Camo and Navy Blue [Book Two]

Twenty-One

Olivia

Bernie was wrong, and I love saying that. My sons had changed, and their behavior really changed for the better. They still got into arguments with their siblings and got timeouts, but they didn't run away again. Every issue was dealt with as calmly as possible, and I didn't get hit once on purpose. A few times, I would get hit, but nothing that left a bruise and the little boy in my belly remained unharmed.

"Are you ready?" I asked softly as I leaned against the doorframe to Maureen's room. I was so incredibly glad that I could spend the summer with my kids and be here when they all went back to school.

"I'm nervous," my daughter sighed, as she tied off her long blonde braid.

"Nervous? Mo, you've gone to school with these kids your entire life. You know all the teachers you are going to have this year. There is nothing you need to worry about, because you are going to do amazingly."

"I'm a senior, Mama. This is my last year of high school, and I don't know if I'll get into Columbia... or even any of my safety schools," Maureen frowned. I walked to where she stood and gently grabbed her hand. I squeezed it lovingly, before bringing it to my lips and kissing her palm.

"You are going to get into all of the schools you apply to. Any university would be lucky to have Maureen Stabler attending."

Maureen sighed softly, as she stepped forward and hugged me tightly, her head buried into the crook of my neck.

"By the time I move into the dorms, my baby brother will probably forget who I am... maybe I should just go straight into the workforce," Maureen breathed. I sighed softly and pulled her a tiny bit closer.

"I chose to go straight into the armed forces and ended up shot... several times. Don't make decisions like I did. I wish that I had gone to college and went straight into being a cop. I missed that experience, but you don't have too..."

"What about the baby? Gonna tell me that he'll remember me because I'll come home every weekend?" Maureen huffed, as she leaned back and looked at me.

"Yes, ma'am," I grinned.

Maureen rolled her eyes and stepped back. She walked to her bed and climbed in. I walked to where she laid and kissed her forehead.

"We can figure everything out as we go, okay? But you are going to college, even if it's a technical college."

///

The next morning, I made a big breakfast for all of my children. Not only were they going back to school today, but I was finally going back to work. Elliot lifted my suspension and said that I could come back for the next few months before leaving for maternity leave. I was excited to be back with my friends, but still worried that maybe we'd get a call today notifying us that the boys got into trouble. Again.

"Morning, Mama," Jacob smiled, as he came down before the rest of his siblings. Elliot turned away from the coffee pot and eyed our eldest son.

"Kid, what are you doing up so early? We didn't even come to get you yet," Elliot questioned. Jacob walked to my side and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"I'm excited for school, and I wanted to spend extra time with Mama before she goes back to work," He replied.

"Am I your favorite?" I whispered, but Elliot heard and laughed loudly.

"Of course you are, Mama," Jacob grinned.

"Since you are up, help your Mama finish getting breakfast around. Set the table and get the cups out. I'm going to get Toby and Jasper up, since they are zombies in the morning."

My little boy helped set the table and he filled all of the cups with orange juice. We chatted quietly about how excited he was for school, and how he planned on trying out for basketball this year. He even led us into a conversation about the baby, and how he planned on calling dibs on naming him. It was nice to have a one-on-one conversation with Jacob, especially since my time was going to be stretched thinner when I went back to work.

///

Elliot and I drove into work together after dropping the younger four off at school. We didn't talk much because we both had the same things on our mind.

"So, do you think we are going to get a call today?" Elliot asked, as he waited to turn into the precinct.

"From the principal, security officer, or their teacher?" I questioned. Elliot smiled, as he glanced at me.

"I'm hoping none of them," Elliot replied.

"I am too. I just wonder if maybe they don't like their school," I admitted. Elliot nodded slowly, as he finally pulled into the parking lot. He parked the van and looked at me.

"Are you excited?"

"About going back to work?"

"Yes, about going back to work..."

"Yes, baby. C'mon, why wouldn't I be?"

Elliot frowned as he reached over and gently caressed my cheek.

"A lot of bad things happened the last time you were here... We were very close to thinking about getting a divorce, and I'm worried that something may happen. Something bad," He breathed.

I shifted slightly and pulled him close. I ran my fingers through his short brown hair as I pressed deep kisses to his lips. We kissed for a while, before I rested my forehead against his.

"Only good things are going to happen from now on, okay? We won't get a call stating that our kids got arrested for being little brats, and we won't decide that we want to get a divorce. Got it?"

"Got it."