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"So your little charade went on without a hitch?" Lieutenant Jacoby passed Pete a cup of coffee and then took a sip of his own.

"I must admit it went very well. But I don't like the thought of slapping any woman, especially Edie even if it was fake."

"Well if the detective business ever goes under you know you have an acting career to fall back on."

"Thanks for the encouragement."

He made himself stay for an hour, helping Jacoby go over a list of recent paroles. Finally he excused himself and walked out into the chilly night. For the last six months or so he had cut back on the number of cigarettes he smoked per day but today he had made up for it. The tip flamed up with aid of his gold lighter and he walked down the block to his car.

Leslie had promised to have the dress sent to the cleaners and delivered to Miss Carlyle in time for the auction. Miranda would be there and he could see the look on her face when the dress was modeled and introduced with a starting bid of $2,000. He took the tickets he had for the event out of his pocket and started at them, suddenly having no desire to see it for himself. Quickly he withdrew his fountain pen from his side pocket and wrote across the one ticket, enjoy yourselves and slid them into a near by mail box.

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Miranda knew that Peter wouldn't show up that same night but she was sure he would call. The designer could hear the conversation in her head as she sat in her velvet upholstered chair waiting for the phone to ring. Pete would say how sorry he was that he hadn't known the truth before marrying a floozy like Edie Hart and could Miranda ever forgive him. She would of course and tell him it wasn't his fault that he had been lead down the wrong path. After their break up he had been devastated and she Miranda shouldn't have left him alone for so long. She had only let him break off the relationship in the first place because he had been so determined and there wasn't anything she wouldn't do for him.

Half an hour dragged to 45 minutes and she had knocked off two whiskies by then. Chi her Yorkshire terrier was curled up on her lap and Miranda was getting drowsy but she knew Peter was going to call. Maybe they'd have lunch tomorrow. Maybe he'd thank her for sending the dress and showing him, showing him, her eyes were closing. Chi stretched her tiny legs out and Miranda's head hit the back of the chair. Collie the maid came in to see if she needed anything else but the designer was fast asleep. Maybe Collie would just go to bed too.

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The little old lady had been selling flowers on the corner by the courthouse and Pete had stopped buying two dozen; a mix of zinnias and sunflowers. Finding a vase when he got home, he made the best bouquet he could and placed it on the coffee table, then went into the kitchen to make sure a pot was brewing in the electric maker. Sherlock came in once more trying to climb up his leg and the man picked him up and scratched the feline under the chin. "Come on, let's go find Jac, it's time for you two to have your dinners."

He had grown up having dogs, and they had done everything together. His last dog Cooper had died about five years after Pete had left home and when his father called with the news the police recruit found he took it harder than he had ever thought. But they had been dogs. With Edie, he had discovered that dogs, cats, all animals could be regarded as family. They referred to each other as Mommy and Daddy when talking about their furry children and had from the beginning. Jac had only been a member of the family for a few months, but Sherlock had lived with Edie for almost four years and from the beginning he had been their boy.

By the time he heard his wife's key in the door, he had a bottle of wine chilling, the dog and cat fed, a fire blazing and favorite nightgown laying out on the bed for her. If they wanted it there was still half of a sour crème peach pie in the frig and his answering service had been told he was not to be disturbed for any reason. It was hard for him knowing someone might be calling with an interesting case and he had no idea what it was. But he also knew that marriage was something you had to work at and he planned for them to be man and wife for a very long time.

He met her at the door with a kiss, taking her purse and laying it on the foyer table. "How was the rest of your evening?"

"Good." She put her arms around his neck and kissed him again. "But better now that I'm home. "My don't you look sexy this evening." Her cool hands stroked his cheek.

"Do I?" His lips brushed her ear lobe, taking it between his teeth and pulling gently.

"Stop that." She didn't mean it. "And yes you do. "I like those two top buttons undone and the tie is just loose enough to make me want to loosen it some more." The kiss that followed was hard to end.

"I laid out a nightgown for you if you want to change." He told her as they walked into the dining room and have some wine chilling. I thought we could use a few minutes to gather our thoughts after today."

"Good idea." She nodded. "I'll be right back. She turned around half way up the stairs. "Is there any pie left?"

"I'll cut us each a slice."

It was nice to take her shoes and stockings off and shedding her dress and slip quickly she clipped her hair up on her head, and stepped into the shower for a fast moment washing off of the grime and smoke. Finally with her makeup off she felt fresh and clean.

The nightgown Pete had left was one of her favorites and it felt cool against her body. The slippers were not the right ones; she preferred his old ones that were a bit too big but much more comfortable. He always laid out the pink eyelet ones her mother had given her for Christmas a couple of years ago. She put her feet into them getting a glance of herself in the full length mirror.

When would she start to show she wondered? Her sister-in-law Lisa had had swollen breasts from almost the beginning but didn't actually show until close to the fifth month. She outlined her own breasts lightly; a sly smile on her lips thinking how much Pete would enjoy that aspect of pregnancy. Not that he had any complaints. Nor had the handful of guys she had actually allowed that far.

She knew she would need new clothes, especially for work. And what about working—she was sure Pete would leave that up to her but would she want too? Once the baby came she knew she wouldn't, at least for a while. Pulling the night gown back so it was tight against her stomach she rubbed her torso with her other hand. There would be morning sickness and leg cramps and cravings and change of moods and her feet and ankles might swell but she knew the first time she felt the baby move she wouldn't care. But right now she had to tell Pete. She was sure he'd be excited. But the fact was she still had to tell him.

"Did you get lost?" he asked her as she joined him on the sofa taking the wine glass he offered. "Just making sure I looked perfect." She ran her hand down his thigh.

"You always look perfect." He leaned in and she took in his scent of tobacco and Royal Lime aftershave.

"Flirt."

"Just stating the facts ma'am" he kissed the side of her neck.

"Whatever you say Sergeant Friday."

Pete retrieved the pie from the kitchen while Edie put on a few Bobby Troup records and brought the flames in the fireplace to a soft crackling. While they ate they talked about Miranda and how she thought a dress could come between them. "I must be a hot commodity." Pete teased as he sat down his empty plate.

"You have no idea."

She ate her pie slowly, taking a sip of wine every now and then, trying to think of the best way to tell her husband the news. The first time she had mentioned children they had been together six months. She had thrown a dime in the water for her wish (he had been out of pennies) and he said he liked the thought of children.

He had been pathetically scared of the baby he had found outside his door but had been so good with the nine year old left temporarily in his care. They had made sure their new home had had three bedrooms and three months before they had married had stopped using all protection. So, why was she nervous?

Edie sat down her wine glass and stretched out on the couch, Pete taking her feet in his lap, starting to rub one.

"You know how to make a girl happy." She sighed, closing her eyes. Inwardly she counted to three. "Pete, honey?"

"Yes my love?" He rubbed the ball of her foot and she gave out a sigh. "What is it?" Was she still a little nervous about the fake fight?

"Pete." She started again, pulling her feet away and sitting perfectly still beside him. "Pete, you, I mean we, well, both of us together, we did, and Pete we're going to have a baby." There, she had said it. The room was quiet.

"A baby?" his voice was shaky now and he turned to look at her. "A baby?"

"Pete." She began her tone a little worried but her interrupted her laying a kiss on her lips and picking her up, twirled around the living room. He kissed her again before setting her down and collapsing beside her. "Oh honey, a baby."

"So you are happy?"

"I don't think happy describes how I feel. Oh honey." He caressed her cheek softly and kissed her. "How long do we have? What are we going to need? What should we do first? We need to clean out that room and get a crib and a bureau and some little baby clothes and…"

"Pete, there's time for all of that. Nothing has to be done right now" she soothed. She kissed him gently at first and then with more passion, feeling him relax under her touch. "Come on daddy, I have a plan."

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The brown dachshund couldn't understand why the door wouldn't open. He had tried every trick he could think of, but he still couldn't get into the room. He knew his mom and dad were in there, he was sure of it. Every now and then he could hear his mama say "Pete!" And once he heard his dad say "ouch" followed by a burst of laughter. Sure, he had a nice little doggie bed but why sleep in it when their bed was so much more comfortable? He went hunting for Sherlock who was curled up on the couch. After a lot of hissing and spitting the ginger cat followed him upstairs but not even hooking his claw over the keyhole seemed to work. A burst of giggling sounded from the other side of the door, then a bump and a "oh." Humans, such strange creatures.

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A letter came the next week the envelope embossed with the name and address of Allison Carlyle, Professional of Hope 225 Felicity Drive.

"Miranda Elliot's dress brought a record amount to Professionals for Hope. The moment the model walked out on stage the whole floor broke out into whispers and Miss Elliott stood up from her chair and yelled "Where do you get MY dress!" Mrs. Noah Greenway of Greenway Tile placed the first bid on the dress for $200 and Miss Elliott started bidding against her. The dress sold for $5,000 making this our most successful year ever. Thank you more than I can say.

Sincerely,

Allison Carlyle.

Pete laid the letter down on the kitchen table and scratched his nose. "So what do you think of that?"

"Serves her right having to bid on her own dress," Edie wrinkled her nose and sat down on her husband's lap. "I almost wish she would have had to buy it."

"Maybe we could have her make you another one and see how much we could get her to pay for it." He teased. "We could quit our jobs and live off her money."

"Now that's an idea."

"I come with a good one every now and then." And he kissed her.

"Your coffee's going to get cold."

"Who cares?"

{The End}