222.

The Friday before his birthday, on a cool, crisp, quintessentially November day, Noah Porter Benson Tucker finally got his chance to present a science project in front of the class. To sweeten the pot, his class was combined with another, so instead of two dozen people, he presented his water project to a group of almost forty. Parents were not allowed to attend, but Noah's teacher graciously sent them pictures and a brief video of him positioning his board under the document camera and using the laser pointer to illustrate the major parts of his work. After school, he sprinted to Ed and Olivia and chatted about the presentation the whole way home. It was the most heartwarming of elementary school redemption stories.

It was also a great way to kick off Thanksgiving week.

With one day to prepare for their trip to Delaware, Ed and Olivia sat at the island and pored over their to-do list. "It's really not much," Ed remarked, "Nice to have the house so we don't have to worry about a lot."

"You're really going to make his cake?" Olivia asked under her breath, keeping an eye on Noah who was fully involved in playing with Maggie and Wyatt and not paying attention as far as she could tell.

"Yeah," Ed replied, pretending to be insulted.

"Okay."

"You don't think I can make a-"

Olivia put a finger to his lips, "Shhh," she implored, "We can only say the c-word so many times before those little ears perk up."

Ed playfully bit at her finger. "You're right," he said, "So, yes, that's true. But thank God my mom will be there for the turkey. I hate having to worry about the damn turkey all afternoon."

"That is horrible," Olivia cooed jokingly, for she had never had to worry about a turkey. Since she and Ed had been together, either Ed or Caroline had been in charge of the bird.

"So I was thinking," Ed began slowly, flirtatiously, and leaned closer to her with each word, "Why not go out tonight? We'll call G? See if we can beg or bribe her to come over?"

Olivia stuck out her lips and watched the kids run around in front of her. Maggie's hair was a mess. Wyatt kept slapping his out of his eyes. Noah alternated between trying to make the twins play by some semblance of rules and laughing at himself trying to make them do so. "Maybe…we could incentivize it by going out later? After they're asleep?"

"Sure." Ed closed in for a kiss. "I'll go out with you anytime."

Olivia gently scratched his chest, smiled, and replied, "I'll call G."

…..

The morning after she got a sneak peek of the new Go Kart track, Maggie woke up early and squirmed around in her bed for several minutes before she finally decided to go downstairs. She paused in front of the wall mirror, laughed at her bedhead, and murmured that she looked like Medusa before taking a hair tie and piling her mess of brown locks on top of her head. Her parents' bedroom door was open, but when she wandered into the kitchen, she didn't hear or see her father. Coffee had been made and consumed, for there was a used mug sitting next to the sink with dried brown rings at the bottom. Maggie inspected the living room and den and her imagination was starting to run wild when she heard the sound of a shovel scraping against concrete or brick coming from the backyard.

"Dad you scared me!" She shouted from the porch at Ed who was doing some maintenance work around the fire pit.

"Scared ya?" Ed asked, furrowing his brow behind his sunglasses. He removed his work gloves and pushed the shades to the top of his head as he approached his daughter. "Did I wake you up?"

"No, I thought you were missing!"

Ed smiled. "You thought wrong, Maggie May. And I think you've been watching too many cop shows."

"I like them!" Maggie insisted. In her parents' opinion she indulged in too much screen time, but it still wasn't nearly as much as the averages reported on the news. Her affinity for police dramas started when she discovered the series Wyatt had been on when he was a toddler and continued from there. "Don't worry," she assured her still-smirking father, "I'm not going crazy."

"I didn't say you were. And I would know. And I'm not worried."

"Yeah, you're not a worrier."

"Nope. That's your mom's department."

"Even she's not a worrier like some other moms I know."

"What other moms do you know?"

"Moms of my friends," Maggie replied with some sass, "They worry A. LOT. Like, they're always texting and checking in and it's like they don't get to live their lives."

This information was surprising. Ed was certain Olivia Benson Tucker was in the running for the mother most likely to constantly worry about her kids award, but apparently he was mistaken. It was true that Ed and Olivia tried to give their kids space-this had happened after a great deal of cajoling on Ed's part-and maybe they'd gotten lucky and their kids actually listened to their advice about making good decisions. Maggie's disposition also amused Ed. She was at the age where she could sound like a small child one minute and turn into a cynical teenager the next. He loved spending time with all his children, but, with Maggie, there was a level of unpredictability that made their one-on-ones unique.

Maggie switched topics on a dime, "Hey, where're the workers?"

"Late," Ed replied, "There was an accident on the bridge so they had to take the long way. Should be here soon. You want breakfast? We won't be able to get into the kitchen for a few hours."

Maggie shrugged. "Meh, I'll just get a granola bar. Not really hungry." Then, from out of nowhere, she shrieked.

Ed spun around, searching for the source of her terror.

"THE CAT!" Maggie shouted and pointed to the part of the porch railing obscured by the outdoor kitchen.

Ed took a couple of menacing steps toward the gray tabby and shooed it away. "Now you're the one scaring me," he said, playfully admonishing her.

"Why don't people keep their cats in their houses?" Maggie asked, her face oozing with disgust and contempt. "Ugh! They go out and kill rats and whatever else and then just go back inside? Ewwww!"

"I wish I knew where your lifelong contempt of the feline came from."

"Probably one bit me when I was a baby or something."

"I don't recall that happening."

"Or maybe I had a really bad dream about a cat, woke up, and since then I hate them."

"Could be…"

"Daddy, what are we going to do while the guys are working? We did all our chores yesterday."

Ed grinned because he knew Maggie would be totally on board with the suggestion he was about to make. "Jet skis?"

Maggie threw both her fists into the air. "YES!" she shouted and added, "This is so much better than academic bowl and a swim meet."

Ed and Maggie smirked at each other. He would never say it out loud, but, silently, Ed had to agree.

….

G agreed to babysit without hesitation and was surprised to find that, as promised, all three kids were in bed and asleep when she arrived. Noah had a big day, Olivia explained, and they had been weaning the twins off their long afternoon naps with the hopes they would get on a sleep schedule that better matched the weekday routine. So far, they'd succeeded. The three-year-olds were yawning and visibility drowsy by seven-thirty each night and perked up quickly in the mornings. So, G set herself up at the dining table with her laptop and continued working. The only thing different about her plans for the evening was the location. Ed and Olivia promised they wouldn't be back late, but she shrugged and told them to take their time. G was more interested in where Olivia had purchased her olive green leather jacket-the woman seemed to have dozens of them and she looked radiant in every single one. She could tell Ed couldn't wait to stare at her all night.

About forty-five minutes in, G stretched, rotated her neck, and eventually closed her laptop. There was a deck of cards on the credenza, and she considered dealing herself a hand of solitaire, when the sound of a door opening caught her attention. On the other side of the living room, the door to Maggie and Wyatt's room started to swing open, and Maggie appeared. She swatted her hair away from her face and ran over to G without hesitation, somehow knowing exactly where the babysitter was situated. She climbed onto the chair opposite G and tapped the tabletop with her fingers.

"Hi there," G said casually.

"G, Idinbrussmyteeth!"

"You forgot to brush your teeth? Oh…well, let's go brush them."

Maggie scrambled off the chair and ran toward the hallway bathroom, but she turned left and sprinted for her parents' room. "Bruss'i'heeere," she said in a hushed voice, "My toobruss in here."

So, once again, G found herself an interloper in the Tuckers' personal space. Luckily for her, the room was as tidy as she'd ever seen it, and the bathroom was more or less in order. Sure enough, Maggie's pink toothbrush was plugged into the outlet on Olivia's side. Maggie plucked it from the holster, expertly applied toothpaste (G wasn't sure how to evaluate her fine motor skills, but they seemed advanced) and pressed the button, causing the bristles to vibrate. Maggie giggled, leaned forward, and cleaned her teeth. G chuckled, not sure what to make of such a fancy toothbrush for such a little kid, but she knew Ed and Olivia typically bought the best of the best for their kids. Olivia had probably spent hours studying reviews.

When she was finished, Maggie turned on the faucet, rinsed the brush and her mouth and face and politely asked G for a towel.

Towel, towel, towel, G looked around but the immediate area was devoid of any type of towel.

"Inna kozet!"

"Oh, right, the closet," G said. The bathroom was large by city standards and had many space-saving features including the narrow, almost hidden, linen closet. G opened it and found a plethora of neatly folded bath towels, washcloths, and hand towels. She handed one over to Maggie.

"Tayyou," she said after drying her face.

She left the towel in the sink and hopped down from the step stool. G noticed other kid toiletries on Olivia's side of the vanity and came to the conclusion that Maggie and Olivia got ready together each morning. Imagining the scene warmed her heart.

Teeth clean, Maggie looked up at G expectantly. Even though it was November, she was wearing pajamas with replicas of candy Valentine's Day hearts printed all over them. G guessed Olivia had bought them a couple of sizes too big last February and decided to hang on to them.

"Let's go back to bed," G said sweetly, expecting Maggie to comply since she'd achieved her purpose for getting out of bed in the first place.

"I go in Mama's bed." She ran away again, this time into the bedroom, and climbed on top of the mattress.

"No, Maggs, I don't think, let's, um, let's go back to your bed? How about I read you a story on the couch first?"

Maggie was halfway under the covers, but she considered the offer. "Two stoyies?"

"Sure," G said, "Two stories."

"Three stoyies?"

Knowing she'd been bested by a preschooler, G smiled and held out her arms. "C'mon, kiddo."

Maggie stood up and bounced over to G, chanting, "Jump! Jump! Jump!"

G carried Maggie to the couch, but got up again because there were no books on the coffee table. She was headed for the built in shelves to the left of the television, but Maggie had other ideas. "Reedis!" She said, holding up a magazine.

"Okay," G replied. She inspected the cover and smiled, "This is a travel magazine. Are we looking at pictures?"

Maggie nodded. "Pishers'uh'paces!"

"Yes…lots of places."

The magazine was organized into various regions, and once G got to Italy, she noticed Ed had made notes in several of the margins. "Your Mom and Dad must be going to Italy," she murmured.

"No," Maggie said sharply, "Dey'a'da'pub and we be good for G!"

G tightened her grip on Maggie and kissed her head, "You're being very good for G," she said, "Thank you."

"Weh'come." Maggie tapped the page. "Kee'goin."

"Yes ma'am."

…

Sarah folded her napkin in her lap and smiled at her dinner guests. Aidan, Sonny, and Brooke were sipping beer-Sarah was almost certain Aidan was not twenty-one and she was also certain she didn't care-and Sofia was already asleep in the guest bedroom. In the kitchen, Justin was finishing slicing the pork he'd been slow cooking for tacos, and the aroma was making everyone drool.

"It'll be good to eat something other than what we have at the restaurant," Aidan remarked. He looked up at everyone, hoping the awkwardness had died down. It was weird how a couple of years of no contact had made him seem and feel like a stranger. Those years had been the most formative of his young life, and even though he had changed in many ways, he never lost his love for his sisters and their families.

"Have I eaten there?" Sarah asked in a sing-songy voice.

"I don't think so," Brooke said.

"Yes you have," Sonny countered but almost immediately took back the claim, "Oh, wait, no you weren't there. You never come to Brooklyn."

"That is absolutely not true," Sarah said. "I have been there. It's just…it's far."

"It is," Brooke replied, "But I love our neighborhood. Maybe one day we'll buy something there. I could see us there long term. It's quiet but has everything. Aidan, do you like it?"

Aidan already had a mouthful of taco. He nodded, chewed, swallowed, and replied, "I do…it's not as intense as other places I've lived. I like it."

"Who are you living with?" Sarah asked, ignoring Brooke's glare. For some reason her sister didn't want her asking questions about Aidan's life and Sarah argued that this was exactly what family was for.

"Two other guys," Aidan replied, "They work at the restaurant too. And at the Knitting Factory. That's where I met them."

"In a two bedroom?" Sarah asked.

"No, it's a one…well, it's got an alcove sort of thing in the living room."

Sarah's eyes nearly popped out of her head. Brooke knew exactly what she was thinking. So did Justin. Sonny obliviously yammered on about all of his uncomfortable living arrangements after he left his mother's house on Staten Island. Brooke shook her head and shot Sarah a stern glare. Expressionless, Justin eyed the mound of pork and wondered if he would be bringing his mother more leftovers than originally anticipated.

But Sarah had learned to control her impulsiveness.

"Do you get along with them?" She asked calmly.

"Yeah, yeah, we're cool," Aidan said.

"Well, call us, any one of us, if things go south," she said, "Roommate situations can get bad and weird and we're here to help if you need us."

Brooke breathed a sigh of relief she hoped nobody noticed. Three years ago Sarah would have thrown money at Aidan and told him to move out right away. But, her sister had matured. And…she was proud. So proud, she almost started to cry.

"Brookey, Jesus Christ take a drink," Sarah said, "The pork's not that spicy but you must've gotten a couple of serrano seeds."

Brooke coughed and took a sip of her beer. "Yeah," she said before taking another sip, "I must have."

Justin started peppering Aidan with questions about the Brooklyn music scene and lamented how much he missed going to live shows. Before chiming in, Sarah winked at Brooke, blew her a surreptitious kiss, and joined the music conversation. "One of these days," she said, "I'm going to take a long nap on Friday after work and we'll go out. All the best bands start after eleven."

"Yep," Aidan agreed, "Let me know when you wanna go, at least, to the place where my buddies work. I'll get you in."

"How about you tell me?" Sarah sweetly asked, "I have no clue what's cool nowadays."

Aidan nodded and grinned. "Will do."

…

Carisi knew his behavior was reckless, but he ignored all the voices in the back of his head that were telling him to let the investigation play out according to the rules. Deep in his heart he knew the deal was wrong. Tucker was innocent. The priests were evil. Sister Nina was dead, and the only people being held accountable were innocent. He also hated the undertones of the intel he'd been getting from various pals in the DA's office and the NYPD. The worst was the rumor that Benson and Tucker had probably been conspiring for a long time to cover up what was going on in the Bronx and getting paid off handsomely for it. Little did they know-but they were too seasoned not to expect-their financial records had already been scrutinized. Carisi knew this was all nonsense and more smoke screen to obscure the real bad guys. Father Eugene was on his list of people to have sit-downs with, but, first, he needed to talk to Tucker.

Tucker had a tail earlier in the investigation, but now that it was all but certain he was going to take a retirement deal, the detail had been called off. Before going up to the Bronx, Carisi, on a hunch, camped out in front of Tucker's building. He assumed, correctly as it turned out, Ed would have been staying at the Lieutenant's apartment and would need to return to his place for clothes. Since neither one of them was back on the job, he bet on late morning. And, as morning started to give way into afternoon, Tucker showed up.

"Hey, Captain!" Carisi jogged over to him and immediately knew Tucker was worse for the wear. He was unshaven and disheveled in a hoodie, jeans, and a skull cap. Carisi wasn't sure anyone in the department would recognize him like this.

Tucker shoved his hands deeper in his pockets, probably searching for his keys. "Whaddya want, Carisi?" He asked without looking at Sonny.

"I just need a minute, sir," Carisi said, employing his boyish charm, "I just need to know something."

"Oh yeah?" Tucker sneered, "What's that?"

Carisi wasn't sure if he'd ever seen Tucker more venomous.

"You and the Lieutenant," Carisi began, "When did that start?"

A bit of tension appeared to leave Tucker's torso. He finally looked Carisi in the eye. "When did what start?"

"You know, when did it, get romantic between the two of you?"

"What does that even matter?"

"Maybe it doesn't, maybe it does, but what does it matter if you tell me?"

Ed sniffed. "Because I don't know who's a friend and who's an enemy anymore."

Carisi paused for effect. "I'm a friend," he said sincerely. "I promise."

"Last winter," Ed answered after a few moments. "Way before this."

"Captain, I'm on your side," Carisi said, "And I'm going to make this right. You and Liv don't need to worry. This time tomorrow, it's all gonna shake out."

Tucker wanted to glare at Carisi, but he could only manage an expressionless stare. "We're both about to lose everything," he said, "Whatever you have in mind…don't fuck it up."

Carisi nodded. "I won't."

….

Ed was drunk. He hadn't eaten much and he and Olivia had had a bottle of wine before ordering dinner. Dinner consisted of oysters and chowder (Maggie was partially correct-they were going to a pub, but it was a seafood pub that had opened nearby), and they stopped at the regular pub for a nightcap on the way home where they stayed due to inspiring jukebox music and assurances from G that she was just fine. Ed managed to behave himself when they said their goodbyes and thanked G, but after she was gone, he stumbled to the bedroom knocking the barstools and a living room chair in the process.

"Fuck," he muttered, "I need water."

"I'll get it for you," Olivia said, smiling at him as if he were a child, "Stay there."

"You gonna be back?"

"Of course."

"Then I'm staying here."

Olivia returned with two glasses of water and set one on Ed's nightstand. She noticed another magazine, different from the others, next to the lamp. "Wow," she said, "You are really doing your due diligence."

"Just wanna make it all good for my girl," Ed slurred.

"And you are also very much under the influence."

"Doesn't affect how much I love you."

"I know."

"Maybe makes it more."

"Ed?"

"Hmm?"

"Honey, I think you should go to sleep."

"Yeah," he buried his head into the pillow, "You're right." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "You always are."

…

#Tuckson