Thirteen.
In a perfect world, the Lieutenant would have been able to make a clean break when she retired. Ideally, she would walk away with her personal items in a few evidence boxes and leave all cases buttoned up for the DA's office. SVU had made several high profile arrests in the last months of Olivia's career, but, as she prepared to leave her office one last time, she organized and marked "urgent" a neat stack of accordion files for her successor.
Lunch was scheduled to be delivered and followed up with cake, but the "delivery" was actually Ed.
"Got a surprise for ya," he said, sporting his signature smirk.
"You do?" She asked, intrigued and genuinely caught off guard by his unexpected appearance.
"Well," he shrugged and winked, "The Department actually...I'm the…escort. C'mon," he held out his hand. "It's not far."
"Ed, what is going on?"
"You'll see."
…
Down time was dangerous. Olivia could easily get lost in the photos Ed regularly sent. Visualizing him in his ancestral land and then seeing his face set against the sea or lush green hills elicited intense feelings of longing. Not even during their brief breakup did she miss Ed this much. The hectic nature of juggling three kids and her job, she assumed, would make the time pass quickly, but the nighttime minutes dragged. Everything Ed represented—lover, confidante, protector, dry-witted comedian—she more profoundly than ever desired in his absence. When she finally did fall asleep, she did so clutching one of his pillows to her chest. Mornings began with disappointment. Ed's habits of kissing her shoulder, impishly preventing her from leaving bed, starting the shower, and making coffee had become part of their routine. Olivia hadn't recognized how much she'd come to rely on him; it was simultaneously comforting and terrifying.
"Lieutenant?"
The bespectacled television show producer popped his head into the office. His long hair was slicked back into his trademark ponytail and he wore a plain black t-shirt and khakis. His casual attire always threw Olivia for a loop. For some reason she assumed everyone who worked in show business was always immaculately attired or at least boasted a flashy accessory or two. Not this guy.
"Morrell," she said, using his surname as if it were his first name, "Come in, sit down. How are you? Do you want coffee?"
"No thanks," he sat in an armchair and played with his tiny gold hoop earring as he spoke. "Thank you for seeing me. Looks busy out there."
"We're in the middle of a dozen cases," she said. "Unfortunately, I can't give you many details about them."
Unaffected, Morrell waved his hands dismissively. He pulled a document from his attaché case and placed it in front of Olivia.
"Contract," he said, "You can take a couple days to read it through if you'd like."
Olivia skimmed the document and its subheadings. A cursory reading indicated everything they'd verbally agreed upon had been transferred to print; nevertheless, she told him she would take the evening to read it thoroughly.
"And, as you requested, we won't expect you in the studio or the office until we start filming later this summer. But, I would appreciate your input on the scripts I emailed. One of them will be the pilot. The other two may turn into episodes, or they may be shelved."
"I appreciate you being so flexible," Olivia said.
"Hey," he flashed his toothy, ultra-white smile, "We're honored to have you on board."
The blinds clattered as Rollins burst into the room. "Lieutenant? I'm sorry to interrupt, but…" she eyed the visitor and trailed off, cognizant about revealing too much information to a civilian.
Olivia offered Morrell an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, but duty calls."
"No problem," he said, practically leaping to his feet, "Get a hold of me tomorrow with any questions about the contract?"
"Certainly."
It would not have been surprising if the producer lingered and attempted to eavesdrop, but he strode directly to the elevator. He scanned the room on his way, but it was obviously for garnering set ideas than to spy on the squad. As soon as he was gone, Rollins flipped on the monitors.
"Another one," Olivia sighed as soon as the crime scene photos appeared.
Bodies surfacing after ponds and reservoirs thawed was not uncommon in the early spring months, but, in the past two weeks, three female corpses, all similarly bound and disfigured, had been recovered. The Lieutenant was staring at the fourth.
"And we have nothing on the first three? Still no ID?"
"Nope," Carisi said.
"Get divers back into the reservoir. Get unis to go back over the area now that everything's melted—look for a purse, wallet, shoe…anything. Fin, you and I'll go to the ME. Fletcher, go sit at the lab until the DNA comes back." Olivia gave him an encouraging pat on the back. Detective Fletcher's sycophantic obsession with all things NYPD made him an invaluable asset when it came time to rush DNA or other lab tests.
The squad fanned out to their assignments. Olivia tossed Fin the keys. The ride would give her a few extra minutes to view the photos that arrived while Morrell was in her office.
…
For the better part of the day, Ed followed his mother and sister up and down the streets and narrow lanes of Cobh. They meandered in and out of shops. Caroline narrated most of the way, retelling the tales of her childhood and other family lore that had been passed down from generation to generation. The town was the final port of call for the Titanic before it set sail for New York City, and, over Ed's mild objections, Caroline purchased a book about the ship for Noah.
"Ma, he doesn't need to read about a thousand people dying at sea," Ed grumbled.
"History is ugly, Eddie. Shall I buy him one about the prison ships to Australia?"
Conceding defeat, Ed held up his hands and let Caroline make her purchases. In addition to the book, she bought a replica of the ship for Wyatt and a snow globe for Maggie.
"You better find something for Olivia," Caroline said, "You can't leave your wife for a week and return empty handed."
At the sound of his wife's name, a dazed smile crossed Ed's face. He checked his watch. She was in the middle of her day, most likely busy, but he sent her a text message anyway. Two simple words.
Love you.
After a few minutes, she replied with: Love you! Can't wait to talk to you tonight!
Ed's smile grew as he read the words. Olivia…the Olivia Benson, now Tucker, couldn't wait to talk to him. Plain as day. She loved him. That fact would always be thrilling.
From that point on, he browsed with more purpose. He had already bought a few things to take home—chocolate, whiskey, a lambswool throw blanket, a soccer jersey for Noah and silly touristy t-shirts for the twins—but, Caroline was right, he needed something special for his wife.
"Relax, Eddie," she said at one point, noticing how closely he was inspecting shelves, "It'll appear when it's ready. No need to strain your eyeballs. When you're not looking…that's when you'll find it."
…
In a matter of twenty-four hours, domestic bliss replaced mutual discontent. Ed opened his eyes on the morning he and Olivia were set to return to their jobs and smiled, for all their problems had vanished. Olivia's squad meticulously unraveled the church scandal and the grand jury handed down indictments. He had been cleared of all wrongdoing, and, by association, no longer felt guilty about Olivia being reassigned because she no longer was. More significantly, Ed no longer had to love Olivia on the sly. Their relationship may have come to light at the worst possible time, but they'd battled the adversity together and emerged with an even stronger bond.
The sun had not yet risen. Ed caught a glimpse of the iPad baby monitor which showed Noah still sound asleep, his arms bent upwards at ninety-degree angles. Ed calculated he and Olivia had at least thirty minutes, maybe an hour if they were lucky, until the little boy stirred.
The trade-off for sleeping naked was the omnipresence of the iPad with the volume turned to its highest setting and Ed's assurance he would wake up before Noah. To him, these were minuscule prices to pay for the privilege of all-night skin-to-skin contact with Olivia Benson. Nevertheless, she persisted in her apologies. Ed's goal for the spring was to prove to her that he wanted both her and Noah in his life and that he was willing and eager to be as much of a father to the boy as she would allow.
He kissed the back of her neck. His lips touched skin and the chain of the necklace he'd recently gifted her. It was a simple piece of jewelry with a glass pendant that took on the color of whatever light it reflected. Goosebumps formed on his arms when he thought about how it was the only thing she was wearing.
In response to his touch, Olivia flipped sides and half-opened her eyes. "Good morning," she mumbled, her lips curling into a languid smile.
Ed played connect the dots with her freckles and paused when his fingertip touched the mark on her upper lip. "Mornin."
Under the covers, she wedged one leg between his. She puckered her lips, kissing his fingers and then, as he moved closer, his lips.
"Ready to get back to normal?" He asked, his voice raspy and muted since his mouth was still pressed against her skin.
Before replying, a moan escaped her lips and she pressed her hips into his. "I am. Seems strange, all of a sudden…everything's…like it was."
"Not like it was," Ed raised his head and made eye contact, "Better."
"You're right," Olivia stroked his head and smiled, "Dinner tonight?"
"Absolutely."
"Stop by the precinct, then we'll get Noah?"
He gazed into her eyes. Fully awake now, they sparkled with buoyancy and optimism.
"Sure you want me to do that?"
She lifted her head from the pillow and kissed him. "Yes."
"Liv, you don't—"
"—Stop," she said firmly. She then repeated her request. "Come to my office when you're done. We'll get Noah. And dinner."
"Yes ma'am." He smirked and played with her hair.
"Unless you'll be uncomfortable? Coming in?"
"No," he said, "I was more concerned about you bein' the uncomfortable one."
Olivia kissed him again, more passionately this time. "I'm very comfortable."
"We still, ah, may want to be careful…"
She was obviously not interested in embarking on serious talk. One of her hands drifted to his hip and her fingertips dug into his skin. "We were careful," she intoned, "So…let's flip the script. Total transparency."
Ed flashed her an impish grin, "Total transparency?"
"Well," Olivia said with one eyebrow raised, "Maybe not total…" She angled his head to receive his kiss and laid flat on her back, inviting him to slide on top of her. Time was limited, but their morning lovemaking was sweet and tender, a contrast to the heated, aggressive sex they'd been having a lot of in the past couple of weeks.
Evidence of Ed Tucker's presence dotted Olivia's bedroom—jeans and sweaters were hanging from the armchair, shorts and t-shirts spilled from a duffle bag, and two fresh suits covered in dry cleaning plastic hung in her closet. His wallet and keys were on the nightstand.
As Olivia lifted her shoulders and cupped the back of his head, all of this came into view. She gasped and sighed. Repeated his name in a hushed voice. Encouraged him to keep going, keep loving her, for it was all so perfect, so right. Even if the worst had happened—if she would have been forced to stay at Community Affairs and Ed had lost his job—they would have still had this moment. They would still have each other. Olivia had never before experienced such a sense of security.
She was sure of it-all she had to do was say the word, and Ed Tucker was there to stay.
…
Sarah commended Olivia and Brooke for taking the time out of their busy schedules to meet her for Friday evening cocktails. It had been some time since they'd had an adult girls' night, so Sarah arranged for Justin and Sonny to watch the four kids at the Tucker apartment while she "borrowed" her two "BFFs". In return, she set them up with a taco dinner and a six pack of Pacifico. Sonny balked at the beer, worried he would have to go back in to the precinct if something broke in their newest case, but Olivia insisted Fletcher, Fin, and Rollins could handle whatever developed overnight. Besides, she needed him on duty Monday since she was taking a vacation day to welcome Ed back home.
"Well, ladies, I must say, it has been far too long," Sarah said as she sipped from her second cocktail. "What in the world is new?"
"I have a teething baby," Brooke said. "Olivia, I don't remember Maggie and Wyatt teething. Were they cranky? Sofia is miserable. So, I'm miserable."
"We had a rough couple days here and there," Olivia recalled, "But, overall, they weren't too fussy." She ticked off a list of teething remedies they'd used then admitted, "Your Dad, though, may have a different story."
Brooke and Sarah both laughed as they imagined their father trying to soothe two screaming infants and then refusing to admit to his wife how fussy they were.
"Grandma would probably tell you to put whiskey on her gums," Sarah said.
"I wouldn't do it," Brooke replied, "But I can see how someone would get desperate."
"She'll be better once those first ones are cut," Olivia said. She opened her Amazon app and looked through past orders. Finding the gel she and Ed used, she took a screen shot and sent it to Brooke. "That stuff," she said, "I believe worked wonders."
"Ordered," Brooke reported. "Okay, enough whining from me. Any updates from Ireland?"
"Your Dad is having fun being chauffeur and porter," Olivia joked. She slid her phone to the center of the table, "He's sent all kinds of pictures. They're going on the train to Galway today. They sure have packed in a lot of activity…I hope your Grandmother isn't too exhausted."
"I talked to her last night," Sarah said, "She didn't sound like she was tired at all…she actually sounded…a little drunk! I asked her if they were going to Belfast and she told me she would never go anywhere near those traitorous heathens." Sarah's ponytail slapped the top of her head as she ducked her head and giggled.
Brooke shook her head and murmured, "Oh, Grandma…"
"Aunt Margie was already asleep," Sarah said, "Perhaps we should be more worried about her."
Olivia took a sip and silently agreed with Sarah. When Ed told her Margie wanted to tag along on the trip, she was surprised. Ed's sister wasn't very adventurous and, when Olivia thought about all the times they'd gotten together, she mostly parked herself on a couch or an armchair and didn't move unless it was absolutely necessary.
"I bet you'll be happy for Daddy to be home, Livvie," Sarah remarked, the usual inquisitive glint shining in her eyes.
Without hesitation, Olivia replied, "Yes I will. I miss him."
"Gawwwwwd," Sarah let her head fall against Olivia's shoulder. As usual, she'd claimed the seat closest to her. "It must be torture taking such a long sex break."
"Sarah!"
"Whaaaat?" Sarah held out her hands, palms up, "We're all adults here."
"You're talking about…your parents!"
"Brookey," Sarah snuck a quick sip, "How long is it going to take you to realize I do not care?" She leaned forward on her forearms, "How long could you and Sonny go without sex? I know, for me? With Justin? Two days. Tops. Gawwwwd, he's so sexy."
"Have a baby and you'll change your mind."
"I dunno…And Livvie and Daddy have three kids!"
A welcome distraction led to an abrupt subject change. Nearby, at the bar, a young couple, male and female, were huddled over empty drinks. The woman was talking on the phone, but her words were nearly unintelligible since she spoke while trying to suppress violent sobs.
"What the fuck?" Sarah muttered under her breath.
The three of them tried to maintain small talk while also eavesdropping on the drama. Never one to take pleasure in someone else's misery, Olivia nevertheless joined in and became increasingly intrigued at the soap opera playing out in real time before them.
"So, tax season is upon us and work is bananas…"
"What's going on for spring break? Easter…"
"G said she had fun with the kiddos…"
The crying girl slammed a fist on the bar causing the cocktail glasses to jump and land with a clatter. The bartender side-eyed them and scowled. He'd long ago left their check, but it was still sitting there, unpaid and dampened by condensation.
"I. need. A. GUARANTOR!" She shouted into the phone.
Sarah put a hand over her mouth. "Omigod."
"Shit," Brooke muttered.
Evidently, the woman was shouting at her mother who, for reasons unbeknownst to the Tucker women, would not co-sign an apartment lease. Next, she fired off a string of expletives, jammed the phone into her pocket, and stormed out, leaving her acquaintance to pay their tab and join her on the sidewalk.
The rickety pub door rattled shut.
"Two things," Sarah said with a disbelieving smirk, "If you need a favor, especially one involving money, one must use a tiny bit more tact."
"No kidding," Olivia murmured.
"Two," Sarah continued, "If you're going around to look at apartments, I might suggest slightly more formal attire."
Brooke burst into laughter. "What was that outfit she had on? A romper? A bathing suit cover up? I think I bought a similar one for Sofia for the summer."
"It is spring…" Olivia said.
"Livvie! It's sixty degrees! Not ninety! And we're in Manhattan…well…an island but not exactly an island if you know what I mean!"
"Oh damn," Brooke said, squinting into the sun, "She's back."
Sure enough, the young woman, clad in her seersucker one-piece jumpsuit, stood hunched over the bar's sidewalk café fencing, barking into her phone. The male companion had an obligatory arm around her shoulders.
"And, is that a boyfriend?" Sarah asked. "Brother?"
"Well, he just kissed her in a non-brotherly way," Brooke observed.
"The two of them together need a co-signer? Maybe they need to find another neighborhood. Or borough."
Olivia felt sorry for them and the pathetic display of petulant emotion. "Poor kids."
"We're lucky," Sarah said, "We never had to beg…for anything really."
"I didn't because I lived in a Bronx studio for five years," Brooke said.
"I get wanting your kids to make it on their own," Olivia said, "But I don't think I could ever let Noah, Wyatt, or Maggie...do that."
"Me neither," Brooke said.
"Well, if you change your minds," Sarah said, "They can always call their Sare Bear."
Olivia held up her glass, "Cheers to the Sare Bear lifetime safety net."
…
The night's call to Ed lasted a while, mostly because Noah insisted on reading a story from the "Irish Book" to his Daddy since he determined it was bedtime in Ireland. One story led to another and another before Olivia finally announced it was time for the twins' baths. They blew each other kisses, Maggie and Wyatt slapped at the screen, and Ed wished everyone goodnight. Noah ran off to brush his teeth and change into his pajamas, and Olivia took one last look at the iPad.
"Talk to you tomorrow, sweetie," she said.
"Love you, Liv."
"I love you."
"You wanna see what I got ya today?" He asked, smirking because he knew she would decline.
"No. Surprise me. But…seriously, having you back will be enough."
The twins banged toys and babbled. Ed couldn't see them, but the sounds of his youngest children made him smile.
"Not because three kids is a handful," she said. "Because I…I kind of like having you around."
Ed playfully raised his eyebrows. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Should I call back later and we can finish what we started the other night?"
Blushing, Olivia replied, "It's not the same without you here."
"I know," he blew her another kiss, "Monday."
"Monday."
They hung up. An hour later, Olivia and the three kids piled into the "big bed" with snacks and settled in to watch a movie. Wyatt cuddled under Olivia's arm. Noah laid down on his stomach and Maggie sat on his back. She spent several minutes rocking back and forth, trying to get her brother to play horsie.
"G'up!" She said, kicking her heels into his sides, "G'up, NO!"
Her enthusiasm was contagious. Wyatt stood up and started jumping. Losing his balance, he fell onto Olivia, looked at her, and grinned. "CASH!" He exclaimed. "CASH!"
"Yes, sweetie, you crashed!" Olivia cooed.
Giving up on Noah, Maggie copied Wyatt.
Noah craned his neck around and giggled. "BABY PILE! BABY ATTACK! They gotcha, Mommy! Hey!" He said abruptly with a furrowed brow, "We didn't do da workout!"
"Oh," Olivia said, "Well, can we skip it tonight and do it in the morning?"
"Yeah," Noah said cheerfully, "Sometimes Daddy skip, too."
"He does?" Olivia asked with exaggerated incredulity.
"Yup!" Noah kicked his bare feet in the air. "He say we do double da next day but we never do."
Olivia laughed and clutched a fistful of Wyatt's pajama top as he jumped. Maggie was in the center of the bed attempting to do a somersault. "That's okay," she said, "Sometimes you need an off day for your muscles to recover."
"R'cover?"
"Yes. That's how muscles get strong."
"Daddy's muscles are REAL STRONG!"
"They are," Olivia sighed.
"I miss Daddy," Noah mumbled glumly.
"Me too, sweet boy. But," she said cheerfully, "We have the weekend and then, after school Monday, he'll be right back here!"
"YAYYYYYY!"
"What do you want to do this weekend? Should we have a picnic in the park? It's supposed to be warm outside."
Noah nodded vigorously. "C'we go up on da hill so we can see all da people and da buildings? Like we're in a castle?"
"Of course. You can pick the spot. And we'll get some good sandwiches—"
"—and chips? And cookies?"
"And chips and cookies."
"S'gonna be fun, Mommy!"
"Sure will."
Noah crawled under the covers and addressed his suddenly hyper siblings. "C'mon, babies, let's rest! Got a park 'venture t'morrow!" Then, he turned to Olivia and batted his sweet, innocent eyes. "We sleep here with you, Mommy, kay?"
"Sure sweetie. Friday night slumber party."
…..
#Tuckson