"What are you doing home? I thought you were staying the night at Yasmin's." Grace spoke surprised to see her niece.
"Nice to see you too." the girl said sarcastically before looking at Olivia with a smile, "Hi. You must be Captain Benson."
Olivia nodded, "Yes, you can call me Olivia though. You uh- wow you look like Grace."
She really couldn't believe it. Hair color, eye color, her smile. Everything. It was as if she was looking at a past and present version of Grace.
"We get that a lot." Grace said as she ran her hand through the teen's hair, "This is Laney, my niece, but I've had her as my kid for a few years." she smiled.
The way Grace spoke told Olivia there was a story to it. It also told her that this girl was the center of the Detectives world.
"Make yourself at home. You hungry?" Grace asked.
Olivia took a seat at the island, "I could eat. Got any booze though?"
Laney laughed, "Does she have booze."
Grace made a face at Laney as she opened up a cabinet revealing multiple liquor options and then pointed to a wine fridge, "All the boys and lots of wine in the fridge. I have some berry Sangria from last night that's delicious."
"That sounds lovely. Thank you." Olivia told her as Grace held it up with two glasses.
"I'll heat up dinner for you guys." Laney offered, "You okay though?" she asked looking at Grace.
Grace smiled at her, "I'm good baby. Just a long day. I had a flat so Olivia brought me home."
Laney gave her a look as she set a pot on the stove, "I still don't know how you were so good at undercover assignments."
Grace did a fake mock of being offended and grabbed her chest before wrapping her arms around Laney's shoulders from behind, "Fine. I had an emotional breakdown and she drove me home. So, now that I told you my night, why are you not at Yas's?"
Olivia smiled watching them interact. Grace was usually serious and to the point, but right now she seemed so carefree.
"I just wanted to come home." Laney offered.
"Do you believe her?" Grace said playfully while looking at Olivia, "I mean normally I do, but tonight, I do not." she added.
"Hmm, she did look to the left. Some say that's a sign of fibbing." Olivia played along as she took the glass Grace had poured her and took a sip. It was delicious.
"What is this? An interrogation?" Laney laughed as Grace let her go. She grabbed a long spoon to dish out the food.
Grace leaned against the counter and gave her another look, "Laney, it's me. What happened?"
Laney fixed two bowls of soup and sat them down on the bar counter. Grace went and sat next to Olivia. Laney was wiping the counter and both women could tell she was thinking about her words.
"She's hanging out with this new crowd. They're older. There was a party and she wanted to go so I went with her. It wasn't like the others though. It had some heavy drugs at it... not just weed."
Grace and Olivia just looked at her.
"Yeah, I tried getting Yas to leave, but it just caused a fight. She said I could relax and have some fun or leave because I was embarrassing her. So I left."
"Why didn't you call me?" Grace asked, "I've always told you to call me, no questions asked."
"How am I supposed to call you at work when none of your coworkers know about me? What would you have said to her?" Laney asked motioning to Olivia, "Sorry Captain, I have to leave to go get my kid from a party she shouldn't even be at."
"That's not fair and you know it." Grace somewhat scolded, "I was trying to protect you. Your parents failed at that royally, but I'll be damned if something happens to you because of my job."
"You're not in Gangs anymore! And you can't protect me from everything, Grace. I know why I'm a secret, but it doesn't mean it doesn't suck sometimes." Laney said before leaving and going up the back stairs.
"Delaney Grace!" Grace yelled after her.
"Let her go, Grace." Olivia whispered, "She needs some time. And so do you." she said as she put a hand on Grace's back.
Grace looked over at her, "She's never spoken to me that way."
Olivia laughed, "Then I'd say you're doing a hell of a job. Noah and I have already had some intense arguments."
Grace pushed the soup around in her bowl, "She's right though. I would have had to lie to go get her. Especially since we were in the middle of a case."
"Yeah, or one of us would have gone and got her." Olivia replied, "It takes a village Grace. I'm going to make a guess here, but I'm thinking that you didn't want any bangers to know about her. I probably would have done the same." she offered, "But you've lived that for so long you didn't know how to live it any differently even though you're not Gangs anymore."
Grace just looked at her, "Are you being my shrink right now?"
Olivia laughed, "No, just a friend. Laney is a great kid Grace, I can tell, and I know that's because of you. I don't know what her story or yours is, but right now she's experiencing losing a friend and I think that got projected onto you some."
"Doesn't mean it doesn't suck." Grace grumbled using Laney's words, "I'm going to tell the guys I think. When I come back. She needs to be able to count on me... like Duarte should have..."
"What's that mean?" Olivia asked going to the liquor cabinet and grabbing some whiskey. She poured them both shots knowing something stronger was needed. Grace told her to make herself at home anyways.
Grace took one and then motioned for another. Olivia poured it and made a face knowing what was about to be said was heavy.
"He called me that night. Said there was something he needed to talk to me about. Said there was a flash drive with something I needed to see. Asked me to meet him at the bodega. I was at the movies with Laney though and my phone was off. If I had been there." Grace sighed and took a third shot before shaking her head.
The silence finished her sentence for her..
Olivia took her own shot now and sighed, "Then I would have buried you too and that sweet girl who just went upstairs would be mourning the woman who she looks at as if she hung the moon." she said bluntly.
Grace's mouth fell open to reply, but there was nothing she could say. That was something that hadn't crossed her mind.
"There was nothing anyone could have done that night. I had just been with him. We had drinks at a bar. The could have's and maybes cross my mind whenever I hear his name. Then I look at my son and I know the reason of why. That was Duarte's war. Not ours."
The two of them looked at each other and then to the whsikey. They took another shot. There was no way Olivia was driving home now between the weather, time, and alcohol.
"We have guest rooms. I recommend the grey room." Grace spoke.
Olivia smiled, "Thanks, and I know I haven't said it, but your an amazing detective. And from what I just saw, an amazing mom too." Olivia spoke following her up the stairs.
Grace showed her to the guest room and Olivia smiled, "Your design taste are perfections, Muncy."
The room was light grey with wooden furniture that looked handmade. It was all stained blue though. Soft lighting illuminated it. There were different plants placed throughout and it was a room Olivia felt as though she could sleep forever in.
Grace laughed, "Thank you. I'll see you in the morning. Think you can give me a ride to my car?"
"Of course." Olivia told her, "Might want to get that flat fixed first though." she teased making them both laugh.
Grace headed down the hall, but didn't go to her own room. She went to Laney's. The door was closed and she quietly opened it. The teen was awake and on her phone.
"Hey." Grace spoke quietly.
Laney jumped and looked over at her, "Hey." she spoke surprised.
Grace made her way over and climbed into the bed, "Let's forget tonight, okay? We both made errors. I'll fix mine and you fix yours. You need to call me next time something like that happens. It's not if it does, it's when it does because it will happen again. How did you even get home?"
Laney did a nervous laugh, "I um, well there's this guy--. He gave me a ride."
Grace saw the look on her face, "A guy? Someone you like?" she asked.
Laney shrugged as she nodded, "He's older so that complicates things. He's really nice though. I was already messaging him while at the party so I knew he'd answer."
Grace held her arms open and Laney snuggled into her, "How much older?" she asked.
"Before or after my birthday?" Laney asked in a playful tone.
Grace reached under the cover and pinched her.
"Oww! Fine. He's about to turn to 21."
All she could do was laugh, "Dear God your not joking are you."
Laney shook her head.
Grace groaned as she grabbed her head with her free arm, "Can we talk about this when I'm fully sober?"
Laney smiled, "Yeah, that's fine. Gives me more time to figure out what not to tell you." she teased.
Grace snorted, "You so much as try to pull a fast one on me and you will see a side of me you never have." she said playfully yet seriously too, "Now go to sleep before I change my mind."
"Noted. Good night, mama." Laney spoke quietly.
Grace ran her hand through the girl's hair and felt her relaxing into her, "Night baby." she whispered back as she stared at the ceiling.
Her eyes were heavy as was her body, but the sleep wouldn't come. Her thoughts ran wild with what Laney had told her. Her best friend was on drugs and she was into an older guy. She had so many worries, but all she could do right then was hold onto her as tightly as she could...