Saturday, May 13, 2017

….

Ed listened to Noah's coach with interest as the young man told Ed how impressed he was with Noah's skills considering the boy had never played soccer before.

"He's got really good footwork," the coach said, "I bet he'll score a lot of goals this season."

Ed rubbed his chin and nodded, "Anything we should be workin' on at home?"

Olivia stifled laughter while observing the exchange. If they weren't surrounded by small children one would think the conversation pertained to teenagers playing competitive high school sports, certainly not a "league" in which some of the participants were still wearing pull-ups.

Noah ate fruit snacks at Olivia's side. The two of them waited patiently for Ed to finish the conversation.

"Well, sweet boy, how about we go home and get cleaned up and then we'll get lunch?"

Noah inspected his legs. "I dirty."

"When you play sports, sometimes you get dirty."

"I take shower?"

"We'll put you in the tub, sweetheart."

"Daddy take showers," Noah said pointedly.

"And little boys take baths. When you're older you can take showers."

Noah considered this, chewing thoughtfully. "We do da bubbles?"

"Of course."

"Da minty bubbles?" Last week, when Ed handled bath time, he'd used their peppermint bubble bath instead of Noah's Mr. Bubble and, ever since, Noah eschewed the child-friendly version.

Olivia agreed to use the minty bubbles.

"Den what?"

"We'll go out to lunch," Olivia answered patiently.

"Den what?"

"We'll shop for dinner."

"Den what?"

Olivia chuckled, "I don't know. We'll play it by ear."

Noah grabbed his ear with his free hand and giggled.

"It means we'll do whatever we want."

"Daddy say he teach me to frow the ovver ball."

Olivia ran the back of her index finger across his flushed cheek, "Did he?"

"Uh-huh."

"Sarah and Brookey are coming over for dinner tonight. Maybe after we can go to the park and throw the other ball."

Noah scrunched up his face. "Sare bear frow da ball?"

"I'm sure she'll try."

"Daddy teach her too," Noah added assuredly. He crinkled the empty fruit snack package and handed it to Olivia before running over to hug one of Ed's legs, signaling his patience had run out. Ed lifted him up and kissed his cheek before shaking hands with the coach and walking over to where Olivia stood with the duffle bag.

"Ready?" Ed asked, his cheeks flushed with pride and excitement. "Coach says Noah's a natural."

I'm sure he's said that about all the kids, Olivia thought, but she humored Ed, "That's great," she cooed. "I told Pele here that we would get him cleaned up and go to lunch. That okay?"

"Sounds great," he kissed her cheek, "What else is goin' on?"

Olivia marveled at how he and Noah were just alike in their desire to know what was coming next. "Maybe go to Union Square? The market starts today. We can pick up some things for dinner?"

"We're cooking?"

"I was thinking maybe we'd get some shrimp?"

"Oh, good idea," Ed said, recalling the last time they'd successfully navigated their way through a homemade shrimp scampi, "Alright, No, you wanna get on my shoulders?"

"Yes!"

Ed hoisted Noah up and Olivia fussed with his mud-caked cleats. "You're getting dirt all over Daddy," she said, trying to pry larger chunks of sod from in between the spikes.

"Sports dirty, Mommy!"

"It's alright Liv," Ed said, gripping Noah's ankles tightly. "If he's dirty it means he worked hard. Right, bud?"

"Right Daddy!" Noah announced cheerfully.

Olivia strode alongside, shaking her head with a combination of amusement and resignation that, with the beginning of Noah's athletic career, she would, very often, be in the minority.

But she didn't mind at all.

…..

Sarah inspected Noah's soccer jersey and shorts. "So. Noey-boey, when's your first game?"

"We play today, Sare Bear."

"No," she replied, sounding a lot like a three-year-old, "You practiced today. When do you play a game? Like, when you wear the uniform?"

Ed and Olivia were chopping vegetables at the island and they kept their eyes focused on their task while they engaged in the conversation.

"Two weeks," Ed muttered. "Last Saturday in May. This ok?" He turned to Olivia and held up an asparagus spear, wondering if he'd cut off enough of the end.

She replied with a breathy yes just as her lips met his.

Sarah saw the whole thing, but Brooke pinched her just before Sarah broke into the signature omigods. Instead, younger sister beamed at older sister while rifling through Noah's sports gear.

"So, you're number eighteen," Sarah said approvingly. "Good number."

"Dat da way you see me on da field," Noah explained. "Daddy?"

"Yeah, bud?"

"I wear da white or da black?"

Ed dropped everything he was doing and grabbed the team schedule, "The first game…hmmm…you wear black."

"I be da one-eight on black, Sare bear. You come?"

"It's eighteen, Noey-boey. One-eight means eighteen. And yes, I'm coming."

"It's at eight a.m." Ed pointed out. "Be careful what you promise the lad."

Sarah scowled good-naturedly. "Brookey and I will be there. And we shall be the loudest cheerleaders in the crowd." She pulled Noah within inches of her face, "Will you score a goal for me, Noey?"

"Uh-huh!"

"You're the best!"

"You da best!"

Brooke swiped Noah from Sarah's grasp and spun him around, "Let's not get into that argument again. So, Noah, Dad tells me we're going to play football after dinner!"

"Yup," he replied in a strained voice since he was still upside down, "We eat da shrimpies den we gonna frow the ovver ball. I go get it."

Sarah was still examining the soccer gear and tabulating the cost in her head, "There must be hundreds of dollars of sports crap here," she concluded.

"There is," Olivia responded dryly.

Brooke picked up the jersey and then a cleat, "Sports are expensive."

Ed shrugged and tossed a handful of asparagus into a sauté pan. "He needs it."

Sarah broke into laughter, "He needs it? He's three! And you bought him, like, hundred dollar cleats."

"They were not a hundred dollars," Ed shot back.

Sarah nudged Brooke, "Unbelievable."

"Hey," Ed said bitingly, "I seem to remember shelling out a lot of money for dance lessons, and school play costumes, and prom dresses, and braces."

"Oh Daddy," Sarah flounced around the island to hug Ed and wink at Olivia, "We both know you love having a boy."

"If he likes sports, that's great."

"The coach said he was natural today," Olivia added with exaggerated sincerity.

Sarah slapped Ed's chest, "Well, I'm sure you were just floating on air after that."

"He was," Olivia answered.

Ed threw up his hands, "I'm being mocked for being proud of my son."

Olivia hugged him, "No you're not. It's cute." She gave him a peck on the lips, "It's adorable actually."

Noah came running into the room and threw the ball at Sarah who deflected it into the fridge and then onto the island, just missing the wine bottle and glasses.

"Noah," Olivia warned sternly, "No throwing the ball in the house, okay? That's for outside."

"Daddy frowed it to me."

The three women shot accusatory expressions at Ed. On a regular basis, he carried his weapon and badge just in case he or his family were threatened in the outside world, but he had absolutely no defense for this attack. He threw up his hands.

"Guilty."

"You have to tell him when to ZIP IT, Daddy," Sarah said, "If you tell him to ZIP IT, he'll keep quiet. Right No?"

Sensing he'd erred, Noah nodded hesitantly. Ed picked him up and flew him around the space between the kitchen and the windows. "We'll play with the ball in a little bit, pal. Why don't you show Sarah and Brookey how to hold it so they can throw it with us?"

"Okay."

"I love you, bud."

"Love you, Daddy."

Sarah grabbed Olivia's wrist which was dangerous because Olivia was chopping an onion with a very sharp knife. "How do you handle this, Livvie?"

"Handle what?"

"Dad and Noah, they're so…Brady Bunch."

Olivia laughed and deadpanned, "I fear the day that it goes away."

….

The Tuckers broke the no-alcohol rule and took after dinner drinks to the park. Olivia brought a blanket and she and the girls sipped and watched Ed lob the football to Noah. The return throws were wobbly, but Ed complimented Noah on each one. Olivia felt the effects of the day's alcohol and vowed to slow down, but she was in a celebratory mood so she didn't beat herself up for going a tad overboard.

"Thanks for dinner, Liv," Brooke said, "It was tasty."

"Yeah," Sarah agreed, "Did you two go to a cooking class or something?"

Brooke slapped Sarah disapprovingly

"Shrimp is," Olivia explained through laughter, "Surprisingly easy. Garlic, white wine, lemon, pasta…very simple. We have that at least twice per week, but we go the shrimp from the farmers market."

"Oh, that started already?" Brooke asked.

"Yep. First day."

Sarah nudged Brooke, "Maybe you and Sonny should go there for a fun datey-Saturday thing sometime."

Brooke rolled her eyes, "Why don't you worry about your love life and I'll worry about mine?"

"Because I don't have a love life at the moment. I only have yours."

Brooke looked pleadingly at Olivia. Sarah had an answer for everything, and Olivia usually provided much appreciated help. To Brooke's dismay, Olivia delved into the Sonny subject.

"Brooke, Carisi can probably come on by if you want. Things have been slow."

Sarah giggled and Brooke looked at Olivia with alarm. "Come on by here?" She asked incredulously. Was her ally switching sides?

"Only if you want," Olivia added, but with a hint of Sarah-esque mischief.

"Pleeeeaaassse, Brookey," Sarah begged, "We'll be good. C'mon. Call Sonny."

"I'm seeing him tomorrow."

"But it would be good to see him today, too," Sarah insisted, "Livvie, when did you and Daddy start seeing each other every day?"

"When we lived together."

This answer was counterproductive to Sarah's point. "But only because you're a cop, so you have weird things come up."

"Right."

Brooke interrupted, "So none of that applies to me and Sonny."

"Bullshit," Sarah said, "He's a cop. You're a teacher. Which is kind of like being a cop. So, and I think Livvie will support me on this one, you have to make time. Like right now."

Brooke and Sarah cast expectant gazes at Olivia. The girls were adorable. Sarah looked exactly like Ed, especially when she was upset and her face hardened a bit. Brooke resembled him too, but, unlike Sarah, her face was round and her blue eyes were always soft and compassionate. Even when dealing with her obstinate sister. The sisters got along impeccably, but they posed a challenge for Olivia because, personality-wise they were polar opposites.

"It's hard to make time," she said, taking a sip and gazing out at Noah and Ed, "It's work."

Sarah leaned against Olivia and prompted her for more information, "But you and Daddy got together and it doesn't seem like work."

Brooke guffawed, "It's always work."

"Livvie?" Sarah asked, wide-eyed.

"It's work," she said slowly, "But it's good work. It's work that matters. And, it's not work in the traditional sense. It's…" Olivia flipped through various scenes in her head—Paris, the proposal, walks in the park, lovemaking, and the times Ed had just done the simplest things to make her life easier. "It's with a purpose," she said, "It's almost like this is our last chance. And neither one of us wants to…fuck it up."

Brooke and Sarah gaped at the fuck it up. They'd never heard that from Olivia before.

"Wow, Livvie," Sarah purred, "That's deep."

"And serious," Brooke added.

Olivia's eyes filled with tears. A few yards away from them, Ed chased Noah who ran at breakneck speed with the football toward some goal known only to him. His squeals grew fainter until Ed finally caught up to him, swung him around, and wrapped him in a tight hug.

"Dad's so happy," Brooke remarked, "He rarely smiles like that."

"Sometimes I forget he has that many teeth." Sarah didn't intend her comment to be funny but both Olivia and Brooke erupted into giggles. "I'm glad I'm entertaining the two of you."

"You're always entertaining, sis," Brooke said.

"I…yeeow!" Sarah was interrupted by the football which collided with her head.

Doubled over with laughter, Ed trotted over and hugged his daughter, "Sare, I'm sorry. I told Noah to throw it, I didn't think he'd hit ya from that far away." He waved at Noah who stood frozen in the spot where he'd released the football, "C'mere, bud. It's okay."

Noah ran over and hopped into Sarah's lap. "You mad, Sare Bear?"

"Of course not, Noey-Boey!"

"Tell her you're sorry," Olivia said, "Even though it was an accident."

"I sorry," Noah pouted a little but soon giggled uncontrollably as Sarah covered him with kisses.

"You're just a super good quarterback," Brooke said.

"You hold da ball like dis, wiff yer fingers heeeere." Noah held out the ball with his fingers between the laces. "Den you frow a, a, Daddy? What you say?"

"Tight spiral."

Noah repeated the phrase the best he could and then prompted Sarah to throw it, "Go 'head, Sare bear, I run you frow."

"Aren't you tired, Noey?"

"No."

Ok, five throws, then we're gonna call Sonny."

"No, we're not," Brooke said.

"If Noah catches three in a row, we're calling."

Brooke loved Noah, but she knew her odds were good. "Fine, go ahead."

Ed and Olivia observed from the edge of the blanket, stole a few kisses, and whispered to each other.

"Your drink's just about empty," Ed said, "Want me to go get a couple of refills?"

Olivia shivered, "It's starting to get chilly, we should probably go in soon."

"C'mere," Ed motioned for her to cuddle up with him, and she obliged and took a deep, satisfied breath as she settled in to him. He ran his hands up and down her arms. "If it weren't for all these people, I could really warm you up." Another shiver. Ed smirked mischievously, "Like that idea?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Havin' a good weekend so far?"

"I wish it would never end."

"Wait 'till you see your present."

"What is it?"

"Now, Lieutenant, you know I'm not gonna tell you. I will tell you, though, that Cole said I need to save some of these ideas." Ed loved feeling Olivia shake with laughter. He held her more tightly and lightly bit her ear.

"When'd you see Cole?"

"When I went in to work Thursday morning. We'll get a drink sometime next week."

"Miss your old IAB crew?"

"Nah," Ed replied.

"Do you miss IAB?"

"Absolutely not."

"Wish you were in hostage negotiation?"

"A little, but…there's a purpose in what I'm doin' now, ya know?"

"Purpose," Olivia murmured.

"THAT'S THREE! CALL SONNY!" Sarah rushed over and practically tackled Noah who had successfully completed three catches in a row. Brooke smiled and shook her head in disbelief.

"Call Sonny!" Noah echoed.

"I guess Carisi's coming over?" Ed asked.

"That okay?" Olivia replied.

"Yeah, we can kick everyone out when we're sick of 'em," Ed said, only partially joking.

"I kind of like the fact that we have family we occasionally have to kick out."

Ed kissed her on the head. "Me too, Liv."

…

"Now," Sarah whispered to Olivia, "The real test is…how will he greet her?"

"Well, it's our place and her Dad is here, I bet just a hug," Olivia predicted, enjoying the conspiratorial huddle a bit too much.

Sarah disagreed, "My money's on a kiss on the cheek."

Noah rushed to the door as soon as he heard Sonny's knock.

"We'll soon find out," Olivia said.

"Yay!" Noah cried, "Sonny heeeeeere! Daddy! Brookey! Open da door!" Noah was jumping up and down and, when Brooke let Sonny in, the little boy propelled himself into Carisi's waiting arms.

"Hi Noah! Good to see you, too!"

Sarah nudged Olivia. There was some shuffling. Some whispers. "Can you see them?" Sarah hissed.

"No."

"Damn."

Noah led Sonny into the living room. "Sonny here Mama!"

"Hey Carisi," Olivia greeted him without getting up, "Want a drink? Ed? Are you back there?"

"Yeah!" Ed called from the kitchen, "Carisi, whatcha drinkin?"

Carisi didn't answer right away. "Lieu, you sure this is okay? I left Fin there all alone."

"He's got Rollins if he needs someone. And why is he still there anyway?"

Carisi shrugged, "I don't think he had anything else to do."

"Shoulda brought him."

"Want me to call?" Carisi asked eagerly.

"No, no, I'm sure he's happy where he is. Have a seat."

Tucker brought Carisi a bourbon. "Didja want ice?"

"No thanks, Captain," Carisi took an uncomfortable sip; he preferred beer, but there was no way he was going to refuse the bourbon. "So, whaddya doin' tomorrow?"

Olivia told him their plans, including the news that Nick was in town and would stop by the precinct sometime the next week to say hello to his old squad mates. Carisi talked excitedly about his family's party in Staten Island and Sarah wasted no time inserting Brooke into the mix.

"Well, I can't wait to hear how they receive our Brookey," Sarah announced as she sashayed into the living area, "What should she wear?"

Sonny laughed, "We're from Staten Island, not the Hamptons." He gazed sincerely at Brooke, "Wear whatever you want. It's not an interview."

Ed brought a tray of snacks, the bottle of bourbon, and the bottle of wine from the kitchen and set everything on the table. He took a corner seat, closest to Carisi and next to Olivia who immediately gravitated to his side. Sonny had been to their apartment several times, and while he and Brooke acted like things were platonic when they were around other people, it was accepted as fact that they were together. Olivia, on the other hand, sometimes dialed back her outward affection for her husband when she was around her squad, so Ed appreciated and relished her letting her guard down then.

Sarah intently eyed the seating arrangement. "Sonny, why don't you take the other end of the sofa? I'll sit here in the big chair with Noey."

Hearing his name, Noah looked up from his beanbag and didn't look the least bit interested in joining Sarah.

"Are we going to play a game or something?" Brooke asked, trying to avoid the scrutiny of where and how close to Sonny she was going to sit.

"Yahtzee!" Noah shouted.

"Yeah," Brooke said, "Let's play Yahtzee. Noah can be Sarah's partner."

Ed surreptitiously kissed Olivia's head. The two of them had passed some late nights playing the dice game and Ed always seemed to tie in some sort of lovemaking deal to the number of Yahtzees he rolled, so the game took on an erotic connotation unbeknownst to the others.

Olivia squeezed his thigh. "Sure, let's play," she said.

The adults and Noah sat around the end of the dining table for the rest of the night, drinking and trash-talking as Ed and Sonny handily traded off beating everyone. Sarah suggested Uno, but everyone else was ready to call it a night. Noah hadn't been properly put to bed, and he was sacked out on the couch, sleeping soundly, cradling his football and using Bernie for a pillow.

"He's so precious," Brooke cooed before leaning down to kiss him goodbye. "So, so precious."

Carisi put a hand on her shoulder, "He really is. Wish they could stay like that forever."

"He'll soon be corrupted like the rest of us," Sarah muttered and chugged the rest of her wine. Tipsy, she slammed it too hard back against the granite counter and the clattering caused Noah to stir and everyone else to glare in her direction.

Brooke hugged Olivia and apologized again for missing Mother's Day but promised to call sometime tomorrow. Sonny thanked Ed and Olivia for having him over.

"Next time, we'll have drinks and games at my place. I'll cook, too!"

"Yeah, we'll make sure to take you up on that," Ed replied sincerely.

Brooke looked horrified, but Sarah grinned triumphantly. Before they departed, Ed caught Sarah's eye, silently reminding her to bring the painting tomorrow afternoon.

Sarah winked at him. Got it, Daddio.

Olivia turned off lights and decided major clean-up could wait until morning. Ed stood over Noah for a few seconds with a proud paternal smirk on his face and then carefully excavated his son from the plush cushions.

Olivia planted a kiss on Noah's cheek and whispered, "Night, sweet boy."

"You goin' to bed?" Ed asked.

Olivia cocked an eyebrow and offered a flirty nod.

"I'll meetcha in there."

….

Olivia wrapped a towel around her damp hair and reached for her light robe, but Ed deftly swiped it away. She tried to glare at him or be annoyed, but she managed zero animosity. "C'mon, give it back."

Ed leered naughtily at her. "Damn. I don't deserve you."

"Yes you do."

"Uh-uh. You're stunning."

Olivia put her hands on his chest, "You're not so tough to look at either, Captain Tucker." She slid her hands down his arms and tried to pry the robe away from his grip.

"No," he insisted, "I like you like this."

"Ed."

He pouted. "Just a few more minutes? Dance with me."

"Dance with you?"

"Yeah," He dropped the robe and put his hands on her back, drawing her close so their torsos were touching. "Dance with me." He kissed her shoulder and neck before planting a smooch on her lips.

"There's no music."

"I don't care." Ed swayed them around the bathroom slowly, rubbing circular patterns on her back and taking deep breaths of her skin, delightfully scented with the body wash they'd just lathered all over each other. "I love you so much, Liv," he rasped sincerely. "So, so much."

Olivia tilted her head back. "I love you, too."

"I wanna stay like this forever."

"I'm here Ed. Forever."

"Promise?"

Olivia furrowed her brow, "Of course. I promised on December thirty-first last year."

"Yeah…" Ed smiled, thinking of the day Olivia became his wife, "What are we doin' for our anniversary?"

At the risk of insulting him, Olivia snickered a little, "That's kind of far away, isn't it?"

"Beach? Skiing?"

"I may have to work."

"How 'bout we do what we did this weekend?"

"What's that?"

"Just take the time off," Ed pleaded, "And do whatever we want. You're the boss, remember." He kneaded his fingers more deeply into her back, "But, ya' know what, let's stop talking. We're dancing."

Their bodies pressed together, Ed guided them slowly through the dimly lit bathroom, stepping on and around clothes and towels strewn around the tile floor. Olivia laid her head on Ed's shoulder and gazed out at the stars, the only other witnesses to this intimate moment between the two once-wandering souls who had finally found common ground, peace, and unconditional love in each other.

…..

#Tuckson