THIRTY-ONE

Cate stared out the window at the bleak lead-colored sky as the cab rolled away from the terminal.  For the third time in the last five minutes she checked her watch, trying to convince herself she had plenty of time to make it to her destination.

Slumping against the lumpy seat back Cate sighed and pulled out her phone.  She speed-dialed the number again, hoping this time to hear more than a recorded message.

“You made it?’  Jon sounded distracted, though he picked up the call almost immediately.

“Hey!  Yeah, just grabbed a cab out of  JFK.”    A tired smile curved Cate’s lips at the sound of her husband’s husky voice.  “Where have you been?  I’ve been calling all morning.”

“Schedule changed, one of the main cast is out sick.  My set call was moved up.”  Jon’s curt reply was followed by a rustling noise and his muffled voice.  Cate couldn’t quite make out the words.

“Jon?”

“Sorry.  I’m on the set.  Are you gonna make your appointment?”

“Yes.  Well, I’m pretty sure, anyway.  I’m going straight there, not to the apartment first.”  Cate sighed softly.  “So you can’t meet me there?”  Her question was rhetorical; Jon had texted her this morning that he wouldn’t be able accompany her to Dr. Klein’s office.

“Sorry.  I can’t.  I gotta work.  You’re not the only one who has a job, you know.”

Though his tone was calm, Jon’s matter-of-fact statement stung.  Cate’s smile faded as she blinked against the moisture in her tired gray eyes.  More than once during her past week’s absence Jon had voiced his displeasure over her professional duties infringing upon their personal priorities.

“I.. I know.  I just hoped I’d get to see you sooner rather than later.  I miss you.”

Jon’s tone didn’t change, his reply smooth and measured.  “Miss you too.  How long are you home?”

“I’m in the Newark office the next couple of days.  Then back at Trenton for at least the rest of this week, maybe longer.”

“You don’t have to go back to Miami?”

Cate shook her head although he couldn’t see her.  “No.  Not right away, anyway.”

“Good.”  Again there was a muffled scrape and muted mumblings, then Jon’s familiar voice was back in her ear.  “Cate, I gotta go in a minute.  They just called my scene.  Is today gonna be the day?”

“I think so.  I’ve been very careful to keep my schedule.”  As she heard her meek reply Cate cringed a little, realizing she felt like a child begging approval from a stern parent.

“But you had to miss the ultrasounds and blood work since you were away.  So you don’t know for sure.”

“Jon, I’ve been in contact with Edie every day, and I’ve been diligent about charting everything, doing my hormone shots on time.  Edie says Dr. Klein thinks everything looks normal, and unless the ultrasound shows something really screwy today should be the day.”

“So you’ll… uh… release… tomorrow?”

“Probably.”

“That means every twelve hours we… you know.  Right?”

“Yes.”  Cate smiled faintly again at his vague questions.  He was probably being cryptic because there were cast and crew members in close proximity.  She appreciated his discretion; since the holiday tabloid speculation about her pregnancy Cate had taken extra care to keep a low profile.  The fact that she and Jon had been apart the past week and a half had certainly made that task easier.

A long rush of breath sounded in Cate’s ear as Jon half-growled a sigh.  “Okay.  Well… I’ve got a full shooting schedule this week, and I go at least until ten tonight.  I guess we’ll have to figure something out.”

Cate’s lip curled at his casual reply.  “Yeah, I guess we will.  Sorry for the inconvenience.”  She couldn’t stop the sneer from creeping into her tone.

“Cate, I don’t mean… Christ.”  Jon let out an exaggerated sigh, his wife’s mildly passive-aggressive reply stirring his own impatience.  “Listen.  I have to go.  Call me after the appointment, okay?  Let me know how it goes?”

“You’ll probably still be on the set, won’t you?”

“Maybe.  I don’t know, Cate.   Just keep trying, okay?”  Jon frowned, feeling a stab of guilt at the tension that had had crept into their exchange.   He took a breath, then continued in a gentler tone.  “Look… I’m sorry.  It’s a long day.  Please call me later.  Okay, Baby?”

Cate turned her cheek away from the cab window and dropped her gaze to her lap.  She nodded glumly.  “Okay.  Jon?”

“What, Baby?”

“I… I miss you.”

Jon’s frown softened as he heard the vulnerability in her quiet words.  He silently berated himself for his snarkiness.  The first few weeks of this new year had been hard for both of them. 

“I miss you too.”  The corner of Jon’s mouth twisted into a wistful smile.  “Listen, call me when you finish your appointment.  If I can’t talk I’ll call you back as soon as I’m free.  Okay?”

“Okay.”

Without a farewell Cate lowered the phone from her ear and closed the call.  She sighed heavily, then turned her gaze again to the passing scenery.  The City looked like she felt:  gray and bleak, shrouded in a wintry haze. 

Though the sun had been shining in Miami, the light hadn’t touched her soul.   She was grateful that her work there had consumed her; she needed to focus on something other than her disappointment.   Over the past ten days she had allowed only one aspect of her life greater importance than her duties. 

That priority had brought her back to New York at a rather inconvenient time in her investigation, leaving her young partner with both an opportunity to shine and an extra burden to shoulder.  Cate knew it was unfair to leave Gus in the difficult position, but when it came to this part of her personal life there was no room for compromise. 

She had no doubt that Agent Santo was up to the challenge she was deferring to him.  Still, it had been hard for Cate to look Gus in the eye as she gave him the weak half-excuse as to why she had to return to Manhattan at the height of their investigative activity.  She hated the deception, but there was no alternative.  Her fertility struggle was something she wouldn’t share with anyone but her closest confidants.  Her earnest young partner had not earned that status.

The vibration in her hand made Cate look down.  On her phone’s screen glowed the reminder of her appointment in fifteen minutes.

“Could we hurry, please?”  Cate unnecessarily prodded the cab driver, knowing her request would make little difference.  Her comment elicited a little nod from the cabbie, but nothing else.

With another sigh she returned her gaze to the dreary Monday outside her window.

***** 

A loud buzz broke the quiet, making Cate jump in her chair.  She quickly marked her place in the thick file with a post-it note, then flipped it shut.  Her mobile phone buzzed impatiently again as she shuffled the papers layering her desk, attempting to locate the device before the call kicked over to voicemail.  She had already left two messages for Jon; she didn’t want to miss his return call.

She grumbled a swear, sweeping aside a stack of page-sized photographs to reveal her phone’s hiding place.  She grabbed it and pulled it to her ear, hoping she wasn’t too late.

“Hey, Baby… I got the trigger.  We’re a go for tonight… You won’t be too late, will you?”  The news tumbled breathlessly from her lips.

There was a long pause, then a familiar but tentative female voice.  “Um… Cate?  It’s Dorothea.”

Cate cringed at her carelessness.  She should have checked the call’s incoming number before blurting out her news.

“Oh!  Umm… Hi!”  Cate heard the embarrassment in her overly-cheery response.  Again she cringed.  “How are you?”

“I’m well, thanks.  And you?”  Dorothea’s voice was even, giving no indication that the unexpected greeting had affected her.

“Good, thanks.”  Cate smiled sheepishly.  “Sorry… I thought you were Jon.  I’m expecting him to call me back.”

A throaty chuckle preceded Dorothea’s more relaxed response.  “So I gathered.  Are you still traveling?”

“No, I’m at my office.”

“Oh.  Jon said you were in Miami through the weekend, so I didn’t think you’d be back yet.”

“I flew back this morning.  I had an… a meeting… that I couldn’t miss.”  Cate quickly covered her true activity with the fib.  Though she knew Dorothea was supportive of their plan to have a child, Cate still felt awkward discussing the topic with Jon’s former wife.  “So now I’m just trying to catch up on some things at my desk.”

“I see.  Well, I don’t want to bother you at work, but there’s something I hoped we could discuss.”

Cate leaned back in her chair, her brow furrowing with concern.  “Sure.  Is everything okay?  The boys…?”

Again Dorothea chuckled, more warmly this time.  “Oh, no... everything’s fine.  Sorry if I gave you the wrong vibe.  It’s something else, something… social.”

I little smile of relief curved Cate’s lips.  “Oh.  Okay.”  She echoed Dorothea’s chuckle.  “What do you have in mind?”

“It’s kind of involved, and I’d rather discuss it with you in person.  Could we set a time to meet for coffee?  It doesn’t have to be today.”

“Sure!  Actually… today would be fine.  I’m technically on a travel day, so I don’t have to be here.  And Jon’s working late, so…” 

Cate glanced at the suitcase that stood in the corner of her office, beside her closed door.  She hadn’t even gone home yet, choosing to busy herself with work at her office rather than return to the empty apartment.  She’d rather not have too much time alone to think.

“Well, I happen to be near your building now…”

“How about Jerry’s on Worth Street?  In, say… fifteen minutes?”  Cate checked her watch.

“Works for me.  I have about an hour before I have to go pick up the boys from school.  This won’t take long.”

“Okay.  See you there, Dorothea.”

“Bye.”

Cate’s lips pursed in puzzlement as she closed the call.  “Wonder what this is about?” she murmured to herself.  Pondering for a moment, she shook her head and sat forward in her chair.  She reached for the case file, busying herself with clearing her desk before her departure.

Fifteen minutes later when she walked into the coffee shop, Cate found Dorothea waiting for her in a booth near the door.  She gave Jon’s ex-wife a nod and a small smile as she took off her coat and hung it on the rack before making her way to the table.

“Hi, Cate.”  Dorothea greeted her quietly, but warmly.  “Thanks for meeting me.”

Cate slipped onto the bench opposite Dorothea, dropping her purse on the seat beside her.  “No problem.  Actually, it’s kinda nice to get away from the office.”  She smiled and gave her order to the hovering waitress before returning her attention to her coffee partner.  “So, what have you been up to?”

Dorothea laughed softly.  “Oh, you know.  Never a dull moment.  The boys are driving me crazy, being cooped up indoors.”

Cate’s chuckle echoed Dorothea’s as she envisioned Romeo and Jake tearing around their mother’s airy apartment.  “Yeah, I bet.  They need room to run.”

“Yes, they most certainly do.”  Dorothea took a sip from her cup.  “And I’ve been busy with my projects, too.  The Kitchen, City Harvest, school… We’re already starting to work on the spring auction.  It never ends.” 

“I can imagine.”  Cate’s smile relaxed at Dorothea’s mention of the school’s annual fundraising gala.  That was probably why she wanted to meet, to ask if Cate would be willing to help with that endeavor.

Dorothea set her cup on its saucer.  “So, I wanted to talk to you about Jon.” 

Just as the words left her lips the waitress appeared with Cate’s tea.  Dorothea smiled at Cate’s little gasp of surprise, then waited until the waitress had settled the beverage on the table and bustled off to another table. 

Cate felt a little stab of apprehension at Dorothea’s calm announcement.  Though she and Jon’s former wife had a cordial relationship and sometimes discussed the man they had in common, Dorothea’s subdued demeanor today was a bit unsettling.

“What about Jon?”  Cate tipped a small dollop of honey into her cup and stirred.  She tried to sound nonchalant.

“Well, you know his birthday is right around the corner.  And this year it’s a big one.”  Dorothea smiled as Cate nodded slowly.  “I know this may be a bit out of line, but I was hoping you’d consider letting me help you plan a celebration for him.”

Again Cate’s blue eyes widened in surprise, then her posture relaxed.  She returned Dorothea’s smile.  “I’m not so sure he wants to celebrate fifty.  I think he’s trying to pretend it’s not happening.”

Dorothea laughed.  “I think you’re right.  But it’s a milestone, something that shouldn’t go unrecognized.  If for no other reason than to let all of us celebrate putting up with him for half a century.”

Cate echoed her laugh, nodding at Dorothea’s tease.  “I admit, I haven’t given his birthday much thought.  We’ve been so focused on…” She paused, catching herself before revealing more personal details.  “… On the holidays, and work, and Jon’s starting his new TV show…”

Dorothea nodded as she again raised her cup.  “I know.  I don’t know how you keep up, still doing your job full-time.  And Jon said now it looks like you’ll be traveling more?”

“Possibly.”  Cate’s answer was calm though her jaw tightened at Dorothea’s comment.  She wondered if Jon had passed on that information to his ex-wife as casual small-talk or as a snarky complaint.  “You can never predict what will happen in an investigation.”

“I’m sure.  It must be frustrating.”  Dorothea gave Cate a half-sympathetic smile.  “Jon would never survive, doing what you do.  Flexibility is not his strong suit, as I’m sure you know.”

“Oh, believe me, I know.”  Cate paused to take another sip from her cup, hoping her comment hadn’t sounded as snippy out loud as it had in her head. 

“Anyway, about a party for Jon…”  Dorothea gave Cate a direct look.  “I don’t want to step on your toes, but would really mean a lot to the kids if we could do something for him.”

Cate was surprised to see a flash of nervousness in Dorothea’s brown eyes.  Usually she was so calm and collected; nothing fazed her.

“No… I mean, yes, of course.  I think we should do something for him too.”  Cate smiled gratefully.  “And I will gladly take you up on your offer.  I wouldn’t even know where to begin, let alone how to pull something together in just…” She paused to mentally count the time to Jon’s early-March birthday.  “Holy shit.  Seven weeks.”

Dorothea nodded, smiling more broadly at Cate’s agreement.  “Yeah, I know.  That’s why I wanted to talk to you this week.  We’re already behind the eight ball.”

“So, what are you thinking?” Cate gave Dorothea a sheepish look.  “I haven’t the foggiest idea… other than to keep it quiet.  I do know he wouldn’t want a spectacle.”

“Well, I have a couple ideas in mind.  Nothing big or splashy, but something appropriate to mark the momentous occasion.”  Dorothea’s smile widened.  “Tell you what, Cate.  Let me make a couple calls, then how about we get together later this week?”

“Okay…”  Cate drew out the word as she considered her calendar.  “I’m going to be working in Newark the next few days, then in Trenton at the end of the week.”

“Well, it’s Jon’s weekend to have the boys, so maybe we can talk then?”

Cate nodded slowly.  “I think…”  Her thought was interrupted by a muffled blast of music from her purse.  “I’m sorry… pardon me a moment.”  Cate dug into her bag, searching for her iPhone.  She smiled apologetically at Dorothea as she raised the device to her ear.

“Hey,” Cate murmured softly against the tiny speaker.  She dropped her gaze to the table, lowering her voice to a discrete level.

“Hey, Baby.  I only have a minute.”  Jon sounded less distracted than he had earlier.  “Everything’s okay?”

She smiled at his voice, hearing in his tone his unspoken apology for their earlier conversation.  “Yeah.  All good.”  She glanced up at Dorothea and saw her coffee companion idly stirring the remainder of her beverage.  “The test was good.  He gave me the trigger.”  Cate blushed awkwardly, realizing Dorothea probably understood what she was saying despite her vagaries.

“Cate, where are you?”  A hint of confusion now tinged Jon’s voice.  Obviously her minimal response had tipped him off.

“I’m at coffee with… a colleague.”  Cate gave Dorothea a little smile at her raised brow.  “I went back to the office after… the meeting.”

“Oh.  Well… then I guess you can fill me in tonight.”  Cate heard another little exasperated sigh.  “If you’re up when I get home, anyway.  I have a call at eleven.  Night exterior scene.”

“Oh.”  Cate’s expression fell.  “But Jon, we need to… um…”  She couldn’t finish the statement with Dorothea listening.  Cate squirmed uneasily in her seat.

“I don’t know what to tell you, Cate.  It’s probably gonna be after midnight.   I guess I can wake you up...”

“Yeah.”  Cate gave Dorothea a weak smile.  “I guess we’ll have to… do that.”

“Baby, you obviously can’t talk now.”  Again, a soft sigh.  “I’m gonna let you go.  Give me a call later, okay?  We’ll figure something out.”

“Okay.”

“Love you.”

“You too.”  Cate disconnected the call, then sighed.  She shrugged apologetically.  “Sorry.  He’s filming, we’ve been missing each other’s calls all day.”

Dorothea nodded understandingly, then dropped her gaze to her coffee cup.  A wistful smile curved her mouth. “How are you doing with all that?”  She didn’t have to elaborate; Cate could discern the topic from her tone.

Cate hesitated for a moment before answering.  She wasn’t sure how Dorothea would take her guarded reply. 

“I’m… okay.”

“Jon told me about New Year’s.”  Dorothea’s eyes met Cate’s.  “I’m sorry, Cate.”

The sincerity in her gaze made a lump rise in Cate’s throat.  He shoulders slumped as she nodded.  “Thanks.”  She took a breath, then forced a half-smile.  “We’re not giving up, though.”

“Good.  You shouldn’t.”  Dorothea’s smile gentled.  “Sometimes these things take awhile.”

“Yeah.”  Cate sighed softly, her smile becoming more natural.  For some reason Dorothea’s encouragement relaxed her.  “I keep telling myself that.  We’ve still got a lot of options.”

“You just started the hormones before Christmas, right?”

Cate nodded.  “Dr. Klein said I should let my body adjust for a few months before we try any assisted reproduction therapies.  Right now we’re just doing hyperovulation.  You know, trying to shake loose a few extra eggs.”  Cate chortled throatily at her hollow joke.

Dorothea chuckled softly along with her.  “That’s good.  Sounds like your doctor is advocating a measured approach.”

“Yeah.  We’re probably going to have to try something else soon, though.  I’m not getting any younger.”

“What’s the next step?

Cate searched Dorothea’s expression before answering, an automatic self-preservation instinct.  Seeing no motive behind her question, she answered honestly.  “If I don’t get pregnant this cycle we try IUI next.”  She clarified the acronym in response to Dorothea’s puzzled look of response.  “Intrauterine Insemination.”

“Oh.”  Dorothea smiled sheepishly.  “Sorry.  I’m not up to speed on the science.  But I have heard of that… isn’t that the procedure that couple on the Today Show had?  The ones who just had sextuplets?”

Cate’s smile widened at Dorothea’s query.  She had seen that report as well, and had been heartened by the story.  “Yeah, they did IUI, just once.  Success on the first try.”

“Well, maybe that will be what happens with you, too.”  She laughed quietly.  “He always bragged about how Steph and Jesse were both ‘one shot deals’.”

Cate chortled softly, nodding in half-agreement.  “I hope so.  Even if this time he has to take his ‘one shot’ into a specimen cup and let the doctor do the rest.”

“And look on the bright side… you may get to have four more Bongiovis in one shot.”  Seeing Cate’s mood rising, Dorothea gave her a gentle tease.  “And you’ll only have to go through labor once!”

“Oh, GOD no!” Cate exclaimed.  “There’s no way I could handle four.  The thought of twins freaks me out.”

Dorothea laughed with her, then tipped her head.  “Cate, I suspect you can handle far more than you give yourself credit for.  And that’s a good thing, considering the man you married.”  Her tone gentled, tinged with a note of wistfulness.  She gave her ex-husband’s wife a sisterly smile.  “You’re a strong woman.  You’ll get through this.”

Cate’s smile faded a bit.  “Thanks for the vote of confidence.  But sometimes…  sometimes it just feels like we keep ending up back at square one.  Like no matter how hard we try, it all ends up the same.  Every month we have to start over.” 

She sighed.  “Dr. Klein keeps telling us not to worry, to stay positive, but… well, it’s hard.  And Jon keeps telling me we’ll do whatever it takes…”  She trailed off, swallowing hard against the returning lump in her throat.

 

Dorothea nodded sympathetically.  “Well, if there’s one thing I know about Mister John Francis Bongiovi Junior, it’s that he won’t give up until he’s done everything humanly possible to get what he wants.  And probably a few things that are superhuman.”  She reached across the table to give Cate’s hand a squeeze.  “Hang in there.”

Cate was taken aback by the unexpected gesture.  She blinked at Dorothea for a moment, then gave her a grateful smile.  “Thanks…” she half-whispered, suddenly hoarse with emotion.  Embarrassed, she looked away, fluttering her lashes to whisk away the moisture forming in her blue eyes.  “Uh… Sorry…”

“It’s okay, Cate.”  Dorothea smiled.  “Hormones.  They can make you crazy.”

Cate chuckled huskily, grateful for the out.  “Yeah.  So I’m learning.”

Dorothea nodded and reached for her purse.  “So, we’ll talk more this weekend, then.  And I think it goes without saying that we should keep this little scheme between us, at least until we have a plan?”

“I think so.”  Cate nodded her agreement.  “Don’t give him a chance to back out.”

Dorothea smirked and arched a brow.  “He doesn’t like surprises.   But…” She winked.  “Who the hell cares, right?”

Her cavalier statement made Cate grin.  “Right.”  She reached for her bag.  “Here.  Let me…”

“No, it’s on me.”  Dorothea plucked a couple bills from her wallet and dropped them next to the check.  “Thanks for meeting me, Cate.  And for hearing me out.”  She slipped out of the booth and stood beside the table.  Her voice softened.  “I really do appreciate you letting me be a part of Jon’s birthday.”

Cate followed her lead, standing and picking up her purse. She gave Dorothea another warm smile.  “Of course.  You’re part of the family.  And I’m grateful for the help.  God knows how I’d pull together a party alone, with all that’s going on.”

Together the women turned and strolled toward the entrance, pausing to collect their coats. 

“Well, I’m off to get the Boys from school.  Are you going back to your office?”  Dorothea pulled up the zipper on her jacket and waited for Cate.

“Yeah, for a little while.  No sense going home if Jon’s working late.”  Cate sighed.  “Maybe I’ll hit the gym or something.”

“You’re welcome to come over and try to corral the boys into doing their homework.”

Cate laughed, shaking her head.  “No thanks.  I’ll stick to fighting crime.  It’s easier.”  She followed Dorothea out of the coffee shop and onto the windy street.  “Thanks again, Dorothea.  It was good talking with you.”

“You too, Cate.  We’ll chat soon.”  Dorothea waved a gloved hand before stepping away. “Stay warm.”

“Bye.” Cate mirrored her wave, then turned and walked in the opposite direction.  She sighed softly as she turned her collar up against the winter chill.

*****

“Mister Bon Jovi?”  The deep voice was preceded by a sharp rap at the door.

Jon scowled and looked up from his script.  There was a reason he had put the pilfered Four Seasons Hotel “Do Not Disturb” sign on the doorknob of his set trailer.  He didn’t want to be fucking bothered.

“What?”

“Mister Bon Jovi, it’s Maurice from Security.  Could you please open up for a second?”

Grumbling softly, Jon tossed the manuscript aside and heaved himself off the leather couch.  He stalked to the door and yanked it open.  He stared dispassionately at the burly uniformed guard.

“Yes?”

“Sir, we tried to call but you didn’t answer your phone.”

“That’s because I unplugged it.  I’m trying to run my lines for this scene.”   Jon waved a hand at the plastic sign swaying on the doorknob.  “I don’t want to be disturbed.”

“I apologize for the interruption, Sir.  But there’s a woman at the desk who says she’s here to see you.  She claims to be your wife.”  Maurice’s stern expression lightened as his dark brown lips curled into a smirk.  “I bet you’ve never heard that before, huh?”

“My wife?”  Jon’s expression registered surprise.  “She’s here?”

“Yes, Sir.  Well, she says she’s your wife, anyway.  But her driver’s license says her last name is Sullivan.  From Jersey.”

Jon rolled his eyes.  “And what does her badge say her name is?”  He spat out the question, having lost patience with the security guard’s obvious incompetence.

“Uh… what?”  Maurice gave Jon a confused look.  “Mister Bon Jovi, she don’t have no badge.  That’s why I can’t let her onto the set.  But she won’t leave, told me to come find you.”

“Jesus Fucking Christ,” Jon muttered, running a hand through his hair before realizing he had mussed his camera-ready coif.  Again he swore.  “Hang on a minute.”

Jon turned away from the befuddled guard and stomped over to the table where his iPhone sat idle.  He yanked it loose from its charging cord and stabbed at the screen.  Jon turned back to wander to the door as he swiped through the panes until he found the image he was looking for.

“Here.  Is that her?”  Jon held up his phone for the guard’s inspection.

Maurice squinted at the photograph on the small screen, then nodded.  “Yeah, that’s her.”  He grinned sheepishly as he recognized the red-haired woman wrapped in the celebrity’s embrace.  “That’s really your wife?”

“Sullivan is her maiden name.”  Jon had to bite his tongue to keep himself from adding “You fucking idiot” to the end of his growled sentence.  “Where is she?”

“Waiting at the desk.  I’ll have Hector bring her on through.”  Maurice raised a walkie-talkie to his mouth and spoke rapidly into the little speaker.  When the acknowledgement crackled from the radio he returned his attention to Jon.  “Sorry, Mister Bon Jovi.  We’ll add her to the list of authorized visitors.”

“Yeah, you do that.”  Jon sneered.  Without bothering to thank the guard for doing his job he turned away from the door, kicking it half-closed.  He took a deep breath, then looked down at his phone. 

Jon’s stormy expression gentled a little as he regarded the photograph glowing on the screen.  It was one of his favorites; a candid Richie had taken of him and Cate on the beach in Hawaii, just minutes after they had exchanged their wedding vows.  His heart warmed at the memory.

He stared at the photo for a long minute, until he heard the security guard who was apparently still standing outside his door call out a greeting.  The deep salutation was followed by another man’s Hispanic-accented reply, then a familiar, calm but confident woman’s voice.

“Thank you, Mister Gonzales.  I’ll be fine.”  Cate dismissed her escort with a small smile.  She nodded at Maurice, then gave him a little wink.  “Believe me now?”  Her question as cordial, but held a small hint of annoyance.

“Yes ma’am, I sure do.  But I had to do my job.”  The big man crossed his arms across his broad chest.

“I can appreciate that,” Cate agreed with a little nod.  She hadn’t disclosed her identity as a federal agent to the security team, choosing to keep that fact to herself.  Cate knew she could easily have “badged” her way onto the closed set, but she didn’t like to use her credentials for personal convenience. 

Jon’s lips curved into a gentle smile as he stepped back to the door, pulling it open to welcome his unexpected visitor.  “Hey, Baby.  What are you doing here?”  He held out a hand to his wife as she carefully climbed the two metal steps up to the threshold of his trailer.

“Thanks, fellas.” Cate spoke over her shoulder, dismissing the security detail a second before Jon slammed the door shut.  The trailer’s flimsy walls rattled with the force of the impact.

She turned her wide blue eyes to her husband, her heart melting at his smile.  “I was just sitting at home by myself and… and I missed you.”  Her voice was soft and apologetic.  “You said you had a set call at eleven, and I just thought maybe you’d have a few minutes that I could at least see you, before you have to go back to work.”

Jon’s heart squeezed at her winsome reply.  “C’mere,” he commanded huskily, opening his arms.  She willingly stepped into his embrace, sighing  as she snuggled against his chest.  “I missed you too, Baby,” Jon murmured against her hair as he hugged her tight.  “I’m glad you came.”

“I tried to call, but you didn’t answer your phone.  Or your texts.” 

Jon chuckled.  “I was running lines, had my phone turned off and charging.  Sorry.”  He pulled back enough to smile down at his wife.  “Hey… I’m sorry about earlier.”

Cate felt herself slump with relief.  Jon’s earlier moodiness had bothered her more than she cared to admit .  “It’s okay,” she answered wearily.  “I’m sorry too.  I’m just tired.”

“Yeah, me too.”  Jon knew his agreement was as much a fib as her answer, but he wasn’t going to pick an argument.  They had been apart for a week and a half.  Now wasn’t the time.

He dropped a kiss on Cate’s forehead, then stepped back.  "Here, give me your coat."  He helped her out of the heavy jacket and watched her unwind the scarf from around her lovely throat.  Stepping aside, Jon draped the garments across an unused chair.

He moved again, reaching for Cate's hand and pulling her with him.  “C’mere.”

Jon dropped onto the couch and patted the cushion beside him.  Cate silently accepted his invitation, settling on the sofa and curling her legs up under her.  She snuggled against Jon’s side and turned her face upward.  Cate smiled as Jon’s mouth found hers, his lips stroking tenderly over hers for a long minute.

“I missed you.” Jon repeated his earlier greeting, this time with more emotion.  “And I’m sorry I was a dick earlier.  I mean it.”

“It’s fine, Baby.  It’s been a long day for both of us.”  Cate sighed and slipped her arms around Jon’s waist.  She hugged him tightly, savoring the warmth of his body.  It seemed to chase away the bleakness that had numbed her soul for most of the dreary day.

Jon wrapped his arm around Cate’s shoulders and pressed a kiss against her hair.  “Yeah.  I can’t wait to get this fucking scene over with so I can come home and hold you.”

“Is it going to take long?”

Jon half-growled a sigh.  “Who the fuck knows?  Could be half an hour, could be two.  Things ain’t exactly humming along just yet.  The first week of shooting always sucks.”

“Oh.”

Jon tipped his head, looking down at Cate’s profile.  His smile gentled.  “I’m glad you came to see me.   I was afraid you’d be asleep when I got home tonight.”

“I probably will be.  I have to be at the Newark Office at eight.”  Cate sighed.  “No rest for the weary.”

“But you’re back home,” Jon observed quietly, a smile in his voice.  “Sleeping in your own bed.  Nothin’ feels better than that.”

“True,” Cate nodded, her cheek brushing against Jon’s chest.  “I did miss my bed.  And the man in it.”  She smiled at the throaty chortle that rumbled under her ear.

“So.  We didn’t really get a chance to talk today.  How did things go at Dr. Klein’s office?”  Jon waited for Cate to raise her head from his chest.  “You got the trigger shot?”

Cate nodded, then pushed herself upright.  She shifted around on the cushion until she was fully facing Jon, capturing his full attention.  She gave him a little smile and a nod, relieved that finally they had an opportunity to discuss the important matter.

“Dr. Klein said he was pleased.  The ultrasound showed multiple mature follicles, and my blood work showed good hormone balance.”  Cate paused before continuing with the more difficult news.  “He also said that, since the last several months we’ve had several… disappointments…” The word caught in her throat.  “… That he thinks it’s time to move to IUI.  If we don’t get pregnant this month, that is.”

Jon nodded slowly.  “I guess that makes sense.  He told us at the beginning that we shouldn’t wait too long, right?  And now that your body’s adjusting to the hormones…”

“Yeah.”  Cate’s answer was a soft sigh.  “But moving to the next big step… well…”

Jon tilted his head as he saw a sadness flicker in Cate’s tired blue eyes.  “What, Baby?”

She shrugged.  “I know it’s silly to even think this, but…”  She hesitated, embarrassed by her shallowness.

“Cate.”

“It’s just… it’s not exactly a romantic way to conceive a child.”  Cate gave Jon a pained little smile.   “Certainly not the way I envisioned it when we decided to have a baby.”

“Well, then…”  Jon smiled gently, raising a hand to stroke a finger across Cate’s cheek.  “Let’s just knock you up this month.”  He chortled playfully.  “Then we won’t have to let Doris and her Mad Scientists get involved.”

Cate giggled at his gentle tease, her head automatically tipping against his hand.  “If only it was that easy,” she sighed.

“Well, it sure as hell won’t happen if we don’t try.”  Jon dropped his glance to the dial on his wrist.  “Your appointment was at eleven-thirty?  That means you got the trigger, when?  About noon?”

Cate nodded, knowing where he was going with his chronological query.  “But by the time you get done shooting and get home I’m gonna be so tired, Baby.”  She sighed.  “I’ll wake up, but I can’t promise you much.

Jon’s finger slipped under Cate’s chin and nudged gently.  “Who said anything about waiting ‘til I get home?” he whispered against her lips.