Boston isn't New York – it just doesn't have that special New York pizzazz – but it's large enough that it offers the anonymity Alex can lose herself in. She lives in an apartment overlooking Boston Common, giving her a great view of the trees as they start to fill in and as the flowers begin to bloom. As the weather's gotten warmer, she's taken to eating lunch by the duck pond, watching children tumble over themselves and their parents to get a better view of the ducklings.
It makes her think of Olivia, if she's taken Noah down to the pond yet, if they're enjoying the early spring warmth. It makes her miss them in a way she hasn't felt since mid-February when the late-winter freeze took over the city and made leaving her apartment impossible.
She had closed herself in for a week, shutting out all signs of the outside world as snow fell continuously for two days and blanketed the city, immobilizing it. Without work to distract her, Alex had fallen back into the habit of wondering what Olivia was doing at any moment during the day. Had she been called in to work on a case? Was she bringing Noah to daycare? Was she preparing to testify in court? How was she braving the below zero temperatures?
And then when the week was over, she threw herself back into work and pushed all thoughts of Olivia from her mind.
But there's something in the air today, something about how absolutely perfect the day has been so far brings thoughts of Olivia to the front of Alex's mind as she settles into her usual bench in the Common. She wonders what Olivia's doing, wonders what kind of week she's had, wonders if she's had a chance to eat her lunch yet or check in on Noah at the daycare.
In fact, Alex is so lost in thought that she doesn't know someone has joined her on her bench until they speak.
"You know," they say, and Alex jolts a little, "you should eat your sandwich before the ducks do."
Embarrassed, Alex laughs, and then turns just a bit to face her visitor. "What are you doing here, Olivia?"
Olivia runs her hand through her hair and pushes her sunglasses up onto the top of her head. "There's an opening at the District Attorney's office."
"And they sent you to ask me to come back?"
"I had some vacation time saved so I volunteered."
"Why?"
"I miss you," Olivia says, stating it as if it's the easiest thing in the world to admit. Maybe for Olivia it is, but it makes Alex's breath catch in her chest. There's a long tense pause and then: "I saw you that night. At the rink. I wanted to stop you as you were leaving–"
"I'm not going to be your backup plan, Liv."
"I'm sorry. My backup…what?"
"Your backup plan. I'm not going to be it."
"You have never been my backup plan, Alex. You could never be a backup plan. When I look at my future, Alex, it's you. It's always been you."
