Michelle headed upstairs and found Corey in his playroom playing with his cars. She would have to handle this delicately but firmly.
"Corey, it's time to go to school, Daddy's waiting for you." She said
"I'm not going with him." He said
"Oh yes you are young man." She insisted
"No I'm not." He repeated, "He's not my daddy!"
"Corey Andrew Carvelli! You don't say things like that." She said her anger increasing, "He is your father."
"He doesn't care about me anymore." Corey explained, "Now that he's going to have a real baby."
It was all starting to make sense. Corey was upset about the movie but underneath it was insecurity. She came over and sat on the futon in the corner of the room I hope I can get myself up when I'm done she thought.
"Corey, come here." She gestured for him to sit next to her and he sighed and sat down, "Now you listen to me. Your daddy loves you very much. If he didn't he wouldn't have adopted you."
"But the baby is really his." Corey replied, "Mom's and Dad's love real kids more than 'dopted ones."
"Do you think I'll love you less, too?" She asked and he just shrugged, "Why do you think that?"
"That's what Tommy said." Corey explained
"Well, Tommy doesn't know everything." She said, "Parents can love adopted kids as much as if they weren't adopted."
"She's right, Corey." Joe said from the doorway
"Then how come I can't go to the movie?"
Joe crossed the room and sat down with them, putting his arm around Corey, "Son, that has nothing do with you being adopted or anything like that. You see, something is going on and I just need to know you're here and safe."
"Is it because of the man at school?" Corey asked
"The one you talked to? Yes." Joe explained, "Please understand, Corey. I love you and don't want anything to happen to you. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Yes Sir, I understand." He said still trying to process everything
"Good, now let's get you to school." Joe said standing up
"Okay." Corey said walking out of the room
"I'll be downstairs in a minute." Joe called after him
Corey came running back and stopped in the doorway, "Dad."
"Yeah, Son?"
"I love you, too." He said and quickly ran off again
"Hey, Carvelli." Michelle said, "You uh, wanna give me a hand here?"
He turned around and smiled, "But of course." He reached out his hand and helped her to her feet
"Only five months along. I can only imagine how hard it's going to be later."
"You will only be more beautiful." He replied
"Yeah, you say that now when my little bump is cute and my ankles aren't swollen."
He laughed slightly, "Are you gonna be okay here by yourself?"
"Oh, I'm not by myself." She caressed her abdomen and smiled, "Plus Starsky and Hutch are outside." She said referring to the new unit watching the house, with strict instructions not to get out of the car and go anywhere alone
He smiled and kissed her, "I'll call you later." He caressed her abdomen, "Lily, you take care of Mommy for me, okay?" He felt a good strong kick
"That's her way of saying, aye aye, Captain." Michelle quipped giving a mock salute, "and that her name is Emma."
He smiled and left the room.
TWELFTH PRECINCT
Joe got a cup of coffee and sat at his desk staring at the paperwork piled in front of him. He knew he needed to complete it but it was the last thing on his mind.
"Carvelli."
Joe turned his head and saw Captain Harris standing in the doorway of his office and he motioned for Joe to join him.
Joe got up and came in, "Yeah, Captain?"
"Shut the door and have a seat." He said
Joe shut the door and took a seat across from him, "What's going on?"
"I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am about what happened last night." He continued showing uncharacteristic concern, "I feel like we let you down."
"I'm not the one who's dead, Sir."
Harris sighed and leaned back in his chair, "I know but he could have easily gotten in your house after he shot Benson and O'Malley was around back with you and your wife."
"If that's what he had wanted to do, he would have done it." Joe said, "It's a sick game with him and Benson, tragic as it is, was just a pawn."
"Well, we won't have ballistics back for a couple of days. But Falco could have used an untraceable gun." Harris concluded leaning forward resting his elbows on the desk and clasping his hands together
"Yeah, well I guess I better get back to my paperwork." Joe said getting up, "Thanks for the concern, Sir."
"Your mind is hardly on paperwork is it?" He asked
"No sir, it's not but I'll get it done." Joe assured him
"Joe, go home, spend some time with your pregnant wife and enjoy your son." He said, "Paperwork will be here tomorrow."
"Sir, really, it's okay."
"I'm not asking, I'm ordering, Carvelli."
"Yes, Sir." Joe said smiling to himself
He arrived home and thought for a moment not calling first was a mistake. He didn't want to scare Michelle. But it was too late. He opened the door and called her name.
"Joe?" She said coming down the stairs, "What are you doing here? Are you alright?"
He smiled slightly, "I'm fine. Harris ordered me to go home. I wasn't exactly focused on the job today."
She caressed his cheek, "I know, Honey."
"I thought we could spend some time together, just you and me." He suggested
"Oh, I'd love to but I have so much work to do…" She trailed off noticing the look on his face, "and I totally missed it, didn't I?"
On the way home he had thought about what the captain said and he was right. He needed to be with her,"I want to be with you, be close to you, and feel our baby moving inside you. I need to be with you."
Without a word she took his hand and led him upstairs into their bedroom. He sat on the bed and undressed as she slipped out of her clothes standing in front of him. His eyes washed over her as he placed his hands on her swollen belly then kissed it, something that always turned her on. He pulled her closer and they fell back on the bed. He was careful to let her be on top and their bodies moved in perfect rhythm together until they collapsed together having achieved what they were aiming for.
They lay tangled in the sheets, nearly breathless, her body pressed against his side, he could feel the baby moving.
"Well, she really is one tough cookie after what we just did." Joe quipped
Michelle let out a deep, throaty laugh, "Oh the things you do to me, Detective. It should be a crime." She kissed his bare shoulder
"You want me to get my handcuffs?"
She laughed slightly again and pulled back a little resting on her side she propped herself up on her elbow with her head in her hand, "Are you okay?"
He rolled over on his side to face her, "Yeah, I guess I really needed this."
"What?" She asked, "Afternoon delight?"
"No, just being with you, to enjoy every inch of you." He reached out and caressed her belly, "I love you so much. I can't imagine my life without you or Corey and Lily, of course." He loved to tease her about the name
"You really think you're cute, don't you?"
"Yes, yes I do." He said with a crooked smile
She just shook her head, "So what do we do now?"
"Shower?"
"Together?"
"Of course." He replied
"You are a naughty boy, Detective." She purred, "And I wouldn't have it any other way."
SATURDAY
Since Joe had put the kibosh on Corey going to a movie he was upstairs in his playroom with a ton of toys but he was bored with no one to play with. He was trying to understand why his dad was acting like he was but it wasn't easy for an eight –year old. Joe went to work to make up for leaving the day before and Michelle was continuing to work on her articles and research. She took a break about lunch time and checked on Corey. He was playing with his hero action figures but she could tell he wasn't enjoying it.
"Hey, Mr. Grumpy Pants." She said from where she stood in the doorway, "I thought you loved playing with those."
He shrugged, "It's not as much fun by yourself."
She sighed and came in and got herself down on the floor next to him, "I know you really wanted to go to the movies with Aunt Sarah and your cousins but Daddy explained why you couldn't."
"I know." He said
"Listen, why don't I talk to Daddy and maybe Aunt Sarah, Uncle Mark and the girls can come over tomorrow after Mass. Would you like that?"
He smiled and nodded, "Can you call Dad now and ask him?"
She knew he wouldn't be satisfied unless she did, "Okay, okay. Now let's go downstairs, it's time for lunch."
"Okay."
That night after Corey was in bed Michelle and Joe watched a movie in the den. Stretched out on the couch her feet were in his lap, a nearly empty bowl of popcorn perched on her belly. They both reached for the last bite at the same time.
"Hey, are you going to take the last bite from your pregnant wife?" She joked, "You're a cruel man, Detective."
"Alright, alright" He said in a mock defensive tone, removing his hand from the bowl, "I'll make a deal with you."
"Yeah? What kind of deal?"
"I'll let you have the last bite…if you agree to name the baby Lily." He said
She shook her head, "Cruel indeed." Then she took the last of the popcorn and put it in her mouth
"So we have a deal then?"
"Oh no, I never said that." She joked
"Suckered by your feminine wiles." He said as he began to massage her feet, "So Corey seemed happy that Sarah and Mark and the girls were coming over tomorrow."
"Yeah, he's trying hard to understand but he is just a little boy."She replied, "Being cooped up here except for school is hard for him."
"What about you?" He asked
"Me?" She asked, "I've got plenty of work to do so it doesn't bother me."
"But." He said
She sighed heavily, "I'm used to coming and going as I need to." She said, "But I'm not eight. I understand."
"That's why I let you have the last of the popcorn." He explained, "Because you're so understanding."
Just as she was about to respond Corey's voice called from upstairs, "Mom! Dad!"
"Oh no." Joe got up and helped her to her feet then grabbed his gun and they ran upstairs to his room, "What is it, Corey?" He asked
"Outside." He said, "He's out there, Dad."
Joe looked out the window and could see a dark figure behind and tree and the smoke a cigarette billowing in the breeze, "Damn it. How did he get past them?" He asked referring to the patrol car out front. He headed out of the room, "Stay here."
Michelle was sitting on the bed holding Corey, "It's okay, Baby."
Joe went outside and got the two officers who said they hadn't seen anyone near the house and they went around back but, of course, he was gone.
"Damn it!" Joe said
TBC