Couples
Chapter 75
The bailiff whispers to Judge Markway's clerk, who in turn whispers to the judge.
"Counsels," Markway announces, "I understand that some activity concerning your case is going on outside. I'm going to declare a 20-minute recess so that you can bring yourselves up to date, but this will not be a time to engage with the press or anyone else. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Your Honor," the lawyers reply in concert.
Eli rushes to the front steps with Saul Kushner's new attorney, Manny Davis, not far behind. From the top of the stairs, they gaze down at the activity below. A newly arrived Lana catches Eli's eye and gives him a thumbs up. He nods. Davis stares at the assemblage as Stason attempts to gain the crowd's sympathy for Kushman. He isn't making much progress. Eli turns to his fellow member of the bar. "Nothing for either of us to do. I'm going to hit the vending machines before I go back. The coffee is terrible, but not much can hurt the bottled water. Interested?"
Davis shakes his head. "I need to stay a bit. My client will want to know what Stason had to say."
Eli shrugs. "With a client like that, I guess you do what you can."
Resigned, Davis surveys the crowd. "That's the job."
On a post-lunch return to the aquarium, Lily points through the gift shop window at a giant stuffed toy. "Pegin."
"That's a penguin," Rick confirms. "It might even be life-sized."
Lily's bottom lip trembles as she pokes her finger against the glass. "Pegin. Lily."
"She wants us to buy her the toy," Kate notes unnecessarily.
"I know," Rick agrees. "But I remember Alexis at this stage. She wanted something wherever we went."
"And from the collection of stuffed animals she still has, it looks like you bought her whatever she wanted," Kate notes.
"For a while," Rick confesses. "I guess I thought it would help make up for Meredith taking off. But after a while, Alexis always went back to Monkey Bunky, and the rest of my purchases ended up gathering dust. I think Lily is irrevocably tethered to Gamoee. And besides, you're right here. I don't have to make up for anything."
"Pegin," Lily repeats, tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks. She looks up pitifully at Rick. "Pegin. Gamoee."
"You want Gamoee to have the penguin as a friend?" Rick inquires.
Lily's lips round in a teary kiss. "Pegin. Gamoee."
"She wants her friend to have a friend. How can I say no to that?" Rick laments. "And getting those toys for Alexis didn't spoil her – much." He fingers the moisture from Lily's cheeks. "All right, Baby, we'll get the penguin for Gamoee."
As he pulls out his wallet, Rick is already trying to figure out how they'll be able to fit Lily's heart's desire in the trunk with all the other baby paraphernalia. "Oh, well," he sighs to himself, "we can always ship something." It's easier buying things for Kate. At least the gifts he gets for her don't take up much space.
Saul Kushman can't believe that Judge Markway denied him bail, or at least home confinement. Eli Douglas pointed out that if it hadn't been for the Coast Guard, Saul would have left the country, and used the attempted escape for pegging him as a flight risk. Manny Davis was useless against Douglas' argument. That bastard Roan should have been here defending him instead of throwing him and Flatt under the bus. And the Treasury Department worked out a deal with the bank in Cypress where he stashed his funds. Who the hell knew an American billionaire with political ambitions owned the place? With his assets frozen, Saul had to take whatever lawyer he could get. He imagines Flatt is in the same predicament, but he hasn't been able to talk to him. "F**k the courts!" he mutters."F**k Davis! F**k everyone, but especially Douglas and God-damned Detective Beckett."
"Lily's out like a light," Kate reports, closing the connecting door behind her.
"Dragging that penguin and Gamoee around is hard work," Rick observes.
Kate tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. "You know, I think she really believes those two talk to each other."
"She sees furry beasts talking to each other all the time on Sesame Street," Rick points out. "Why wouldn't she? And a lot of kids grew up thinking that toys sound like Tom Hanks or Tim Allen. Effortlessly accepting fantasy is one of the great things about being children. And they grow out of it eventually."
Kate wraps her arms around Rick's waist. "Says the man who arranged lightsaber battles for an engagement party."
"All right, so we don't grow out of all of it." He tugs her tight against his groin. "But the adult kind can be even more fun."
Kate's lips tease Rick's ear. "What kind of fantasies did you have in mind?"
"Considering where we are, how about love under the waterfall?" Rick proposes. "The suite has a double-sized shower. And our phones are waterproof. We can always feed Lily's monitor through one of them just in case – romance killer that it might be."
"Mmm," Kate mulls. "When I think of Niagara Falls, I picture the old comedy sketches. You know: 'Slowly I turned. Step by step, inch by inch…'
"There is nothing like taking your time," Rick considers. "Or one could combine the two. This suite is equipped with some great bath sponges to unhurriedly journey over skin. Or better still," he suggests, wiggling the tip of his tongue, "we could try the feline version. 'Slowly I lapped, lick by lick, inch by inch…'"
Rubbing against his growing arousal, Kate pulls at his shirt buttons. "Maybe we'll just figure it out as we go."
Rick thrusts his hands under her blouse to attack the front clasp of her bra. "Authors call that seat of the pants writing."
"We can lose the pants," Kate insists, tugging at the belt of his jeans.
A stream of garments trails across the floor to the bed. "What about the shower?" Rick pants.
Kate straddles his hips. "Second round. We might need to cool off."
Rick flips her beneath him. "Right now, cooling off is the last thing I want you to do. Nothing tastes like hot Beckett. I'm going to start at the top with the appetizers and sample every course on the way down."
Kate rubs against his bare thigh before encircling his heat with her fingers. "Just don't be too slow reaching the entrée. The oven is turned up high."
He palms the center of her need. "Keep it warm for me. I'll be right there." His lips blaze a fiery trail down her body.
She arches as his seeking tongue finds its target. "Rick, I need…"
"I know. This is going to be a long banquet, and we're just getting started."
Writhing beneath him, Kate gasps, her breath hot against his skin. She grasps his length, caressing it with her fingertips. "I want a taste too."
He struggles for air. "It's all yours, any way you want it."
In silent agreement, they maneuver for position. Even solidly built as it is, the hotel bed creaks beneath them. Fortunately, they're in a ground-floor suite with no one beneath to complain.
Lily sleeps obliviously. Mandrills and penguins gambol in her dreams, speaking a secret language only they and she understand. Tomorrow she'll be ready for more adventures. Her parents will just have to keep up.
Eli's campaign headquarters is buzzing. Its website briefly crashed at a heavy influx of contributions but was rescued on Tori Ellis's arrival. A wall-mounted screen displays Stason's stumbling response to the jeers at his speech. When Eli arrives with Lana, the walls rattle with applause.