Secret Family

You Need To Make A Choice

I tray to pace the living room, rolling up the sleeves on my button up and pulling my tie looser, it feels like it's choking me.

I have to tell her tonight. I really do. I mean, I should have told her a year ago.

Olivia's thirty-six weeks today. Thirty-six weeks pregnant. With my son. My boy.

And I'm still married. And living with my wife.

My heart beats out if my chest as I hear the door open. She's home.

"Hey, El, can you help me with the groceries." Kathy yells.

I walk to the front of the house, taking two of the grocery bags from her.

I help her into the kitchen and she starts to pull out pots and pans to cook dinner.

"Hey, Kath, can we talk?" I ask, keeping my voice steady despite my nervousness.

"Yeah, what about?" She says, not even looking up.

"I--" I start, interrupted by the phone ringing.

I look down at the caller ID. It's Liv.

"Stabler." I say.

"El, something's wrong." Liv says frantically.

I look up, Kathy's looking towards the stove, storing something in the pan.

I jog around the corner into the living room.

"What's happening, baby?" He asks quickly.

"I'm bleeding." She says, panicked.

"Alright, baby, I'm ten minutes out, stay on the phone, okay?" I say softly.

"O-Okay..." She says, "El, I'm really scared."

I cover the mouthpiece on the phone, and Kathy looks up.

"Let me guess, it's Olivia, she caught while she was working overtime and she needs you?" Kathy says.

"Sorry." I say quickly.

She rolls her eyes.

"See you in a couple days." She says.

I jog out the door, jumping in the car.

"Liv, baby, what's happening?" I ask.

"El, I don't know." She says, "I'm still bleeding."

"Okay, baby, I'll be there in five minutes..." I say, "A-Are you having contractions?"

"No, no I'm not." She says.

I take a deep breath as I weave in and out of traffic, my siren blaring.

"El!" She says, "He moved! I felt him move, he kicked me!"

Relief floods through my body and I take a deep breath.

"That's good, baby. That's so good." I say quickly.

"Oh god, El..." She whimpers, "T-That felt like something..."

"Alright, baby," I say, "You're gonna be okay."

I keep her talking until I pull up in front of her building.

I throw it in park, yanking the key out of the ignition, leaving it double parked as I sprint into the building.

I press the elevator button, ten decide that I can run the four flights of stairs faster than the elevator can even reach the bottom floor.