A/N: Thanks to Kim (chlark4) for her extra pair of eyes, much appreciated.
Chapter Nine
He quickly exits the room leaving her behind, "I should have worn my sneakers today," she smirks as she pushes the door open. She comes upon her partner at the closed elevator. "He's screwed up again," he says as he repeatedly presses the button.
She grabs his hand to stop him, "Bobby," she nudges him as the door opens. "Are you upset because he may have messed up again or that he fooled you?" He gestures with his hand for her to go first.
"Maybe a little of both," he hits the button for the garage. "I never even thought that it wasn't him when Rodgers called. I was so sure that he was dead. That's," he slips his hands into his pockets, "That's not normal, is it?"
"I'm not sure," she pauses, "You have a history with this kid and that very well could be his demise." He gives her a cold look, "Sorry for the candid response but that's what you've been thinking, isn't it?"
He nods his head, "Maybe in the back of my mind I don't see a future for this kid."
"If you really believe that, do you think that you would have gone this far with him?"
"I suppose not, I….I just feel so let down without even knowing the reason."
The bell dings and the doors open, "Did someone say that to you once?"
"What?"
"About your future," she takes the lead this time with him following close behind. She continues walking then stops when she doesn't hear his footsteps then turns to face him. She slowly walks down the hall toward him as he speaks, "Counselors, friends, parents of friends, teachers….like it was my fault that my Mom was mentally ill and the only person my father gave a fuck about!" He rubs his forehead, "Was himself." He brushes past her again. "Hey wait for me," she calls to him.
He stops when he gets to the door, opening it. "This, this is different," he says as he steps aside allowing her to go first, she nods her head as she passes. A few long strides and he is by her side, "He knows he can call me whenever he needs to and he treats me like this."
He doesn't notice the frown she forms on her face. He's taking this very personal. She glances at her partner who has a look of bewilderment on his face. I guess I would too. She reaches the driver side door of the car, she watches him as he walks past it, outstretching his arms, "Where the hell is the car?"
She calls to him, "Hey Goren," she bites her lip to keep from laughing, she waves to him, "It's over here."
He lowers his head somewhat embarrassed, "It looks black in this garage, not blue." He says trying his best to cover for his mistake.
"Yeah," she unlocks the door, "You're right, it does." They enter the vehicle simultaneously.
As he pulls the seatbelt across his body his cell phone rings. His heart starts to beat a tad faster as he checks the caller ID, "It's my Mom," he says solemnly as Alex slides the key into the ignition. "Just what I need," he hits the talk button. "Hi Mom," after a few minutes of yeses and uh-huhs he ends the phone call.
Alex steers the car into traffic heading toward Brooklyn. "That was an interesting conversation."
He stares at the phone, "Yeah," he slips it into his jacket pocket. "She's, she's complaining about one of the staff workers there," he glances at her quickly. "She's positive that he is stealing from her."
"Maybe he is."
"No, I doubt that." He rubs his face.
"How can you be so sure?"
"Easy, she's talking about things that she owned twenty-five years ago."
"Oh, I see."
"You see," he turns his body to face her, "No I don't think you do. You have no fuckin' clue what's it like to deal with someone like her."
"I never said I did, but I can certainly understand…."
"No you can't, how could you possibly understand. You with the all American family and…."
"Stop right there Goren," she points her finger in the air. "Before you say something you will definitely regret." She steers the car into the left lane, "Look, I understand that you're upset about Tony and getting a phone call from your Mom at the same time, but don't speak to me like that Bobby. I don't and I didn't deserve that."
He faces forward, "I'm sorry," he lays his head back. "You're right, you didn't deserve that."
"Ok, it's over now….where the hell am I going?"
"Let's check out where he works, Preston Printing."
"And that is where?"
"On 26th," he notices her frown, "Just go to my place and I'll direct you from there." He checks the time, "Damnit Alex, where the hell can he be?" He asks through clenched teeth.
"Maybe he did do something reckless and now he feels as if he failed you both and he's run away."
"I agree with you about the reckless part but the running away," he shakes his head. "I don't think so."
"I saw the way he looked at you that night in the kitchen, Bobby. A small amount of fear and maybe a little attitude but he didn't like the look of disappointment that you had on your face. I know I was only there for a brief time but he respects you and he wants you to be proud of him."
They drive over the bridge in silence; he continues to look with intent out the window, hoping that one of the people on the street is Tony. "Pull in there," Bobby exclaims.
Alex slams on the brakes and they lunge forward, "Shit Bobby, you scared me."
He pats her arm, "Sorry, I'm sorry." She turns the steering wheel to the right and they pass though the gates of the Preston Printing Company.
"Bobby the lot is empty, maybe he's on his way home now."
"I hope so," he says trying to stay calm as his blood pressure is rising.
He continues to watch out the window; sadly none of people they pass along the way are Tony. "With luck he's home eating pie and ice cream," Bobby hoping his statement will come to be. Alex steers the car into the driveway. Bobby opens the passenger door before she puts it in park, he does not wait for her this time, she is just exiting the vehicle as he opens the front door, she can hear him call, "Cheryl, is he home?"
Alex opens the door then enters the small Cape Cod house. "No, he's not," Cheryl answers, sitting in the same chair Alex saw her in that night a few weeks earlier.
"We went by the shop," he removes his jacket. "No one was there."
Cheryl lifts a glass filled with a clear colored liquid to her mouth, "I'm not surprised, I called his boss." She takes a sip, "No one was scheduled to work overtime tonight." She sets the empty glass on the table. "That little ungrateful bastard," she chuckles aloud. "Little, he's not little anymore and if he thinks that after this, he's going to live here any longer, he's out of his mind." She picks up the glass, "I've had it Bobby and when he comes home," she points her finger at him. "If he comes home, I want you to take his sorry little ass back to jail," she says commanding. "Because that's where he belongs," she lifts the glass to her mouth. "All that I've done for him," she says making a motion to take a sip then realizes that all that remain are ice cubes. She stands, "Anybody want a drink?" Cheryl asks as she walks away from her guests, "I sure can use one."
"No thanks Cheryl," Alex answers first. Bobby rejects the idea also. Cheryl returns with a glass filled with vodka and tonic. She takes a quick sip. Alex glances at her shortly. "You," Cheryl says as she points her finger at her. "You think," she sets the glass down on the table. "I know what you're thinking; you think I'm a shitty mother don't you?"
Alex shakes her head, "No Cheryl, I don't."
"Bull shit!"
"Hey, hey," Bobby says hoping to diffuse the situation. "Stop it, no one is thinking that." He stands, making a motion to remove the glass from her hand, "You've had a few before we got here, haven't you?"
"Yes," she says as she lifts the glass to her lips, taking a sip in defiance. "I have and why the hell not? He gets to do it all the time."
"Yes you're right, he does." Bobby sits back in the chair, don't argue with her now, just let it go. He glances at this woman whom he has known close to seven years, he can see the anguish in her face.
"Do you have any children?" Cheryl asks, waving her drink in Alex's direction.
Alex straightens her back, "Well…." Cheryl continues before Alex has a chance to respond. "They just suck the life out of you; ever since his father died he's caused me nothing but heartache." She sits down in the chair too quickly and her drink spills on her pants. She wipes her hand across her lap, she looks up and they immediately look away. "I…." she covers her face with her hands, "I'm sorry."
Bobby reaches across the table and takes a hold of her hand, "It's alright, everyone is entitled to a little melt down every once in awhile." She raises her head and tears have filled her eyes, Bobby stands lightly tugging on her hand for her to stand. She does and he slowly leads her up the stairs and into her room. "You get some rest; I'll stay here until he comes home," he reaches for the doorknob.
"Bobby," he turns slowly to face her. "I didn't mean what I said about taking him back to jail."
He winks at her, "I know," he closes the door softly behind him.
Alex has remained downstairs, a strong feeling of discomfort overwhelms her, she fidgets in the chair, My God what have I gotten myself into. She looks up when she hears someone descending the stairs. "Bobby, does she do this all the time?"
He shakes his head slowly, "No, never."
"Really?" Alex says with surprise in her voice, "Maybe she's finally reached her end."
"No I don't think so," he picks up the glass filled with vodka. "I believe most of it is the booze talking."
"Maybe you should call it in."
"If he is high and the cops find him," he runs his fingers through his hair, "He'll be sent back to jail."
"Maybe that's…"
"No! That's not what he needs."
"Then what?"
He sets the glass down then sits down hard on the couch, placing his hands behind his head, "I have no idea." He suddenly sits up, taking a quick glance at her, "Alex, you can leave if you want."
"No, I said I was going to be your backup and I'm a woman of my word."
"So," he rubs his hands together. "What do you want to do while we wait?"
"I could go for a cup of coffee."
"Yeah me too," he stands. "Come on. With any luck Cheryl was baking yesterday." He opens the refrigerator, "We're in luck, apple or blueberry?"
"Is there whipped cream in there?" Alex asks trying to look over his bent body.
"Of course," he says as he reaches in and pulls out a can of Redi whip.
They make themselves comfortable at the table while the coffee brews. "I wish I could apologize for other people," Bobby says, "About what Cheryl said, you know the baby."
"The day that I went to the clinic, that was the way I was thinking." She stands as the light goes off on the coffee maker, she picks up the decanter. "Now I realize more than ever how awful I felt. I was so sad maybe even a little depressed. I suppose one has to be to do something like that." She sets the decanter down, "Son of a…." she starts to sob, "Why?" She sits down covering her face with her hands. He moves in closer to her as he takes a hold of her hand pulling her in for an embrace, she wraps her arms around his neck, sobbing. As she continues to cry, she holds onto him tighter not wanting to let go. She lifts her head but continues to hold him, "I didn't cry this much when I…." He wipes her tears away with a dab of a napkin. "I'm sorry Bobby; I got your shirt wet."
He dabs her cheeks again, "Nothing to be sorry about." They look out into the living room when they hear a squeaking noise. "That must be Cheryl, the fourth step on the stairs squeaks. Alex releases her hold then grabs the napkin from his hand and wipes her eyes.
"I woke up and smelled the coffee," Cheryl says as she enters the kitchen. Bobby pours her a cup. "Here take my seat; I need to use the bathroom."
"Thank you Bobby," she reaches out and grabs his hand, "Thank you, thank you for everything." He leans down and kisses her cheek.
Cheryl stirs some milk into the blue and white mug filled with coffee, "Oh what a fool I am."
"As Bobby said before, everyone is entitled to a meltdown every once in an awhile."
Cheryl stirs in some sugar, "Alex, please can you forgive me for what I said."
"Of course," she says as she pats Cheryl's arm.
Cheryl notices for the first time Alex's red eyes, "You've been crying? Was it because of what I said?"
"No not really, I….I," she lowers her head. "I was just remembering something that happened to me years ago and I..."
"Any coffee left?" he asks as he returns to the kitchen. Alex closes her eyes sighing, grateful for the interruption. She wipes her eyes again, "Yes, there is plenty."
"It's almost eleven," Bobby says as he pours the remaining coffee into his cup. "Should I make another pot?"
"Yes," both woman answer in unison. A cell phone rings, he frowns, "It's mine," he checks the caller ID. "Excuse me please," he flips open the phone as he leaves the room. They hear him answer the call, "Hi Mom, yes…."
"I don't know many men that would put up with me and my son and," she pauses. "His mother but God has blessed all of us." She takes a quick sip of coffee. "I hope she realizes what a special son she has in that man."
"Me too," Alex says as she slowly nods her head.
"Ok, Mom, I'll call tomorrow and speak with the head nurse now please try and get some sleep," silence for a moment, "Yes Mom...Ok goodnight."
The women look up when they hear the door open, "Mom," Cheryl frowns, at the sound of her name. They remain motionless as they hear the door close, "Hey what are you doing here?"
TBC
A/N: I want to thank Metisse for the inspiration for the Alex past of this story. From her Fic A Charmed Life.
Once again I will say, Later...The Mominator