Lucy Chen-Secret Life part 2

Chapter 14: Torn Between Duty and Family

The morning after the chase with Royce's men, Lucy stands in the briefing room at Mid-Wilshire Station. Her uniform feels heavier than usual, the weight of everything pressing down on her shoulders. She's been running on fumes for the past twenty-four hours, and now she's left with a gnawing sense of worry. Her mind isn't on the case. It's not on Royce. It's on Grace.

Grace is at home now, safe after the lockdown incident, but the thought of her daughter alone in the house, without her there to comfort her, is eating Lucy up from the inside. She should be there. She needs to be there. But there's work to be done, and she knows that at any given moment, Royce's people could come after her again. The danger isn't over.

Lucy stands by the door, trying to blend in with the crowd of officers as Sergeant Grey gives the morning briefing. She's half-listening, nodding along, but her thoughts are still with Grace, who's likely wondering when her mom is coming home. When Lucy will finally be there to hold her and tell her everything will be okay.

She glances at her phone, but the screen is blank. No new messages. Grace's school is closed today, which should be a relief, but there's still a deep pit in her stomach that tells her she's not safe anywhere.

Sergeant Grey: (looking directly at Lucy)
"Chen. I need you to stay behind after the briefing. We've got a new assignment for you."

Lucy forces herself to focus on Grey's words. Her stomach sinks even further as she nods, knowing what's coming next. There's no way around it.

Lucy Chen: (nodding quietly)
"Understood, Sergeant."

Grey turns his attention to the rest of the room, continuing the briefing as Lucy stands there, her fingers tightening around the phone in her hand. She can feel everyone's eyes on her, but they don't know. No one knows the fear inside her, the constant ache in her chest that's telling her she's not where she needs to be.

Once the briefing is over, Lucy gathers her things slowly, forcing herself to stay calm. As she walks toward the back of the room, her phone buzzes in her pocket. She looks down, seeing a message from the daycare where Grace stays when school is closed.

Message: "Grace is asking when you'll be picking her up. She's asking for you."

The words hit her like a punch to the gut. Lucy's breath catches in her throat as she types back quickly.

Lucy Chen: "I'm sorry. I can't come right now. I'll make it up to you soon. I promise."

But as she hits send, she knows that promise is something she can't keep. Not today.

Sergeant Grey approaches her, his voice low and steady.

Sergeant Grey:
"Chen, you're needed on a surveillance detail. We're tracking a new lead, and we don't want anyone getting the jump on us. I know it's been a tough few days, but we need you."

Lucy nods, her jaw clenched, fighting back the frustration that rises in her chest. She knows it's part of the job, but today, all she wants is to be with Grace. To hug her, to make sure she's okay. To assure her that everything will be fine.

Lucy Chen:
"Got it, Sergeant. I'll head out now."

As she walks toward the exit, she can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. She looks at her phone one more time, but there are no new messages. The silence is deafening.

Outside, Lucy steps into the unmarked police car, her hands gripping the steering wheel as she starts the engine. The sound of the city rushes past her, but her mind is still miles away, with Grace.

Hours pass, and Lucy's mind continues to wander back to her daughter. Every minute feels like an eternity, the anxiety mounting with each passing second. The surveillance is going smoothly, but Lucy isn't focused. She checks the time. It's almost 4 p.m. Grace should be home from daycare by now.

She takes a deep breath, trying to push away the guilt that's settling in her chest. She knows she's doing the right thing, but it's hard to feel that way when all she wants is to be with Grace, to reassure her that everything is okay.

Just as she checks her phone for the umpteenth time, Sergeant Grey's voice crackles through the radio.

Sergeant Grey: (on the radio)
"Chen, we need you to stick with the surveillance. We can't afford to lose the lead now. I know you've got a lot on your plate, but we need you on this."

Lucy closes her eyes for a moment, feeling the weight of his words. She swallows hard, her voice steady as she responds.

Lucy Chen: (into the radio)
"Understood, Sergeant. I'll stay on it."

She feels the ache in her chest intensify, but there's nothing she can do about it. Not now.

By the time the surveillance operation wraps up, it's nearly midnight. The sky is dark, and Lucy feels the exhaustion settling in, both physically and emotionally. She heads back to the station, her mind still consumed by thoughts of Grace. Her daughter is probably asleep by now, but Lucy knows that when she wakes up, she'll still be missing her mom.

She pulls into the station parking lot, the lights flickering above. As she steps out of the car, she can hear the faint sound of laughter in the distance. The officers who are still on duty are winding down, and for the first time in what feels like forever, Lucy allows herself a moment to pause.

Her phone buzzes again, and she quickly checks it. This time, it's a message from Grace's daycare.

Message: "Grace wanted to know when you'd be back. She's been asking for you all night."

Lucy stares at the message, her heart breaking all over again. She can't remember the last time she felt this torn. She's a cop. She's trained for this, but nothing prepared her for the emotional pull of being away from her daughter.

As she walks into the station, she spots Angela and Nyla standing near the desk, talking quietly. They both glance up when they see Lucy, but there's no judgment in their eyes—only understanding.

Angela Lopez: (quietly)
"How's Grace? You still haven't been able to get to her?"

Lucy forces a smile, but it's thin, a shadow of her usual self.

Lucy Chen:
"No, not yet. I thought I could handle it, but... I feel like I'm letting her down."

Nyla Harper: (gently)
"You're not. You're doing your job. And you're doing the best you can. Grace knows you love her. It'll be okay."

Lucy nods, but the weight of her guilt doesn't go away. She knows they're right, but it doesn't make the pain any easier. As the night wears on, the fatigue sets in even deeper, but the thought of Grace keeps her going. She can't be with her now, but tomorrow... tomorrow will be different.

At least, she hopes it will.