Tiny Bubbles

"Yes, Mom, I'm almost settled in now,"Â? Rene spoke into the tiny cell phone pressed against her ear. "The movers finished unpacking the last of my things this afternoon."Â? A short pause and the one sided conversation resumed. "I know I know, I'll send for her soon. I just don't think Ali would deal well with leaving you right now. She's lived more of her life without me in it than with me there unfortunately,"Â? she sighed against the phone.

She nodded along with her mother's words, feeling no need to argue. She knew she should have her daughter here with here in Nachton, but until she was sure the city was where she herself even wanted to set down roots, she did not want to uproot the young child. How do you explain to a five year old why she had to leave her Nana behind? How do you explain to that child why her Daddy never came to see her anymore? When Rene figured out the answer to the second question, she would deal with the first. Until then, Alisha O'Brian could stay behind in Vegas with her grandmother.

"Okay, Mom. I'll call you some time tomorrow after I get home from work. Right now I'm gonna go hit the hot tub and relax."Â? After a small pause she smiled, "Tell Ali I love her, too. Bye, Mom."Â?

Looking at the phone long enough to end the call, she sat it down on the nearby counter. Bare feet pattered against the linoleum, and she grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge. She was going to have to get one of those handy filters for the faucets. Looking around the kitchen, she smiled softly. It wasn't home yet, but it would do. The two bedroom house on the beach was more than she had expected to find when she found out her transfer to Nachton had been approved. It beat living in some tiny apartment all to hell.

As if the view of the Atlantic wasn't enough, the hot tub was a serious bonus. Rene had every intention of enjoying a nice soak tonight. Who knew when she would be able to enjoy the solitude again? Once she'd made her presence known at the station, she was sure the proverbial shit would hit the fan. With the sun setting behind her, she watched as the darkness rose over the water. She closed her eyes, almost drifting off to sleep as the distant sound of waves lapping against the shore and the quiet hum of the hot tub practically sang her a lullaby.