Christopher Lorenzo walked down the halls of the Palm Beach Police Department, homicide division, for the first time in seven years. He held his three year old son, CJ, in his arms, while his six year old daughter, Alexandra, walked beside him. It was the first time he’d really been out in public since his wife had died five months earlier. Subsequent to her death, he’d locked himself up in the house, only going out to bring Lexie to and from school. Finally, he couldn’t stand being in the house any longer, and he decided to sell it. Then, the decision was made to move his children and himself back to Palm Beach. The only family he had left was in Palm Beach, and he knew that’s where he had to be too.
As he walked through the familiar doors and passed by his old desk, time seemed to have stopped for a second, and he was still half of Palm Beach’s best homicide team. Taking a closer look at his surroundings, Chris noticed that not much had changed. The desks were still scattered around the room in the same place he’d left them. Even the coffee pot was in the same spot it had always been. The only thing missing was him and Rita sitting at their desks working on a case, but that was something they hadn’t done in a long time and something he believed they’d never do again.
Then, his eyes came to the door of Cap’s office, and he noticed that it wasn’t Cap’s office anymore. The sign on the door now read, "Captain Rita Lee Lance, Palm Beach Homicide Division".
"Captain?" he whispered to himself aloud. He immediately felt guilty for ignoring her phone calls over the last couple months, knowing that he would have been the first she had told about her promotion. Up until Jillian’s accident, Chris and Rita had remained in close contact ever since he left Palm Beach and moved to Boston. But when Jillian had been hit and killed by a drunk driver, Chris not only closed himself up in the house, but he refused any calls for the next few months. He hadn’t even spoken to Rita since before Jillian’s accident, so she had no idea he was in Palm Beach. She was definitely in for a shock.
As if he were in a trance, Chris emerged with a start when Alexandra, or Lexie as Chris called her, tugged on his jacket.
"Daddy, can we see Aunt Rita yet?" she asked. Chris and Rita had not only kept close contact over the phone for the past seven years, but they flew back and forth from Palm Beach to Boston every chance they got. Chris was especially glad that Rita had the opportunity to know his children and be a major part of their lives.
"Yeah, Lexie. How about we go surprise her right now?"
"Yay!" Lexie took off for the door, and Chris followed close behind.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Rita heard the door to her office open and footsteps approaching. Expecting a report on a recent high profile case from one of her dectectives, she started talking without looking up from the stack of papers on her desk.
"Evans, you’d better have more for me than a ‘we’re working on it’. This case is way up there on the social registry, and the DA’s riding me about it." When she didn’t get a response, Rita looked up and found that she was staring right into the eyes of her six year old goddaughter. Shocked, her own eyes lit up with joy. "Lexie?"
"Hi Aunt Rita! You know you, Daddy, and CJ are the only ones who call me Lexie. Mommy used to call me Alexandra Rose, and everyone else calls me Alexandra," said the cheerful little voice. Rita jumped up from behind her desk and captured Lexie in a hug.
"I missed you so much, Lexie! Where’s Daddy and CJ? When did you get in? What are you doing here?" she uttered, all in one breath.
"Right here, an hour ago, and the house back in Boston is on the market as we speak, so we’re here to stay. Did I answer all your questions?" Chris asked, as he entered Rita’s office. Rita turned around with Lexie in her arms to see Chris and CJ standing in her office doorway.
"Sam! I don’t know whether to hug you or shoot you," she said truthfully. She had been worried sick for the last couple months on account of Chris refusing all her phone calls and letters. She was just about ready to go to Boston to see that he was all right, after giving him some time to grieve, and here he was standing right in front of her.
"How about you hug me now, and shoot me after we catch up a little?" he kidded.
"Will you just come here and give me a hug already, Christopher?"
"It would be my pleasure." Chris walked over to her, and they hugged each other as tight as they could, considering they each had a kid on their arm.
"Now, what were you saying about moving to Palm Beach?" she asked, praying she’d heard him right.
"Well, I woke up one morning last week… and pretty much kicked myself for shutting the world out for the last few months, and I decided it’s time to start living again… But the memories back in Boston were too much, so I asked myself ‘Lorenzo, where’s the best place you know to raise your kids?’ and Palm Beach was the only place that came to mind… So, here I am."
"I’m so glad you’re here. You don’t know how much I’ve missed you. I was about ready to hop on a plane to Boston, but we got a high profile silk stalking, and the DA’s breathing down my neck, so I got stuck here." CJ started to make noise, drawing Rita’s attention to him. She placed Lexie on the ground and took him from Chris’s arms. "Hey there, kiddo. How are you?" CJ just smiled and turned his head away shyly, making Rita laugh. "He’s gotten so big, Sam. They both have," she said as she looked back to Lexie.
"Yup. I keep telling them to stop growing, but they don’t seem to listen to me, about that or anything else for that matter." Rita laughed.
"Daddy, it’s not my fault I keep getting taller. Mommy used to say that you grow every day and you don’t even know it, and she was a doctor, so who do you think I’m gonna believe?"
"She did, huh?" Chris said sadly. It was the first time Jillian’s name had entered the conversation.
"Yup. All the time!" Lexie said dramatically, as would most kids that age.
"I don’t remember," said CJ. Unfortunately, he was too young to remember much about Jillian.
Rita turned to Chris and saw the pain in his eyes and knew he needed to talk.
"Hey guys, how about you go play in the new office next to mine for a while, so Daddy and I can talk? Then, we’ll come get you and take you out for pizza."
"Pizza! Yay!" they said excitedly.
Rita led them to the adjoining office and closed the door behind them before turning back to Chris.
"You ahhh… want some coffee?" she asked, unsure of how to start the conversation.
"No thanks, Sammy."
"Okay. Well, I’m gonna go get me a refill, so I’ll be right back. Make yourself comfortable."
Rita walked over to the coffee machine outside her office and started fixing her coffee. She looked through her blinds and into her office to see Chris sitting in one of the chairs in front of her desk with his elbows leaning on his knees and his head resting in his hands. He looked terrible, and it was evident that he needed to talk to someone, but not just anyone… to his best friend.
She walked back into the office and took the seat next to him after taking a sip of her coffee and placing it on her desk. She turned to look directly at him before she spoke.
"So, you wanna talk about it?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"I guess?"
"Okay, yeah, I wanna talk. See, Sam, I’ve been so lost these last few months, and I don’t know what to do about it."
"You miss her a lot, don’t you?"
"Of course I miss her, but that’s not what’s bothering me, Sammy."
"Then, what’s wrong, Chris? Is it the kids?"
"Not directly, no."
"What do you mean ‘not directly’?"
"It’s just that they keep asking me about Jillian, you know? And they have every right to know about their mother, but I just…"
"You what?"
"I don’t know what to tell them, Rita."
"Why not?"
"I don’t know. It’s like after six and a half years of marriage, I’m just now realizing that I didn’t even know my wife."
"What are you talking about Chris? You have two children together. Of course you knew your wife."
"Yeah, I knew her, but I don’t think I really knew her, knew her, Sammy." Rita looked at him in confusion, so Chris tried to explain further. "Okay, for example, you know how before Lexie was saying that Jillian always used to say that you grew without even knowing it, right?"
"Right."
"Well, I don’t remember her ever saying that, not even once."
"Just because you don’t remember one thing that Jillian used to say, doesn’t mean you didn’t know her Chris."
"Sam, I hardly remember much of anything she said to me. I find myself looking at pictures sometimes thinking ‘did she really look that beautiful, and I didn’t notice?’. Or when we packed up the house in Boston, I saw some books she was reading, and I thought ‘I never knew she read mysteries’. Then, when the kids ask me questions like ‘what was Mommy’s favorite color?’ or ‘how old was Mommy when she got the chicken pox?’, I don’t know the answers, but I can remember every detail about…"
"About what, Sam?"
"About you! I can remember everything you ever told me, but I can’t remember anything my own wife told me. And it’s the worst feeling in the world when you can’t answer your kids questions about their own mother."
"Maybe you’re just getting up there in age, Sam? It gets hard to remember these things when you’re approaching that big four-o!" She was trying to lighten the mood, and Chris knew it.
"You very well know that I’m only thirty-nine, Sammy!" Chris cracked a slight smile.
"But I said approaching forty, not forty."
"You got me there." There was a pause in the conversation for a second, the tensions picking back up, and neither one of them knew what to say next.
"I don’t know what to tell you about this whole thing, Chris. I mean, we’ve known each other longer than you knew Jillian, so it’s only natural, isn’t it?"
"I guess so… I just don’t know, Sammy."
"So, do you guys have a place to stay tonight?" she asked, changing the subject.
"Ummm, not really. Like I said, we just got here a little over an hour ago."
"Well then, how about we take the kids out for that pizza I promised them, then you can crash at my place for the night. We can discuss your future living arrangements over dinner, okay?"
"You’re on, Sammy."
~*~*~*~*~*~
The group entered Rita’s apartment at around nine thirty, and CJ was already out like a light.
"Follow me, Sam. You can lay him on the bed in the guest room," Rita said to Chris as he followed close behind with a sleeping CJ in his arms.
Chris gently laid his son on the bed and kissed his forehead before following Rita back into her living room.
"I was thinking that since I only have one guest room, you and CJ can share that bed, and Lexie can sleep with me in mine if she wants."
"Yay! Can I, Daddy?" Lexie asked in excitement.
"Sounds good to me. Just keep your voice down, Lexie. Your brother’s sleeping. And go grab your bag from over by the door and bring it to Aunt Rita’s room so you can change into your pjs, okay?"
"Okay, Daddy." Lexie grabbed her bag and went to get changed for bed.
"She’s such a good kid, Sam."
"Yeah, she is. She’s strong too," he said as he made himself comfortable on the couch. "She’s come through this a lot better than I have."
"So, have you thought about what you’re gonna do now that you’re back in Palm Beach?"
"What do you mean, Sammy? I’m gonna live here." Rita rolled her eyes and joined him on the other end of the couch.
"I meant more along the lines of where you’re gonna live, what you’re gonna do for work… Those kinda questions, Chris."
"Oh, the serious stuff. I guess I haven’t really thought that far ahead. I just knew I needed out of Boston, and Palm Beach is where my real family is, so here I am."
"Well, I’m glad you still consider me your family. I wasn’t quite sure for a while there since you weren’t returning my phone calls or letters."
"I’m sorry about that, Sam. I just needed some time alone with the kids. But I’m here now, and I promise never to shut you out again. Am I forgiven?" he asked, a pleading frown forming at his lips.
"Yeah, I suppose."
"Good," he said, the famous Lorenzo grin reforming at his lips.
"So, you were saying your family’s here in Palm Beach. What about Jillian’s family? Don’t her parents want to be a part of the kids’ lives?"
"Well, her father died a long time ago, and after her fling with my father, of all people, her mother remarried a millionaire. Neither of them pay much attention to this kids. They just send them expensive things at Christmas, but I know it’s just to show me up. Jillian used to play mediator, and after a while, they just got tired of all the fighting, as did me and Jillian, so they stopped visiting."
"Have the kids seen them since…?"
"It’s okay, Sam. You can say it. And to answer your question, the kids have only seen them once since Jillian died."
"What about your dad?"
"He visits from Philadelphia every so often, but there’s no way I’m moving to Philly. It’s way too cold for me!"
Lexie walked back into the living room, dressed and ready for bed.
"I’m ready for bed, Daddy. Can you and Aunt Rita tuck me in?"
Rita looked up in surprise. She hadn’t expected to be asked that.
"What do you say, Sammy? You up for helping me tuck the little rugrat in?"
"Ummm…"
"It’s only fair warning to say that this is not a simple task," he cut her off.
"I think I’m up for it," she said with a smile. Rita was never one to back down from a challange. They got up off the couch and followed Lexie into Rita’s bedroom.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Four stories and two glasses of water later, Lexie was finally tucked into bed, and Chris and Rita were once again sitting on the living room couch catching up.
"Well, Sam, you successfully avoided the ‘serious stuff’ before, so I’ll ask again. What are you gonna do for a job, a place to live, that kinda stuff…?"
"I don’t know, I was thinking me and the kids could live here and mooch off you for the rest of our lives."
"Come on, Chris. Be serious."
"I was being serious!" Rita shot Chris an unfriendly look. "Okay, okay. I figured I’d start looking for a place tomorrow, and as for a job, what do you say about getting your old partner back, Sam?" he asked hopefully.
"Well, that’s not possible anymore. I’m sure you noticed my new office when you came in to the station today?"
"Yeah, I did. I was just waiting for you to tell me about it."
"Really? Patience was never one of your strong suits, Christopher."
"Whatever you say, Sammy. So, are you gonna tell me or what?"
"Well, about a month ago, Cap decided it was time to retire, and the department needed a new captain. I was sure they were gonna hire someone on the outside to take his spot, but then Cap recommended me, and I was shocked to find out I got the job."
"That’s great, Sammy!"
"And you know that office that Lexie and CJ were playing in today?"
"Yeah, what about it?"
"Well, they’re turning that into an office for a lieutenant, and since I know you made lieutenant in Boston, I was thinking that would be the perfect job for you."
"Oh, so you’d be my boss, huh?"
"Yeah, but it’s not like it would be any different than before. I was in charge then too," she teased.
"Oh, sure you were, Sam," he said sarcastically. "I think you got it a little backwards there. You were always following my lead."
"Right, and that’s why I got promoted before you did."
"Well, you got a point there, Sammy."
"Of course, I do. So, say you do get the lieutenant's job… what about living arrangements? I mean, it’s not that I don’t love having you here because I do, but I’m sure it’s gonna get a little cramped not only for us, but for the kids too."
"I know. I was only kidding about mooching off you, Sammy."
"Well, what kind of place would you be looking for? Because I know there’s an opening in the building."
"This building? Your building?"
"Yeah, on the top floor. I think it’s a three bedroom loft, but it could get kinda expensive."
"Jillian left me and the kids everything, so I’ve got money. Actually, I think it’d be kinda cool to live in the same building as my Sammy."
"Kinda cool, Chris? I think you moved back here just in time because you really need to start hanging out with people your own age."
"Oh, you’re so funny," he said, sarcastically.
"I thought so," she replied with a teasing smile.
"Well, it’s getting late, so I think I’m gonna go to bed. I’ll go check out that apartment tomorrow, and then I figure I’ll go stop in on Cap and Frannie. I want the kids to get to know them."
"I think they’d enjoy that."
"Okay, well, goodnight, Rita."
"G’night, Chris. It’s good to have you back."
"It’s good to be back."
~*~*~*~*~*~
The next day had been pretty successful. Chris had taken the kids to see the apartment for rent in Rita’s building, and all three of them immediately fell in love with it. Lexie and CJ had even picked out which rooms would be theirs without a single fight ensuing.
Then, Chris had taken them over to see Cap and Frannie, who’d opened their home to him as if he were their own son. When all was caught up and Chris had promised to come back and see them soon, he left with the kids, heading over to the station to see Rita.
When he entered the station house, Chris was greeted with ‘welcome back’s from officers he knew when he was on the job and even from those he’d never met before. Apparently, he and Rita were an example to all the new rookies that entered the department.
He came to Rita’s closed office door, and Lexie knocked.
"Come in," Rita said, when she saw who was standing outside her door through the open blinds. "Hey, Sam. What’re you doing here? I thought we planned to meet back at the apartment and then go out to eat." It seemed the most sensible thing to do since Rita had no food for dinner at her apartment, not knowing she’d be receiving company this week. After dinner, they were gonna surprise the kids by taking them to a movie.
"Well, the kids were hungry, so we thought we’d come get you. That way, we can get out to eat quicker."
"Are you sure it was the kids who were too hungry to wait?" she teased, knowing that no matter what things had changed about Christopher Lorenzo, his appetite definitely wasn’t one of them. The growling in his stomach also led her to the right conclusion.
"Well, I am hungry, Aunt Rita, but it was Daddy’s idea to come here to pick you up. So, I think he’s more hungry than I am," said a giggling Lexie.
"See, I know you like a book, Christopher."
"Okay, okay. You got me, Sam. I’m dying of starvation here. Now, can we go or what?" he asked impatiently.
"Don’t you wanna hear my news first?"
"Depends. What kind of news?"
"Well, I was supposed to start interviewing candidates for the new lieutenant tomorrow, but I talked to the commissioner, and he said to forget the whole thing."
"That’s great! Now, what am I gonna do for a job?" Chris said disappointedly.
"Would you just let me finish before you start pouting?" She knew she’d led him to the wrong conclusion, but she couldn’t resist teasing him. When Chris was quiet, she continued. "The commissioner said to call off the search for a new lieutenant because I sold him on the idea of you being PBPD’s next homicide division lieutenant."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes, I am, Lieutenant Lorenzo. You start in a week, which should give you a chance to get settled a little bit if you ended up taking that apartment."
"Yep, I did. It looks like we’re neighbors."
"Great! Just what I need, another headache," she kidded.
"Oh, you love the idea, and you know it."
"Okay, maybe I like it a little bit," she consented. "Now, how about we head out, gang? I’m getting hungry here, too."
"Let’s go," said Lexie. Chris and CJ shared in her sentiment, and the foursome headed out for dinner and a movie… the perfect picture of a family to the outside observer.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that night, the kids were watching a video, while Chris and Rita went in search of a snack.
"It looks like all I have is brownie mix, Sam. Do the kids like that?"
"Are you kidding? You make them brownies, and you’ll be their favorite person in the whole world!" Rita laughed.
"That’s good. I’m glad my addiction to brownies paid off," she said as the two of them started taking out the utensils needed to make brownies. "So, I was meaning to ask you, what are you going to do with the kids when you go back to work?"
"Well, back in Boston, we had a sitter, so I guess I should put an add in the paper to find one quick, huh?"
"Actually, I think I might be able to help you out there, too, Sam."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, there’s this woman in the building, - I think she’s about fifty - and she loves kids. She and her husband retired about a month ago, and he opened up a small shop downtown, but she’s got nothing to do, so you might wanna start there."
"Sounds great, Sam! I’ll go see her tomorrow."
"How about you finish mixing these brownies, and I’ll go find the number?"
"Okay. Thanks, Sam. You find me a place to live. You find me a sitter. I don’t know what I’d do without you."
"There’s nothing you could do. I’m irreplaceable!" Chris laughed in response as Rita went in search of the old woman’s telephone number.
After placing the brownies in the oven and setting the timer, Chris headed out of the kitchen and walked right into Rita, who was heading back in from the living room, causing them both to break into a fit of laughter.
"Sorry about that, Sam. I guess it is a little cramped in here. You’ll probably be glad to have us out of your hair next week."
"Nah, I love having you here. Makes up for the years you were in Boston," she said sadly.
"So, what’d the lady say?"
"Well, first of all, her name’s Mrs. Sporsden, not ‘the lady’, and second of all, you’ve got yourself a sitter."
"That’s great. Thanks, Sammy."
"No problem. It seems that her grandkids live in Oregon, and she barely gets to see them, so being around kids will help."
"Which apartment does she live in again? I’d like to meet her before I hand my kids off to her."
"She’s in 1B, first floor."
"Okay, I’ll stop by tomorrow. Now, what do you say we go watch TV with the kids while we wait for those brownies?"
"I say, you’ve got yourself a deal, partner." It was the first time she’d called him that in seven years, and they were both aware of it. Rita held out her hand, motioning for Chris to join her in the living room, and he accepted it with a smile, knowing he was definitely back where he belonged.
~*~*~*~*~*~
A couple months had gone by, and all was working out perfectly for Chris, Rita, and the kids. Chris and Rita were closer than they’d ever been, picking up right where they left off.
Each of the kids had formed their own bond with Rita too. Rita had become the dominant female figure in Lexie’s life. When the monthly mother-daughter sleep over party arrived in Lexie’s girl scout troop, it seemed only natural that Rita escorted Lexie. Rita also relieved Chris of ‘shopping detail’ on more than one occasion, after seeing the clothes he’d picked out for Lexie on their back-to-school trip to the mall. Rita reasoned that if Lexie wasn’t going to be harassed by the kids at school for her sense of style, then it’d be wiser if she took her goddaughter clothes shopping. CJ had also grown very attached to Rita. He was becoming a momma’s boy, and Rita wasn’t even his mother.
But recently, Chris and Rita had noticed a slight change in each other’s attitude. Too scared to risk their friendship, neither said a word about it. What they hadn’t realized was that they were slowing forming their own little family with Lexie and CJ... slowly falling in love with each other.
~*~*~*~*~*~
After a long day at work, Chris and Rita entered Chris’s loft with dinner in hand and smiles on their faces. It had become the norm for Rita to eat dinner with Chris and the kids just about every night. It’d probably be more accurate to say that Rita spent all of her time, free or otherwise, at Chris’s loft.
"Aunt Rita!" CJ yelled, running into the living room to greet Chris and Rita, as they entered the loft.
"I see how it works around here. Aunt Rita’s back in the picture, so I’m chop liver, huh?" Chris teased. CJ just giggled.
Mrs. Sporsden, the sitter, was next to enter the living room, with Lexie following behind.
"Good, it’s only you two. I heard CJ getting excited in here and wondered what all the commotion was."
"Yup, just us," said Chris.
"We brought home dinner. You’re welcome to stay and join us if you’d like," Rita invited.
"No, thank you, dear. My husband will be home from his shop soon, and I have to get started on our dinner. It’s his birthday, so I’m gonna make him his favorite, turkey dinner with all the fixins’."
"Well, wish him a happy birthday from us, okay?"
"I sure will, my dears." She went for her coat and headed toward the door. On her way out, she stopped in the entrance to the hallway and looked at Chris and Rita, who were now laughing as they chased Lexie and CJ around the living room, threatening to tickle them. "What a beautiful family," she said softly, before leaving the loft.
"I got ya, you trouble makers," Chris said, as he reached out and wrapped an arm around each of his kids. Then, he pulled back and, in effect, fell backwards, knocking right into Rita and bringing all of them down to the floor in a fit of laughter. "Oops! Sorry," he said to Rita, helping the kids to sand up.
"Not a problem, Christopher, but would you mind getting off me now. You’re crushing me legs!" she said loudly, emphasizing the syllable ‘crush’, and sending the kids into more giggles. Chris quickly got himself off of Rita’s legs and then extended a hand to her, helping her up as well.
"Okay, you two, go wash your hands for dinner."
"Yes, Daddy." The kids headed into the kitchen. Chris started for the dinner table but stopped when he saw Rita limping along behind him, whimpering in pain.
"Gees, Sammy, I’m sorry. Did I hurt you that bad?" he asked in concern. He ran over to her side, and before she could get a word in, her scooped her up into his arms, as if her were holding one of the kids. Rita threw her arms around his neck, fearing he’d drop her if she let go.
"Chris, put me down," she demanded, but before she could protest a second time, he’d already made it all the way to the table and set her down in front of him.
"There you go, mi lady. It was the least I could do, considering I gave you that limp."
"Actually, you didn’t. If you would have let me get a word in edgewise before you rushed over there like macho man, I would have told you I was only teasing you, Sam."
"Oh, so your little act was all for sympathy?"
"Pretty much, yeah."
"That’s it, Sam. You’re gonna get it now." As Rita tried to run, Chris grabbed her waist from behind and pulled her to him, tickling her like there was no tomorrow and making her laugh loudly and beautifully.
"Beautiful?" Chris thought to himself. "Where did that come from?"
Rita squirmed around in his arms, trying desperately to avoid his torturous hands, and they eventually came to face each other, their mouths only inches apart. Chris immediately stopped his torture treatment and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her as close as he could without them having to be one individual.
"Sam," she began, but Chris silenced what he knew would be a protest by drawing them closer while staring intently at her lips. Just as they were about to kiss, they heard CJ’s voice behind them.
"Daddy, what are you doing?" the little boy asked. Chris turned his head quickly, releasing Rita in the process.
"There was something in Rita’s eye, and I was just trying to help her get it out." It was a lie, and both he and Rita knew it, but how could he explain to his three year old son that he was about to kiss his best friend, when he didn’t even have an explanation for it himself?
Lexie bounded into the room next, showing off her newly washed hands, so they all sat down to start dinner. Chris and Rita sat across from each other, but neither dared to look at the other. Chris opened the pizza box and began distributing slices to the kids. Then, as he placed a slice on Rita’s plate, their hands came into contact for a split second, sending a jolt of electricity through each of them. They both pulled back their hands rather quickly, and Chris proceeded to cut himself a slice of pizza. Just as he was about to take a bite, the doorbell rang.
"Are you expecting company?" Rita asked.
"Nope, not that I can remember." He looked up in concentration, trying to think whether he’d invited anyone and just forgotten. The doorbell rang again. "I’ll go see who it is. You guys keep eating."
Chris got up and headed for the door, opening it to see an unfamiliar man’s face on the other side. The man was tall with dark hair and mysterious eyes. Chris got a bad feeling about him.
"I’m sorry, do I know you?"
"Are you Christopher Lorenzo?"
"Yes, I am. What can I do for you?"
"You’ve been served," the man said, as he handed Chris an envelope and proceeded to leave the loft.
"What? Served? What are you talking about?" Chris said, peering his head out the loft doors, but the man was already down the steps and halfway out of the building, so Chris returned to the loft and sat back down at the table.
"What was that all about?" Rita asked.
"I’ll tell you in a second," Chris said, opening the envelope. His face turned white and he gasped as he read what was written in front of him.
"What’s wrong, Daddy?" the kids asked.
"Chris?"
"It’s nothing. Hey, I have an idea. How about you two go eat dinner in your rooms tonight, so you can watch some TV? I know there’s that show you wanted to watch on channel 10, right?"
"Yeah, but you never let us eat in our rooms, Daddy," Lexie said confusedly.
"Yeah, I know, but it’s okay for tonight. I promise."
"Cool!" The kids took their plates and soda and headed for their rooms.
Once the kids were safely out of earshot, Rita asked, "What’s wrong, Sam?"
"Read this." He handed her the paper he’d just been issued. Rita mirrored Chris’s reaction with a gasp of her own.
"Jillian’s mother and step-father are suing for full custody of the kids? How can they do this? They haven’t even seen them since you moved to Palm Beach."
"Read a little further down. It says they believe that they can give Lexie and CJ a better life in a good neighborhood with a good school… they have more money than I make… and since I’m a cop, there’s the danger factor… and oh yeah, two people are better equipped to take care of children as opposed to one. Am I forgetting anything?" he said sarcastically.
"I don’t know what to say, Sam. What are you gonna do?"
"I don’t have a clue… wait, I take that back. I’m calling those SOBs and giving them a piece of my mind."
"Chris, think this through before you do something you might regret."
"Regret? Oh, I definitely won’t regret this, Sam." He looked up the number in his personal phone book and dialed the Dupree’s house. "Sammy, would you do me a favor and check on the kids?" he asked while waiting for someone to pick up on the other line.
"Sure." Rita headed for Lexie and CJ’s rooms.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Upon entering the living room, Rita caught the end of Chris’s conversation.
"You’re saying that if I were remarried, you wouldn’t be doing this?" There was a short pause. "I cannot believe you. Jillian’s only been gone for about six months. You think I could have met someone, fallen in love, and gotten remarried in that amount of time. You’re heartless!" With that, he hung up on them. The anger was so evident in his appearance that Rita knew he wouldn’t be able to control his temper much longer. She had to do something to calm him down… and fast.
"Sam, I kinda overheard the tail end of your conversation, and I think I have a solution for you."
"What do you mean ‘solution’?" His focus wasn’t on her, which made what she was about to say all that much harder.
"Well, if your in-laws said that they’d drop the suit if you remarried…" she didn’t know how to proceed.
"What is it, Rita?" She now had his full attention.
"Marry me, Chris."
~*~*~*~*~*~
Well, that’s the end of part 1. Did I leave you in suspense?
There will be a part two once I get a chance to sit down and write it, but I’m not making any promises as to when that will be. This one just kinda came to me, so I wrote it within about two weeks, which is rare for me. I still plan to write more on my other series, but I just haven’t thought of where to go next with it. Email me with any suggestions.
Christopher Lorenzo, Rita Lee Lance, Harry Lipshitz, Fran Lipshitz, Jillian Dupree, and Jillian’s mom (Damn! I can’t remember her name.) are property of Stephen J. Cannell, Stu Segal, USA Network, and those other wonderful people at Silk Stalkings. Although many of us would like to, we can’t take credit for them. If you see something else that sounds remotely familiar to you, then I don’t own that either. I just probably forgot to list it. (Hey, It happens!) Alexandra Lorenzo, Christopher Lorenzo, Jr., Mrs. Sporsden, Mr. Sporsden, Jillian’s step-dad, the process server and anyone else that never made an appearance on Silk Stalkings are mine.
All comments, questions, and praise (Hey! One can hope, right?) are welcome and appreciated. You can send your replies to linda@vanessa-marcil-web.com.