Erin stretched as she woke up, looking over at the spot where David normally slept. He had been in New Jersey on a child abduction case since the day before yesterday, and she found that she missed him deeply, especially when he told her that Kyle had been found, dead. Child deaths, child murders, always hit her the hardest, and while she had wanted to keep Elise with her the last few two nights, she knew that it wasn't wise to disrupt her daughter's sleep schedule. Still, she hoped that he would be home that afternoon, so that she could curl up close to him that evening. She didn't know why, but she had been feeling a little rundown for the last few weeks, and no matter how much sleep she got, Erin felt like she was running consistently on empty.
Shaking her head a little, Erin slipped out of bed and padded over to the dresser, picking up her clothes and bringing them into the bathroom so that she could get everything finished at once. Erin frowned a little to see the dark circles beneath her eyes, and applied a thicker layer of concealer that morning, needing to disguise that part of her, in case anyone commented on her wan appearance. "If I were in a Jane Austen novel, everyone would say that I have consumption," she muttered to herself as she finished her makeup before heading to Elise's room.
Her daughter was just starting to stir as she turned the lights on to her room, and Erin smiled as she went over to her side. "Good morning, my darling girl. It's time to get you ready for daycare."
Elise gave her a sleepy nod as she lifted her arms up. Erin quickly scooped her up and cuddled her close, pressing a few quick kisses against her head as she carried her over to the closet and picked out an outfit for the day before bringing her into the bathroom, leaving the clothes on the counter where Elise could reach them before giving her some privacy, knowing that that was important for her growing independence. "All ready, Mommy," her daughter said a few minutes later, and she smiled widely at her daughter as she held out her hand, clasping it firmly as they slowly made their way downstairs.
The rest of her children were already at the table, eating breakfast, and Erin watched Elise climb up into her own chair and pull her plate close to the edge so that she could easily eat while Erin made her coffee for the morning before snagging a piece of toast from the communal plate and slathering it in apple jelly. While she ate, she read the newspaper, frowning a little at a few of the headlines before she set it aside and washed off her hands.
"All right, the bus comes in ten minutes, I hope that you're all ready for the day. I have get to work, so Elise and I are out the door. Have a good day!" She kissed each of her children in turn before helping Elise into her jacket and bringing her out into the garage. As soon as Elise was secured in her car seat, Erin slipped behind the wheel and backed out before heading towards work. Five miles into her drive, her phone rang, and she awkwardly answered it while keeping her eyes on the road. "Hello?"
"Good morning, Erin."
She frowned a little to hear Aaron's voice on the other end of the line, expecting it to be her fiancé who had called. "Aaron, what can I do for you this morning? I am driving, just so you know."
"I was hoping to catch you before you left for work. Haley isn't answering my calls at the moment, so I can't talk to Jack, and this case just makes me want to talk to one of my children."
Erin heard the frustration and hurt in his voice and let out a soft sigh. "Can you give me a few seconds? I'm nearly at the first stop sign, and then I can put you on speakerphone, so Elise can talk to her Uncle Aaron."
"Thank you," he replied, and she smiled a little as she slowed for said stop sign.
"Elise, Uncle Aaron wants to say good morning," she said as she pressed the speakerphone button before handing the phone back to her daughter. "Be careful that you don't end the call, okay?"
"Okay, Mommy." She handed the phone back to her daughter and then listened to the conversation that she had with Aaron. "Hi, Unka Aaron!"
"Hello, princess. Are you having a good morning?"
"Uh huh. Mommy picked out my favorite dress to wear to daycare, and I can't wait to see my friends. We're learning our letters and I've been pointing them out to Jack when we watch Sesame Street together."
Erin felt her eyes widen at her daughter's honesty, knowing that she hadn't broached that particular topic with Aaron yet, hoping that he wouldn't be angry with the fact that Jack and Elise had been getting to know each other. "So that's where he's getting all his smarts from. I'm proud of you, princess.
"Aunt Jessica says we're her little genies."
"I think you mean geniuses, sweetheart," Erin interjected, listening to Aaron chuckle on the other end of the line. "Those are two very different things."
"You're mommy's right, Elise. But I'm glad that I have two little geniuses in my life. Do you think that I can talk to your mommy now?"
"Yes!"
Elise handed the phone back to Erin, and she awkwardly took hold of it once more, taking it off speaker before putting the device to her ear. "I know, I should have told you that they were getting to know each other, but it never felt like the right time."
"I already knew. Jack is as good at keeping secrets as Elise is, and he told me that he's been teaching Elise how to work cases with him, like we do."
"That has to be so adorable," she whispered, glancing at the rearview mirror to see Elise's feet kicking happily as she hummed to herself. "I'm glad that they get along and are able to know each other. When, when they're old enough, I do want to tell them the truth. Because they deserve to know each other."
"I'd like that, too. Thank you for this, Erin. I know that you are more than a little busy this morning."
"That's most mornings, actually, especially when David is gone, but you get used to it. How's the case going?"
"It could be going a lot better. Someone is lying, and we can't quite figure out who. But Detective Lancaster is a little too close to this case to have sound judgement, which I think is seriously clouding the waters. I just hope that we make a break in things today, so that we can be home. Erin…"
"Yes. Drive David home, since I'll have to make adjustments to supper to include you, but we would be glad to have you at our table, whenever you get home. Just let me know if it will be today or tomorrow, all right?"
"I think that I can handle that, Erin. Yeah, Dave, I had to talk to one of them today. Of course." He cleared his throat a little before returning back to her. "So, you heard my side of that conversation. Here, he wants to talk to you."
Erin chuckled a little as she listened to the phone change hands, and then let out a sigh when she heard David's voice. "Good morning, stellina."
"Darling, good morning. Did you sleep well?"
"Not as well as when I'm in your arms. But that's always the case. So, we're going to have a guest when we get home?"
"Yes. It is good that Elise gets to know him, after all. Now, stay safe out there, and find the person who killed that little boy."
"That is the plan, Erin. I love you, and tell Elise that I love her, too. Until tonight, when I'll hopefully be able to kiss you again."
"That sounds like heaven. I'll talk to you soon." Kissing into the phone, Erin ended the call and dropped the phone into the center console as she drove the rest of the way into work, singing along to the radio along with Elise.