Rafael and Olivia talk to Noah about their relationship and SVU and Organized Crime get back to work on their first day after the trial.
The next morning, Rafael had another visitor: his mother. She rushed into the room and tried to hold back her tears as she saw her son laying in his hospital bed.
"Rafi, mijo, I'm so sorry I couldn't visit you yesterday. There was a school board meeting to talk about how to deal with any possible COVID exposures after the upcoming Christmas break and they needed me to come to represent our school."
Rafael slowly sits up to look at his mother.
"Mamí, it's okay, that's something important and you're here now. The nurses told me you came to visit me and I'm just happy to see you again."
Rafael gestures to the seat in the room.
"I know it's not the comfiest seat, but please sit."
"Rafi I'm here to take care of you, I don't need to sit."
"Mamí, I'm gonna be okay. I promise."
"You are a good son and there are a lot of people who care about you."
"I talked yesterday with the squad who had become like family to me and I met some new people who care about me as well."
Lucia gestures to the vase.
"Which one of them gave you the flowers? They're beautiful."
"Olivia did actually."
Lucia smiles at her son.
"Oh, the Captain Benson. I see."
"Mamí!"
"Rafi I knew that there was something about her the moment you introduced me to her. You wouldn't have introduced me otherwise."
"You're right. She means everything to me Mamí. I've never loved someone as much as I love her."
"I'm glad. All I've ever wanted for you in life is to be happy. I know your life has been hard and I wasn't the best mother I could have been, but I hope I can support you now."
"Mamí you know my past isn't because of you."
They both know it was because of his father but neither of them wanted to say it out loud.
"You did what you could to give me a good life and while neither of us got the loving lives we deserved, I believe this family can give them to us now. They gave me one in the six years I worked at SVU and even now they are showing me that their love is unconditional." Rafael says sincerely
"They sound like wonderful people mijo. And I can see they have showered you with love." Lucia says as she points to the cards and pictures on the table.
"I've become an uncle to three incredible children; Noah, Jesse, and Billie; Captain Benson's son and Detective Rollins' daughters. They call me Uncle Rafa and I can't believe they love me as much as they do."
"You've shown them that you care about them as well as their mothers. Your heart for those you love shines bright within you."
"Thank you Mamí, but I owe that in part to them. They opened my heart and I realized how much I truly wanted to love them."
"They really care about you."
"The hardest part of it all is walking beside Olivia through all of this. I can't tell you everything that happened to her but she's hurting Mamí and I'm worried that I could possibly trigger her when all I want to do is show her I love her." Rafael says softly but sincerely.
