Chapter Three Marisol
Olivia made them a pot of coffee and brought to cups into the living room where Rafael was sitting on the couch. She handed him one and sat down next to him.
"Tell me about Claudia." She said with a smile.
Rafael smiled back at her, "She was the little sister I never had. Her mother was Mami's younger sister, we were both only children so in a lot of ways we were more like siblings than cousins. She was four years younger than I was. It was my job to watch out for her. We went to the same Catholic school and spent most of our afternoons at Abuletia's. Claudia started high school the same year that I left year Harvard. In high school she fell in love with the stage. She was pretty good. She landed a couple good parts here and there. Eventually she started teaching drama in the public high school in the Bronx. She loved helping kids find a passion on the stage like she had. She would never let me miss one her school's productions. "
Olivia placed her hand over his on the back of the couch, "She sounds wonderful. I wish I could have met her."
Rafael smiled, "You two would have liked each other."
"What about Marisol?" She asked him and watched his eyes light up.
"She's perfect, she looks just like a miniature version of Claudia. She already has this thick brown hair and these beautiful brown eyes."
"Sounds like she looks like your mother." Olivia commented.
"Yes, Claudia her mother and, Mami all looked alike." He said
"You don't know anything about the father?" Olivia asked him.
Rafael shook her head, "When Claudia was on her summer breaks from teaching she would get on with a traveling production of one show or another. She just said Marisol's father was on tour with her and would not someone she wanted to raise a child with. In fact she came home early from tour because she didn't want him to know. "
They sat there in silence for few minutes, Rafael had linked his fingers with Olivia's, "Liv, what do I do now?"
"Well first, are you ready for what bringing a child into your life means?" She asked him,
"Were you ready the day you got Noah?" He asked.
Olivia shook her head, "No, not at all and we are managing just fine. Since you are listed as the emergency contact there shouldn't be any problem having her released to you. I will call Noah's old case worker in the morning just to make sure. Do you know if she had a will?"
Rafael nodded, "I insisted when Mari was born, at which point she said she would only draw one up if I agreed to be the one listed to get custody if anything should happen. I never dreamed anything actually would." He told her as tears began to form in his eyes again. "Liv I know absolutely nothing about being a parent. I've never changed a diaper and gave her a bottle for the first time a few hours ago. I think she eats food now but I have no idea what. What am I going to do with her when I have to go to work on Monday?"
Liv laughed, "First you aren't going to work on Monday. You can go in later this week and wrap up whatever you are working on and then you are taking paternity leave."
"Paternity leave? Is that necessary?" He asked.
"Barba you are becoming a dad, yes it is necessary." She explained gently.
"A dad" He said as if the realization was fully setting in.
"It takes a while to get used to, trust me." She told him with an understanding smile.
"So what do I do first?" He asked her.
"You get some sleep, you are going to need it. In the morning we will figure everything else out. The couch folds out if you want to stay. It's pretty late already" She offered.
"Thanks Liv, for everything." He said looking down at their still joined fingers.
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The next morning Olivia helped Rafael make sense of the things that needed to happen first. They quickly made their way to the Target in between their apartments for the essentials, a new car seat, diapers, formula, baby food and a few outfits until they could get to Claudia's place. Olivia had a porta crib Rafael cold borrow.
"I've never been in a Target before." He commented as Liv made a bee line for the Starbucks and Noah hopped in the cart.
"Well Barba this is just the first of many changes in your life." She teased him.
Rafael marveled at how Liv made quick work of the store. "When you shop with a toddler you don't linger." She explained. In no time they were at the register.
"Three hundred dollars? What did I just buy?" He asked as they made their way outside.
"You'll get use to asking that too." Olivia laughed, "All right give me your key. Noah and I will get all of this settled at your place. You don't need all of us with you and your mother at the hospital."
"But you'll still be there when we get home, right?" He asked her a slight panic in his voice.
Oliva turned back from buckling Noah in his car seat and hugged Barba, "I won't leave until you are ready for me to." She promised.
Barba laughed, "So you are planning on moving in? You, me, Noah, Mari, I'm sure we could make it work." He teased the reality of his life change beginning to settle in.
Liv flashed her signature smile at him, "Wouldn't that be nice."
"You ready?" The Uber driver asked impatiently.
"You're going to be fine, you've got your mother and we'll be waiting for you." Liv told him before placing a quick reassuring kiss on his cheek. "Go get your baby, and don't forget the car seat." She reminded him pointing to the box next to his car.
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"I could move in with you Rafael. Caring for a baby is a lot of work and you have a very busy job. We could do it together." Lucia explained to him while they waited for the doctor to discharge Mari.
"Mami, I appreciate it I really do, but you don't need to do that. Yes, I am going to need your help, but no you're not moving in." Rafael insisted.
"Are you sure you can do this Rafi all by yourself?" She asked him.
"I'm not going to be by myself Mami. I have you and Olivia too." He reminded her.
"Olivia, you mean Lieutenant Benson? " Lucia raised an eyebrow at her son.
"She's a good friend Mami, who has made this same this same life change recently that is all." He told her very grateful when the doctor came in accompanied by a woman that Rafael recognized from child services.
"So you are Marisol's next of kin, Rafael Barba?" The woman asked him.
"Yes, I am." Rafael answered nervously.
The woman smiled at him, "Relax Mr. Barba, everything is fine. You are listed as the emergency contact and I understand Marisol's mother has a will that leaves you custody of her?"
"Yes, but I don't have it with me." Rafael suddenly wondered if he should have gone and gotten it.
"Don't worry, we will take care of all of that over the next few weeks. I will contact you later this week and be come by for a home inspection, don't worry it's all very routine. As far as I am concerned you can take Marisol home with you as soon as Dr. Morris dive the okay, Provided that you have a car seat."
"Yes, right here." Rafael said pointing to the car seat Olivia had helped him select.
"As far as I am concerned she is ready to go. I want you to follow up with whatever pediatrician you plan on using once a week for the next few weeks just as a precaution. Other than that you are ready to go. I wish you the best Mr. Barba." Dr. Morris told him.
"Well I guess it's time Mari, are you ready to go home?" Rafael asked the baby in his arms who smiled happily at him.
When he went to put her in the car seat he was suddenly very grateful that Olivia had made him practice with the baby doll in target, although the baby doll had been much more corporative and Rafael had not worried about breaking it. After what seemed like an eternity they had her in the seat and made their way to his car. Lucia sat in the back with Marisol as Rafael drove them home. When they arrived at he found Olivia hard at work.
"Liv? Noah?" He called out as he made their way into the apartment.
"Hey," She said coming out of the kitchen putting down the screw driver she had been using to install child locks. "Hi, Mari, I'm Olivia and we are going to be very good friends." She said u sing Rafael's nickname for the girl without even thinking about it. Mari snuggled closer to Rafael unsure of who Olivia was.
"Where's Noah?" He asked her.
"He's passed out on your bed, I hope that's ok it was naptime and I really wanted to get some things done." She explained.
"It's more than fine." He told her with a grateful smile and was suddenly reminded of his mother's presence when she cleared her throat.
"I'm sorry Mami, you remember Lieutenant Benson," Rafael said.
"Please call me Olivia, I am so sorry for your loss ." Olivia said.
"Please call me Lucia, I have a feeling we are going to be seeing a lot of each other, Thank you for all that you are doing to help."
Mari began to squirm and fuss in Rafael's arms, "They said she would be ready to eat soon and that she needed more than just formula."
"That's why we bought the baby food." Oliva reminded him holding her arms out to Mari. "Are you hungry Mari, do you want some lunch?" The baby quickly reached for Oliva who took her happily. "Come on Sweet Girl let's see what you like."
Rafael and Lucia watched in amazement as Oliva quickly settled Marisol in the high chair strapped a bib on her placed some cereal on her tray and searched reached for a jar of baby food. "Now she's probably eating some table food but let's start with this." She explained and stopped when she realized they were staring at her.
"I'm sorry, I think I just took over." She apologized.
Barba quickly shook his head, "No you are wonderful, I'm just watching." He said with more admiration than he could express.
Olivia felt herself starting to blush, "You'll learn quickly, won't he Lucia?"
Lucia smiled at the exchange, "Some things he learns very quickly, others take a while"
"Mama?" a sleepy voice called from the hallway.
"In here Love." Olivia called out as Noah made his way into the kitchen. "Barba!" He said happy to see him again.
"Hola Noah, did you have a good nap?"
Noah nodded crawling up into Olivia's lap where she was feeding Marisol, "This is Barba's new baby?' He asked inspecting this new child.
"Yes, this is Marisol Noah, do you think we can help her and Barba get settled?" Oliva asked him.
Noah nodded again before laying his head against Oliva. Rafael stood mesmerized at the scene in his kitchen, Oliva Benson the best cop her had ever known snuggling her son while feeding the baby girl he was now responsible for. There were too many emotions to figure out in that moment, he just knew he was very grateful she was there.
Lucia left a little while later once she knew Rafael was in good hands. Olivia and Noah stayed the rest of the afternoon helping get them settled in and Oliva helped him to figure out all of the next steps. Mari napped briefly and then she and Noah both played. Barba ordered them some dinner at which point they discovered Mari shared Noah's love of noodles. Oliva helped Rafael bathe her and settle her into a sleeper.
"How do I put her to bed?" He asked her.
"Read her a couple of books we bought, and play some music, we need to get you a rocking chair but for now just hold her. She's had a big day she'll probably fall asleep pretty quickly. You can call me if you need anything." Olivia reassured him.
He place Mari in the port a crib and walked Olivia and Noah to the door. He reached out and took her hand.
"I can't thank you enough Liv. I don't know what I would have done without you today." He told her.
She ran her thumb across his hand, "I'm glad to do it. Rafael, I am with you in this however you need me."
"I think you've called me by my first name more in the last twenty four hours than you have in the last five years." He teased her.
"A lot's changed in the last twenty four hours." She said kissing him quickly on the cheek like she had earlier. "Call me if you need me." She said before gathering Noah to head home.
After they left he settled down with Mari on the couch and selected a couple of books from the pile Oliva had left. After Good night Moon and Brown Bear he reached for his phone to turn on some music. "What kind of music do you like Mari?" He asked as he looked at her and thought about where he was last night before his life changed and how tonight he was holding a different brown eyed girl. He turned the song on and sang softly until he felt her fall asleep.
TBC