About Time

Chapter Thirty Four - Valentine's Day

This story is now located on Archive Of Our Own as well.

"Cal, can you zip me up?"
"Course, love."
Cal zipped up the back of Gillian's red dress.
"Flats." He reminded her as he dug around for a tie.
"I know."
Gillian was surprised Cal hadn't gone so far as to hide all of her heels until after the baby was born.
"Cal?"
"Hmm?"
"We need to start deciding on a name for the baby."
"Well, what were you thinking?"
"I haven't been honestly. I haven't exactly had time to think." She said, motioning to the cast on her arm.
"I know. Every time we get back to normal, something else happens and we're right back to where we started. Gillian turned around. Cal was getting up from the bed after putting on his shoes.
"That's not true. If we were right back where we started, I wouldn't be at your house at 7:30 in the morning."
Cal grinned.
"So maybe not, exactly where we started."
"I like this place a lot better."
"Me too, love."

After dropping Sophie off at daycare, they headed to the office. It was going to be one of those boring days between cases, a day full of paperwork.
Around ten, a flower delivery guy walked in, looking for Ria. Anna pointed him in the direction of the lab and everybody kind of gathered around.
Ria took the dozen red roses and read the card. They were from Eli.
"Eli-"
Ria cut off when she turned around and saw Eli on one knee, holding a ring.
"Happy Valentine's Day. Will you marry me?"
Ria didn't say anything for a second.
"Yes." She finally managed. "Yes, I will marry you."
Everyone applauded, including the flower guy.
Gillian felt a pang of jealousy. Cal wasn't even acknowledging that it was Valentine's Day, and he certainly wasn't going to be proposing anytime soon. But she was happy for Ria and Eli. She really was.
Cal noticed the jealousy. She didn't think he did, but she should have known better. He smiled to himself. He did have something planned for tonight. Not a proposal, which he knew was what she really wanted, but that wouldn't be too far behind. 

"Have either of you seen Cal?" Gillian asked.
"He disappeared around noon. That was the last time we saw him."
"Oh."
Eli and Ria exchanged a look as she walked back to her office. Foster's face had fallen. She didn't deserve this. Especially on today of all days. Eli gestured to the roses and Ria nodded. He took one and followed his boss.
Gillian looked up when she heard the light knocking on her door. It was Loker.
"Did you need something?"
"No, I just wanted to give you this." He told her as he offered the rose in his hand.
"Thank you, Eli."
Gillian knew exactly where he'd gotten the single rose and she knew Ria had willingly given up the beauty of a perfect dozen.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Foster."
"Thank you."
Apparently Gillian hadn't been as great at hiding her feelings as she thought.

It was nearing five o'clock and Cal still hadn't showed up. He'd been ignoring her calls all day too. Eli and Ria were starting to see their boss' insecurities start to surface again, the ones they hadn't seen in so long. It took so long for them to go away but only a matter of hours to resurface.
Gillian walked into the lab.
"I'm going to head home. I'll see you two tomorrow."
"Okay. Bye."
Gillian got to her car and tried to call Cal one more time before she pulled out of the parking lot. This time he answered.
"Hello?"
"Cal, where are you? Why haven't you answered me?"
"I've kinda been in the middle of something. I'm sorry."
"I'm about to leave the office."
"I have to go. But listen, I need you to meet at the address I'm going to text you after you pick up Sophie."
"What, why?"
"Do you trust me?"
"Of course I do."
"I'll explain when you get here."
"Okay."
"Bye."
"Bye-"
She didn't get anything else out before he hung up. Gillian threw her phone in the passenger seat.
"I love you too." She muttered.

Gillian pulled up to the address Cal had sent her. It was a huge house. She loved it. But she still didn't have any idea what she was doing here. Cal's car was the only one in the driveway.
She held Sophie's hand and walked to the front door and rang the doorbell.
It was Cal who answered.
"Hi, love. I'm sorry about hanging up on you."
"What are we here for?"
"You'll see. Feel free to explore the house."
He turned and walked away, leaving Gillian as confused as ever. She went inside. It looked even bigger than it did on the outside.
The living room was painted dark red. There were two black leather couches with a coffee table in between.
"Dining room table, love!" Cal called.
Gillian led Sophie towards the sound of Cal's voice.
The table in the dining room was covered in a white tablecloth and there were three places set. It was dark in the dining room, the only light coming from the candles glowing on the table.
The first place was normal, nothing special. The second place had a bouquet of daisies and a teddy bear holding a little heart shaped thing of chocolate. The third place had a bouquet of red, pink, and white roses. Beside them was a huge box of chocolate, a flowing chocolate fountain complete with a plate of strawberries, and two pictures.
Gillian recognized the first. It was the first picture she and Cal had ever taken together. It had been the day The Lightman Group officially opened. It made her smile. They'd come a long way since then.
The second was from Black Friday. It was her, Cal, Sophie, and Emily sitting on a bench in the park when they'd been taking a break from shopping.
"That's our first family photo."
Gillian jumped. She hadn't heard Cal enter the room.
"Sorry, love. Didn't mean to startle you."
"Cal, what is all this?"
"I know how much you love Valentine's Day. You didn't really think I was just going to pretend it doesn't exist like I normally do, did you?"
Slight pause.
"Hmm, you did. Well, now you know that I wouldn't do that to you. If you would please sit down, dinner will be served."
He pulled out her chair and Gillian couldn't help but giggle at his ridiculous choice of words. He pulled out Sophie's chair and helped her sit then disappeared into the kitchen.
Sophie was given macaroni and chicken nuggets shaped like hearts that Cal had apparently special ordered from somewhere. Gillian was given a salad, steak, lobster, a baked potato, a roll, and broccoli and cheese. And she ate it all. Along with the entire plate of strawberries.
Okay, well, almost the entire plate of those. She might have shared a few with Sophie.
When she was done eating, Cal cleared the dishes from the table.
"Would you like a grand tour of the house?"
"Sure."
She still didn't know whose house this was.
Cal showed her the kitchen-which of course was covered in dirty dishes, the two guest bedrooms, and the bathroom downstairs.
Then he took her upstairs, where there were three more bedrooms, and two bathrooms.
The master bedroom was huge. There as a dresser on either side of the room, a walk-in closet, and a giant bed occupying the middle. There was balcony that overlooked the backyard. The bathroom had his and hers vanities and a separate shower and tub.
Then they went back downstairs and Cal showed them the backyard. It was spacious with a patio complete with a pool.
When they went back inside, Gillian decided to find out exactly who owned this house.
"Cal, whose house is this?"
"Why? Do you like it?"
"Like it? I love it. It's pretty much my dream house."
"Well, that's good."
"Why?"
Cal pulled a key out of his pocket and handed it to her.
"Because this is our house."
Gillian stared at the key in the palm of her hand. No way.
"Are you serious?"
He nodded.
"But what about your house?"
"Sold it already."
"You sold it? To who?"
"Me."
Gillian would know that voice anyway. She turned around and saw Emily standing behind her.
"Emiwee!" Sophie exclaimed and ran into the older girl's arms.
"Emily, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at school?"
Gillian asked her.
"I transferred."
"What? Why?"
"I wanted to be here when the baby's born, not off in Chicago. It was nice, but the Windy City isn't really my style. I missed you guys. It was supposed to be a surprise but then Dad told me that he was selling the house so I decided to be an adult and buy it. Besides, he's giving me a deal on it." Emily chuckled.
"So you've been here the whole time?"
"I was in the garage."
"Look, I hate to break this up, but we have to be at the guy's house in twenty minutes so we better get going."
"Guy? What guy?"
Gillian was confused again.
"Don't worry, you'll see." Emily responded with a laugh as she carried Sophie outside to the car.

Gillian held Cal's hand as they walked up to the front door. Emily and Sophie were right behind them.
"Cal, what are we doing here?" Gillian asked as he rang the doorbell.
"Answering an ad."
An older man, probably in his early sixties, answered the door.
"Cal, you're right on time. Come in, they're in the back."
They're in the back? What was that supposed to mean?
Cal guided Gillian towards the back of the house and she soon found out what it meant. There were seven Yorkie puppies in a little enclosed space.
"Oh my god, Cal!" Gillian squealed and kissed him before hurrying over.
"You can step in there if you like. I don't mind."
Gillian climbed over and sat down in the middle of the floor. All the puppies went to her and she petted them all before picking them up and holding them one by one.
"You can get whichever one you want. Sophie too."
"Two puppies?"
Gillian's face lit up like kid's on Christmas morning.
Emily picked Sophie up and lifted her over, putting her down on the other side of the makeshift pen.
Sophie reached out carefully and touched one of them. Then she grew less hesitant and sat down beside Gillian.
After a while, five of the puppies had pretty much lost interest. Only two  were still wagging their tails just as excitedly as they had when Gillian had come in.
One was in Gillian's arms, the other was playing with Sophie.
"I want this one." Gillian announced.
"Dis one!" Sophie pointed to the puppy at her feet.
"My last two girls. Nice choice."

Gillian laid down in the bed and put the puppy between her and Cal. She had decided to name her Lacey. Sophie had fittingly named hers Valentine.
"When can we move into the new house?"
She asked him.
"Anytime. I've had this planned for a while. Emily's known since October."
"I didn't know she was capable of keeping a secret that long."
"I didn't either." Cal chuckled.
"Thank you, Cal. For everything. This has been the best Valentine's Day I've ever had."
"I'm glad, love."
"I love you."
"I love you too, Gill."
Gillian curled up into Cal's side and petted her new puppy. She didn't know why she'd been jealous that morning when Eli proposed to Ria. If it was supposed to happen, it would happen when the time was right. Gillian didn't think she'd ever been this happy. She'd never figure out how she got so lucky.