Blood & Water

Chapter 21

"Yes, ma'am," Angel winked. He watched her drive away before heading back in the house and up the steps. Walking in the office he found Gilly and Coco huddled over the laptop, that was not what Angel expected them to be doing. That wasn't the plan.

"Yo," Coco said, "We got problems."

"What?" Angel walked around the back of the desk.

"I think I left prints," he said. Showing Angel the email, Coco huffed, his fidgeting fingers tapping the desk. "You think she saw this shit?"

"Nah," Angel lied. "Mid to late thirties hispanic? Could be fucking anyone, and the prints," he shrugged, "I brought you up once for some dumb shit, I dunno. It's easy."

"Yeah," he groaned. "Found this shit too," he said. Handing Angel the forged case note Coco smiled a little. They looked at one another and nodded, not saying anything in front of Gilly, and Angel felt that weight lifted only to be replaced by the forensics.

"Let's get this shit outta here," Angel grumbled. "Too much fucking history."

--

*A Few Days Later - Christmas*

Christmas morning lacked much of the usual hyper child behavior as Joey was still so young. They leisurely got up and went downstairs to have coffee before Joey even opened his eyes. Once he was awake they helped him open his presents, nothing too extravagant considering his age and the drama of the last few weeks, then Carrie made breakfast.

Swaying around the kitchen with big band Christmas classics playing through her Bluetooth speaker Carrie whipped up pancakes and eggs with some bacon and fresh orange juice. Angel watched from the doorway, loving how she looked in his T-shirt, until she turned to find him gawking.

"Shit you scared me!" She laughed, pressing her hand to her chest. "It's almost ready."

"Come here," he said to her.

"Lemme finish," she groaned. "Okay?" When Carrie turned she saw Angel grinning, holding mistletoe over his head. "You're a goddamn dork," she laughed.

"Dork or not, you gotta kiss me."

"I don't think that's how it works," she said. Carrie slowly walked across the kitchen.

"Does now." As soon as she was within reach Angel pulled her in and kissed her, pinning her against the wall. "Was that so hard?"

Carrie reached down and grabbed his crotch. "No but this is."

"All I want for Christmas," he groaned into her ear.

"Speaking of," she beamed. "I know we said no gifts, with everything that's been going on and focusing on Joey, but I broke that rule."

"Of course you did," he rolled his eyes. "What is it?"

Carrie handed him a large envelope and, with a skeptical look at her, he opened it quickly. It didn't take long for him to see what the documents were.

"Petition for change of name," he read. "For Joey?"

"Yep." She wasn't exactly smiling, Carrie had such mixed emotions about the change, but she knew it was important to Angel. "Joseph Ignacio Reyes."

"Mi dulce," he sighed. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," she said. Carrie meant it too. "Oh and this." Out of her apron pocket she pulled a box, wrapped in deep red paper with a gold bow.

"Jesus," he huffed. Inside the box was a gold lighter with an inscription. It read, "You got a light?" Angel said it out loud and looked at her. "The first thing I ever said to you."