When Detective Murdoch entered later this evening at the place he shared with his wife, and since yesterday with the child they wanted to adopt, he had expected anything but this.
He was the only one to go to work that day, leaving Julia care for Roland and allowing her to make the first searches for a nanny. Because even if they had spoken very little during breakfast, it was certain that Julia would not resign from the morgue. She wanted to continue working and there was no question that she changes her mind. Thus, William had left to go to the police station in swearing that he would call if they needed her. Around lunchtime, the Director of the Orphanage which should have been placed Roland brought him the papers. 10 pages, front and back that they had to read, sign and return as quickly as possible. William only had threw a brief glance to back to work.
He had left the police station earlier and he went on Queen Street to buy a huge bouquet of flowers. Then he had gone back to the hotel. He could not help smiling. That night, for the first time in his life he came home in a very special way, home where his wife awaited him and his son, his family. But as he passed the door of the suite, his smile faded immediately.
The living room was upside down, Julia was kneeling in the center rubbing the carpet with tenacity. He saw a green substance covering the table, the high chair where they put Roland to eat, as well as the floor and the furniture next to the table. William stood there a few seconds imagining the evening had passed his wife. She finally noticed his arrival and looked up at him. He met her sad look, he saw her hair in disorder, her blond curls barely still held by small strips of silver, he saw her white shirt covered of mashed vegetables and his heart clenched in his chest. She looked so desperate that it broke his heart. He smiled tenderly, and showed her the bouquet he was holding. Julia got up and jumped then he noticed she had recovered her skirt, revealing her white petticoats, as she had done many years ago when he had surprised her clean the floor of the morgue. William had no time to admire her long she rushed into his arms and he held her firmly.
-Oh William, Julia sighed, running her hands in his neck, you're finally here.
-I see that Roland wanted to do decoration?
-I did not know what to do, Julia sighed, he refused to eat, I thought he might be sick, that something was wrong but then he drank milk.
-I only think that he dislike vegetables you propose to him, tried to reassure William while Julia was still tightly against him.
-I never get there William, sobbed the young woman, I'll never be a good mother to Roland.
He was surprised at her reaction and he just withdrew him to meet her eyes and see the tears rise in her blue eyes.
-Do not say that, William replied tenderly a drying her tears running down her cheeks, you're perfect Julia. You take care very well of Roland and you love him with all your heart.
-But I...
-Julia he is with us since yesterday, give him time and give time to us too, right?
Julia nodded just pouted but did not answer. A second later, William leaned over to kiss her.
-I have had the papers for adoption, we have one week to complete them.
-They will be done tomorrow, Julia replied smiling widely, I'm going to start right away.
-Julia before I ... I would like to dinner if you do not mind.
-Yes, yes of course, you must be hungry, she said before placed a kiss on his lips.
She took the flowers from his hands and she smelled them before heading to the table to still make some order. Meanwhile, William began to ease and went to the room to take a look at Roland sleeping peacefully. He looked a moment before kiss his forehead to join Julia in the living room again. She snuggled against him again, smiling.
-Thank you for the flowers, she murmured before kissing him, they are superb. I wonder what I did to deserve a husband like you.
He smiled and kissed her in turn before frowning and placed his hand in the hair of Julia to take a little mashed vegetables. She sighed, looking up at the ceiling and William chuckled before pulling against him again to fail his lips to her ear.
-What if you were taking a bath while I'm doing a little tweaking?
-I thought you wanted dinner?
-My love, you smell leeks, William whispered laughingly followed within seconds by Julia.
She nodded and pressed a long kiss on his cheek before walking away. He followed her gaze to see her look after Roland and join the bathroom by detaching her hair.
William had finished putting everything away when asked what was taking so long to Julia. He joined the bathroom to see her lying in the bathtub, head resting on the ledge, eyes closed. William walked slowly and leaned over to speak to her tenderly.
-The meal is ready, do you want to join me?
-Mmhh, perhaps it is you who would like to join me, Julia replied smiling without opening her eyes.
She felt the hand of William slip into the water and gently stroke the inside of her thigh and she shivered with pleasure when she felt the breath of her husband in her neck.
-I'm dying to do so, but I have not eaten all day. I keep this kind of food for after dinner.
He walked away from her to meet her eyes and they smiled.
-I will think of it Detective, Julia replied before he kisses her.
They separated and once Julia wrapped in her robe, they left the room hand in hand, stopping in front of the cradle few moments.
-Set aside the incident with mashed potatoes, William began without taking his eyes off the boy, everything went well?
-Yes, finally, to say the nanny, he will still have to wait a bit.
William met her eyes and Julia said.
-They did not suit me and ...
-You go back to the morgue tomorrow Julia.
-Indeed, but ... I'm not alone at the morgue, Miss James ...
-Julia, a baby in the morgue is ...
-This is only temporary, gently cut the young woman, placing her hand on the chest of her husband, I will find a solution but I will not let anyone. Please do, trust me, everything will be fine.
William did not answer. He knew how bad it was already difficult for Julia to leave the boy not least an hour. And he knew how much she loved her job. This was going to be complicated, he knew. But he also knew that it was going to be temporary, it was obvious she could not keep Roland with her to the morgue for months. Then William nodded a little against heart and Julia just smiled before pulling into the living room to sit at the table and eat in peace, talking about adoption papers. They took the time to read them for long minutes, entwined on the sofa before they decide to go to bed.
While William made his toilet and put down his pajamas, the heat of the last days convinced him to not wear the top, Julia took the opportunity to light a few candles in the room and she served two glasses of champagne. When he returned from the bathroom, William's heart skipped a beat. She stood there before him, smiling, standing next to the bed holding both glasses. He understood immediately, and smiling he took the glass. They clinked them and drank a sip. William drew Julia against him to kiss languidly and when they had finished their drinks, she put them on a convenient one step further. She turned again to William. She stared into his own and without leave it, she opened the knot of her robe. The young man's breath quickened when the two sides parted and he saw she was not wearing her nightgown, she was naked in front of him. She slid the cloth over her shoulders to let it fail on the ground without paying any attention. She was not closer to William and they closed both eyes in contact with their bare skin. The hands of Julia searched the chest of her husband when he redrew the curve of her back, and then, slowly, while their lips barely touched, they lay on the bed. William looked carefully the face of the overhanging Julia, he redrew the contours of the fingertip, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before go lower, lower and lower until they once again share a tender and passionate moment.
The day broke when William woke up. He had very little sleep that night, but he was happy. The little twittering he heard a little further and the perfume tickling his nostrils, indicated that he was not dreaming. In this room with him was the boy they had adopted and there in that bed, against him, the woman of his life. William let out a low growl waking up, tightening his grip around his wife. Then he slowly opened his eyes. He smiled at Julia turn her back, waving her hair to the middle of her bare back. He gently pushed the sheet that had slipped over the body of his wife to stop at the birth of her buttocks. His fingers slid over her skin and redrew the outline of her neck, her shoulder, her arm, her breast, her stomach, her hip and ventured under the sheet to stroke her thigh as he filed a tender kiss on her shoulder blade . Then he slowly climbed his hand on her buttocks in the small of her back and along her spine. He slipped his hand on her belly to draw her against him and kissed her neck.
-Mmmhh, William, Julia sighed still asleep, ... the baby.
William then noticed that the little chirping of Roland gradually transformed into small tears and he failed his lips to the ears of Julia who still did not move.
-It is why I wake you up my love, he whispered in a low voice.
-We ... modern couple, Julia grumbled, ... share ... your turn, she said, before burying her face in her pillow.
William had understood what she was asking him and then he straightened up, compressing his lips. This would be a different story. With a sigh, he left the bed, he put his pajama bottoms and he walked around the bed to get to the top of the cradle. He looked at Roland few moments before throwing a desperate glance at Julia who still kept her eyes closed. Then he bent over the child. He came out of the cradle and held him at arm's length, too unaccustomed to this sort of thing, what he should do.
-Julia? He ... What does he want?
-Chang ... e, eat ... , replied the young woman still sleepily.
-Change, William whispered to himself, well, I think that I can do it, it should not be that difficult.
He then left the room, still holding Roland before him, not noticing that Julia watched him now, smiling.
William made place on the table to extend somehow a cloth. Seeing that he could not get there taking Roland, he put the child on the ground. He prepared the clean diaper, a damp cloth to clean him and he turned to grab the baby. But it was no longer beside him and William felt his heart miss a beat.
-Roland? Roland?
He searched everywhere for long and endless seconds when he heard Julia laugh a little further. He turned to see her to stand in the doorway, her robe knotted at her waist and the little boy in her arms.
-Always keep an eye on him William, she said, smiling as he approached her husband, he goes fast at fours.
She handed him to William again who took him.
-Hold him a little more against you.
-But I...
-He will be more calm and comfortable if you hold him against your chest.
They exchanged glances and William brought Roland against him, smiling when he saw the baby lay his cheek against his chest. He laid him on the table and looked up at his wife beside him. He met her gaze. He understood. She was not going to do it for him. He did everything possible to change Roland's diaper, undress him, cleaning, turn to him the other diaper and dressed. But alas, the task proved much easier to look at as made and after long minutes of fierce struggle, he put the boy in front of him, proud of having accomplished a feat, a second before the lange falls to the ground and Roland shakes, happy to be in the nude. Faced with the despair of her husband, Julia finally came to his rescue, but not before laughs loudly. And so, a half hour later, they finally savored every three their breakfast, Roland closely pressed against William giving him his bottle.
-I think I'm good at it, he murmured, smiling looking up Julia sitting in front of them, and what if we were agreed that I take care of feeding him, and you diapers?
-Wait to see this evening, you will see that is a different story, Julia retorted by raising eyes to ceiling , but agree, Detective we are going for it.
They then exchanged a last look and then leave the table, get ready and leave every three the hotel for another day of work rich in discoveries and emotions.
to be continued...