“No, baby.”
“Max?” she called.
“Right here, honey,” I whispered.
“My last thought was one of you,” she admitted.
God, she was killing me.
“Open your eyes, baby,” I urged.
She shook her head.
“Baby, open your eyes and look at me.”
She did, and silent tears started sliding down her cheeks.
“I thought I lost you,” her lips wobbled.
“Never, I vowed.”
Take me home,” she pleaded.
I brought her up to her feet. As we walked by a dead Irene and Kiki who was being read her rights, I turned her head into my chest, I didn’t want her to see any of it. This was now done for her. She was free.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
I kissed the top of her head.
After we were done in the E.R., I put a sleepy Skylar in my truck, got behind the wheel, and turned the key. Then, I took my woman home.
Epilogue
Max
Three months later
"I told you those two were hooking up," Joe said.
"Actually, you thought we already did when you said it," I corrected him.
"Fine. But I expect the invitation to the wedding."
Skylar shifted beside me, and I gave Joe a look to shut him up.
It didn't work.
He spread his arms wide, turned around in a circle, and declared, "Let it be known, I called it first."
"He's just teasing, baby," I whispered into Skylar's ear, hoping to make her more at ease.
She was nervous as hell when I said I invited the team to a barbecue. After the shooting, I got her the hell out of there, so she didn’t have a chance to meet them. After, they gave us space. But it was all over now. They wanted to meet her. She asked a million questions of what each of them liked, what was their preferred drink choice, snacks, and whatnot. She wanted their seal of approval. I would be lying if I said it felt good. Her knowing how much they meant to me. But she shouldn't have worried. She had it the moment I said her name in the squad room.
"Skylar, honey?" I called.
When she still remained leaned to the side, her eyes looking at something.
"Leave me be, boy. I'm old, not an invalid," someone was giving Broad hell.
Hearing that, Skylar stood straight, looked up at me, whispered, “Valeria's here.”
Then she shared a look with Melanie. I watched as she bit her lips, her shoulders jumped up and down. Skylar closed her eyes, and both her and Melanie squealed and ran in place before they were off like a couple of schoolgirls running for their idol. I've never seen Skylar so carefree, and so happy. Joe whistled, coming to stand by my side and watched as the pair danced around a smiling old, petite gray hair lady. The same lady who clapped to the beat only three of them could hear.
"You do know that woman's Barone's grandmother?” Liv asked as she came to stand by my other side.
"Yup," I took a swing of my beer.
"The same woman who got and served a nickel for helping women exercising their rights to choose what they will do with their bodies in the sixties? "
"Yup," I lowered my beer while still watching them. Valeria was pulling Skylar's head down and peppering her forehead with kisses.
"You're not going to tell her that, are you?"
"Nope," Skylar had the woman's arm wrapped around her elbow and was leading her to our huddle, stopping to introduce her to people and indicating the back deck in between.
"Good," Liv said.
***
"Can we take Valeria to the next game?"
It was the first football game of the season, and we had field passes.
"I don't know if you remember it, baby since you had a tough day, but I had to blackmail Rory into giving me those passes."
"I remember."
"So, you understand that they're not that easy to come by."
"I'm sure we can figure something out."
“We?"
"Yes, we."
"And what do you have in mind we should do to get them.?"
"We could promise you wouldn't go and harass her new client if she gave them to you."
"That's a good idea, Bean. The only problem is, I don't know who her client is."
"Maybe you don't, but I do."
Fuck.
I loved that woman.
And in six months, she would be my wife.
Skylar
“We could have been there,” I watch my husband whine at the enormous TV.
Our son and daughter listened vividly as he explained why it would be so great, and why a chance like that would never happen again. And I smiled. For the last ten years, I did that daily. I also laughed daily.
I fucked my husband. I married him. I gave him babies. And he gave all that back to me.
I shook my head, shared a look with Rory, took my phone out, and did what I didn’t do in a long time, something that Max encouraged me to do since he knew I found comfort in. I typed.
Hey Jacob, it’s me. I didn’t write in a while, but that’s because… I’m deliriously happy. I still think of you. I told Max all about you. Don’t worry. He knows my heart and body belongs only to him, so he’s not jealous. Much. Please tell my parents I love them. And tell Max’s Dad, we love him too. We miss you all. I also have a secret. I’m pregnant, and I didn't tell my husband yet. Oh, wait… I just did. I love you, Max!
I looked up and met my husband's eyes. He was holding his phone in his hand. His eyes were gentle on me.
He came to me, put his lips on mine.
“I love you, Bean,” he grinned against my lips before announcing. “We’re having a baby.”
After that, I watched from the safety of the deck as Jason threw his final ball in his professional career. And I talked baby stuff with Rory and Melanie. I was with my family.
The End