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“What’s going on with you, Tim?” He looks up to see Lucy standing in the doorway of his office with her arms crossed. She knows her husband and she knows when he’s stressed. This is one do those times. He wants to hide and he wants her to not see him this way, but his resolve breaks. “Oh babe.” Lucy walks over and sits in his lap. Tim lays his head against her chest and she holds him close. “Hey, I’ve got you.”
Tim has made so much progress in therapy and he’s so lucky to have Lucy by his side. “I have worked so hard to move past things.” He sounds so defeated and she hates it.
“You’ve made so much progress babe. I’m proud of you.” Lucy tells him and runs her fingers along his arms.
“Why do I let them get to me so much?” Lucy isn’t sure who he is talking about exactly.
“Who babe?” She asks nervously. After everything that happened with his old army buddies coming back, he started to go to therapy three days a week. It affected him more than he thought, but Lucy never let that affect them. There aren’t many people who can make him feel this way. With his dad being dead and Ray in jail, that list is small.
“My mother. She disappeared, but only when I left home, as you know. She didn’t protect me my entire childhood and then I finally have the courage to leave, so she does. Genny went with her, but I didn’t ask about her. I’ve supported my sister, who also left at eighteen as you know.” Lucy hasn’t met this woman, but she doesn't like her based on everything she’s heard.
“What can I do for you?” Lucy asks gently. When it comes to Tim, she will always protect and defend her husband.
His hands tighten around her waist. “You’re here as you always are. Just promise that you won’t leave me.”
“Tim, babe, I’m not going anywhere.” She kisses his forehead. “Did she contact you?”
“Genny did. She’s angry and told my mother off, but apparently she’s in Los Angeles and is trying to do whatever she can to harass her kids. She did nothing to protect us and happily let me take the brunt of my dad’s anger. She was just happy that my dad didn’t take his anger out on her.”
Lucy’s blood boils and she hopes that this woman stays away. “You’re a survivor, Tim. I’m so damn proud of the man you are today in spite of your childhood.”
“You’ve saved me in more ways than one.” His voice is quiet.
Lucy knows that he needs a few minutes to process everything. “I will always be by your side for the good, bad, and I will yell at anyone who tries to mess with you.” She squeezes his hand.
“I love you Lucy.” Tim’s voice cracks.
”I love you too. Finish your paperwork and I’ll go see what we can do about going home early.” Lucy kisses his cheek and reluctantly leaves.
Lucy walks to the bullpen. She hears a voice at the front and scrunches her face when she sees Genny running towards her. “I’m sorry Lucy. I told her not to come here. I told her it was a bad idea and she just showed up. I was following her hoping she was leaving.”
Lucy is angry that his mother has the audacity to show up at his work. “Is there a problem, Penn?”
Miles is startled when he hears Lucy’s voice. “I was just telling this woman that she needs to leave, but she keeps demanding to see Sergeant Bradford.”
Lucy knows she can play this one of two ways. “Well, you found her. So what do you want?” She crosses her arms and tries to pretend she has no idea what’s really going on.
“You’re not Sergeant Bradford.” The woman scoffs. “My son is and I’d like to see him.”
Lucy doesn’t mean to laugh, but she can’t control herself. “You’ll see him over my dead body. I don’t know what you expected, but you will not be going near Tim. You can’t even call him your son because you can’t call yourself a mother. You never did anything to protect him or Genny.” Lucy is seething.
“My son needed discipline and my husband gave him what he deserved.” Lucy clenches her fists and Genny moves close to her. Her mother points a finger at Genny. “And you! Why did you think to warn your brother?”
Lucy steps in again. “Why? That’s because Genny loves her brother and has seen him go through hell and back because of what he’s endured as a child. Your children are thriving and successful, but not because of either of you. They’re doing so well in spite of you!” Lucy spats out. “You need to leave now.”
“I’m not leaving until I see my son.” This woman is worse than Lucy expected.
“He’s not interested in seeing you. You are going to leave my husband alone.” Lucy is really angry and hopes that Tim stays in his office.
“He can’t have a healthy marriage. I mean, hasn’t he been divorced once? I’m sure you’ll leave him too.” Lucy wants to wipe the grin off her face.
Lucy is in shock, even more than she expected. “You don’t know me and you don’t know Tim. That will never happen. He’s the best man that I know.”
“Leave now. You’re not wanted.” Genny speaks and hopes that she will get through to her mother.
“I’m not going anywhere and you can’t make me.” Her mother crosses her arms. There’s an audience and Lucy is frustrated.
“No, but I can.” Lucy will have someone physically walk her out. “I’m in charge here and you are being disruptive.”
“I want to see my son.” She demands once more.
“And I’m not letting that happen.” Lucy is stern, but her words are interrupted.
“What do you want?” Tim is standing beside Lucy now and she moves in front of him instinctively.
“Oh there he is. You’re more like that man than you know.” Tim bites his tongue but her words sting.
“No the hell he isn't. You’re done here. Aaron, Miles, please escort her out. If she tries to come back, arrest her.” Lucy is pissed.
“It’s okay Luce.” Tim sounds defeated.
“No the hell it isn’t.” She looks at his mother. The woman actually gulps and backs up when she sees Lucy move closer. The anger is radiating off her face.
“Fine, I’ll leave. You two are failures anyways. You’re my biggest regrets in life.” She turns around and walks out. Genny is acting fine, but Lucy can sense that her husband isn’t.
“Why don’t you go change out? We are going to take the rest of the day off and just enjoy time together.” Lucy tells Tim gently.
Tim doesn’t even have the energy to argue. He’s worked so hard to be better than his parents and put his childhood in the past, but it still stings. He has made peace with never seeing his mom again especially after everything that she put them through. “That sounds pretty perfect.”
Tim walks away and Lucy looks at Genny. “You’re coming with us too. You’re not a failure.” Lucy can see her sister in law trying to wipe her tears.
“Thank you for defending us. We’re lucky to have you.” The two women embrace.
Lucy goes to clear things with Grey, who easily agrees and then she goes to change. They’ve been working a lot of overtime lately and he wants them to take more time off. Lucy meets Tim in the parking garage with Genny by her side. “Do you want to go home?”
Lucy shakes her head. “Not right now. I promise, you’ll have a lot of fun.” She takes Tim’s keys and pushes him towards the passenger door. Genny gets into the backseat.
The car ride is silent. Both women know that Tim needs time to process everything. Genny raises her eyebrows when Lucy pulls into where she wants. “Really?”
Lucy shrugs. “Mini golf has always been fun for me and my aunt used to take me. Plus, I can kick your asses.”
“In your dreams.” Tim retorts.
The three of them go inside and Lucy pays. They share laughs and Tim loses his ball in the water. He thought he would win, but Lucy seems to be an expert. By the end, she has kicked their asses. “Losers buy ice cream.”
Mini golf and ice cream were just what they needed. It was mindless and fun. Lucy drops Genny off and then drives home.
Tim lets Kojo out as soon as they are in the house and then sits on the swing in the back. Lucy brings him a beer and slides into his lap. “I’m going to say this once more.” He tries to talk but stops. “You are not that man and you never have been. You are the kindest and greatest man I know. You’ve always supported me, loved me, and been my fierce protector. She won’t ever bother you again.”
“I hate that I’ve let her get to me.” He says honestly.
“You never expect your parents to treat you this way. I’m sorry it happened to you babe, but you’re better than that. I didn’t want you around her.” Lucy tells him.
Her hand grazes his chin and pushes it so he’s looking at her. “Thank you for always protecting me and defending me.”
“We always support each other, even if we don’t need it. I’ll never leave your side. I need you to know that you’re not your father.”
“It's taken a long time to get here, but I know that. I’ll never be him. I love you.” Tim’s voice is quiet.
Lucy’s hand moves to the back of his head. She pulls him in for a kiss and his hand roams her back. “And I love you, Timothy Bradford, forever and always.”