"There's Mama's big boy," Charisma smiled even as she signaled to her staff to leave the room. They took the hint, being long schooled in reading Charisma's nonverbal cues, and in less than a minute of Adam's arrival, the kitchen was cleared of everyone but him and his parental units.

Adam reached for Charisma and she took him as a matter of course when Kent released him. Then Kent went to pour Adam some milk while Charisma put a slice of pizza on a plate and set it in front of him. Adam grabbed the slice in both hands and lifted it to his mouth. When he had a mouthful, he looked at Charisma.

"Mammma, 'ere's Bana?"

She frowned as she tried to filter out the food in his speech, even as she chided, "Don't talk with your mouth full, son."

He glowered and spit out the half-chewed bite of pizza, then poked out his lip. "Where's Br'anna?" he asked again before shoving the bite back into his mouth. Charisma and Kent made grossed out faces at one another, then turned back to Adam when he screeched, "MAMA!"

"Adam Rockwell!! That's enough from you... now settle down," biting her lip when he teared up at her severe tone. Charisma took a deep breath and softened her voice. "We don't act that way at the table, son. Now I don't know where Brianna is; I haven't seen her."

"Adam saw. And Pa."

"Well that at least explains why he's asking about her," Charisma muttered to herself, though Kent heard her words clearly. She took a deep breath and looked at him. "Should I even ask?"

"It was all perfectly innocent, Charisma. We were walking down the Mall towards the Natural History Museum when Adam spotted her sitting on a bench outside the National Gallery. He took off like a shot." Kent frowned. "We may have to reconsider that whole leash idea - honestly, Charisma... he was gone before I realized what had happened."

"Have you noticed it mostly happens when Brianna is around - specifically when he is trying to get to her?"

"BR'ANNA!!" Adam yelled with a giggle, continuing to stuff pizza into his mouth. Charisma pinched her nose between her thumb and forefinger to avoid looking at his chipmunk-cheeked face. Kent just shook his head and tried to wipe Adam's face while the child squirmed to get away from him.

"I can't say that I have, although now that you mention it...." He let his voice trail off as his mind traced back the times he'd seen Adam run away from him or Charisma in recent days. "I think you're right," he agreed. "I wonder what is so fascinating about her to him."

"Love Br'anna," Adam stated with an emphatic nod of her head. "Br'anna good."

Kent and Charisma exchanged a look. "Well... I guess that explains that." Kent sighed. "I know she's got some kind of powerful magic - he climbed right up into her lap and fell asleep. It's why we ended up back here so early. After discussing mundane things like the museums and the weather, Brianna pointed out that a visit to see the dinosaurs would have been a wasted effort while he was asleep."

"That was the extent of your conversation?"

"Pretty much. She must've been an actor in another life, though."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because I know she's uneasy around me, but I don't think anyone else would be able to pick it up from her actions or her attitude." A beat. "I don't think *I* would be able to tell if I didn't already know."

"Well, she did double major in theatre and the law." Kent's eyebrows went into his hairline and he whistled low in his throat at Charisma's words.

"That would explain a lot. I'd like to hear about it some day. I'd like to hear about a lot of things, actually. Maybe one day we can sit down and talk about some of the things we've missed in each other's lives along the way. In the meantime," he continued before she could formulate a response, "I'll take Adam upstairs and get him cleaned up so you can get back to work."

Charisma sighed. "Thanks. You wouldn't believe the work I should really get done before going back to work tomorrow."

"Yes I would. I've seen this every time you get ready to start a new session."

"Yes, I guess you have," Charisma chuckled. "But I'm about done for the day. Everything else can wait until tomorrow at this point. What time is your train back?"

"Not til late. I wasn't sure how the day was going to turn out, so I gave myself plenty of time to cover all kinds of possibilities."

"Would you... you're welcome to stay in your room."

"No," came the whip shot answer. "Not that I don't appreciate the offer, but we're not going to fall into old patterns if we're going to do this right. I would like to try and spend more time with Adam, but I'm not going to share living space with you when we're separated. It just wouldn't be right."

"If you think it's best...."

"Charisma, I know it is, and so do you. Everything is going to be pretty much like it has been, except that I will be living in Manhattan and visiting DC occasionally, and not the other way around. Oh... that reminds me - I need to get some movers in here to pack up and move the rest of my stuff from upstairs. So if I could keep my key until that's done...?"

"Absolutely. Just let me know when and I'll make sure to be out of your way that day."

"PA!" Adam hollered, breaking the tableau and making them both jump at his volume level. Charisma cleared her throat and rose.

"Just leave everything. I'll take care of it when I'm done working."

"Adam and I'll go get cleaned up, then we'll be in the family room playing... I dunno - something I'm sure he will kick my a... butt at."

With that, Kent picked Adam up out of his chair and held him at arms' length as he made is way back upstairs. Charisma followed them out.

"You may want to lock the bathroom door. Remember he's something of an exhibitionist given half a chance."

Kent snorted. "Good idea," turning into Adam's bathroom. "We'll be out in a few," closing the door firmly behind them. Charisma waited until she heard the snick of the lock, then she smirked and headed back into her office. It was time to wrap things up for the day.


Chapter LXXIX

It had taken longer than she anticipated for Charisma to get all the loose ends taken care of before she was able to send her staff home for the rest of the day. So it was mid-afternoon by the time she was able to lock her study and go into the family room where her son was currently playing some game while Kent sat beside him pointing out various parts that might be helpful. Charisma stood in the doorway just watching them until Kent caught her profile out of the corner of his eye. He leaned down and whispered something to Adam. Adam dropped the controller and ran pell-mell towards Charisma. She leaned down and scooped him into her arms.

"Look Mama! I winning!" pointing to the television.

"I see that," Charisma chuckled. "Good job son!"

"Mama's big boy."

"You sure are." She set him down and he ran back to take his spot in front of the big screen. Kent got to his feet slowly and moved to sit in one of the recliners with a barely contained groan. Charisma smirked. "You sound like you're getting old."

Kent snorted. "There's no 'getting' to it. I'm already there and I should know better than to get down on the floor like that. I have to get back up and that gets harder everyday," shaking his head in disgust. Charisma laughed lightly, though she didn't make any effort to dispute his claim. Instead, she took a seat in the other recliner, and they sat silently watching Adam play his video game - a silence only broken by Adam himself once in a while when he got excited enough to cheer or point things out to them.

This lasted for a few minutes, before Adam's attention shifted to one of his favorite storybooks. Then Kent turned and tapped Charisma on the hand as the silence lengthened and started to become awkward. She started with the touch, then faced him with an eyebrow arched in question.

"I was just thinking," he said without preamble. "When was the last time we just sat together like this? Was it the Christmas after Adam was born?"

Charisma bit her lip and scrunched her forehead in thought. "I think it might have been. We've always been busy, on-the-go people. We've never slowed down for much."

Kent nodded his head in acknowledgement of the truth of her words. Even when they had been dating, very little time had been devoted to just being. When they'd gone out, it was to be seen together and that had lasted until Adam had been born. After that event they'd rarely gone out together in an effort to keep Adam's face out of the press. He glanced to see that their son was completely preoccupied with his book, then lowered his voice and spoke.

"Do you think we'd still be together if Adam hadn't been born?"

"Do you?" Charisma responded instantly. "You're the one that filed for the separation, Kent, so you tell me."

He held her eyes and slowly shrugged his shoulders after a moment's consideration. "I think probably we would, since one of our major reasons for getting married was to produce a child." He paused. "I don't think we'd be any better of a couple though - so probably no happier under the circumstances."

"That's the second time you've mentioned happiness as being a reason for this separation. Are you that unhappy, Kent?"

"I don't think I'm unhappy at all," he replied honestly. "But I'm not happy either. I am...." He hesitated while he searched for the right word. "I'm content - I think we both are. But I'd like to be happy, and I'd like to see you happy too." Charisma nodded slowly. "Not to change the subject," he continued before she could speak, "but why are you still here anyway?" looking pointedly at his watch.

Her eyebrows flew into her hairline and Charisma gave him and incredulous look. "Excuse me?? I *live* here, Kent. This is my home - where else would I be?"

Kent snorted. "Yeah... that didn't come out right. What I meant was - isn't there some sort of party or cocktail hour or dinner you should be attending this evening? There usually is a social mixer you attend this time of day - especially with Congress reconvening tomorrow."

"There are several, actually - two cocktail parties, a dinner party and at least one gathering for after-dinner drinks."

"Okay," Kent finally said when he realized she wasn't going to add anything else. "So you're not going out because...?"

"I didn't make plans to go to any of them. I wasn't sure when I'd be back in town, and I wasn't going to rush my visit with my family. I see them so little as it is." Then she noticed the sad expression in Kent's eyes. "What is it?" she asked, tilting her head.

"We've never done that," Kent replied, taking as much blame as he was placing. "We've never made any kind of extra effort to spend time with one another. That should have clued me in to reality long before Brianna Walker stepped back into your sphere. I guess it was too easy to ignore it just to maintain the status quo."

"So I should blame her for all this?" motioning around the room vaguely, a hint of heat in her tone.

"NO." Kent's answer was firm and vehement. "WE are to blame for what has transpired between us... for better or for worse. Her reappearance was just the catalyst I needed to face the truth of what we are... what we have always been - friends... co-parents... roommates. I want more, Charisma! I want the brass ring - I want everything! Don't you??"

"Mama?" Adam queried from the floor, looking at her with a frown. Charisma opened her arms and he ran into them, cuddling into her just like he'd done earlier with Brianna. Kent sighed. He felt he'd been on the verge of a breakthrough with her, but of course Adam's needs came first. Kent reached for Adam, and Charisma tightened her grip for a moment before reluctantly releasing Adam to his father.

"C'mon, Boy. Pa's gotta go catch the train so I can get back to work. You can walk me to the door, okay?"

"Mama come too?"

"Yeah, Mama can come too," holding out his hand to Charisma and helping her rise from her seat before letting go. Then they headed out of the family room towards the front door. Kent hugged Adam and savored the joy of being hugged back. Then Adam cradled his face and leaned their foreheads together, laughing aloud when Kent crossed his eyes.

"You sure you don't want to stay a little longer?" Charisma invited as she witnessed their interaction. Despite everything, and no matter what happened between them from here on out, she was glad she and Kent had shared enough of their lives together to have been blessed with Adam. She had a feeling he might be their saving grace. "I thought you didn't have to go back until late tonight."