Chapter 12

Monday

6:45 p.m.

Olivia shifted gears on the caramel leather Mercedes stick shift as they accelerated up an incline as Montauk Highway became Woods Lane. She reached to her left for the headlights and turned them on, looking to her right at the open ocean that was once again coming into view, and a sign for Hook Pond, as well, as Carly Simon—the older detective's choice—sang about someone being vain.

She smiled to herself, instantly reminded of her wife and the mellow music she loved. Alex would have been singing without a care in the world at that moment, possibly touching the brunette in some way—her shoulder her knee, her neck—or possibly have her arms up, hips shifting, as Olivia drove, her wife's blue eyes sparkling, her smile a mile wide.

"God, Liv!" she would be saying loudly over the music. "I love this song!"

Olivia took a deep breath, still smiling at the song, noting that the sun was now setting on the opposite side—to their left in the west—and they were just about to approach Main Street where they would turn left and continue on to Huntting Inn, where The Palm Steakhouse & Seafood was located, known for their melt-in-your-mouth bone-in ribeye and their seafood posillipo.

There had been a change in plans from the seafood restaurant on the day prior, as Cragen was alerted that there was a Benetti-Keene party that had made reservations at the steakhouse instead, and so the ladies were headed there this evening for dinner.

She reached forward and lowered the music and shifted her sunglasses to the top of her head, the shades becoming unnecessary with the diminishing sunlight. "OK, so…before we get there…" She glanced over at Antonia.

The younger brunette had just flipped the mirror on the visor above her downward and was wiping her lower lip with her thumb. She tamped her lips together. "Yeah?" she responded.

"I've actually met Camila Benetti…" Olivia looked back at Tony, "…on Friday…she…she made a pass at me at a party." Olivia looked back at the road. "She asked me if I wanted to have a small get-together with her and her wife and her friend—a friend that she said would be interested in me." She glanced back at Tony.

"So, getting in good with her shouldn't be a problem?" Antonia smiled.

Olivia returned her focus to a sign up ahead about a quarter mile away—The Palm at Huntting Lane. She slowed down and put her right signal on. "It shouldn't be, but when she does approach us for the first time this evening, either here at the restaurant—which it's speculated she might be—or at the art gallery…let me do the talking first. She knows I'm married but hasn't officially met my wife yet."

"Got it," Antonia answered, placing the cover back over the mirror and shoving it upward. "Anything else?"

Olivia turned right on Huntting Lane and they were there. She entered the parking lot and stopped the car just inside the entrance, knowing they were going to valet, and sat, looking at the woman next to her. "There is one more thing…"

Antonia waited patiently.

Olivia continued, "…I need you to know…" she looked into her partner's eyes, wanting to drive home the point that she was about to make, "…that I won't do anything that I couldn't tell my wife about."

Antonia blinked a few times. "OK." She narrowed them then. "I wouldn't think you would, detective."

Olivia nodded then, feeling her heartbeat just slightly faster inside of her chest. She was sure it showed along the skin on her neck just covering her carotid artery. "I just want to be crystal clear. If we have to kiss…touch…fine…but otherwise…"

"I don't really think I know what you mean. You mean in public?" Antonia looked confused now.

Olivia nodded. "It could happen with this bunch. I feel they're more expressive with each other, in front of others, than is typical. I felt that from her last Friday. Just a vibe I got. But if there happens to be any kind of situation where more is asked…I need you to know that I would never do it." Olivia paused now, knowing her face conveyed absolute steadfastness. "Ever. Not for the job. Not for the sake of the case. Not for anything, Tony."

"I get it, Olivia."

Olivia swallowed and nodded. "OK. I just…I just needed to get that out there in case we're…or you're…put in a position where the line we've agreed on is crossed."

Antonia only nodded slowly.

"OK." Olivia said confidently, nodding once and shifting back into first gear. "I'll rescue you and you'll rescue me…in a sticky situation…" she turned to Tony, raising her eyebrows, "…right?"

"Exactly right."

They pulled up to the front covered passthrough of the restaurant and a man with a black vest, pants, and bowtie, and a white dress shirt approached, name tag on, opening the door for Olivia, his eyes roaming up and down her figure as she stepped out of the low vehicle, as another man went to the other side for her partner.

Olivia began to hand the young man the keys, but held onto them, hovering them over his open palm, watching as he eyed her, smirking. "No joy rides, Jeff. Got it?" She dropped the keys into his palm before she pointed at him. "This car is my baby."

Why not get into the part? she thought to herself. The rich bitch who gets everything with looks and money? Why not?

"Yes, ma'am," he winked, hopping into the Mercedes two-seater, and closing the door, only revving the engine minutely before he moved around the parking lot and out of sight.

And now, with the empty space in between Tony and herself, she closed the distance, game mode already on as she held her bent arm out and the younger woman linked her own elbow with Olivia's before the taller brunette said softly, "Game on."

6:57 p.m.

"We're gonna take these guys downstairs and get their baths started," Cathy said from the doorway that led to the stairs.

Alex turned from using the soapy sponge to scrub some crusted-on oil on the white ceramic platter from the baked cod they had had for dinner, her hands still in the basin. She smiled at her mother, who was holding Theo, his blue eyes alert, yet she could tell that the onset of exhaustion was soon approaching, and Katie who was holding the twins—Grace's head on the chubby woman's shoulder, tired from their day at the beach, and Isabel on the other side, both of her tiny hands with various fingers in Katie's nose, ears, and mouth.

Alex chuckled and agreed. "OK, Mom. We'll see you up there." She shook her head and continued to scrub at the baked-on spots.

She watched Casey approach to her right and set two dishes into the soapy water.

"That's the last of everything from the table," Casey rasped before turning and leaning with her backside against the counter, rubbing her belly.

Her sister-in-law was wearing jeans and a purple, fitted three-quarter sleeve t-shirt and Alex had changed into her teal, linen, drawstring pants and a white tank top, her hair in a ponytail. Both ladies' feet were bare.

Alex leaned to her left and placed the giant fish platter into the dishwasher before reaching to her right into the suds where the red head had just placed the last dishes.

"You OK, Alex?"

Alex smiled, looking at Casey briefly and then putting those two dishes in there, as well, before pushing both drawers to the dishwasher in and closing the door. She unplugged the stopper from the sink and the water began draining. "I'm OK, Case."

Rinsing her hands off, she wiped them on the towel in front of her and then paused, moving up to her sister-in-law. She placed her hands on Casey's pregnant, emerging belly, just holding the firmness.

"How are you? I'll bet you're tired from the sun today." Alex offered, attempting to turn the attention to the person who she felt needed it more at the moment.

"I'm good, Alex. But you know that. We've talked about how I'm doing all day long, my friend. My first baby, how excited Jonathan is. How excited and scared I am. Blah, blah, blah…but the only thing we didn't talk about was you, today." Casey placed her own hands over the blonde's. "Right?"

Alex took in a deep breath and let it out. "Casey…you being here, so far, has been an amazing distraction. I love it, girl. But then…" she looked into those green eyes, "…if you ask me how I'm doing…how I'm feeling, especially at this point in the day when the night starts closing in and all I want is for Olivia to be here, in my arms, near me, next to me, cuddling, laughing, sleeping together…kissing…" Her eyes glazed over now as her wife's beautiful face popped into her head, smiling—her favorite thing to watch her brunette wife do—and then an image of her with just that towel wrapped around her as she exited the bathroom just the other night.

"Well, I don't want to put a damper on the day …after it's been so good so far…"

Alex refocused now, hearing the smile in Casey's voice. The blonde returned the grin, flaring her nostrils and moving to lean with her own backside against the sink, folding her arms and bumping the other woman's hip with her own. "You aren't, Case. It's been wonderful. It really has."

Casey continued, "But, I can do all those things you do with Liv, too, if you want…" she narrowed her eyes, "…except for the kissing…" she winked. "Unless you want those slobbery things called kisses that your kids seem to love giving all of us?" Casey began laughing.

Alex joined in on the laughter. "Don't you love their version of kisses, Case? Olivia actually got them started doing that because she does this thing where she presses her mouth to their skin, like their belly or their cheeks, and she blows out and uses spit to make this loud obscene noise that the kids love. They laugh hysterically. She's been doing that with Theo since we brought him home from the hospital when he was born." Alex felt her vision blur again at the memory of the first day they brought him home, her wife sound asleep on the bed as Theo continued to suckle her breast—just one of the numerous happiest days of her life.

"She'll be home soon, Alex," Casey husked.

Alex looked at her now. "I know. Ten Days."

Casey narrowed her eyes and cocked her head. "Ten days?"

"She'll be home in ten—actually nine days—now. Don't ask me how I know. But I'm counting them down."

"OK, my friend. Nine days." She smiled. "See? Not so long?"

"Not long at all," Alex said softly.

"Wanna go cuddle after we help your mom and Katie with the kids?" Casey giggled.

"Absolutely, Case. Absolutely." Alex linked arms with her sister-in-law. "Let's go."

7:31 p.m.

She hadn't seen her straight-on yet, but Olivia spotted Priscilla Keene the moment she sat down with her wife. The couple was about fifty feet away, to Olivia's right, Camila Benetti with her back to them, Priscilla facing them. But Camila's wife didn't know who she was, whatsoever. Had most likely never even heard of her before. So, she knew, in the arrangement, in the position that they were in right now at the restaurant, that she and Antonia would most likely not be seen until they left.

Olivia had ordered steakhouse wedge salads for each of them to begin with and then the detective had ordered the seafood posillipo and Antonia had ordered the bone-in rib-eye.

And now, their meal was coming to an end and they would need to be leaving so that Olivia could be ready when people began attending the art exhibit at eight.

Olivia took the precinct provided American Express from the bill holder and placed it back into her clutch before she pressed the pen to the receipt and provided an exorbitant tip and then signed the check, having to pause to spell Libretti and write it like it was second nature. She placed the pen back inside the holder, closed it, and smiled up at the waiter. "Thank you so much."

"You ladies have an amazing evening," Mark winked, taking the bill holder, and walking away.

Olivia now eyed the table that they would have to pass on their way out. With Camila having her back to her, it should be easy. She looked at Antonia. "You ready?"

"Yeah…" Antonia grabbed her own black, sequined clutch and stood, already aware that the other couple was in their presence.

Olivia followed, placing her hand on the small of the petite woman's back as they made their way through the restaurant. Passing the Benetti-Keene table, Priscilla's blue eyes never left her own as she passed. The brunette detective only offered a small smile as they walked by the table, holding the blonde woman's gaze for a few beats, and then following her fake wife out of the restaurant.

Olivia handed the valet her ticket and he ran off. When the car came back less than one minute later, the ladies got inside, closed the doors, and put their seatbelts on.

"That was them, on the right, just before the door?" Antonia asked.

"Yeah, two blondes—one real, one not?" Olivia clicked her seatbelt to lock it. She shifted into the first gear and pulled up to the exit of the parking lot.

"Yeah. I recognized her from the show. I used to watch it when it first started."

"Well," Olivia began, stopping just before she pulled out and made a left onto Huntting Street, "…you can fangirl all you want in private when you finally do meet her. But my advice?"

"Yeah?" Antonia asked.

"Play it as cool as you can. Like she's not as big a deal as you think she is." Olivia glanced at Tony. "We want her to think we're bigger fish than she is." She looked back at the road and raised her eyebrows. "OK?"

"Makes sense, Olivia."

7:54 p.m.

Alex rocked and held Isabel to her chest, bobbing her up and down. Isabel's screeches could most likely be heard through the open windows and across the ocean to the UK at this point, her cries not having calmed at all.

First was the exhaustion, then the too-warm water for her day-in-the-sun skin, then it was realizing none of her mommies were there, then it was Cathy's exasperation.

Even now, with the baths over and the kids dried off and in pajamas, all of them in the TV room—now, two out of three calmed down—but their little blonde blue-eyed beauty couldn't be quieted. She was so tired she was inconsolable.

Cathy sat with Theo, their little boy laying on his stomach across the older woman's lap and Grace was sound asleep in Bill's arms.

Alex closed her eyes and shushed her baby quietly, kissing her cheek, walking behind the sofa. "Izzie…please…" she pleaded. "Mommy's here…time to go night-night…" She continued to bob her up and down, trying to soothe her as she paced slowly around.

But the blonde's nerves were frazzled. And she was sure that Isabel could feel it too. She could feel her own exhaustion, she could feel that familiar lump in her throat, the stinging of withheld tears in her eyes.

Casey came into the room now. "I think it's warm enough." She handed Alex a bottle.

"Thanks, Case…" Alex went to put it in Isabel's mouth, but she threw her head back, mouth open and crying, wailing. Her face was so red it was almost purple now and Alex noticed a few visible veins on her forehead she hadn't ever remembered seeing on her baby girl.

Panic began to overwhelm the blonde attorney. "Isabel, please take the milk. It's yummy, Izzie," Alex offered, feeling her eyes well with even more tears. "Please…" she whispered.

Isabel's crying got even louder, Alex continuing to try and give her daughter the bottle, Isabel's tears now beginning to stream down her cheeks, Alex's own cheeks beginning to become soaked with her own wetness.

Alex continued to bounce, moving to sit on the sofa to place Isabel on her lap, in her arms, lying down. But Isabel began flailing, her hand hitting the blonde in the jaw and then the cheek, Alex feeling almost helpless at this point.

Then, over Isabel's noise, Theo's soft voice. "Where Mama?"

Alex looked over at him on her mother's lap now, his blue eyes were wide as he looked at every single person in the room, over and over again. "Where Mama?" His big blue eyes filled with tears now and, once the realization that Olivia wasn't there suddenly hit him, the tears began falling, the crying starting.

"Theo," Alex whined. "Please, Baby. Mama is coming home," she whined.

"I'll take him on a walk on the beach, get him good and tired to fall asleep," Bill Cabot offered, handing Grace off to Katie and then taking his grandson from his wife's arms, and standing.

Alex only nodded, her mouth pursed in a now-uncontrollable blubbering.

"They just need to sleep, Alex. They didn't nap today. The sun was strong. They're tired," Cathy tried.

Alex nodded again, "I know, Mom…" she cried. "They miss Liv, too. I know they do. They're just now realizing she's not here."

Cathy got up and left the room.

Isabel's crying was stopping, but she still wouldn't take the milk. Her eyes were red now, her face tear-streaked, and she was sniffing.

"How about we read this book," Cathy chirped, opening a puffy book now and rounding the corner of the sofa and sitting next to Alex.

"Remember this one Isabel?" Cathy asked.

Isabel looked at the book now, suddenly interested, although her sniffing continued, her blue eyes and little brain were intensely aware of this familiar book that made noises as well.

Isabel remained in Alex's lap, the blonde's left arm around her middle, the bottle resting in her right hand next to her on the sofa.

"The cow on the farm goes…" Cathy asked.

"Moo! Moo!" Isabel shouted. Sniff, sniff.

Cathy pressed the button on the bottom corner of the puffy plastic page and the book made a loud sound like a cow.

Isabel smiled and clapped, leaning closer to her grandmother, trying to reach for the next page.

"You want to turn the pages, Izzie?" Cathy asked.

Isabel nodded and Cathy brought her granddaughter onto her lap, the two now going through the next pages.

Alex looked over at Grace on Katie's lap. The older woman was sleeping once more, and Grace was sitting there, quietly looking at Alex, then her sister and grandmother, then Casey, and then back at Alex.

The blonde smiled at her brown-eyed-girl and stood, handing Casey the bottle before moving to take her from Katie's arms. "Come here, Gracie," Alex said softly, Grace instantly wrapping her arms and legs around her mother. Alex moved to sit next to Katie, carefully, so as not to wake her, and now had a view of Casey with the bottle and Cathy with Isabel. She looked down at Grace and saw that she was already out, sound asleep. She kissed her head and closed her eyes, inhaling her freshly washed scent before reopening them once more.

She took a deep breath, feeling her body finally calming down. She watched Isabel cuddle into her grandmother, her eyes beginning to droop, as the older woman continued to read and press the buttons on the pages.

"You think you'll be ready for your own, Case?" Alex mumbled, her body now realizing its physical and mental exhaustion.

"I know there are parts that are hard, Alex. And there are gonna be times Jonathan isn't there to help me, I know," Casey added.

Alex nodded, feeling her eyes mist again. "It makes it harder, for sure."

"But I'll have you and Liv…" Casey rasped.

Alex looked at her now. "You will, Case. For sure."

Casey smiled, "And I can always call on my amazing mother-in-law and father-in-law or come out here…"

Cathy looked up and winked at Casey. "Anytime, Dear."

"But I know, if we work as a family, together, it makes it easier. Right, Alex?" Casey raised her eyebrows.

Alex only nodded, feeling her emotions come on again. "If Liv were here, she'd be making all kinds of silly sounds and faces and the kids would have never done that…" Alex said softly.

"But she isn't and, you know what, Alex?" Casey asked.

"What Case?"

"You're doing an amazing job, girl. I watch you with three kids and this was nothing compared to the peace and joy and happiness I've watched all day…"

Alex watched Casey now, feeling her eyes filling with tears again. "Yeah, I know…"

"This was a small hiccup in a day where I saw you be the most incredible mother…they love you…you love them…is there anything else? You've done awesome, Alex. Who would've thought? ADA Alex Cabot could be supermom?" Casey smiled.

"Thanks, Casey." Alex swallowed and sniffed. "Really means a lot to hear that." Alex blew a kiss to her friend and sister-in-law.

Alex looked at Isabel now, seeing she was now sleeping against her grandmother. She looked down in her arms at Grace, noticing the same. Then Bill Cabot entered with a sleeping Theo in his arms.

Without any words, the three adults with babies in their arms, made their way out of the room and off to the bedroom to place the children in their beds for the night.

One night out of ten checked off the calendar.

8:02 p.m.

Olivia tapped the side of her wine glass with a small fork now, the crowd quieting from a roar to a hum, to silence. She smiled. "Thank you all for coming tonight. This exhibit is one that is extremely near and dear to my heart. It's taken five years to put this collection together and the past five years have been difficult for my wife and I…" Olivia bit her lower lip and looked at Antonia, holding her arm out, Tony taking her hand, "…but Tony has stuck with me, all this time, through this difficult period, and has helped me through this." She looked out at the faces, noticing that Camila Benetti and her wife had just entered the studio.

Olivia continued, "…my exhibit is called 'A Life in Focus' and I think you'll see why when you look around at my work. It's a representation of my life…" she looked at Antonia, "…our lives and what we've been through. I hope you enjoy."

An eruption of applause was heard throughout the small space that simply looked like a small house with different rooms. White walls adorned with art, an occasional comfortable leather arm chair here and there, and about one-hundred people—including waiters holding trays that held drinks and canapes.

Olivia took a sip of wine and looked around, Antonia standing right in front of her. She looked down at the younger woman and smiled.

"That was good…honey…" Antonia smiled.

Olivia reached for the shorter woman's eye and wiped a small fleck of mascara from the corner. "I thought it was surprisingly good, too," Olivia commented. "I think we should walk around together and then split up and then come back together," the brunette said quietly, looking around at the patrons.

"Sounds like a plan…" Antonia agreed.

The two began to move now, Antonia now the one to place her hand at the small of Olivia's back, slowly moving around, looking at people, smiling, looking at her own artwork.

From what the brunette detective could see, her life in focus was completely out of focus and the photography that was being displayed seemed to be just that. Any everyday object or thing, where the thing or object was in focus, and everything else around it out of focus.

They walked up to a color photograph now. It was a French press coffee maker in the forefront, the background blurry and fuzzy.

Olivia looked at Antonia and smiled.

"I like this one very much," a female voice said next to them.

The ladies turned. It was Camila Benetti, her wife Priscilla approaching to her right.

Olivia smiled. "This is one of my favorites, too."

"I remember when she was trying to get this shot," Antonia oozed, wrapping her arm around Olivia's waist. "Remember that morning, honey?" She looked up at her. "You took about a hundred photos. Used so much film."

Olivia raised her eyebrows in agreement and then looked back at the older woman.
"I'm Olivia Libretti and this is my wife Antonia…"

Olivia shook hands with Camila, and Camila shook hands with Antonia.

"This is my wife, Priscilla," Camila mentioned.

"Nice to meet you," Olivia smiled, shaking her hand.

Antonia did the same.

Camila narrowed her eyes. "And I know we've met. I wouldn't forget a face like yours. The Heinemann's party. You were leaving. I was coming." She smiled.

"That's right. My wife…" she looked at Antonia, "…was waiting for me outside. I had to go." Olivia smiled.

"And I was sorry you had to go…" Camila winked.

Olivia grinned back and looked at Priscilla who was glaring at the brunette detective. She offered the woman an oh-well shrug and a thin-lipped smile.

"Well, I'm glad I ran into you again. I was hoping I would." Camila took a sip of her own amber liquid on the rocks. "I heard through the grapevine that an Olivia and Antonia Libretti moved into the beach house on Pacific Lane…that must be you…"

A/N: Thank you so much for reading and the new author follows and favorites. I hope you enjoyed and, as always, just a couple words would be greatly appreciated!

P.S. I know Huntting is spelled weird, but that's actually how the street is spelled in Easthampton!