Hi Everyone! Thank you for your support, and for sticking with the story , I hope you're enjoying it so far.
I'm trying to write longer chapters, around 5,000 words. I think it will be more effective for some of the events which are coming. However, please let me know if you prefer smaller ones.
Any advice, guidance or constructive feedback is greatly appreciated :)
With love,
HQ21
Noah held the iPad with both hands and began to walk into his bedroom, his eyes not leaving the screen.
"I'm good" Noah replied, still smiling. "I got 89% on my spelling test" he declared proudly.
"That's wonderful, Noah" Rafael responded warmly. "You must've been practicing a lot" he suggested.
"Uh-huh" Noah confirmed, as he sat down on his bed. He sat cross-legged and held the iPad away from him. "How are you?" he asked politely. Rafael smiled.
For several minutes Noah and Rafael talked happily, discussing subjects from the parks in Boston to their favourite dinosaurs; Noah's was a Tyrannosaurus Rex and Rafael's was the Oviraptor. Noah had not heard of that one before, and asked Rafael to spell it, which he did. Noah made a careful note of it in his notebook and said he would "Google it later". Rafael smiled affectionately.
As Noah put his notebook on his bedside table, Rafael looked down at his watch. He realised that they had been talking for more than fifteen minutes, and he had not heard or seen Liv. Usually on Friday nights Liv and Noah would both be present, and the call would take place in the living room. Rafael tried to ignore the feeling of unease which was unsettling him.
"Is your mum home, Noah?" Rafael asked conversationally. Noah giggled.
"Yes" he replied with a smile, as though the question were ridiculous. Rafael relaxed slightly and nodded, watching as Noah placed his finger to his lips. "We have to be quiet. She's asleep" he explained. Rafael's smile faltered slightly.
"At seven-thirty?" Rafael asked gently, confusion present in his tone. "She must have had a very long day" he continued carefully, hoping to encourage Noah to elaborate.
"She said she was really tired" Noah explained, his gaze drifting instinctively towards the living room at the subject of his mother. "She fell asleep when we were watching Harry Potter" he added. Rafael smiled cautiously and nodded. "I think it was because her tummy hurt" he suggested. Rafael stared at Noah, his unease increasing tenfold. "Mum always tells me to sleep when I don't feel well, because it makes you feel better" he explained. Rafael nodded instinctively and swallowed hard.
"Why does her tummy hurt, Noah?" Rafael asked gently, his eyes fixed upon the little boy wearing Harry Potter pyjamas. "Why doesn't she feel well?" he added quickly.
"Because the bad man hurt her" Noah replied, as though the answer were obvious. Rafael's breath caught in his throat and he felt suddenly ice-cold.
"What man hurt her?" Rafael asked, unable to conceal his concern. Noah seemed to sense a change in his voice, and he frowned slightly. Rafael smiled gently at him and waited patiently for him to respond.
"The bad man who didn't want to be arrested" Noah replied simply. "He kicked her in the stomach" he said, his voice quieting slightly as he spoke. "I hugged her when I got home and it hurt her, but I didn't mean to" he said quickly. "I heard her tell Lucy that he broke her ribs" he continued. "But mum said she is fine and she arrested him" he announced with a proud smile.
Rafael nodded gently and adopted as calm an expression as he could, before swallowing thickly once more.
"Where is your mum now, Noah?" Rafael asked gently.
"On the couch" he replied. Rafael nodded in understanding.
"Noah, can you do something for me?" Rafael asked slowly. Noah smiled and nodded. "Can you take the iPad into the living room so I can see your mum?"
"We can't wake her up" Noah said emphatically, shaking his head. "She needs to sleep so she'll feel better in the morning" he advised. Rafael's expression softened and he smiled.
"You're right, she does need to sleep" Rafael responded gently. "I don't want you to wake her up, Noah. I just want to see her so I know that she's alright" he explained. Noah considered the request for a moment before nodding in response.
"Okay" Noah agreed, getting off the bed and walking slowly into the living room.
Rafael felt a knot form in the pit of his stomach, and a deep sense of unease spread throughout his entire body. It felt like a lifetime had passed before Noah reached Liv, flipping the camera so Rafael could see her lying beneath the blanket on the couch. She was snuggled against the armrest, her entire body covered by a dark blue blanket which he recognised. Even in the dimness of the room he could tell that her face was pale, which was highlighted by the darkness of her hair. He could also see what appeared to be evidence of a bruise by her right eye, which she appeared to have concealed with make-up. However, it was now starting to darken, making its presence known. Rafael clenched his first subconsciously and swallowed hard. He watched as Liv shifted slightly as she slept, stretching out and flexing her fingers, before humming lightly and relaxing into sleep.
"We mustn't wake her up" Noah whispered, the sound of his voice drawing Rafael Barba out of his thoughts.
"No, we mustn't. And we won't" he agreed, as the camera flipped back and Rafael was facing Noah once more. He smiled reassuringly. "Thank you, Noah" Rafael said sincerely.
"You're welcome, Uncle Rafa" Noah responded, his eyes drifting from the screen to his mother. He put his hand over his mouth and stifled a yawn.
"Are you tired?" Rafael asked gently. "It's getting late, Noah, why don't you turn off the TV and get some sleep?" he suggested. Noah shook his head slowly.
"It's not late, Uncle Rafa" Noah said with a smile. "Mum lets me stay up til eight-thirty on Fridays. Sometimes nine" he declared. Rafael smiled softly and nodded. "I want to watch the movie with mum for a little bit" he explained.
"Alright" Rafael conceded. "Before I go, could you do something for me please, Noah?" he asked.
"Sure" Noah replied. Rafael smiled gently as he carefully considered how to word his request.
"If your mum doesn't feel very well, or if you're worried, will you give me a call?" Rafael asked gently. Noah stared at him for a moment as he considered the request.
"You mean if I'm worried about my mum?" he asked, his tone curious but not concerned.
"Yes" Rafael replied. "Or anything else" he added. "I'll have my phone and my iPad right beside me, and you can call me at any time. Okay?" he continued. Noah smiled and nodded.
"Okay, I will" Noah replied congenially. "Bye, Uncle Rafa" he smiled.
"Goodnight, Noah" Rafael responded warmly, watching as Noah ended the call and the screen went blank.
Rafael Barba stared at the screen for a moment, before placing the iPad on his desk and reaching for his glass of whiskey, which he downed in a single sip. He tapped his fingers on the desk as he processed his conversation with Noah, and the sight of Liv pale and bruised and fast asleep at seven thirty on a Friday night. He tried to suppress the anger he felt at her assault and focus on his concern for her, but he quickly found that that did little to aid him in thinking clearly. As soon as he ended the call he began to regret not asking Noah to wake Liv up, speaking to her himself to ensure she was alright. The unease which had been building inside him overflowed and he reached for his phone, scrolling through his contacts list and finding his intended recipient and calling her, tapping his fingers on the side of his desk as the phone rang briefly before being answered.
"Hey, Barba" Amanda greeted, confusion present in her tone. "Are you back in New York?"
"No, not yet" Barba responded, pausing as he noted the unease in his voice. Amanda must have noticed it too.
"Is everything alright?" Amanda asked, curiosity present in her tone.
"Actually, that's what I was calling to ask you" he continued. "I just spoke to Noah and he said that Liv was hurt" he explained.
"Did Noah call you?" Amanda asked, concern rising within her.
"No, I called him. The three of us usually FaceTime on Fridays" Barba explained. "He said that Liv was asleep because the bad man hurt her" he continued. "I'm not trying to invade her privacy, I just want to know that she's alright" he explained quietly. Amanda nodded against her phone.
"We caught a serial this morning" Amanda explained. "He made a run for it and Liv chased after him" she continued. "He resisted arrest. He punched her in the face and kicked her twice in the stomach" she added. Barba swallowed hard and nodded as he listened carefully. "I drove her to the hospital, they kept her in for a bit, monitored her" she continued. "She's fine, Barba. A few broken ribs and some deep tissue bruising" she advised. "She'll be good as new after the weekend" she added, swallowing thickly and ignoring the feeling of unease she felt at not telling the whole story.
Rafael Barba shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He had known Rollins for many years, and her vagueness led him to believe that there was something she was not telling him. Amanda realised this and sought to assuage his concern.
"They thought she might have internal bleeding or damage to her liver or kidneys, but tests showed that she doesn't" Amanda continued. "They kept her in for hours, she had me go back to the office to get her laptop and she worked from her hospital bed" she added, hoping to reassure him. "She's bruised up pretty bad and just needs to rest. Thankfully she's not on call this weekend" she explained. "I drove her home myself and she text me just over an hour ago to let me know she's alright" she added gently.
Rafael nodded slowly in response, and found himself feeling relieved. He attributed her initial reluctance to provide specific details of Liv's injuries to her loyalty to her friend's privacy, which he understood and respected.
"Thank you, Rollins" Barba added gratefully. "Sorry to call you on a Friday night."
"It's not a problem" Amanda responded, smiling softly. "And Barba, for what it's worth" she added quickly, before he could end the call. "I'm glad you two are working things out" she stated. Rafael Barba smiled softly in response.
"Me too" he replied honestly. "Take care, Rollins" he added, before ending the call and leaning back in his chair, placing his hand over his face and sighing gently. Whilst he was still angry and deeply unsettled that Liv had been hurt, he was relieved to hear she was alright. As warm embarrassment at having called Rollins began to flood him, he was thankfully distracted by a call on his mobile. He smiled softly and answered the call. "Hi, Mami" he greeted warmly. "How are you?"
After ending the call with his uncle Rafa, Noah put the iPad on the living room table and sat next to his mother, leaning against her thigh and snuggling beneath the blankets. He had missed some of the movie but that was okay, he'd seen it before and knew where they were. He wrapped his arm instinctively over his mother's thigh and stared at the screen, resisting sleep for as long as he could before it finally claimed him.
It was midnight before Liv woke up, feeling sore and achy and in desperate need of the bathroom. She opened her eyes slowly and pushed herself up, wincing at the effort as her bruised side protested most strongly to her movement. As she rose she turned to the right and found Noah snuggled against her. She smiled softly and lay him gently down upon the sofa, before disentangling herself from her blanket and walking tiredly to the bathroom.
Liv placed her hand instinctively upon her aching stomach, turning on the bathroom light before lowering her leggings and sitting on the toilet. She found that even urinating hurt, her lower ribs aching in protest, prompting her to lean up and wince at the exertion. She reached for some toilet paper and used it, hesitating for a moment before looking down. When she did, she found that the paper was clean, and there was no sign of blood. Relief flooded her, but hope was forcibly suppressed. She placed the toilet paper into the toilet and rose to her feet, pulling up her leggings and flushing the toilet before washing her hands.
Liv then walked back into the living room, picking up her phone from the table and acknowledging the time. She quickly scrolled through the subject lines of some work-related emails, and read a few texts, before turning her attentions to Noah who was still fast asleep. She considered leaving him on the couch to rest, but soon decided against it, not wanting him to wake up in the night and try to find his way back to his room in the dark. She leaned down and lifted him up, despite her body's strong protests, inhaling sharply as she gently carried him across the room.
Liv moved his bedsheets aside and lay him down carefully, stroking his curls and pulling the blankets over him. She pressed a tender kiss to his forehead and stroked his face, before turning off the bedside lamp and leaving the room, closing the door firmly behind her. She pressed her hand to her side once more as she walked tiredly into her bedroom, placing her phone on charge instinctively before easing herself into her bed and snuggling down, sleep claiming her within minutes.
When Liv next opened her eyes bright sunlight shone into the room, warming her skin and bathing her in light. Although she was sore and ached she felt very well rested, and she opened her eyes with minimal effort. As her vision adjusted to the brightness of her room, she sensed it was later than she realised, and a quick glance at her phone confirmed it was almost nine. Liv's breath caught in her throat and she quickly pushed herself up into a sitting position. Ignoring her aching body and quickly standing up, which her body punished her for by striking her with a wave of dizziness which caused her to reach for the wall. She stood still for a few moments to centre herself, before letting out a calming breath and walking slowly out of her bedroom.
Liv could hear the familiar sound of cartoons and laughter, and she smiled softly as she walked into the living room. Noah was sitting on the sofa eating cereal, and he turned towards her with a smile.
"Good morning, my love" Liv greeted, stroking his hair as she reached his side.
"Good morning" he beamed, taking another mouthful of cereal.
"Your dance class is in one hour" Liv advised. "I'm going to quickly take a shower. Once you've finished your cereal, can you go and brush your teeth and get dressed?" she asked. Noah nodded in agreement and turned back towards the TV. "I'm sorry I overslept" she added gently. "You should've woken me" she added softly, ruffling his curls before turning on the spot and walking towards the bathroom. Noah shook his head and continued to stared at the screen.
"Uncle Rafa said we mustn't wake you" he said simply.
Liv froze on the spot, Noah's words paralysing her, as her stomach clenched. She swallowed hard and turned towards her son, who was giggling at the cartoons.
"What do you mean, sweetie?" Liv asked, trying to suppress the panic which was rising within her. "When did you talk to Uncle Rafa?" she asked.
"Last night" Noah replied, somewhat distractedly, before turning towards her. "It was Friday" he said. Liv stared at him for a moment before realisation dawned upon her. She put her hand over her mouth and nodded.
"And Uncle Rafa calls us on Friday" Liv breathed, as she perched herself on the arm of the couch beside Noah. "And Uncle Rafa told you not to wake me?"
"Uh-huh" Noah continued, nodding as he took another mouthful of cereal. Liv waited patiently as he chewed and swallowed. "I said you needed to sleep so you'll feel better, and he said we mustn't wake you" he explained, looking up and meeting her gaze. "Do you feel better, mum?" he asked. Liv swallowed thickly and nodded.
"I do, my love" she lied, stroking his hair and trying to ignore the strong wave of nausea she was currently experiencing. "What did you and Uncle Rafa talk about?" she asked gently.
"Dinosaurs" he said with a smile. Liv smiled back and nodded. "And Boston" he continued, "and my spelling test" he added proudly. Liv nodded encouragingly. "And I told him that the bad man hurt you and you needed to sleep" he explained. Liv swallowed hard and nodded.
"And what did Uncle Rafa say?" she asked nervously. Noah looked up at her with big eyes as he considered her question.
"He asked me about the man that hurt you, and I said he didn't want to be arrested and he kicked you and hurt you in your tummy" Noah explained. "And I told him you arrested him" he added proudly. Liv smiled, despite feeling almost dizzy with panic.
"And then what happened?" she asked gently, a deep feeling of unease spreading across her entire body.
"He asked where you were, because I went into my bedroom because I didn't want to wake you" he explained. "I said you were asleep on the couch and he wanted to see you, so I brought the iPad in here and showed him that you were asleep" he continued. Liv nodded in response. "I said not to wake you up and he also said not to wake you up" he explained. "He told me to call him if I was worried about you, or worried about anything else" he added. "He said I can call him at any time" he smiled. Liv inhaled sharply and nodded. Noah watched her closely and frowned. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked, worry and confusion present in his voice. Liv shook her head and placed her hand reassuringly on his back.
"No, my love, no" Liv assured him. "You didn't do anything wrong. You did the right thing" she smiled. "I'm going to go and shower, you finish your cereal and get dressed, okay?"
"Okay" Noah smiled, turning back towards the TV and taking in another spoonful of cereal.
Liv walked mechanically into her bedroom and sat on the bed, reaching for her phone and checking her inbox. She had no missed calls or messages from Rafa, which reassured her slightly. If something Noah had said had concerned him he would have called, so hopefully he was reassured enough not to be suspicious. However, a nagging feeling told her that would not be the case. He was one of the most intelligent and astute men she had ever met, and he could recognise deceit almost instantly. She remembered how he told her not to lie to him when she told him about her attack on William Lewis, his hazel eyes seeing right through her. Liv's breath caught in her throat and she tried to suppress the rising feeling of panic. She unlocked her phone and opened her contacts list, scrolling until she found his name. She considered calling him only for a moment, before fear overcame her and she lowered her phone with a shaken breath. If she called him he would know she was lying, and she didn't trust herself not to fall apart when she heard his voice. So instead she decided to text him, tapping out a quick message and trying not to think too much about the contents.
Hi Rafa. I'm sorry I missed you last night, I fell asleep very early. Noah said he spoke to you, and I just wanted to let you know I'm fine, just some bruising and a few broken ribs. Have a great weekend and I'll speak to you next week. L x
Liv quickly re-read the message and sent it, before placing the phone down upon her bedside table and quickly heading into the bathroom, trying to ignore the feeling of guilt at her deceit.
By the time Liv got back from her shower ten minutes later, Rafael had already responded. She swallowed hard and eased herself onto the edge of her bed, opening the text and steeling herself for the response.
Good morning, Liv. Thank you for letting me know, I was sorry to hear about what happened. I hope you had a good night's sleep and are feeling much better. If there is anything you need please let me know. Take care. R. PS – Your son would make an excellent Police Officer, and a formidable reluctant witness. I thought I'd have to get a warrant for him to let me see you.
Liv laughed out loud at the last line, before feeling her stomach tighten and her eyes glisten, as guilt choked her. She closed her eyes and placed her head in her hand before promptly bursting into tears.
Thirty minutes later Liv was dressed in Jeans, white sneakers, a white shirt and a dark green army-style jacket. She walked briskly with Noah to the car, fearing mid-morning traffic, and determined not to be late to his dance class. Thankfully they arrived just before ten, and she sat breathlessly in a chair next to the other mothers. She responded politely to them and watched Noah closely throughout the lesson, trying to focus through the anxious daze she found herself in. A few minutes before the end her phone buzzed and she looked down, finding a text from Amanda, who was inviting her and Noah to the park with her, Jessie and Billie. Desperate for a distraction, Liv text back and accepted the invitation, suggesting they met at the cafe the children liked at twelve.
After the lesson ended Noah changed into shorts and a striped shirt and sneakers. He was delighted with the news he would be spending the afternoon with his favourite aunt and cousins, and Liv found herself wrapped up in his infectious enthusiasm.
When they arrived at the cafe shortly before midday, Amanda was already there with her daughters. Noah ran in excitedly and joined her, chatting away happily to the girls who greeted him with equal excitement. Liv walked cautiously towards Amanda, offering her a gentle smile. Amanda returned it and rose from her seat, walking across the room towards Liv and wrapping her arms around her. To her surprise, Liv felt tears begin to form in her eyes and she choked back a sob, wrapping her arms around Amanda and allowing herself to be held close. The children were distracted by each other's company, but Liv's concern at Noah seeing her upset overcame her, and she reluctantly leaned out of Amanda's embrace and quickly dried her eyes, muttering an apology which Amanda assured her wasn't necessary.
"Does everyone want their usual?" Amanda called to the table. She was met with a chorus of excited 'yes'-es which made both women smile. "Okay" Amanda smiled.
"I'm fine" Liv said gently, "I'm still... I'm fine" she added, turning back towards the table. Amanda opened her mouth to speak but Liv cut her off. "I'm fine" she assured her, forcing a small smile, before sitting down next to Noah. "Hi, girls" she greeted warmly, prompting Jessie and Billie to look up from their toy animals, and offer her the tiger. Liv accepted it with thanks and joined in with their game, much to Noah's amusement.
Liv, Amanda and their children remained in the cafe for almost an hour, talking and laughing over the excellent food. Liv ordered her usual club sandwich and potato chips, and forced herself to eat half of the sandwich and all of the lightly salted chips. She declined dessert, which surprised Noah, but he was quickly distracted with his own.
After finishing their lunch and paying, Liv and Amanda took the children into the park, where they ran off and joined a game of baseball which some of the other children were playing. They were greeted warmly by the other children, and Liv and Amanda sat on a nearby bench and watched.
"How they can run like that after all that food" Amanda breathed, shaking her head in disbelief. "I can't even walk quickly after coffee and a bagel" she added. Liv laughed lightly and nodded. Amanda turned slowly towards her. "Are you okay?" she asked gently. Liv's smile faltered and she turned towards her.
"I'm fine" she responded, offering her friend a weak smile. The subject she was referring to was too painful to talk about, and too daunting. Amanda watched her for a moment before nodding.
Whilst Amanda wanted to respect Liv's privacy, she was clearly upset and struggling. She wanted to let her know she understood, and that Liv could talk to her, even if she did not want to right now.
"Barba called me last night" Amanda said gently. Liv turned towards her with wide eyes, and Amanda held her gaze. "He spoke to Noah and was worried about you" she explained. Liv swallowed hard and felt her stomach tighten. She didn't trust her own voice, so she waited patiently for Amanda to continue, nodding in acknowledgement and staring straight ahead. Amanda watched as her whole body tensed. "I told him you were assaulted by a perp, you had some bruising and broken ribs, but you were fine" she explained. "I didn't tell him about anything else, and I don't believe he suspected that there was anything else to tell" she assured her. Relief flooded Liv and she nodded slowly. "I wanted to let you know about the call" she explained.
"Thank you" Liv replied. Amanda nodded.
"I'm glad you're both talking again" Amanda said warmly. Liv smiled softly and nodded. "And that you're trying to work things out" she continued. Liv swallowed thickly, anticipating Amanda's next question before she posed it. "When did you guys start working things out?" she asked gently.
Liv stared straight ahead, before inhaling sharply and swallowing hard. She turned towards Amanda with tearful eyes. She felt Amanda's hand in her own and her resolve broke.
"About twelve weeks ago" she said quietly. Amanda nodded slowly in response and pulled Liv into a hug, holding her as she wept.
