A few days had passed since Red's brunch and Liz was still feeling curious about Dembe's daughter and granddaughter. Dembe had been spending a great deal of time with them as Isabella searched for a new home.
Red and Kate holed up in his bedroom every day to conduct whatever business they were conducting. After all this time, Red was still something of an enigma to Liz; he was an open book and a locked box full of secrets all at the same time and she never knew which version of Red she would be speaking to on any given day.
Liz was feeling slightly stir – crazy; she had been exonerated for killing the Attorney General, but she was no longer an FBI agent and therefore had no reason to get up and out every day. Tom wasn't around and truth be told, she was feeling a bit lonely. She looked up from her magazine when she heard Red's door open and watched as Red and Kate descended the stairs.
"Lizzie, you're here!" Red exclaimed as if she had somewhere else to go or be, "I just got off the phone with Isabella. They'll be here soon. Would you care to join us for lunch?"
"Sure. Are we going out?"
"No, Izzie expressed a desire for my fish tacos so Kate here volunteered to go to the market to get what I need."
Mr. Kaplan rolled her eyes as she muttered, "I live to serve." Louder she remarked, "I'll be back as soon as I can," before heading out the apartment door.
"So," Liz said in what she hoped was a neutral tone, "has Isabella found anything suitable?"
"As a matter of fact, she has! A townhouse in a brand new gated community about an hour and a half from here. That's one of the reasons she'll be here for lunch; she and Dembe took pictures so I can see what it is I'm buying."
"I think it's really nice of you to buy her a new home."
Red shrugged. "I own her current home. Of course, once we close on the new property, I'm selling it. It's useless as a safe house now."
She followed him into the kitchen and took up residence on a stool and watched as he started prepping for lunch. "You really enjoy cooking," she said.
"I do. I find it relaxing to prepare meals for people who are important to me. You, Dembe, Kate. And Isabella and Ellie…well. You have no idea how much they mean to me."
She smiled. "I think I'm starting to get an idea."
Red didn't answer, but smiled back in acknowledgment as he went about his task. You've barely scratched the surface of that idea, Lizzie.
Two hours later, Red was sitting at the head of the dining room table watching contentedly as Ellie was passed around to the other adults like salt and pepper shakers. The giggling baby was currently ensconced on Kate's lap happily waving the woman's glasses above her head while Kate blew raspberries on her belly. Watching her and watching Liz and Isabella engaged in an animated conversation about visiting Italy while Dembe feigned interest brought him more joy than he cared to admit. When Dembe glanced at him and winked, he smiled broadly. He had made a sangria to go along with the tacos (which had been a big success) and Isabella had insisted on clearing the table and putting the plates in the dishwasher. He looked around the table at the people he considered his family and sighed happily as his thoughts took him back to Paris.