Here is another short chapter. I hope you enjoy.
Professor Professor Dome's class ended early, and she went over the next parts of the course and asked Raphael if he felt he was missing anything or needs any other help from her. He didn't need anything that he knew of but asked her a question.
"I know you work closely with the law school, and I was just wondering, do you know, I mean I only have four classes repeating one of them of course, but how much extra is expected am I going to be at some event every weekend or every evening?" Raphael asked.
"The beginning of the semester and the end of the semester are the worst. I'm invited to a lot but I never have to plan, and I am under no obligation because it's not my department. Usually, you can get away with skipping about 1/3rd of what your department does but starting next year, you'll be required to do law school orientation. It is where prospective students come and visit, it's usually two weekends at the end of the semester and one later on in the summer. There is the faculty Christmas party, but that's friends and family and always a good time. If you aren't in charge of anything, you may be roped into helping out with a club. I think a group of professors volunteer for legal aid. You probably will have to do that once a month. I don't know what else off-hand, but it's not all the time and seems that they bunch everything together, so you will have a week where there are 2-3 events you have to go to and then for a month there will be nothing then 2-3 weeks in a row you'll have another 2-3 things that you need to do. Trust me; every department does this; they throw things at you last minute. Don't be afraid to say no, especially if you already have plans." Professor Dome stated.
"Thanks, I need to get out of here; I am going on a double date of sorts, I think." Raphael stated.
"You think?" She asked.
"Well, it's my partner's babysitter and her boyfriend, but we are taking Noah with us," Raphael stated.
"I see well have a good time see you Friday." Professor Dome stated.
Raphael was getting out early and texted Olivia saying she would meet them at home instead of the restaurant and went to the apartment.
Olivia was wearing a green dress; it wasn't dressy. It was a cotton sundress with flat sandals, and Noah was wearing a polo t-shirt and shorts. He felt as though this was his little family and loved the feeling. He knew that Olivia still hadn't talked Noah about his feelings, but he was overwhelmed with love for both of them.
"I missed you," Raphael stated as he closed the gap holding Olivia close to him. The electricity was instant, and she pulled his hips into hers. He knew she could feel him pressed against her thigh.
She whispered, "tonight." and took a step back. Raphael just smirked at her.
Noah was excited to meet James. He was asking 100 questions.
"So James is Lucy's boyfriend. So does that mean he's going to be my babysitter too?" Noah asked.
"No It just means sometimes you may see him at the park, or go with them to dinner. You might play games with him, but he won't be here taking care of you." Olivia stated.
"Is Lucy going to want to spend more time with him than with me?" Noah asked.
"Not exactly, buddy. She wants you to meet him, so you're comfortable with him when he does show up." Olivia stated.
"Are they going to get married?" Noah asked.
"I don't know buddy, what makes you ask?" Olivia asked.
"Well Linda's mommy had a boyfriend, and then they got married." Noah stated.
"Well most of the time, that is the goal." Olivia stated.
It was time to go, and the three of them walked a few blocks to the pizza shop.
Olivia and Raphael had got to Luigi's a sit-down pizza joint that had better than average pizza and place they all loved. Lucy was sitting by herself in a back booth; they were early but were surprised to find her alone. Lucy smiled at them, and they came to the back.
"Uh, James is running late; he should be here..."
"I am so sorry!" James stated, carrying a car seat.
Olivia and Raphael were shocked not expecting an infant in the hands of Lucy's boyfriend.
She smiled though and looked into his eyes lovingly. Raphael and Olivia could both see their connection.
"It's fine," Lucy stated.
"Everyone, this is James, and this is Analise," Lucy stated as she picked up the baby.
"She is my mom's 15th foster child." James smiled proudly.
"Wow!" Olivia stated.
"Well, I was an only child, and she and my dad had empty nest syndrome, so about five years ago, they started fostering. My mom's a nurse, and she has taken in a lot of kids, but right now, luckily, Analise is the only one, or I would have a gaggle of kids with me right now." James laughed.
"Yeah, his mom is a doctor, and his dad is in marketing, works odd ours because he does business with China," Lucy explained.
Analise was just two months old, a drug-exposed infant that may reunite with her biological mother if she could stay clean, but there were many months to go to see if that would happen. James had explained how his mother was the one to deliver the girl. The mom had no prenatal care was young and living in a shelter. Child services had stepped in when it was found the baby had meth and heroin in her system. When mom couldn't provide basic accommodation and no family could, mom was asked to go to rehab for a chance to get the baby back and find adequate shelter.
Olivia asked to hold Analise.
Olivia literally groaned. "She has that new baby smell!"
Lucy forgot the fact that James and Raphael were right there.
"I know she gives me baby fever so bad," Lucy stated.
Both Raphael and James look at the two of them quizzically.
"I know I definitely feel it too; if I was younger, I don't know if I could stop myself," Olivia stated.
"What are you two going on about?" James asked.
Both women blush.
"I don't know its just the smell of a new baby, looking at her, it instantly makes you want one." Olivia described.
Both men paled a little.
"Liv." Raphael stated.
"Oh no, no, no." Olivia stated.
"It's just there is this emotion this instant bond, and you want that for yourself. A baby of your own." Lucy stated.
"Mmm." Olivia replied.
"That's not in the cards right now," Olivia stated.
James looked up at Lucy, hoping she would say the same thing.
"I'm not trying, I'm not pregnant, she's just a friendly reminder of one day, and trust me, I have waves of wanting a pregnancy more than anything, but I want to finish grad school." Lucy stated.
Raphael and James seemed to relax visibly.
"Was I this little when you got me, mommy?" Noah asked.
"No, honey, I got you a little later on, but you were this small at one time," Olivia explained.
"So James, is you're mommy going to keep her like my mommy did?" Noah asked.
"Maybe, my mom has only kept some older kids, but they are all old enough to live on their own now," James explained.
Olivia changed the subject.
"I think it's wonderful what your mother is doing, but we came here to meet you, so tell us, James, what should we know about you." Olivia asked.
"Let's see. I met Lucy at a party a few years ago. We hit it off then, but she was just starting school, and I was junior. We kept bumping into each other on campus despite being different majors. I was in biology to go on to Pharmacy school, which I graduated from last year. Even with Lucy being part-time, it seemed like we would see each other every time we were on campus. We both love pizza and central park. We lived in the same neighborhood when we were growing up but never knew each other then. I tried three times before Lucy realized I was asking her out on a date." James stated.
Lucy blushed.
" I had asked Olivia at least a dozen times, she always shot me down." Raphael stated.
"I even witnessed 2 of those." Lucy stated.
Olivia looked at the 2 of them like they had grown three heads.
"You never asked me out before coming back."
Lucy couldn't help it. She laughed out loud.
"When I very first started working for you, and he came over with files, he asked you out. You blew him off, and I was sort of surprised he took in such stride. He said that he couldn't thank you enough for the last case and that he admired your tenacity, something about how you were "God's gift to the police force." You said he was saying it because he had won the case. Then about two weeks after you broke up with Ed, you had come home late, and he knocked as soon as you walked through. He had come over to check on you. He told you he wasn't going anywhere. He asked if he could take you and Noah out, and I think you're words were, "So Noah can scream all night at the steak house while you order $80 steak, not a chance." Lucy stated.
Olivia looked like a fish out of water.
"Rafa really?" Olivia asked.
"She's not wrong, Liv," Raphael stated.
"Oh my God, I am such an idiot." Olivia stated.
"Why did you keep trying I think I would have given up." Olivia stated.
"Well some things are worth the wait." Raphael stated and leaned into her.
They ordered pizza and Noah was excited that his slice had two more pepperoni slices than his mom's and three more than Lucys.
"So, James, are you working full time now?" Olivia asked.
"Sort of, fortunately, I can be pretty flexible. Pharmacists are a hot commodity, so they take what they can get, I'm helping my parents with Analise so, for now, I am working about 30 hours a week but when things get a little routine, I'll pick it back up to full time." James stated.
"So Lucy, how many classes do you have for your final semester," Olivia asked.
"Only 2, it practicum class in the child development care center that's 4 days a week, and by thesis class. Which I was hoping to talk to you about. My practicum is required to graduate, and its Tuesday- Friday. My Thesis class is on Monday, Noah will be in school, but practicum will change partway through the semester, and I won't be able to pick up Noah from school my last six weeks of class." Lucy stated.
"We'll work it out. When is your practicum done for the last six weeks?" Raphael asked.
"4 pm" Lucy stated.
"My only issue would be Fridays, and we can have it sorted out well before then. But I want you to know most Tuesdays and Thursdays I will be home by the time he's done with school. So we may be cutting your hours, but I promise we won't let you starve." Raphael stated.
"Well It may come in handy for grad school I'll have internships and have finally decided my graduate major after careful consideration and looking over all my options. I've actually already been accepted to NYU I am going to major in child counseling." Lucy stated.
"Oh, congratulations, you and Raphael will be on the same campus. I am so happy for you." Olivia stated.
"Mommy, can I go to NYU when I'm big enough?" Noah asked.
"Uh, we'll see about that, Noah." Olivia stated.
Raphael gave her a weird look but didn't say anything.
Olivia realized Noah was being left out of most of the conversation and felt terrible, so she asked kid-friendly questions such as going around and saying your favorite ice cream flavor, and favorite color. Favorite cartoons and other things as they continued to eat on their pizza and learn more about each other.
