Roll Away Your Stone 11/18
Jun. 9th, 2011 05:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
whedonistSeries: Secret
Story: Roll Away Your Stone
Chapter: Exactly How…
Rating: R
Pairing: Nikki/Nora
Disclaimer/Details of Participation/Terms & Conditions: Not mine, no monies are being made and if I were to bill the owners my hourly rate...well...you get the idea.
A/N: This originally said something about no coffee…and there may have been a grunt in there too, but then magically, a cup appeared at my desk, perhaps delivered by a goddess or the devil in disguise...it’s a toss-up most days…but I thank her none the less. That being said, we’re nearing the end of Nora’s perspective on all of this, one more after today’s posting. I hope you’ve enjoyed and enjoy what’s coming up. Take care.
Ch. 11 – Exactly How…
“How long have we been coming here?” Jill asks before draining the last of her beer.
I shrug and look around Phantoms. No clue. I know that there are the regulars, the semi-regulars and the ones that are new to the club.
Ann is the one that answers her partner, “Since I moved here.” Her lips purse as her brows knit together.
“Baby, you moved here like, forever ago,” Jill whines and scoots her glass closer to Ann. Her head rests on Ann’s shoulder and she begins to play with Ann’s left hand with her right.
“Not that long ago,” Ann and I say at the same time. Really, it wasn’t that long ago.
“Uh,” Jill snickers, “Try July of Ninety. Fifteen years ago, baby. Fucking for-ever ago.”
My eyebrows knit together and Ann looks down to meet her wife’s wide brown eyes blinking back up at her. “That’s not forever, Jill, that’s like a while ago,” Ann grumbles while Jill uses her left hand to scoot Ann’s beer closer to her.
“Comparatively,” Jill smiles as her hand wraps around the half full mug, “You’re thirty-six, thirty-seven in October. Divide thirty-six by fifteen and you get nearly half, a little less, but still…” She pokes her wife’s side and proclaims, “For you, fifteen years is half your life.” She punctuates the math with a little firm nod of her head and bats her lashes for added effect. “Forever.”
“Smartass,” Ann proclaims and pecks waiting lips. As she pulls back, she stops Jill’s lips from meeting the mug she’s readying to drink from and takes it away. “You’re not that slick. Mine.”
The table laughs as Jill begins to pout and her bottom lip juts out. “But mine’s empty,” she whines.
“Tough cookies, doll,” my friend wiggles her eyebrows and goes to take a sip as she stares down her wife.
The pout deepens on Jill.
Nikki’s fingertips swirl along the inside of my thigh.
Ann caves and hands over her beer.
“Pushover,” Nikki laughs.
Jill just claps her hands before accepting the frosty beverage and drains it.
“Hey,” Patrick speaks up from next to Bobby and Chris. His eyes are a little glassy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my brother appropriately hammered. “Wait a second, you,” he points to Jill, “you were at Nora’s and Ann’s graduation party.” His fingers snap and he grins. “I remember now!”
We all kind of stop and stare at this. This was news?
I can’t help but rib him, “You just now putting that together, genius?”
“Where the hell have you been?” Ann follows up.
Patrick dismisses both of us with a wave of his hand. “She just looks really familiar. I’ve been trying to place her since the hospital.” He smiles proudly and states, “I just figured it out…was driving me nuts!”
“No,” his partner chimes in, “She looks familiar to me too.”
Those that aren’t complete morons exchange looks and smirk. Jill only talks about what she does when directly questioned. Most of the time, she gives a half truth about working in advertising. Not something I completely understand about the woman. On one level, she’s confidence and I swear if I didn’t know any better, she’d have a brass set, but then with her work, she’s not.
I sip my Jack and coke to keep the snickering to a minimum.
Patrick leans against Chris, draping his arm over his lover’s shoulders and coos into his neck, “Maybe I’m just rubbing off on ya.” He blinks and stares at Chris a minute before his face breaks out into a grin. “You’re just so damn cute.”
Chris pats the side of my brother’s face and grins back. “Love you too and you have rubbed off on me but that’s not it. Jill reminds me of this ad I saw…some model standing next to a set of amps and guitars.”
My brow furrows and I lean into Nikki and whisper, “I think I’m going to be sick.”
She rests her cheek against the top of my head and whispers back, “Why?”
“’Cause, seeing my brother, get cuddly and exchange innuendo with someone is kinda freaking me out,” I answer back.
I feel Nikki chuckle and she says, “He’s a sappy drunk and handsy…much like his sister. Hmmm,” she purrs and I feel a blunt nail inch higher along the inside of my thigh, “must run in the family.”
Before I have a chance to respond, Chris gets a little louder, “The model was pretty, but,” he wiggles a finger at Jill, “…you look a lot like her, you’re prettier… what was her name…something Ness. Last name. First was…Jennifer? Michelle? Jessica…?”
It takes another second of floundering before his eyes turn to slits and he says, “Jillian, her name is Jillian.” Cocking his head to the side with a lock of hair falling across his forehead, staring at Jill, I can’t help but agree with my brother; Chris isn’t hard on the eyes.
“Jilly, baby, please put our newly acquired friend out of his misery,” Ann pleads.
Rolling her eyes, Jill relents and stage whispers, “Don’t hurt yourself, Chrissy, that was me.”
“Eh?” Patrick’s head lifts up.
“You’re a model?” Chris asks a little flustered.
Jill nods.
“Uh, cool,” Chris says and lets it go.
“Well, now that that mystery is solved, I need more alcohol,” Ann declares. “Who wants what?”
A few orders are rattled off and I stand following my friend to the bar. Casey’s not in tonight. The new bartender, Jim Bo, says that she went to visit family out of town.
Casey doesn’t have any family.
I plan on calling her tomorrow to see what’s going on. We don’t hang out near enough, but we both make it a point to keep in touch.
“So,” Ann starts as we wait out the three people ahead of us at the bar, “Everything okay?”
I shoot my ex a look and get a cocky half grin in return.
“I was gonna come up and stop the argument,” she offers and drawls, “but…by the look of that hickey on your neck, I’m glad Jill stopped me.”
Immediately my hand goes up to rub self-consciously at the mark. I stammer, “We, uh, yeah, we got…got it worked out.”
Sighing at the look being given to me, I admit, “We went to look at June Lee. Then there was a run in with a local dealer and I had a…” the word ‘meltdown’ catches in my throat and I manage, “a moment.”
“Hmm,” Ann clucks and rocks back on heels, “is that what we’re calling it?”
I can only nod as we shuffle forward.
Her arm reaches out and snakes around my waist, pulling me to her. “Just to remind you, stubborn ass, if you need to talk, I’m here.”
“I know,” I nod, “I’m good.”
I don’t look at her, but I know she’s studying me, trying to gauge just how “good” I am. She must find it suitable as she says, “Jill and I talked, we can stay another week if you want us too. John even told me to make sure Nikki was okay before coming back.”
“She’s okay, I’m okay, but tell John thanks. You need to get back to your own life.”
“Woah, there Nora,” Ann balks and snips, “Don’t give me that shit. You’re like…”
“If you say I’m like your sister, I’m going to pop you,” I warn.
Her face scrunches and she shakes her head. “That’s just gross. That’d mean incest and let’s be real here. If Jill weren’t in the picture and Nikki weren’t in the picture…” Her eyebrow arcs and we both grin.
“Fire, Annie,” I chide, “Why are we playing with it?”
She shrugs, “Just being honest. You’re numero two on my priority list.” Her voice drops and she leans into me, “It’s not impossible to love two people at once.”
“Ann,” I warn.
“Let me be honest about this,” she waggles a finger between the two of us, “just for right now. Just don’t fucking insult me, Nor and say that my life doesn’t involve you.” She pokes her finger in my chest. “So let’s cut the bullshit and own up to it. I know you have Patrick here and Chris, but…”
“They’re not you or Jill,” I answer allowing her the meager confession. “And yes, I’d love for you guys to stay…” I cut off the forever and let it go. “But you two have a lot going on.”
She sobers a moment, giving me a look that says she understands. “I thought I’d put it out there. How are you and Patrick doing?”
“What do you mean?” I ask feeling like I missed something on the topic change.
“I dunno,” she shrugs, “It’s just a lot to take in. The last time we really talked was the day after your birthday. Things seemed good, but then…” she motions behind us, “like everything went all…it…”
“Shit hit the fan?” I supply. She readily shakes her head and I shrug. “When it rains it pours,” I say as we finally make it up to the bar.
Ann places our orders and our conversation dies off as we wait for them to be filled. Leaning against each other, we turn and watch our table. Jill and Nikki are leaning into each other, laughing as they wipe away tears. It looks like Pat was telling a story and by Bobby’s face, I’m thinking that it was about him.
“Ladies,” I hear behind us. We turn and grab the freshly poured drinks and make our way back to the table to resume the night’s festivities.
The street’s quiet for a Tuesday morning. The sun is just barely starting to rise. For all intents it looks to be shaping up like a wonderful day, but the morning still sucks.
So I do what any reasonable adult would do and make light of the situation, “Thank God you two are leaving today.” I smile at the three brunettes standing around and mock, “If I had to hear ’Damn baby right there’ or ‘Oh, fuck, Jill, yes,’ one more time, I was going to muzzle you both.”
Nikki gives me a half hearted snicker and Jill’s lips press together. It’s Ann that gives as good as she gets, “Ha! You’re one to talk with the wails of ‘Nikki’s I’ve been subjected to or the tell-tale rhythmic squeak and bump of the bed and head board…” She arcs an eyebrow at me and I know I’m in for it as she goes in for the kill, “Nor can I get the mental image caused by the misfortunate overhearing of Nikki’s labored bemoaning about sitting on your face.”
“Oh. My. God.” Nikki squeaks. It’s an amazement to me because out of all the sounds I’ve heard my lover make or tone of voice used, I don’t recall ever hearing that sound past those lips. It also does something to me to know that she can at least be a little embarrassed.
It makes me a little bolder.
I shrug off Ann’s jibe and grin at her instead. “I’m just trying to do my part to debunk the lesbian death bed myth.”
“Oh,” Ann is all smiles, “I’m sure Jilly will help me, help you. Would video proof help?”
The woman in question finally speaks up, “Hey, I told you those tapes stay under lock and key.” She swats Ann’s arm for emphasis and goes to do it again, but Ann grabs her wrist and spins her so that Ann’s back is to Jill’s front with the model’s arms pinned to her side.
Sighing, I run a hand through my hair and whine, “You two should just move back down here.”
“You two should just move up to Virginia,” Jill retorts.
The four of us look at each other before we all shake our heads.
It would be…I don’t want to leave New Orleans. It’s my home, but…
I can’t say it’s not tempting.
“Have a safe flight,” Nikki manages to find her voice and accepts the group hug from the couple.
They turn their sites on me when they let Nikki go. “Love you Nora,” Ann and Jill say at the same time. I squeeze them back just as hard finding it harder this time for some reason to let them go.
I brush a few stray tears away as they get in their rental and drive off. Two hands pop out of the side windows and wave.
Nikki’s arm slips around my waist as she plants a kiss to the side of my head. “Come on,” she says, “Let’s get ready for work. If we’re quick, you may even have time to scrub my back.”
I smile and turn us around. She knows how to take my mind off just about everything.
“Explain why you wanted to arrive early today, sugga?” Nikki purrs from across our desks.
I look around at the near empty bull pen, Jesse and Georgia and Dom and Benny aren’t in yet. The case board has one active on it and three closed. The only people here are three uniforms over in the corner keeping to themselves. Then there’s Nikki and I.
My lips pinch together and I get annoyed that I made us finish up our shower earlier than either of us would have preferred. The only bonus to this crappy morning was finding out that Patrick can cook. He had bacon and eggs ready for us when we came down the stairs.
Shaking my head, I say, “Not really sure. Seemed like a good idea at the time. Second day back and all.”
She clucks her tongue and gives me a pointed look before going back to the small stack of files that Dan asked us to review. I’m not sure why we’re actually doing this. They’re old cases. Opened before I was even in the unit, but never closed.
One rape-homicide and a missing person’s case sit open on my desk. Nikki’s holds a string of B & E’s that started six summer’s ago and ended at the same time. Three stores, three different neighborhoods. My cases are more gruesome. The techs that responded did a good job of collecting the evidence, cataloging and photographing everything along the way. Maybe I’ll head down to the basement and see if I can pull the physical evidence still on file. The vic for the rape-homicide was a thirty-two year old married accountant.
I get that most crimes are one of opportunity and victims can be just as unfortunate as the person that sat next to them at a movie, but…it’s nagging at me.
“Delaney, Beaumont,” Dan barks as he strides into the pen. He’s all smiles in his light blue button up, pale yellow tie and gray slacks. “Nice to see you two at your desks.” He doesn’t break his stride as he barks over his shoulder, “I want you two in front of my desk in ten minutes. Give me a chance to get settled in and then we need to talk.”
Nikki and I exchange a look or four and I wince as his door shuts a little harder than what I know he intended it too.
“Oh,” Benny says as he breezes through, Dom trailing behind him with a tray full of coffee cups and a pink box from the café down the street balanced on top. “Looks like someone pissed Dad off.” Benny stops and takes the box from his partner. He pulls it open and offers Nikki and I our first pick of the fresh beignets from the box. I pluck one and Nikki picks two. “Which is surprising, you two ladies ain’t been back a whole forty-eight hours yet.”
“Thanks,” we say at the same time while I fill in, “Dan’s got a bug up his ass. I usually get the fallout from it, but what’s the occasion on the early morning charity?”
Benny lays a hand on my shoulder in commiseration then explains, “Dom lost on Saturday.” He also plunks two large cups of coffee down on our desks.
It must be our luck day.
“Bet?” Nikki asks while covering her mouth trying to finish the bite of pastry.
“Numb nuts over here thought it’d a good thing to bet on the Hornets.” Benny shakes his head. “We don’t have that great of a line up this year. I’m not sure what the hell my partner was thinking.”
Dom stands behind his partner and grumbles, “Ain’t no way I was bettin’ on some other team. Fuckin’ trader. You and the damn Celtics.”
Benny laughs and shrugs. “Just ‘cause I got actual loyalties to my teams…” he wags a finger at Dom. “You’re just sore ‘cause I got you on the over under. Let’s wait ‘till the WNCAA Sweet Sixteen.”
Dom’s face sours and her grumps again, “I don’t follow women’s college basketball.”
Shaking his head, Benny winks at us and gathers up the box of beignets. “One day Dom, one day, we’ll get your head on straight. The boys are fun to watch don’t get me wrong, but you ain’t gonna see a more passionate game played when you watch those college girls. Shit, I‘d shit my pants and piss myself before taking one of them on.”
“Thanks again guys,” I call out to them. Dom turns around and offers me a good natured grin before telling his partner to ‘shut the fuck up about that shit’.
Looking over at Nikki, I motion to Dan’s door. She nods and grabs her coffee.
“Let’s see what your ex-partner in crime’s got lined up for us,” Nikki teases as we make our way to the door.
My partner doesn’t bother knocking before swinging the door open and sauntering in.
Dan’s head looks away from his computer screen and he smiles at us.
“You take your medication?” I ask as I plop down in my designated chair.
“Hardy har har, Nora,” Dan snips. “Being a smart ass Delaney won’t change what I have to say.” He looks between Nikki and I. The look he gives us causes my tongue to firmly plant itself in my cheek. Something’s up.
“Dan,” Nikki says, “What’s going on?”
The muscles in his jaw bunch as he pushes away from his desk a little bit. “I had an early morning meeting with Hosli. There were a few other Lieu’s involved. I do this once every six months, personnel updates, stats on how our performance is.” He rubs the back of his neck. “Uh, we were discussing the units current lineup and Hosli feels it’s in the best interest of our unit and individual development to do a little shuffling. Jesse and Georgia have been partners for the shortest amount of time, but Benny and Dom have been partners longer than everyone else. You two are next.”
“Tell me you aren’t saying what I think you’re saying?” Nikki snaps.
“I’m sorry you two. I wanted to talk to you two before I talked to Dom and Benny. We’ve got more at stake here and I don’t know how much of this is caused by the recent rumblings from your stint in the hospital. I know it has something to do with it.” Dan can’t meet my eyes.
“Is it permanent?” I choke out, unable to really get past what I’m hearing. The last time Nikki and I were split up, I nearly got blown up and we took a hellish break from our relationship. I’d just as soon forget that ever happened.
Dan shrugs. “I don’t think so. I’m going to try for it not to be and hey, it could be a good thing right?” He looks a little skeptical as the words leave his mouth, “Maybe we can get things to quiet down some with you two not working together for a little while. Hell,” he grins, “you could end up like working with someone else.”
My face sours even further.
“We done?” I snap.
Dan nods. “I need to talk to the dynamic duo and then I think everyone will be in here for a unit roll out.”
“Fine,” Nikki and I say at the same time.
I just fucking knew this day was going to fucking suck.
As we step out of the office, Nikki calls out, “Butch, Sundance, Lieu wants to see you.”
They nod and Dom hands me a piece of paper, “Your mother, very sweet lady by the way, dropped this off for you. She wanted to chat, but we told her you were in with Dan. So she gave this to me.” He shrugs as I mumble my thanks.
Nikki gives me a look as I slit the envelop open and read the letter.
Nora,
You and Nikki are to be home on Sunday at five p.m. for family supper. Terry, Joanie and the boys will be down for a visit. Your brothers have already been informed.
- Mom
I pass the letter to Nikki and watch her jaw drop a little.
Maybe we can jump in the Pontchartrain together before Sunday rolls around.
Next>>>
Story: Roll Away Your Stone
Chapter: Exactly How…
Rating: R
Pairing: Nikki/Nora
Disclaimer/Details of Participation/Terms & Conditions: Not mine, no monies are being made and if I were to bill the owners my hourly rate...well...you get the idea.
A/N: This originally said something about no coffee…and there may have been a grunt in there too, but then magically, a cup appeared at my desk, perhaps delivered by a goddess or the devil in disguise...it’s a toss-up most days…but I thank her none the less. That being said, we’re nearing the end of Nora’s perspective on all of this, one more after today’s posting. I hope you’ve enjoyed and enjoy what’s coming up. Take care.
“How long have we been coming here?” Jill asks before draining the last of her beer.
I shrug and look around Phantoms. No clue. I know that there are the regulars, the semi-regulars and the ones that are new to the club.
Ann is the one that answers her partner, “Since I moved here.” Her lips purse as her brows knit together.
“Baby, you moved here like, forever ago,” Jill whines and scoots her glass closer to Ann. Her head rests on Ann’s shoulder and she begins to play with Ann’s left hand with her right.
“Not that long ago,” Ann and I say at the same time. Really, it wasn’t that long ago.
“Uh,” Jill snickers, “Try July of Ninety. Fifteen years ago, baby. Fucking for-ever ago.”
My eyebrows knit together and Ann looks down to meet her wife’s wide brown eyes blinking back up at her. “That’s not forever, Jill, that’s like a while ago,” Ann grumbles while Jill uses her left hand to scoot Ann’s beer closer to her.
“Comparatively,” Jill smiles as her hand wraps around the half full mug, “You’re thirty-six, thirty-seven in October. Divide thirty-six by fifteen and you get nearly half, a little less, but still…” She pokes her wife’s side and proclaims, “For you, fifteen years is half your life.” She punctuates the math with a little firm nod of her head and bats her lashes for added effect. “Forever.”
“Smartass,” Ann proclaims and pecks waiting lips. As she pulls back, she stops Jill’s lips from meeting the mug she’s readying to drink from and takes it away. “You’re not that slick. Mine.”
The table laughs as Jill begins to pout and her bottom lip juts out. “But mine’s empty,” she whines.
“Tough cookies, doll,” my friend wiggles her eyebrows and goes to take a sip as she stares down her wife.
The pout deepens on Jill.
Nikki’s fingertips swirl along the inside of my thigh.
Ann caves and hands over her beer.
“Pushover,” Nikki laughs.
Jill just claps her hands before accepting the frosty beverage and drains it.
“Hey,” Patrick speaks up from next to Bobby and Chris. His eyes are a little glassy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my brother appropriately hammered. “Wait a second, you,” he points to Jill, “you were at Nora’s and Ann’s graduation party.” His fingers snap and he grins. “I remember now!”
We all kind of stop and stare at this. This was news?
I can’t help but rib him, “You just now putting that together, genius?”
“Where the hell have you been?” Ann follows up.
Patrick dismisses both of us with a wave of his hand. “She just looks really familiar. I’ve been trying to place her since the hospital.” He smiles proudly and states, “I just figured it out…was driving me nuts!”
“No,” his partner chimes in, “She looks familiar to me too.”
Those that aren’t complete morons exchange looks and smirk. Jill only talks about what she does when directly questioned. Most of the time, she gives a half truth about working in advertising. Not something I completely understand about the woman. On one level, she’s confidence and I swear if I didn’t know any better, she’d have a brass set, but then with her work, she’s not.
I sip my Jack and coke to keep the snickering to a minimum.
Patrick leans against Chris, draping his arm over his lover’s shoulders and coos into his neck, “Maybe I’m just rubbing off on ya.” He blinks and stares at Chris a minute before his face breaks out into a grin. “You’re just so damn cute.”
Chris pats the side of my brother’s face and grins back. “Love you too and you have rubbed off on me but that’s not it. Jill reminds me of this ad I saw…some model standing next to a set of amps and guitars.”
My brow furrows and I lean into Nikki and whisper, “I think I’m going to be sick.”
She rests her cheek against the top of my head and whispers back, “Why?”
“’Cause, seeing my brother, get cuddly and exchange innuendo with someone is kinda freaking me out,” I answer back.
I feel Nikki chuckle and she says, “He’s a sappy drunk and handsy…much like his sister. Hmmm,” she purrs and I feel a blunt nail inch higher along the inside of my thigh, “must run in the family.”
Before I have a chance to respond, Chris gets a little louder, “The model was pretty, but,” he wiggles a finger at Jill, “…you look a lot like her, you’re prettier… what was her name…something Ness. Last name. First was…Jennifer? Michelle? Jessica…?”
It takes another second of floundering before his eyes turn to slits and he says, “Jillian, her name is Jillian.” Cocking his head to the side with a lock of hair falling across his forehead, staring at Jill, I can’t help but agree with my brother; Chris isn’t hard on the eyes.
“Jilly, baby, please put our newly acquired friend out of his misery,” Ann pleads.
Rolling her eyes, Jill relents and stage whispers, “Don’t hurt yourself, Chrissy, that was me.”
“Eh?” Patrick’s head lifts up.
“You’re a model?” Chris asks a little flustered.
Jill nods.
“Uh, cool,” Chris says and lets it go.
“Well, now that that mystery is solved, I need more alcohol,” Ann declares. “Who wants what?”
A few orders are rattled off and I stand following my friend to the bar. Casey’s not in tonight. The new bartender, Jim Bo, says that she went to visit family out of town.
Casey doesn’t have any family.
I plan on calling her tomorrow to see what’s going on. We don’t hang out near enough, but we both make it a point to keep in touch.
“So,” Ann starts as we wait out the three people ahead of us at the bar, “Everything okay?”
I shoot my ex a look and get a cocky half grin in return.
“I was gonna come up and stop the argument,” she offers and drawls, “but…by the look of that hickey on your neck, I’m glad Jill stopped me.”
Immediately my hand goes up to rub self-consciously at the mark. I stammer, “We, uh, yeah, we got…got it worked out.”
Sighing at the look being given to me, I admit, “We went to look at June Lee. Then there was a run in with a local dealer and I had a…” the word ‘meltdown’ catches in my throat and I manage, “a moment.”
“Hmm,” Ann clucks and rocks back on heels, “is that what we’re calling it?”
I can only nod as we shuffle forward.
Her arm reaches out and snakes around my waist, pulling me to her. “Just to remind you, stubborn ass, if you need to talk, I’m here.”
“I know,” I nod, “I’m good.”
I don’t look at her, but I know she’s studying me, trying to gauge just how “good” I am. She must find it suitable as she says, “Jill and I talked, we can stay another week if you want us too. John even told me to make sure Nikki was okay before coming back.”
“She’s okay, I’m okay, but tell John thanks. You need to get back to your own life.”
“Woah, there Nora,” Ann balks and snips, “Don’t give me that shit. You’re like…”
“If you say I’m like your sister, I’m going to pop you,” I warn.
Her face scrunches and she shakes her head. “That’s just gross. That’d mean incest and let’s be real here. If Jill weren’t in the picture and Nikki weren’t in the picture…” Her eyebrow arcs and we both grin.
“Fire, Annie,” I chide, “Why are we playing with it?”
She shrugs, “Just being honest. You’re numero two on my priority list.” Her voice drops and she leans into me, “It’s not impossible to love two people at once.”
“Ann,” I warn.
“Let me be honest about this,” she waggles a finger between the two of us, “just for right now. Just don’t fucking insult me, Nor and say that my life doesn’t involve you.” She pokes her finger in my chest. “So let’s cut the bullshit and own up to it. I know you have Patrick here and Chris, but…”
“They’re not you or Jill,” I answer allowing her the meager confession. “And yes, I’d love for you guys to stay…” I cut off the forever and let it go. “But you two have a lot going on.”
She sobers a moment, giving me a look that says she understands. “I thought I’d put it out there. How are you and Patrick doing?”
“What do you mean?” I ask feeling like I missed something on the topic change.
“I dunno,” she shrugs, “It’s just a lot to take in. The last time we really talked was the day after your birthday. Things seemed good, but then…” she motions behind us, “like everything went all…it…”
“Shit hit the fan?” I supply. She readily shakes her head and I shrug. “When it rains it pours,” I say as we finally make it up to the bar.
Ann places our orders and our conversation dies off as we wait for them to be filled. Leaning against each other, we turn and watch our table. Jill and Nikki are leaning into each other, laughing as they wipe away tears. It looks like Pat was telling a story and by Bobby’s face, I’m thinking that it was about him.
“Ladies,” I hear behind us. We turn and grab the freshly poured drinks and make our way back to the table to resume the night’s festivities.
The street’s quiet for a Tuesday morning. The sun is just barely starting to rise. For all intents it looks to be shaping up like a wonderful day, but the morning still sucks.
So I do what any reasonable adult would do and make light of the situation, “Thank God you two are leaving today.” I smile at the three brunettes standing around and mock, “If I had to hear ’Damn baby right there’ or ‘Oh, fuck, Jill, yes,’ one more time, I was going to muzzle you both.”
Nikki gives me a half hearted snicker and Jill’s lips press together. It’s Ann that gives as good as she gets, “Ha! You’re one to talk with the wails of ‘Nikki’s I’ve been subjected to or the tell-tale rhythmic squeak and bump of the bed and head board…” She arcs an eyebrow at me and I know I’m in for it as she goes in for the kill, “Nor can I get the mental image caused by the misfortunate overhearing of Nikki’s labored bemoaning about sitting on your face.”
“Oh. My. God.” Nikki squeaks. It’s an amazement to me because out of all the sounds I’ve heard my lover make or tone of voice used, I don’t recall ever hearing that sound past those lips. It also does something to me to know that she can at least be a little embarrassed.
It makes me a little bolder.
I shrug off Ann’s jibe and grin at her instead. “I’m just trying to do my part to debunk the lesbian death bed myth.”
“Oh,” Ann is all smiles, “I’m sure Jilly will help me, help you. Would video proof help?”
The woman in question finally speaks up, “Hey, I told you those tapes stay under lock and key.” She swats Ann’s arm for emphasis and goes to do it again, but Ann grabs her wrist and spins her so that Ann’s back is to Jill’s front with the model’s arms pinned to her side.
Sighing, I run a hand through my hair and whine, “You two should just move back down here.”
“You two should just move up to Virginia,” Jill retorts.
The four of us look at each other before we all shake our heads.
It would be…I don’t want to leave New Orleans. It’s my home, but…
I can’t say it’s not tempting.
“Have a safe flight,” Nikki manages to find her voice and accepts the group hug from the couple.
They turn their sites on me when they let Nikki go. “Love you Nora,” Ann and Jill say at the same time. I squeeze them back just as hard finding it harder this time for some reason to let them go.
I brush a few stray tears away as they get in their rental and drive off. Two hands pop out of the side windows and wave.
Nikki’s arm slips around my waist as she plants a kiss to the side of my head. “Come on,” she says, “Let’s get ready for work. If we’re quick, you may even have time to scrub my back.”
I smile and turn us around. She knows how to take my mind off just about everything.
“Explain why you wanted to arrive early today, sugga?” Nikki purrs from across our desks.
I look around at the near empty bull pen, Jesse and Georgia and Dom and Benny aren’t in yet. The case board has one active on it and three closed. The only people here are three uniforms over in the corner keeping to themselves. Then there’s Nikki and I.
My lips pinch together and I get annoyed that I made us finish up our shower earlier than either of us would have preferred. The only bonus to this crappy morning was finding out that Patrick can cook. He had bacon and eggs ready for us when we came down the stairs.
Shaking my head, I say, “Not really sure. Seemed like a good idea at the time. Second day back and all.”
She clucks her tongue and gives me a pointed look before going back to the small stack of files that Dan asked us to review. I’m not sure why we’re actually doing this. They’re old cases. Opened before I was even in the unit, but never closed.
One rape-homicide and a missing person’s case sit open on my desk. Nikki’s holds a string of B & E’s that started six summer’s ago and ended at the same time. Three stores, three different neighborhoods. My cases are more gruesome. The techs that responded did a good job of collecting the evidence, cataloging and photographing everything along the way. Maybe I’ll head down to the basement and see if I can pull the physical evidence still on file. The vic for the rape-homicide was a thirty-two year old married accountant.
I get that most crimes are one of opportunity and victims can be just as unfortunate as the person that sat next to them at a movie, but…it’s nagging at me.
“Delaney, Beaumont,” Dan barks as he strides into the pen. He’s all smiles in his light blue button up, pale yellow tie and gray slacks. “Nice to see you two at your desks.” He doesn’t break his stride as he barks over his shoulder, “I want you two in front of my desk in ten minutes. Give me a chance to get settled in and then we need to talk.”
Nikki and I exchange a look or four and I wince as his door shuts a little harder than what I know he intended it too.
“Oh,” Benny says as he breezes through, Dom trailing behind him with a tray full of coffee cups and a pink box from the café down the street balanced on top. “Looks like someone pissed Dad off.” Benny stops and takes the box from his partner. He pulls it open and offers Nikki and I our first pick of the fresh beignets from the box. I pluck one and Nikki picks two. “Which is surprising, you two ladies ain’t been back a whole forty-eight hours yet.”
“Thanks,” we say at the same time while I fill in, “Dan’s got a bug up his ass. I usually get the fallout from it, but what’s the occasion on the early morning charity?”
Benny lays a hand on my shoulder in commiseration then explains, “Dom lost on Saturday.” He also plunks two large cups of coffee down on our desks.
It must be our luck day.
“Bet?” Nikki asks while covering her mouth trying to finish the bite of pastry.
“Numb nuts over here thought it’d a good thing to bet on the Hornets.” Benny shakes his head. “We don’t have that great of a line up this year. I’m not sure what the hell my partner was thinking.”
Dom stands behind his partner and grumbles, “Ain’t no way I was bettin’ on some other team. Fuckin’ trader. You and the damn Celtics.”
Benny laughs and shrugs. “Just ‘cause I got actual loyalties to my teams…” he wags a finger at Dom. “You’re just sore ‘cause I got you on the over under. Let’s wait ‘till the WNCAA Sweet Sixteen.”
Dom’s face sours and her grumps again, “I don’t follow women’s college basketball.”
Shaking his head, Benny winks at us and gathers up the box of beignets. “One day Dom, one day, we’ll get your head on straight. The boys are fun to watch don’t get me wrong, but you ain’t gonna see a more passionate game played when you watch those college girls. Shit, I‘d shit my pants and piss myself before taking one of them on.”
“Thanks again guys,” I call out to them. Dom turns around and offers me a good natured grin before telling his partner to ‘shut the fuck up about that shit’.
Looking over at Nikki, I motion to Dan’s door. She nods and grabs her coffee.
“Let’s see what your ex-partner in crime’s got lined up for us,” Nikki teases as we make our way to the door.
My partner doesn’t bother knocking before swinging the door open and sauntering in.
Dan’s head looks away from his computer screen and he smiles at us.
“You take your medication?” I ask as I plop down in my designated chair.
“Hardy har har, Nora,” Dan snips. “Being a smart ass Delaney won’t change what I have to say.” He looks between Nikki and I. The look he gives us causes my tongue to firmly plant itself in my cheek. Something’s up.
“Dan,” Nikki says, “What’s going on?”
The muscles in his jaw bunch as he pushes away from his desk a little bit. “I had an early morning meeting with Hosli. There were a few other Lieu’s involved. I do this once every six months, personnel updates, stats on how our performance is.” He rubs the back of his neck. “Uh, we were discussing the units current lineup and Hosli feels it’s in the best interest of our unit and individual development to do a little shuffling. Jesse and Georgia have been partners for the shortest amount of time, but Benny and Dom have been partners longer than everyone else. You two are next.”
“Tell me you aren’t saying what I think you’re saying?” Nikki snaps.
“I’m sorry you two. I wanted to talk to you two before I talked to Dom and Benny. We’ve got more at stake here and I don’t know how much of this is caused by the recent rumblings from your stint in the hospital. I know it has something to do with it.” Dan can’t meet my eyes.
“Is it permanent?” I choke out, unable to really get past what I’m hearing. The last time Nikki and I were split up, I nearly got blown up and we took a hellish break from our relationship. I’d just as soon forget that ever happened.
Dan shrugs. “I don’t think so. I’m going to try for it not to be and hey, it could be a good thing right?” He looks a little skeptical as the words leave his mouth, “Maybe we can get things to quiet down some with you two not working together for a little while. Hell,” he grins, “you could end up like working with someone else.”
My face sours even further.
“We done?” I snap.
Dan nods. “I need to talk to the dynamic duo and then I think everyone will be in here for a unit roll out.”
“Fine,” Nikki and I say at the same time.
I just fucking knew this day was going to fucking suck.
As we step out of the office, Nikki calls out, “Butch, Sundance, Lieu wants to see you.”
They nod and Dom hands me a piece of paper, “Your mother, very sweet lady by the way, dropped this off for you. She wanted to chat, but we told her you were in with Dan. So she gave this to me.” He shrugs as I mumble my thanks.
Nikki gives me a look as I slit the envelop open and read the letter.
You and Nikki are to be home on Sunday at five p.m. for family supper. Terry, Joanie and the boys will be down for a visit. Your brothers have already been informed.
- Mom
I pass the letter to Nikki and watch her jaw drop a little.
Maybe we can jump in the Pontchartrain together before Sunday rolls around.
Next>>>
