Page 78 of Operation: Valiant Angel

“You know, it just feels right. If you’d told me a couple of months ago that I’d be jumping into a relationship with her, with anyone, and taking on a four-year-old little girl, I’d have told you that you were high,” Wilson said.

Lassiter chuckled. “So, there’d been an ongoing relationship with her since the Norfolk Op?”

“Kind of, it’s not like that,” Wilson said.

“Now you sound like Burke,” Lassiter said.

Wilson laughed. “Yeah, I guess I do. I can’t explain it, Joe,” he said. His teammate, Rich ‘Handsome’ Burke had a relationship with team member Laura Lee ‘Lah-lee’ Saxton’s sister for months that he classified as, it’s not like that, when he was pressed on the relationship.

“Try,” Lassiter pushed.

“This thing with Rae wasn’t romantic. It never went there. It was friends, and even that, classifying it as friends’ kind of fucked with my head because I was hard-pressed to name what was going on. It was comfortable talking to her. It was a connection to someone outside of work that grounded me. I liked being there to support her, to be an ear because she couldn’t talk to anyone else in her new life about the challenges of starting over.”

“Was she having a hard time settling into the new life or fitting in with the people in it?”

“No, she wasn’t a victim. I found her to be a strong and capable woman that was still vulnerable and finding her way.” He paused and chuckled. “And she has a sense of humor I like. We just clicked.”

“So, you’re going to have someone who is just a friend, no romantic feelings for, live with you and you’re taking on a little girl in the deal too?” Lassiter asked.

“Well, the romantic part changed after she got taken. That’s when I realized I did have those feelings for her. And once we found her, we both either realized or admitted our feelings to each other,” he confessed.

“You just realized?” Lassiter asked. “Just like that? You do understand why I’m skeptical, don’t you?”

“Believe me, I know how it sounds,” Wilson said. “I wrote off even the remotest possibility that I’d have a relationship with a woman a long time ago. It just didn’t seem like it would fit into my life, doing this job. And I was fine with that.”

“But now you want it?” Joe pressed.

“It just feels right, Joe. It’s like it will fit with little thought required.”

“Do you love her?”

Wilson blew out a breath and glanced away. “Now there’s a word I’m not acquainted with. I’m not sure, but I’d sure like to find out if that’s what this is or what this can grow into.”

“That’s a good answer,” Lassiter said. “What happens if you figure out that isn’t what it is?”

“That’s one thing I love about you, Joe, your optimism.”

“Hear me out. There’s a child involved in this. It’s not like it’s just you and Rae, give it a go, and go your separate ways if it doesn’t work out. That little girl is going to get attached to you both. You’re going to present yourselves as a couple who are there to take care of her, a family.”

“I get that. I don’t want us to do anything that could hurt her if it doesn’t work out. But I also know that when I’m not working, I’m going to want to spend as much time with them as possible.”

“Them, not just Rae?” Lassiter asked.

“You know, it’s crazy. Seeing Rae with that little girl and knowing how much she cares about her; it makes me greatly respect her. She didn’t even hesitate when asking for guardianship. She was ready to take it on alone. And I knew I wanted to help her. I know Rae’s history. Her mom was a drug addict. Her father was never in the picture. She got bounced from shitty foster home to shitty foster home before she ran away when she was fifteen. She wants better for Lilly. It makes me want to be there and help.”

“Both Rae and Lilly are recovering from traumatic events.”

“That’s why they both need me there with them,” Wilson argued. “And can I ask you to meet with Rae, today? She won’t talk to me about what happened.”

“I can,” Lassiter answered. “I’d like to meet with you both together at some point too.”

“And a referral to a child trauma specialist would be appreciated too,” Wilson said.

Lassiter nodded. “I can get you that also.”

Wilson checked his watch. “What does your schedule look like after this?”

“Let me see if I can push Michaela out an hour. I’m supposed to see her in about ten minutes, but if she can come later, I can see Rae now.”

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