In the kitchen, Olivia spoke with Jeremy's mother, Kelita, "Thanks for the privacy" she took a toaster pastry from tray that Jeremy offered her, "and the snack" she smiled at the little boy. "I think Noah has something he wants to talk with you about" she finished.
Kelina guided her son into the living room again, and then turned to Olivia, "I hope you don't mind the boys playing. Noah seemed to gravitate to the toy pistols, and I didn't see any harm from a little pretend play"
"Oh, I'll talk with him about that later on" Olivia nodded, "but I did want to talk with you about Elliot, the man I brought with me"
"Noah really does take after his dad, though" Kelita smiled, "He's got that same determined look on his face when he wants something"
"You could tell that Elliot has a determined look?" Olivia raised an eyebrow in surprise
"Well, I like to think I'm good with faces" she went on, "I'm a counselor at the Hudson"
"I see" Olivia acknowledged, "The thing I wanted to let you know, only so it doesn't go any farther, is that Elliot isn't Noah's father"
"Does he know?"
"Noah?"
"I mean Elliot" Kelita spoke in hushed tones, "that would've killed Jeremy's father if he thought that Jeremy wasn't his"
Olivia had a momentary flashback to when Elliot thought that baby Eli wasn't his child. There had been no real test done, that she could remember.
"No" Olivia explained, "Elliot knows, and Noah knows, but he told your son that Elliot was his dad, even though he know that it wasn't true"
"So you and Elliot-" Kelita purposely left the sentence unfinished
"No" Olivia shook her head, "we were never involved"
"But you look so close" she smiled
"You're not the only one who thought that" Liv smiled in return, "but please, don't let Jeremy repeat any of that. Elliot isn't Noah's father, and to be perfectly honest, Elliot and I are just friends"
"I see" Kelita nodded, "I'll keep that in mind."
Meanwhile, in the living room hall, Noah and Jeremy were talking,
"Elliot's not my dad" Noah looked down at his sneakers
"Then why did you say he was?" Jeremy frowned, "How come you lied to me?"
"I just- everyone's got a dad. It's not fair that I don't have one, too"
Jeremy became quiet, "I don't"
"But you said that we couldn't play together because I didn't have a dad" Noah practically shouted
Jeremy sniffed back the beginnings of tears, "I – wanted – my friends – to have a – dad so that I- could- I could-" he began to cry
"Hey" Elliot stepped in; he'd been quietly standing on the side, figuratively and literally, "It's ok" he knelt down and placed his hand on Jeremy's shoulder. "Let it out"
Jeremy sobbed into Elliot's shoulder and neck.
"I'm sorry" Noah reached out and touched Jeremy's other shoulder, "I didn't mean to"
Olivia and Kelita rushed in, having heard the sobs
"Noah, what did you do?" Olivia assumed Noah'd been to blame
"I didn't do anything" he put his hands up in surrender
"Mommy" Jeremy rushed from Elliot's side to Kelita's. He sobbed in her arms for a bit longer, and finally whispered something into her ear.
"I've got a bit of a confession to make, as well" Kelita held her son, "My husband, Jeremy's father, isn't with us anymore"
"Did he go away?" Noah asked innocently
Olivia and Elliot understood right away. Olivia knelt by Noah and placed her arm around his shoulders, "No, sweet boy. Remember how I told you that your dad was in heaven?"
"Uh huh" he nodded
"Jeremy's dad is there, too"
Noah looked at her for a moment, "do they talk about us?"
"I'm not sure" Olivia was honest, inwardly shuddering at the thought of Johnny D talking to Kelita's husband.
"It happened recently" Kelita explained, "less than a year ago" she held onto Jeremy, "he's had a rough time of it"
"We understand" Olivia held Noah and spoke to her, "Elliot and I both worked for law enforcement. We've seen our share of – loss"
"I'm sorry" Noah told his mother, and then reached out to his friend, "I'm sorry, Jeremy"
"I'll get him down for a little rest" Kelita picked up Jeremy, "but thank you, Noah" she smiled at the little boy, "and thank you, Olivia, and Elliot, for taking the time to talk with me"
"Of course" Olivia nodded and smiled back; she turned to Noah, "I think we better get you home, too"
"Alright" he conceded, for a change
Olivia buckled him into his booster seat in the back, while she drove, and Elliot sat in the passenger seat.
"Do you think he'll be ok with going napless?" Elliot leaned across the center console to ask Olivia
She glanced back, but Noah, a big boy of nearly seven, was fast asleep in his seat.
"I know you've got to get back to the bureau" Olivia spoke quietly, "but I do want to speak with you about some things"
"We've already tackled Noah's little snafu about wanting me to be his dad. Isn't that all you cared about?"
She stopped for a moment, unable to finish speaking her thought, "Is that all you cared about?"
"No" he smiled, "It's not"
Olivia wasn't sure if she wanted to know what else, or who else, he cared about.
Could it be her?
