Disclaimer: No characters related to Law & Order or Law & Order: Criminal Intent are mine.
A/N: Let's see what Alex's parents think about the baby.
30 August 2004 – Home of Johnny & Molly Eames, Queens, New York
By the time Alex and Bobby had made it from the front door into the kitchen there were two cups of coffee waiting for them on Molly Eames' kitchen table. Alex sat down, taking a cup and inhaling the aroma longingly.
"Eames." Bobby spoke behind her, she turned her head and glared at him.
"I know, I wasn't gonna drink any." She put the cup down on the table. "You got any of that blackcurrant tea in, Mom?"
Molly stared at her daughter for a moment, a wide grin splitting her face. "Well that didn't take the two of you very long, did it."
"A little obvious?" Alex grinned back at her mother.
"When did you find out?" Molly sat down opposite her daughter.
"Did the test yesterday, seeing the doctor in the morning to confirm and check dates."
Molly glanced up at Bobby, who was still standing behind Alex's chair.
"How do you feel about this?"
"I … I couldn't be happier, Mrs Eames." Bobby was a little surprised at how well Alex's mother was taking the news but there was no mistaking the happiness in voice or in the smile currently plastered all over his face.
"Good, that's what I like to hear. And what happened to calling me Molly, you don't have to be so nervous, Bobby. You have no idea how many times I've sat here and listened to one or other of my boys dithering over whether or not this is the right time, can they afford it, can they fit another one in the house. Of course, by the time they're telling me it's a little late to be thinking about whether or not to bring a child into the world." She got up from her chair and walked over to turn the kettle on. "Do you want some tea? Or was that just your best attempt at being subtle?"
"No I really want some tea … Well I really want the coffee actually but someone's playing monitor and I'm only allowed one cup per day or else. Besides if I was trying for subtle it obviously didn't work."
That had the three of them laughing for a moment, until the back door opened and Alex's father walked in. It was obvious from the overalls he was wearing and the grease on his hands that he'd been working on the car he was currently restoring. He glanced at Alex and Bobby, then at his wife, who was currently doing an excellent impersonation of the Cheshire Cat. He walked over to the sink and started to wash his hands, trying to figure out what was likely to have put such a look on his wife's face and make Goren look so sheepishly happy at the same time, Alex's face was unreadable but there was obviously something going on.
By the time he'd finished washing his hands, noting the expectant silence behind him, he was pretty sure he knew the answer. Without turning around from the sink, he spoke.
"So, Bobby, something you'd like to tell your future-father-in-law?"
"Well, Sir." At that John turned around, a grin a mile wide spreading over his face. Over the past few months, Bobby had finally gotten used to the idea of calling him 'John', the reversion to 'Sir' was the final piece of the puzzle as far as he was concerned.
"I knew it … when do I get to meet my next grand-baby?" John laughed, giving Bobby no chance to finish speaking he walked towards the younger man and extended a hand in congratulation.
Bobby shook John's hand, befuddled at the speed, and obvious happiness, with which Alex's parents had figured out their 'announcement'.
"Stop looking so confused Bobby. We've been here quite a few times before remember. Besides when Alex visited last week she was more tired than usual, not to mention a little snappish. Take that and the fact there's a full cup of coffee on the table in front of her that she's not drinking, let's just say there aren't many things keep Alex away from a cup of coffee. Molly always gets that look on her face at the idea of another grandchild and you were obviously happy and nervous about something." John chuckled good-naturedly as he leaned down to hug his daughter. "Like I said, when do I get the meet him?"
"Dad, who said anything about a him?" Alex couldn't help grinning with relief at her parents' obvious enthusiasm.
"Okay, him or her?" John had now sat down in the chair Molly had vacated a few moments ago, picking up Alex's abandoned coffee and taking a sip. "Thank god you didn't sugar this." He mumbled.
"I'm figuring sometime April or May. I haven't seen the doctor yet …"
"Well I hope you have plans to see one soon …"
"Tomorrow." Molly answered, placing Alex's tea on the table in front of her and taking a seat beside her husband.
"So does this mean you're moving the wedding up?" Molly addressed Alex, then glanced up at Bobby. "Bobby dear, will you please sit down before I get a crick in my neck."
Bobby sank into the chair beside Alex before replying. "We haven't really had much chance to discuss things. I mean, we only found out yesterday and …" Alex's hand on his arm silenced him.
"And we've had something else on our minds." Alex looked at her parents.
Sooner or later, given the fact that her father still had plenty of friends working in the department, even if you ignored all the family members, her parents were going to hear about Lil and her claims regarding Bobby. Now was the best time to tell them on their own terms.
"Something serious, obviously." John couldn't help noticing the fact that Bobby was now looking down at the table. It was a posture his own children had often taken during their teenage years when they'd known they were about to get in trouble.
"There … there's a woman involved and a child." Alex stated simply, getting the worst out of the way and holding up a hand before her parents could interrupt. "It's an old girlfriend of Bobby's, from around the time he transferred to Major Case. She got arrested, then started throwing his name around and now she's claiming he's her daughter's father."
"Is it a possibility?" Molly had to ask, knowing how much it must have hurt her own daughter to discover this man she loved so deeply might have a child with someone else.
Bobby finally raised his eyes to look at Alex's parents. "The timing fits, but she was living with another guy as soon as the relationship finished and she always told her family he was the father. Now it turns out my name's on the birth certificate. The guy she was living with left while she was pregnant. It seems she also had an affair with a third man while she was seeing me, at least that's what I've been able to figure out. I haven't really had the opportunity to ask her about it." He took a mouthful of coffee.
"Sounds like a real peach of a girl." John stated, his distaste obvious. "She ever come after you for child support?"
"No and she's never intimated that Sammi was mine until this weekend. That's why we were called away from Emma's party. She was at the 2-7 and refusing to talk to anyone unless I was there. She'd told the detectives investigating the case I was the father of her child and I had a right to be there. Her father called me. Her cousin was the other friend who got married a few months back, around when Alex and I got together. I'm actually more friends with the rest of the family than I am with her these days. No one's ever mentioned the possibility of Sammi being mine, not once. If I'd had the faintest idea she might be well …" Bobby was now obviously rambling, trying to find something to say that would dissipate his anger at this whole mess.
John waved a finger at him. "Bobby, it's okay. You're not the first man to find yourself suddenly faced with the possibility of a child you knew nothing about." He turned his attention to his daughter. "How are you coping?"
"I don't like it much, what woman would? The important thing is that it doesn't change anything between me and Bobby. To be honest, I'm still trying to get my head around it but that's not really the point. We're waiting on DNA results. Sammi's grandparents, they're looking after her at the moment, allowed CSU to take a mouth swab for comparison. They're running Bobby's and the vic's DNA against …"
"Whoa, whoa, back up there a minute. The vic?" John looked from Alex to Bobby and back again.
"Oh, yeah, right … well." Alex stumbled over her words, realising that they hadn't mentioned what Lil's arrest had been connected to. "The arrest was for homicide. The victim was stalking Lil, that's Bobby's ex-girlfriend. Apparently he thought he was Sammi's father and was threatening to file for custody, on top of the stalking. Briscoe and Green caught the case."
"Lennie's a good guy, smart cop. Haven't met Green so I can't say anything about him." John was quietly relieved to hear that Briscoe was handling the investigation. He'd met the man during his own time on the force and knew his reputation for getting to the facts rather than taking things at face value. He turned his attention to Bobby. "I take it that, given the uncertainty regarding the child's paternity, they're looking at you?"
Bobby nodded. "I'm sorry Alex has been dragged into this. Especially now with the baby …" He fell silent as he felt Alex's hand on his thigh.
"It's not your fault, Bobby. You didn't cause any of this." Alex's voice was full of reassurance, there was no recrimination in her tone. "Except this baby, of course." She rubbed her free hand over her stomach.
Bobby smiled softly at her, trying to tamp down his frustration and anger with the situation they had been placed in.
"So they're looking at both of you?" Molly sounded less than pleased at this development.
"It's just procedure, Mom. They'll be looking at everyone connected to the victim, Lil, Sammi, other possible fathers. Me and Bobby already had this discussion. We talked to Briscoe and Green this afternoon but had to cut things short. We're going to finish the interview tomorrow. Deakins knows what's going on. He's known from the start, he was the one called me on Saturday, remember."
"Jimmy know about the baby?" John asked. He couldn't hide his amusement at how his old friend was likely to have reacted to that snippet of news.
"Yeah, there wasn't much chance of hiding it from him after I had to run out of an interview to go throw-up." Alex looked decidedly embarrassed at her admission.
"Ah, the joys of morning sickness. Get used to it, Son. Alex didn't seem to suffer too badly last time but her mother had a terrible time, every time, for the first three months. Worse still the two times it was twins." John received an elbow to the ribs from his blushing wife.
Alex couldn't help grinning now. Her father teased her mother, every time one of the girls in the family became pregnant, about how she'd spent almost two years of her life suffering from morning sickness and how she'd made him suffer in return.
They spent the next few minutes talking about various possible aspects of the pregnancy, then Alex looked at the clock on the wall.
"Well, we've told you everything we needed to tell you." She stood up, taking her cup, along with Bobby's over to the sink and rinsing them. She walked back to the table, placing a hand on each of her parents' shoulders. "I'm glad you're pleased about the baby."
John patted his daughter's hand. "You deserve your happiness, Alex. You've waited long enough to find it."
Bobby looked at Alex, curious as to the meaning of her father's words, her expression gave him no clues. He was unaware of the fact that Alex's marriage to Joe had been hitting serious trouble at the time of his death. Her parents, of course, were well aware of the turmoil their eldest daughter had gone through, her grief at the loss of her husband combined with the guilt she had felt because they had been on such poor terms when he had died. When Joe died only Beth and their parents had known that Alex was seriously considering moving out of her marital home and coming back to stay at her parents' house.
Molly turned in her chair, lightly brushing a hand over Alex's stomach. "You take proper care of the two of you." She couldn't resist turning her head to give Bobby a quick grin. "I know he's going to spend the entire time worrying. He was bad enough when you were carrying Nathan."
Bobby's cheeks coloured at Molly's comment. He hadn't realised that his concern for Alex, who had then been only his partner and friend, had been so obvious during her pregnancy the previous year.
John smiled indulgently at his future son-in-law. "Stop looking so embarrassed, Bobby. We were actually pretty glad you were so concerned about her and the baby. It was good to know she was working with someone who wouldn't let her walk all over them when they felt she was doing too much. We were sure she wouldn't let Jimmy tell her to slow down, at least there was a slim chance she might have listened to you."
"You honestly think she'd listen to me if I told her not to do something?" Bobby's tone was incredulous.
"She listens to you more than she does the rest of us." John laughed, then winced as Alex tightened her grip on his shoulder and Molly once more dug him in the ribs with her elbow. "Hey, that hurt."
"I think it's time we were going." Alex said, pointedly.
Molly stood up and hugged her daughter, kissing her cheek before she let her go. "Are we allowed to tell the rest of the family?"
"Yeah, that's fine, Mom." Alex returned her mother's hug and kiss. Then she bent and dropped a kiss on her father's cheek. "We'll probably see you next weekend."
"Okay, kiddo." He smiled at Bobby again. "I know I'm preaching to the converted here, but you take care of my little girl and my grand-baby. Otherwise I may have to send her mother after you."
After a few more minutes of good-natured teasing and farewells, Alex and Bobby finally managed to 'escape' from her parents. They headed back to his apartment to get changed for Tina's birthday party.
30 August 2004 – Sal's Restaurant, Brooklyn, New York
By the time Alex and Bobby arrived at Tina's party it was in full swing. The restaurant was full of Sal and Tina's large, and very noisy, extended family and a good many friends on top.
Sal was guiding is beaming wife around the dance floor. The sight of the older couple, Sal, so tall and looking very distinguished in his best suit, with his arms around his tiny wife, wearing a beautiful dark blue velvet gown, gripped Alex with a strange sense of longing. She couldn't help but wonder if she and Bobby would be lucky enough to still be so in love at their age.
As if he could read her mind Bobby leaned down. "Think you'll still be able to put up with me in twenty or thirty years' time, Eames?" He whispered in her ear before straightening up.
"Just try and get rid of me, Goren." She countered, grinning up at him.
"Not gonna happen, Eames, definitely not gonna happen." He brushed his fingers tenderly across her cheek.
"Alexandra, Robert, you're late." Tina's voice teased, cutting through the noise around them, as she and Sal made their way through the crowd to greet their late arriving guests.
"Sorry, Aunt Tina." He leaned down once more to hug the birthday girl, then extended his hand to his 'uncle'. "Hi, Uncle Sal."
"Evening, Bobby." Sal took Bobby's hand, shaking it enthusiastically. The older man then turned and wrapped his arms around Alex, only just released from his wife's hug, literally sweeping her off her feet. "And how is my favourite adopted niece?"
"I'm fine, thank you, Sal. I'd be even better if you'd put me down." Alex returned Sal's hug, kissing him on the cheek as he put her back on the floor.
"Good, good. I presume you've already heard our good news." Sal smiled proudly. It was a little over a week since they'd found out that he and Tina were to become grandparents for the first time.
"Yep, we heard. Seems like Carrie and Kev started a trend." Bobby smiled back at Sal, wrapping his arm around Alex as he spoke.
Tina and Sal looked at each other, then looked more closely at Bobby and Alex. Bobby realised what he'd inadvertently revealed and glanced at Alex, who was looking suddenly, and very uncharacteristically, shy.
"Do we detect more good news?" Tina asked gently, her eyes sparkling with delight.
Alex looked up at Bobby and nodded. Bobby's eyes narrowed for a moment, asking her silently if she really wanted to tell so many their friends right now. Her eyes widened in response, a small smile curving her lips, conveying to him that she was ready for this. He dragged his eyes away from hers with difficulty, only to find himself faced with the expectant gazes of his 'aunt' and 'uncle'.
"We … we just found out this weekend. Alex is pregnant."
"Mia Bambina, congratulations." Tina hugged Alex again and started bombarding her with questions. Was she alright, was there any morning sickness or strange cravings, did she want to go and sit down? Alex responded as best she could the to the older woman's rapid-fire questions, hugging her back and smiling broadly.
Bobby, meanwhile, found himself engulfed in Sal's hug. "About time you got around to having a family, son. You couldn't have chosen a better woman. The best things come in small packages and she's nearly as beautiful as my Tina." Sal let go of Bobby and winked at him, grinning wide as he did so.
"Tha … thanks, Uncle Sal."
"Come on, kids, you have to join the party. Alex, you go sit with Lainie. I'll make sure Michael keeps your table well supplied with good plain food, none of the fancy stuff that might upset the babies, eh?" Sal's daughter-in-law was being plagued by morning sickness at all hours of the day and night and could only manage to keep down the blandest of foods.
"Bobby, I think an announcement is in order." Sal tried to steer the younger man towards the small stage area behind the dance floor. Bobby stood his ground, refusing to be dragged towards the dance floor by Sal.
"No, Uncle Sal, really. Look Aunt Tina can tell Aunt Annie, who will no doubt be happy to help spread the news around the room. I'll go with Alex and tell Lainie and Val our news. Okay?"
"There are times, Robert, when you're simply no fun." Sal said, shrugging his agreement to Bobby's suggestion. "Go, go, catch up with the girls." Tina was already guiding Alex through the crowded restaurant to the table where Lainie was sitting, being kept company any her obviously pregnant sister-in-law, Carrie.
"I'll see ya later, Uncle Sal." Bobby nodded to the older man and set off through the crowd.
Sal watched him, shaking his head at the way Bobby was always so respectful. Most of his actual nieces and nephews had long since dropped the 'uncle' when addressing him, many as soon as they'd left high school, but Bobby Goren continued to nearly always address himself, Tina and Annie using the titles 'uncle' and 'aunt'. Sal was often moved by the younger man's respect for him and the women who had tried to help Bobby when his mother's illness had been too much for him to deal with alone. He thought of Bobby as another son, along with his own two boys and their friend, Chris Hughes, whose freewheeling parents has more or less abandoned him when he turned eighteen.
Bobby and Alex sat chatting with Lainie, Val, Carrie, Paul, Maria, Lewis and Chris. Congratulations had been shared, not only regarding the babies but also for Lewis, on picking up a deal with a local car auction which was going to provide him with classic vehicles in need of restoration at an agreed price which would allow him to build up his business more on the sales side, and for Chris, who had landed a very lucrative new government contract.
None of the friends were taking much notice of the comings and goings of the other guests around them. Then a child's voice cried out about the general noise of the party. Bobby's head whipped around as he recognised the child's voice.
"Mommy, you're here." Sammi Giovaissi broke away from her grandmother and rushed through the crowds of adults and older children around her, heading for the door where her mother had just walked in.
A/N: Oh boy … now you'll have to wait and see what happens next, while I go and write not only the next chapter of this story, but some more of my other story as well. I know … my mean streak is showing again. LOL. Thanks for continuing to put up with me.