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Bo's Journey Home - Chapter 15 Bo drove back to the Garrett. He kept thinking about the sketches in Matthew’s file and got angry all over again. Gabrielle had been in the diner and told Matthew that Bo was his father. Bo was sure of it. He wondered if he would be able to control his anger until he could get Matthew to confirm it. He unlocked the door and let himself in. Gabrielle was sitting on the sofa. He could tell she hadn’t slept. He closed the door behind him and leaned back against it, looking at her in a whole new light.   Gabrielle looked at him standing there. He seemed different. She decided to play the hurt girlfriend and stayed on the sofa, being distant with him. “Where have you been?”   Bo stared hard her, trying to keep his breathing even, when all he really wanted to do was throw her out. “I was at Vicki’s,” he said steadily.   Gabrielle didn’t believe him. “All weekend?”   Bo shook his head no. “I was mostly at my office.”   Gabrielle still wasn’t sure she believed him. “Well, I called your office all weekend and…”   Bo cut her off, almost angrily. “I wasn’t taking any calls.” He breathed in slowly and continued more evenly. “And I went to Vicki’s last night. I just left there as a matter of fact. You can call her later if you want to check.”   Gabrielle laughed a relieved laugh. “Oh. You went to Vicki’s. That’s where you were.”   Bo looked at her knowingly. “Where did you think I was?”   Gabrielle looked at him nervously. “Well, Nora called here over 20 times this weekend. When she hadn’t called Sunday, I just assumed you had finally gone to her place.”   Bo’s answer was flat. “You assumed wrong.”   Gabrielle nodded. “Have you spoken to Nora? Or Matthew?” she added hesitantly.   Bo shook his head. “No, not at all. I haven’t seen them since Friday. I told you,” he repeated, “I was with Vicki.” He squinted his eyes at her, seeing her nervousness. “Something wrong? Something bothering you?”   Gabrielle looked away from him nervously. “No.” She tried to distract his attention away from herself. “I’ve just been very worried about you…” she let her voice trail off.   Bo continued her thought. “Worried I was with Nora?” He paused. “Or Matthew,” he added.   She tried to play the victim. “Well, you have been spending a lot of time at Nora’s, going there almost every night for dinner. I’ve been feeling left out.”   “My son lives there and Nora’s my son’s mother,” he stated matter-of-factly. “He needs us both right now,” and then Bo added, “whether he knows I’m his father or not.”   Gabrielle looked panicked a moment and then nodded in agreement. “I know that. I just figured Nora might want to spend some time alone with Matthew, you know, since he was gone and all. Has Matthew been able to tell you anything about what happened to him when he disappeared?”   Bo still hadn’t moved from the door and he was looking at her intently. “Not that he’s volunteering. But I know there were two people in the diner at that same time he was there. Antonio and I think they were involved somehow. We’re still looking for them. A police sketch artist worked with Carlotta’s waitress to create some drawings of them. I’m hoping Matthew can remember them when I show him the sketches.”   Gabrielle felt the blood drain from her face. She forced herself to relax just a bit. Matthew all ready knew who she was. If Matthew hadn’t said anything by now, he wasn’t going to. And if he did, she and Max had worked out a story. “Well, I wouldn’t push him to much,” she said out loud. “All that matters is that he’s home, safe.”   Bo nodded. She wasn’t going to tell him. Well, he wasn’t ready to confront her yet. Without some confirmation from Matthew that it was Gabrielle that had told him about Bo, he couldn’t confront her. She would just deny it. Bo had to figure out a way to get Matthew to talk to him about what happened in the diner. He spoke out loud. “You’re right, Gabrielle. That’s all that matters. He’s home.” There was an uneasy silence between them. Bo just stared at her, starting to make her feel nervous. He finally pushed himself from the door. “Well, I need to shower, shave and change. I have to be at the station early.” He walked by her and went into the bedroom.   Gabrielle left quietly and went to find Max. When Bo arrived at the police station, Marcie was all ready there. Marcie looked up at him. He was early. “Good morning, Commissioner.”   Bo barely smiled at her. “Hi Marcie. Any thing good going on around here?”   Marcie could see he was in a bit of a gloomy mood. “Not really. It’s Monday morning at a police station and we have a million reports from the weekend. I put them on your desk.” She added brightly, hoping it might cheer him up. “But Ms. Buchanan called. She wants to see you first thing.”   Bo nodded dejectedly. “Thought she might. Try reaching her and tell her mid-morning is better for me.” Marcie was surprised to see his frown. Visits from Ms. Buchanan always cheered him up. “Sure thing Commissioner.”   Bo went into his office and picked up Matthew’s file again. He pulled out the two sketches and looked at them, getting angry all over again. But first things first. He had to deal with Matthew, get through that; then he would deal with these two. He worked through the reports on his desk, half paying attention, Matthew still in the forefront of his thoughts. He put his pen down and picked up the pictures of Matthew and Drew from his desk. He had finally come up with an idea to get Matthew alone to talk with him, maybe listen to him. He now needed to convince Nora to go along with his idea, blindly. He stood with both pictures in his hands, going over to his window, staring out.   That’s how Nora found him when she arrived at his office. She had headed over from her office with a full head of steam; angry, hurt, confused and wanting answers. “No,” she thought, “she would demand them.”   But when she arrived and saw him standing there at the window, holding the pictures, staring distantly out the window, her head of steam dissipated. Seeing him standing there, she was reminded of the boy at home, who just that morning had taken the same pose at his own window before she had forced him off to day camp. How much a like they really were.   As she watched Bo stand there, his shoulders slumped, his head hung, she felt a desire, a need, from deep within her heart to reach out and take him in her arms and comfort him, erase that hollow look from his eyes and make him smile. She forced those feelings back into her heart and cleared her throat softly. “Penny for your thoughts, Commissioner?”   Bo continued to stare out the window, responding without looking at her. “They’re not worth a penny.”   Nora instantly was concerned, going to his side. “Bo, what is it? What’s going on with you?”   Bo looked down at both pictures in his hand and muttered. “My life that could have been, and wasn’t.”   Nora placed her arm softly on one of his. “What are you talking about?”   He still hadn’t looked at her. Bo moved from her and went back behind his desk, placing the pictures back in their homes there. He finally looked up at her, this woman that he loved, and smiled softly.   His smile didn’t fool her. His eyes spoke volumes. She was still concerned. “What is it, Bo? Talk to me.”   Bo was standing behind his desk and he put his hands in his pants pocket. “Can you take a walk with me? Now?”   Nora nodded and he moved to his secondary door and held it open for her. She walked through it and he followed her. They walked down the steps of the police station and headed down the street. Nora wasn’t sure what he had in mind, but she walked along side him, matching him slow step for slow step. They walked in silence just a few blocks until they came to Angel Square. Bo walked over to the bench beneath Luna’s statue and sat down, Nora sat next to him. It was a beautiful summer day, still to early for the heat and humidity to kick in. Nora sat next to him quietly, waiting for him to speak. He finally looked up at her and met her eyes. “I’m sorry I avoided you all weekend.”   Nora pretended to be surprised. “Is that what you were doing?” She smiled. “I hadn’t noticed.”   Bo returned her a weak smile. “How’s Matthew?”   Nora’s smile faded. He wasn’t in a kidding mood. “The same.” She looked over at him, “and since Friday, when you and Matthew exchanged whatever.” She looked right at him. “What happened between you two? Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”   Bo exhaled, before cutting her off. “I know there are thousands of questions floating around in that incredibly sharp mind of yours that you want answers to, but.” He stopped.   Nora continued for him. “But what?”   Bo hesitated. “I can’t give you any answers just yet.” Nora started to object and Bo stopped her. “Wait. Before you start your opening arguments Counselor, let me explain.” Nora closed her mouth. He hesitated a moment, squinting his eyes, thinking back, starting again. “When you and I were together, and we were on opposite sides of a case, I never really understood how you could keep things from me. I mean, I never fully understood how you walked that fine line between being a defense attorney and being the commissioner’s wife. I never fully appreciated the fight that must have raged between your heart and your mind when you would come home…” He pointed to himself. “…to me, listen to me complain about my job and you not be able to confide in me your job, because you gave your word to your client.” He shook his head. “I never understood that,” he paused, and then added, “until now.”   Nora was not following him. “I don’t understand where you are going with this. What’s this have to do with what happened between you and Matthew?”   Bo nodded. “Wait. I’m trying my best here to explain, without breaking my prom…” He stopped short, and then continued, starting from a different point. “I need your help with Matthew, but I can’t explain everything I need help with.”   Nora was confused by his abrupt change of subject; from their past to Matthew. She was having trouble keeping up with him. “How can I help you with Matthew if you can’t tell me why?”   Bo pressed his lips together thinking, and then spoke again. “You can’t ask me any questions right now.” She started to object again and he stopped her. “I gave my word, and as much as I need…” He caught himself again, correcting himself. “…want to tell you, I just can’t. Not yet.”   Nora still was not quite following him. “Bo, I don’t understand. Does this have to do with the 4th of July?” He looked at her without responding. “With Matthew’s disappearance?” He still wouldn’t respond. “Did Matthew tell you where he was those few days he was missing?” When Bo still wouldn’t respond, she became frustrated, unconsciously using his nickname. “Come on Commish, give me something here.”   “Okay.” Bo released the breath he was holding. “I do know something about Matthew’s disappearance.”   Nora stuck her head forward a little, raising her eyebrows at him. “And…”   Bo sighed. “…and,” he continued, “I can’t tell you anymore about it right now.”   Nora starting thinking out loud; “Because you gave your word to someone?”   “Yes,” he replied.   Nora cautiously started using her attorney tactics. “Can you tell me who?” Bo looked at her blankly. She asked him again. “Bo?” Suddenly it dawned on her. “Was it Matthew? Did you make some type of promise to Matthew? Is that what this is about?”   Bo turned his face from her, his voice pleading with her. “Please, Nora, don’t ask me anything else, and don’t do any more thinking out loud so you can gauge my reaction to your thoughts. I just want to…” He stopped short. He now needed to pitch his idea to her and convince her to go along, with no questions asked.   Nora took his chin in her hands in the same way she had done with Matthew, and turned his face back to her. “You just want to what?” she repeated him.   Bo knew he could easily lose himself in her touch, her eyes, Matthew’s eyes. That brought him back to reality. “I want to take Matthew away this weekend.” As he spoke, he pulled his face gently from her hold, to keep his emotional distance. “Just him and me. That’s why I need your help.”   Nora was confused again, trying to follow his train of thought. “Take him away?” she repeated. “Where? Why?”   “Up to the lodge,” Bo said. “Just for the weekend.” He continued. “Matthew and I need to talk, and we can’t do that here. We need a no distraction, one on one conversation, with no one else around. And no one but you can know where we are.”   Nora looked at him puzzled. “I still don’t understand.” Bo nodded. “I know you don’t, but you will. I need you to let me take Matthew this weekend, and not tell him I’m taking him.”   Now she was really confused. “What do you mean, not tell him? Bo, I’m really having a hard time following this conversation,” she added sarcastically, “if you can even call this a conversation. People need to communicate to have a conversation and we are definitely not communicating here.”   Bo was now pleading with her. “Trust me, Nora. Just let me take Matthew this weekend. Call the day camp and tell them I will be picking up Matthew on Friday. Tell them that no matter what happens between Matthew and me, they are not to interfere. They’re to let me take him.”   Nora shook her head. “Bo, this is making no sense. Let you take him? Interfere with you? What kind of statements are those? Help me here, Bo. Talk to me. You know you can tell me anything.” She felt like she was talking to Matthew, and in a way, she almost was.   He lost his cool for a brief second. “Because if Mathew knows it’s me who is picking him up, he won’t come with me.” Bo stopped short, running his hand through his air.   Nora was shocked. “Why wouldn’t he go with you? Nora stared at him intently. Bo couldn’t respond. He didn’t want to lie to her, so not responding was his best defense. She had at least taught him that much. “Damn it, Bo,” she continued, “I’m his mother. He’s my son too. What is this about?”   Bo could see the hurt look in her eyes and hated himself for being the one who put it there. Vicki was becoming more and more right by the minute. He thought hard before answering, repeating his previous answer. “I told you, this is about Matthew, and his disappearance, and he and I needing to talk about it, and we can’t do that here. That’s all I can tell you right now.”   Nora argued back. “Why can’t you tell me? What exactly happened between you two on the 4th?”   Bo stood up from the bench and moved away from her. “I told you, no questions.” He looked back at her. “Can’t you do this for me Nora; can’t you trust me anymore?”   Nora looked at him and recognized some of the same anger and sadness in his eyes as she had seen in Matthew’s. She made a decision. “Okay. I’m going with my heart here, Buchanan. I will let you take Matthew if you tell me one thing.” He looked at her as she paused. “Is this about telling Matthew that you are his father?”   Bo had to be cautious here. “Nora, would I do that without you?”   Nora watched his eyes intently. He had learned to answer a question with a question. But he could never lie to her. If she knew only one thing about him, she knew that, trusted in that. She spoke out loud some of her own thoughts of the past 2 weeks. “Does Matthew all ready know that you are his father?” She watched his face for his reaction.   Again, Bo was careful with his answer, not responding to her request directly. “Nora, I have not told Matthew that I am his father.”   She was still watching him intently. Bo had answered her question by avoiding her question. His answer, or rather lack of an answer, was making her think. She was a better lawyer than he was a witness and he was definitely doing avoidance here. Nora came to some of her own conclusions and nodded in silent understanding. “Okay. You can take him. I’ll make the arrangements with the day camp. But I’m going on blind faith here Bo, and my trust in you as Matthew’s father that you would never do anything to hurt him. Sam dying has all ready hurt him so much. I’m not saying you would hurt him intentionally, but he’s been carrying around enough anger and sadness lately, I don’t want anything to add to it right now.”   Bo was intent as he answered her. “I’m not trying to add to it, Nora. I’m trying to ease it. You have my word, that when Matthew and I get back from the lodge, you will have your son back. And all of the sadness and anger and hurt that we both see in his eyes, it will be gone. I promise you that.”   Nora wondered if the sadness, anger and hurt in Bo’s eyes would be gone as well. There was an awkward silence between them and it felt strange to her. Nora wasn’t sure if it was because of the small physical distance between them or if it was something else. She needed to remove the silence and close the distance. She stood and went to stand in front of him.   Bo stood there with his hands in his pants pockets and she looked deep into his beautiful blue eyes. He seemed so sad and she so wanted to ease that sadness for him. Without taking her eyes from his, she slid her arms through the loops formed between his elbows and his waist, placing one hand on his back, the other against the back of his head, gently guiding his head onto her shoulder, pulling him into a hug. She turned her face to his, kissing the side of his face and softly whispering into his ear, “and to answer your question, of course I trust you; I have always trusted you; with my life, with my heart, with our son.”   He slowly removed his hands from his pockets and returned her embrace, allowing himself to take comfort in her arms once more. He pulled back from her slightly, their faces close. Neither one of them spoke, their eyes speaking for them. She moved her hand to caress his cheek; and suddenly, without giving a second thought to what she was doing, she moved her mouth to slowly cover his. The kiss was soft, and gentle, and she felt his arms wrap tighter around her, moving up her back to her neck as his lips responded to hers. Bo ended the kiss, leaning his forehead against hers to look back into her eyes. “I guess you owed me that,” he said with a smile.   “I guess I did,” she offered quickly, running her fingers gently through the hair at his collar. “So where are we going with this?”   Bo shrugged knowingly. “Where we’re supposed to be.” He leaned in again and touched her lips gently with his, whispering through the kiss. “Give me this weekend with Matthew, and then you and I will go from there.” To be continued …