Legal Tacos

An Elani Short

By Lou

1

That child was something else, Lani thought with a deep sigh. Every day was something different. She loved the fact that their child was becoming their own little person; building themselves every day; but damn, it was exhausting.

She could taste it already, that sweet break, that relaxing time of rest just waiting.

"Lani?"

Her eyes slid closed in exasperation. Damn it, if there was one thing that she did not have time for, it was bullshit.

Correction, unnecessary bullshit.

This unnecessary bullshit to be exact.

"Unless you have finally come to explain, I don't have time for nonsense. I work for a living.

"I work."

"You sit in an office space scrolling Twitter."

"You're still upset about last night." Brady surmised. "Chloe and I are just friends."

"Beg to differ," Lani replied. "Just friends don't act as you do."

"You and Eli are exes who talk. Chloe and I are no different."

"First of all, Eli and I have more than just being exes that connect us. Second, Eli would never do to me what you are doing to Chloe Lane, and vice versa, and third, you're deflecting. You're deflecting and I want to know why. Are you sleeping with Chloe?"

"No," Brady replied. "I am with you. I keep telling you this and you don't believe me. I don't know why we are still talking about this."

"We never finished talking about this, Brady, that's why I don't believe you," Lani replied. "And just because you're tired of the situation, does not mean that it has been resolved."

"Our friendship may be difficult to understand-"

"If your relationship were anything like the 'friendship' you claim then it would be but it's not, Brady. If the relationship were what you say that it is, I wouldn't have a problem." Lani told him for what felt like the millionth time. "But It's not, and I do."

"What do I h-" He stopped when Lani turned her back to him as her phone rang. "You're going to answer that when we're in the middle of this?"

"Julie?" Lani's stomach dropped to the floor for all of three seconds before she switched into police mode. "Calm down. I'm on my way."

"Is everything okay?"

"No, not even a little bit."

Like I can just pull Xander Cooke's location out of my ass, Eli thought bitterly. He was sick of Melinda Trask. It wasn't like the department was sitting on its hands. The trail was cold.

The day had barely started, and Eli was already exhausted.

"Like I'm physic." He muttered.

"Meeting went that bad, huh?" Paul asked absently his focus on his keyboard as he slowly typed out a report. "You knew it would be."

"I wasn't exactly holding out hope, but still."

"Hey, little man," Paul chuckled. "What are you doing here?"

"I work here," Shawn replied distractedly, his face in a file. "And I bench more than you."

"On your best day," Paul replied. "Not mine, and I wasn't talking to you."

"Daddy!"

"D.A.?! What?" Eli tossed the file in his hands to his desk then knelt catching his child to his chest. "What are you d- You're supposed to be at Nan's." The child shrugged his small shoulders fighting a smile as Eli reached into his desk for his phone.

Seven missed calls.

Shit.

Julie picked up on the first ring and immediately started talking.

"Grandma. Gra-Grandma, Calm down. No. No. I have-Now you know you can't-What? He what?" Eli looked at the child in his arms incredulously. "You asked Nan if she could make you some cookies then dipped?!" He could barely finish.

The little boy tucked his lips, still smiling, dimples winking out on each cheek.

Shawn wheezed in laughter, making David laugh, too. "Julie can't cook." He chortled. Paul's shoulders shook with laughter. Eli tried in vain to keep it in, but he busted out laughing, too.

"David Abraham Grant?!" Lani's voice shot.

The smiles fell from their faces.

"Uh-oh." Father and son spoke at the same time. "Call you back, Grandma."

Shaw and Paul shared a look and then immediately left the room.

Eli set their son on his feet then turned to meet his ex-wife and froze.

Lani split a look between father and son, then followed Eli's gaze over her shoulder and rolled her eyes.

Wonderful, they both thought.

David groaned in defeat.

"Mommy-"

"Nope." Lani shook her head. "You do not challenge the master for a dollar a blink, looking for immunity, then back out when you lose. Now, why did you leave Nan's like that?"

David's little shoulders lifted in a shrug. "I just wanted to see Daddy." He replied simply.

"Yes, but you would have seen Daddy later today." Lani reminded him. "Daddy was going to pick you up from Nan and Grandpa Doug's remember?"

"Yes."

"So why, David?" She tilted his little chin, so he was looking at her. "Why did you leave like that? You scared a lot of people, and you know better."

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do." His mother told him.

"I just wanted to see Daddy."

"Okay; can you tell me why?"

David looked at her with big sad eyes and Lani immediately went on alert. She glanced out through the window to Eli and Brady standing off.

Hell.

"David Abraham?"

"He's sad, Mommy." The little boy finally answered. "Somebody hurt his feelings and I don't know why. He won't be sad if I'm with him."

"You really are the best little boy," Lani said to him grinning when David smiled his father's little boy smile. When she glanced up again it was to Eli watching them. Brady was gone. When he raised a brow in question, Lani tilted her head. Eli nodded.

They would be talking later.

Eli stood in his grandparents' home, waiting when a picture caught his eye. Holding his father's portrait, Eli tried to find himself in the man and wondered what kind of father he would have been if he had lived.

The things that we do for our kids, he thought, thinking back to earlier in the day.

"I'm glad that you're here."

Pulling his gaze from Lani and their son, Eli turned to the other man. "I work here, Brady."

"I meant that I needed to talk to you."

"We don't have anything to say to each other, man.

"Look, Eli-"

Again, he dropped the file in his hands to his desk. "I don't know what game it is that you are playing, but it stops. Today."

"You and Lani are no longer together," Brady said to him. "Don't you think that it's about time you stopped speaking for her?"

"Nobody speaks for Lani Price," Eli replied. "If you're her man then you should absolutely know that."

"I know what the both of you think, but Chloe and I are just friends."

Eli blinked. "Sure."

"Glad we cleared that up."

"Oh, you wanted clarification?" Eli asked. "I-Look, man, my bad. I'm sorry. You want Chloe freed up so that you have access."

"What?"

"You've done it before. It's what you do. Chloe makes excuses for you, and, unfortunately for her, she won't have a full life if she doesn't do something about it. You're going back to Kristen as soon as the heat for her last explosion dies down. Lani is not Chloe. She is too much woman for you, and you know it; but, instead of stepping your game up, you sabotage the woman you claim is your friend."

"She is."

"She a placeholder," Eli told him. "Your ego stroke; and that is disrespectful as shit."

"I'm glad you see it."

"Question is, why don't you? I know why she hasn't. It's the love that she still has for you that's tripping her up, but Chloe's going to find her feet because, she's too much woman for you, too. Once she does, you will either fall into a fake ass pissing match with that Fruit Rollup currently holding Gabi's attention or, you will get your ass up off your shoulders and do the work necessary for Abby to even look twice in your direction because, after Chad; no way is that woman settling. Sarah cannot stand you, and Eric will fold your ass in half if you interfere with him and Nicole again."

"Chloe and I have history. We are friends." Brady said to him. "I am sorry that threatened whatever it was that the two of you had going. That was not my intention."

"I bet when you told her that same mess, she didn't believe you."

"We're solid."

"Oh, she didn't tell you that you are full of shit, but that is coming. Bet you called her three times today, didn't you? Back-to-back. Same shit you pull on Lani when you know that she is with me."

"I apologized. There is no need for all of this."

"There's only this, Brady, and it's not working. I knew that it wouldn't, but David is here, and Trask is looking for a reason to take my shield. Laying you out, while it would be satisfying, it isn't worth it."

"Eli-"

"Time to go, Brady." Paul intervened.

"Listen to your brother, Eli told him. "He's looking out for the both of us."

When she came around the corner, Lani's steps faltered. Head tilted, she watched Eli as he held the portrait in his hands lost in thought. Wherever he was, it gave Lani a chance to see what their son had seen.

And she did see it, that sadness David had spoken about, but there was more. There was a resignation that Lani did not like, and she knew wouldn't leave her alone until she understood why Eli was feeling it.

"Hey…"

"Hey," Eli replied quietly. "What are you doing here? Isn't this supposed to be your shenanigans-free evening?"

"I deeply regret saying shenanigans in front of you." Lani sighed shaking her head at his snickering. "I, truly, cannot stand you. Shut-shut up. Be quiet."

"Where's David?" He asked still chuckling.

"In conference with his grandfathers." She replied. "I stayed to talk to you."

"Are you alright?"

Lani's smile was unconscious. "I'm fine."

"Wait a minute, 'in conference'?" Eli asked.

Lani laughed quietly. "He's apologizing to his great-grandmother then speaking with his 'Counsel of Granddads' - David's words – about his actions. He is, absolutely, your child.

"Woman, 'shenanigans'." Eli reminded her.

"Fair." She shook her head watching him still seeing what their son had seen despite Eli's ear-to-ear grin.

"Anyway, 'Lil man and I are going to have a talk about this mess, too. He cannot do things like this."

"Go easy."

When he turned those eyes on her, Lani pulled in a breath. They didn't hide things from each other when it came to David, but this wasn't her business to tell.

"What do you know that I don't?"

"Ask our son."

"I'm asking you."

They were quiet for long seconds. He waited while she again studied him.

"Are you sad, Eli?" Lani finally asked him.

"I'm good." He told her.

"Our son doesn't believe that to be the case." She informed him. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Eli told her then paused, something catching in his memory. He had to laugh at himself, sad as it was. David was borne of two detectives. Even if Lani did not wear a badge any longer. "I broke things off with Chloe Lane. She called while David was with me. I thought that he was asleep and hadn't seen any point in waiting until later when it was over."

Eli shook his head. He knew now that hiding anything from their son would be a losing battle. David was just like his mother.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," He replied. "I'm alright."

She stared.

"What was there wasn't enough if she continuously tried to explain away another man's actions instead of calling him out directly."

"You really liked her."

"I did," Eli admitted

"Are you okay," Lani asked again. "For real this time."

"Look, even though I really liked Chloe, I'll be damned if I take that disrespectful mess off anyone."

"Is that what you think that he's doing?"

"Come on, Lani."

"I'm asking." She replied.

She did not need anyone's help with the likes of Brady Black, Eli knew. Lani's question caught him off guard. She was second-guessing herself. Why?

"Brady Black is every bit the disrespectful, entitled clown he pretends not to be."

"You've been talking to Kate."

"Brady and Philip are different sides of the same spoiled rich kid coin. I have eyes. That foolishness they exude seems to amplify regarding Chloe Lane. I want no parts of that madness. I couldn't let things get to the point where David might get attached." Eli told her. "I've already knocked out one trust fund clown for playing with my family. This one will not get the chance."

"Not the same," Lani said to him. "Were you attached?"

"I was." He answered. "Our son caught me in a moment of revelation. I love him to death for wanting to make me feel better, to be there for me, but I can't have him doing dangerous shit like this. Anything could have happened."

"I'm sure the Counsel of Granddads is pointing that very fact."

"I hear you."

The parents shared a look.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Something," Lani countered. "Permission to speak freely."

"I can't tell you what to do," Eli spoke. "But if you are attached to Brady Black or have doubts; waiting to address them helps nothing. Believe me."

"Have a seat."

David eyed his parents. They didn't look mad. They never really looked mad. Annoyed; especially when they stepped on a Lego or a Transformer, but not mad.

They weren't annoyed now, but they both had the "talk" face. He was so tired of talk face. He talk face like three times last week. That Riber big mouth had it coming though. You did not hit girls.

Especially his cousin.

David climbed on the couch between them and waited.

"I know why you left Nan's today," Eli said to him.

David split a look between his parents.

"Mommy told you?"

"I asked her to," Eli said to him. "I know that you want to tell me, but I was scared."

David sighed. "I'm sorry I scared you." Their son said to Eli. "I didn't mean to. When I'm sad, we talk, or we walk. We throw rocks at the water or play PlayStation. I had rocks in my pockets. I was coming to help you not be sad."

"The best little boy." Lani whispered eyes burning.

Eli sat their son in his lap, their fists bumping automatically. Lani moved closer to them. "The best little boy." He agreed. "Thank you for taking care of me."

"Welcome." David rested his head against his father's chest looking up at him with big eyes he knew he learned from his mother, or great grandmother.

Definitely Julie.

"Am I in trouble?"

"Did you apologize?" Lani asked and David nodded.

"Do you understand why you can't do things like that?"

"Yes."

"We're not going to Spiderman."

"Daddy-"

"Nope." Eli shook his head. "Actions have consequences, David."

"Even good ones?"

"Even good ones," Lani answered. "Let's not forget the half-day for fighting at school."

"Deserved it," David said mulishly.

"Deserved worse." Eli agreed.

"Be that as it may," Lani said to both, working hard not to laugh at their twin thundercloud expressions. "No Spiderman and no PlayStation for the next two weeks. Next time you go to Daddy's you can ask, but this time it's a no."

"Okay," Their son sighed. It wasn't, but David was smart enough to know that there was no talking to them when they were like this. Still. "What about pizza?"

"We have food at home."

He hated when they said that.