Nolan's Journal Chapter 29
"The wind has shifted up North, which is supposed to make the wildfire easier to extinguish or at least contain. I'm hoping that means Bailey will be able to come home soon. With help from Tamara, Essie and I have been getting along OK. I supervised the active shooter drill at her school. That had to be even scarier for her than for most of the other kids who have been exposed to violence on TV, in the movies, and online for much of their young lives. What happened to her parents must have made it even worse. Still, I think it made her feel better to know I was there.
"Later, she asked me if we should have a hiding place at home, like the closet at school. I'd never thought about it when I was rebuilding the house or putting on the addition for her room. Maybe I didn't want to think about it. But the truth is that our home has been invaded and could be again at any time. Bailey and I were able to put up a fight, but having Essie added a whole new need for protection. I can build a safe room. It will need a lot more reinforcement than a normal one. I've been thinking that instead of wood framing, I can build it out of concrete masonry and equip it for a fairly long-term stay. The idea of needing a place like that in my home turns my stomach, but it isn't nearly as horrifying as the idea of losing Bailey, Essie, or both of them. I've already started roughing out the plans.
"Speaking of protection, Lucy is coming along with her project to protect sitters and nannies from toxic or dangerous parents. After her hesitance to work with reformed identity thief Jordan Neil, she discovered that the two of them do get along pretty well. They both harbor a deep nostalgia for 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer.' Who knew? So Jordan is helping Lucy put the site together, which has meant spending some time in each other's company. To say that Tim doesn't like it would be an understatement. He cornered her in the hall at the division and gave her chapter and verse about hanging around with dangerous criminals. His whole rant was ridiculous. Even before Jordan lost a hand, Lucy could have taken him down in two seconds flat, if not less. The only danger he's ever posed is his prowess at a keyboard.
"Grey ordered Tim into his office and told him he'd either have to control himself or he'd be out of the division, and Lena would be assigned to another training officer. I don't know who that would be since I have Stella, and Harper and Angela are the real-life 'Cagney and Lacey.' I'm probably dating myself by remembering the show. Maybe Grey would bring in a TO from another division or transfer Lena. That would be a shame. She and Stella are pretty tight, and she's made a lot of other friends here. Anyway, Grey told Tim to up his visits to his therapist. I don't know if that will help. I really doubt that anything will help Tim except getting back together with Lucy. But he obviously isn't ready for that yet, so he'll either learn to cope with working around Lucy, or Grey will make sure he doesn't have to.
"We also have another kind of conflict going on at the division. We're less than two months out from a national election, and most of the cops have picked their sides. The candidates are very different in every way and to say political opinions are strong would be the understatement of the year, maybe the century. Smitty is carrying the banner on one side, which, strangely enough, is the same as Tim's. Who would think they'd agree on anything? Actually, they don't. Tim is strictly about law and order and Smitty is for lifting government regulations. Grey made him move his trailer out of the division parking lot and he's had to jump through legal hoops to park it elsewhere. I can understand that. I wouldn't want that eyesore in my neighborhood, either. Still, the situation makes for strange bedfellows.
"I'm on the other side of the fight. So is Lucy. My candidate is much more involved with preserving the environment, and I would very much like Essie to be able to breathe the air and drink the water when she grows up. I would also like to have a planet cool enough for my grandchildren, if I have any, to live on. Bailey feels the same way. She's seeing the results of global climate change way too up close and personal. Lucy has always been an earth mother, so as she puts it, she's for Gaia. Politics are just another thing Lucy and Tim will have to get past, but once the election is over, it may be less of an issue."
"Well, it's finally happened. Grey had enough of the conflict between Tim and Lucy. Tim's been transferred to the Hollywood Division. Actually, it was more of an exchange than a transfer. Grey couldn't afford to be down a cop, and Lena still needed a training officer. So, Hollywood's Sergeant Cox came to Mid-Wilshire to take over Tim's duties, including acting as Lena's TO. Tim will be a field supervisor in the Hollywood Division and may pick up a new rookie when the next class graduates.
"It's hard to tell what's going on with Lucy now. Celina says Lucy is quiet, which is definitely unusual. I guess the upside for her is that if Tim ever does get his head straight, they could date without breaking regs. But in the meantime, that may be small comfort. Most of us at the division are trying to make things as easy as possible for her while she adjusts.
Things are easier and definitely better for me and Essie. The wildfire is finally controlled, and Bailey is home! Essie suggested that we have an ice cream party to welcome her. I'm not sure if that's because Essie loves ice cream so much or if she thinks Bailey does, but I think it may be the latter. Essie is a very thoughtful girl, especially for someone her age. Anyway, we had the party, just family except that Ella was there too. Bailey's firehouse also celebrated her return. I think they missed her as much in the kitchen as on calls. Her chili is truly outstanding.
"Bailey wasn't sure about the idea of building a safe room. I think she hated the thought that we'd need one. She also worried that we might be caught if there was a fire. But she wants to be sure Essie will be safe, so we're putting our heads together with an expert from her firehouse on the fire resistance. That may up the cost of materials a little, but not much. I wasn't planning on using anything particularly flammable to begin with. So, the safe room will be my next home-improvement project for a while. Wrigley's wife sells real estate and says that a safe room will increase the value of the house, but after everything I've already put into restoring it and adding to it, I'm not interested in selling. I want it to be a home for Bailey and Essie and me, and for Henry whenever he's around, for a long time to come."