Mis Tres Amores (My Three Loves)
Eric Delko had three loves in his life, in no particular order; Calleigh, Ethan and Chloe. Calleigh's three loves, in no particular order were Eric, Chloe and Ethan.
As a detective there was three things Eric couldn't do that others did; wear his wedding band on the job, carry photos of his children and openly tell anyone who asked that he was married. It was a precaution for the family's safety. Likewise, professionally Calleigh still went by her previous name. She too didn't wear her wedding ring, state whether or not she was married and a stranger wouldn't know if she was a parent. She didn't carry any pictures of her children on her. And unless it was with their close co-workers and behind doors the two never talked about their kids. They didn't take any chances on any suspect knowing anything about their children and their personal lives.
That's not to say cases involving children didn't effect them. It did. Since they had become parents, maybe it effected them more, some victims making think of their own children. Still being the professionals they were neither didn't let that emotion show because they couldn't. There were times the job definitely made them hug their kids harder. Calleigh was very much enjoying being home with Chloe and Ethan full-time. It was the first time that she spent so much time with Chloe and she was thoroughly enjoying both her children. She couldn't believe how fast Ethan was growing. He was looking more like his dad everyday. Whenever they had the kids out people would comment how much alike the siblings looked.
Calleigh and the kids unfortunately ran into Chloe's biological mother the first time she took Ethan out in his stroller without Eric. The trio went for lunch at a pizza shop a short distance away from home. She felt confident in her ability to take the two out by herself, she was secretly looking forward to showing them off. Since she was about two-years, Chloe had been good at staying next to her parents when they were out in public. They didn't feel they needed to hold onto her unless they were in a crowd of people or a busy parking lot.
Chloe enjoyed the outing as well. They stopped for a few minutes to watch a street-side puppet show along the way. Penny Morgan had told Alissa Dobbin that if she ever saw her go near the child gave up she would be the first one to take her to the floor and beat her to a pulp, in public or not. Penny was a waitress at the pizzeria. She smiled when she saw the three Delkos enjoying time together, Chloe was enjoying drawing pictures on the brown paper that covered the table. She was putting in their orders and getting their drinks when she noticed Alissa walk in. Alissa didn't see Chloe and her family right off because they were sitting in the far corner by a window. Penny wasn't quick enough to tell the server seating Alissa and the other two women with her to put them on the other side of the diner, away from the dark-haired little who was out with her mom and baby brother.
Disdain filled Alissa's face when she heard the giggle from a little girl and the child's voice say "look, mommy! It's a tiger! Grr!" Chloe was pointing to a poster on the wall advertising a circus that was coming to town. Disdain because she loathed all children, their high-pitched voices were so annoying. When Alissa turned her head and who the child was, her eyes narrowed.
"What the matter?" One of the woman asked "do you know her?"
"That's the kid Eric Delko knocked me up with," Alissa replied.
"So?" The other woman said. "What's the big deal? It's not like you have to put up with her." This woman hated children just as much as Alissa. However, unlike Alissa because she hated children, she had never been pregnant. She had a birth control implant inserted by her doctor. At least she were responsible.
Calleigh saw Alissa in the flesh for the first time when they walked past her to go to the restroom. She had been holding her daughter's hand this time because the restaurant was crowded. Alissa flinched as they were by hearing Chloe call Calleigh "mommy." In her messed up mind, Chloe wasn't to have a "mommy," or be so attached to her. Although Chloe wanted to smack Alissa so hard that her teeth fell out, she kept walking with her kids. She felt herself hold tighter to Chloe's hand, her daughter oblivious to the woman glaring her.