set.
She didn ’ t mention that she ’ d looked into the possibility of legal action – she held that last card close. She didn ’ t want to use it if it wasn ’ t necessary. When she heard “ no ” one time too many, she knew it was time to show her hand. She logged on to the Internet and printed out a copy of the American Disabilities Act and related monocular vision decisions from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and marched down the street to the office of the city attorney.
She entered his office, slapped the documents on his desk, sat down and stared without uttering a word. The attorney looked at the papers in front of him, looked at Lucinda and squirmed. He rifled through the pages while he thought about the predicament and its legal ramifications. “ I need to make a few calls. Can you come back in an hour? ”
“ Yes sir, ” she said and walked back down the block to the cubicle where she pounded out statistical analysis for the department. She was good at numbers and had no problem supplying a constant stream of reports. But it bored her to tears. She could not imagine a lifetime of dreary days behind a desk where the lives and deaths of victims became nothing more than input for a new bar graph or pie chart.
When it was time to return to the city attorney ’ s office, it felt more like walking a tightrope across a pit of agitated alligators than the short stroll it was. She had to consciously regulate her breathing to keep it even as she approached his doorway.
“ Pierce, do you have any personal items in your workspace? ”
“ Yes, sir. ” What does that question mean?
“ Take them with you when you leave the office today. ”
Omigod. They’re firing me. I threatened them. And they’re firing me. She struggled to suppress the intense nausea that rocked her gut and rose in her throat.
“ Tomorrow morning at 0700, you ’ ll report to Commander Bullock for reassignment to patrol. ”
For a moment she ’ d stood still fearing what she heard were not his words but just the product of her own wishful thinking.
“ Did you hear me, Pierce? ”
“ No. Yes. Of course. My job. I get it back? ”
“ Yes. Commander Bullock. 0700. ”
“ Thank you, sir. ”
“ Congratulations, Pierce. But don ’ t celebrate overlong. You ’ ll need to stay on top of every situation, every day. You screw up once and they ’ ll drag you down like wounded prey. ”
Nine
In the same week that Lucinda returned to active duty, Ellen and Ted learned that their third child was on the way. They were delighted with the news. From the beginning, they wanted four children and now they were more than halfway there.
This pregnancy was more difficult than the first two for Ellen. From the start, her morning sickness was more intense and often lasted all day. Her mood swings kept her and everyone around her off-balance and on edge.
Jealousy etched like acid in her gut every time Ted mentioned an encounter with Lucinda. In logical moments, she told herself her hormones were mucking up her thinking. If Ted had anything to hide , she thought, he wouldn ’ t ever mention Lucinda ’ s name .
At other times, her emotions trumped all logic and she snapped at Ted when he updated her on Lucinda ’ s recovery or praised her in any way. Soon, Ted got the message and stopped speaking about Lucinda altogether.
That fueled Ellen ’ s paranoia even more. She spent hours in rage-filled wonder, worrying about what he was hiding, what they were doing, when Ted would leave her. Then, logic would reassert itself and she ’ d smile in recognition of Ted ’ s continued affection and unflagging show of consideration. By the final month of her pregnancy, she settled into an even and serene keel. She relaxed in gestational contentment and basked in Ted ’ s love.
The couple went to the doctor ’ s office together for Ellen ’ s prenatal examination at eight-and-a-half months. Ted held her hand as she lay
She didn ’ t mention that she ’ d looked into the possibility of legal action – she held that last card close. She didn ’ t want to use it if it wasn ’ t necessary. When she heard “ no ” one time too many, she knew it was time to show her hand. She logged on to the Internet and printed out a copy of the American Disabilities Act and related monocular vision decisions from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and marched down the street to the office of the city attorney.
She entered his office, slapped the documents on his desk, sat down and stared without uttering a word. The attorney looked at the papers in front of him, looked at Lucinda and squirmed. He rifled through the pages while he thought about the predicament and its legal ramifications. “ I need to make a few calls. Can you come back in an hour? ”
“ Yes sir, ” she said and walked back down the block to the cubicle where she pounded out statistical analysis for the department. She was good at numbers and had no problem supplying a constant stream of reports. But it bored her to tears. She could not imagine a lifetime of dreary days behind a desk where the lives and deaths of victims became nothing more than input for a new bar graph or pie chart.
When it was time to return to the city attorney ’ s office, it felt more like walking a tightrope across a pit of agitated alligators than the short stroll it was. She had to consciously regulate her breathing to keep it even as she approached his doorway.
“ Pierce, do you have any personal items in your workspace? ”
“ Yes, sir. ” What does that question mean?
“ Take them with you when you leave the office today. ”
Omigod. They’re firing me. I threatened them. And they’re firing me. She struggled to suppress the intense nausea that rocked her gut and rose in her throat.
“ Tomorrow morning at 0700, you ’ ll report to Commander Bullock for reassignment to patrol. ”
For a moment she ’ d stood still fearing what she heard were not his words but just the product of her own wishful thinking.
“ Did you hear me, Pierce? ”
“ No. Yes. Of course. My job. I get it back? ”
“ Yes. Commander Bullock. 0700. ”
“ Thank you, sir. ”
“ Congratulations, Pierce. But don ’ t celebrate overlong. You ’ ll need to stay on top of every situation, every day. You screw up once and they ’ ll drag you down like wounded prey. ”
Nine
In the same week that Lucinda returned to active duty, Ellen and Ted learned that their third child was on the way. They were delighted with the news. From the beginning, they wanted four children and now they were more than halfway there.
This pregnancy was more difficult than the first two for Ellen. From the start, her morning sickness was more intense and often lasted all day. Her mood swings kept her and everyone around her off-balance and on edge.
Jealousy etched like acid in her gut every time Ted mentioned an encounter with Lucinda. In logical moments, she told herself her hormones were mucking up her thinking. If Ted had anything to hide , she thought, he wouldn ’ t ever mention Lucinda ’ s name .
At other times, her emotions trumped all logic and she snapped at Ted when he updated her on Lucinda ’ s recovery or praised her in any way. Soon, Ted got the message and stopped speaking about Lucinda altogether.
That fueled Ellen ’ s paranoia even more. She spent hours in rage-filled wonder, worrying about what he was hiding, what they were doing, when Ted would leave her. Then, logic would reassert itself and she ’ d smile in recognition of Ted ’ s continued affection and unflagging show of consideration. By the final month of her pregnancy, she settled into an even and serene keel. She relaxed in gestational contentment and basked in Ted ’ s love.
The couple went to the doctor ’ s office together for Ellen ’ s prenatal examination at eight-and-a-half months. Ted held her hand as she lay
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