After spending another half an hour in the restaurant together, Liv and Barba left together, with Barba returning to his office and Liv heading back to the precinct.
Feeling a combination of guilt and relief at the fact Barba was oblivious to her condition, Liv distracted herself from her sadness by throwing herself into her work. If Amanda had not come into her office at seven, it was likely she would have stayed far later.
"I'm heading home, walk you out?" Amanda suggested, as she stood carrying her blazer and her handbag.
"Subtle" Liv said quietly, offering her friend a small smile. Amanda's expression softened and she walked slowly towards Liv's desk.
"Go home, have a bath, and try to get a good night's sleep" Amanda encouraged. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you tomorrow morning?" she asked.
Liv inhaled sharply and her confidence faltered. She lowered her gaze from Amanda and shook her head. Her busy day and worries about Barba had meant she had been able to distract herself from the Amniocentesis appointment the following morning. The afternoon had been just as busy and she had managed to avoid the subject for the main part, though not entirely.
"I'll be fine" Liv assured her, forcing a small smile. "But I appreciate the offer. Thank you" she added. Amanda watched her for a few moments before nodding in acknowledgement.
"Liv, you don't have to do this alone" Amanda said quietly, kindness present in her eyes. Liv's expression softened.
"Yes I do" she responded. "I made the decision to keep this a secret" she continued sadly, trying to ignore memories of Rafael Barba's hand holding hers on the restaurant table. "I can't have it both ways" she reasoned.
"So you're punishing yourself?" Amanda said softly, the words escaping her lips before she could stop them. Liv sighed and shook her head.
"I'm handling it" she replied, her voice sounding more confident than she felt.
Amanda saw the sadness and exhaustion on her friend's expression, but she knew that arguing the point would be futile, and would only serve to upset her further. So she nodded in defeat.
"Will you at least go home?" Amanda asked gently. Liv considered her suggestion and nodded.
"Fine" she replied, turning off her laptop and rising from her seat. She started to pack up her things and looked up when she realised Amanda was watching her. "You don't trust me?" she asked wryly.
"Oh, I trust you" Amanda said lightly. "I just know how easily distracted you can get" she teased.
Liv scoffed in response and packed up the remainder of her things, pulling on her blazer and untucking her hair from behind the collar. Amanda's gaze drifted instinctively towards Liv's belly, and she noticed the silk fabric of Liv's blouse pulling against her rounded belly, defining it for an almost imperceptible moment. As soon as she lowered her arms the fabric fell loosely over her belly, concealing it completely. Even those who knew Liv well would probably not notice it, had they witnessed it, and if they had they were unlikely to attribute it to pregnancy. If she hadn't know herself, she'd just assume Liv had a big lunch. Amanda's expression softened and she looked up at Liv, who put her bag over her shoulder and picked up her phone and keys.
"What is it?" Liv asked curiously, noticing a change in her expression that she could not quite define.
"Nothing" Amanda assured her, offering her a reassuring smile. "Let's go before the phone starts to ring" she suggested, as she led Liv out of her office.
After spending a pleasant evening with Noah, Liv put her son to bed and had a long bath to help herself to relax, using her favourite lavender and jasmine bath soak. The soothing scent of the purple water calmed her for a short while, but with Noah asleep and the apartment silent, the thoughts she had been trying to suppress all day came to the forefront of her mind and demanded to be acknowledged.
Liv found herself replaying every interaction she had had with Barba that day, reminding herself of their conversation as well as their proximity to each other. She reminded herself that she had spent the majority of the time in his presence sitting up close to a table, concealing her belly from him. She was confident that the combination of her tactful dressing and seating position had meant that he was completely oblivious to the fact she was pregnant. Her body had rather helpfully permitted her to focus and to eat during their meeting, and the peppermint tea had kept her ever-present feelings of nausea at a bearable minimum. Barba had been calm and conversational and his usual charming, pleasant and amusing self. There was no doubt in her mind that he remained completely unaware of the fact she was carrying his child.
Liv swallowed thickly and closed her eyes, as relief quickly turned into guilt, her chest aching and discomfort pooling deep in the pit of her stomach. She moved her hand through the scented water and tilted her head back, opening her eyes and blinking tiredly up towards the ceiling. Her phone buzzed with an email alert and she turned towards it, briefly reading the first line before turning her attentions to the time. It was currently half past nine. Which meant it was less than twelve hours until her appointment.
Liv began to feel immediately very unsettled at the prospect of her impending appointment. She had discussed the procedure with her OB at length, and had read not only the literature she had provided but several online articles. She was aware that there was a very small risk of miscarriage, but the statistics which she found burned into her mind were the significantly increased risks of her unborn child having a serious genetic or chromosomal abnormality. Her OB had tried to reassure her that the risk of the miscarriage was very low, but given the trauma she had experienced so far and the high risk nature of her pregnancy she found herself feeling very worried. And yet she was confident that the Amniocentesis was the right thing to do.
For a moment Liv found her mind drifting towards Rafael Barba, and she wondered what he would think. She swallowed thickly and felt tears burn in her eyes, clenching her jaw and staring up at the ceiling as she tried to calm herself. He was intelligent, calm and incredibly logical, and whilst she suspected he would also wish her to proceed with the Amnio, she knew he would ensure she knew it was her decision and he would support her whatever she decided to do. She saw how deeply affected he was by the Drew Householder case, and she was confident he would want them to do everything they could to establish whether the baby she was carrying had a condition similar to his, or with the same implications. But despite how confident Liv was that she was making the right decision, and Rafa would agree with her, the fact she was deliberately excluding him from the decision pained her deeply. And part of her believed she deserved that pain.
Liv sat up in the bath and removed the plug, rising slowly to her feet and wrapping a towel around herself, before heading into her bedroom.
Liv dried herself and put on a comfortable pair of pyjamas before returning to the bathroom to brush her teeth. She avoided her reflection and walked slowly back into her bedroom, feeling tired but confident that sleep would not come easily to her. She sat on the edge of the bed and responded to a few work emails, before setting an alarm she knew she would not need. She then turned on her TV very low, to a rerun of a movie she'd seen a hundred times, hoping the background noise would silence her own thoughts. By some miracle, Liv's exhaustion finally claimed her one hour later, and she slept fitfully throughout the night.
After sleeping for less than five hours in total, Liv rose from her bed and half-past five and took a long, hot shower, before getting ready. When Noah woke at seven and ambled tiredly into the kitchen, he was surprised to find her wearing jeans and white sneakers, and a loose-fitting white top.
"Is it Saturday?" Noah asked hopefully, prompting his mother to turn towards him, meeting his gaze with a smile.
"No, my love" she responded, kissing his forehead as she poured him his favourite cereal. "I am working from home today" she explained, as she poured milk into the bowl. "So I'll be picking you up from school later, and then we can have our pizza and movie night" she advised. The news was met with enthusiasm from Noah, who sat up at the island opposite her, watching as she poured herself a large glass of orange juice. Dr Hamilton had advised her to drink plenty ahead of the appointment, and she wanted to follow her instructions to the letter. "
"Mum" Noah said between mouthfuls of cereal. Liv hummed in acknowledgement as she took another few sips. "Can Uncle Rafa come to our movie and pizza night?" he asked hopefully. Liv almost choked on her orange juice, and lowered the glass to the island, as an oblivious Noah looked up at her with curious eyes.
"Uncle Rafa?" Liv asked.
"Yeah" Noah responded slowly. "I thought because he's in New York he could come over instead of FaceTime" he reasoned. "He likes Harry Potter too" he explained.
"Does he?" Liv asked, forcing a smile as she tried to ignore the rising feeling of panic. "Maybe next week, sweetie" she responded.
"Oh" Noah replied, disappointment present in his voice. "Okay" he added resignedly, before eating the rest of his cereal in silence.
Noah quickly recovered from his disappointment, and was laughing and joking with Liv as she walked him to school, holding her hand each step of the way. After saying goodbye to her son Liv walked slowly back towards her apartment building, trying to ignore the rising feeling of discomfort and unease which she had been battling.
She walked into her parking lot and got into her car, starting the engine and driving on autopilot, turning up the radio as she headed towards her doctor's office.
Liv arrived fifteen minutes early and checked herself in at reception, before sitting down in the waiting area and taking a deep breath. There were two other women in the waiting area, one of whom was in her mid to late twenties and was approximately seven months pregnant. Liv smiled at her politely, her eyes drifting towards her belly, which she was cradling. Liv felt a pang of something deep within her chest, and she turned away, staring at a poster on the wall opposite her. Her anxiety was not eased by her need to go to the bathroom, but she had been informed she needed a full bladder for the procedure. She found herself tapping her right foot nervously on the floor, and her stomach dropped as Dr Hamilton approached her.
"Good morning, Olivia" Dr Hamilton greeted warmly. Liv forced a smile and rose to her feet. "Come with me" she encouraged.
Liv followed Dr Hamilton mechanically into her room, her heart pounding as her doctor closed the door behind her.
The examination table was all set up, and there was a silver tray on a sideboard containing various instruments, including the largest needle she had ever seen. Liv paled and felt her jaw clench.
"It's alright, dear" soothed a kindly nurse, an African-American lady in her sixties with bright eyes and a calming manner. Liv suspected that was why Dr Hamilton had chosen her. "Why don't you come and make yourself comfortable" she encouraged. Liv nodded obediently and allowed herself to be guided towards the examination table, ignoring the strong desire she had for Rafael Barba to be with her.
Liv sat on the table and answered Dr Hamilton's questions, allowing her to take her blood pressure and heart rate before proceeding. She then lay down as instructed, her heart pounding as realisation dawned upon her as to what was about to happen.
"Olivia" came the voice of Dr Hamilton, who was standing at the end of the table, as the nurse remained by her side. "Agnes is going to perform the ultrasound, which will help me to perform the procedure" she explained, deciding not to repeat the specifics to her patient, who was visibly anxious. Liv nodded in agreement. "I need you to stay very still for me, alright?" she asked.
"I understand" Liv assured her, before looking up at the ceiling and focusing on a single spot, as she felt her shirt be pulled up to reveal her belly. She swallowed thickly.
"Olivia, is it alright if I undo your jeans and pull them down a few inches?" Agnes asked politely.
"Yes. Sorry" Liv responded, undoing her own jeans and lifting herself up slightly, as she pulled them down.
"There's no need to be sorry, dear" Agnes responded, in a confident and maternal manner which Liv found to be quite comforting. "You just lie back and try to relax. We'll be done very soon" she assured her. Liv nodded tearfully in response and returned her attentions to the ceiling, as she felt the familiar sensation of cold jelly upon her belly.
Liv was unsure whether it was due to her nervousness or a conversation had beforehand between her Dr Hamilton and Nurse Agnes, but neither of them commented on the baby or asked if she wanted to look. Guilt flooded Liv, and she felt her eyes shine with tears. A single tear escape and she quickly wiped it away, swallowing hard and trying to focus on the ceiling once more. But as the wand moved over her belly she found herself feeling suddenly panicked and afraid. She closed her eyes and gripped the edge of the bed with her right hand, holding on so tightly that her knuckles whitened. She remembered the feeling of Rafa holding her hand at the restaurant, his comforting scent and soothing voice flooding her memory. She felt a hand over her own and she started to relax, loosening her grip on the edge of the bed as unfamiliar fingers held her hand comfortingly. She blinked herself out of her stupor and turned towards Agnes, who was operating the wand with her right hand and holding Liv's hand with her left. Liv felt sad but grateful, and quickly composed herself as Agnes looked down upon her.
"You'll be alright, dear" Agnes soothed. "Just a few more minutes" she advised, before quickly turning her attentions back to the screen.
"That's perfect, thank you Agnes, hold it right there" said Dr Henderson. "Olivia, I need you to remain perfectly still, okay?" she advised.
"Yes" Liv responded. Dr Hamilton removed something from the silver tray and returned to Liv.
"Olivia, I am going to inject you with anaesthetic, okay?" Dr Hamilton explained. "You'll feel a sharp scratch and stinging on your belly" she advised.
"Okay" Liv replied, staring at the ceiling once more and letting out a low, calming breath. Agnes squeezed her hand tightly.
"You're doing really well, dear" Agnes soothed, as Liv continued to stare up at the ceiling, and did her best to regulate her breathing.
Liv felt a sharp scratch followed by a stinging sensation. She inhaled sharply and winced, but remained perfectly still, her gaze fixed upon the ceiling.
"Olivia, can you feel this?" Dr Hamilton asked. Liv waited for a couple of moments, waiting for a sensation.
"Feel what?" Liv asked.
"That's the answer we want" Agnes said softly, Liv inhaled deeply and let out another calming breath.
"I'm going to perform the procedure now, Olivia" Dr Hamilton explained. "You may feel some discomfort, but it should not be painful" she advised. "If you want me to stop at any time, just tell me" she stated. "But it is essential that you remain perfectly still" she advised.
"I understand" Liv assured her, staring up at the ceiling, focusing on a single spot which she now knew by heart.
Liv remained perfectly still, her attentions fixed upon the ceiling, as Dr Hamilton performed the Amniocentesis procedure. After a minute or so she felt discomfort in her lower belly and inhaled sharply, squeezing Agnes's hand instinctively.
"You're doing so well, dear. So well" Agnes soothed. "Just another minute or so, okay? Stay still for me. Good. That's it" she encouraged. Liv hummed in agreement and closed her eyes tightly, trying to ignore the discomfort and focus on her breathing. Her mind took her back to her conversation with Rafa in the restaurant, and she allowed herself to remain there.
"Olivia" came the voice of Dr Hamilton, "Olivia" she repeated, prompting Liv to open her eyes. "We're all done" she announced.
"It's finished" Agnes explained, as she gently wiped the gel off of Liv's belly and pulled her shirt back down. "Well done" she said sincerely. "You did very well" she advised.
Liv looked down and saw that the monitor was turned off, the silver tray had disappeared, and Dr Hamilton was walking towards her with a comforting expression.
"Everything went perfectly well" Dr Hamilton assured her, as Liv slowly sat up. Agnes placed her hand between her shoulder blades and eased her up. "How are you feeling?" she asked, her eyes drifting across Liv's face.
"Fine" Liv responded automatically, as she turned herself around, her legs hanging over the side of the table. "Sore" she added, placing her hand instinctively over her lower belly.
"That's normal" Agnes quickly assured her.
"Yes" Dr Hamilton confirmed. "As we discussed, after the procedure it is common to experience light cramping, and sometimes a little bleeding, but no more than spotting. It should only last for twenty four hours or so" she explained. "I'd like you to remain here for an hour, so we can monitor you" she reminded her. "Then you should go home and rest for the rest of the day. No heavy lifting or exertion. If you experience any pain or bleeding I want you to call me" she directed. "And I'll see you on Monday morning for your next appointment" she added.
"Of course" Liv responded, as Agnes held her hand and eased her off the bed.
"That's it" Agnes smiled, "let's get you comfortable in the waiting room, okay?" she suggested, picking up Liv's bag as they walked across the room.
"Olivia" Dr Hamilton said quietly, prompting Liv to turn back towards her. Liv looked down at a white envelope which Dr Hamilton was holding, which she placed into her patient's handbag. "Ultrasound images" she said gently, as she watched Liv with sympathetic eyes and a look of understanding.
"Thank you" Liv said quietly, as Agnes walked with her into the waiting area.
Agnes sat Liv in the quietest corner, close to a small table with magazines. She placed her bag by her side and assured her she would be back in to check on her. Liv thanked her and removed her phone from her bag, easing herself back in her seat, and letting out a deep breath.
She was relieved that the procedure was over, but the knowledge that she had to wait three weeks for the results was anxiety-inducing. She was also experiencing the light cramping sensation that Dr Hamilton had warned her about, in the base of her belly and sides and lower back. She found herself remembering the intensely painful cramping she experienced after her attack, but she quickly reminded herself that this was different and it was normal.
Wanting a distraction from her own thoughts, and the three other women in the waiting room, Liv opened her work emails and began responding to them, grateful for the much-needed distraction.
Over the next hour, Liv dealt with several emails, made a couple of phone calls to Fin and Amanda, and exchanged texts with Lucy about childcare arrangements for Noah for the following couple of weeks. Agnes checked on her regularly, and provided her with some hot sweet tea which she drank obediently, the sensation soothing her sore stomach.
Liv then went to the bathroom, and was relieved to find that she was not bleeding. When she returned to the waiting room she checked the time on her phone and, realising Dr Hamilton would be calling her in again shortly, put her phone in her bag. As she did so, her gaze befell the white envelope which she had recently been handed. She swallowed thickly and hesitated for a moment, before reaching inside and removing it. She held the envelope in both hands and opened it, removing the black and white image tentatively, lifting it up slowly from inside the envelope. The outline of her baby was clearly shown, its head, torso and legs even more clearly defined than she had seen them before. She found herself feeling struck by how much it was really beginning to look like a fully-formed baby. She was staring at its head, her gaze following the lines of its face, tracing its features. She was considering the shape of its nose when she was startled by the sound of her own name, and she looked up to find Dr Hamilton watching her.
Dr Hamilton smiled and Liv quickly placed the envelope back into her bag, before rising to her feet and following her into her office, where another ultrasound was performed. Liv held her breath and stared at the ceiling.
"Everything is fine" Dr Hamilton announced. "The baby was not affected by the procedure, the heartbeat is normal, and there is no sign of distress" she advised. Liv sighed in relief.
"Thank God" Liv breathed, the words escaping her lips. Dr Hamilton smiled softly and returned her attentions to the ultrasound machine.
"We'll have the results back for some of the conditions, such as Downs Syndrome, in three to five working days" Dr Hamilton reminded her. "We won't have the results for the more complex conditions for about three weeks" she explained. Liv nodded in understanding. "How are you feeling?" she asked, as she handed Liv some tissues which she used to clean the gel off her belly.
"A little sore, but fine" Liv replied. "The cramping is very light, it's barely noticeable" she explained. Dr Hamilton nodded.
"And it's not getting worse?" Dr Hamilton asked.
"No" Liv assured her, as she got off the table and threw the damp tissues away.
"On a scale of one to ten, how would you describe the pain?" Dr Hamilton asked as she removed her gloves.
"Two" Liv responded. "If I rounded up from one point five" she added. Dr Hamilton smiled. "And I'm not bleeding."
"That's good" Dr Hamilton responded confidently. "If the pain does get worse, or you experience anything other than spotting or light bleeding, call me immediately" she instructed. "I want you to take it easy for the rest of the day. No exerting yourself, or lifting anything heavy" she explained. "Did you drive here?" she asked.
"Yes" Liv responded slowly. "Was that wrong?"
"No" Dr Hamilton replied. "Providing you feel well enough to drive home that's fine, but I'd prefer you didn't make any more journeys today" she explained. Liv nodded in agreement.
"Of course" Liv agreed, as she pulled on her jacket and placed her bag over her arm.
"I'll see you on Monday" Dr Hamilton said softly. Liv nodded and thanked her, before saying goodbye and walking out of the office.
Liv made her way back to her car and drove herself home, taking the elevator back to her floor and letting herself into her apartment. She dropped her bag on the floor and eased herself onto the couch, leaning back against it and closing her eyes. Her lower belly ached with the mild cramping Dr Hamilton had warned her about, and she placed her hand instinctively over the base of her rounded belly, feeling the slight curve of her abdomen against her palm. Liv remained still for over a minute before realisation of what she was doing suddenly dawned upon her. She opened her eyes opened slowly, her gaze fixed at the wall opposite her. She felt warmth radiate from her palm across her belly, splaying her fingers across her lower belly. Liv swallowed thickly and glanced down, her throat feeling tighter and her chest suddenly heavy. Her phone started to ring inside her bag, which snapped her out of her thoughts, and prompted her to remove her hand from her belly and leaned forward towards her bag.
Liv spent the entire day on the sofa, with her laptop on her lap and her phone within reaching distance. Case files were piled on the right side of the couch, as was her notepad and the notes she was making throughout the day. The cramping in her lower belly was mild and easy to ignore, and she decided against taking Tylenol as she wanted to ensure she was aware of any increases in her pain at the earliest opportunity. The two bathroom breaks she had taken reassured her she was not bleeding, and she found her concerns about the aftermath of the procedure slowly decreasing as the afternoon progressed.
Liv was so engaged in her work that it was only when her stomach began to growl impatiently that she realised it was two o'clock, and she had not yet eaten. Although her immediate thought was that she did not want to, she knew that she must, and so she forced herself to take a quick break whilst she prepared a sandwich, which she nibbled at reluctantly as she continued to work.
At half past two Liv began to tidy away her case files, putting her shoes back on and walking to Noah's school, where he was delighted to be greeted by her. He came barrelling towards her like an excitable puppy, and Liv found herself placing her hand instinctively upon her belly and holding up a hand to still him.
"My tummy is a little sore, my love" Liv explained, as she pulled him into a gentle hug. Noah wrapped his arms carefully around her hips, and she felt him arch away from her belly. Her stomach clenched and she kissed his hair. "Shall we get some ice cream?" she suggested.
"Yes!" Noah beamed, as he took her hand and led her towards their favourite place.
After buying Noah his favourite Rocky Road ice cream, and a small vanilla tub for herself, Liv took her son home, removing his coat and backpack as he entered the apartment.
"Can we watch a movie?" Noah asked.
"Soon, my love" Liv responded, as she hung up his coat and bag. "I need to work for just a little while longer. Could you go and read in your room for a little while with your ice cream, and then have a bubble bath?" she asked. "Once you're all clean and in your pyjamas, I should be done" she assured him.
"Okay" Noah agreed amiably, as he carried his ice cream into his bedroom.
"Don't get any on your sheets!" Liv called after him.
"I won't!" he responded, as he jumped onto his bed, placing his ice cream on his bedside table and selecting Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone from the small stack of books beside him. Liv smiled at him fondly and returned to the sofa.
Liv finished working shortly after four o'clock, tidying away her laptop and files and changing into her black and white pyjamas. Her belly was still feeling slightly sore, and she placed her hand on it instinctively as she walked into the kitchen. As she headed towards the sink, Noah came out of his room and hurried towards her, prompting her to lower her hand from her belly and look up at him with a smile.
"Can we watch the movie now, mum?" Noah asked keenly.
"We can" Liv confirmed. "Thank you for being so patient, sweetie" she added, stroking his hair and kissing his forehead. "What would you like to watch?" she asked, expecting Harry Potter.
"E.T!" he declared. Liv's eyes widened in surprise.
"Excellent choice" she commended. "Why don't you set it up whilst I order the pizza?" she suggested. Although it impressed and worried her in equal measure, Noah was becoming increasingly more skilled when it came to technology, and she was confident he could use the TV better than she could.
"Okay!" Noah replied, disappearing towards the couch as he spoke. "Can I have pepperoni, please?"
"I wouldn't order you anything else" Liv laughed, picking up her phone and calling their favourite pizzeria to place their traditional Friday order.
Liv and Noah spent the evening snuggled up together under a blanket, eating pizza and watching ET. Liv was surprised by the extent of her hunger, and ate three large slices of pizza and a generous portion of fries. When ET had finished she suggested Noah pick the next film, and he requested The Goonies, which was another favourite of Liv's. She put the film on and leaned against the edge of the couch, as Noah snuggled into her side, resting his head on her shoulder as the film began to play. Within half an hour, the sleep which had evaded Liv the night before caught up with her, and she succumbed to it.
Noah was laughing at the iconic performance of the Truffle Shuffle when he heard the familiar sound of a call on his mother's iPad. He untangled himself from the blanket and covered his mum in it, before hurrying into the kitchen and picking up the iPad, answering the call before it rang out.
"Hi, Uncle Rafa" Noah beamed, as he carried the iPad into his bedroom.
"Hi, Noah" Barba smiled, chuckling to himself at the sight of the pizza sauce which covered Noah's lips and the corners of his mouth. "I take it you've had dinner" he added dryly.
"Uh-huh. Pepperoni pizza" he smiled.
"Good choice" Barba commended. Noah nodded in agreement.
"Uncle Rafa, can you come over for our pizza and movie night next time?" Noah asked hopefully. Barba smiled warmly in response. He knew that Friday nights were Noah and Liv's special time together. He did not wish to intrude, or put Liv on the spot, especially given recent events.
"I will speak to your mum about it, but I promise I will see you very soon, okay?" Barba replied cautiously. Noah considered his response for a moment before nodding.
"Okay" he agreed. "Do you like ET?" he asked. Barba, who had been working on a the DiAngelo case for the past two hours, found the sudden change in topic a welcome distraction.
"I do like ET, yes" Barba replied. "Have you seen it?"
"Yes. Five times, with mum" Noah responded.
"I see" Barba replied. "Are you watching it now?" he asked conversationally.
"We were, but it finished, so now we're watching The Goonies" Noah informed him. Barba laughed.
"I haven't seen that film in years" he replied fondly.
"You should come and watch it with us" Noah suggested hopefully.
"That would be great" Barba responded sincerely, the idea appealing to him greatly. But he did not wish to commit Liv to something she might not feel comfortable with, so he sought to change the subject. "You know I saw it when it first came out" he informed him.
"Wow" Noah replied, licking some pizza sauce from his thumb. Barba smirked in amusement.
"Is your mum watching The Goonies too?" Barba asked, having not seen or heard Liv.
"She was, but she fell asleep" Noah advised. Barba looked down towards his watch, and noticed it was a little before eight. His eyebrows knitted in confusion. "She was really sleepy. And I think her tummy still hurts" he explained.
"Her tummy hurts?" Barba asked, concern and curiosity present in his voice.
"Uh-huh" Noah confirmed. Barba watched him closely. He appeared unconcerned, which was reassuring.
"What makes you think her tummy hurts?" he asked.
"She told me" Noah replied simply. "Is that why she worked at home today?" he asked, staring at Barba and waiting patiently for an answer.
Barba had been unaware Liv had been working from home, as he had been in his office for the majority of the day. Liv rarely worked from home, in fact the only times he had known her to was when Noah was sick, which he clearly wasn't, so this was very unusual. The rational part of his brain was assuring him it was probably nothing, possibly soreness from her broken ribs. But there was something in the back of his mind which rejected that hypothesis, and his curiosity became concern.
"I'm not sure" Barba said gently, ensuring his voice was calm and casual so as not to concern Noah. "Sometimes it's easier to work from home because it's quieter so it helps you concentrate when you're trying to do something complicated" he continued, despite not believing for a moment this was the reason Liv worked from home that day. The fact she was asleep so early was also a concern. "Is your mum sick?" he asked cautiously.
"No" Noah replied confidently. "She ate lots of pizza" he advised. Barba's expression softened and he smiled.
"As much as you?" Barba asked.
"No!" Noah responded, sounding offended. Barba laughed.
"I'm sure your mum is fine, Noah" Barba assured him, ignoring the feeling of discomfort which was niggling away at him. "But you can call me if you need to, okay?" he reminded him.
"I know, Uncle Rafa" Noah said with a smile. Barba nodded.
"So, what are you going to be doing this weekend?" Barba asked.
After speaking with Noah for another fifteen minutes, Rafael Barba said his goodbyes and wished Noah goodnight, ending the call and placing his iPad on his desk. He took a sip of his scotch and leaned back in his seat, reminding himself of the time he spent with Liv the day before. She had seemed fine, she did not appear unwell or injured, though he was confident she would not mention it if she had. She had been fully engaged with their meeting, and had eaten at lunch, she seemed fine. He was aware that broken ribs took several weeks to heal, so perhaps that was it. Or maybe she was experiencing menstrual cramps; that would explain her tiredness. But why had she chosen to work from home?
Despite Barba's logical and rational surmises, and his attempts to reassure himself that she was fine, something did not seem quite right. He replayed his recent conversations and interactions with Liv in his mind, and for the life of him he could not ascertain what he was missing. But as he drummed his fingers on his desk and took another sip of his scotch, there was not a doubt in his mind that there was indeed something he was not seeing. And for the life of him he could not figure out what it could be.