TWENTY-TWO

“Sullivan.  I’m so sorry…”

Cate gasped breathlessly as she came to an abrupt halt at the small counter.  She tried not to pant as she struggled to regain her composure.  She could feel her heart pounding and her blood rushing in her ears, the result of her sprint up eight flights of stairs.

The petite blonde receptionist smiled understandingly.  “It’s okay, Mrs. Sullivan.  Your husband’s here.  He said you were running late.”

Cate nodded, sucking in a breath.  “I… I was at the Court…”  She reached up to impatiently shove an errant strand of mahogany hair away from her face.  Cate frowned slightly as she tried to remember the name of the young woman who had just recently joined Dr. Klein’s staff.

“No problem.  We’re ready for you.  Do you want to hang up your coat before you go on back?”

“No… Thanks.  I’ll hang on to it.”  Cate paused to pull in and blow out a long breath.  She needed the gulp of oxygen to dilute the adrenaline surging through her bloodstream.  “Where do you want me?”

“Your husband is waiting in Room Seven.”  The blonde’s smile brightened and a little squeak caught in her voice.  Cate chuckled breathlessly as she recognized the familiar signs.  Jon had clearly turned on the charm during his interaction with the New Girl.

Without answering, Cate gave a nod of acknowledgement.  She strode quickly to the far end of the room, slipping through the door that separated the treatment area from the waiting room.  Cate hurried down the hallway, glancing at the numbered placards beside each doorway.   Halfway down the hall she spotted her destination.

“Hey, I’m here.”  Cate burst through the door with her anxious announcement.  “Sorry I’m so late…”

“Baby, where’ve you been?  I’ve been trying to reach you for an hour!”  Jon’s scold was more relieved than annoyed.  He waved the iPhone in his hand at Cate.  “Why didn’t you answer my texts?”

Cate sighed breathily as she tossed her leather satchel onto a nearby chair and pulled at the loosely-knotted scarf swathing her neck.  “I was at the Court, then I was running and on the subway, headed here.”

“You couldn’t text me from the train?”

“Jon, my signal sucks in the subway.  You know that.”  Cate’s fingers scrambled over the buttons on her heavy coat.  She tipped her head toward her briefcase.  “And my phone was in my bag.”

“Why didn’t you just take a cab?”  Jon’s tone turned slightly accusatory, masking his worry.

Cate arched a brow at her husband’s mildly snarky argument.  “On Friday afternoon?  Yeah, right.”  She snorted softly.  “What does it matter now, anyway?”

“Why were you all the way down at the Courthouse?”

Cate succeeded in unfastening her overcoat and shrugging it from her shoulders.  She folded it over the back of the chair holding her briefcase before reaching to the small of her back.  She tugged the paddle holster containing her duty weapon from her belt, then tucked it into her satchel before turning to look at her husband.

An amused smirk curved her lips as she saw he was sitting on the examination table, his booted feet dangling over the side and swinging impatiently, not touching the floor.  On either side of Jon’s knees metal table extensions fitted with plastic stirrup footrests jutted forth.  Cate snorted softly at the comical vision.

“Because, Jon.  Gus and I had to go get the Magistrate’s signature.”  She held up a hand to silence his next question before he could ask.  “Can’t tell you.  But we had to get it before the weekend, and he told us to come straight over.”

Jon gave Cate a half-hearted glower.  “Gus couldn’t take it over himself?  You had to be there too?”

“We both had to be there.  I’m the primary affiant, Gus is the secondary.  It took a little longer than we thought, but it wasn’t like I could just walk out on a Federal Magistrate Judge.”  Cate snorted.  “And don’t you try to ‘stink-eye’ me, Mister.”  She fixed her husband with her own stern look.

Her mild scold broke Jon’s façade.  He gave Cate a sheepish smile, ducking his head to avoid her challenging gaze.  “Okay, okay.  I was worried.  You’re over a half-hour late.”

“Sometimes shit happens.”

Jon raised his blue eyes, peering contritely at Cate through the shaggy wisps of his sandy bangs.  “So, does that mean I don’t get a ‘hello’ kiss?”  His lips curved into a hopeful pout.

Cate felt a flush of warmth as she couldn’t stop her own little smirk.  Damn him, Jon always knew how to get to her.  She was as defenseless against his beguiling smile as was the little blonde at the front desk.

“No, of course not,” Cate relented, moving over to him.  She stepped close to Jon’s perch, between his parted knees.  Cate smiled gently as she turned her face up to her husband's.  Her reward was a tender caress of his mouth over hers.

“Missed you,” Jon murmured against Cate’s lips.

“Me too.”  Cate took a half-step back.  Her hand settled on Jon’s denim-clad knee as she gave him a quizzical smirk.   “Think I’m supposed to be the one up there, not you.”

“There’s room up here for two.”  The exam table’s paper cover crackled with Jon’s sideways shift.  He gave Cate a playful leer as he patted the vinyl upholstery next to his hip.  “Doc Klein had other patients, so we’re gonna have to wait until he can fit you in.”

Cate chuckled softly.  “And you wanna pass the time how, exactly?”

“We can come up with something.”  Jon smirked mischievously.  “Besides, this is a fertility practice.  We’d probably get extra credit for trying to make a baby here.”

“I don’t think that’s quite what they have in mind,” Cate chortled softly.  “Though I doubt the nurses would mind walking in and finding you naked.”

“Who said anything about naked?”

“Ha ha.”  Cate gave Jon’s knee a light smack before stepping back and turning toward the chair that held her belongings.  “I guess while I’m waiting I should check on…”

A loud click preceded the movement of the exam room door, making Cate pause.

“Ah, there she is!  Hello, Mrs. Bongiovi.”  The nurse gave Cate a broad smile.  “Sounds like you’ve had a busy day.”

Cate nodded, returning a genuine smile to her favorite of Dr. Klein’s assistants.  “You could say that, Edie.  Sorry to keep you all waiting.”

Nurse Edie waved a hand as she chuckled.  “No biggie.  Besides…”  She put a hand next to her mouth, shielding her words in a faux-secretive gesture.  “As much as you pay for this treatment, you can pretty much show up any damned time you want.  We’re at your beck and call.”  She gave Cate a wink and a grin.

Cate chortled at her revelation, blushing slightly as she shook her head.  “No, no.  I know better than that.  Dr. Klein is busy, and I hate being late.  So I’m sorry.”

“No harm done.”  Nurse Edie stepped further into the room, letting the door swing closed behind her.  She turned her attention to Cate’s husband.  “Hiya, Handsome.”

“Hey there, Gorgeous.”  Jon replied to the middle-aged nurse’s playful greeting with his own cheerful flirt.  “You’re lookin’ mighty fine today.  That color becomes you.”

“Oh, this old thing?”  The nurse made a sweeping gesture toward her attire of loose-fitting light blue scrubs and a white lab coat.  “Something I just threw together.”

“Well, it makes those beautiful eyes of yours look blue as a summer sky.”

Nurse Edie laughed.  “Alright, you win.  I’ve been out-flirted.  As usual.”  She shook her bottle-blonde head slightly and moved past Jon and Cate to the counter.  “Now, how about you get your tushie off-a there and let your wife sit where she’s supposed to be?”

Jon chortled at the nurse’s order.  “Yes, ma’am.”  He touched his fingertips to his temple in a little salute, then slid off the edge of the exam table.  His boots made a dull thump against the tile floor.

He turned to Cate and offered her his hand.  “All yours, Baby.”  Jon smiled lovingly as Cate placed her hand in his and stepped up onto the stepstool, then settled onto the table.  He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze before releasing them and moving over to the empty chair in the corner.  Jon groaned softly as he settled into the seat and stretched out his legs.

“So, Cate… Another ultrasound today, with a blood draw,”  Nurse  Edie’s observation was a thoughtful murmur as she scrolled through Cate’s medical chart on her electronic tablet.  “Your last FSH injection was…”

“Yesterday,” Cate finished for her.  “That was number two.”

“I see that.  And your ultrasound Tuesday looked pretty good, so…”  The nurse tapped at the electronic screen, then turned her smile to Cate.  “Today will probably be your trigger.”

“Hopefully.”  Cate smiled tiredly.  “This weekend is going to be crazy, so if we can avoid another visit here this week… well, that’s one more thing to check off a long list.”

Edie chuckled softly as she turned back around to face Cate, a blood pressure monitor in her hands.  “I’m pretty sure you won’t have to come back tomorrow.  And ‘Tis the Season, huh?  Only a week ‘til Christmas.”

“Yeah.  If I can just survive this coming week, maybe I’ll have a chance to take a breath.”  Cate slipped an arm out of her dark green cashmere cardigan, then pushed up the short sleeve of her matching shell.  She offered her exposed arm to the nurse, who adeptly wrapped it in the blood pressure cuff.

“Me too,” Edie replied.  “After next week I’m off to the Poconos with the family.  Two weeks with parents, grandparents, siblings, nieces, nephews… and twin teenagers.  By the end of it we’ll all be ready to kill each other.”  She grinned as she pressed a stethoscope against Cate’s arm and watched the cuff inflate.  “How about you?  Big holiday plans?”

Cate nodded.  “Well, the biggest thing is our Christmas party tomorrow night, out in Jersey.  Next weekend is family, then we finally get to relax a little.  Somewhere warm.”

Edie squinted at the machine’s digital readout at the sound of the beep.  “Your pressure’s a little high, but that’s probably from you rushing around earlier.”  She pulled the stethoscope from her ears, then tugged the cuff loose from Cate’s arm.  “So, a little getaway from the cold, huh?  Sounds nice.”  She glanced at Jon, giving him a little smile.

“Yeah.  We usually go to the Caribbean over the holiday break.  I’m too old for this winter shit.”  Jon replied with a self-deprecating grin.

“I hear ya.  I’ve often wondered what possessed my family to buy a cabin in the mountains instead of a house on the beach.”  Nurse Edie nodded as she pushed the blood pressure monitor back to its place, then turned to pull open a drawer.  “White sand, blue skies.  Where in the Caribbean?”

“Saint Barth.”

“Ah,” Edie replied sagely as she extracted several items from the drawer.  “Beautiful.  I went there a couple years ago.  A little crowded this time of year, though.  Lotsa famous folks.”

Jon chuckled.  “Yeah, well… we just smile for the cameras and hope they decide I’m too boring to hassle for long.  Usually works.”

“Good strategy.”  The nurse turned back to Cate, two glass vials and a plastic-wrapped syringe in her hands.  “Okay, Cate.  Vampire time.”

Automatically Cate held out her arm, offering her vein to the nurse in what had become a familiar ritual.  Edie knotted a rubber tourniquet above Cate’s elbow, then swiftly prepared the syringe.  With a light tap against her patient’s inner elbow joint she raised the vein, quickly swiped an alcohol wipe over the skin, then capably slipped the needle into Cate’s vessel.  A flick of her other hand released the band.  Cate watched placidly as the first, then the second vial quickly filled with dark crimson liquid.

“All done,” announced Nurse Edie in barely a minute.  She pressed a cotton ball against the puncture wound, then smiled at Cate.  “I’ll run these down to the lab, and let Dr. Klein know you’re all set.  You can go ahead and get undressed for the ultrasound.   Gown and drape are behind you.”

“Thanks Edie.”  Cate smiled gratefully as she cradled her freshly-pierced arm, squeezing the cotton ball in the bend of her elbow joint.  The nurse waved in response as she moved to the door, then paused.

“Since I probably won’t see you before then… Merry Christmas.”

Jon and Cate simultaneously smiled at the nurse’s well-wish.  “Merry Christmas, Darlin’,” Jon drawled.  “Hope you get somethin’ good in your stocking.”

“You know I don’t expect nothin' but coal.”  Nurse Edie gave Jon a playful wink, then slipped through the door.

Cate giggled softly at the woman’s response.  She had immediately liked Edie when they first met at Cate’s initial consultation with Dr. Klein.  She was grateful for the experienced nurse’s cheerful demeanor and brash sense of humor, which she always seemed to know just how to use to boost her patients' spirits.  The nurse had certainly eased Cate through a roller-coaster ride of hormonal emotions in the past few months.

“She’s a good one.”  Jon quietly voiced his wife’s musings.

“Yeah, she is.  They’re all nice, but Edie’s something special.”  Cate nodded her agreement.  She turned her wistful smile to Jon.  “So, guess this is it.  At least for this month.”

Jon nodded slowly.  “Hope so.  No more pincushion.”

Though they had both been so busy over the past week that they had little time together, Jon had made a point of asking Cate to share her new daily medical routine with him.  The oral fertility drugs hadn’t fazed him, but the first time he watched Cate self-administer her injectable hormones had left Jon a bit shaken.  Suddenly the extent of their quest for parenthood seemed more daunting than he had previously perceived.

“It’s not that bad.  I’ve been through worse.”

“I know.”  Jon’s smile turned tender.  “I guess I just feel a little guilty, all you have to put your body through for this.”

Cate sighed softly, his words touching her.  “It will all be worth it in the end.  Right?”

“Absolutely.”

The couple gazed at each other for a silent moment, sharing the sentiment without need for words.  Then Cate reluctantly slid off the end of the exam table and toed off her shoes.  Her hands moved to her waist, unbuckling her sturdy leather belt.

“Want some help?”  It was obvious from Jon’s gentle tone that his offer was genuine, not a sexual tease.

Cate tipped her head toward the door, indicating the chrome hook that adorned the wood.  “Can you hang these up for me?”  She bent at the waist to slide her charcoal-gray slacks down her thighs before stepping out of them.

“Sure.”  Jon stood and took the pants from Cate, then stepped across the room to carefully arrange them on the hook.  He turned back to see Cate wiggling out of her modest black bikini panties.  “Want me to hang those up too?”  He couldn’t stop a little smirk.

“No.”  Cate snickered softly.  “Just stuff ‘em in my bag or something.  I don’t need my panties flapping in the breeze when that door opens and closes.”

“Didn’t think so.”  Jon took the proffered undergarment.  He smirked as he carefully folded the black cotton, then stuffed it into the back pocket of his Levis.  “There.  Panties secured.”

Cate rolled her eyes as she smiled at his playfulness.  Then a sudden flash of discomfiture hit her when she realized she was naked from the waist down, save for her black knee-high socks.  Her cheeks flushed lightly as she turned to grab for the folded paper drape.

Jon couldn’t hold back a chuckle at his wife’s unnecessary modesty.  His eyes automatically settled on her shapely behind as she turned away from him, reaching for her covering.  But, not wanting to embarrass Cate further, he said nothing as she scrambled back up onto the table and shook the drape out over her lap.  She had suffered all kinds of indignities over the past months, for him.  Jon couldn’t bring himself to exacerbate her vulnerability.

Once settled, Cate gave Jon a sheepish smile.  He stepped over to brush a light kiss of encouragement across her cheek, then returned to his chair.  As Jon settled back on his seat Cate glanced at the clock.

“Shit.  It’s almost five.”  She gestured toward the chair holding her coat, gun and briefcase.  “Could you hand me my phone, please?”

Jon reached to do her bidding.  He rummaged in the open mouth of Cate’s satchel for a moment before extracting her iPhone, then leaned to pass the device to her outstretched hand.  “What happens at five?”

“Nothing.  It’s just later than I thought.  I have a lot of last-minute things to do before we head out to the house.”  Cate’s fingers slid nimbly over the touchscreen of her phone as she searched for her checklist.

“So we’ll go out a little later.  No big whoop.”  Jon settled back in his chair and propped one ankle on his other knee.  “We can always drive out in the morning, ya know.”

Cate shook her head vigorously, her auburn tresses swaying with the movement.  “No, we need to get out there tonight.  The caterering company is coming to set up at ten.”

“Ten?  Shit, that’s plenty of time.  We can get up early, drive out before traffic gets too bad.  It’s only an hour.”

“Jon, you know you can’t predict the tunnel, or the parkway.  Especially not the weekend before Christmas.”  She stabbed fiercely at the phone with her index finger when it didn’t respond quickly enough for her liking.  Cate’s mouth curved into a frown when finally her calendar lit up the screen.  “Aw, shit.”

“What?”

“I forgot to pick up the dry cleaning.  And they close at six on Friday night.  Fuck.”

“So?”

“So, my blouse is in there.  The one I’m wearing for the party tomorrow night.”

Jon rolled his eyes.  “So wear something else.  You have a closet full of nice clothes.”

“But I want to wear my blue blouse.  The satin one.  You know, the one you said you like to see me in?”

Jon sighed as Cate’s crestfallen reply hit him square in the soft spot.  He did love the sight of her in the curve-hugging satin blouse she had bought during their Italian holiday.  It brought out the sparkling beauty of her deep sapphire eyes.  He reached for his own phone.

“What cleaners?”

“Kisan.”

Jon tapped the speed-dial, then held his phone to his ear.  The courteous answer came promptly, after only one ring.

Jon raised his eyes to meet Cate’s curious gaze.  He couldn’t help but smile at her as he spoke to the party on the other end of the line.

“Hey, Rudy.  It’s Jon Bon Jovi.”

“Hello, Mr. Bongiovi.  How are you this afternoon?”  The young  Assistant Concierge’s voice was a bit brighter at the realization of his caller’s identity.

“I’m good, Rudy.  Thanks.  Listen, I need a favor.”

“Anything, Sir.  What can I assist you with?”

“My wife and I are out, and we’ve been delayed by a rather important matter.  We’re not gonna make it back to the building in the next hour, and Cate needs a garment she left at the cleaners around the corner.  They close at six.  Can you or Phillip run over and pick it up for me?”

“Certainly, Sir.  Which cleaner?”

“Kisan.  Can you pick it up without the claim ticket?”  Jon’s brow furrowed as the thought occurred.  He saw Cate react to the comment, immediately tapping away at her phone to pull up the electronic receipt.

“I believe so, Sir.  They know the residents of this building pretty well.”

“Hang on… my wife’s got the number…”  Jon waited until Cate retrieved the notice, then recited the numbers.  “Eight-eight, seven four seven, two nine.  Got that?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Great.  I think the tab’s taken care of…” Jon paused until he saw Cate’s vigorous nod.  “Yeah.  My wife already paid for it.  So, if you can just pick it up and bring it back, we’ll grab it from you when we come in.  Okay?”

“Got it, Mr. Bongiovi.  No problem.  I’ll go now.”

“Great.  Thanks, Rudy.”

“You’re welcome, Sir.  See you soon.”

With a smug grin Jon lowered the phone from his ear and closed the call.  “See?  Crisis averted.”

He chuckled softly at Cate’s grateful expression.  He knew she hated to ask their building attendants to run errands for her, even though that was part of their job and one of the perqs of living in an exclusive SoHo co-op.  Cate had never become quite comfortable with all aspects of his privileged lifestyle.  Jon doubted she ever would.  It was one of the things that both frustrated and endeared her to him.

“Thank God.  Thank you, Baby.  One less thing to worry about.”  Cate half-sighed her reply.  “Now, as soon as we’re done here we just have to get home, finish packing, I have to remember to call to re-confirm the pianist, but I guess I can do that while we’re driving…”

Jon growled softly, knowing his next words would fall on deaf ears.  “Cate, we have people to do this stuff for us, you know.  We can stay here in the City tonight, you can make your calls from home, then you can relax.  Christ, you’ve hardly been home all week.  And Nancy can meet the caterers in the morning.  You don’t have to be there.”

Cate looked up from her phone, fixing Jon with a serious stare.  “Yes, I do.  The party is tomorrow night, Jon.  I can’t just waltz in a couple hours before and assume everything’s gonna be done for me.”

Jon raised a hand to drag it through his sandy hair, biting back another weary sigh.  “Baby, you have everything covered.  You hired professionals.  Hell, that catering company knows my kitchen inside out.  They’ve been in and out of there so many times since we built that place…”

“Jon, this is our first holiday party… together.”  Cate’s quiet statement cut him off.  “I… I just need for it to be perfect.”  The waver in her voice revealed the truth.

Jon’s expression softened.  “Cate, this isn’t the first time you’ve played Hostess.  Not since we’ve been together, not since we were married.  Hell, look at the Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving you pulled off just a few weeks ago.”  He gave her an encouraging smile.

“That’s different.  That was family.”  Cate took a deep breath, then looked Jon in the eye.  She knew he would be able to see right through her, but she didn’t care.

He did see it – her insecurity, her vulnerability.  It tugged at his heart.  “Aw, Baby.”  Jon shook his head slightly, his smile remaining.  “It’s just a holiday party.  Friends and family, hanging out.  That’s all.  It’s not the Red Bank High Society Event of the Year.”

“Friends and family who remember how the parties used to be.”

Jon heard the subtext loud and clear.  “Friends and family who know you are my wife.  Baby, nobody’s gonna compare this party to the ones Dorothea used to put together, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Cate shrugged and dropped her gaze to her paper-draped lap.  Now that he said it aloud it sounded even more petty than it felt.  “How can you be so sure?  Everybody on the guest list has known you -- and her --  a long time.”

“Listen, Cate.  Here’s what happens at our Christmas parties.  A bunch of people show up with bottles even though there’s an open bar.  Johnny's gonna be half in the bag when he walks in the door, and he's gonna flirt with you all night.  Somebody steals my camera and takes a bunch of goofy pictures, including at least one of somebody's anonymous Johnson. Obie complains about the food but eats all the shrimp.  Somebody tries to corner me to talk business but I escape because it’s Christmas and I don’t wanna talk about fucking business.  Stevie gives me shit about having a Napoleon complex because I live in a big French house even though I have an Italian last name.  We laugh a lot.  We drink too much wine.  Eventually somebody sits down at the piano and we all start singing Christmas carols but end up singing James Brown and Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis.”

Jon chuckled softly.  “And we stay up all night, until sooner or later everybody realizes we’re old fucks and we need to get some sleep.  Then we call a few cabs if we need to, and they go home.  That’s how it goes.  And I guaran-Goddamn-tee you nobody’s gonna walk out that door bitching about their Hostess, or saying ‘Dorothea did it better’.”

Cate looked up, her eyes shining.  “What makes you so sure?’

“Because if they do, they’re not my friends.”  Jon’s answer was soft, but fiercely adamant.  “And they’ll never set foot in my house again.”  Jon stared at Cate for a long moment, wanting to be sure she got the message.  When he saw acceptance in her glittering blue eyes, he smiled.

“Besides, you’ve already done way more for this party than Dorothea ever did.  She always hired a party planner.”  The statement was a bit of a fib, but Jon didn’t feel the least bit guilty when he saw Cate’s smile of a relief.

“Well… okay.  I guess… if you want, we’ll stay here tonight.”

“Good.  And we’ll get up early tomorrow, head out to the house, and you’ll be there in plenty of time to meet the caterers.  Promise.”  Jon gave Cate a reassuring grin. “And tonight we can…”

His proposal was interrupted by the re-opening of the exam room door.

“Well Hello, Cate.”  Dr. Klein’s warm greeting was accompanied by a grin.  “You finally made your escape, I see.”

Cate smiled guiltily.  “I’m so sorry.  I was in Judge’s Chambers.  Things took a little longer than I thought they would…”

The doctor chuckled as he nodded a greeting at Jon and moved over to the counter.  “No need to apologize.  Trust me, I get it.  Judges like to hear themselves talk almost as much as doctors do.”

Cate laughed softly at the little jab she knew was meant for Dr. Klein’s wife, who was an Administrative Judge in Nassau County.  “Well, still.  I apologize.  I know you had other patients waiting.”

“It’s fine, Cate.”  Dr. Klein quickly consulted the tablet displaying Cate’s medical chart before turning to his patient.  “So, let’s take a look at your ovaries, shall we?”  He clapped his hands lightly together to emphasize his readiness, then looked over at Jon.  “Wanna watch from down there or up here?”

Jon chuckled.  “Depends where the best view is.”

“Well, I think you’d probably rather watch the monitor than the insertion of the probe.  This is a transvaginal ultrasound, not abdominal.”

Cate chuckled softly as she saw Jon cringe, then jump to his feet.  He moved swiftly to her side, opposite Dr. Klein.

“I’m good up here with the monitor,” Jon announced, grinning.  “Besides, I’ve already seen all that down there.”

Cate rolled her eyes as her cheeks heated.  “Thanks, Dear.”

Dr. Klein laughed.  “That’s the prevailing view among husbands.  They’d rather be up here.  Can’t say I blame you.”  He turned his attention back to his patient.  “Okay, Cate.  Assume the position, please.”   He chortled as used the vernacular of her profession.

Cate reclined back onto the table, smoothing the paper drape over her lap as she lifted her legs.  She settled her feet into the stirrups, then took a deep breath.

The doctor pulled a flat screen monitor out on its swing-arm from the wall, and adjusted it where both he and his patients would be able to view the picture.  Then he rolled the metal tray-topped instrument rack to its place near Cate’s feet before taking his position on the stool.

Jon laced his fingers between Cate’s and gave her a little smile.  “This doesn’t hurt, right?”

“No.  Not at all.”  Cate shook her head slightly.  “I hardly feel anything, except…”  She winced as, with perfect timing, she felt the chilly wetness inside her.  “Except the gel is kinda cold.”  She chuckled softly.

“Okay, the probe is in…” Dr. Klein looked at the monitor, which flickered to life with a three-dimensional grey-toned image.  “And here we go.  First, left ovary…”

Together Jon and Cate turned their attention to the screen.  Cate’s lips pursed as she studied the familiar view, noting the differences from the image of just days before.  “Wow,” she muttered.

“Looks like we have a number of well-developed follicles on the left side,” Dr. Klein commented.  “Jon, can you see those circles on the screen, that look like bubbles?”

Jon nodded.  “Those are eggs?”

“Egg follicles.  They release eggs into the fallopian tubes.”

Jon squinted at the screen.  “Looks like a lot of ‘em.  Like…” He muttered a count.  “Seven.”  His eyes widened as he swiveled his head to look at the doctor.  “Does that mean she’s gonna have seven eggs that could be fertilized?”

“Potentially.  But not all follicles will release eggs.  In older women undergoing hyperstimulation we often see multiple matured follicles, but only half or less actually contain and release fertile eggs.”

“Can you tell how many are released?”

Dr. Klein shook his head.  “No.  We can’t detect the number of eggs in the fallopian tube.  We have to wait and see if any are fertilized and attach to the uterine wall.  That’s the only way to know for sure if there was one or more.”  He returned his attention to the screen.  “Now let’s take a look at the right ovary…”

Cate glanced at Jon as the images on the screen blurred while Dr. Klein manipulated the probe in her vagina.  She smiled at his transfixed expression.  His active interest in the details of her treatment gave her comfort and encouragement.  Cate squeezed Jon’s hand before looking back at the monitor.

“Yes, it looks like we’re well-developed on the right, too,” Dr. Klein observed.  “At least five viable follicles, notably more mature than they were Tuesday.”  He looked at Cate and gave her an approving smile.  “Looks like you’re ready for the trigger shot, Cate.”

“Great.”  Cate sighed with relief.  “I was hoping we could do it today.”

Dr. Klein nodded as he slipped the probe from Cate’s body, depositing it on the waiting tray at his side.  The screen went dark at the loss of signal.  Jon turned his questioning gaze back to Cate.  “So, this ‘trigger shot’… it’s just big hit of hormones?”

“Yep, pretty much.”  Dr. Klein tugged the paper cover down over Cate’s knees and stood.  “You can sit up, Cate.   I’ll give you the injection now, before you get dressed.”

Cate gratefully pulled her feet from the stirrups and dropped them over the side of the table.  Jon helped her lever herself back up to the seated position as Dr. Klein turned away to notate Cate’s chart.  After a brief pause he continued his explanation to Jon.

“So, this ‘trigger shot’ is actually a high dose of HCG, which kick-starts the production of progesterone, which in turn enriches the lining of the uterus.  Changes in hormonal balance will cause the follicles to release their eggs into the fallopian tubes for their travel to the uterus.  With a little luck and good timing…”  Dr. Klein turned to face Cate and Jon.  “One or more of those eggs will be fertilized and will implant in the uterine lining.”

“And I’ll be pregnant.” Cate’s hope slipped out in a half-whisper.

Dr. Klein smiled.  “Yes.  And you’ll be pregnant.”  He moved for the door.  “I just need to check with the lab to be sure your blood test was fine, then I’ll be back to administer the HCG.  Sit tight.”

Cate and Jon were quiet for a long minute after Dr. Klein’s departure, digesting what they had just heard.   Jon broke the silence.

“So does this mean you’re ovulating right away, after you get this shot?”

“No, not right away.  In about 24 to 36 hours.”

Jon grinned.  “So not, like… in the cab on the way home.”

“No,”  Cate giggled quietly.  “More like tomorrow or Sunday.”

“So there has to be lots of sex this weekend?”  Jon gave Cate a sly grin as he squeezed her hand.

Cate frowned slightly as her mind flew over her party preparation to-do list.  “Well not lots, exactly… The timing is more important…”

Jon read her thoughts.  “So maybe we oughta pencil it in somewhere on the schedule?  Squeeze it in between ‘caterers’ and ‘florist,’ maybe?”

His comment came off more sarcastically than he intended.  Immediately Jon regretted his snarky half-joke when he saw the hurt in Cate’s surprised look.

“Baby… I didn’t mean…”  Jon stammered softly, then swore.  “Fuck.  I’m sorry.  I’m an asshole.”

Cate snorted.  “Yeah, you kinda are.”  She pulled her hand free of Jon’s grasp, crossing her arms over her abdomen in an unconsciously defensive pose.

“Cate, I mean it.  I’m sorry.”  Jon gave Cate’s arm a gentle squeeze.  “I just meant… well, that this is more important than some stupid holiday party.  If something gets bumped off the list so we have time to spend together… to make our Baby… Well, it’s just a party.”

“I know what you meant, Jon.  It’s okay.”  Cate’s resigned voice hinted that she wasn’t quite sincere in her forgiveness.  “You’re right.  This is more important.”

Jon leaned over to press a kiss against Cate’s temple, then slipped his mouth to her ear.  “Forgive me, Baby?  I’m just a stupid big-mouthed prick.  You know that, right?”

Cate couldn’t stop a little snort of laughter at Jon’s self-deprecating plea.  “Yeah, well… you’re not wrong.  And you’re forgiven.”

“Good.”  Jon gave Cate another kiss on the cheek for good measure, as Dr. Klein re-entered the room.

“Everything looks good, Cate.  Right on target.”  He smiled brightly and strode over to the cabinet.  The doctor pulled out and unwrapped a syringe, then inserted the needle into a small vial.  Cate could see the clear liquid fill the plastic cylinder.

“Okay, here we go.”  Dr. Klein stepped to the exam table, next to Cate.  “Which side do you want?”

“This one’s fine.”  Cate leaned onto her left hip, raising her right toward the doctor’s hands.  He pushed away the paper drape, baring her skin, then quickly stabbed the small needle into her flesh.  Cate winced slightly at the sting, then smiled.

“Done and done.”  Dr. Klein pulled the needle from the syringe and dropped it into a sharps container.  Then he turned to lean back against the counter’s edge, giving his patients a friendly smile.  “So, Cate… you should ovulate in about 24 to 36 hours.  I’d recommend intercourse in the next twelve hours or so, then again in about 24 hours, just to be on the safe side.  After that, pretty much as frequently as you wish.”

Jon grinned.  “Now those are doctors’ orders I think I can live with.”

The doctor laughed and extended a hand, first to Cate, then to Jon.  “You two have fun.  Good luck, and give me a call if you have any questions.  Otherwise, Cate… I’ll see you back here after the holidays.”

“How soon can we take a pregnancy test?”  Cate had to smile at Jon’s anxious question.

“No earlier than two weeks after ovulation.  Which means…”  Dr. Klein turned to glance at the calendar on the wall next to the door.  “December 31 or later.”

Jon waited for Cate to look at him before giving her a gentle smile.  “Would be a helluva way to ring in the new year.”

“That it would,” Dr. Klein agreed with a smile.  “And on that note… I have one more patient waiting.  Happy Holidays to you and your families.”  The doctor moved toward the door with a cheerful wave.

“Thanks, Doc,” Jon called after him.

“Happy Holidays,” Cate added.

She turned her gaze to meet Jon’s.  He gave her a smile, the special one he saved just for her.  As always, it made her melt.

Suddenly everything else seemed trivial.  To-do lists, dry-cleaning, caterers, traffic, party-planning… even her job.

“Let’s go home, Jon.  Let’s order in, have a glass of wine….” Cate smiled back at her handsome husband, her eyes glowing with affection.  “Then let’s make our baby.  Doctor’s orders.”

TWENTY-ONE

“A surprise?”  Cate gave Jon a faux-wary smirk.  “A good one or a bad one?”

Jon grinned.  “A good one, of course.”  He stepped back from the door, crooking a finger and beckoning Cate inside.  “But you’re gonna need to get outta those clothes.”

Cate rolled her eyes and snorted a soft chuckle as she wheeled her suitcase into the suite and past her husband.  “Well there’s a surprise,” she teased sarcastically.  “It’s only been a week and you can’t even wait for me to get through the door before you’re ordering me to get naked?”

“Well, it doesn’t work very well if you have your clothes on.”

“You manage to work around them other times.”  Cate smirked brashly.  “Like back at the Center, on the hood of that cruiser?  Hell, my gear and my gun didn’t even stop you then.”  She threw the challenge over her shoulder as she strolled into the suite’s airy living room.

Cate stopped dead in her tracks when she found herself confronted by a solemn-looking, middle-aged Asian man dressed in a dark shirt and pants.  Several steps behind him stood a demurely smiling Asian woman.  Both gazed silently at Cate, registering no reaction to her revealing comment.  Despite their stoicism Cate felt her cheeks flame as she realized they had clearly heard every word.

“Oh! I… uh…” Cate stammered.  She heard Jon’s throaty chortle behind her as she closed her eyes and took a breath, willing herself to gather some semblance of composure.  She waited a second, then opened her eyes.  The strangers gazed placidly back at her.

“Sorry,” Cate said meekly.  “I didn’t know my husband had… guests.”  She shrugged apologetically, then cringed as she felt Jon move up behind her.  She could plainly sense his smug glee at watching her sputter and blush after being caught in this embarrassing predicament.

Jon chuckled softly and reached for his wife, settling his hands on her hips.  He felt her immediately relax, his touch having the intended bolstering effect.  “Baby, this is Doctor James Xiu, and his wife Lin.”  He nodded toward the couple.

“How do you do, Madam?”  Dr. Xiu’s quiet, melodious voice held only faint traces of a Chinese accent.  He gave Cate a small smile and bowed slightly at the waist with his greeting.  His wife added a soft “Hello” and her own little bow.

“Nice to meet you,” Cate replied sheepishly, making her own awkward half-bow of response.  She swallowed hard, hoping the rosy flush was receding from her cheeks.  Her gaze dropped from the Doctor’s quizzical expression, briefly scanning the room as she took another breath.

For the first time she noticed two long, tan-upholstered waist-high tables positioned side-by-side near the suite’s broad windows.  She half-turned to look over her shoulder at Jon, her expression silently conveying her question.

Jon chortled and gave Cate’s waist a little squeeze.  “I know you’ve had a rough week, Baby.  So, I thought you wouldn’t say ‘no’ to a little pampering.”

Cate smiled, touched by his gesture.  “A massage sounds wonderful.”

“Who said anything about a massage?”  Jon grinned and gave Cate a little wink.  “We can get one of those at the spa.  Nah, I thought maybe you’d appreciate a little ‘special therapy’.  Something that might be beneficial in more ways than one.”

Again Cate’s cheeks heated as her blue eyes widened.  Surely he couldn’t mean…

“Jon!” Cate hissed quietly, hoping her voice was low enough that the strangers in the room couldn’t hear.  “What the… Oh My God!  You mean, this is a… like a… a 'Happy Ending' kind of thing?”

Jon gaped at Cate for a moment, caught off-guard by her assessment.  Then he burst out laughing.  Clearly his wife was both exhausted and distracted after her grueling week. Her cop-brain had automatically leapt to the seedy conclusion that he had arranged an illicit rubdown.

“No, no.”  Jon shook his head and grinned down at his adorably befuddled bride.  “Cate, Dr. and Mrs. Xiu are holistic healers.  They come very highly recommended by some extremely credible physicians.  Including Dr. Seuss.”

Cate’s brow furrowed in confusion.  “What?  Jane?”

Jon nodded, his blue eyes twinkling.  “Yes, Jane.  I talked to her this morning.  I was thinking maybe we’d try this back in the City, but when I got your text that you were coming down…” His smile gentled.  “Well, I thought maybe we’d give it a shot here, to start with.  If you like it we can continue back home.”

“Continue what?”

“Acupuncture.”  Jon’s voice softened.  “Dr. Xiu is one of the foremost fertility acupuncturists in the nation.  He works with all the top programs here in DC.”  His hand slid to Cate’s middle, his palm pressing lightly against her belly.  “Maybe this can give us a little extra edge.”

A soft smile curved Cate’s mouth as her heart melted at Jon’s thoughtfulness.  “Jane said this would be okay, with the drug therapy?”  Her voice betrayed her hesitation; in her research she had read that pharmaceutical and holistic treatments were not always compatible.

Jon nodded.  “And Dr. Klein agrees.  He said since you’re just starting on the drugs your body may be a little wacko for awhile.  This can help smooth out the edges.”

Cate mirrored Jon’s little nod, then turned to look again at the Xius.  She gave the Doctor another sheepish smile.  “Actually, it sounds wonderful,” she conceded quietly.

Dr. Xiu tipped his head at Cate, a small smile turning his mouth.  “If you have any questions, Mrs. Bongiovi, I am happy to answer them.”

“Umm... Not at the moment.”  Cate felt Jon’s hands slide from her body as she turned to fully face the Doctor, then took a step toward him.  “I’ve used acupuncture before, so I know the process.  And I’ve read about it as a therapy for… for infertility.”  She could almost feel Jon’s silent wince at her use of the word he hated.

“You have used acupuncture?”  Dr. Xiu’s smile widened.  “For?”

“Healing.  Coupled with physical therapy.”  Cate relaxed a bit, now that she was able to form full sentences in conversing with the Doctor.  “I was shot in the back a few years ago, in the line of duty.  Acupuncture was very helpful.”

“But you do not use acupuncture for health benefits?”

Cate blushed slightly at the question, which felt like a mild scold.  “No.  My husband is a devotee, though.  He uses it quite frequently.”

“Because I’m old and decrepit,” Jon added playfully.  He stepped up beside Cate and gave her a little grin.  “Dr. Xiu and I had plenty of time to talk while we were waiting for you.  He knows my whole sad story:  creaky bones, weak knees, bad back…”

“Your husband is in excellent health,” Dr. Xiu interrupted, for the first time showing a real smile.  “As are you, from what he has told me.  But I believe my wife and I can help you both, on your fertility journey.”

Cate’s eyes moistened as she smiled gratefully.  “I hope so.”  She looked past the doctor to the woman standing quietly in the background.  “You are a healer as well, Mrs. Xiu?”

“Yes.”  Lin’s answer was soft, the serenity of her voice matching the calm assuredness of her demeanor.  “I have helped make many women mothers.”

“Oh.  That’s… good.”  Cate paused awkwardly and shot Jon a sideways glance.  She didn’t know what else to say.

“Mrs. Bongiovi, I can start your treatment now, if you will please disrobe.  There is a sheet on the bureau you may use to cover yourself.”  The male doctor quietly but firmly directed Cate to the bedroom.  “Please be sure to remove your bra; it is restricting.  You may leave your panties on if you wish, but I may need to arrange them for treatment.”

Jon couldn’t help but snicker at Dr. Xiu’s “panty-arranging” comment.  Cate’s eyes widened, silently warning him not to be rude.

“Go ahead, Baby,” Jon prompted, trying to hide a little smirk.  “You want some help?”

Cate obediently turned toward the doors to the suite’s master bedroom.  “No, I think I can manage to undress myself,” she replied, more than a little sarcastically.

“Okay, okay.  Sheesh.  Just trying to help.”  Jon grinned and watched Cate wheel her case to the open double doors, then close them after her.

“Mr. Bongiovi, Lin can start your treatment now, as we wait for your wife.”  Dr. Xiu’s statement to Jon was in the same calm manner as his directive to Cate, more order than request.

Jon took a step toward the tables, then hesitated.  “Actually, Doc… I’d rather wait.  I’d like to watch what you do for Cate.”  He gave a little shrug.  “I’m curious.  I may be a veteran pincushion, but I’ve never seen anything like this.  For fertility, I mean.”

“You would like to watch the entire treatment?”

“No, not all of it.”  Jon shook his head slightly with his reply.  “Just the part that will help her… you know, her ovulation, I guess.  What zones you use.  I’ve always found the science of acupuncture interesting.”  He grinned.  “After all these years I still can’t figure out how my guy can stick a needle in my ass and make my neck feel better.”

Dr. Xiu’s solemn countenance softened at Jon’s wisecrack.  “It is as much nature as it is science,” he commented quietly.  “But as you said, you understand Qi.  So, you understand the need for balance.  For your wife to produce eggs, just as for you to heal your painful neck, the Qi must be in balance.  When it is so, the human body is capable of many things.  Even a thing science says it should not be able to do.”

Jon’s grin gentled.  “Like a woman in her 40s having a normal, healthy pregnancy.”

“Yes.”  Dr. Xiu returned Jon’s smile. “It happens many times, even though the best fertility specialists in the world will tell you the odds are astronomically against such a thing.  Too often modern medicine, with all its wonders and capabilities, relies too much on ‘modern’ and not enough on ‘medicine’.”

“Amen, Doc.” Jon agreed, nodding slowly.  “You’re preachin’ to the choir here.”

“Yes.”  Dr. Xiu nodded, then gestured toward the treatment tables.  “But while we wait for your wife, please.  You may lie down and prepare yourself for your treatment.  Lin will not begin until you are ready, when you have seen what you like.”

Jon nodded his silent agreement, then moved slowly over to the table.  He sat on its edge and turned, swinging his legs up onto the upholstered surface.  With a soft groan Jon leaned sideways, then rolled onto his stomach.

He felt the towel around his waist loosen as he wiggled himself into a comfortable position.  It wouldn’t matter in a few minutes anyway; Jon knew the acupuncturist would adjust his covering, revealing his gluteal muscles to insert the thin needles.  He propped himself up on his elbows and looked expectantly toward the bedroom door.

Less than a minute later Cate emerged.  She had pulled her long hair up into a messy knot at the nape of her neck, leaving several auburn tendrils floating to her bare shoulders.  As instructed, she had draped a creamy sheet modestly around her. She clutched at the tuck between her breasts as she shuffled slowly into the sitting room and around the furniture.

Cate gave Jon a little smile as she followed Mrs. Xiu’s quiet direction to take her place on the treatment table.  Her cheeks pinkened a bit as she adjusted the sheet, loosening and gathering it in front of her as she prepared to sit.  Jon’s mouth curved into a little smirk as he got a flash of his wife’s bare backside.  She had clearly decided against the panties.

“Hey there, Gorgeous,” Jon purred softly as Cate settled onto her back beside him, on the twin table.

Cate fidgeted a bit, further arranging the sheet as her covering, then turned her head to give her husband a grateful smile.  “Thanks, but I know I look like crap,” she chastised gently.

“Naw.  You look beautiful.  Tired, but beautiful.”  Jon returned her smile with his own tender look.  His only regret for arranging this surprise for Cate was that he hadn’t had the privacy to welcome her properly.

Dr. Xiu stepped up beside Cate, interrupting their quiet conversation.  “Good, Mrs. Bongiovi.  We can now begin.  Are you ready?”

Cate drew in a breath and gave Jon a private little smile, then nodded.  “Yes.”  She tried not to blush as Dr. Xiu pulled the sheet down past her waist, uncovering her nearly to her thighs.

Jon’s sly smirk at the sight of her bare breasts made Cate chuckle despite herself.  She watched his sparkling blue eyes as they slid unabashedly downward to the faded tattoo on her hip.

“Your husband would like to observe your treatment,” Dr. Xiu commented quietly as he placed his hands palm-down against Cate’s flat belly.  He pressed gently, then repositioned his touch.

“Okay,” Cate agreed softly.  “Will you treat him too?”

“Yes.  But for his neck, not for fertility.  I do not see a need for that at this time, from what he has told me.”

The doctor’s quiet statement caught Cate unprepared.  The unspoken implication stung.  She blinked, then swallowed hard.  “Oh.”  She turned her gaze to the ceiling, not wanting Jon to see the hurt she knew would show in her blue eyes.

She wasn’t quick enough.  “Cate,” Jon breathed softly, reaching for her hand across the space between their tables. He curved his fingers over hers, squeezing reassuringly.  “It’s just not the right time, now. To… uh… stimulate… me.”

Cate blinked rapidly, then forced a little smile.  She turned her eyes back to Jon’s.  His tender expression comforted her.

“Okay,” she agreed weakly.  Tonight of all nights she didn’t want to be hurt or sad or down.  She didn’t want to think or plan or worry.  She just wanted to be here, with her husband.

After a swift, gentle palpation of Cate’s abdomen, Dr. Xiu turned to his wife.  Lin stepped forward, rolling in front of her a small tray-topped cart.  Dr. Xiu took a pair of latex gloves from the cart and slipped them onto his hands, then looked down at his patient.  He gave her a calm smile.  “We can begin.   Are you ready?”

Cate nodded, swallowing again.  “Yes.”

“Good.  Relax and breathe.  If you wish, close your eyes and focus on something that calms you.  Music.  Poetry.  Art.  Nature.”

“Okay,” Cate agreed softly.  She let her lids drift shut and took a deep breath.  Her mind filled with a peaceful vision of crystalline waters, white sand, and blue sky.   She felt Jon give her hand another gentle squeeze before his touch pulled away.

Cate slowly blew out the breath, counting to ten.  As she reached the final number she felt a tiny twinge near her navel as Dr. Xiu inserted the first needle.  The corners of her mouth curved upward.

*****

“Aww, c’mon.  You can’t be cold.”  Jon grinned as he teased his shivering wife.  “It’s like, thirty degrees.  Barely below freezing.”  Despite his joshing he slowed his pace and slipped an arm around Cate’s shoulders.  She immediately snuggled close beside him, seeking his warmth.

“You know I hate winter,” she grumbled halfheartedly.  “God, I can’t wait to get to St. Barth.”

“Yeah, about that, Baby.  I was thinking maybe this year we’d go skiing in Vail instead…”

Jon automatically flinched as his wife smacked at his torso.  Her gloved hand made a muffled pop against his shiny black down-filled jacket.  “OWW!” he protested whinily, though he barely felt the assault.

“Not funny, Jon.”

Jon chuckled.  “You know me better than that,” he admitted ruefully.  “All I want to do after Christmas is lay on a warm beach with a beautiful woman in a bikini and a good book.”  He gave Cate’s shoulders another squeeze and tipped his head toward a brightly-lit shop.  “Wanna duck in here for something to warm you up?”

Cate nodded and turned toward the coffee shop’s entry.  Jon pulled open the glass door and waited for her to enter, then followed her inside and up to the register.

“What do you want?” Cate asked Jon, a little sigh of relief in her breathy voice.  “Coffee?”

“Sure.  You having tea?”  At Cate’s nod Jon turned his attention to the wide-eyed brunette barista behind the register.  He gave her a charming smile before placing their order.

“One Grande Tazo Calm with honey and one Venti Nonfat Caramel Macchiato, please.”

The young woman nodded and grinned as she touched the register screen.  “That will be eleven seventy-nine, please.”  She giggled softly as Jon pulled a twenty-dollar bill from his wallet and handed it to her.  “Thank you, and your change…”

“Keep it.  Thanks, Doll.”  Jon flashed the now-swooning coed a cheeky grin and turned to stroll to the other end of the counter, where Cate awaited their beverages.

“Flirt,” she teased gently as Jon stepped up close beside her.

“Uh huh,” he replied, giving her a wink.  “Works every time.  No matter what age.”

Cate rolled her eyes at her husband’s cocksure boast, but giggled softly.  Of course he was right.

“So, why exactly are we wandering the streets of Georgetown in the freezing cold when we have a perfectly warm hotel room just blocks away?”  Cate arched a brow at Jon before reaching to accept her freshly-poured tea from the barista.

“Because it’s hard to hail a cab from the twenty-eighth floor.”

“And where are we going in this cab we have yet to hail?  You said you wanted to fly under the radar, remember?”  Cate smiled and took a cautious sip of her steaming beverage.  She winced as it singed the tip of her tongue.

“I do.  Don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere I intend to be noticed.”  Jon smiled cryptically and looked straight ahead, rocking slightly on the balls of his feet.

After Dr. Xiu had completed their acupuncture sessions, Jon and Cate had both felt relaxed and refreshed, but not sufficiently rejuvenated to brave a Friday night dinner in one of Washington’s tony restaurants.  Instead they had opted for a quiet dinner in, delivered to their suite from the hotel's own five-star steakhouse.   It had been just what they needed, a dinner date away from the public eye, where husband and wife could catch up on the week’s happenings and talk about the coming week’s eventful schedule.

But once dinner was done Jon had, like clockwork, grown restless.   Recognizing the nightly involuntary adrenaline spike that Jon referred to as his “stage call,” Cate had suggested they get out of their suite for a little while, for dessert or a drink.  As the couple stepped off the elevator into the hotel’s festive lobby, the idea had occurred to Jon.

What they needed was a little Holiday Spirit.

“Thanks, Man.”  Jon reached to accept his coffee from the barista, then gave Cate a wink.  “Ready?”

“God, I hope so,” Cate replied warily.

Jon chortled and reached for his bride, resting a hand at the small of her back and nudging her toward the door.  He took a sip of his beverage as he followed her out of the shop and onto the brick walk.  Even he couldn’t stop an involuntary shiver as a strong, icy breeze swirled around them.

Cate swore quietly at the chill, then took charge of matters.  She didn’t know what Jon had planned, but she wasn’t going to stand out in the cold all night waiting for him to explain.  Raising her free hand, she stepped to the curb.  “Taxi!”

Jon grinned at Cate’s initiative.  He casually strolled the three steps to where she stood, looking anxiously into oncoming traffic, trying to spot an in-service cab.  “Where we goin’?” he queried teasingly.

“At this point I don’t care.  We can just drive around, as long as the cab has a working heater.”  Cate waved her hand vigorously, having spotted a potential ride for hire.

“Mmm.  I kinda like that idea.”  Jon took another sip of his coffee.  “We could repeat our little tour of the monuments, from last winter.”  He smirked at the memory of the lusty limousine ride Cate had arranged during their last tour visit to D.C.

Cate shot Jon an amused look.  “I’m sure the cabbie would love that.”  She quickly turned her attention back to the street, waving her hand again at an oncoming cab.  Cate cursed bitterly as the taxi she had targeted changed lanes, then whizzed past.

“Here.  Let me.”  Jon stepped in front of Cate on the curb, raising his hand and beckoning to another oncoming taxi.

“Jon, I’m perfectly capable…”  Cate’s protest came to an abrupt end as a yellow cab drifted to a halt in front of her.  Jon grinned smugly and waved a hand at the vehicle.

“See.  That’s how it’s done,” he teased, thickening his Jersey.  "You wanna get a cab?  Ask a New Yawker."  He leaned to pull open the door for his bride.

Cate growled but quickly climbed inside the car, careful not to spill her tea.  She slid across the seat to allow Jon to sit  beside her, then snuggled close to him again when he was settled.  She sighed at the welcome blast of warm air from the taxi’s heater against her chill-pinkened cheeks.

“Washington Monument,” Jon instructed the driver with a little grin and a sly wink for his wife.

“What?” Cate blurted, caught off-guard by their alleged destination.  Surely Jon wasn’t really expecting her to…

“You want side of Tidal Basin, or side of Constitution Avenue?”  The cabbie’s thick Middle Eastern accent interrupted her surprise.

“Constitution.  The side the White House is on, right?”  Jon clarified his direction.

“Yes.”

“Okay, then.”

Without further comment the cab driver guided the car out into the heavy evening traffic.

“The National Mall?” Cate asked skeptically when Jon turned to give her a little grin.  “It’s a little cold for sightseeing, dontcha think?”

“Nah.  We got coats and coffee.”  Jon chortled to himself, pleased that Cate hadn’t made the connection between their destination and why he was taking her there.  She knew this city so well that she often forgot to view it through the eyes of a tourist.

“Okay…” Cate sighed.  “You just better hope it doesn’t  start snowing.”

“Well if it does, I’ll just have to keep you extra-warm.”

“I’m gonna hold you to that.”

“You can hold whatever you want, Baby,” Jon leered playfully.  “Especially when we get back to the hotel.”

They spent the rest of the short cab ride engaged in flirtatious banter and close affectionate contact.  Despite her playful grumbling about the weather, Cate couldn’t help but enjoy their little adventure-in-progress.  Her heart always melted at the bright sparkle in Jon’s indigo eyes when he pulled these little schemes.  He loved surprising her.

“Okay, you want here.  Yes?”  The cab driver’s question pierced Cate and Jon’s quiet conversation.  Jon ducked his head to look through the windshield for the landmark, then nodded.

“Yep, this is great.  Thanks.”  He reached for his back pocket.

As Jon counted out the cab fare and tip from his wallet Cate turned her gaze out the taxi’s window.  Her eyes widened, then she chuckled softly at the brilliant sight, their not-so-secret destination.  She should have known.

“Alright, Baby.  After you.”  Jon prodded Cate into action.

With a thank-you to their driver she pushed open the taxi’s door and climbed out, then waited for Jon to follow.  He did, closing the door behind him and giving the cabbie a little wave before turning and taking Cate’s hand.  They shared a smile and started down the cordoned trail to the bright, festive symbol of the season.

“A little Holiday Spirit, huh?”  Cate softly voiced Jon’s thoughts as they wandered toward the towering, spectacularly-lit National Christmas Tree.

“Uh huh.” Jon grinned.  “Just felt like the right night for it.  There’s a magical chill in the air, I’m with my Best Girl in our Nation’s Capitol, spent my day doing my part toward peace on earth and goodwill to men…”

Cate’s heart squeezed at her husband’s sentiment.  “I think you’re right.  It’s the perfect place for us to be tonight.”   She pulled her gloved hand from Jon’s and slid her arm around his waist, giving him a little hug and snuggling close to his side as they strolled slowly along the path.

Other couples and families moved around and past them as they approached the giant Christmas tree and the small throng of onlookers that surrounded it.  Cate and Jon hardly noticed; they chatted quietly as they ambled along the trail.  When they drew near, the sweet, melodious sound of a carol-singing choir filled the night air.

Silently Cate and Jon stepped into the small crowd gathered around the tree.  Jon slipped into his favorite stance behind Cate, wrapping his arms around her waist and settling his chin on her shoulder.  They stood together for a few minutes, listening to the remainder of the choir’s beautiful rendition of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”  When they were done, Jon maintained his pose while Cate applauded for the both of them.

Jon smiled and pressed a soft kiss against Cate’s cheek before speaking softly in her ear.  “So, I was thinking maybe this weekend we would decorate our tree.”

“Oh, Jon…” Cate’s soft reply was chagrined.  “I’m sorry… I already had the staff decorate the house for the holidays.  We’ve both been gone and the party’s only two weeks away…”

Jon chortled at her sweet apology.  “No, Baby, not that one… I figured you were trying to get all that stuff set up, out at the Jersey house.”  He smiled and gave her a little squeeze.  “I thought maybe we’d spend this weekend in the City.  I want to see the boys, thought maybe I’d take ‘em Christmas shopping or something.  And you and me… well, we could go to one of those Christmas tree lots on the corner, find some scraggly little Charlie Brown tree, then take it back to our place and wrap it in a blanket and hang some big-ass glass ball on it and call it Christmas.”

Cate laughed musically at Jon’s sweetly-silly description of his plan.  “That sounds nice.   But I think we need a little more in the decoration department.”

“Well, we could pick up some ornaments…”

Cate shook her head slowly.  “Nah.”  She smiled gently.  “We could make our own.  You know, string popcorn, make paper chains, cut snowflakes out of paper…  Did you ever do that as a kid?”

Jon nodded, his heart warming at her suggestion.  “Yeah.  And Mom used to bake gingerbread cookies for the ornaments.  You know, the ones like gingersnaps?  We hung them on the tree from ribbons.”  He chortled softly at the memory.  “Of course, by the time Christmas rolled around the tree was pretty much bare, ‘cause Anthony and I ate most of ‘em.”

“My Grandma used to do that too.”  Cate turned her face to Jon’s, giving him a loving smile.  “I think that sounds like a perfect way to spend our weekend.”

Jon leaned forward to brush a tender kiss across her mouth.  When he pulled away he grinned and licked his lips, which now tasted of Cate's cherry lip balm.  “An old-fashioned family Christmas tree.  I love that idea.”

“Well…”  Cate hesitated, realizing she wasn’t completely sure she wanted to vocalize the idea that had immediately sprung to her mind.

“What, Baby?”

Cate looked into Jon’s gleaming blue eyes and felt a pang of selfish guilt.  Her initial reaction to their newly-hatched idea had been to include Jon’s youngest sons in the holiday decorating ritual.  Almost as quickly, she had felt a stab of resentment at the idea of sharing Jon or their precious time together with anyone… even his children.

Cate swallowed hard, then smiled.  She couldn’t deny Jon time with his children, especially during the holidays.

“I was just thinking… Maybe the boys would like to help with the tree.  Picking it out, making the decorations… I could even bake gingerbread cookies.”

Jon’s face lit up at her proposal.  “Cate, that’s a great idea.  I don’t know about Jess, but Jakey and Romey would love that.”  He chuckled.  “It wouldn’t be quite like the old days when Anthony and I used to go out in the beat-up old station wagon to get the tree with our Old Man, but…”

“Why don’t you call Dorothea when we get back to the hotel, and ask her to let the boys stay with us tomorrow night,” Cate suggested quietly.

Jon’s grin gentled to an adoring smile.  “You know what?  You’re the best StepMama ever.  And a pretty fantastic Wife, too.”  He ducked his head forward to playfully rub his nose against Cate’s.

Cate chortled huskily, his words touching her heart.  “These are the memories you should make with your children, Jon,” she explained quietly, as much to herself as to him.  “Before you know it they’ll be gone.”

"Seriously, Cate..."  Jon gave his wife a meaningful look, ensuring he had her attention.  "The way you are with my kids... My boys, especially..."  His voice took on a husky note.  "It's one of the reasons I love you so damned much.  You're wonderful to them, to Dorothea, to me..."  He swallowed the lump of emotion forming in his throat.  "And I know you're going to be an amazing Mother, Cate."

"I hope so, Jonny."  Cate's reply was a soft sigh.  Automatically her gaze turned to the brilliantly-lit symbol of the season that towered before them.

Jon’s arms tightened around Cate’s waist as he gave her an affectionate squeeze.  “You know, Cate… we’ll have our own memories to make next Christmas, with our Little One.”  His soft voice in her ear made Cate’s blue eyes mist with emotion.  “And we’ll start our own family tradition.”

Cate nodded silently, hoping with all her heart and soul that Jon’s prediction would come true.  She smiled as Jon pressed a kiss against her hair, then she tipped her head to rub her cheek to his.  Nearby the choir again started to sing, the soft strains of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” floating across the velvety night.

As they stood close together, bathed in the soft glow of the magnificent tree and warmth of the holiday spirit, sparkling white flakes began to swirl on the night air.  Jon and Cate didn’t even notice, wrapped up in each other and their hopeful vision of holidays to come.

TWENTY

“Okay, Jack.  I’ll give you a call tomorrow morning.”  Cate rose from her chair and extended a hand to the man on the other side of the desk.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Zimmer jumped to his feet, mirroring Cate’s move.  He grinned as he gave the agent’s hand a vigorous shake.  “Great.  Look forward to it.  I’m very interested to hear what you learn from the O.C. guys in Newark.”  He turned his attention to the young man standing beside Agent Sullivan, offering his hand.  “Agent Santo, nice to meet you.”

“You too, Sir.”  Probationary Agent Gus Santo nodded.  “I’ll e-mail you that draft as soon as I get back to the office.”

“Thanks.  Sounds like you have a good start.  We’ll figure out what else we need to get for probable cause.”  The attorney remained standing, watching as the pair of agents moved around the chairs that fronted his desk and to his office door.

“I look forward to working with you both.”  AUSA Zimmer’s parting comment was acknowledged by a smile and wave from Cate before she disappeared into the hallway.

Agent Santo pulled out his phone and scrolled through his messages as he strolled down the fluorescent-lit hallway, his partner a half-step behind him.  Or so he thought.

“Hey Gus, gimme a minute.”

Cate’s calm request made the young agent obediently stop in his tracks.  He looked up from his phone, then turned to see his partner-of-the-month paused beside a nondescript door.  The placard on the wall next to the door frame provided the subtext of her request.

Agent Santo chuckled.  “Sure.  You Gals and your little bladders.”

“Hey, it could be a long ride to Newark if traffic sucks.  Didn’t they teach you at the Academy to always take advantage of a chance to use a clean bathroom?”  Cate winked knowingly.

“Yeah, I remember somethin’ about that,”  Santo bantered back.  “Guess it’s not really an issue for me.”

“Suit yourself.”  Cate shrugged, but smiled at her Probie’s  mild argument.  “Voice of experience here, though.  I don’t wanna see you pulling off the Turnpike and whipping it out on the side of the road.”

Santo blushed lightly at Cate’s indelicate tease.  This was only his second week working with his newly-assigned trainer, and so far she was living up to her reputation as a capable and cordial partner.  But he wasn’t quite comfortable enough with her yet to discuss bodily functions in graphic detail.

“Uh, okay.” Santo grinned sheepishly and tipped his head toward the lobby at the end of the hall.  “I’ll wait up front.”

“I won’t be long,” Cate promised, letting him off the hook.  She watched Gus turn away and continue down the hall before she pushed through the door into the ladies’ room.

Her smile faded as Cate stepped into a stall, closed the door, and dropped her briefcase on the floor.  She shed her jacket and hung it on the hook, then pulled the paddle-holstered gun from the small of her back and slipped it inside the open mouth of her case.  Cate unfastened her pants, then with a soft sigh slid them down and lowered herself onto the toilet.

She squinted her eyes closed for a long moment before looking down at the bunched fabric between her knees.  A lump formed in her throat as she saw what she expected:  a dark red stain on the thin cotton pad.  She swallowed hard.

Cate had known the second her period started, the unwelcome and familiar cramp assaulting her as she sat in the AUSA’s office, discussing her case.  It had taken all her willpower to shove her disappointment aside and keep her concentration focused on the conversation.

“Get it together,” Cate muttered crossly, swiping an angry hand across her misty eyes.  She didn’t have time to indulge in self-pity; she and Agent Santo had work to do in the Newark Office.  She wasn’t going to delay their departure any more than necessary.

But she needed a minute to herself.  Again she closed her eyes and focused on breathing, willing herself to put away her disappointment.  Logically, Cate knew the hormones flooding her body were intensifying her response.  Emotionally, she didn’t care.  Once again her body had failed her.

Cate growled at herself as she opened her eyes, then yanked the liner from the crotch of her panties.  The adhesive separated from the cotton with a soft rasp, echoing her growl of frustration.  Cate wrapped the soiled pantyliner in toilet tissue and shoved it angrily into the metal receptacle on the wall of the stall before leaning to rummage in her briefcase for a tampon.

As she took the necessary hygienic actions Cate blinked rapidly, clearing her vision of excess moisture.  The last thing she needed to do was walk out of this bathroom with teary eyes.  She couldn't give her young trainee any reason to doubt her authority or composure.  She had to be calm, cool, and in control.  Even if inside she was a mess.

Finishing her business, Cate reassembled her clothing and her gun, then exited the stall.  She stared at her reflection in the mirror as she washed her hands, wondering if anyone else would notice the sadness in her tired blue eyes.

Cate dried her hands, fiercely crumpling the paper towel before tossing it into the trash bin.  Raising her briefcase to balance on the vanity, she pulled out a brush and quickly tidied her thick auburn hair.  Then she pulled out her phone.

She needed one more private moment in this sanctuary, before she put on her game face and went back out into the workplace.  Her fingers moved slowly over the screen, choosing the recipient’s address and tapping out the brief text message:

FLO.

Cate tapped the “send text” button, then pushed another button to lock the screen.  She sighed sadly and took one last look in the mirror.  She forced a weary smile at her reflection, squared her shoulders, picked up her briefcase, and turned for the door.

*****

Still sweaty from his exertion, Jon stepped out of the elevator and into the hotel hallway.  He moved to the door of his suite and shoved the plastic keycard into the slot.  The door clicked open and he wandered inside.

With a bored sigh Jon tossed the plastic rectangle on the kitchenette counter.  He grabbed the towel he had left there before his workout and swiped it across his face and neck.  Draping the thick terrycloth rectangle over his shoulder, Jon picked up the room-temperature bottle of water he had pre-positioned with the towel.  He cracked open the plastic seal and drank deeply as he turned to stroll into the suite’s living room.

With a weary sigh Jon flopped down onto the sofa, not caring whether his sweat-soaked workout clothes might soil the plush upholstery.  He toed off his running shoes and stripped off his damp socks before reaching for his phone, which lay where he had dropped it before his trek to the hotel gym.  Jon unceremoniously slouched back against the cushions and propped his bare feet on the glass-topped cocktail table as he turned his attention to the electronic device that seemed to control his life these days.

Jon frowned as he swiped a finger over the screen.  In the hour-and-a-half he had been blissfully sans-technology his inbox had accumulated over five dozen e-mails and text messages.  He growled disapprovingly at the addition to his workload.

He briefly scanned down the list of communications, mentally sorting them by importance.  One immediately caught his attention and caused his mouth to curve into a small smile.  The reaction was short-lived, however.  Jon’s expression sobered when he read Cate’s solitary-worded text of an hour before.

“Dammit,” Jon murmured quietly, voicing his disappointment.  He sighed heavily.  Though the home pregnancy test Cate took last weekend had forewarned them of her uninterrupted menstrual cycle, Jon had silently held on to the slim hope that the test was a false negative.  But now the biological evidence was irrefutable.

Jon tapped at the phone and raised it to his ear.  He needed to hear her voice, to assure her of his love and support.  If he couldn’t comfort her in person, he had to do it the best way he could.

Cate started at the unexpected burst of vibration on her belt.  With a soft curse she fumbled with the papers she had balanced on her lap, trying to hold her place in the file with one hand while she reached for her phone with the other.  Managing to extract the phone from its holster before it kicked over to voicemail, she glanced at the incoming number.  Automatically Cate smiled as she swiped a thumb over the screen and raised the phone to her ear.

“Hey.”  Cate tipped her head to cradle the phone against her shoulder, freeing her occupied hand.  She hastily grabbed the other half of the case file, which was in danger of sliding from her lap to the floor of the sedan.

“Hey, Baby.  Where are you?”

“On the way from Trenton to Newark.”  Cate cursed softly as she attempted to stuff the documents back into the folder so she could focus her attention on her conversation.

“You’re driving?”

Succeeding in folding the thick file shut, Cate clutched at her phone as it threatened to slide from its tenuous perch between her cheek and shoulder.  “No…” She growled softly, not at Jon but at her own awkwardness.  “Santo’s driving.  I’m trying to go over this file before we get up there.  Hang on a second.”

Without waiting for Jon’s response Cate reached to set her phone on the car’s dash.  She roughly shoved the file into the open mouth of her briefcase, which rested between her feet.  Then she picked up the phone again and gave a little sigh before continuing.

“Sorry ‘bout that.  I don’t have enough hands.”  Jon’s chuckle in reply made the corners of her mouth curve upwards.

“S’Okay.  I just wanted to say hi.”

“Okay… Hi.”  Cate’s heart squeezed at Jon’s gentle tone.  She could instantly tell why he had called.  He had obviously received her text.

“Sorry, Baby.  About your ‘visitor’.”

Cate glanced sideways at Agent Santo.  His eyes were on the road, but he could obviously hear her side of her phone conversation.  “Thanks.  Not exactly a surprise.”  Cate chose her words carefully, not wanting to reveal the personal nature of the topic.

“Faith, Cate.  We’ll keep trying.”

“I know.”

“Do you want me to come home early?  My meeting with the TV people is this afternoon.  I can fly back tonight, if you want, instead of staying out here and writing with Richie.”

Cate smiled at his offer.  “No, don’t do that.  I’m gonna be really busy the next few days, so it’s not like you’d see much of me.”

“You sure?  Just say the word, Baby, and I’m on a plane.”

“No, Jon.  It’s okay.  Really.  Stay there and work with Richie.”

Jon’s soft sigh betrayed his mixed emotions.  Cate smiled gently.  She could tell he was both a little disappointed and a little relieved that she hadn’t accepted his offer.

“So, does this mean you start taking the fertility drugs today?”

Cate shook her head, even though Jon couldn’t see her response.  “No, in a couple days.  Toward the end.”

“Just the pills, or the shots?”

“The first thing.  Then the other, a few days after.” Cate shot another glance at Gus.  “Jon, I’ll call you back later and we can discuss this in more detail.  Okay?”

Jon’s throaty chuckle indicated his understanding.  “Okay.  So, you got your new Probie with you, huh?”

Cate was grateful he had taken her cue.  “Yes.  He survived last week, so I decided to hang on to him.”  She grinned as Santo glanced sideways at her, recognizing that he was now the topic of Cate’s conversation.

“What’s his name again?”

“Gus.”  Cate chuckled as she watched her partner’s cheeks flush at the mention of his name.

“You teaching him a thing or two, are ya?”  Jon’s voice turned playful.  “Does he know you used to be an instructor at the Center?”

“Yeah.  He was one of Bobby’s students.  I’m sure he’s heard all the stories.”  Cate winked at Gus when he again glanced from the road to her.

“All of them?”  Jon chortled.  “Lemme talk to him.”

Cate laughed softly, knowing exactly what her husband was thinking.  He always enjoyed “outing” her as his wife to her colleagues.  “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea."

“Aww, C’mon, Baby.  I just wanna say hi.  That’s all.”

“Yeah, sure.  That’s all.”  Cate sighed dramatically, though her smile remained.  “Hang on.”  She dropped the phone from her cheek and looked at her young partner.  “My husband wants to say hello.”

“What?”  Santo’s startled reply made Cate chuckle.   She tapped the screen of her phone, activating the speaker function.

“Okay, here he is.”  Cate held the phone toward Agent Santo so he could clearly hear Jon’s voice through the speaker.

“Hey, Gus.  How ya doin’?”  Jon’s greeting was a laid-back drawl.

Santo gave Cate a wide-eyed glance of slight panic before turning his gaze back to the road.  “I’m good.  Thanks.”  It was obvious from his hesitant response he didn’t know quite what to make of this situation.

“So, is Cate being good to ya?  Not bustin’ your chops or anything?”

Cate snorted at Jon’s gleeful question, then shrugged as Santo glanced again at her before answering.

“No, Sir.  She’s treating me fine.  Pretty cool, actually.”  Gus’ cheeks reddened slightly as he complimented his new Training Agent.  He didn’t want her to think he was sucking up, but he also didn’t want to piss her off.

“Good, good.  You gotta keep an eye on her, ya know.  Don’t let her pull any of that Probie-hazing shit on you.”  Jon chuckled loudly as he teased Cate’s young charge.

Gus grinned and laughed, a little relieved by Jon’s obviously kidding remark.  “No sir.  I’ll watch out.”

“Hey Gus?”

“Yes, Sir?”

“Quit calling me ‘Sir.’  My Dad is ‘Sir’.”

Cate snorted softly.  She rolled her eyes, smiling despite herself as she slowly shook her head.  She knew what was coming.

“Sorry, Si… uh… Mister Sullivan.”  Gus caught himself in time, modifying his training-ingrained response to use his new partner’s surname.

“S’Alright, Gus.  But it’s not ‘Mister Sullivan’, either.”

“Sorry?”  Santo visibly cringed as his faux-pas was pointed out by the cheerful voice on the other end of the line.  Cate stifled a laugh.

“You can call me ‘Jon.’  Or ‘Mister Bongiovi’.”

The flush on Agent Santo’s cheeks deepened at the good-natured rebuke.  Though he kept his gaze straight ahead Cate saw his eyes widen with comprehension.  She couldn’t hold back a soft giggle at his reaction.

“Uhh… Sorry.  Mister… Bon Jovi?”  Santo’s incredulous reply was a meek half-question.

“S’Okay.  Agent Santo, you stay on your toes, alright?  Listen to my wife.  She knows her shit.  And I’m counting on you to have her back.  Capice?”

Santo swallowed hard and nodded.  “Yes, Si… Mr. Bon Jovi.  I got it.”

“Good.  Have Cate bring you out to the house for dinner one of these nights, alright?”

“Uh… okay.”  Santo shot a wide-eyed sideways look at his Training Agent, who was now grinning amusedly at the exchange between the two men.  “Thanks.”

“No problemo, Gus.  You two stay safe out there, okay?  I look forward to meeting  you.”

“Me too.”  Gus nodded with his reply.  He stared ahead at the road, his mind swirling with disbelief at the encounter his partner had just sprung upon him.

Cate laughed softly and turned her phone back toward her mouth.  “Jon, I’m taking you off speaker.”  She tapped the screen, then pressed the device to her cheek.  “Okay.”

His self-satisfied laugh filled her ear.  Cate smiled at the sound, her heart clenching with a silent wish that she could hear it in person instead of through the little speaker on her iPhone.  “Happy now?” she teased gently.

“Not really,” Jon answered, his voice softening.  “That was fun, but getting home to you is what will make me happy.”

“It’s just a few days, Jon.  You’re in D.C. Friday, right?”

“Yes.  Can you come down to meet me?”

Cate sighed softly.  “I don’t know.  We’ll see how things go this week.  I’ll let you know Thursday.”

“Baby, I wish you would.  We can stay the night, go out for dinner, enjoy the sights.”  Jon’s gentle plea tugged at Cate’s heart.  “Just you and me.  A little romantic rendezvous.”

Cate chuckled. “Like all of Georgetown won’t be on the lookout for you?  You know the second you hit town down there it’s big news.”

“So we’ll use your connections, fly under the radar.”

“We’ll see.”  Cate sighed softly.  Jon’s proposal was tempting; she longed for a private evening with him after the whirlwind of holiday activity the last few weeks had brought.  But she just had no way of predicting how the rest of her week would progress, now that her case had broader and more significant implications.  “Call me tonight and we’ll talk about it.”

“Okay.”  Jon paused.  “You sure you’re okay, Baby?”

“I am.  Really.  Life goes on.”  Cate’s smile turned bittersweet.  “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Love you, Baby.”

“Love you too.  Bye.”

“Bye.”

Cate dropped the phone from her cheek and closed the call, then sat quiet for a moment before turning to give Santo an apologetic smile.  “Sorry about the ambush.”

The young agent shrugged, then grinned.  “Yeah, that was pretty sneaky.”  It was apparent from Santo’s tone that he was more awed than upset.

“He gets a kick out of talking to my partners, especially the Probies.”  Cate chuckled.  “Jon feels like he has some kinda kinship with you guys, since he went through the training.”

Santo nodded slowly, keeping his eyes on the road.  “So it’s not just legend, huh?  He really did it.”

Cate arched a brow.  “Depends what the ‘legend’ says.”

“You know.  That he was down at the Center training for some movie, and he met an instructor and married her.”

Cate nodded slowly.  “Yes.  It’s true.  That’s how we met.”  She gave Santo a long look, reading his nonverbals.  “What else does the legend say?”

Agent Santo shrugged.  “Dunno.  Just that he went off to film some movie and she followed him.  Didn’t teach there again.”  He glanced sideways at Cate.  “Guess everybody thinks she… you… hung up your career once you...”   Santo stopped abruptly, a little embarrassed to be repeating speculation and gossip to the subject of the rumors.

“Once I married a millionaire rock star?”  Cate finished Santo’s thought, unable to keep a note of bitterness from her tone.

“Uh… yeah.  I guess.”  Santo shook his head.  “Sorry, it’s just… well, I guess people assume if you have that kind of money, you don’t need to work.”  He gave Cate a sheepish smile.  “That’s just what I heard, anyway.  Sorry.”

Cate stared back at her young partner for a long moment, purposely holding her tongue.  She wanted to choose her words carefully, so that he didn’t get the wrong impression.  When she finally spoke, her tone was calm and even.

“Well, not that it’s anyone’s business, but… I love my job.  I’ve always wanted to be an Agent, and I worked hard to get to where I am today.  I’m dedicated to my career, and I have no intentions of quitting anytime soon.”

She took a breath.  “And as for what happened after Jon came to the Center… Yes, I did leave teaching.  But not to follow him; I went to a special duty assignment as a technical consultant for a television series.  Not the movie Jon was filming.”  She added the caveat hastily, at Santo’s raised eyebrow.  “I admit, my work with Jon did lead to that assignment.  But I didn’t leave teaching for or because of him.”

Santo chuckled softly.  “So it’s not the romantic Boy-Meets-Girl, Girl-Gives-Up-Career-To-Marry-Boy story, huh?”

“Not at all.”  Cate shook her head, then sighed.  “Look, Gus.  I know you’ve probably heard more than that, and quite frankly I don’t give a flying fuck what people think or assume.  Jon is a celebrity, and people are curious.  I get that.   But the decisions I made about my career and life are nobody’s business but mine and my husband’s.”

“Of course.  Sorry… I’m not trying to be nosy…”

“It’s okay, Gus.”  Cate cut him off with a shake of her head and a little smile.  “I don’t mind.  We’re partners, at least for the time being.  I don’t want you to be uncomfortable with me, or to think I’m not being up-front with you.”  She chuckled softly.  “And since Jon decided to ‘introduce’ himself, least I can do is answer your questions.”

“Um… Okay.”  Santo nodded slowly.  “To be honest, I heard something about you when I first got to the Manhattan Field Office.  Well, I didn’t know it was you, but I heard the agent who married Bon Jovi was ‘around’.  I figured that just meant she lives in New York City, since that’s where he lives.”

Cate chuckled.  “Well, yes.  I’m obviously around.  And I do live in the City, with my husband.”  Her smile softened as she wondered how long that statement would be true, recalling Jon’s suggestion that they move permanently to the house in New Jersey.  “So, that’s all you heard about me?”

Santo shifted in his seat.  “No, I heard that you’re a good cop, you work hard on your cases, you get a lot of pleas and convictions, and you have a lot of experience in Financial Crimes.”  He shrugged and gave Cate a little grin.  “Actually, I wanted to work with you because of that.  My degree’s in Finance.”

“Good to know.  I’m sure that will come in handy.”

“Guess because of your last name it never occurred to me that you were… Her.”

Cate nodded, giving Gus a little smile.  “Yeah, well.  My married name attracts a lot of attention, as you can imagine.”

“Smart of you not to use it professionally, actually.”

“You think so?”  Cate arched a brow.  She fully agreed, but was curious of Santo’s reasoning.

“Sure.  From a security standpoint, especially.  You don’t want to make yourself a target.  All kinds of Bad Guys would want to get their hands on a millionaire’s cop wife.”

Cate nodded.  “Right.  And?”

Santo shrugged.  “Well, I guess you kinda have a reputation to uphold.  I mean, your whole career you’ve been Sullivan, so why change that?  Just because you marry somebody famous doesn’t mean you stop being who you are.”

Cate smiled.  The kid was more perceptive than she expected.  “Exactly.  This is my career, not Jon’s.   My world, not his.  I don’t want to be treated differently because of who I married, and I don’t want my personal life to color my career.  Plus, when I’m in the field the last thing I want is for some other agent or cop or attorney or judge or whoever to be distracted from my case.  The work we do is too important.”

“Yeah.  And right or wrong… your reputation and credibility are built on your work, not on your name.”  Santo countered.  “As it is women have to work twice as hard for that, in this business.”

Cate’s brows arched with surprise at Santo’s comment.  It was unexpected, but dead-on.

“Yes, we absolutely do.”  Cate gave her young partner an approving smile.  “And good on you, for recognizing that.  Your mother would be proud.”

“My mother would kick my ass if I ever thought otherwise.”  Gus chuckled.  “She's a college professor.  And I have four older sisters.  Two lawyers, a doctor, and a mechanical engineer.”

Cate nodded.  “Well then… you know.”  She chortled softly at Santo’s shrug and sheepish little grin.  “Gus, I think we’re gonna get along just fine.”

“Yeah.”  Santo was quiet for a minute, his eyes on the road.  When he spoke again, his tone held a hint of hesitation.  “But if you don’t mind… can I ask?”

Cate smiled.   She knew what was coming.  It was human nature.

“Sure.  Fire away.”

“What’s it like, being married to a rock star?”

 “Never a dull moment.”  Cate chuckled, pulling out her standard reply.

“Yeah, I can imagine.”  Gus grinned, then continued.  “I guess you don’t go out on tour with him though, right?   I mean, since you have your own job.”

“Well, sometimes I do.  Occasionally we meet up when he’s on the road, if I’m traveling for work and take a couple extra days of leave or something.”  Cate smirked as her mind flashed back to a particularly memorable tour stop in Rio de Janiero, when she had surprised him in his hotel.  “Or sometimes I take a week or two off and travel with him.  But he’s home most of the time now that the tour’s over.”

“You must have a lot of famous friends, too.”

Cate shrugged.  “Jon does have some famous friends, yes.  But not many close ones.  His good friends are mostly just normal people.” She smiled.  “Believe me, our life ain’t that glamorous.”

Gus chuckled.  “I guess that’s a matter of perspective.  You go home at night to a penthouse or something.  I go home to a tiny shithole loft.”

“Yeah, well… I guess that’s true.”  Cate smiled gently.  “I’m lucky.  I’m married to a very smart, talented, accomplished man.  But our life’s not a bowl of cherries.  We have our trials and tribulations, just like everyone else.  Money doesn’t make life perfect.”

“But I bet it helps.”

“It’s nice to not have to worry about paying the rent,” Cate admitted.  “But it’s not my money, Gus.  It’s Jon’s.  I make my own money, same as any other civil servant.”

“Yeah, but if you wanted to quit tomorrow, you wouldn’t have to worry.”  Santo looked sideways at Cate and saw her smile fade.  “Not that I’m saying you should…” he clarified hastily.

Cate nodded slowly.  “No, you’re right.  I could walk away from this job and be financially sound.  But I don’t want to.” Her smile returned, a little more wistful than before.  “This job… it’s a part of me.  My identity.  It’s not about money… it’s who I am.”

Gus gave his partner a quizzical look, a little taken aback by the sincerity of her answer.  He could understand where she was coming from; ever since he was a little boy it had been his dream to be a Special Agent.  He couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

“Well then… it sounds like you have the best of both worlds.  A successful career and a good marriage...and the financial means to fully enjoy both.”  Santo chuckled.  “Who says you can’t have it all?”

“Yeah,” Cate agreed softly.  “I’m lucky.  I’ve got it all.”  She turned her head to look out the window as the lie echoed in her head.  She winced when, as if to punish her fib, a cramp twinged in her empty womb.

*****

The taxi rolled slowly along the clogged streets of the Nation’s Capitol.  On a drizzly Friday afternoon it seemed everyone was cutting the week’s last workday short.  Traffic was even more sluggish than usual.

Cate sighed and turned her face to the window.  She hardly saw the familiar buildings and landmarks or heard the patter from NPR radio as her cab crawled down Pennsylvania Avenue, away from Union Station.  Her grueling week had come to an early close, and now she wanted to focus on one thing and one thing only:  Jon.

To say Cate and her young trainee had been busy the past couple days was an understatement.  After Monday’s meeting with the AUSA in Trenton and trek to Newark, they had spent practically every waking moment immersed in the files, intelligence reports, and operations of the Organized Crime Task Force.  Cate’s Task Force colleagues had been eager to hear what she had uncovered in her investigation, and they reciprocated in kind, sharing volumes of painstakingly-collected, detailed information about her new target.

At first Agent Santo had been wide-eyed and a little unsure in dealing with his hard-charging, battle-tested colleagues, but he had wisely kept his mouth shut and his ears open.  His financial training quickly proved to be of benefit, and within two days he was fully a member of the team.  Cate had been quietly impressed with the Probationary Agent’s attitude and performance, though she doled out her praise sparingly and her advice generously.

She had put Santo vigorously through his paces over the past week, making him keep up with her own punishing schedule as they raced to assimilate their new knowledge into Cate’s case.  After a trio of sixteen-hour work days Cate and Gus finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel.  Thursday night they shared a midnight pizza at a local dive, celebrating the completion of their report to the Deputy U.S. Attorney General.  All that remained was their presentation to the Justice Department official following morning.

In the wee hours of Friday morning Cate lay thoroughly exhausted but awake, staring at the Manhattan skyline through the huge windows of Jon’s penthouse and feeling the dull ache of loneliness in the big empty bed.  She literally saw the word appear in front of her, a ghostly scrawl across the pre-dawn sky, a figment of her tired mind and battered psyche.

Enough.

She had done all she could do for her case.  Now she needed to take care of herself.

After completing her morning exercise and medical routine, Cate had packed a small overnight bag and typed a brief text message to her husband.  She made her trek by subway to the Manhattan Field Office, where Santo was already nervously awaiting her arrival for one last review of their presentation before heading to the Big Office upstairs.

Cate didn’t mention the suitcase or her plans to Santo.  She calmly walked him through his portion of their case presentation, double-checked their files and case summary, then led him to the elevator.  When they emerged an hour later from the Office of the Deputy U.S. Attorney General Cate had congratulated her young colleague on a solid performance then summarily dismissed him for the remainder of the day.

Special Agent Gus Santo had no doubt his Training Agent meant it when she told him to take the rest of the day off and to come back Monday, ready to bust his tail.  He had paused only long enough to wish Cate a happy weekend before departing his office, ready for some much-needed downtime.

After Cate ensured Santo had in fact left the building she prepared for her own escape.  She quickly perused her inbox, responding only to the most urgent e-mails, then set her out-of-office reply message.  Then she booked herself on the early afternoon Acela train from Penn Station to Union Station.  By the time Cate arrived in Washington her husband would be finished with his public service responsibilities and they would be free celebrate their reunion after a long week apart.

She had spent the train ride working on less sensitive duty matters, and on coordinating details of the  upcoming Bongiovi holiday party.  When she arrived in D.C. Cate practically sprinted from the train to the taxi queue, her excitement at seeing Jon getting the better of her decorum.

Now all that stood between her and a much-needed affectionate embrace was Friday early-rush-hour traffic.

Cate breathed a sigh of relief when finally the gridlock broke, just past 23rd Street.  The cab surged ahead, sailing down the widened avenue toward Georgetown and her destination.  In just a few short minutes the taxi pulled into the half-circle drive that fronted the Four Seasons hotel.

Handing a small pile of folded bills over the seat to the cab driver, Cate gave him a relieved smile and her thanks with the fare and tip.  She turned to exit the taxi, starting slightly when the door at her side swung open without her bidding.  She cursed silently, reminding herself of taxi etiquette as the smiling red-cloaked doorman offered her his hand.

Cate was used to taking care of herself, and it always startled her when a strange male intruded on her space, even with chivalrous intent.  Graciously accepting the attention of well-heeled attendants was something Cate had been forced to learn when she entered Jon’s world.  It had not come easily to her.

With a tight-lipped smile Cate allowed the doorman to hand her up out of the cab.  She drew the line there, however, pressing a tip into his gloved hand as she commandeered her small suitcase from his control.  Before the hotel employee could protest Cate wheeled her carry-on bag through the glass doors and into the ornate lobby.

Cate moved briskly through the lobby.  She knew this hotel well, almost literally inside out.  Years of field operations and protective details had brought her here time and again.  Agent Sullivan had followed unsuspecting targets in the public areas of the Four Seasons, and she had escorted dignitaries through the staff-only sections and private entrances.  This last skill made it easy for her to slip unnoticed through an unmarked door and into an express staff elevator for a solitary ride to the top floor, avoiding undesired contact with an elevator attendant.

In a few scant minutes Cate found herself in front of the mahogany double doors of the Georgetown Suite.  She felt a little tingle of anticipation warm her body as she raised her hand and rapped gently on the dark wood.  A gentle smile ghosted her lips as she awaited his response.

When the door swung inward Cate’s lips parted in a soft gasp of surprise.  Immediately her pulse jumped at the sight before her.

“Hey, Baby.”

Jon smiled sexily and leaned against the door.  He was shirtless, his rounded, silver-furred pecs seeming to shimmer in the entryway’s soft light.  A plush white towel was slung low across his hips, its securing tuck slightly left-of-center.  In one hand Jon held a half-empty glass of pale wine, the bend in his arm causing his bicep to flex enticingly.  He casually swirled the wine in the bowl of the glass, causing its circular foot to bump against his bare navel.

Cate chuckled softly, her sapphire gaze roving shamelessly over her husband’s magnificent form.  “Hey yourself.  Looks like you got a head-start on our date.”

“Nah.”  Jon’s husky chuckle made Cate melt.  “Just trying to keep myself calm, waiting for my Girl to arrive.”

He smirked sexily and stepped forward to meet her.  His mouth dropped to Cate’s, his lips lightly caressing hers in a brush of tightly-controlled passion.  Cate couldn’t help but smile quizzically at the mixed signal of the kiss as Jon pulled back and grinned down at her.

“I missed you, Baby.”  His sexy purr couldn’t conceal his excitement.  “Now come on in.  I got a surprise for you.”