Chapter 8
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It had been a good day. Actually, it might have even been a good week. She’d miraculously finished a great deal of paperwork. Survived briefings with the white shields. She was able to finish two cups of coffee. Her detective’s cases were doing smoothly. She was able to leave work on time and felt the smile form on her face as she did.
She entered her apartment to find two of her favorite people asleep on the couch, Noah using Casey as a pillow and felt her smile grow even bigger.
After she peeled off her son and got him into his bed she came back out to see that Casey had tidied and was sitting on the couch, waiting with a large present complete with a bow on top.
“Merry early-Christmas,” Casey said, handing it over. “I’ve heard you Benson’s aren’t so formal about the official dates.”
“What’s this?”
“A box.”
“Casey,“ she said in a warning tone.
“It’s not what you think. It’s for both of you, or Noah mainly- just open it.”
Olivia opened up the box and pulled out a quilt in shades of blue, white and gray, made for a boy’s bed. She pulled it out fully, enjoying it’s perfect soft weight.
“When my mom heard about how you helped me out this year, she just wanted you to have something grandmotherly to give to him.”
“This is beautiful,” Olivia said. “She made this? This must have taken so much work.”
“Yes and no. She’s an addict. She took a class to learn how when my sister got pregnant with her first one and she hasn’t stopped since. She can’t help herself,” Casey said, smiling.
“I should send her something for this,” she said, marveling at it’s homey feeling and beauty.
“Oh, don’t bother,” Casey smiled ruefully. “I’m already paying for it.”
“What do you mean? If your mom is charging you, I’ll pay you back. I absolutely love it. What did it cost?”
“Three set-ups and I have to come home for my father’s Super Bowl party.”
Olivia barked out a laugh. “That is crafty on a whole other level.”
“You have no idea,” Casey laughed. “But if you want to, you can go on the rest of the dates for me.”
“Uh, that’s okay,” Olivia said, hands up in protest.
“That’s what I thought,” Casey said. “I hope you don’t mind, I sent a couple of the shirts he’d grown too big for to her and she used them for some of the borders.”
“I can’t believe you did this,” Olivia said.
“You’re welcome, I’m just glad you like it.”
“You really love him, don’t you.”
“Everybody loves him, Liv.” Casey smiled. “He is going to have a life full of people who love him and his family.”