Fandom: The Practice

Series Title: Photomosiac

Title: Hidden Pictures 1.0

Author: Carla

Email: cmfloresfd@yahoo.com

Pairing: Lucy Hatcher/Roberta Kittleson

Disclaimers: Still not David E. Kelley *sigh* guess this means I'm still not married to Michelle Pfieffer too.  No profit made, no foul intended. I do quote one line verbatim from the show, though I cannot recall which episode in particular it's from.  It should be pretty obvious which one I am referring to.

Archiving: List archives and the Realm all others please ask.  All my fic in this and other fandoms can be found at http://www.realmoftheshadow.com/carla.htm

Author's Note: I've always said feedback makes the fic go round and that certainly is true for this fic.  This was originally part of my previous fic Snapshots and Still Frames, but I cut it (and a bunch of other things) out of the end product figuring no one would want to bother reading a long and lengthy fic about a decidedly unconventional couple.  But someone did so this is for them.  And for anyone else who is inclined to read it and enjoy it.

This is un-beta-ed so any and all mistakes are mine and mine alone.

I'd love to know what you think. Feedback the good the bad and the ugly can be sent directly to me at cmfloresfd@yahoo.com.

Lucy was talking animatedly with another student on the steps of the lecture hall when Roberta walked up.

"Sorry I'm late."

"Not at problem.  Danny here was telling me about his recent trip to Amsterdam. Danny this is," the young man grabbed Roberta's hand and gave it an enthusiastic shake.

"Daniel Masterson Mrs. Hatcher it's a pleasure to meet you."

"...Roberta Kittleson." Lucy finished.

"Oh I'm sorry I thought."

"Lucy' not my daughter." She glanced at Lucy who was trying hard not to laugh.

"That's okay Danny it's happened before." Twice that Saturday in fact first when they'd gone to lunch and later during the taxi ride to the garage. "Listen we're going for coffee if you're interested."

"Oh no thanks I can't my wife, Kim, she's been home all day with our daughter, Polly.  She's colicky you know how it is?" He shrugged and strapped on his bike helmet.

"Oh I remember it well." Roberta winced in recollection of sleepless nights rocking Hugh who had been a particularly colicky baby.   "Some other time perhaps.  Shall we Lucy?"

"Sure.  I'll see you on Monday Danny. Oh and don't forget to bring me that book we were talking about."

"Sure thing Lucy. Roberta it was nice meeting you." He walked to the bike rack a few feet away, unlocked the frame and snapped the wheel into place.  With a wave to the two women he mounted up and sped off.

"He seemed like a nice young man."

"He is. It's too bad he's married. Figures right, what's the saying 'Gay or otherwise unavailable' oh well." She shrugged and linked her arm with Roberta's, "Shall we."

They went to a diner frequented by many of the night students who, like Lucy, attended nearby Boston University.

"So any word on the baby front?" Roberta's son, Hugh and his wife Denise were expecting their first child.

"He called about an hour ago from the hospital."

"And!?!" Lucy prodded.  God but sometimes the older woman could be exasperatingly taciturn. It was like pulling teeth.

"And what, it's her first baby. Trust me she's going to be in a holding pattern for a few hours.  He'll call when there's news."  The blonde picked up the menu on the table in front of her. "Want to share some cheesecake with me?"

Lucy laughed, "Now I know you're nervous." Roberta looked perplexed so Lucy explained. "You told me Saturday that you only eat dessert when you're nervous."

"I did. I don't remember.  Why would I tell you that?"

"I was trying to get you to have a pastry with me, at that bakery by the Cambridge 'T'."

"Right, now I remember." Roberta smiled inside secretly pleased to hear that Lucy remembered such a little detail of their day last Saturday.  She started fiddling with her fork nervous didn't even begin to describe how she felt, "So?"

"Cherry or Pineapple?"

"Pineapple."

"Okay." Lucy signaled for the waitress and they placed their order, coffee for Roberta hot chocolate for Lucy pineapple cheesecake and two forks.

"So." Roberta flashed her an awkward grin across the table.

"I uh." Lucy felt her face flush, "I was...surprised you called the other day.  I didn't think you would. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm glad you did you know.  It's just I figured you know," the younger woman stopped speaking as the waitress approached with their order.

"You ladies enjoy.  Let me know if you need anything else."

"Thank you we will." Roberta said to the waitress' already retreating back. "I guess it's a good thing I didn't really want that glass of water."

"Me either," Lucy giggled.  "Anyway I'm really, really glad you called."

"Well I thought why not.  After all I'm on campus anyway on Thursdays."

"Oh right your writing class."

"Uh-huh but really the truth is I, and please don't take this the wrong way, I haven't been able to stop thinking about Saturday. About how much fun I had just walking and talking, and well I'd," her voice dropped somewhat her final words coming out in an almost breathless rush, "like to get to know you better.  That is if you're...you know if you want to." The older woman blushed she wasn't normally this tongue-tied, normally she was all icy coolness not flustered schoolgirl. Not since Bunny, God what was her real name...Mary Margaret no Margaret Mary that was it.

"I'd like that," Lucy took a forkful of cheesecake, "I was afraid maybe you were just being polite on Saturday you know.  You had nothing better to do you know what with Jimmy being busy with his mom and all." She gestured to the cheesecake sitting between them with her fork "You better have some of this before I devour it.  I'm starving I haven't had anything since breakfast.  We were swamped today."

"Well then why don't you order something to eat."

"Because they don't serve 'food' food here after nine at night just coffee and desert type stuff. I'll have something when I get home."

"Lucy it's eight-thirty order something."

"Actually...look the truth is I'm a little short on cash.  I get paid tomorrow.  It's not a big issue really and besides I'm not crazy about the food here.  The cheesecake sure but the food," she grimaced and shook her head.

"We could go somewhere else.  My treat." Roberta sampled the cheesecake. "Oh my God this is good. We could just get another piece of this."

"Twist my arm why don't you?"

An hour-and-a-half later Lucy looked at her watch noting with surprise that it was a little after ten. "Oh wow I should get going I have to be at the office by eight. I hate to ask but," Roberta quickly cut in.

"I'll give you a lift home."

"You don't have to I just need a lift to the 'T' transfer station."

"Of course I'll take you home, don't be silly."

"No really it's out of your way."

"I'd rather take you home than worry about you alone on the 'T' late at night.  Really it's okay don't worry about it."

"Thanks."

They shrugged into their jackets and went to the register to pay the check.

"I'm parked in the garage around the corner from where we met up."

"Cool." 

They made the five-minute walk to the garage in silence.

"Do you remember where I live?"

"I remember," and in the darkness of the car Lucy smiled to herself.

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

Lucy was on her way to work the next morning when her cell phone rang, she checked the caller ID display before answering, "So are you a Grandma yet?"

"As of 6:17AM."

Lucy squealed in delight, the guy sitting next to her winced in pain and shot her a dirty look.  She murmured a perfunctory "Sorry" and continued talking to Roberta, "Details please?"

"A girl, Sheila Louise, six pounds five ounces twenty-seven inches long." Lucy smiled normally Roberta spoke in a very cultured soothing tone, seemingly never flustered.  But now as she spoke the thrill, the joy of her first grandchild colored Roberta's voice and Lucy could picture her flushed, smiling and happy.

"So I take it then that our plans for tomorrow are off.   I mean I should think you're going to Springfield right?"

"Actually I'm not going till next weekend, let them get settled in a bit.  Besides Denise's mother is there to help I don't want to overwhelm them.

"Makes sense.  Listen my stop's coming up can I call you when I get into the office, about ten minutes or so."

"Of course."

"Okay bye."

Fifteen minutes later Lucy sat down at her desk with the coffee and bagel she'd picked up from the Starbucks down stairs.  She glanced at the clock on the wall she had ten minutes before the office officially opened.  She picked up the phone and dialed.

"Roberta Kittleson"

"It's me, Lucy"

"I wasn't really expecting anybody else.  I already spoke to Julia."

"So what are you going to do to celebrate the big occasion."

"Actually I was wondering if perhaps you would care to join me at the opera this evening.  Normally Judge Hiller and I, we have season tickets, would go together but she left a message last night saying she wouldn't be able to."

"I don't know I sort of told my father I'd spend the evening with him, you know. Anyway what about Jimmy, I thought you two were an item?"

"When it comes to things like this Jimmy is a troglodyte."

"A what?"

"A, how shall I put it, a troll a horrid little troll.  If he'd fallen asleep fine, I'd be annoyed but opera isn't for everyone and well at least he tried right?"

"Right...but?"

"But he didn't he was listening to a ball game he had a bet on and right in the middle of Mimi's deathbed scene he jumps up and yell's, "Shoot you moron!" I was mortified."

"Oh God how embarrassing."

"Very. At any rate I thought you might like to go. It's actually an operetta Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado.  I promise it's livelier than La Boheme and it's in English.  C'mon it's a good introduction to the opera and I really don't want to go alone."

"Well let me see what my father had planned for us.  Can I get back to you by say noon?"

"Sure."

"Otherwise I'll see you Saturday right?"

"Two o'clock at the library."

"Okay then talk to you later."

"Okay.  You have a good day."

"You too."

"Already am."

"I bet.  Bye now."

"Bye."

Later in the morning after things had slowed down somewhat Lucy called her father at home. 

"Hello"

"Hi Pop"

"Lucy! Hi honey.  Hey I just put the chili on to start simmering.  You know what I always say "The longer it simmer the better it tastes."  And I went to the video store and picked up those movies we talked about the other day."

"Which ones?"

"That John Q movie with Denzel Washington and Beetlejuice, I love that movie."

"Sounds great Pop." She felt disappointment course through her.  She would have loved going to the opera with Roberta, she'd never been. But he sounded so excited and ever since his heart attack she felt like she should take every chance she had to spend with him.

"You sure?  You sound a little disappointed there Princess.  We don't have to watch a movie if you don't want to.  We could just see what's on TV and talk.  We haven't done that in a while."

"No Pop the movies are fine.  I'm looking forward to it.  Did you get popcorn or did you forget?"

"Extra butter just like you like it."

"Pop you're not supposed to have that."

"I know I got that no butter no salt low fat Styrofoam crap they call popcorn for me."

"Okay Pop I gotta go now."

"Okay Princess.  Love you," he blew her a kiss over the phone.

"Love you too Daddy."

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / /

"So how was it?"

"I ended up not going.  Jimmy came over and well," She stopped talking at Lucy' raised palm.

"Over share."

"I wasn't going to give you details, don't worry.  I don't kiss and tell it's tacky.  In fact it's beyond tacky, it's just plain repulsive."

"So then there's no truth to the rumors," Lucy teased.  They were walking along the Charles River to the Harvard Boathouse and the espresso cart where Lucy' cousin Gina worked weekends.

"What rumors?"

"Well according to the grapevine yours' was a shall we say, descriptive and riveting deposition."  Lucy said referring to Roberta's sexual harassment suit of a few months back. "The way I heard it you had everyone's attention."

Roberta blushed, "Yes well ...um er...ah that was only because of the seal of privilege." The older woman ran her hand through her hair, ducking her head in embarrassment as she did so.

"Did you really say that?"

"Say what?"

"That...you know 'THAT'."

"If you're old enough to ask then you're old enough to say it."

"Did you really say and I quote "I gave him the best fellatio known to man." End quote."

"Actually what I said was "At the risk of sounding immodest, I gave him the best fellatio known to man."

"Roberta! I can't believe you really said that.  Oh My God."

"Well you know what they say."

"No what?"

" 'Take pride in your work.'  I've never had any complaints."

"I can't believe you're someone's grandmother."

"What old people don't have sex?"

"No that's not it and you're not that old."

"So then what?"

"I dunno...it's just."

"Lucy are you a virgin?" Roberta teased.

"No it's not that it's just...we never talked about sex and stuff like that much in my house.  My dad, when I got my first period, my dad...god bless him...gave me a five minute video tape from the school nurse and the corresponding volume in the encyclopedia.  That was it."

"I see"

"I get kinda embarrassed is all."

"How old were you when you're mother died?"

"She died shortly after my ninth birthday.  She liked gardening.  She was always humming or singing something.  She was very religious she went to church every day.  She used to say that I was the answer to her prayers, she and my father had been trying for years and when they finally gave up I came along, you know.  She made the best lasagna and the worst oatmeal cookies. They were like rocks, Pop used to joke that we were going to use them to pave the driveway."

"Do you look like her?"

"Pretty much except for the height thing.  She was taller than my father, not that that's saying much, he's only five-three and a half."

"How tall are you?"

"Five-one.  I used to date this guy that played basketball at BU.  I came up to his navel. When I wanted to kiss him I had to stand on a chair or something."

"Charles was six-one."

"Tell me about him.  What was he like?  How'd you meet?"

"He was the nephew of one of my father's colleagues. There was a dinner party and my father volunteered me to be his companion for the evening.  That way there were an even number of men and women.  It was the summer after senior year before I started at Yale Law.  I'd never met a man like him before.  He talked about books, art politics anything really but most amazing of all was that he listened to me when I talked.  He didn't just nod his head and dismiss what I was saying, for the first time in my life a man put merit and value in what I was thinking.  What I was saying, it was the most amazing thing and I think I loved him for it almost immediately.  At first I thought maybe he was like that because he was older, he was eleven years my senior, but years later after we'd married and I was a first year associate at Averill Munro I realized that his age had nothing to do with it.  That was just the way he was, interested in people and what they thought.  It was one of the things I loved most about him."

"How long?"

"Ten years last month." They sat on a bench for a short rest. "I miss him you know, still."

"Of course you do."

"Sometimes I'm in an elevator or some other crowded space and I'll smell his cologne and think if I close my eyes when I open them he'll be right next to me."

"I know what you mean.  My neighbor, Mrs. Santini, she likes to sing while she's hanging the laundry out to dry.  Sometimes I sit in my room, close my eyes and pretend it's my mom."

/ / / / / / / / / /

The following Thursday once again found them at the diner, this time enjoying a piece of cherry cheesecake instead of pineapple.

"I printed out those photos of the baby that Hugh e-mailed me do you want to see them?"

Lucy held her hand out imperiously, "As if you had to ask."  She flipped through the photos.  "She's adorable.  What's her name again?"

"Sheila Louise."

"Family name?"

"Sheila is Denise's grandmother's name.  Louise is my middle name."

Lucy choked back laughter, "You're kidding you're middle name is Louise?  Let me guess you're father's favorite author was Robert Louis Stevenson?"

"Mother's but yes Roberta Louise, Robert Louis.  My mother had just finished reading 'Captain's Courageous' for the fifth time when I was born.  My brother is James Fennimore...one guess as to what she was reading when he was born."

"What is 'Last of the Mohicans' Alex?"

"And the last clue for the game and car ride home. She was reading Walden."

"Who is your other brother, Henry David?"

"Right again."

"Are you the youngest?"

"Oldest actually.  James lives in Doylestown, Pennsylvania he's a minister, married with a wife and two kids.  Henry lives in Chicago he turned most of his brains to mush in the sixties and early seventies but apparently not so much so that he can't earn a living as a plumber.  Julia, my daughter, says he's doing quite well. He and I don't really talk."

"How come?"

"Well he's quite a bit younger than I.  By the time he was more than just a blob that ate and spit up all the time I was out of the house.  I guess we really never got to know each other."

"That's too bad."

"You're an only child right?"

"Yeah but I grew up with a lot of cousins.  My mom was the second to last of ten.  Never let it be said the Gianni's weren't good Catholics.  My cousins Gina and Joanne, they're like my sisters.  You met Gina the other day...the espresso stand over by the boathouse."

"Oh right"

"So are you all set for tomorrow?" Roberta was going to Springfield that weekend to see her granddaughter for the first time.

"I'm on the four o'clock Amtrak to Springfield, Hugh will pick me up at the station."

"I picked this up for the baby." Lucy reached into her bag and pulled out a stuffed teddy bear. "It's got a hypoallergenic anti-microbial fill."  The bear was wearing a black robe just like a judge would.

"I like the outfit."

"According to the tag his name's Justice."

"Fitting."

"You don't mind do you?"

"No not at all.  In fact I'm almost reluctant to give it to the baby at all, it's so cute."

Lucy made a mental note to herself to pick up another bear perhaps she could even have its robe embroidered with Roberta's initials, that would be really cute.

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

"Donnell and Associates how may I direct your call?"

"I love it.  The flowers smell," Lucy could hear the older woman inhale deeply, "heavenly.  And the bear." Lucy had had a bear, with monogrammed robe, and an arrangement of carnations and baby's breath delivered to Judge Kittleson's chambers that morning.

"You like?"

"I like especially the initials."

"Good.  I'm glad.  I wasn't sure if maybe I was overstepping my grounds or something."

"No not at all.  I love it. He's sitting right here on my desk." Lucy could faintly here someone knocking on the door to Roberta's chambers. "I've got to go.  I just wanted to say thank you and to confirm for Saturday afternoon."

"I'm looking forward to it."

"Me too."

"Bye."

"Bye." Roberta hung up the phone and called out, "Come in!"

James Berlutti opened the door, "Roberta."

"Jimmy, how are you?  Sit, sit what can I do for you?"

"I just stopped in to say 'Hi' and see if you cared to join me for dinner this evening."

"That would be lovely. What time?"

"My schedule is pretty free today, say six six-thirty.  I could pick you up."

"Seven works better for me," she leaned back in her chair and picked up the bear in its judicial robes, a smile on her face.

Jimmy took in her smile, the bear and the floral arrangement, "Are things okay with us?"

"Certainly. Why do you ask?" Insofar as she was concerned, things were quite satisfactory.  Their relationship was simple and uncomplicated, at least on her side.  It was about sex first companionship second but for Jimmy it had always been more complicated and conflicted.  Like many men of his age and background; he was dogged by Catholic guilt and the Madonna/whore complex.

 "You seem...I don't know lately you seem distracted somehow.  Not quite there when we're together like your mind is really somewhere or with someone else."

"No, not at all."

"You sure."

"I'm sure Jimmy," she stood and came around the desk to stand in front of him.  As usual he was slightly rumpled and she fixed his tie for him before leaning down to give him a quick kiss. "Pick me up at seven, don't be late."

After he left she sat back down at her desk and picked up the bear. She sat there for several minutes going over the conversation with Jimmy.  He was right, though she was frankly surprised that he had seen past himself long enough to notice, lately it seemed she only thought of Lucy.  When she would see her again, what they would do the conversations they would have.  She plucked a carnation from the arrangement on her desk.  She found a bud vase in the one of her desk drawers and put the carnation in it then called for her clerk it was time to get back to work.

 / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Saturday found them at the Museum of Fine Art Roberta having somehow managed to procure tickets to the museum's latest sold-out exhibition.

"I can't believe you got tickets to this. I tried it's been sold out for months.  My cousin Joanne is going to die of jealousy."

"You could get her the catalogue from the gift shop," Roberta suggested.

"She already ordered it on-line.  How'd you know I wanted to see this." Lucy smiled up at her as she slipped her arm through Roberta's and the older woman felt her heart trip into overdrive.

"You mentioned it a few times. It took me a couple of weeks to come across them." The courthouse's unofficial ticket scalper had had to call in some markers to get them and they hadn't been cheap but the look on the younger woman's face definitely made it worth it.

"Hey what are you doing next Sunday?"

"Housework I imagine and I really do need to catch up on some of the journals. Why what's up?  I suppose you have a better offer?"

"I was going to ask you to dinner.  At my house, Pop's going away for the weekend.  I thought I could cook for you.  I'm a good cook"

"I imagine you're good at anything you put your mind to."

"No really I'm a good cook I make a Lemon Chicken Picata like you wouldn't believe."  They stopped to look at some of the items in the gift shop's window display and Lucy caught the older woman's gaze in the window's reflection. "It's just you know these last few weeks. We go out and...I just want to do this for you."

"Lucy," the blonde stopped her companion's words with a fingertip. "You don't have to...you.  I...look I enjoy your company.  Dinner is a small price to pay.  I love fine restaurants and I love spending time with you."  She reached out, tucking an errant lock of hair behind Lucy' ear, "And I'm fortunate to be able to do both regularly, okay?"  Blushing she snatched her hand away from it's exploration of Lucy' face.  Acutely aware of how close they were standing Roberta took a step back. "I like angel hair pasta by the way."

"I'll keep that in mind."