"Grace." His voice bouncing of every wall and surface as he entered the squad room.
"Here, Where's the fire?" Grace said as she came out her office.
"What? Fire, where?" Looking at Grace then around the room.
"What do want Peter?" Grace looking at Boyd slightly curious as to what he wanted and why he was late coming in.
"Your office or mine?" Letting Grace pick where they sat and talked.
"Mine. What on Earth is going on? Have you been mugged, hit over the head, or slipped and banged your head?" Stepping aside so Boyd could enter her office ahead of her.
"No, just shut the door." Looking around Graces office before he shut the blinds blocking them both from view as Grace shut the door.
He sat down on the chair, then stood back up again pacing back and forth as Grace set about making tea for herself and coffee for him.
"Peter, will you sit down and tell me what's going on." Turning to face Boyd as he stopped abruptly and just looked at her.
"Thank you, now sit down and take a breath. Is whatever is wrong an explanation as to why you're late?" Turning back to finish making her tea and his coffee.
"Yes, no, shit Grace." Finally sitting down on the settee in her office and covering his face with his hands.
Grace heard Boyd and spun around to look at him, her concern for him growing as she took in his posture. She turned back and finished making his coffee, picking up both her cup and his before she walked over to sit beside him, both cups being put on the coffee table.
"Right, let's start at the beginning and work through this. What has got you in such a tailspin and made you late for work?" Turning sideways so she could face him as they talked.
"Frankie." The only word leaving his mouth as he sat up straight and looked straight at Grace.
"Frankie, what about Frankie? You've spoken to her? What has Frankie got to do with this?" Grace at a totally loss as to what there ex colleague had to do with Boyds mood.
"I saw her, I saw Frankie at the coffee shop I usually go to when I'm early for work to kill some time instead of sitting down here." His words still flustered as he rubbed a hand over his beard, the bristle making a scratching sound against his hand.
"So, you saw Frankie at a coffee shop. Did you speak to her? Is that why you're late?" Attempting to make the pieces of Boyd's conversation fit together.
"Yes, we spoke, even had coffee together. Or at least I had coffee and she drank that shite you drink." Indicating the cup in front of Grace on the table.
"And What Frankie drank is relevant to this because? She drinks herbal tea now, so what, that can't be what this is about. Peter, you really need to explain what on Earth is going on here, I can't help it," stopping when Boyd stood up, turned and looked down her.
"Frankie's pregnant." His words a little louder than he had intended but finally said aloud.
"Okay, so Frankie's pregnant. Is that why she left the unit? She wanted to start a family. I didn't even know she was seeing anyone when she was here." Looking at Boyd as he continued to stare at her.
It was the look on his face, the shock, the concern, the panic, that made her stop and think back. Frankie and left the unit six months before, no goodbyes, no warning, she was just gone. She had talked to Boyd and Frankie at the time, both seeming to have a problem, yet both adamant that what Frankie was doing was right.
Boyd had gone back to pacing, his hands in his pockets as he walked back and forth in front of Grace as she put the pieces together.
"Peter, sit down right now." Her tone leaving no room for negotiation.
"When she left, I asked you both what had happened, neither of you answering me. Are you telling me that Frankie is pregnant and it's your child?" Grace seeing the little colour Boyd had in his face drain away as she finally said what he had been thinking.
"I don't, I didn't, I had no idea what to say. I didn't want to ask her since I already ended up wearing my first cup of coffee when I saw her and I dropped the cup." Looking down at the dark stains on his light grey trousers.
"So what the hell did you talk about since the parentage of her child obviously wasn't one them?" Grace in complete shock at the new development.
"I asked her if being pregnant was why she left, to which she replied asking if that was the best I could ask instead of how far along she was, who the father was if she was still in a relationship with the father, or even if he was still on the scene." Finally sitting down beside Grace and resting his head back against the wall.
"At least one of you was on the ball. Sounds like Frankie is still as sharp as ever. Did you then ask anything of importance or was your brain still in your underwear?" A touch of disgust in her voice at the fact he had slept with Frankie just after Mel's death.
"It wasn't like that Grace. And no, she had to go, she had a meeting. She gave me her new address, she's moved since she left the unit." Lifting his head up as he dug around in his pocket taking out the folded piece of paper.
"Well, living on the top floor with a baby is not a good option, never mind when you're pregnant." Glancing at the paper Boyd was holding in his hand.
"Let's not beat around the bush anymore, Boyd. Do you think the child is yours? And if it is what are you going to do now you know?" Grace holding no punches as she saw him flinch.
"Yes, I think the baby is mine. She looks about the right size for her to have gotten pregnant after we, when we, you know what I mean." Graces eyebrow raising at his description of Frankie's size. "As for what I do if she confirms it is mine, I think she's made the decision already. She left, didn't bother to tell me she was pregnant, made a new life away from me and the team. I think that means I'm not welcome in hers or the child's life." Reaching for his cup of coffee as he felt Grace stare at him.
"You really are dense aren't you. Did she stop and talk to you in the coffee shop?" Deciding he really needed to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.
"Well, Yeah. She did try to leave when I first called her name but decided to stay." Answering as he wasn't sure what Grace was getting at.
"So, she could have left, walked away without seeing you or speaking to you. But instead, she didn't, she stopped, let you see her, let you see she was pregnant. Gave you the option to ask if the child was yours." Hoping he was catching up as she explained.
"I suppose if you put it like that, yes she did." Boyd's brain finally seeing where Grace was heading. "So giving me her address, inviting me round, she wants me to ask, wants me to know, maybe even wants me in the baby's life?" A slight flicker of hope in his eyes as he spoke to Grace.
"Yes, Peter. I think the fact she let you see she was pregnant, gave you her address, pointed out you asked the wrong question first, all indicted she wants you to be a father, that's if it is yours of course." Not missing the flash of hope that crossed his face. "When do you plan on going to see her?"
"As soon as I can get away. When I left the coffee shop I was terrified, Grace. As we sat talking I had a feeling it was mine, I just couldn't ask outright. I wasn't even sure I wanted to know if I wanted to be responsible for another child. Look how Luke turned out, and I hardly see Matt anymore. What if I screw up again? I can't do that to Frankie, or another child." His deep fear finally coming out about why Frankie being pregnant had bothered him and stopped him asking the important question when he had the chance.
"Only you will know if you're ready to be a father again, Peter. Talk to Frankie, explain to her how you feel. She's the one who's been dealing with this on her own for six months, find out what she wants, how she feels. She's the most important part in all of this." Leaning over and patting his hand.
"Thanks, Grace. Frankie was right as usual." Laughing as he recalled what she had said when he mentioned Grace.
"Am I missing something here?" Grace Looking at Boyd as he laughed.
"I asked Frankie if I could tell you and Spencer I had seen her. She said yes, said she expected me to tell you, especially about the baby." Seeing Grace smile as well.
"That Frankie is definitely the wise one between the two of you. On saying that, you ever feel like filling me in on how you both got yourselves in this situation in the first place I'm happy to listen." Giving him a look that told him their chat would continue at some point.
"Maybe one day, Grace. But not yet. Let me get my head around everything, speak to Frankie first." Finishing his coffee in a much more optimistic mood than he been in since he had first seen Frankie, and the predicament she in.
"I'll hold you to that. Now go see Spencer, tell him you've seen Frankie. Tell him she pregnant, just not that it's most probably yours. I don't think he's ready to handle that bombshell just yet." Smiling as she saw Boyd smile.
Boyd stood and headed for the door, stopping with his hand on the handle and turned back to Grace, the smile on his face growing.
"I felt the baby move." His grin now reaching breaking point.
"How did you manage that? Did Frankie let you feel it moving?" Puzzlement evident on Graces face since he hadn't even mentioned touching Frankie.
"I hugged her when she was leaving." Seeing shock on Graces face at the revelation of him hugging someone.
Boyd wasn't a hugging person. He didn't give them, or receive them. She had seen him hug Mel once when she was promoted. Then she and Frankie had received hugs from Boyd after Mel's memorial service. She wondered if that's was had led to them ending up in bed together, after Mel's service. She did recall him spending more time with Frankie in the pub, had his arm across her shoulder as they sat together.
"The baby moved and I felt it against my stomach." His hand touching his lower left abdomen where he had been pressed up against Frankie's bump.
Grace just smiled at him, her brain thinking back to the day of Mel's service and how Frankie and Boyd has been then. She watched him leave her office, a slight bounce in his step as he approached Spencer's desk. She was happy Frankie was doing well, even if she had omitted the fact she was pregnant from the three or four phone calls they had had since she left. Maybe this would be the turning point, the thing both Boyd and Spencer needed to dig them out their funk since Mel's death. Only time would tell.