Chapter 37
"Mommy?" Sydney asked as Irina put the book on the bookshelf. "Will you sing me a lullaby?" Sydney's new Halloween costume was safe in the closet, she'd had her bath, and Irina was tucking her into bed.
"A lullaby?" Irina couldn't remember the last time Sydney had asked her for a lullaby; she hadn't asked at least since she started first grade. She sat down by her daughter's bed again. "What would you like me to sing?" When Sydney had been a baby, she had been so small and doll-like that Irina hadn't even thought to be self-conscious about singing to her, and her ease with her daughter hadn't changed as Sydney had grown.
"The one about the roses," Sydney answered without much thought. It had long been her favorite.
"It's called Brahms's lullaby," Irina said with a smile. It was her favorite lullaby as well. She took a deep breath and began to sing.
"Lullaby and good night, with roses bedight,
With lilies o'er spread is baby's wee bed.
Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed.
Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed.
"Lullaby and good night, thy mother's delight.
Bright angels beside my darling abide.
They will guard thee at rest, thou shalt wake on my breast.
They will guard thee at rest, thou shalt wake on my breast.
"Goodnight, Sydney," Irina said as she bent to kiss Sydney's forehead. "I love you."
"I love you too," Sydney murmured sleepily.
Irina got her crutches and headed out. When she opened the door, though, she was surprised to see Jack standing there. He smiled at her, and she raised an eyebrow, trying to suppress the butterflies that had suddenly appeared in her stomach. Had he been listening? Mindful of Sydney drifting off to sleep a few feet away, she didn't say anything; she simply swung herself down the hall to their bedroom.
Jack came in behind her. "You have a wonderful voice, Laura."
She turned. "You were listening."
He smiled. "I suppose I should confess that I set the whole thing up. I asked Sydney to ask you to sing."
She glared at him. "You." He just kept smiling at her, and she quickly found that she couldn't hold the glare, since she wasn't really angry-she had set herself up for it by telling him that she sang to Sydney, after all. She smiled slightly. "You really liked it?"
He came forward and pulled her into a hug. "I really liked it," he said softly into her ear. "I'm not any kind of music expert, but you sing beautifully. You will sing the solo, won't you?"
She pulled back and smiled at him while swiping at the betraying tear that had escaped her eye. "I'll try," she whispered.
Jack smiled and, surprising her for the hundredth time that day, leaned in and gave her a long but gentle kiss.
***
The next day, Jack walked into CIA headquarters and immediately felt uncomfortable. Apparently the news about his wife hadn't been kept secret, because everyone seemed to be staring at him, though they avoided his gaze when he looked at them.
He'd wanted to talk to Laura last night, to see what differences there were between the façade and the true woman, but when he'd come out of the bathroom after brushing his teeth she'd been asleep. She'd still looked tired this morning, and he'd suggested that she take a nap after Sydney left, but she'd seemed rather annoyed at the prospect of more sleep. He hoped she'd take his advice.
Arvin stopped him as he approached his desk. "Jack, Dawson wants to see you in his office."
Jack wasn't surprised, but as he entered the office, he was surprised to see another man there, one who looked vaguely familiar. His suspicions were confirmed when Dawson spoke. "Director Levy, this is Agent Jack Bristow."
Jack felt a cold spike of dread. Had the director of the entire CIA come all the way from Washington just to talk about his wife?
"Mommy?" Sydney asked as Irina put the book on the bookshelf. "Will you sing me a lullaby?" Sydney's new Halloween costume was safe in the closet, she'd had her bath, and Irina was tucking her into bed.
"A lullaby?" Irina couldn't remember the last time Sydney had asked her for a lullaby; she hadn't asked at least since she started first grade. She sat down by her daughter's bed again. "What would you like me to sing?" When Sydney had been a baby, she had been so small and doll-like that Irina hadn't even thought to be self-conscious about singing to her, and her ease with her daughter hadn't changed as Sydney had grown.
"The one about the roses," Sydney answered without much thought. It had long been her favorite.
"It's called Brahms's lullaby," Irina said with a smile. It was her favorite lullaby as well. She took a deep breath and began to sing.
"Lullaby and good night, with roses bedight,
With lilies o'er spread is baby's wee bed.
Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed.
Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed.
"Lullaby and good night, thy mother's delight.
Bright angels beside my darling abide.
They will guard thee at rest, thou shalt wake on my breast.
They will guard thee at rest, thou shalt wake on my breast.
"Goodnight, Sydney," Irina said as she bent to kiss Sydney's forehead. "I love you."
"I love you too," Sydney murmured sleepily.
Irina got her crutches and headed out. When she opened the door, though, she was surprised to see Jack standing there. He smiled at her, and she raised an eyebrow, trying to suppress the butterflies that had suddenly appeared in her stomach. Had he been listening? Mindful of Sydney drifting off to sleep a few feet away, she didn't say anything; she simply swung herself down the hall to their bedroom.
Jack came in behind her. "You have a wonderful voice, Laura."
She turned. "You were listening."
He smiled. "I suppose I should confess that I set the whole thing up. I asked Sydney to ask you to sing."
She glared at him. "You." He just kept smiling at her, and she quickly found that she couldn't hold the glare, since she wasn't really angry-she had set herself up for it by telling him that she sang to Sydney, after all. She smiled slightly. "You really liked it?"
He came forward and pulled her into a hug. "I really liked it," he said softly into her ear. "I'm not any kind of music expert, but you sing beautifully. You will sing the solo, won't you?"
She pulled back and smiled at him while swiping at the betraying tear that had escaped her eye. "I'll try," she whispered.
Jack smiled and, surprising her for the hundredth time that day, leaned in and gave her a long but gentle kiss.
***
The next day, Jack walked into CIA headquarters and immediately felt uncomfortable. Apparently the news about his wife hadn't been kept secret, because everyone seemed to be staring at him, though they avoided his gaze when he looked at them.
He'd wanted to talk to Laura last night, to see what differences there were between the façade and the true woman, but when he'd come out of the bathroom after brushing his teeth she'd been asleep. She'd still looked tired this morning, and he'd suggested that she take a nap after Sydney left, but she'd seemed rather annoyed at the prospect of more sleep. He hoped she'd take his advice.
Arvin stopped him as he approached his desk. "Jack, Dawson wants to see you in his office."
Jack wasn't surprised, but as he entered the office, he was surprised to see another man there, one who looked vaguely familiar. His suspicions were confirmed when Dawson spoke. "Director Levy, this is Agent Jack Bristow."
Jack felt a cold spike of dread. Had the director of the entire CIA come all the way from Washington just to talk about his wife?
