“I’d like you all to congratulate Godfrey and Day on five years as a highly successful and respected team on the APD and welcome them as your new lieutenants!” the captain yelled.
The whole department erupted in cheers and whistles. Cops were banging on the file cabinets and rattling handcuffs, trying to make as much noise as possible. Day saw Ronowski out of the corner of his eye running up to him, he had a huge smile on his face and when he was only a couple feet from him he held his arms out and collided with Day, wrapping him in a tight hug. Day lifted the man off his feet and held him close.
Day didn’t know if Ronowski had forgotten where the hell he was but he placed a huge kiss on Day’s lips before wrapping him up tight again.
“Congratulations, gorgeous,” Ronowski said in his ear.
Ronowski pulled back and beamed at him again before moving over and hugging God. Ronowski gently fingered the word Lieutenant engraved in black lettering on God’s badge that hung from his neck when his shoulders suddenly went rigid at the silence that had enveloped the entire bullpen.
“They’re all looking at me aren’t they?” Ronowski said quietly.
God just nodded his head and cracked up.
Ronowski spun around and threw his hands up in the air like he’d been busted. “Yes, I’m gay, get over it!” he yelled and turned back to them.
“Give us some credit; we’re all detectives here, Ronowski. We figured that out years ago,” one of the forensics detectives yelled back, and everyone start cheering again.
Day was proud that Ronowski took it all in stride even though his neck and ears were beet red. Most of the faces Day saw were friendly and looked genuinely happy for them. But Day was a people watcher, and he’d definitely noticed the few that slipped out of the station with displeased glares. Day shrugged it off. He’d learned very young that you can’t please them all.
The women were coming up to them and hugging them while the men gave them strong handshakes and told them that it was a promotion well deserved. It was no secret that God and Day doubled everyone else’s record in the amount of arrests they made and had taken over one-hundred million dollars’ worth of drugs off the streets in their five years as partners.
Day and God were at their desk still feeling high from all the recognition when Seasel came over to them. She’d been on desk duty since returning two weeks ago. She still had six long months of physical therapy ahead of her before she’d be out in the field again.
“Ya know God; now that you’re my lieutenant you have the authority to select my assignments.” She winked.
“Of course I will, babe,” God told her.
Seasel’s brown eyes lit up.
“As soon as your doctor says you’re finished with therapy,” God amended.
He didn’t try to dodge the hard slaps she landed on his shoulder.
“Asshole.” She huffed and picked up God’s gold badge, inspecting it carefully when a wide smile spread across her face. “So can I call you Leu?”
“Not if you expect me to answer,” God retorted drily.
She rolled her eyes at God’s sarcasm. “You’re lucky your partner saved my life or else I wouldn’t be throwing you guys a five-year celebration party next month.”
“What party?” God asked.
“I’m not telling,” she sing-songed on her way back to her desk.
Day and God’s promotion really hadn’t hit them until they came back from lunch and there were four detectives milling around their desk.
“Hey can you guys try not to take such long lunches. I’ve been waiting for like forty-five minutes,” Detective Ross snapped at them before they could even sit back down. “I’m going to be taking my vacation in June this year instead of August like I usually do, so I put my request in your box for approval, Day. Thanks, buddy.” The chubby detective slapped him on his back and returned to his desk.
Day blinked and looked at their in-boxes, which were overflowing onto their desks, and almost spit out his coffee. “What the fucking fuck?” Day yelled.
“You’ve got to be shittin’ me.” God looked around the office but no one was paying any attention to them.
Ronowski came up to them and plopped down in God’s chair. “Hey, if you guys want the power and the big bucks… looks like you’re going to earn it.” He grinned wickedly at them.
“Ro, get the hell out of here before I do something to wipe that grin off your face.” God yanked him out of his seat.
“Promises, promises, big boy.” Ronowski laughed and took a couple steps toward his desk before turning and adding, “Oh, and lieutenants, I’m going to need one of you to question a suspect with me this afternoon. Does three work for you? Good,” he said hurriedly, not letting either one of them get a word in as he laughed. He knew they were already swamped and was obviously delighted to add to their already chaotic workload.