Chapter 10 When do you plan to have children?

"Ellie?"
"Hmm?"
"We're here," George said.
Ellie snapped out of her daydream and let out an awkward laugh.
"Man, I was totally zoning out..."
George felt a pang of guilt seeing her like this, knowing she was up late last night doing housework. He wanted to say something but couldn't find the right words.
While he was still mulling it over, Ellie grabbed her bag and opened the car door.
Seeing this, George quickly called out, "Ellie—"
Ellie turned around, looking puzzled. "What's up?"
"Uh... what do you want for dinner tonight?"
A warm feeling spread through Ellie as she thought for a moment.
"I'm good with anything, but my dad's craving your poached chicken."
"Got it, I'll hit the supermarket and then head over."
"Cool." Ellie smiled sweetly.
Seeing her smile, George couldn't help but grin too. "Go on, I'll pick you up this afternoon."
"Okay." She nodded, got out of the car, and waved at him before heading toward the kindergarten entrance.
George didn't drive off right away. He watched her walk into the kindergarten, then started the car and headed straight to the supermarket.
After being away for two months, George was stoked to finally be back home. Besides the usual groceries, he grabbed some fruits and, on a whim, picked up a couple of packs of smokes and two bottles of wine at the tobacco counter. His father-in-law didn't have many vices, but he did enjoy a good drink now and then.

George knew he had to whip up a killer meal and share a drink with the old man. During lunch, Mr. and Mrs. Baker filled George in on Ellie's unusual silence the day before. The Bakers, much like Ellie, weren't big talkers themselves.

When George walked in, arms loaded with bags, they immediately jumped into action, cooking and prepping like a well-oiled machine. For a bit, both of them were unsure how to start a conversation.
It wasn't until Mr. Baker had a couple of drinks in him that he finally spoke up. "George, did Ellie mention Fiona's kid turning one month old tomorrow?"

"Yeah, she told me last night," George replied quickly.

"Look, Fiona got hitched just last year, and now their kid's already a month old. You and Ellie have been together for six years. When are you two planning to have a kid?"

George froze, not sure how to answer that one.
George knew all too well that it had been six years, and he still hadn't given Mr. and Mrs. Baker a grandkid. Plus, he was hardly ever home, which made him feel even guiltier towards Ellie and her folks.
Ellie loved kids—he knew that from the moment she decided to become a preschool teacher.

Seeing him go quiet, Mr. Baker sighed and raised his glass. "Let's not talk about that, let's drink."

George's heart ached at his words. "Dad..."

"Yeah?"

"Well... actually, this time I've made up my mind. I'm planning to talk to my superiors and find someone to take over my current job."

As George said this, an image of Patrick Ellis sitting confidently in the interrogation room flashed through his mind. Despite seeming unreliable, Patrick had performed pretty well during the Kelvin gang bust.
Maybe, if George could mentor him for six months to a year, Patrick could really take over his work. Even if he couldn't fully take over, he could at least share the load, so George wouldn't have to be away from home all the time.

"Really?!" Mr. Baker's eyes lit up at George's words.

George smiled. "Dad, would I ever lie to you?"

"That's really great..."
Mr. Baker wasn't much for words, but he wanted to say something. Instead, he just raised his glass. "Come on, let's drink! Cheers!"

This time, George eagerly picked up his glass too.

Ellie's mom had been sitting quietly, but hearing George's plan, she couldn't contain her joy. She rushed to the kitchen to call Ellie.

When Ellie got the call, she couldn't hide her excitement upon hearing the news. That afternoon, when George went to pick her up, she was already buzzing with excitement, recounting her mom's call before he even had a chance to speak.

Seeing her so happy, George laughed along. "I'll talk to the higher-ups tomorrow, when I go to the office to report."

"Yes!" Ellie nodded enthusiastically.

That night, dinner felt like a New Year's celebration. It wasn't about the variety of dishes but the great mood everyone was in—better than any New Year's they'd had.

But life had a way of throwing curveballs.

After dinner, George and Ellie had barely settled back home when his phone rang. George glanced at the caller ID and saw it was the Bureau Director. Instantly, he felt a knot in his stomach.