#w:albie

[joeyvoeman]

Smell My Feet | Joey & Cassie

@cassiegermaine

“Addie, you have to keep your wig on,” Joey called after the little girl, picking the black wig with two pigtail braids up off the hallway floor. She’d been throwing it off every chance she got. It was the one part of the costume that completed the look, otherwise Addie just looked like a cute little two year old in a black fall dress and mary janes. Which would be fine any other day, but not when you were trying to look like Wednesday Addams to match the other three people going trick or treating with you.

“Itchy!” Addie protested, turning back toward Joey with her arms crossed, pouting. The wig they’d bought her was pretty high quality, and Joey doubted it was actually itchy. It was much more likely that Addie didn’t want to wear it because Joey was the one insisting, or she just wanted to be a brat. Both very likely answers. 

Joey bent down on one knee to get to Addie’s level where she stood in the kitchen. “You know what else is itchy? This suit,” Joey falsely admitted, pulling at the pinstrip suit dramatically. “Smells too.” That part was sort of true, having been so busy and not had a chance to wash it since buying it from the second hand store. I had that telltale smell. Addie seemed intrigued by this, and she leaned in to have a smell, pulling back and curling her lip in disgust.

“Ewwwwwwww,” she squealed, and Joey nodded eagerly with her. 

“But you know why I’m wearing it? Because it’ll make your Mommy very happy when we’re all in costume,” he said with a grin, holding the wig out to her. Before he handed it to her though, he sent a little bit of static through it, causing some of the loose strands to stand on end like they’d been rubbed by a balloon. Addie smiled with entertained glee, but quickly snatched the wig to put it on when she heard Cassie coming down the stairs, Joey reaching out to help her adjust it before standing up to greet Cassie carrying Albie in a Baby Pubert costume, her obviously dressed as Morticia. 

“Oh Tish,” Joey joked in his best Gomez impression, smirking devilishly at her before returning his voice to normal. “Are we all set?”

[joeyvoeman]

Joey comes over to Cassie’s to celebrate his new job as a deputy. Cassie’s mother finally meets Joey, and the two get some alone time with the kids out of the house.

PART TWO | PART THREE

@cassiegermaine

Joey couldn’t believe it. He was a law man now. He honestly never thought he’d see the day. But hooked to his belt was a pair of handcuffs, in his pocket a badge, and in his heart a sense of pride in himself he hadn’t felt in quite a while. He’d seen Cassie and the kids since getting back to town a couple days ago, but only briefly, unfortunately. And he hadn’t even been able to kiss his girlfriend since Addie still started crying when they touched. Life had just got in the way of a proper reunion. Now Cassie wanted him to come over and celebrate his new job. He didn’t know if the kids would be there or if it was just the two of them, but he’d be happy either way. With his family. He used his key to unlock the door and gave it a courtesy knock as he swung it open. “Honey, I’m home!” He called into the house jokingly, peering around for Cassie from the entryway as he shut the door behind him. 

Cassie had put away the play pen and was laying in the open area of the living room watching the younger child play with the toys that were littered around and above him. He’d gotten so many (a good amount admittedly from Freddie and Ephram) he could barely focus on one activity long enough. Like all infants though, he started sucking and teething more consistently on his favorite whale toy. “You’re so cute.” Cassie cooed, “Does Mr. Whale taste good?” She asked, obviously not expecting any kind of response, but when she scooted closer to the baby, Albie laughed, waving his arms until his free hand grasped hard into some of Cassie’s loose hair. “Ow, ow.” Cassie grumbled, opening her mouth and attempting to carefully remove the small hand from her head when Joey called out. “We’re in here!” Cassie responded.

Joey followed Cassie’s voice into the living room, seeing her and Albie playing on the carpet and immediately smiling at the sight. “Hey there, cuties,” he beamed, before made a show of glancing around to look for Addie. “Is it safe? Is officer no-touch around?” he joked, before bending down and giving Cassie a lingering kiss. He then sat himself down with the two of them, Albie smiling up at him and crawling carefully in his direction. “Whoa there, big guy.” Joey lifted him up, whale toy still in hand, and brought his face up to litter it with tiny kisses before holding the boy to his chest, who cooed in his arms for a little while before Joey returned him to his place between him and Cassie. “Sorry I haven’t been able to stop by the last couple days. I missed y’all heaps though.” He looked around more seriously now, letting Albie grab onto his index finger with his tiny fist and wave it around. “Where’s Addie?”

“You’re safe. For now.” Cassie laughed watching Joey take a careful look around the room for the toddler. She returned his kiss before watching with admiration as he cuddled Albie for a few moments. When he placed the baby back down, she wanted to reach for Albie and cuddle him some more, but let him bond with Joey and his interesting index finger instead. “She’s with Iann.” Cassie answered nonchalantly, because it had become such a common place for the little red head. “She likes Stonefruit better than any day care.” Which wasn’t an exaggeration. She had gotten two calls from Soapberry Sprouts about temper tantrums just in the time Joey had been out of town. Addie had been practically inconsolable, and upset the other children. She could be dangerous too. Cassie gulped at the thought. Addie nonetheless, was on a break and therefore ruled Stonefruit instead. Not like that was something Joey needed to worry about. “Speaking of officer.” Cassie chuckled, moving to change the subject, “When does all that start?”

Joey rolled his eyes playfully at the mention of Addie being with Iann. “Those two are attached at the hip, aren’t they?” He chuckled. “As long as he doesn’t take her around his workshop. That’s an accident waiting to happen, right there.” He bounced his hand, watching Albie’s chubby arm move up and down as he held on tight, laughing his cute little baby laugh at the motion. He reaches out for his mom’s hand too and grabbed her finger, leaving Mr Whale to sit in his lap. Joey raised his eyebrows at Cassie’s question, but a wide, joyful grin spread across his lips too. “Already has. I report proper after the weekend, but I’m technically, as of a couple hours ago, a Soapberry Springs deputy.” He reached into his jacket with his free hand and produced his badge, flipping it open for her to see. “Goofy picture and all.”

Cassie shook her head, “Nah, he promised he wouldn’t take her down there.” And she had trust him on that. At the very least, she knew Iann wouldn’t let anything happen to the little girl. He unforgivingly adored her. Cassie let Albie take her finger too, watching as the baby was entertained with something so simple. She couldn’t help but be envious of that. But her own childhood was many years past. “Careful he doesn’t teeth on you.” She warned with a laugh, leaning forward to take a peak at Joey’s badge and picture. It made her grin back at him, “It’s not goofy. It’s official. And sexy.” She wriggled her shoulders playfully. “Are you excited?”

Cassie’s trust in Iann was reassuring. Joey had begun to care about her kids as if they were his own, but he wouldn’t come right out and say that, even if she’d basically given him permission to do so before he left. It all still seemed too fresh to put hard labels on past boyfriend and girlfriend. Partners, maybe? He wasn’t sure, so he just waited. “Sexy?” He asked, turning the ID to look at the picture on it below the metal badge in the leather folding case. He hadn’t smiled on purpose and he thought he looked awful. “I’m glad you find zombie eyes and tired face sexy. You’ll never wake up disappointed.” He leaned forward and gave her a kiss. “I am. It took some convincing on Ephram’s part but he won me over and I...I really think I can do some good, you know? More than kicking drunk people out of bars or watching over a quiet campus that is.” He gently removed his finger from Albie’s grasp and got to his feet. “Want me to make us some supper?”

“Well, wait.” Cassie laughed again as Joey examined the picture and talked about things she’d have to look forward to. “I didn’t mean that exact picture. I meant being a deputy in general. With a badge...and a uniform.” She raised a brow to see what Joey thought of that instead. It wouldn’t change her opinion either way. She pressed a hand against his shoulder as she leaned into him, “When have I ever woke up disappointed?” Cassie was glad to see Joey comfortable with the idea of this new job though, the security gig was nice, but she always thought he could do better with something a little...more? “You impressed Ephram. And now you’ll be able to keep impressing yourself.” Cassie pointed out, gathering Albie completely into her lap when Joey stood. “Yeah sure. I pulled out some meat earlier in the fridge.” She tickled the baby’s tummy for a moment before standing carefully herself. “My mother is coming by actually.” Cassie cleared her throat nervously, “To get the baby.” It’d give them proper alone time, but then there was Joey and her mother in the same place. She had only just mentioned him...today. Hence the timing.

“Oh,” Joey said, a flash of recognition on his face before he smirked at her. “They say the ladies love a man in uniform.” If he took the job as a detective later on, he would be wearing street clothes to work, but he didn’t have to tell her that just yet. He could hear the admiration and pride in Cassie’s voice when she spoke of impressing Ephram and now himself. Having her proud and impressed with him was a reward of its own, and he smiled brightly at her words. He’d thought the same that he wanted a bit more from a career. From life in general. Once he’d started healing from his psychological wounds, it was easier to see he was actually worth a damn and could do good despite all the bad. He nodded happily when she confirmed his plans to make them food, but as he turned to head toward the kitchen he stopped dead at her last minute announcement, hand on the door frame as he turned back around. “Oh, uh, okay…” he replied, trying to sound casual. “Does she want to stay for supper too?” he offered. “I can make enough for everyone.”

Cassie smoothed the fine baby hair down on Albie’s head, placing her lips on the top of the boy’s head lightly as she breathed the scent in. Still, her gaze was specifically trained on Joey. She didn’t hold his reaction against him, it was a surprise, and it would be a big deal to him. Her mother could be a handful. Overbearing. Joey hadn’t even seen her yet, and he probably had a decent idea. “No.” She answered quickly, “She doesn’t need to stay. She’s doing me a favor. Well, and she loves Albie of course. Don’t make more food.” Cassie didn’t think they needed to extend any sort of invitation. She wasn’t ready yet. Joey had just gotten back, or at least it was the first time she was properly seeing him since then. If she got lucky Victoria would show up while Joey was busy cooking, and couldn’t edge her way in. Well...it was wishful thinking. “Just don’t make a big deal out of it.” Cassie suggested before muttering under her breath, “I’m sure that’s what she’s looking for.”

Joey nodded at Cassie’s answer. It had come out so quickly that he could tell that was probably the last thing Cassie wanted. Joey knew her mother took the kids a lot and he’d been wanting to meet her for a while. Impress her if he could. Show her that he was good for her daughter and grandkids. But it seemed Cassie hadn’t been ready for that and he respected it. Even now she wasn’t. She hadn’t planned for this overlap. “I won’t, I promise,” he assured her, walking over to give her a kiss on the forehead. “When do I ever make a big deal out of things?” All the time, but that was beside the point. He disappeared I to the kitchen and started cooking, wiping up a quick marinade for the meat so it had some extra flavor and making potatoes and corn as sides. Nice and simple. He cooked is own meat in a skillet and left Cassie’s to soak since she’d be eating it raw anyway. He’d mostly finished up by the time the doorbell rang. 

Cassie’s expression flattened slightly as she looked up at Joey, ready to scoff at him over his ‘when do I make a big deal’ statement, but he promptly moved to the kitchen and Cassie left him to it. She had quickly learned he preferred to work alone, rather than knocking elbows and ideas. Joey was a good cook. She actually trusted him enough. Cassie spent the time coddling over and packing a few last minute things for Albie in the diaper bag. She dropped the packed bag by the front door when the bell rang. Cassie straightened, readjusting the boy in her arms before she pulled the door open to welcome her mother. “Ah look there he is.” The elder Germaine cooed, cupping the baby’s face carefully in her hands and planting kisses. “My mahjong buddy.” Cassie shook her head with a small laugh, “Oh no, you said you could take him. You’re having company?” Victoria shrugged, stepping into the house. “So? The girls love him. I wouldn’t agree if it was a problem.”  She extended  her arms, a silent expectation for the baby to be handed off, which Cassie obediently fulfilled, and then Victoria was walking back further into the house towards the kitchen. All Cassie could do was hurry behind her, “Mother this is Joey.” She blurted as they made it to the kitchen doorway, having to speak before the older woman could. “Joey my mother...Victoria.” 

Joey’s stomach tightened as he heard a new voice at the door over the sizzle of the cooling pots and pans as he plated the food he’d made. He’d hadn’t met a girlfriends mother in decades, and expectations were much different than they were back in the 50s. He leaned against the counter and took a few deep breaths as he heard the two women making their way back to the kitchen. Turning as they entered, he grinned politely at Victoria, wiping his hands on a kitchen towel before flinging it onto his shoulder. “Mrs Germaine. It’s a real pleasure to meet you,” he said, taking a couple steps forward to extend a hand to shake even though she was holding Albie. 

Cassie gnawed at her fingernail anxiously as Victoria stood there looking at Joey. She took his hand and shook it, but of course she would, she knew her manners. She could be polite before she struck. Cassie had learned it from somebody. “Nice to meet you as well.” Victoria nodded. “I’m sorry it’s just now happening.” Her gaze slithered back over her shoulder to Cassie who cringed, but her mother was still calm and smiling. “My daughter tends to be shy. It’s quite alright. We’ll get to know each other well later. You’re cooking an important meal. A promotion or something? I can take Albert away for a bit.” The woman’s smile turned a bit more genuine then. That was something, at least. “Just a phone call to reach me.” Victoria glanced between both of them as she said this. 

Joey tried to speak but Victoria already had complete control of the conversation, asking questions she clearly already knew the answer to and making statements that seemed to have Cassie squirming behind her. Joey just smiled politely, nodding in the appropriate places until he had a chance to speak again. “I just got hired as a deputy with the Sheriff’s department,” he confirmed with a nod and a slight puff to his chest. “And I too look forward to us getting to know each other,” he said, subconsciously trying to suppress is very slight southern accent, that was barely there to begin with unless you listened for it (or he was with Ephram). He kept his voice even and his smile poised. “Thanks for accommodating us,” he added. 

“Ah.” Victoria nodded in understanding as Joey clarified what job goal he’d just reach was. “Well, that is something to celebrate. Congratulations.” The older woman bit the tip of her tongue to keep from saying anything about how much better deputy was than daycare assistant. Even she knew that was too raw and uncaring. She simply wanted to see Cassie taken care of well, if she was going to do it on her own. “And of course.” Victoria smiled again bouncing Albie slightly, “I just love my grandson.” Cassie cleared her throat, “Come on mother.” Altogether, her mom had taken her by surprise with the absence of any true nosiness or cutting comments. But that didn’t stop her from whispering to Cassie as they made it to the door. “You owe me an apology. I like him already.” Victoria nudged her daughter, “Why didn’t you say anything?” Cassie huffed, they would talk later. “Have a good mahjong game mother.” When the older Germaine was turned away she quickly returned to Joey in the kitchen, smiling sheepishly and leaning against the table. “She likes you?”

As Victoria left the kitchen, Joey let go of the tension he’d been holding in his chest and neck, letting out a sighing breath. He picked up the two plates and set them at the table, complete with a couple of candles he’d found. He hadn’t lit them yet when Cassie returned, but he looked up and smiled at her words. “Really? Phew,” he sighed, dramatically wiping his brow in relief. He then approached her and gave her a bit more of an appropriate reunion kissing, long and lingering and deep. He pulled back, still holding her close. “She doesn’t seem that bad. Or does she wait to pounce on her prey?” he teased, before letting her go and turning to the table, using his army zippo to light the three different sized pillar candles set on a plate. He’d even made them Tom Collins to drink, harkening back to their first proper date. He pulled her chair out for her, gesturing for her to sit.

Cassie hummed in acknowledgement when Joey had guessed correctly, pulling away from the kiss with a thin smile, “That’s exactly what she likes to do. Not to say she wasn’t on good behavior, but don’t let her trick you.” She tapped his chest lightly a few times before stepping back to look at the set table properly and watch Joey light the candles he’d also set out in the moments she stepped away. “Look at this.” Cassie’s grin grew a little more, “Is this the super romantic date you had planned?” She asked, taking her seat when it was offered. She squeezed Joey’s hand as it still lingered on the back of her chair for a moment before scooting in closer to the table and the meal. “Let me have your extra cherry?” Cassie asked batting her eyelashes as she plucked her own out of the drink glass.  “The food smells good. What did you manage?”

Joey beamed with pride as Cassie looked over table he’d prepared. “Nah, this is just something I threw together. Not enough rose petals to meet my high romantic standards,” he teased, though it was partially true. He had lots of ideas floating in his head on how to treat Cassie special and romantically. He sat down in his seat and when she asked for his cherry, he plucked it from his drink. He wiggled it by the stem toward her, before snatching it back toward his own mouth playfully, then letting out a chuckle and plopping it into her drink. He couldn’t deny her anything she wanted, especially when she was acting so cute. “Yellow corn, hasselback potatoes, and steak. I just barely seared yours so it’s nice and raw on the inside.” He grinned wide at her, then down at the meal. “Just what I could find, you know.” He shrugged, picking up his fork and knife to dig in. 

“Oh just what you could find.” Cassie huffed, puffing out her chest in a weak attempt to imitate Joey’s nonchalantness in putting together a whole meal in not that much time. She took the extra cherry Joey eventually granted her and plucked it off the stem with her teeth. The stems were discarded by the side of her plate before she dug into the food, her mouth watering as she cut into the practically raw steak. “It’s delicious.” Cassie complimented after she was done with a bite, “Not that I expected less.” She ate some more off her plate until she spoke again, “Although I suppose I should have cooked you dinner, seeing as you got the new job and all.”

Joey felt good. It was almost easy to forget all the horrible things they had been going on lately and just focus on this meal. On Cassie. On the two of them together. Things were finally starting to look up, at least a little, and he couldn’t be more grateful for how lucky he was. “You know how much I love to cook for you,” Joey said, shoveling some of the corn into his mouth. “It’s always a treat for me.” He swallowed and cleared his throat, cutting into his steak as he spoke again. “How was everything while I was gone?” he asked. He’d told her how things with Charlie had turned out, even his lapse in emotional judgement, but he hadn’t had a chance to return the favor until now. 

“Pretty typical.” Cassie answered. She chewed and shifted in her seat a few times, debating whether or not to give any sort of specifics. It really had been par for the course. Aside from Addie, but toddlers were unpredictable by nature, right? “Addie can’t go to Sprouts for a bit, she’s been causing trouble but-” Cassie waved her hand, “That’s what Iann is for. Work continued, the neighborhood continued.” She shrugged a shoulder, “Surprisingly, you really didn’t miss much.” Cassie smirked then in a quick flash, “Well, except for me, I know.” 

Joey raised an eyebrow when Cassie shared the news about Addie, and he was a bit concerned with how quickly she brushed it off. “Causing trouble? How so?” he asked softly. He wanted to be involved in helping raise her kids, but he still felt that things like discipline weren’t his place yet. He couldn’t help but smirk back at her quick bit tacked on the end. “Of course I missed you. The phone calls weren’t enough.” He didn’t really get hungry, but he dug into his food like he was starving. 

“Just tantrums. But a lot. More than they can handle. It’s upsetting the other kids. They don’t want to risk anything with her powers either.” Cassie cringed a little. “I get it. It’s fine. She’ll try again next week.” And really, Cassie wasn’t overly concerned. Addie’s moods had always been near a tendency to explode. It was the terrible twos, after all. “And they were pretty brief.” Cassie mentioned about the phone calls, winking at Joey to let him know she didn’t take it to heart at all. Short was fine when you had kids to juggle. “So when do I get to see this uniform hmm?” Cassie asked, leaning her elbows on the table as she watched Joey continue to eat. She had already finished.

Joey nodded along with Cassie’s explanation, not wanting to butt his nose too much into it but still wanting to be informed. “Fingers crossed for next week then.” He also knew first hand how Addie could be, and he just hoped that eventually she might grow out of it. She was just a toddler. He had to remember that. He chuckled as she put her elbows up on the table, him indulging in his last few bites of food before answering. “I don’t have it yet. I did get issued handcuffs though along with the badge.” He wiped his fingers on his napkin and reached into the leather holder on his belt and pulled them out, letting one cuff fall with a metallic clang as he held the other. “They’re all species, apparently. Will work on most anything at any strength or power level, even me!” Magic was so fascinating.

Cassie sat up at the news that although he didn’t have a uniform just yet, he did get handcuffs along with his badge. She blinked when the metal clinked on the table. “What?” She laughed, dragging it over and turning over the handcuffs to take a look. An idea faintly forming in her head, “You think you’ll have some serious arrests to make over the weekend?” Cassie joked. She still held onto the handcuffs, though returned them to the tabletop. “The department would have specialized equipment.” Her voice trailed off, and her gaze shifted between the sink with a few dishes and Joey sitting across from her. “Want to test them out?” Cassie smirked.

Continued in PART TWO