November 25, 2021

"Mama B! I'm going with Pops and Auntie, too!" Joey yelled from behind Ben.

"Go and start the car, please," Ben said before picking up Pru.

"Tuck!" Roz called out in her signature raspy voice. "If you're coming, let's go!" There was thundering down the steps. "Slow down, nephew"

Then a big thud. "Here I am!"

"Grab that bag, please," Ben asked of Tuck who ran out behind his older brother.

Miranda came around the corner with a piece of toast in her hand. "I shall see you all there." She gave the biggest smile to Pru. "By, my girl."

Ben put Pru down and the two-year-old reached for Roz's hand as the two of them walked out of the house. When they were alone, he hugged his wife. "Come quickly." He stared at her waiting for her face to sexily distort.

When she smiled, he melted. "I will do my best. But I have to finish getting dressed and the pie's still cooling," she said kissing his chin. "I had to get Pru ready so you could sleep. I made sure the boys looked okay and ironed your shirt—"

"Thank you, by the way."

"Of course. So, I'll just be a minute."

He nodded. The addition of Pru into their routines over the last few weeks, coupled with the faux shared custody with her paternal grandparents, was overwhelming to say the least.

Pru smiled and ran toward the controllers that Tuck and Joey had left out, smashing buttons animatedly. The characters did as they were asked and he saw Joey's team shoot a Hail Mary that just missed the rim. "Good job, baby girl," Ben said picking up the other controller. "Your grandma and grandpa are coming to get you today. You ready to leave?" Pru looked right at him and shook her head. And he postured whether she'd really understood his question.

She'd been with them for a couple of days, keeping some kind of normalcy, but Ifeya and Bill had put a cap on it and pulled out the "grandparent" card, trumping it up with the "dead son" card and Miranda and Ben were stuck. So, she was going with them for a couple of days with the promise that she'd return.

Ben's phone rang and he lunged for it. He thought to pause the game, but just let the girl have at it. "Hello?" He asked looking at the number he was now too familiar with. Bill Miller just slightly irked him, but he was a church mouse compared to his wife. It was funny to Ben; in essence, they were the older version of him and Miranda. But they would never react the way those two did with their children or grandchildren.

"Hi, it's Bill," the man said announcing himself as he always did.

"Hey."

"I think we're at the right address. So, if we have the correct house, we're outside."

"Good. Good. I'll get the door." Ben nodded firmly to himself and stood up, going to the window to see an all-black CTS Cadillac parked out front as the Millers strolled up the cement walkway, whispering to each other. And now Ben wished Miranda were here. The way the two of them played off of each other worked well in awkward situations. They were both polite, but when things took a turn, one stayed calm and easy while the other went on the attack. But since surgery had stolen her away, he was alone and forced to play good cop and bad cop. "Ready, little miss?" She ignored him and picked up the remote to the TV, running toward the dining room to the kitchen. He hurried to open the door for the Millers and ran after her. "Gotcha!" He tickled her, loosening the controllers from her grip.

"Hello?" Bill called out.

Ben had half a mind to not return the greeting. Good cop, Benjamin, he could hear Miranda say. He grabbed some precut and prebagged apple slices for her from the refrigerator. He took a second to open it up and handed one to the girl who followed him. "Hi! Uh, we were just getting a little snack," he answered.

The Millers stood by the front door, leaving it open as if they couldn't possibly wait to leave. Their eyes landed on Pru and Ifeya knelt, holding out her arms. The girl toddled over, squeezing an apple slice. The woman smiled and Ben noticed just how much Dean looked like his mom. "Hello, Arike," she said.

Her name is Pru! Ben bit his inner lip. "Well, um, you can come in," he told them putting the remote and the controller on the ottoman that sat in front of the middle of the room. Bill closed the door and they walked further into the house and Ben tried to see their house from the Millers' perspective. It was clean, of course. But Tuck's baseball equipment was piled near the door, dusty. And two pairs of Joey's running sneakers were scattered by the stairs, muddy. Ben's bag was open on the table on top of medium-sized stack of mail in disarray. Even Miranda's shirt was on the back of the chair after she'd changed when Pru spilled milk on it earlier. "It's a little messy, but we also have two teenagers as you know."

"Two boys, right?" Ifeya asked as Pru reached for her grandmother's perfectly coiffed hair with an apple slice-filled hand. "Oh, no, baby. Don't touch Grammy's hair. She just got it done."

"Um, yes, ma'am. 16 and 18."

"And your wife is…?"

Ben gestured to the sofa, snatching up the second controller from it. "Um, surgery."

"That's how it goes, right?" Ifeya asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You two can get called away at any moment? And Arike is just… up in the air? Or she's passed to someone else who'll pass her to someone else who'll hand her back to you at the end of the day."

"Ifeya," Bill said cutting his eyes at his wife.

She set Pru down and the girl moseyed to Ben, climbing into his lap, clapping his face with her apple, sliding it into his mouth. He turned up his face comically. "Mm. Thank you, baby girl," he said chewing slowly. She bit off another piece and grinned, wiggling down and going for the second controller again. "Um… to answer your question, we'll do nothing short of making sure Pru has everything she needs. She's a priority."

"With two other children?" Ifeya asked. "One's adopted. And the other isn't biologically yours." Ben wasn't sure where she was going with her statements, but getting angry either way. "Am I right?"

"Pway," Pru said putting one controller in his hands and the other in Bill's. Then she sat down and watched the screen. When the basketball game didn't start, she turned to look at them. Her brown eyes dashed from one man to the other.

Ben cleared his throat and started the game. "Both of those things are true. But they're my boys. And they're are self-sufficient, bright teens and one's on his way to college with plans to become a doctor and the other takes AP classes and gets the highest marks in his sleep," Ben said bragging a little.

"But if she were with us," Bill started tapping a few buttons as his player spun and laid the ball in the basket, "she wouldn't have to compete for attention."

Nodding, Ben listened, knocking down a three pointer. "She'd have everything she needs," Ifeya jumped in. "With the best schools. People who love her. Her family."

"We do love her. We are her family." Ben looked at Pru with her dark brown curls falling all over her head. Upon his wife's request, he was supposed to do it, but time had slipped away. Besides, she looked so cute. A low rumble told him that someone had pulled into the driveway. "Excuse me." Looking out of the window, he saw Miranda getting out of her car and his face lit up. He opened the door with a quickness and met his wife, hugging her. "I love you."

"Are they here?"

"Shh. Yes." The two of them walked back to the living room. Miranda smiled, meeting them for the first time. "Babe, these are the Millers, Bill and Ifeya. And this is my wife."

"Dr. Miranda Bailey," she said cutting him off and he rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "It's nice to meet you." The three of them shook hands. Pru was sitting on the sofa now. Seeing Miranda, she stood up on it, her feet pressed into the fabric. She picked up the girl and kissed her cheeks. "Hi, baby girl. What you got there? Apples? Did Uncle Ben give you those?"

Ben watched, smiling. He glanced at the Millers who juste looked uncomfortable. "Um, babe?"

"Right. Sorry, um, what were we talking about?"

"We were discussing how much time you two would actually have with Arike. With the jobs you two have, it doesn't seem plausible."

Miranda touched Ben's hand. "Thank God for daycare," she said sitting down with Pru on her lap. "Yes, we have demanding jobs. Very demanding. But I'm sure my husband has told you that she has people who love her and who have no problems helping us out from time to time."

"I was getting to that," Ben responded as Pru pushed a half-bitten apple to his lips.

"Eat."

He ate another piece of germ-riddled fruit. "But we're also more than willing to rework our schedules to do what's best for Pruitt," he said re-establishing the girl's given name through his chewing.

"We'll see," Ifeya answered. "Bill, get her bag please." She reached for Pru, but the girl wasn't paying her any mind. "Arike. Get your shoes."

The two-year-old turned, confused. "Here, baby girl," Ben said reaching for her little sneakers. Forgetting that the Millers were there, he turned to Miranda: "Want to do it this time?" He asked. "Kids' shoes are smidge difficult."

She took the shoes from him, hitting him with them in the process. "I'm going to take her bag to the car and check the car seat," Bill said standing up as Miranda helped Pru into her shoes, chatting softly. He knew his wife's heart was breaking as was his own. "Thank you two for taking care of her." He left the house.

"She'll be back next week?" Miranda asked when Pru was ready, coat and all.

"Yes, next week," Ifeya replied and Ben caught his wife's eyes. The woman noticed and, for the first time, that she looked directly at them like they were deserving of sharing the same space, worthy of sharing time with their precious granddaughter. "Look, I'm sure you two are great people. Stable with a lovely home, raising two boys already. And my son loved you, why else would he have made you the godparents? But Arike needs to be with family right now." Bill returned. "Her father is gone and the people who can… who can help her heal from all of this, who can help her dive into her Nigerian culture, uh… learn Dean's legacy…." She picked up Pru. "We respect our son's decision. Really, we do. But we're leaving it up to the courts."

Miranda tightened her hold on his shirt, her nails digging into his skin, but he didn't care. He wanted to rip the girl from their arms. Instead he swallowed. "Understood." Staring at Pru, he put out his fist and she bumped it. "Attagirl. We'll see you in a couple of days, okay?" She shook her head and he grinned. "Yes."

"See you later, pumpkin," Miranda said doing her best to hold back the waterworks. "Alright? Bye-bye."

"Bye-bye."

Miranda waved, mumbled a goodbye and turned away, heading for the kitchen. "Have a safe drive," Ben told them.

"Thank you," Bill said and they left.

Ben flopped down on the sofa, needing a second before calling out to his wife. She burst into the room, her face damp with water and red eyes. "She'll be back," he said, allowing Miranda the comfort of her his chest to break down.

"She will."

And return she did. The Millers had agreed to honor Dean's wishes while the judge reconciled everything and Ben was grateful. Even on today, one of the biggest holidays of the year, they were keeping up their end of the deal and letting her come with them since it was their week. At the station, he put the boys to work while he showed Pru around since she hadn't been there in a long time. "And this is where your Dad would sit". The alarm sounded and he left the girl with Roz, thanking her profusely. "Gotta go!"

The day was hectic as anticipated. There was so much drama going on with a woman he'd unwittingly led on and stupidly invited to dinner that he almost missed Bill showing up. "Dad! Dean's dad is here," Tuck said rushing into the room as Ingrid was escorted out.

Joey bounded down the steps, breathless. "Is he gonna take Pru?"

"I don't… I, uh… I don't know," Ben said touching their heads. "You two just… just… keep helping out. And don't worry." While Miranda stood guard next to Pru, his good friend, Vic, held the girl, with Roz on the other side of her, staring at him through the glass. With a deep breath, he entered the hollow belly of the station.

"…that you love my granddaughter," Bill was saying as he paced. "But it's Thanksgiving and my wife has gone through enough with Dean. She needs her granddaughter."

Ben put an arm around Miranda. "Mr. Miller, I cannot imagine the loss you've suffered. I'm so deeply sorry. I'm so sorry for you lost. Your son was a wonderful man." Her voice cracked as she continued: "Please, please stay for dinner. Stay so you can get to know us, 'cause we don't just love Pru, we… we all are her family, too." In rotation, all of their gazes went to the little girl who was looking down at Miranda, her face still. "She's lost so much. She can't lose this family… the family whose arms she was literally born into. Yes, there's… there's family that blood makes, but there's also the family made of this… made of shared experience and familiarity and sensibility and shared passions and understanding and love." Vic was near tears squeezing Pru and Ben's heart clenched. He knew his wife had a way with words, with people, but he didn't think the man fall beneath her spell. "Please," she pleaded.

Bill nodded, his Adam's apple moving as he spoke: "Alright. We'll stay for dinner."

"Thank you." Maybe he was wrong. The other four adults exhaled softly, smiling.

Bill took Pru from Vic without warning, stunning them all. "But after…" He began, readjusting the girl. "I'm leaving with my granddaughter." He walked off and Ben cursed beneath his breath.

After fifteen minutes and a mini-rage session in their car, he and Miranda joined everyone else at the table. Tuck and Joey sat on his left with Roz across from him talking to Carina who was blushing. His wife sat to his right with Pru between her and Vic. Blessed by seating dynamics, Bill was placed way down toward the other end of the table. Ben almost felt bad, but remembering that he said he was taking Pru, he ignored the man. But Miranda didn't, she smiled at him and Ben was forced to really see Bill with his heavy eyes and taut lips, sad—so sad. Were they doing the right thing?

"Whoever cut that turkey needs Jesus," Tuck said as Ben nudged him with his arm before grabbing him up.

"Anybody want sliced teenager?" Ben asked.

"They're rotten," Travis laughed.

"Way too chewy," Jack said.

"0 out of 10 would not recommend," Vic added winking at Tuck.

Tuck wrapped his arms around him, trying to bring him down, but Ben got the best of him, placing kisses on his head. "Eww! Dad! Okay!" He hit the table three times.

"Alright, alright. Behave," Miranda said leisurely. "This is the dinner table."

"Technically," Joey began, "it's the table that Dr. DeLuca use for the blood drive."

Jack backed away from his plate and Emmett put a hand to his head. Carina looked like a deer caught in headlights. "He's being funny, everyone," Ben said rising from his seat. Knowing what was coming, Joey stood up and ran away from the table with Ben following at catlike speed. After wrestling their oldest to the ground, the two of them got up and walked back to the table. He loved these moments.

Back next to his wife, Roz leaned over and asked: "Is he right?"

Ben shrugged. "I have no idea."

They had a great time as dinner progressed and Ben wished he could stop time or least prolong it so that he wouldn't have to watch that man take Pru. Even as they cleared the table, his palms sweated. And the moisture made them itch. "Arike! It's time to go."

"Oh," Miranda said, "oh, you're using her middle name?"

"It's her true name," Bill said in a forceful voice.

"This doesn't have to be a battle," Miranda stated. "We all love her."

Bill shook his head. "You don't love her as much as her grandparents do." Ben had been labeled a hothead when he was younger, but in his wiser, grayer, more sophisticated years, he was calmer, but the way he wanted to ram the man through the wall scared him. "Arike."

Ben wiped his mouth. "Okay… wh-whe… when should we pick her up?" He asked as Pru was lifted by Bill who ignored the question.

"Thank you for dinner," he announced to everyone. "And for looking after my granddaughter."

The girl who'd been smiling and playing all day looked at Miranda with the saddest eyes. "Here, baby," she said giving her a white stuffed bunny that Dean had given her.

"Take care." Miranda blew kisses to Pru as Bill walked through the station without another word.

Pru waved solemnly and and the urge to pin Bill Miller to the floor returned. They were losing her all over again. Why was this happening? What had he done? Getting Miranda, Tuck and Joey attached? And himself? Those brown eyes were emblazoned on his lids and every time he closed them, he saw her smile, identical to her father's, big and genuine. FUCK! He screamed internally while touching Miranda's shoulder, hoping it soothed her like the small connection to her was doing for him. "Can he do that, dad?" Tuck asked. "Can he just take Pruey like that?"

Ben sighed and straightened up his face, wondering that his goddamn self. "I… I don't know, son."