Chapter Twenty
"Bobby please forgive my callousness. What I have to say, should not be taken so lightly, it's just that I know the hell you guys have been through the past few weeks."
"Kenny. What the hell are you talking about?"
"Nicole, she lost the baby last night."
Silence. "Bobby. Are you there?"
"Yeah I'm here."
"There is nothing suspicious."
"Yeah right, with that one. God only knows. Thanks Kenny for calling. I appreciate it. Talk to you soon, bye."
He slowly puts down the receiver. Alex has been watching him throughout the conversation. "Bobby you ok?"
"Yeah, I'm alright."
"What did he have to say?"
"It was about Nicole."
"What is that bitch up to now?"
He looks up at her. "She lost the baby last night." He shakes his head as if he is trying to find the right words to say. "I'm not sure how I feel." He pauses as he walks over to the couch and sits down. "I don't feel sad or mad, nothing. Is there something wrong with me?"
Alex sits down next to him and takes hold of his hand. He looks over at her. "I should feel something, shouldn't I?"
"Don't you dare beat yourself up over this, you hear me. Give yourself some time, let it sink in."
"Yeah, you're right."
They hold each other in silence for a moment. "I think I'll go into the city this afternoon. I want to pack up a few more things to bring over here and then I want to pop in on my parents. I haven't seen them in awhile."
"Oh. Ok." He just nods his head.
"Alex."
"What?"
"I suddenly realized something. You haven't told your parents about us, have you?"
Silence.
"Alex, have you?"
"No."
"Why haven't you? Do I embarrass you?"
"Of course not and maybe you should get that chip off your shoulder."
"Why? I like it. I've had it for thirty years."
"Yeah well sometimes it gets a little annoying."
"Don't change the subject, you haven't answered my question."
"I don't know. I just haven't found the right time to tell them. Everything that we have been through the last few weeks has taken up so much of our time. I can't recall the last time we were with friends, or my family, can you?"
He kisses the top of her head. "She has filled up a lot of our time and energy hasn't she? He puts his arm around her shoulder and squeezes her lightly. "Is it over? Are we finally rid of her?"
She moves in closer. "I hope so, I really hope so."
She kisses his cheek. "I'll be right back I want to change." She walks toward the stairs. "I'm going to need more space in the closet." As she ascends the stairs, Bobby says, "I figured as much. I've seen you wardrobe."
She turns to face him. "You should talk. How many suits do you own?"
He smiles. "I can move some of them into the spare bedroom closet."
"Thank you."
"When are you leaving?"
"About eleven o'clock. Why?"
"Can I join you? I can help. I still have one good hand. Besides, I need to get out of this house. I'm going crazy."
"I would like the company." She pauses. "Oh. Bobby, do you have a suitcase I could borrow?"
"Yes. I'll get it."
Later That Morning
"Traffic was light this morning, thank God." Alex says as she unlocks her front door. "Oh it's stuffy in here."
"I'll open a window." Bobby says as Alex checks her mail.
"Is there anything good in the mail?"
She shakes her head. "No, same ole crap." She throws out the junk mail and places the bills in her bag.
"Bobby, could you do me a favor?"
"Sure. What?"
"While I go through my clothes would you please throw out everything in the refrigerator, I'm not sure what's in there but I haven't opened it for three weeks."
"Sure." As he walks toward the kitchen, he says. "Alex." He turns back around to face her. "Was it your plan to bring more of your stuff over to my place today?"
"What?"
"Or did you think of it when we found out about Nicole?"
"Can't you believe that I'm doing this because I want to be with you?"
"I'm just asking a question."
"Jesus Christ, you can't help yourself. My God why do have to be so Goddamn suspicious."
"From your reaction it seems that I may be right."
"No you are not right." She puts her arms up and exhales. "Do you think we can go through the rest of this day without another disagreement?"
"I doubt it." He smiles and takes a hold of her hand.
"Bobby do you feel that unsure of our relationship?"
"No. But I…………..You have been through so much shit with me these past few months. I just want you to be sure that this is...I am whom you want to be with."
"Yes I want to be with you. I love you, you big goof." She tugs on his arm. "My lease runs out in three months. What do you have to say to that?"
"That's how long it will probably take us to move all this shit out of here."
She looks around her apartment. "You may be right. There is over ten years of crap in here."
He smiles and pulls her close. "I'm sorry." He kisses her lightly on the lips."Big Goof?"
She shakes her head and smiles.
An hour passes and they have finished with their tasks. They pack up the car and she starts the engine. "Are you still going to visit your parents?"
"Yes I am."
"Don't you need to call first to see if they're home?"
"No. One of them is always home."
The Eames Home
John Eames answers the door. "Dad, how are you?"
"It is good to see you Alex" He hugs his daughter and then notices Bobby. "Bobby, how are you?"
"Fine thank you, how are you?"
"Good. I just finished a round of golf. You play?"
"No. Did you play while you were on the force?"
John nods his head and smiles. "I see your point." The men shake hands. "Come on in."
Alex sees her mother just starting to walk toward her. "Hi Mom, how are you today?"
"I little achy but I'm use to it." She looks past her daughter. "Bobby. How are you feeling?"
"Fine, thank you." He lightly grabs her hand. "How are you today Misses Eames?"
"Hanging in there, as my grandchildren would say." She looks down and points at his hand. "What happened?"
"I hit a window."
"What? Why?" She says showing concern.
"Because it was there and I was angry." He looks to Alex. "During therapy it happened during a session."
Alex looks away and sits down.
"Alex I always thought you talked to your parents about everything."
Three sets of eyes are on her. "No not like I use to. Have you told your Mom about Nicole or the hell she put us through the past few weeks."
Bobby shakes his head.
"Alex?" Her mother says with concern in her voice. "What's going on?"
"Nicole is the one who abducted him." John says.
Sara Eames nods her head. "I know who she is, John. What has she done?" She says looking at her daughter than Bobby.
Talking out of the side of his mouth. "What hasn't she done?" Bobby has trouble looking at the older couple. "This isn't an easy thing to say. But for the past few weeks we have been living with the fact that Nicole was pregnant." He pauses, "With my child."
John speaks. "Oh my God, no need to explain we understand." He says looking to his wife. She nods her head and takes a hold of Bobby's hand.
John continues. "That woman really is crazy. I think I might have hit a window."
"Double paned." Bobby smiles at the older man. "I'm not proud of it but it happened." He pauses. "We just found out this morning that she had a miscarriage last night."
"We?" Sara asks as she looks at her daughter. "Alex, how long?"
"Long? How long what Mom?"
"You know what I mean."
"Almost two months."
John looks to his daughter. "What's the big secret?"
Alex catches Bobby eye. "What are you looking at me for? They're your parents."
"I…we didn't mean to keep our relationship a secret. However, we have been avoiding most of the people in our lives these past few weeks. I am so sorry for not letting you in, I haven't told Laurie either, it wasn't intentional. It's just that we have been through three weeks of hell and…………"
Bobby interjects. "Maybe now we can go through a day and not have to think or talk about that woman. Just concentrate on us." He reaches over and takes her hand.
"I'm happy for you." Sara says. She kisses Bobby on the cheek and hugs her daughter.
John stands. "I always thought you two made the perfect partnership. Hell, you even finish each other's sentences. I wish the both of you the best."
Bobby stands and extends his hand. John shakes his hand. "Take care of my little girl. Hell I know you will."
Alex stand and walks over to her father and John opens his arms to hug his daughter. "Thank you. Dad, Mom. I love you both."
Bobby says. "Is anyone hungry? I'm hungry."
Alex breaks the hug. "Oh gees, he's always hungry."
"There is a nice little place down the street that opened up only a few months ago. Sara and I have eaten there a few times and they serve a nice variety of entrées. Would you two like to go? It will be my treat."
"You don't have to do that Mister Eames."
"I know, but I want to."
"Thank you."
"Alright let's go." Alex says.
The Next Day
Alex has the house to herself for the first time.
I have never been here alone.
Bobby has gone to the car show with his friends, Andy and Dave. Lewis was to go but he came down with the flu.
Alex has been tossing around the idea of visiting her sister but she has been feeling a little tired lately and the thought of getting ill goes through her mind, after all, it has been a few intense weeks for her and Bobby.
She decides to take advantage of the solitude and starts but making a pot of tea. She takes her cup of tea along with the paper and makes herself comfortable on the couch. She begins to the read the front-page story.
Councilmen's Daughter Murdered
I wonder why we didn't get that case?
She shrugs her shoulders.
She begins to read the story as she turns the page she glances up at the date. She starts to count.
"Oh, no."
TBC