up at the station.
"If she`ll be anything like her mother, she will constantly attract danger. Good luck Sammy! Two McNally`s will sure be a handful", Oliver kept joking.
Sam and Andy had gone straight to a hardware store after they found out that rookie in fact is a girl. They went with a cream pink color they thought would be the perfect pick for their girl. The old wardrobe with carvings that Andy had inherited from her grandmother, had gotten a new, fresh layer of white paint. It looked beautiful in the room they chose for a nursery. Rookies wardrobe grew as Andy started to fill it up with the cutest clothes. Not only pink outfits, but basic colors as white, light yellow and mint green. She loved opening the wardrobe door, looking at the clothes their unborn daughter was going to wear when she decided to join this world.
Sam had it all planed out, but kept wondering if it was to cheesy. Andy hated cheesy. It was almost 2 weeks since he had bought the ring, and for 2 weeks Traci cornered him asking when he was going down on one knee. She couldn`t keep this any longer.
Sam had told Andy that he was taking her out to dinner. At a restaurant, something they rarely did. He had planned this for a week. Hoping that everything would go smoothly.
It was a Friday, and Andy was standing in front of the big mirror in their bedroom trying on different dresses.
"I could have sworn this fit me a week ago!", Andy said to herself out loud, throwing her hands up in the air expressing her frustration. She quickly got out of the dress and moved on the next one.
"Well, at least I can breathe in this one". She looked at the dress, moving her hand down to her expanding belly and rubbing it. "The things I do for you rookie. You better be a mommy`s girl".
As Andy was putting her make-up on, her phone vibrated. She looked at the screen.
"Sam, don`t tell me you are calling to cancel on me. I have gone through my whole closet and I finally found a dress that I can breathe in".
Sam laughed. "Hah, no I`m not canceling honey", but the truck won`t start, so I`m sending Oliver to pick you up. He will drop you off at the restaurant, and I will grab a cab. So I`ll see you soon?"
"Yeah, great! I can`t wait Sam".
"So... ah.. what dress are you wearing?"
"Nice try. You`ll see. But it`s what I`m wearing underneath that you're going to want to see". Andy loved to tease Sam in that way, and Sam knew he would defiantly like what they were having for dessert later that night.
"I need to get ready, okay? See you in 30".
15 minutes later, Oliver knocked on their door.
Andy headed downstairs. "Coming!". She found Oliver leaning on his squad car.
"How`s our mama to be? You look amazing McNally", Oliver said as he walked towards her.
"Thanks' Oliver. And thank you for picking me up". He opened the door for her and got in the driver seat. Oliver told her about the case they were working on when they hear dispatch on the radio.
"1509, what is your location?" Oliver picked up the radio.
"1509 responding, I`m heading out on West Queens Avenue".
"1509, we have a disturbance on Silverlane and Young, can you provide back up?"
Andy rolled her eyes at the radio. Typical, she thought. She gave Oliver a nod.
"1509, copy that, we`re on our way".
"I`m sorry McNally, I need to see what they`re up to. Call Sam and let him know you`ll be a bit late. I promise I will drop you off as soon as they clear us from the location".
Andy Called Sam, letting him know they had to stop by a disturbance call first, not knowing this was all a part of Sam plan.
When they pulled up an ally left for Silverlane and Young, they saw several other squad cars from 15 division. Oliver got out of the car. "Wait here, I`ll be right back".
Andy tried calling Sam, but there were no answer. She looked around, and noticed that everyone on the scene was gone.
"That`s weird", Andy said to herself as she got out of the car. She decided to find Oliver, let him know that she could just find a taxi to go downtown. She walked up to the building, when Traci suddenly walked up to her.
"Trace? What are you doing here? What`s going on?"
Traci took Andy`s arm and guided her around the corner of the building. "Andy, I think you need to see this".
"Traci, you`re scaring me now, what is this?"
"Just come with me Andy". She noticed the smile on Traci`s face. Andy looked around, thinking this place was familiar. "I think I`ve been here bef..."
That was all she managed to say, as they rounded the corner of the building and out on a alley street. Her mouth just widened as she noticed that the alley was lit up by hundreds of light balls on both side, creating a path, and all of their friends and colleges just stood there, like they were waiting for her.
"Trace... where is the domestic distu..."
"Andy, look", Traci pointed at a man in suit, standing at the end of the path lit up by light balls, with his back against a black fence, that looked oddly familiar. Then she recognized the man in suite.
"Sam? What is all this? What are you doing here?" She looked at the people standing around her, as she walked up to Sam. As she stood there, facing him, he placed her hands in his.
"Andy, five years ago, at this very same spot, I met you for the first time, when you tackled me, in this alley. From that day, I knew there was just something about you. Not only did you manage to literally wipe me of my feet, but you made me. You literally made me fall for you. Andy, you took my breath away, you got me, you showed me what a damn good cop you are and you walked into my life..."
"Sam? what are you doing?" Andy, was in shock, not quite sure where this was going.
"Andy, we have been through a lot, as partners on the job, off the job and as separates'. I have finally gotten you under the same roof as me, you are giving me the best thing I could ever ask for", Sam continued as he placed one hand on her belly.
" Please, make the happiest man on earth and say that you`ll be my wife".
Sam got down on one knee and took out the purple velvet box, opened it for Andy to see the ring.
"My Andrea McNally, will you marry me?"
The crowd was silent, as if you would hear a pin needle drop in the snow. Andy covered her mouth with her hand.
"Oh my god, Sam! Yes! A million times yes! I will marry you, I will be your wife!"
Sam took out the ring and gently slid it onto her finger. He could clearly see the happy tears that made their way down Andy`s chin. She embraced him, kissing him with a passion she never knew existed.
" I love you so, so much Sam. You have no idea how happy you make me. Every single day".
Sam pulled her even closer. " You are the love of my life Andy, you, you are my future, and I love you more than anything". They repeated the kiss, and just holding on to each other as the crown of friends and colleges were cheering, clapping and whistling at them.
In the alley Sam and Andy met five years ago, when a rookie named Andy McNally tackled an undercover cop, made him and blew his cover, they were starting a brand new chapter together. A never ending chapter. Surrounded by the people they love, in a setting you only see in movies, yes, the typical American cliché movies, Andy had made Sam the happiest man on earth. And with a new layer of white, snowflakes covering the city of Toronto, hundreds of light balls lighting up the alley they first met, this was all Andy had dreamt of, and more.
I just had to end this chapter with a happy twist! How is life being engaged? Is Adam Lewinsky getting closer to his takedown?
Stay tuned for the next chapter...
Love, J