"Sophia?"
"Hm? What?"
It was the next morning, and though it was only approaching nine o'clock, she was at work with her head in the clouds. It wasn't even because they'd had checkups to check on the babies that morning, or because Casey had treated her to breakfast afterwards. She was just in a very pleasant mood.
Sophia snapped out of her trance when she realized that Virginia Novak was talking to her. She took a complete step back when she saw that Violet, Ellington, Beatrix, Tiffany, and Savannah were looking at her, too.
Virginia laughed. "I said, 'be careful that you don't drown the button mums,' but you stopped before I had to intervene."
"Oh, good." Sophia looked around at her family. "Are you all going to keep standing there until I say what I'm thinking?"
"Yes!" the Novak women said in unison.
"Well, we agreed that it's okay to share now, so I will, especially because there are six of you, and one of me." Sophia laughed nervously. "The first piece of news is that Casey and I have our own place—we bought a brownstone, down on Commonwealth, and it'll officially be ours tomorrow!"
Everyone cheered.
"Just say the word," Violet said when the cheers had subsided. "And we'll all help, however you need."
"We'll probably have to take you up on that soon, because we're going to start brainstorming nursery ideas."
Violet gasped. "But to do that, you and Casey would at least have to have some idea of what you're having!"
"We do—Casey is carrying a baby boy named Henry," Sophia pointed to the middle of of her baby bump. "And this is Agnes. They're going to be Bensons."
"Those are delightful names."
"Thank you!" Sophia pointed to the lower part of her middle this time. "This is Henry's and Agnes' other sister, Esme."
Though quite surprised, the Novak women all connected the dots about Sophia's math, cheered again, and took turns hugging her as they congratulated her again.
But then it was Tiffany who realized that there were more things that Sophia was yet sitting on.
"Okay, what else is there?" she asked Sophia.
"Well, I went to dinner at The Plaza with the Rollinses last night, because Beth Anne, Benoît, and Kim went back to Atlanta this morning. Long story short—they have more than welcomed me into the family as one of their own, and… I found out that I'm going to be a big sister again because Beth Anne is pregnant with triplets. Also, Olivia called this morning to say that she and Alex got engaged last night!"
In as many minutes, the Novaks were surprised, but then congratulatory to Sophia, all the same because she was telling them good news.
Then Beatrix broke away from the pack, looping one of her arms in Sophia's, and walking her towards a particular section of blooms that they'd just gotten in the day before.
"Come along, my friend." she said.
"Okay." Sophia felt taken aback. "What's happening?"
"I'm going to teach you how to make a double-decker bouquet."
"Come again?!"
"It's exactly what it sounds like." Beatrix laughed. "We're going to send bouquets for your parents, Casey, and Beth Anne."
"Hey, but she lives in Georgia, though."
Beatrix winked. "We can still send flowers to her, too. Come on."
And Sophia settled in for what was going to be a very productive work day.
THREE-AND-A-HALF WEEKS LATER
Since wandering back into her mother's life, Sophia Benson had readily accepted that her own life would never be quiet again. But… she didn't mind.
She'd met the love of her life, and they were now building a life together, in every way possible.
Melisa was also very happy, but ever since she and her mothers had moved their new place, the little girl was more content than ever. She was experiencing stability for the first time in her life. She just didn't know the right word.
As for Olivia and Alex, they and Noah had moved out of their apartment to a nice place on a cozy lane called Southwell. The new place was much bigger, and had room to accommodate them, Noah, Diana, and any other child that should fall into their life and become theirs.
At the precinct, they had already solved an open-and-shut-case after putting to bed everything considering Floyd-William Enos. Olivia was glad for the return to normal, but all the same, she found herself wishing for a case with a little more… pizzaz.
Little did she know that another life-changing case was about to fall into her lap.
It just wasn't going to start with her.
THE WATERING CAN
777 5th AVENUE
MANHATTAN
NOVEMBER 1
7:45 AM
"Sophia, would you be a love, and put this in the dumpster out back, please?"
She had been sweeping up some scraps on the floor, but was now, she was just sweeping a bare patch of the florist floor. Her mind was elsewhere yet again because Casey's birthday was later in the month, and not only that, but it was going to be her fortieth, and Sophia was wondering if they should have a party.
Now, Tiffany was before her, holding a cardboard box in her hands. It was filled with cardboard scraps.
"I'll finish up, okay?" Tiffany said. "The recycling is due to be collected later today, anyway."
"Alright, Tiff. Here."
Sophia traded Tiffany the broom for the box, and headed outside.
The rear of The Watering Can featured an external exit from the upstairs loft of the residence, and there were also separate parking spaced for the employees and loft residents, in audition to the customer parking. There was also an exit from a back room inside the building that led to the area where the dumpsters were kept.
It was here Sophia brought the cardboard. She meant to throw it in the corresponding waste receptacle, but then she caught sight of something unusual and was distracted again.
"Oh, my God!"
She even dropped the box.
Not even six feet from her, beside the dumpster, was a double stroller, and in it were two small children—a young toddler, and an infant!
As she digested the sight before her, the toddler cried out, "MY FIA!"
Sophia had quite a turn when the little one recognized her. But when she drew closer, she had another turn—she'd met this child before, although only once. This was Carisi's and Amanda's baby niece, Aria Carisi. Sophia had met her when she was hanging out with Amanda, and Aria's mother stopped by at the last minute, asking Amanda if she could babysit. Aria's mother was Carisi's eldest sister, Bella.
"Hey, Aria!" Sophia cooed, picking her up and holding her close. "What are you doing here, huh? You're so cold!"
Aria just whimpered and burrowed close to Sophia, wanting to get warm.
"Okay, okay." Sophia kissed the little girl's crown. "We'll get you inside in a minute. Why don't we see who your buddy is, huh?"
Cautiously, Sophia crept around to the front of the stroller. She didn't know what she was afraid of, but she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that this baby, another girl, was wide awake and dressed warmly. While Aria Carisi was two, Sophia wouldn't have put the younger child past a few months old.
"Aria, my tiny love, do you know who that is?"
Aria regarded the baby and then shook her head. "No, Fia."
"Okay. I have to put you down so I can pick our friend up, but please don't go."
Aria nodded, and when Sophia put her down, the little one clung tightly to Sophia's apron. When Sophia turned to the infant, they locked eyes, and the baby reached out for her.
"You're okay, pretty princess. You're safe now." Sophia unbuckled the baby from her carseat and held her close, the way she'd held Aria. "I've got you. I've got you."
Sophia found a blanket in the baby's seat and draped it over her back. Then she turned to Aria and took her by the hand.
"Come along, baby." she told her. "We're going inside to get warm."
"Okay, Fia." the toddler chirped.
Sophia headed inside with the children, and only got as far as the back room where most of the supplies and assembly tables were.
"What's this?" Aria asked looking around.
"It's—"
But Sophia didn't get a chance to answer because Tiffany had entered the room.
"There you are, Sophia! I was about to come check on y…"
Tiffany's words died away when she registered what she was looking at, and she quickly made the sign of the cross across her body, the way she'd learned in church when she was a child.
"What's happening? Where did these kids come from?"
"I just found them out back, by the dumpster. This little one beside me is Aria Carisi, Dominick's and Amanda's niece."
"I think in some roundabout way, that makes her your niece, too."
With a jolt, Sophia realized that Tiffany had a point. "I hadn't thought of that…"
Tiffany gestured to the baby. "Who's this baby princess?"
"I honestly don't know, but I have to get her warm. Aria, too."
"Okay—"
Their conversation had yet another interruption when Savannah poked her head into the room.
"Ma sent me to check on you t—oh, boy. What do I do?"
Tiffany was helping Sophia into a chair, and helping her get Aria and the baby comfortable.
She turned to her sister. "Go tell ma to flip the sign to closed, and then to come back here. It's going to be a long day."
