Chapter 23
Olivia was buried in a case file she had read no less than four times, determined to find even a minuscule detail that could help her build a case, but she was coming up empty. She threw her glasses on her desk, stood up to make a coffee and pace a little bit, before she sat back down and once again started from the beginning. Their victim was a nineteen year old who was working as a grassroots political canvaser and taking evening classes at Hunter College. Casey had been assaulted by the candidate she was working for following a late night in the office. Olivia and her squad were determined to find evidence to make this stick and get this guy off of any political ticket, but his tracks had been covered and he had a lot of people blocking their way. Grasping at straws, Olivia picked up her office phone and dialed Barba.
"Hey," she said into the phone. "Listen…this Casey Ross case…I know, I know. Look, she's credible. You know she is….I know. Look, I just…yeah…tonight? Perfect. Thank you, Rafael."
She hung up the phone and bit her lip, debating whether to keep reading details that she had already engrained in her mind, or take a break until Barba came by her place later to brainstorm. Not one to let a case go easily, Olivia found herself buried back in the case file until her cell phone vibrated on her desk about an hour later.
"Hey, Ed," she breathed into the phone, his voice instantly soothing her anxious-ridden body. "How are you?"
"I'm in a little bit of a bind, Liv," he said, his voice sounding strained. Olivia immediately sat up a bit straighter.
"What's wrong?"
"The movers called, said they are set for delivery the day after tomorrow."
Ed had hired movers to take the things his kids had selected across the country and back to New York. This particular company had estimated a three-week trip, as they picked up and delivered other items along the way. Seems like they didn't have a lot of business this trip because they were arriving about ten days early.
"I can be there," Olivia said simply. "I still have a key. I can find some guys to help empty the bedrooms and get that stuff into a storage unit, and I'll be there for delivery."
"Liv, thank you…"
"Of course. This isn't an issue. Don't stress about it."
The couple was silent on the phone for a few seconds. It had been over a week since Olivia left Los Angeles. They tried to stay in regular communication, but Ed was pulled in several directions each day and Olivia's caseload had doubled since her return. She was beyond ready to have him back in the city. Olivia missed the sound of his voice, the feel of his touch, and the look in his eyes when they were together. Previously convinced she was destined to be alone, Olivia found herself falling further and further into Ed Tucker and she deeply missed him.
"Only a few more days," she said softly, shifting things around her desk while she held the phone to her ear and smiled at his response.
"Can't get here fast enough, sweetheart."
"I…I'm really missing you," she admitted reluctantly, knowing it would make him feel a little guilty. Olivia had tried to keep her anxiety and sorrow to herself over the last couple of months, but she couldn't help it in that moment. She wanted him to know how badly she missed him, and how happy she would be to have him back with her.
"Me too, Liv," he said. "These last few days are gonna crawl…"
"Hey," she said in a brighter voice. "I was thinking maybe I'd try to get Emma and Nate's room set up a little bit for them? Do you think they'd like that? Or would I be over-stepping?"
"Not sure Nate cares at all," Ed said simply. "And Emma is so…overwhelmed…ya have an idea of what she's wanting?"
"She mentioned a couple of colors when we were packing. Her room in LA was bright…and she said she wanted something calmer at your place."
"Liv, I trust you with anything and everything."
Olivia smiled at that statement. "Okay," she whispered.
"Just text her if you have questions. She seems a little more chatty the last couple of days."
"That's good to hear."
"I guess I better go…" Ed's tone was reluctant, but he had errands to run and Olivia needed to get back to work. "Talk to you tonight?"
"Of course," she said. "Anytime."
"Love you, Liv."
"Love you too."
Olivia dropped her cell onto her desk and immediately looked at her work calendar on the computer. Not seeing any pressing meetings, she began to shut things down, and sent a text to Barba.
"Change of plans," she typed, a small smile forming on her face.
"Oh-kay, sweet Noah," Olivia said, tugging Noah's foot after the snapped him into the shopping cart. She slowly began to weave them in and out of the aisles of the home store, speaking softly to him. "Let's see what we can find here."
"Whaddya think, Noah? Emma mentioned purple, gray…maybe white?"
"Ma!" Noah just smiled up at his mother, kicking his feet in the shopping cart. Olivia leaned down and kissed all over his cheeks, causing him to shriek, giggle, and grasp at the strands of hair that fell from her messy up-do. She pushed them into the bedding section and chewed her bottom lip as they looked around.
"Nate might be easier…" she mumbled.
"Na!" Noah once again squealed in excitement, hearing the name of one of his coveted friends.
"That's right! Nate, Emma and Ed will be back for good soon, sweet boy."
Olivia quickly found a light gray and red duvet cover and checked the fabric blend. Smiling to herself, she tossed the comforter and a couple of sham covers into the cart. "Nate really is easier…" she said to herself, steering her cart towards the more feminine designs. "What do you think about simple, sweet boy? Maybe we can paint…"
"Pay," Noah said, intensely following his mothers motions and eyeing the different colors on the shelves. "Ma pay."
Olivia let out a laugh. "Mommy might paint. Or Mommy might pay someone else to paint…"
She found a couple of options and snapped pictures to send to Emma, seeing if she liked any of the options. She quickly responded in favor of an off-white duvet cover with multi-colored balls along the edges, with a question of how soft it was. Olivia opened the package and confirmed it was pretty soft. With that out of the way, Olivia made sure to find good quality comforter inserts for the duvets, selected good pillows, then wandered towards the decor section, almost giddy with excitement.
A few hours and credit card swipes later, Olivia and Noah were back at Ed's apartment with multiple bags in tow. The doorman, quite familiar with the duo, immediately got them a cart and helped them load everything out of the cab.
"Thank you," Olivia gushed.
"When does Captain Tucker return with the kids?" Ed had let the building management know of the movers arrival, and had explained the reasoning.
"End of the week," Olivia explained. "I want to make it…nice…for them."
The doorman smiled warming. "Captain's lucky to have you. Let us know if we can help."
Olivia blushed, muttered a thank you, plopped Noah into an open space on the cart, and wheeled them to the elevator. The little boy shrieked and giggled, held onto the brass pole and enjoyed the ride. Once inside of Ed's apartment, Olivia worked to get herself organized. Noah busied himself with a puzzle in the middle of the office while his mother took inventory of furniture and other items that would need to be moved. Before she knew it, her phone was buzzing signaling the arrival of Rafael Barba.
Holding the door open, Olivia burst into laughter. Barba, carrying a large pizza box, was dressed in a blight blue polo, khaki shorts, tube socks, and tan loafers.
"What's so funny?" He asked, dumped the pizza box on the counter and looking around.
"You," Olivia said, trying to collect herself. "I told you to come in old, work-type clothes…"
"Well, this is as good as it gets. I don't do manual labor," Barca explained with an eye roll followed by a smirk. "Now can you please explain why I'm bringing a cheese pizza to Ed Tucker's apartment?"
Olivia shook her head and went to grab plates from Ed's cabinets. "Let's get Noah fed," she said. "I can fill you in while we eat. But then you're gonna tell me what I need to help Casey Ross…"
"Deal."
"This condo is so much better than the hotel," Nate said, propping his feet up on the balcony railing and watching the sun go down. "Not that the hotel was awful…"
Ed chuckled and let his son off the hook. "I know what you mean, kid," he said. "The hotel was tough. Not home-like."
"Hard to figure out what home is right now," Nate muttered.
"I know it'll be tough," Ed began, "moving to New York, then back to Stanford."
Nate clicked his tongue a few times before responding. "A lot of back and forth," he admitted. "To be honest, I hope Stanford begins to feel like home…"
Ed did his best to hide the tiny amount of hurt that statement caused, because he understood where Nate was coming from. It made sense to want the place where he will be spending the most time to feel like home, but Ed had waited a long time for his kids to be able to call his place, with him, home. Despite it coming about in a tragic and traumatizing way, Ed was looking forward to having his kids all to himself. But the reality was that he wouldn't. They were older and weren't really kids anymore. His home would be Nate's second, almost vacation home, and Emma was going to be a senior in high school. Ed shoved all of that uncertainty and disappointment aside.
"It may," he finally said. "But, son, you'll always have a home with me. Okay? Don't you ever forget that. Wherever I am, you have a home."
Nate picked at the fabric on his shorts but didn't respond. The two men sat in silence before the sound of the sliding glass door filled the air.
"Hey, Emma," Ed said, scouting over from where he sat on the two seater sofa. "Come sit with us."
Wearing an oversized sweatshirt, shorts Ed could barely see, and her hair up in a messy bun, Emma semi stumbled over the the sofa and collapsed next to her dad.
"Ya okay?"
"Yeah, just tired," she said, sighing before getting a tiny Ed-like smirk on her face. "Was talking to your girlfriend," she teased, elbowing Ed as he blushed slightly and pretended to be unaffected.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah," she said. "Just…wanted to thank her, ya know, for getting all that stuff."
"She wanted to," Ed said softly, shrugging as he spoke. This kind of action did not surprise him from Olivia. But he was pleasantly surprised to hear how receptive Emma was of the idea. She seemed to teeter back and forth between open and tense when it came to Olivia's presence.
"We talked paint colors."
"She's not painting, right?" Ed asked, his face scrunched up. He loved his girlfriend, but had a hard time thinking she would be an expert painter.
"No," Emma said, chuckling softly. "Her friend…Rafael? I think that's his name? He convinced her to hire someone."
Ed just nodded. Olivia had told him she was bringing Barba over, so they could discuss a case while she worked. He was nervous at first, as Barba still didn't "officially" know their relationship status, but Olivia had brushed it off, claiming it would be fine. Brushing off his anxiety about that particular situation, he focused back on his daughter.
"Ya decide on a color?"
"No. She said we could do that together once we get home."
Ed's heart swelled and he shared a quick glance with Nate. Hearing Emma call New York "home" lifted his spirits a bit and gave him hope that this would eventually settle down and work out. The trio heard the buzzing of a cell phone and Ed and Nate simultaneously reached for their phones.
"It's me," Nate said, swiping and answering. Ed watched as he made a quick exit and back into the condo before turning back to the dusky sky and propping his feet up on the coffee table. Emma fidgeted slightly, playing with her fingers and chewing her lip.
"What is it, Em?" Ed asked.
"Oh, nothing," she said with a shrug. "I guess I'm just curious how all of this is gonna work."
Ed looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?"
"Like, where am I gonna go to school? I had friends there a few years back, but it's not like we stayed in touch. I think I remember how to get around? And you work crazy hours…"
Letting her words sink in, Ed put an arm around Emma's shoulder and gave it a squeeze as he sensed she was not done.
"How often do you stay with Olivia? Do you go there? Does she stay with you?"
"Ah, I, uh, usually go there, ya know, Noah," Ed stammered, unsure how to have this conversation with his daughter. He looked over at her face. She didn't seem upset or defensive, just unsure of what was ahead, so honesty was the best route. "A couple nights a week? Depends on work..for her and for me…"
"Oh," Emma responded. "So not like, all the time?"
"No. She works crazier hours than I do. Goes through spurts where she barely gets time with Noah. So there are times when we are barely able to grab a post-work drink during a week. It's…uh…"
"Unpredictable?"
"I wouldn't say that," Ed responded thoughtfully as he searched for the right words. "It just gets…difficult…sometimes. But, Emma," he said, turning his body so he faced her slightly, "you're not just gonna be on your own once we get there. It'll be tough at first, I'm sure, but I am gonna make this work."
Emma let out a tiny sigh and laid her head on Ed's shoulders. He immediately moved to kiss her head and pull her a bit closer.
"I don't wanna be in the way," she whispered. "Or, maybe it's more…I don't wanna feel like I'm in the way?"
The words felt like a gut punch to Ed. Had he and Olivia inadvertently given Emma this impression? Or Nate? She must have read his mind.
"It's not like I feel like that right now," Emma said quickly. "Or, well, I don't feel like that a lot. I'm just…nervous…about how this works."
"I am too," Ed finally admitted. "It's gonna be an adjustment for you. For Nate. For me. I don't know how it's gonna work either. How I'll balance it all and make sure you kids have everything you need. Wondering how much time I'll be able to spend with Liv."
For some reason, Ed admitting that he, too, was nervous seemed to help ease Emma's worry a tiny bit.
"We will all figure it out," she finally said, matter-of-factly. "We will."
"Ed, are you sure?" Olivia asked him for the fourth time, holding the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she put the finishing touches on a cupcake display and flower arrangement on Ed's kitchen countertop. She had spent most of the morning cleaning and arranging various pieces of furniture and decor in the kids' rooms. Noah would occasionally "help" by bringing something over, or dumping his toys in the middle of the floor, but they got it done. She even had time to run out and grab some sweets and flowers as a tiny welcome home. Olivia planned it all just perfectly and planned to be out of the apartment before the Tucker trio were even close, but Ed seemed insistent that she stay and welcome them back.
"I'm sure, Liv," he said. "The kids will be happy to see Noah. And I'm ready to see you."
"I wanna see you too, sweetheart, but I don't want to…intrude."
"You're not. Hang tight. My app says about fifteen more minutes. I'll share the trip status…"
Olivia sat on the edge of a couch cushion and wrung her hands. She felt nervous all of a sudden and a little uncomfortable, but Ed's tone sounded almost desperate. So she stayed. Noah continued to stack blocks and say little words. Her phone pinged, signaling the trip had completed so the Tuckers would be there any second.
"Noah," Olivia cooed, trying to get his attention and neatly put the toys back in his designated basket. "Ed is almost here! And Nate and Emma!"
His little head snapped towards the door as he heard the lock jiggle and he scrambled to get up. Nate and Emma appeared first, looking tired and travel weary, but Noah paid them little attention. As soon as Ed stepped into the apartment, the little boy shrieked and ran faster, his arms outstretched.
"Ed!" He yelled, causing Tucker's jaw to drop, as he swept Noah up into his arms. He tossed him in the air a couple of times before hugging him close. Noah rested his head on Ed's shoulders and fisted his t-shirt. "Ed," he said plainly, almost possessively, making sure his displeasure at the long separation was known.
Olivia felt her heart crack a little bit at the scene, watching Noah and Ed reunite while the older kids looked on. Nate had a small smile on his face as he looked around the room. Emma shifted from foot to foot and chewed her bottom lip, which seemed to be her new habit. Unable to tell whether she was okay or not, Olivia slowly made her way to the group and ushered them into the apartment. She was ready to have her own time in Ed's arms, but decided their reunion could wait a few more minutes while they got the kids, all three of them, somewhat settled.
"No sense in staying in the foyer," she said, helping Nate put their suitcases against the wall for the time being. "Noah and I picked up some treats for you, in case the flight left you wanting sugar. And we can be out of your hair…"
"Cuh-cay!" Noah exclaimed, pointing towards the three-tiered tray of both chocolate and vanilla iced cupcakes. "Cuh-cay, Ed"
"Well, let's get you set up, little man," Ed said, moving to give Olivia a quick kiss. She rubbed his back and smiled softly at him, offering to take Noah, but Ed shook his head and carried the little boy into the kitchen. Nate excused himself to the bathroom at that point, wanting to wash up from the trip, but Emma hadn't budged. Jokingly feeling slighted by Ed and Noah's reunion, Olivia made her way over to Emma instead.
"How are you?"
Emma just shrugged. "I'm okay, I think. Sorta just feels like a trip for now."
"That makes sense," Olivia said in a near whisper. "It may take a while."
Nodding, Emma turned to look up at the older woman. "Can I go see my room?"
"Of course," Olivia exclaimed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and leading her down the hall. "I put a few paint splotches on the wall. You can decide what shade you want when you're ready…"
Emma turned the light on and slowly made her way into the room. It was the bigger of the two, given she would be permanently with Ed and Nate would be returning to college. It had a large, double window to the left of the door. On the opposite side was a medium sized closet that Olivia had cleaned out and added a few shelves for organization. Her white, iron bed frame was put together and set up with her night stand on one side and a new, light blue lamp rested there. She turned around, taking in the scene, noticing an oversized beanbag in the corner by the window and a new bookcase.
Smiling, her fingers traced the different shades of purple, most of them a pale lavender hue, and finally turned to face Olivia.
"I love it," she whispered.
Olivia's smile grew wide. "You do?"
Emma nodded and took another spin to look around the room. "It's…perfect," she said. "Well, almost," she said, darting from the room. Olivia watched her, afraid the young girl was upset but quickly realized that wasn't the case. Emma came back down the hall and into her room, carrying her backpack that had been used for her carry-on. Olivia followed her movements as she tossed the bag onto her bed and rummaged around in it.
"There it is," Emma muttered, pulling out a small, bubble wrapped item. Olivia felt tears spring to her eyes as Emma carefully unwrapped the picture of her and her mother that the duo had found when they were cleaning out her Los Angeles bedroom. Emma held it carefully, dusting it off, and placing on her new nightstand. "Now it's perfect," she whispered, backing up slightly and accidentally bumping into Olivia. Instead of flinching and pulling away, like Olivia expected, Emma allowed her to wrap her into a light embrace.
"Good," Olivia said softly into the girl's hair. "I'm glad."
"Thanks, Liv," Emma finally said, looking back up at her with wide, apprehensive, yet appreciative eyes.
"You're very welcome, Emma," she responded, kissing the side of her head and smiling when Emma once again did not pull away. "Come on," she said, moving them towards the door. "Let's get a cupcake."
