Eli sat down with Rick in his diner in the afternoon. He held her hand on the table and sipped his coffee, "I missed you those couple of days, Eli."

She smiled, "I missed you too, Rick. I'm sorry I had to travel without telling you. But this is how my work goes. My boss decides suddenly we have to leave to finish a deal here or there."

He smiled, "I'm starting to get jealous of your employer, honey. You're with him almost all the time."

She pulled her hand and sipped her coffee, "You shouldn't be, Rick. You and I agreed to be friends. Friends don't get jealous."

He nodded and asked curious, "How old is he?"

She swallowed, "He's old. Much older than me."

Rick knocked on the table nervously with his finger tips, "Is he married?"

She stared at him amazed, "Rick, why are you asking all these questions?"

He shrugged, "I'm just worried about you. I want to make sure he doesn't..."

She cut him off, "Rick, please. I'm not here to talk about my employer. I'm here to spend nice time with a friend."

He sighed, "I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to bother you."

She smiled, "It's okay. Never mind. Listen, I'm free till the evening. What do you think about hanging out together in our old places, I'm talking about the nice places, not the kinky ones."

He laughed, "That sounds great. But I need to go home for an hour to give mum her medicine. You want to stay here or come with me?"

She smiled, "Well, I guess it's been a while since I saw Mary. That would be a good chance to say hello to her, if she doesn't mind."

He got up pulling her up close to him, "Of course she wouldn't. On the contrary, she's wanted to meet you, since I told her I met you."

She moved as he embraced her waist with his arm walking with her to his car.

""""""""""""""""

Red came back in the evening with Dembe to find Eli sitting on the sofa watching TV. He leaned to kiss her lips softly, "Hello, sweetheart."

She touched his face lightly, "Hello, darling. How was your day?"

He nodded, "It was an ordinary day. Yours?"

She continued watching, "It was nice."

He twisted his mouth gazing her, then glanced to the TV, before heading to their room, "Are you joining me?"

She nodded, "The movie will end in minutes and I'll catch you."

He raised an eyebrow amazed, then looked at Dembe who shrugged, before walking into his room alone.

Few minutes later, after the movie has ended, she joined him in their bed, but he was already asleep. She tried to close her eyes and fall asleep, but she failed. She couldn't forget her evening with Rick. She was glad he's really changed. He's not that careless guy anymore. She was glad to meet his mother as well. She's always liked her since she caught them having sex in his room years ago. She talked to her, cared about her like her own mother. She knew his mother had fought with him much for his behavior.

They talked tonight and she ensured her Rick had changed, and Rick has never loved a girl as he loved her. And that embarrassed her much. She felt guilty she can't love him back.

She felt Red's arm resting on her abdomen, and that brought her back to the sensation of Rick's arms around her earlier tonight. They had dinner together and danced. She felt uncomfortable at first, feeling his body so close to her, but listening to his warm voice and his hands rubbing her back softly, helped her to relax. In minutes she was putting her arms around his neck and talking and laughing with him. She was happy to live such a normal night. He was giving her back the life she's lost.

She didn't feel when she felt asleep, with Red embracing her holding her close to his body.

"""""""""""""""""""""

Eli got up early in the morning. She found Red in the bathroom having a shower. She stood in front of the basin brushing her teeth, before she felt his hands pulling her to him under the shower. She laughed surprised, "Red, what are you doing?"

He didn't care of her T-shirt that got totally wet now, nor her hair. He shoved her to the wall and buried his head into her neck, nipping and biting, "I'm punishing you, for not joining me immediately last night."

She gasped with the feeling of his hand sneaking into her panties. She moaned when she felt his thumb circling her clit, so she whispered, "Red!"

He brushed his lips against hers, closing his eyes to hide the lust in them, "I missed you, Eli."

She wasn't ready for him. She was still drowsy of last night, so she almost screamed when she felt his index and middle finger invading her hole suddenly. She closed her eyes tightly, feeling her tears falling with the water of the shower. She whispered his name again and felt his hand getting away from her to be replaced with his shaft. She held onto him tightly as he plunged inside her forcibly. She couldn't hear anything but his groans and the sound of their flesh slapping under the water. She felt his pace increasing and knew he was close. She clenched her muscles tightly around him, faking her orgasm and helping him to reach his. Few more thrusts and he groaned loudly emptying himself inside her tight tunnel.

Few minutes later, they were having breakfast together with Dembe. After they've done, Red held his coat and fedora and looked at her, "Sweetheart, I'm bringing Lizzy another case, Lady Ambrosia. I'll meet her first, then go to meet Glenn. Do you want to join me?"

She smiled, "Sure. I'm ready."

They met Liz and Eli watched him offering her money for her baby, then telling her about their next case.

They went to Glenn later, then joined Dembe in the car. She turned to look at him surprised, "You're bringing him two blondes?! Are you serious?"

He laughed, "Relax, my dear. I'm talking about Merlin and Monroe, the two dogs."

She stared at him astonished for a moment, then laughed, "You must be kidding. They're not even two female dogs."

Red laughed, "He wouldn't recognize it immediately."

She laughed again then asked, "Where are we going now?"

He had a deep breath, "We're going to Lizzy's apartment. She called and said it's urgent."

She nodded and sat quiet all the way till they reached their destination. She watched Liz yelling at him refusing Baz's surveillance. She saw the young boy sitting drawing under the small table. She sat on the ground trying to communicate with him. She gazed Red telling Liz about his life without his own child and how it was worthless.

Few minutes later as the boy started responding to her, Liz looked at her, "Eli, I see Ethan likes you. Can you stay with him till I go to the office? I won't be late."

Eli glanced at Red and nodded, "Sure. Take your time. We'll be fine."

Red waved with his hand, "I guess I'll have to bring the two blondes myself then and take them to our friend."

Eli smiled, "Good luck. Stay polite."

He chuckled and left.

Red went to Glenn with the two little dogs. Glenn was mad of that, but he just couldn't disappoint his friend. He gave him the address he needed. As Red walked to the door to leave, Glenn said, "Send my greetings to your lovely girl. Tell her I like her handsome friend, especially his hair.I didn't have the chance to tell her that in the morning."

Red turned to him amazed, "What friend?"

Glenn raised his eyebrows proud, "Yes, I got you. You didn't know about it, did you?"

Red asked furiously, "What friend, Glenn? What are you talking about?"

Glenn sat down behind his desk, "The tall young man, he owns a small diner two blocks away from my home. I saw her twice getting out of the diner. She seemed so happy. He held her like he possessed her. They looked like two hummingbirds."

Red's eyes glowed with anger as he nodded with no more words.

Down street, he got into the car. Dembe could sense the tension in his moves and face. He drove and asked worried, "Did he find her?"

Red nodded silently, so Dembe asked again, "Then what's wrong?"

Red had a deep breath, "Call Baz. Tell him to send someone Eloise doesn't know to follow her. I want to know where she goes when she's alone."

Dembe called Baz and told him his orders. He looked in the rear-view mirror, noticed the glow in Red's eyes, so he asked calmly, "What's wrong about Eloise, Raymond?"

Red bit inside his lower lip, "She's seeing someone."

Dembe frowned, "What do you mean? You mean she's DATING someone, or she's betraying us?"

Red cocked his head, "I don't know if she's betraying US, or just betraying ME. Glenn saw her with a guy, twice, I need to know whom and what for. Let's leave this to Baz. Now we need to visit our friend from the past days, Vasilia Patinka."

Dembe nodded and drove silently to the address Glenn gave to Red.

""""""""""""""""""""

Eli left Lizzy's place after Liz has been back. She called Red to see if he needs anything.

He replied, "Well, I'm having some help from our friend, Brimley. The type of help you don't like, trying to get an address for Lady Ambrosia. So I guess you're free for the next few hours."

She nodded, "I'll go for shopping then to make us some dinner, then go home. You have special request?"

He chuckled, "Special request? No, sweetie. I'll eat whatever you cook. I'll see you in the evening."

She hung up with him and headed to a supermarket near to their current place. On her way, she changed her mind, so she called a taxi and went to Rick.

She drank her coffee with him in his small office, then intended to leave before he held her hand, "I haven't seen you enough today. Would you at least let me take you home?"

She hesitated, "Ricky, you're not supposed to do this. My boss might kill me for that. Besides, I'm going for shopping before I go home."

He touched her cheek lightly, "Then let me go shopping with you, then I leave and you go home by yourself."

She sighed then smiled, "You're stubborn. Okay, let's go."

They left the diner with his arm around her shoulders, then rode his car. They went to a nearby supermarket. She bought what she needed and left with him. They stood by his car and she faced him smiling, "I think this is good night."

He held her face with his hands, "I'm afraid it is. But, won't you give me a good night kiss?"

Her face blushed and she held his wrist with her hand, "Rick, stop that, please."

He put his finger on her lower lip and whispered, "A friendship kiss, that's all I'm asking."

She sighed and put a quick kiss on his lips, before she walks away fast waving, "Good night, friend."

He smiled and waved, "Good night, love."

She went back home and started cooking. A couple of hours later, Red came back with Dembe with an envelope in his hand. She smiled at them, "Welcome back, my dears. Did you make it?"

Red took off his fedora and coat and put then on a chair, "Yes we did."

She got up, "Well, you deserve the delicious dinner then. Wash your hands and dinner will be ready in five minutes."

She walked to the kitchen, so he sighed and looked at Dembe. Dembe shook his head sadly and walked to the bathroom.

Red sighed again and opened the yellow envelope watching the photos with tearful eyes. He stared at Eli holding Rick's hand on her shoulder, another shot of him holding her face, a third photo with them kissing, with her sitting in his car, laughing in the supermarket.

He felt his heart pounding, so he put them back inside the envelope and closed his eyes in pain letting a tear escaping his eyes.

That was for now. See you soon. I hope you don't hate me for that :(