Chapter 65: Celebration
They didn't say a word about their life-changing decision in the next few days. Keeping the secret from their friends and teammates was complicated but Hicks and Street prepared the transition the best they could. It was planned that Nora will join permanently 50-Squad as Street left his duties. Nora had been advised of her new affectation but Street and Hicks asked her to keep the silence. Street wanted to announce the news this weekend during the one-year twins's birthday.
When they told their decision to Aunt Elena and Uncle Sarzo at first they were surprised. They knew they both loved their job so much. But then they understood. They wanted to build a solid family life. Elena will still keep the boys during the day but Jim will come home early so he will be able to take care of Aaron and Nate on the evening.
Sarzo took Jim apart in the kitchen while Chris and Elena were talking about the last preparations for the birthday.
"Oh Sarzo, you're scared me!"
"Not my attention, hiro."
"You want something? To eat? To drink? Or…"
Sarzo cut Jim putting his hand over his shoulder. "No, nothing, thanks, I'm fine. Just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you! What you do for the boys, for Chris… It's… Beyond words…" He embraced Jim and tapped him in the back.
Jim was embarrassed by Sarzo's sudden display of affection. Not that he didn't like this. He appreciated Sarzo and Elena like the parents he never really had. It was just so unexpected. He wasn't used to it. After the shock, he embraced Sarzo at his turn. The two men separated after a few minutes.
"Estoy orgullosa de tí!"
Jim almost blushed before pulling himself together. "No, it's normal. You have to fight for your family…I didn't have one, till I met Chris and 20-Squad and then you welcomed me… I want my sons to enjoy the little things that make family life something special, something precious…"
"You're a good man, Jim. Chrissy is lucky to have you in her life…"
"Oh and I'm luckier to have her in mine. Seriously, I don't know where I'd be if she hadn't been her to scold me and put me in the right way! And believe me, she'll rise better than me at SWAT, soon, she's gonna run this city."
They heard her in the living room, asking Elena why they were taking so much time to bring the food on the table.
"Told you, she's gonna run the city, but first, she's running this house!"
The two men shared a last smile, before grabbing all the plates and brought them in the living room. It was time to eat.
[…]
"Hey, hey, hey, already here?" Jim was all smiley when he opened the door and discovered Buck behind it.
"Hey kid! Couldn't miss the birthdays of my lil boys!" He handed him two big wrapped gifts.
"Oh you should have, it's so big! These kids are spoiled!"
"Oh shut up, and let me enter!" Street pushed to let Buck come in the house.
"Heyyyyy, Buck, so glad you could come!" He hugged Chris. It was nice to see him get better day after day. One step at a time. Her therapist was really bringing back to the old him but with a new dimension.
"Can I help?" He proposed to Chris. "I know I'm early but I couldn't wait more to see… Here they are! The kings of the day!"
Buck took some time to play with the kids. Chris and Jim looked at him with tenderness. He was playing with the boys, seated on the ground and imitating a plane ready to land, making Aaron and Nate laughing hard. They exchanged a look. He was their grandpa. Who cared if they didn't share a blood link? He loved them as they were his own family, as he did for Street when he found him, totally scared and traumatized when he was 12.
The other guests eventually arrived. First Deac, Annie and their kids. As they walked through the door, the four of them ran to Aaron and Nate with balloons to wish them a very happy birthday. Tan, Bonnie and Joyce arrived after. Then, Hondo, Nichelle, Nora and Jack, Alicia. Luca was the last one to arrive, a little late but the arms full of too many gifts.
"We told you not to spoil them!" Chris scolded him as he walked through the entrance door.
"Hey to you to!" He hugged her, putting all the wrapped gifts on the ground. "How are you, And the boys?"
"In the garden, playing with the other kids and also Uncle Buck. Don't ask why, apparently he's into his plane mood today." Chris giggled.
Luca walked through the living room, passing in front of Street and ran to the kids.
"Good morning to you too, Sunshine!" Jim told after being ignored, half laughing.
"Be happy he didn't let you all the gifts at your feet." Chris appeared next to him with many wrapped boxes in her arms. He took some of her arms and they brought everything on the table at the end of the room.
"And here are some more!" Hondo handed two little boxes, each with the name of one of the twins.
"Really too kind, boss."
"Nothing is never enough for my nephews, Chris!"
The others dropped gifts on the table, one after the other. Soon the table was almost hidden behind all the gifts. Chris looked at Jim and knocked him in the arm with her arm. He understood the message.
"Your attention, please."
As Jim started to talk, all stopped to talk. "Wow, didn't know I had so much power over you!"
"Don't flatter yourself too much!" Tan immediately answered.
"Hahahahaha anyway, Chris and I would like to thank you to come today and for all the gifts you bring to the kids. God, they're too much spoiled!"
Chris punched him in the arm, once again. "Ouch!"
She rolled her eyes. "As if it hurts you… What J wanted to say, it's that you shouldn't have brought all of this. Your presence is really enough. For them and also for us! So just thanks, really."
"And before it ends with everyone crying, we could go and eat?"
"That's the best idea ever, boss!" Luca screamed from the other side of the room, with the twins in his arms, while Buck held Joyce.
Chris and Jim went to the kitchen to take the plates while the guests sat around the table in the garden. Buck and Luca decided to take care of the kids, making sure they were comfortable, Nora and Bonnie sat close to supervise the men. They were really nice and full of good will but they'd rather check on them, just in case. Alicia talked with Annie and Deac about real estate, she wanted to buy a little house with her boyfriend but she needed advice about the neighborhoods. Tan, Hondo and Nichelle were quietly chatting and watching the surroundings, petting Diablo who was living the best of his life.
Chris quickly looked around them to check they were alone.
"When do we tell them? I mean, we have to… You'll leave active duty in a couple of weeks and…"
"C, stop spiraling. Everything will be alright. Taking care of it during lunch. Hicks will be there for dessert. Some kind of emergency with his son but he comes after."
"Oh… Everything's OK?"
"Yes, yes, JP's car broke. He had to go and look for him. Just a matter of hours. One, maybe two."
She nodded. He was right. Better wait for Hicks who had been there for them all along. And he could reassure the team and officially announced Nora was back at 50-Squad permanently. But Street could see Chris was still eaten by stress. He came closer.
"Hey C. You know it's a good thing, right?" She kept nodding. "He came even closer and put his arms around her waist. She let him do. She liked to feel him so close.
"And you also know it's our decision, my choice, my will, our life, right?" She kept nodding and her head was still low. She didn't dare to look at him. Maybe a little shameful to let him do this for her to continue her career.
"C?" He grabbed her chin and raised her head. Her look was sad. "You know I do this for us and I'm not mad at all to do so, that at first it was my idea, right?"
"Yes but…"
"No there's no but. Can't hear it, don't want to. I know deep down it's the right decision for the boys, for me, for you. Believe me when I say you're more qualified than I am to run a squad!"
"Stop with this, I'll never…" He put his fingers over her lips.
"Don't ever doubt of you, C. You're the strongest, most badass, determined woman I know. Nothing can ever stop you. So you'll rise. And I'm not the only one to think so."
He dropped a soft kiss over her mouth. She kissed him back. And surprised him giving him a hug and placing her head over his chest.
"I love you, J…" She whispered. He smiled, it was rare she said those things out loud. She was not the demonstrative kind. He pressed her so precious body against his.
"Love too, C."
They remained some time like this, till Chris let go of him, almost embarrassed to have shown him her weakness. Despite he was the only one she could do that with. The only one she wanted to show her inner face.
"We should hurry to bring the food or the guests are gonna be starving." She took some plates on the kitchen table in a hurry.
"Already hear Tan telling us silly things!" Street started to laugh, thinking about the jokes of his best friends. He seized the rest of the food on the table and followed his wife. The guests needed to be well fed when they will tell about the news.
[…]
Hicks arrived earlier than predicted. After all, JP's car just needed gasoline. Not a big problem to be solved.
"Good to see you here!" Street told as he opened the door. "We're just starting with the meat. Hungry?"
"Could eat a horse right now!"
"Perfect, we have a lot to eat and Chris wants the least possible back in the fridge tonight."
Hicks laughed at the remark. It reminded him of Barbs when they organized BBQ.
"Did you tell them already?"
"Not yet, we were waiting for you to be honest. And also to announce Nora's new position. Thought it was the best thing to do after all the help you gave to us."
Hicks nodded and appreciated Chris and Street's move.
"Hey, look who I've found at the door!" Street announced when he and Hicks arrived in the garden.
"Commander! Glad you could join us!" Chris welcomed him. "You want something to eat?"
Hicks looked with appetite at all the full plates around him.
"And if you don't find what you're looking for on the table, tell me I'll cook him on the BBQ. And Aaron, don't you dare to throw the toys up again. If you excuse me, need to handle a problem."
Street ran to the kids's table and scolded Aaron who just grabbed the car from Joyce's hands and threw it far away, almost hitting Lila. Chris looked at the scene with tenderness. He was a good dad, just the good mix of patience, kindness and firm hand. Then she looked at her friends around the table and she knew it was time to tell them the truth.
[…]
They waited that everyone finished to eat their dessert. When Luca ended his third part of cake, they agreed with a nod it was the right time. If ever there was one to announce this type of things.
"Could you have your attention, please? Street asked with solemn tone.
All the people around the table raised their heads, surprised by Street's sudden firm and serious voice. Except Nora and Hicks who knew what was happening.
"What's happening to you, bro? Seriousness doesn't fit you!" Tan started to tease him.
"Give us old Street!" Luca topped.
Street laughed before taking a deep breath. It was go time.
"Chris and I wanted to thank you for being there for the one year birthdays of the boys. And to spoil them again, even if you shoudn't have or we're gonna be forced to move again and we don't want that!"
Diablo barked at the same time. "You see, even Diablo agrees not to move again."
All laughed at Chris's joke. She nodded at Jim, not letting go of his eyes. It was time to tell the news to the team and explain the reasons that had led them to take it.
"And we have another thing to tell you…"
Silence and then questions from everywhere.
"Chris, Street are you ok? What about the kids, are they ok? Chris are you pregnant again? What are you planning?" So many questions, they didn't even know where it was coming from.
"Yes, yes, everything and everyone is OK. It's just we talked about this some weeks ago with Chris and then we came to an agreement. And we checked if it was possible and since a couple of days, we know it is… Guys, I'm leaving active SWAT duty to become a SWAT Academy training officer…"
And all of a sudden, silence seized the place and all you could hear was the kids having fun at the end of the garden.