Chapter 11
Monday
7:27 a.m.
Olivia sat at the kitchen table, file folders open and spread out, precinct-provided laptop open, glasses perched. She had woken up at six-thirty, had gone on a beach run, and was now sipping the coffee she had brewed, still in her workout clothing of short red wind running shorts, a black sports bra and tank, her hair in a ponytail.
She had retrieved her personal iPhone, noticing that the tide had come in and waterlogged it, sand grains in every single crevice, but she hoped that it was fine. Without a container of rice to put it in—which she had done many times from falls in the bathtub, the kitchen sink and even the toilet—she prayed it would dry out, back in the bedside table drawer, on its own.
She sipped her brew with her left hand, stapled set of papers in her right.
Antonia entered then. "You're up early," she chirped.
"Three babies, work at eight every day…" Olivia offered, still perusing the files.
"Good morning, by the way." Antonia moved to stand next to her, eyeing the file over her shoulder.
"Good morning," Olivia offered as an afterthought.
"Anything good?" Antonia moved around the massive island now and the brunette heard her pouring a cup of coffee. "Thanks for making this."
"You bet," Olivia narrowed her eyes at the information in front of her. "We should probably talk about everything before tonight. Get our story straight."
Antonia approached once more and moved to sit diagonally from Olivia. "Absolutely."
Olivia removed her glasses then and sat back, letting the folder go and taking her mug into both hands and looking at her partner.
"Breakfast? I make a pretty mean eggs Benedict." Antonia smiled.
She looked fresh-faced, well-rested, and was still in her robe from the previous evening, black furry flip flops on now, her hair in a long ponytail down her back. She was a beautiful woman and Olivia could see why she had been chosen to be her undercover wife. They seemed to compliment each other, especially physically.
"If you want to make it, I'm game." Olivia smiled. "I've actually never had eggs benedict." She took another sip of coffee.
"What?" Antonia smiled. "Then I hope I can do Jamie Oliver's recipe justice. I think I remember how to make it…" Antonia stood again and moved back into the kitchen just as the brunette's appropriated phone vibrated on the table.
Olivia lifted it and answered. "Benson-Cabot."
"Olivia…" Captain Cragen began.
"Captain…I meant to call you, but it was too late…" She stood now and moved to the sliding door, opening it, and closing it behind her, and moving to the pool area, looking out at the waves just beyond.
"You have to answer this phone as Olivia Libretti…"
"Got it…it's just hard to get used to." She moved to a lounger and sat, crossing one ankle over the other, eyeing her painted toenails.
"Well, you need to get used to it, Detective. Once you start making acquaintances and planning, answering as Benson-Cabot will blow everything."
"I know," Olivia claimed softly.
"What happened last night?" he asked.
Olivia swallowed. "What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean, Olivia."
"Tony and I talked…"
"Yeah, we heard that…"
So, there is sound, Olivia thought. "And then I went on a walk around one-thirty and that was it."
"Look, Olivia…I know this is hard for you. I've known from the beginning that it would be. But you're my best detective…and you know it…I need to know…are you all in? Completely?"
Olivia nodded. "Yes, Captain. I'm all in. I doubted it last night, but a good night's sleep and a morning run…I feel much better."
"Good. You and Antonia need to talk about tonight."
Olivia nodded. "I know. I just mentioned it to her. We're gonna have some breakfast and then discuss everything and talk about the plan for tonight."
"Good. And Olivia…"
"Yeah, Cap?"
"If you have any doubts…any doubts at all…now would be the time to tell me. We can't wait until you've been seen. That would destroy this entire op."
"I know, Captain. I fully understand that." Olivia swallowed the lump back down and willed her emerging tears away.
"OK. I have someone here who wants to check up on you…"
Olivia furrowed her brow, listening.
"Hey, Liv…" Fin's smooth voice flowed through the earpiece.
Olivia smiled.
"You OK, baby girl?"
Olivia nodded, feeling her emotions come on once more and, this time, they couldn't be hidden. Hearing her good friend's concern was a welcome surprise. She swiped at a falling tear rolling down her right cheek. "Yeah, Fin. I'm good. Much better than last night."
"Glad to hear that, Liv. I saw you get down with that Merlot."
"I had a little…" Olivia smiled.
"And got sappy, I'm sure."
She could see her partner's mocha face in her mind, eyes sparkling, smirking.
"Maybe a little," she said softly.
A comfortable silence passed between them now.
"Hey, Fin…"
"What's up, girl?"
"Do me a favor…check in on Alex and the kids every now and then…and let me know how she's doing? Please?" Olivia sniffed.
"You got it, Liv. Anything for you and my girl, Cabot."
Olivia took a deep breath, watching a schooner begin to glide along the water. "Thank you."
"All right…I'll let you go, Liv. Let us know if you need anything. You'll be wired tonight and we'll be in that plumbing van a few streets down from the art gallery. You ready for that?"
Olivia smiled. "I can't wait to see my work and what I've created," she smirked.
"Think abstract, Liv. Definitely interesting," he oozed.
"OK, Fin. Talk later…"
"Talk later."
And the call ended. Olivia stood, pulling her shorts down from her upper thighs and stretching, feeling her stomach rumble now. She hoped that this breakfast was all that Antonia bragged about because her belly could use some protein sustenance.
She headed to the door and opened it, entering, and closing it behind her, seeing that Tony was already busy cooking, music playing from a bar Bluetooth speaker on one of the shelves along the subway tiled wall.
She didn't recognize the song but knew that the younger woman's taste in music probably wasn't too similar to her own.
Whoever it was sounded bubble-gummy, surprising the brunette somewhat.
"I swear to God, I'd never fall in love, then you showed up and I can't get enough…" a male voice sang.
"Who's singing?" Olivia asked, moving to get her mug from the table. She moved back into the kitchen and poured herself another cup of coffee before standing back and watching Antonia whisk a bright yellow mixture in a bowl.
"MGK…Machine Gun Kelly…" Tony continued to whisk.
"Hmmm." Olivia took a sip of coffee and eyed the bowl. "I'm gonna go shower before we eat…I'll do the dishes since you're doing the cooking."
Antonia looked up now and smiled. "OK, Olivia. It'll be ready in about ten minutes. Then we can eat and talk."
"I'll be down." Olivia moved out of the kitchen with her mug and proceeded to the spiral staircase, heading upstairs to get ready for, at least, the first part of the day.
8:03 a.m.
Alex moved to the bottom floor front door, holding a twin on each hip, Theo clutching one of the distressed holes in the side of the blonde's jeans, her white V-neck t-shirt tucked. "Who could that be?" she chirped, looking through the glass to find a blurry form.
She opened it to find her sister-in-law, Casey, standing there with a duffel thrown over her shoulder, smiling.
"Case?"
"Hey, Alex!" she beamed.
"Casey!" Alex declared enthusiastically now that her initial shock and confusion had passed.
The two hugged carefully before Casey reached for Isabel on Alex's right hip, taking her into her arms.
"What are you doing here?" Alex stepped aside, shifting Grace to her right hip, and allowing the red head entry.
"A little birdie told me…"
"A little birdie, Case?"
"Your mother." Casey giggled.
"And what did my hummingbird mother say?" Alex closed the door behind her and they moved to stand at the bottom of the steps.
Theo looked up at Casey, now holding Alex's left hand. "Hi!" he shouted.
"Hi, Theo!" Casey's raspy voice repeated. "How are you, little guy?"
Theo only nodded once and then rammed his face into the back of Alex's left jean leg, watching his Aunt by peeking around his mother, playing peek-a-boo with her now.
Casey brought her left hand to her face and then quickly uncovered her eyes. "Peek-a-boo! I see you!"
Theo giggled wildly, as did Isabel in the fire-haired beauty's arms.
"It's so good to see you, Case. How long are you staying?"
Casey looked at Alex now, shrugging her shoulders. "Maybe until I have this one in five and a half months?" She rubbed her belly with her left hand before looking at Isabel. "Right, Izzie?" She bobbed her on her hip. "Right?"
Isabel giggled and grabbed Casey's face, squeezing it and nodding. "Dop!"
"Dop!" Casey repeated. "Isabel agrees!"
"Let's go up and let the hummingbird know you're here." Alex smiled.
8:23 a.m.
Olivia chewed, the acid in her mouth puckering her lips, trying to fight the I-just-ate-a-lemon face that she was trying to conceal.
"It's a little tart. I know. Maybe the amount of lemon isn't as I remembered? I thought it was six. Maybe it was three?"
Olivia smiled, still chewing. She reached for her bottle of water and took a swig, washing down what was in her mouth. "It's good." Olivia looked at her plate, wondering how she was going to finish the rest of the first half and then the second.
If she scraped the sauce off, the egg and Canadian bacon and English muffin would still be edible. But she didn't want to offend the younger woman.
"You don't have to eat it, Olivia. It didn't turn out like I wanted."
Olivia smiled again, cutting another bite. "It's OK. I just…I think the acid is gonna mess with my—" she stopped herself.
They looked at each other then, both laughing—a moment of comic relief.
"Just scrape the sauce off," Tony suggested.
"Perfect," Olivia answered, scraping the sauce off and onto the side of the plate. "That was my next plan." She smiled.
"OK, so…we were married in Bermuda in 2002, June…and I took your last name of Libretti..." Tony began.
"And we honeymooned in Bermuda, too."
"So, our ten-year anniversary would be in one month."
Olivia nodded. "Yeah. One month. June 15th." She cut another portion of the now-sauceless breakfast. "I've been trying to get pregnant for five years now…" She looked at the papers in her hand, "…and we've almost given up."
"It's hard for you. It's been hard for you these past five years, but I'm supportive and we've talked about how you want me to start trying soon."
"Yeah…invitro…" Olivia's eyes glazed over now.
"But I still think you can get pregnant, so I'm upbeat about it."
Olivia bit the skin on her lower lip, narrowing her eyes as she lifted her mug of coffee and sipped.
"You OK?" Tony asked.
Olivia looked up. "Yeah…it just…it just brings up some memories."
Antonia only waited.
Olivia looked at her now and took a deep breath. "Forty-five…I don't think I'd even think about trying to have a baby at my age…I mean…"
"It's not impossible…" Tony responded.
Olivia smiled. "Not impossible, but not advisable…"
Tony nodded, "OK."
"So, I've been trying to get pregnant for the past five years but now we agree that the only safe way to get pregnant is for you to carry our child." Olivia studied the younger woman.
"Sounds like a plan. But I still think, if you wanted to, you could have another baby…in real life..." Antonia smiled. "You're healthy, fit…"
Olivia laughed lightly, looking down at her mug in her hands, her breakfast having been forgotten for the time being. "It wasn't easy for me to get pregnant at forty-two, when Alex and I started trying. It took a few times before it worked. Then Theo came…and it was one of the happiest days, the happiest moments in my life." She smiled, her eyes glazing over. "Then, when my wife wanted to get pregnant, she started trying at thirty-nine…she had an even harder time than I did getting pregnant. It took a lot of tries, a lot of heartache. But then…" Olivia smiled now, "…she had our twins…"
"Twins? Wow!" Antonia beamed. "Girls?"
Olivia nodded. "Yeah, twin girls, Isabel and Grace…"
"Beautiful names."
"I think so…Isabel Catherine after Alex's mother and Grace Olivia, after…" she looked up and smiled, "…after me…It was Alex's idea, right there in the delivery room." The brunette smiled at the memory. "So…it wasn't the easiest, but we have our family now and we both know that five is enough for us." She looked back at Tony.
"That's really beautiful, Olivia."
"It is…but I guess, in our current roles, I have to pretend none of that ever happened." Her eyes glazed over once more, in the direction of the windows.
"If I can be honest, Olivia…your life sounds like a perfect fairytale to me. It's what I'm looking for. What I want and want to find. Marriage, kids…the whole complete picture."
Olivia looked at her now.
Antonia continued, "I'm not sure I'm with the right person right now, my girlfriend back home, but I know one day I'll find the right one for me. And that's what I meant by me learning a lot from you personally but also professionally, as a member of law enforcement."
"Thanks, Tony. That means a lot. Alex is my absolute person, my soulmate, and I know that. We've been through a lot already, will probably still go through a lot in the future. But none of it means anything without going through it all together, with her. You know?"
Tony nodded, smiling. "I know."
After a few moments of comfortable silence, Olivia took a deep breath and cut another piece of breakfast, popping it into her mouth.
"Thank you for sharing with me, Olivia."
Olivia looked up from chewing and nodded. She wiped her mouth. "Last night, you said it was important to learn about each other. And you were right…"
Antonia smiled, looking down at Olivia's plate. "Sorry about the eggs."
Olivia smiled over taking a sip of coffee. "Just so you know…"
"Yeah?"
"I'm big on simple meals. A piece of toast. A bagel. A Greek yogurt with fruit. And I love a good bowl of oatmeal. What do you say I make some tomorrow morning?"
Antonia grinned. "Sounds good, Olivia."
Alex looked to her right at her sister-in-law on the beach lounger next to her. Her belly was showing in that green one-piece and she was rubbing it soothingly. "How is the morning sickness, case?"
"Better. It's just every now and then now. But usually only if I've eaten something spicy the night before. Jonathan ordered Indian a week ago and, let's just say, we had to open all the windows and doors in our townhouse."
Alex giggled. "Please, no details, Case."
"Both ends, Alex."
They giggled.
Alex took a deep breath and let it out with a contented sigh.
"How are you doing? I mean, really?" Casey looked to her left at the blonde.
But Alex couldn't see her eyes behind those dark sunglasses and that large floppy straw hat. "I'm OK, Case. I wish Liv was here, but I am trying to be positive and understanding. But I miss her. Of course."
"Of course, you do. The dynamic duo." Casey smiled and looked at the kids playing in the sand, just beyond the foot of their loungers, also in the shade.
They had set up an extra beach tent for the kids to play under and protect them from the sun and the three were happily playing with buckets and shovels and various dolls and cars, little floppy hats on, as well.
"I'm glad you're here, case. Thanks for coming."
"I'm happy to be here. You know I love being around you and your kids. And I am willing to help you in any way I can…" Casey turned her head and smiled.
Alex reached her right hand out and Casey placed hers into it, squeezing. "I know you are."
6:33 p.m.
Less than two hours until the art gallery opening at Studio 11. She and Agent Berlusconi would go to dinner at one of the ritziest seafood restaurants in Easthampton and then head to the gallery for drinks, conversation, and the "Life in Focus" by Olivia Libretti exhibit that the brunette detective was showing.
She had no idea what kind of artwork she made. She only knew that it was a little photography and a few of her oils thrown in with the prints. Although curious about the pieces she would present, she had to admit, she was beginning to feel her nerves come on as the result of knowing that she was actually about to present herself to the public and to the key characters that were all a part of this entire undercover operation.
She and her wife, Antonia Libretti.
She leaned back from putting a peachy nude color on her lips and eyed her hair—down and sleek—and then stepped back and looked at her dress, angling her body left and right.
A smoky eye, mascara, nude lip tint, and her off-the-shoulder, silk, ankle length, long-sleeved dress, with a slit up the left thigh, caramel heels to match, and she was ready to go.
She had taped the wire to the inside of her bra, right in the middle where the cups met, and had tested it out with the command crew in the van. All was in working order.
She turned and switched the light to the bathroom off and entered the bedroom, watching Antonia enter wearing a black, metallic dot, ruffle hem, wrap midi dress, lack heels on, her hair in a low chignon, her make-up impeccable.
"You look incredible, Olivia."
Olivia smiled and rubbed her lips together. "Thank you. So do you." The brunette grabbed her caramel leather clutch from the top of the bed. "You all wired?"
Antonia nodded. "All wired and checked."
"Good." Olivia smiled. "Ready?" She raised her eyebrows, tucking the clutch beneath her right elbow.
"Let's do this," Antonia said confidently.
A/N: A little longer than usual. I just kept writing and writing…
I hope you enjoy. Please leave one or two words of encouragement. Thank you to those of you who always do. The ladies dresses and Alex's outfit are on Pinterest.
(You have to see Olivia's dress...)
pinterest dot com slash love-wont-leave slash
Enjoy!