236.

Olivia poured a glass of wine for herself and a bourbon for Ed and managed to snuggle up to him on the couch without spilling a drop. She kissed him on the cheek before taking a sip; he smirked in response and asked, "Something up?"

"No," she replied innocently. "Why?"

"That sounds like a trick question."

"I could've said the same for you."

Ed grinned, tilted his glass to hers, and winked as he took his first drink.

Olivia met his gaze, but then relented. "I found out today Rollins is leaving. Going back south. So, uh, I was hoping you'd go with me to her going away party."

"Why wouldn't I?" Ed gazed at her, slightly wounded. In his mind, they'd been married for too long for Olivia to think he would have to be heavily persuaded to join her at such an event. There were times when he wished she wouldn't remember the past as well as she did.

"I know you don't like…things like that."

Ed cocked his head and adjusted his position so he was able to face her. "As long as you're there, I like it." He leaned in for a kiss, playfully sucked on her lower lip, and grinned as they sat back against the cushions together. "And I've always liked Rollins."

Olivia pretended to choke on her wine and croaked, "Define always."

"I've never had a problem with her," Ed replied, "I had a problem with her sister. And her mother. And her gambling. But not with her per se. I'm sure the feeling isn't mutual, but I think we warmed up to each other."

"I suppose." Olivia drank her wine with an amused expression.

"Am I wrong?"

"No…I don't think Rollins would have the same story, but you're not wrong."

"That's a very political answer, Lieutenant Benson." Ed made a deliberate show about placing his glass on the coffee table and moving closer to her. "Very political. Not your first time at the rodeo."

"I've always been told I was terrible at being a politician, Captain," Olivia replied, enjoying Ed's subtle stab at role play. "But I'm not bad at pretending."

"Don't pretend," Ed said in the deep, raspy voice he used to use at the IAB interrogation table. "Never ends well. Then again, maybe I've met my match…" He started kissing her neck, and, a minute or so later, placed her glass beside his. He placed his hand on the side of her face, stared into her eyes, and said. "I still wake up in the middle of the night and have to remind myself it's really you next to me."

"I hope one day you don't have to do that."

"I don't know…" Ed murmured, "I kind of like it."

"Well, I won't try to talk you out of it then." Olivia grinned and leaned in for a longer, more passionate kiss. "I love you," she said a moment later, breathless against his face, "I love you so much."

Ed didn't reply. At least, not verbally. He held her face in his hands and stared into her eyes for a few seconds. There were no words to describe how he felt about her. Sometimes, no words worked best. And hearing her tell him she loved him? Whenever she said "I love you" Ed got a little chill, he remembered the first time she said it and how it sent him into a euphoria that lasted for at least a week. Come to think of it, maybe he'd never come down from that high, and, he never wanted to.

…

On the grass between the porch and the tall sea grass and adjacent to the dormant fire pit, Maggie and Wyatt lay sprawled on beach towels and used binoculars to get a closer look at the Milky Way. As part of their fifth grade astronomy unit, students were offered a chance at extra credit if they observed, photographed, and wrote a journal entry about a planetary body or another feature of outer space. Via Google, Wyatt discovered the galaxy was viewable from Delaware during autumn, so he and Maggie asked if they could go to the beach house for the weekend before Halloween. Ed and Olivia did not need much convincing. They checked the kids out of school early on Friday (which Ed joked was counterproductive to the weekend's mission) and made the trip to Delaware ahead of rush hour traffic. After settling in and ordering fish tacos for dinner, the twins stayed true to their goal and parked themselves in the yard. They unpacked their supplies-pencils, notebooks, their science textbooks, and a map Wyatt printed on the Benson Center's high resolution color printer. He proudly explained to his mother that he'd been able to use a website to get a snapshot of exactly what the sky would look like on Friday and Saturday nights and sweetly asked, "Can we use that big printer at the Center they use for posters?" Olivia, of course, said yes, and even stopped at a stationery store to buy a tube so the prints wouldn't get damaged.

Ed and Olivia enjoyed the fall sea breeze on the porch. A bottle of wine and two glasses sat on the table, but they were so content under the blanket and watching the kids that the wine went mostly untouched.

"Look at our young astronomers," Olivia murmured contentedly.

"We're so over the top," Ed replied. He smiled and kissed her head. "What other parents are taking a weekend trip for a few points of extra credit their kids don't need?"

"Only us most likely," Olivia replied, "And Wyatt insisted his science grade was too low for his liking."

"It's a ninety-seven."

"Too low," Olivia said with a grin.

Ed chuckled. He was certain the twins' focus on their grades came partially from Noah and partially from their own innate motivation, because neither he nor Olivia put excessive pressure on the kids to get all A's. Maggie reminded him of Sarah-she was smart, quick-witted, and didn't have to try very hard to excel. Wyatt and Noah always put forth maximum effort even though they probably didn't have to. The boys added extra touches to their work and were meticulous about deadlines and presentation. Maggie rushed to be finished and usually ended up with grades similar to Wyatt's which amused Ed, annoyed Wyatt, and made Olivia's heart break a little.

Despite their competitiveness, Wyatt and Maggie never hesitated to help one another out. They collaborated. And, as they gazed at the night sky, they freely traded comments and verbalized observations as if they were involved in a very serious astronomical discovery mission.

Olivia reached for her phone and frowned at the screen. "It's taking Noah a long time," she remarked.

"He's probably on the Boardwalk. Taking the long way home."

"I prefer the most direct route."

"We live in New York. He's fine."

"Five more minutes," Olivia said, "And then I'm calling."

"Okay." Ed kissed her again. "Wish we could tell him to pick me up a bottle of that pumpkin spiced whiskey we like. I bet it's in stock. I didn't even check today."

A chill ran up and down Olivia's spine since she and Ed enjoyed flavored liquors in their own unique way. "Too bad," she replied in a low voice.

Ed teased her under the blanket just enough so she shivered and grinned but not enough so she would gasp or make any sound that would distract the twins. However, he did whisper, "I think we have some of the apple version leftover from summer," in her ear. He grinned when she shivered once more. "I'm gonna-" Ed stopped when he heard footsteps on the gravel walkway that abutted the house on the north side. It had to be Noah. "Almost busted," Ed whispered.

Olivia sat up straighter. "Wouldn't be the first time."

Ed grinned. She was in a good mood. A playful mood. And he couldn't wait to be completely alone with her later.

Sure enough, Noah rounded the walkway carrying two shopping bags. "Got the s'mores stuff," he announced to his siblings who mumbled thank-yous but were so absorbed in their project they mostly ignored him. Noah shrugged and bounded up the porch steps. He dropped the bags onto one armchair and sat in the other. "Lotta people out tonight," he said. "Almost like summer."

"Really?" Olivia asked. "I wonder why."

"Maybe they're all here to see the Milky Way," Noah replied with a twinkle in his eye.

"That's gotta be it," Ed chimed in.

Olivia sat all the way up, grabbed her wine glass, and, as a consolation prize for ending their cuddle session, handed a glass to Ed. "What do you want to do tomorrow?" She asked Noah.

"It's warm enough to take out the boat, isn't it?" Though he was almost fifteen, Noah sounded as innocent as when he was a little boy begging to go on one more ride before the cold weather came.

"I think so. Ed?"

"Yeah, let's do that. Then we're gonna need to clear it out for the winter. This'll prolly be the last time we take it out."

Noah glanced impatiently at his siblings and called out to them. "How much more observing do you have to do?" He asked.

"Thirteen more minutes," Wyatt called back.

Noah shook his head and grinned. "Very specific," he murmured.

Ed stood up. "C'mon, bud, let's start gettin' the wood ready."

Happy for something to do, Noah leapt to his feet. Olivia noticed how tall he was getting-he was at Ed's shoulders now-and it wouldn't be long until he surpassed both of them. Olivia heard Maggie remind them about "no lights" as they passed the twins, and Ed assured her they would operate in the darkness. They did have the benefit of their neighbors' home being lit up to its full extent, including the patio's party lights. That was all they needed.

Alone on the porch, Olivia could hear Noah and Ed discussing whether or not they needed to break down some of the larger logs, the twins' banter, and the waves crashing ashore. The breeze had picked up, and the fire would be welcome. Though she wasn't actually by herself, Olivia realized these few minutes were rare. When the kids were at school, she and Ed did almost everything together. It was fascinating when she had a moment to stop and think about it-how the second half of her life didn't at all resemble the first.

When the thirteen minutes were up, Wyatt and Maggie dragged their supplies along with the towels back to the porch. Wyatt took most of the items inside, and Maggie dove under the blanket with her mother.

"S'getting cold!" She said, chattering her teeth in exaggerated fashion. "I'm staying right here until they get that fire going!"

Olivia smiled and wrapped her arms around Maggie. The plan was one-hundred percent fine with her.

….

Ed and Olivia had left the bedroom door slightly ajar earlier that night when they groggily made their way to bed after falling asleep on the couch. One of the items on Ed's list of things to do was to grease some of the door hinges, and, as Wyatt pushed his way inside, the creaking woke Olivia. She turned and saw Wyatt's sparkling eyes through the darkness and Maggie tiptoe in behind him.

"Hi Mama," Wyatt said in his raspy little-boy voice.

Olivia noticed Maggie had an iPad in her hand and immediately grew suspicious. Neither twin appeared to be scared. They were, apparently, simply dropping by.

"Ni'light's broken!" Maggie chimed in without making an effort to lower her voice.

Ed stirred, sniffed, adjusted his pillow, but didn't wake up. Olivia smiled and rolled her eyes. Since she and Ed had been married, she slept more peacefully than ever, but she had a mother's ear and, even in slumber, was constantly on alert.

"Oh no," Olivia whispered, "Were you trying to use the iPad for a nightlight?"

"S'no'working," Wyatt explained.

"Oh…well, come on, we'll see if we can fix it," She slid out of bed and ushered the twins back to their room. On the way she realized Maggie had to have picked up the iPad from the kitchen at some point in the evening. Olivia was certain it had been sitting on the island after the twins had been put to bed. When she entered the twins' room, she immediately figured out why the nightlight wasn't working.

"Honey," she said, mostly to Wyatt because Maggie most likely knew exactly what happened. "The nightlight's unplugged." Olivia popped it back into the socket and smiled. "See?"

"Magg pugged inna iPad," Wyatt replied.

"Yes…and it was dark and you couldn't see…" Olivia smiled at Maggie. "No iPads in bed, sweet girl."

"Gonna watch Paw Patrol," Maggie said.

"Not when you're supposed to be sleeping," Olivia replied, "Come on. Back in bed." She took the iPad from Maggie who didn't protest. The little girl could be headstrong, but Olivia noticed, as her personality developed, that once she was caught or once someone laid down the law, she was mostly compliant. Olivia would have loved to have heard the conversation that led to the twins coming into their bedroom. She wondered if Wyatt woke up and realized the light was out or if Maggie fumbling around trying to charge the device in the dark startled him.

"Paw Patrol innna mor'in?" Maggie asked as Olivia tucked her in for the second time that night and gave her a kiss.

"Yes, sweet girl. Before school. One Paw Patrol."

"Okay."

Maggie's reply was so sugary sweet Olivia thought she was being played. She kissed Wyatt, adjusted his covers, and made sure she had the iPad. Instead of going back to bed, she waited on the couch for fifteen or so minutes until she was certain the twins were asleep. With the tablet still in her hand, she went back to bed and snuggled in close to Ed. Even though he was softly snoring, he rolled over and put his arm around her. Olivia gripped his wrist, smiled, closed her eyes, and didn't wake up until her alarm sounded the next morning.

…..

Olivia paused at the playground fence and waited to go in and join Ed and Noah. She caught a glimpse of the two of them as soon as she rounded the bend on the path and slowed her pace. Ed did not take the task of watching Noah lightly. Olivia got the sense he was totally engaged when left alone with the boy. Ed was not the type of babysitter who sat and watched television and left the kid to his toys. No, he sat on the floor and played Legos or trucks or puzzles or whatever was interesting to Noah at that time. Today, under the gorgeous autumn-hued leaves, Ed chased Noah around, caught him at the end of the runs on the slide, and, at this moment, shadowed him on the monkey bars. Olivia blinked away tears. Her boyfriend and her son were getting closer and closer, and, surprisingly, she was happy about it. She didn't feel threatened or hurt or nervous. It all felt…right.

She finally entered the enclosure and her heart melted when Noah, hanging from the bars, saw her and shouted, "Mommy!" He dropped into Ed's arms then to the ground, and ran to her. "Ge'in strong!"

"I saw you on the bars, sweet boy, good job! Is Ed helping you?"

Noah nodded and squeezed her neck before squirming to get down. "Guh'go'gain."

As he made his way around the play structure to climb back to the launching pad, Olivia greeted Ed with a sweet, "hey," clutched his arm, and kissed him on the cheek.

"Hey," Ed replied, smirking. "You got here quick. Not that I'm complaining."

"I missed you two," she said, "Decided to start the weekend early."

"You are the boss," he said.

"I still have trouble cashing in on those perks."

"You're the last honest cop in New York," he replied, "But, I suppose, me being IAB and all, you have to be careful." He hoped she knew he was joking and was relieved when he saw her smiling back at him. Noah came bounding down the planked platform and waited for Ed to help him grab the first rung. "Be right back," Ed said to Olivia and squeezed her wrist.

Noah made two trips back and forth. Olivia snapped pictures with her phone and cheered on her determined, fearless son. As the sun set, the temperature seemed to plummet several degrees, and Olivia shivered. "Want to head to my place?" She asked Ed, "We can order in or go out, but, I want to change." She was the only one in work clothes. Ed was wearing jeans and a navy hoodie, attire that made him even more irresistible.

"Sure." He plucked Noah from the bars, flipped him a couple of times, and made sure he was steady on his feet. "Up to you. I can eat anything."

"I think I'd like to stay in," Olivia said.

"Then in it is." Ed put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. He assumed this was okay, and, judging by her expression, the assumption was correct.

They each took one of Noah's hands and made their way out of the park. "Noah," Olivia asked, "What do you want to eat for dinner?"

"PIZZA!"

Olivia smiled at Ed. "Are you okay with pizza?"

"Absolutely."

"I should probably encourage something healthier, but…"

"It's Friday," Ed finished for her.

"You're right. We'll worry about eating healthy tomorrow."

"So when he asks for pancakes in the morning the answer's no?"

Olivia laughed. "Let's see how it all plays out," she replied. She enjoyed diner breakfasts with Ed and Noah too much to prematurely take it off the table. "Thanks for getting him today."

"You're welcome," he replied, "Glad to do it."

"So, when you do this, what do you tell Draper? Or whoever?"

"I tell 'em I have to meet with a CI."

"You do?"

Ed chuckled. "No…I just tell them I have to go. No explanation needed."

"Hmmm…"

"It's that boss thing again, Benson," Ed explained with a twinkle in his eye. "You gotta get used to it."

Olivia sighed, but she was smiling. "I'm working on it."

"You'll get the hang of it," Ed said, "No doubt in my mind."

….

On the day of Rollins' party, Ed picked up Noah solo and the boy seemed surprised. At the beginning of each day, Ed and Olivia always mentioned who would be picking him up, and, on this particular afternoon, he had been expecting both parents and both siblings. "Are we doin' somethin' special?" He asked Ed, his eyes wide and curious.

Ed smiled. "Would you think picking up eyeliner for your mom is something special?"

Gripping his backpack straps, Noah crinkled his nose and thought about the question. "Are we gonna wrap it like a present?"

"Should we?"

"Yes, den it's special."

Ed shrugged. "Sounds good to me. We might have to get a gift bag, though. Gonna be hard to wrap a present on the run."

"Yeah, dat's still good," Noah replied.

Ed and Noah headed west among other students and parents and the crowd didn't thin out until they were two blocks away from school. Ed spotted a pharmacy and grabbed Noah's hand. "Let's go to this one," he said.

"But dat's not where Mommy goes."

"It's still a Walgreens. She goes to Walgreens, right?"

"Sometimes CVS."

"Have you ever been to Walgreens with her?"

"Yes."

"I think it's okay if we go to this Walgreens."

"Kay."

Ed and Noah wandered around for a few minutes looking for the makeup aisle. Olivia preferred a certain brand of makeup she usually ordered online, but she found herself without the eyeliner and asked Ed to make the pit stop. He fumbled with his phone and scrolled to the picture she sent him. "Black brown," he told Noah, "Look for black brown."

"But which one is eye…eye…eyeliner?"

"Let's read the labels, bud." Ed stood in front of the Maybelline section and peered at the items. Next to him, Noah examined the L'Oreal products.

"Found it!" Noah said after a minute or so. The eyeliners were much closer to his eye level. "Black, very black-Daddy, what's da difference?" Noah asked, his face contorted with genuine confusion.

"No idea," Ed replied, "Do you see black brown?"

"Uh-huh! Right here!" Noah triumphantly held up the package. "So now we gotta get a present bag."

"Yup." Ed looked around at the aisle markers, "Let's see…down here."

Noah skipped alongside him and down the gift wrap aisle. He chose a shimmery purple bag and silver tissue paper. Ed chuckled. He was sure a younger version of himself would have dragged the kid in and out of the store in a matter of two minutes and brushed off the idea of turning a mundane errand into a gift-giving opportunity. But he had mellowed. He was no longer in such a hurry. And it was excruciatingly difficult to say no to Noah, especially when his asks were so sincere and selfless.

At the checkout counter, Noah added a lollipop and looked at Ed with a sly little grin. Ed mussed his hair and Noah added a second lollipop explaining, "One for G after da twins go to sleep."

"Gotcha."

Ed paid and thanked the cashier.

On the way out, Noah said, "Daddy, I hope you and Mommy have fun t'night."

"Thanks, bud, I think we will."

"I wish I could play with Jesse one more time."

"You remember playing with Jesse?"

"Yeah, a long time ago."

"I think she's already down south…but…you never know. Maybe you'll see her again."

"Maybe we'll go visit."

Ed wasn't sure exactly where Rollins was going, but he assumed it was in Georgia. "We could visit Atlanta someday," he said, knowing Noah would hold him to his word and Ed was certain he could stomach Atlanta for a weekend.

"I'm gonna find dat city on da map," Noah said, "And do r'search so we know what to do when we're there."

"Sounds good, pal." Ed took Noah's hand again. It was late afternoon on a Friday, and the sidewalks were getting crowded. "Want to take the subway or walk?"

Torn, Noah paused and looked around. He loved the trains. But he also loved his aboveground city. Ed knew Noah couldn't quite articulate this yet, but the boy craved the energy of the streets, especially at this time of day.

"Walk," Noah replied assuredly.

"You got it, bud."

Noah looked up at Ed, smiled, took his hand, and skipped along.

…..

#Tuckson