Destiny Drew Us Together

Not So Fast

I thought that meeting Sonja's mother would be the worse but I think I got that wrong. Rita came in one day before we knocked off and invited me to dinner with her and King. As I looked toward Sonja's desk Rita Said "no, Christopher, just you." I really thought that they were going to try to talk me into waiting longer but it was deeper and more personal.

Here I am back at the office. I dread going in there. I have no idea what they will say to me. Guess they will try to talk me out of it or at least push back the wedding date a year. If it's one thing that the death of Savannah and Cade's Windi has taught me, is that you don't have a guarantee to a long life. I know that I love Sonja and that she loves me. That's enough for me.

"Hey King, it's me" I announce as I let myself through the front door. Rita greets me at the kitchen doorway with a smile and says "come on back". The smell was only something that King could create. I handed Rita the bottle of wine and flowers that I had brought with me trusting that the red wine was the right choice. When I questioned it "You been around here long enough to know that Chris" King replied.

"What can I help with?" "Grab those wine glasses off the shelf over there" King directs.

Dinner was everything I would expect from any restaurant in 'Nola. After we ate, I helped Rita move the dishes to the sink. "I can take care of these later" she said.

By the time we returned to the table, King had refilled our glasses and thus started the interrogation! So you're sure you want to do this Christopher?" "Yah King" I responded. "Don't you think it's kind of quick?" "Define quick" I responded.

Rita interjected "It seems that you have only known Percy for a year. Duane tells me that you tragically lost your longtime girlfriend. I'm wondering if you have had enough time to grieve" "King will tell you how I grieved, It was not healthy. Momma thought that I was going to join Savannah in the grave. King rode my ass for months. Brody would give me that look, try to be supportive, but was lost in her own grief and determination to find out what happened to her sister.

Rita you don't know Sonja. Hell to tell the truth none of us do. She told me things about Brody within weeks of her coming to the team that I didn't know in two years about her. She comes across as hard, but underneath the crusty exterior there is a truly kind person. Even after I wounded her with the whole Tucker and Melody escapade, she still stood by me with kind words, suggestions and sympathy. Now that I know her better, I can look back and see the hurt in her face, her words and response to me and her situations."

"So how did that turn out Chris? I told you to tell her sooner than later and you didn't do it. I almost moved you to partner with Tammy but she said to give it some time and it might still work out." "Well Gregorio must have filled her in on the details because when I picked her at the airport after her step father died, all she asked about was me and Brody."

"So just what do you know about her? You know how she is King, like her life is one big secret." "Well that how she had to live for years Christopher. She was living a dual life being undercover. I have seen people get lost in that other life. You are going to have to crack those walls Chris or your marriage will fail." "Just how do you suggest that I do that?" I asked.

"You need to go to formal professional counseling." I look incredulous. "Don't look at me like that. You both have stuff buried in your hearts your mind and your souls. Remember that I knew you during Katrina Chris. You saw a lot of death and pain. Couple that with Savannah's murder, you need help confronting those experiences and that deep pain that you think no one else sees. Tammy must have seen something because she was there for you with the Tucker thing. You wouldn't turn to Percy, but Tammy told me after the fact that you were open to her before and after that episode in your life. It was Tammy who insisted that there was something between you two. I blew it off and until that morning you and Percy came to talk to me, I couldn't see it.

Counseling Chris. It's not an option. Loretta gave me the name of a good therapist. Book her." "Okay King" I said as Rita asks me about my new place.

I keep talking but I am seriously ready to get out of here. As I walk to the doorway, King speaks out "keep this between the three of us until your sessions are over with the Doc and don't ask Percy about her time with us until then either or you might find yourself on a one man detail to update the paper files."

Sonja's Dinner

Two weeks ago we all gathered for girl's night out and I was surprised to see Rita there. Tammy had invited her to tag along. I was okay with that until she asked for a ride back to Pride's place. Suddenly the hair stands up on my neck you know, that woman's sixth sense thing. "Sonja, Duane and I want to have you over for dinner next week. Could you find a night and let us know." "Sure let me check with Chris." "Well," she stuttered," this invitation is just for you. Chris joined us last night." I never had a clue.

So here I am a week later and I felt double teamed. This is so unfair. Chris wouldn't tell me one word that they said to him. It would seem that Pride threaten him with having to clean out all the files if he spilled a peep.

"Hello?" I hollered as I opened the door. "Hey Percy, come on back." I headed back to the kitchen following the sound of Rita's voice "Where can I put these Rita?" She pointed to the table where I sat down the flower vase. This is my favorite cake announced as I turned and sat it on the counter. It was a carrot cake with flax seeds and currents was moist and a great substitute for all that flour.

Everything smelled so good. "How can you stand it" Rita asked with a slight laugh. I want to pick up a fork every time I just walk through the doorway! Tofu and Vegies in a peanut sauce was the dish I would eat and Pride had prepared it to perfection complemented with mac and cheese and a red bean substitute cooked with coconut milk, ginger and garlic hit the spot. I tried to eat slowly fearing what would come after dinner. I helped Rita clear off the dishes and we rejoined Pride at the table.

"I know nothing about you" Rita starts out. "Well I only know a tad more" Pride chimes in. "Even your work history is scrubbed clean Sonja. I know that deep cover is mentally tough. I had to call in a favor from Vance to look at some of your assignments. You put away some very heavy hitters in a short time. The ATF was not quick to let you go. Vance had to give back two agents to Charleston to get your transfer approved."

'Well there's not a lot to tell.' I start out. "Come on Sonja you been in service for five years now. Start with Ramone." He turns to Rita and says "he almost killed her Rita." Well... I started talking and with Rita patting my hand, stuff just kind of spilled out. The next thing I knew I got a text from Chris telling me that he was heading home from the bar. The ding on my phone brought me back to reality and the realization that it was well past 10.

"We will tell you one thing that we told Christopher. You have to go to a professional counselor. Not knowing how not to integrate my family and my work I ruined my marriage Sonja. I looked up one day and my wife had had it and left with my baby. It was only after she left that she told me that she was afraid that I would get killed on the job and she couldn't live with that.

Between what you told us tonight and what I read in your case histories, you need to talk to someone and you need to know how to share this with the man you say you love." "I resent that Pride I do love Chris" I say. "Love and trust are two different things. You are good together as professional partners. You are going to need to be loving partners sharing your heart in a marriage. Someone needs to show you both how to do that. You can't keep those secrets from him Sonja. They will eat you both up. I didn't tell Chris this but as those secrets come out, you may decide that you can't go any further in a relationship with him. That is why you need to decide that now. If you can't trust him with your secrets, you are going to need to end it with him.

I know him Sonja, much better than you. He has a lot of pain. You have no idea what Katrina did to us. I had my music to escape into. I would play that piano for hours, bottle in hand, sleep and then go back out into that horror. Chris got angry and he got mean. He needs someone to love again. I'll be honest I never pegged you to be the one. Loretta somehow knew from early on. Something about you taking crime photos of a boot print on his chest? Tammy put it in her report to D.C. which I never understood." "Look Duane, you're a man. You look at your agents as professionals, we look at them as men and women too" Rita speaks up. "It's late I think we can let her escape from the cage now, Duane."

With that, I am out of there!