"how right was i a couple of weeks ago?"
"shut up."
"jameson."
"kelly."
"get in the car."
my twin brother climbs into the vehicle. as he turns to puts his jacket in the back seat, he sighs as i start to drive.
"you brought my nephew?"
"yeah. your future godson needs to see what not to do when he grows up." i say as i gain a side eye from him. "and rafael got called into the office so i had to take the baby."
"on the weekend?"
"you know better than me that crime doesn't stop on the weekends."
"you're right there."
"the cake on your suit compliments your black eye very nicely."
"oh gee thanks."
"you just hate that i was right and called it."
"you did not!"
"oh really? did you not start a fight at a wedding and end up in county lockup in nassau county?"
he remained silent. he knew i called it.
"which leads me to my next question, where's eddie?"
"she got in a cab and left."
"just like that? you didn't try to fight her on it."
"you know her, she's stubborn."
"no jameson, you're fucking stubborn." i say. "jamie, i love you but god, if you just admitted that you were into eddie you wouldn't have fought whoever it is you fought and i wouldn't be picking you up from nassau county."
"thank you for getting me."
"what are sister's for?" i say. "also raf and i had a bet going after you called so i needed to see who was right."
"oh yeah? who won."
"me, obviously. i know you way too well." i say. "we're cops jamie, every day is life or death for us. we gotta do the things that make us happy."
"truthfully, i have a great thing going with eddie. we're partners and she's one of my best friends, i just can't let my feelings for her ruin that."
"i understand that, but you at least need to talk to her."
"i will." he says. "you know my place is not this way, right?"
"yeah, i'm taking you back to my place. i've got some of your shit there and i'm gonna help you figure out how to fix this with eddie."
"thanks." he mumbled.
"you also need a shower because you stink."
"i can always count on you to be honest, huh?"
"what are sisters for?"
he chuckled.
"do you know if dad knows?"
"oh jamie." i laugh. "nassau county police called dad this morning about it, the whole family knows."
the groan that came out of my twins mouth was even funnier.
~
as i sat on the couch with jamie, rafael finally came home.
"so, who was right?"
"you owe me twenty bucks barba, cough it up." i say to my husband.
"wait you didn't just bet, you bet money on me?"
"oh absolutely." rafael responded handing me the money and pressing a kiss to my lips before shaking my brothers hand. "c'mon dude, just ask the girl out already."
"working through some facts barba. i hope to get there eventually."
"nice black eye."
"thank you. i think it goes well with my persona."
i roll my eyes at this conversation.
"what had you in the office today?" jamie asked him, clearly wanting to change the subject.
and if you know my brother, he's good at that.
"amaro again."
"this case is never ending." i say. "what now?"
"his father is a stubborn pain, what else is new?"
"i'll read the file later." i say. "jamie, you should go get ready."
"right."
my brother retreated into the guest bedroom, leaving rafa and me in the living room.
"so, how on the dot were you about that."
"oh 100%."
"no kidding."
"oh yeah. he got jealous, started a fight, they ended up in county lockup."
"you're just too good."
"i know." i smile as he kisses my cheek.
"how was our little one?"
"very good. he slept in the car, then i fed him, jamie entertained him, and then he went back to sleep."
"sound splendid."
"oh it was. i hope every child we have is as easy as him."
"me too."
"speaking of the amaro case, have you spoken to nick since that day in liv's office?"
I shook my head.
"briefly. he's still pissed that I told you about the past history."
"so you still don't know what your father said to him?"
"no idea. nick is a loose canon, I'm concerned about that."
"aren't we all?"
"gonna get him to testify?"
"just did."
"what?"
"monday morning, he's testifying."
"wow." was all could come out of my mouth. "you're a miracle worker."
"i got you to marry me, didn't i?"
"i suppose."
"also, expect an apology from nick very soon."
"you didn't."
"oh but I did. you think i wasn't going to stand up for my wife?"
"what happened between me and nick happened between us."
"doesn't matter. it involves me too and you deserve an apology from him more than anything else."
i sigh. "thank you."
"anything for you."
i couldn't help but smile and kiss him.
"okay lovebirds, i am off. don't do anything I wouldn't do."
"we won't be getting black eyes, if that's what you're worried about jamie." i quipped at my brother as rafael couldn't contain his laughter.