────── CINNAMON GIRL

prologue

o. Law & Order

"New York is an ugly city, a dirty city. Its climate is a scandal, its politics are used to frighten children, its traffic is madness, its competition is murderous. But there is one thing about it – once you have lived in New York and it has become your home, no place else is good enough."

– John Steinbeck, 'America and Americans'

THE AROMA OF CINNAMON ROLLS, FRESHLY BAKED BRIOCHE BREAD, BLUEBERRY MUFFINS, AND CARAMEL STICKY BUNS FILLED THE AIR as each tray of breakfast pastries were placed into large glass cases on each side of the register. From the back room of the bakery the oven beeped once more, signaling to the two women organizing the sweets that the freshly crafted fruit Danishes were ready to leave the oven and be iced. Both brunettes raised their heads at the same time, the youngest of the two accidently and rather harshly bumping her head off the top of case on her way up. Wordlessly, a round of rock-paper-scissors ensued. Rock. Rock. Scissors. Rock.

Rock vs Scissors.

Rock wins.

The oldest groaned, "Not fair, I filled the donuts earlier, Micah."

"And I rolled the bagels earlier, Jo. Cry me a river."

'Jo' rolled her eyes in response to her sister's childishness, but silently complied and returned to the kitchen to retrieve the Danishes from the oven. She blew a piece of hair back from her face that had fallen out of the claw clip pinning the remainder of her dark brown hair to the top of her head as she pulled on blue gingham-printed mitts on over her hands before opening the door of the oven and carefully removing the metal tray from inside. Humming contently at the smell of the baked fruit and bread, she placed it onto the cooling rack and discarded her mitts to the side before collecting a piping bag of icing from the counter nearby. Skillfully and evenly, she began to pipe the frosting out in diagonal stripes over each warm Danish.

They were in the early days of August and the Holloway sisters anticipated a very busy morning. The pair had been hard at work since five in the morning, getting everything ready for the day ahead. It was Saturday, but Holloway Sweets' dedicated customers had multiple boxes of sweets scheduled for pick-up at seven-thirty on the dot. Only a half hour until they flipped the sign on the front door to read 'open'.

The family was very fortunate that their shop was located in a small, art-oriented suburb in Brooklyn where the Manhattan Bridge and the East River was front and center in sight from the back row of windows and the top of the Brooklyn Bridge was visible above the row of buildings opposite of the bakery from the street. The town of Dumbo was picturesque and a hub for the arts. Just a small piece to the puzzle that was New York City, the big apple everyone wanted a bite out of. The city that never sleeps.

But for the Holloway family, New York had always, simply and proudly called "home". Just like the millions of immigrants Ellis Island and Lady Liberty had welcomed the United States for over a hundred years, ancestors on both sides of the entwined family had sailed across the ocean to start over. People entered the states through New York in search of jobs or to escape persecution or war, among many other reasons. Ethnic neighborhoods were constructed around the growing, diverse populations- making the city all the more unique. Beautiful.

Just like it's skyline.

New York is home to artists, thespians, politicians, chefs, musicians, writers, historians, teachers, investors... The list goes on of the millions of people that call New York home and continue to make the city a thriving, well-oiled machine. But with all good apples come the rotten ones that lurk in the shadows of the towering skyscrapers and joint townhouses, wreaking havoc and inflicting violence against others. New York could be as ugly as it could be breathtaking.

"Looking good, JoJo," Micah commented as she reentered the kitchen behind her sister, tiptoeing to look over her shoulder before grabbing a tray of cooled cupcakes from the baking rack on the back wall, "Wish I could pipe like you. You're like a machine."

Josie Holloway laughed in response, flashing a bright smile in her way. Micah then answered with a similar one.

Micah Holloway-Brown was a creative, colorful personality. She had always liked the brightest colors and the funkiest fashions, which had been projected into the way Holloway Sweets was decorated. Micah liked to wear her hair back from her face, so it was easier to work without the hassle of her long, brunette locks getting in the way. She usually wore them in fun braids with a patterned headband or bejeweled clips. She was a few inches shorter than her older sister and slim built. Her lightly tanned skin was dimpled at the chin and complemented her round, doe-like eyes.

Josie was the oldest of three Holloway siblings. She was a few inches taller than Micah and had longer, darker brown hair that she often wore half up in a bun with the bottom section laid amongst her shoulders in loose waves. Josie's complexion was also darker and warmer, having favored their mother the closest in resemblance. But all three siblings had the same dark brown eyes. Favoring a more neutral palette when compared to her sister, Josie often dressed in sweaters, blouses, and dresses of seasonal, muted colors. But a lazy, off-duty Saturday, had Josie wearing her comfiest pair of sweatpants and a grey faded Fleetwood Mac shirt she was certain was stolen from their younger brother. A large knot was held together with a velvet scrunchie atop her head and a few stray curled tuffs framed her angular jawline.

"You never told me how your week went," Micah playfully chided, grabbing another tray of sweets that were ready for the display case, "I texted you last night."

Josie laughed to herself, her eyes still trained on the piping bag held in her hands, "Sorry, I crashed last night after I picked Jace up from Hailee."

"Being a hero must be exhausting, Jo," Her sister teased, walking back towards the front while calling back to Josie from over her shoulder, "Tell Benson the only time I get to see my sister is on the weekends and when you and the others stop in for coffee every few hours."

Josie Holloway had seen both sides of her beloved city. Having been born and raised in Dumbo, she had grown simultaneously alongside the ever populating, diversifying suburb. Josie was just a kid who loved watching the sun rise and set over the opposing bridges bordering their neighborhood. She often reflected on her memories of being a young girl, going to Mets games with her father and having weekend picnics in Central Park with her younger siblings and mother. The 'I ♥ NY' shirts and mugs sold at street corners for tourists were often mocked and bought as gag gifts for out-of-state relatives by Arthur and Trinity Holloway, Josie's two very city-spirited parents, who preferred to show their love for their city in a more subtle manner and giving back to their community. The Holloways had once been a fairly well-off family that frequented local farmers and artisans' markets, contributed to community fundraisers, and volunteered in soup kitchens during the holidays.

The fondest memories Josie recalled came from her childhood, riding in the passenger seat of Arthur's patrol car with a carton of bakery-fresh cupcakes in her lap he had let her pick out once he picked her up from school. Roaring laughter between father and daughter would fill the car over some terrible joke as cupcakes were passed back and forth, Josie babbling on about her day at school. Arthur always made it a point to pick oldest daughter up from elementary school as long as he was not dispatched to a call, wanting to spend what time he could with Josie before dropping her off at Trinity's flower shop, where she and her mother would simultaneously be working and taking care of the two youngest Holloway children. They stopped at the same bakery- Marco's, every day on their route to the shop from school, indulging in some unnecessary sugar before Arthur was forced to resume his other duty as a decorated police officer.

Even when Arthur Holloway was shot and killed in the line of duty during a police shoot-out with a robbery crew, Josie chose to still view and love New York the way her father once had. So much so, she followed in her father's footsteps and enrolled in the police academy once she was of age. Josie was dedicated to serving and protecting her beloved city- the same city Arthur had made the same pledge to. Slowly, and not without hardship, Josie made her way through the ranks from a patrol cop in Queens to a detective in Manhattan.

"I think it's the four-month-old on top of the grueling workload," Josie huffed, placing the almost empty piping bag down on the counter, glancing over the dressed pastries in front of her.

After years on the job, Josie was promoted to something so much greater- Mom. It was her most prized title. It had not come as naturally or without chaos as Josie had hoped, but she would not change a thing. Jace Terrance Holloway was born on the 21st of April, healthy and resembling his mother so closely that Micah often and giddily compares photos of the baby to ones of a young Josie. He was a fairly easy-going infant, but had caught a bad cold just after he got to go home which had him coughing and fevered the first couple weeks of his little life. She had taken extended time off work to take care of Jace, Micah happily assisting in the hardest weeks of Josie's life.

"Don't go blaming that sweet baby," Micah cackled, watching Josie pick up the cooled tray of Danishes and approach the case once more, "He does so well compared to Avery when she was little. Walker and I were zombies for the first year."

"She's wild," Josie thought of her bright-eyed niece, and snickered toward her sister "Like her momma."

Micah grumbled, holding the case door open while Josie placed the sweets inside, "Like her father."

The news that she was pregnant came at a time that Josie had little balance remaining in her life. With a failing, abusive marriage and an unhealthy work environment in Narcotics, Josie felt stuck in the first few months of what was supposed to be a happy time for a new mother. The guys at work had always given her a hard time, but the barricade of paperwork that was piled amongst Josie's desk after she was assigned to desk duty was not enough to block the back-handed comments and jokes directed her way from her fellow officers. The only true break she received on maternity leave was any time Josie was outside of the house, spending most of her time sitting on a stool in the bakery decorating cakes to keep herself busy. An ugly divorce followed Jace's birth, the father signing away his parental rights without batting an eye.

Jace was a Holloway, Josie was a single mom, but it was for the best.

She was undoubtedly thankful to have the support system that allowed her to pursue a career and comfortably care for her son. It would not have been possible without Micah and her husband, Walker, who often cared for Jace after daycare hours alongside their three-year-old daughter, Avery. Even Chance Holloway, their youngest sibling, and his long-time girlfriend Hailee had a hand in watching over Jace when Josie's work boiled over late into the evenings.

Work had gotten better for Josie too right after she returned once Jace was better. After several warnings of budget cuts and random reassignments being threatened in her department, Josie was keeping an eye out for a new position, always taking a moment to read over the new flyers Chief Dodds had posted a flyer throughout multiple overcrowded districts that about new openings. Josie had dealt with her belligerent, belittling supervisors in Narcotics for five very long years and craved change.

In May, Josie had received a surprise phone call that changed everything.

Though he transferred from Narcotics to SVU in 2011, Detective Nick Amaro still had over a year's experience with Josie Holloway as a peer. She had been a newbie under him in Narcotics, he trained her and kept an eye out for her until his transfer, but still occasionally crossed paths with his former mentee. After Nick was shot and sustained a debilitating injury to his knee that would keep him from properly doing his job for some time, he slid Josie's folder across the newly appointed Lieutenant Benson's desk. Nick knew Josie would fit in well amongst the team and he trusted her to take his place.

Olivia Benson surprised Josie with a phone call that evening and had asked for an in-person interview later that week. Enthusiastically, Josie accepted. She then showed up at the sixteenth precinct that Friday dressed in her favorite navy-blue pantsuit with a folder full of references and her resume in her hand, the sore from having chewed on her bottom lip all the way there masked with a nude lipstick. The lieutenant was already waiting for Josie in her office, greeting Josie with a warm smile and an excited handshake. Benson had been to the point desperation to get good help on her team and the things she had heard about Holloway gave her hope that she had finally found some.

As she read over Detective Holloway's file once more, Olivia asked about her personal life after they had gone over the formalities of the prospective job. Josie had no trouble opening up to the older woman, being honest about her struggles outside of work with her son and personal care. She was blunt when mentioning that her Narcotics job had been wearing her thin as of late from all the teasing and mocking her male cohorts sent her way, especially over her recent divorce settlement. The lieutenant remained intrigued, leaning forwards into her hand as she listened closely.

Josie had gotten the better end of the deal during the bitter ending of her marriage, including sole custody of Jace, which left her ex-husband with little assets in the end. Her coworkers seemed to be unable to wrap their heads around why Josie had left one of the city's most successful reality agents, not believing a word she said about what went on when the door to their brick stone home was closed.

Being a single mom with the mindset that there was little time for much else other than work and home was something Olivia Benson was just beginning to learn about, having recently adopted a little boy by the name of Noah. She sympathized with Josie's story, frowning as she looked back down at the resume laid on the desk in front of her before nodding to herself. Nick had been right, Josie Holloway fit into her team just right. So, it was decided that Josie would start as soon as all of the paperwork went through.

"You sound like Dad just as much as you look like him," Josie carefully slid the tray into the case in front of the correct place card.

"Well, you act like him," Micah stuck her tongue out, letting the glass door slide closed.

"I'd rather act like him than Mom."

The youngest sister took a moment, blinking as her gaze settled on Josie's laughing and retreating figure, "Now, that's just rude."

Josie had been the happiest Micah had seen her be in a very long time. Even though her new job was not always nine-to-five, five days on and weekends off job, but Josie was in a better place mentally with the people she was surrounded by. She had been with Special Victims almost four months and become more social since meeting her newfound friends. Josie was learning to get back outside of her shell, to let new people in, and Micah was very proud of her.

"What's rude?" An amused male's voice followed the sound of the bell above the door ringing.

Micah's lips curled upwards, peering back over her shoulder, "Jo's being a bully."

Walker Brown snickered from the entry way, a bright-eyed and wild-haired Avery holding onto his right hand while his left arm cradled a sleeping Jace dressed in the orange and yellow tie-dyed onesie Josie had left him in this morning. Walker was taller when compared to his wife and sister-in-law and had short, sandy blonde hair that he styled back out of his eyes. He was a clean-cut guy, the tucking in of his shirt and neat appearance now habitual from his years of from working at a popular car dealership. He was an approachable person, who had little problems with anyone and liked to make jokes to keep the conversation lively.

"Jo?" Her husband scoffed, "Never."

"I heard that!" Josie called from out of sight.

A product of her parent's stereotypical coffee-shop love story, Avery Brown inherited her father's unruly curly hair and her mother's charming doe-eyed gaze. She was only three, but further ahead developmentally when compared to some her classmates at daycare. Avery loved to sing her ABC's and to name the color of everything in the room twice over. The toddler always carried around a stuffed rabbit that's fur was once a pale pink, now faded to a beige from wear and tear, her favorite color was orange, and she could babble on about Dragon Tales for hours. She especially liked her baby cousin Jace, always attempting to play with him like he was another one of her dolls.

Slinging her rabbit around in her right hand by the ears, Micah bounced on her toes, "Donuts!"

"I don't know if you need one," Her father teased, leading her closer to the polished wood counter separating them from Micah, "You're more awake than I am."

"Noooooooo!" Micah whined, clambering her way onto one of the swivel chairs at the bar, sitting on her knees so she could face her mother, "I'm hungry!"

Micah attempted to cover her amused smirk seeing her tired husband roll his eyes, "Yogurt first, baby, then maybe you can have a donut."

Avery nodded, sitting down properly and waited patiently with her hands flat on the counter before her. Micah gave her daughter a proud smile and leaned down under the counter, taking a small strawberry parfait cup from the mini fridge beneath and popped the plastic top off before placing a spoon into the fruit, yogurt, and granola mixture to give to Avery.

"I'll trade you a coffee for the baby, Walker," Josie reappeared from around the corner already carrying a steaming paper cup in her hand, in the process of securing the lid on top of it.

Grateful, he shifted the sleeping infant in his arms towards Josie as he eyed the cup before him, "Sounds like a deal."

Careful not to jostle the sleeping baby too much, Josie carefully took her son from Walker's and cradled him against her chest. Jace let out a soft snore as he readjusted his head against the soft fabric covering his mother's chest, snuggling into it before continuing to dream. Content, Josie rested her chin forwards against his small shoulder, embracing the moment. Her goal since he was born was to always make sure that Jace knew that he was well-loved and that no matter what happened, he would be taken care of. Josie's job was good at providing the means of making sure he had everything he needed, but time was precious- especially since he was still so little.

"You okay, Jo?" Micah asked, watching as her sister closed her eyes.

"Yeah," Josie hummed, "Just thinking."

Josie saw a lot of ugly when it came to her job. Special Victims was a whole new territory when it came to crime. It was brutal, heartbreaking, humbling... People of all ages, sexuality, genders, races, religions, and backgrounds at any time could be the next victim to an act of unfathomable violence. Protecting the innocents of New York is what drove Josie to keep doing her job wholeheartedly and truthfully, innocent men, women, and children that needed advocates in the times they needed it most. Josie knew what it was like to feel helpless, to feel broken and in need- She liked Special Victims because she could help others in ways she needed to be in her moments of peril.

The atrocities that they covered on the job made her thankful for what she had.

"JoJo, can I please have a donut?" Avery asked, mouth surrounded by a mixture strawberry preserves and yogurt, the plastic cup in her hands basically void of anything left.

"What have I said about bringing JoJo into this?" Micah sighed, knowingly.

Josie cracked her right eye open, smiling at her niece, "What kind, Av?"

"Chocolate sprinkle!"

Josie had already moved back behind the counter, expertly holding Jace with one arm as she reached in with a square sheet of parchment paper to get her niece's desired donut. Walker was too invested in his coffee to mind, but Micah's eyes jokingly narrowed as Josie placed the sweet into Avery's awaiting hands.

"You spoil her," Micah could not help but laugh at her daughter now feasting on the donut, chocolate icing smearing across the palms of her hands and the end of her nose, "You're cleaning her up."

"She said please," Nonchalantly, Josie shrugged, leaning back against the counter, and tucking Jace further up beneath her chin, "And Aunt JoJo takes care of her girl, right Av?"

Avery hummed into the crumbling sweet in response, agreeing.

"I don't want to hear you then when I start sending this pumpkin home with loads of sugar in his system then," Micah retorted leaning down to get a better look of her nephew's sleeping face, gently brushing over his soft cheek with the knuckle of her index finger, "Mommy won't know what hit her, Jace."

Josie smiled at the interaction between her little sister and the baby fast asleep against her chest, glancing up towards where Avery was now offering the remains of her donut to her highly amused father in an outstretched hand.

Today, it was Saturday, a day full of normalcy and love, surrounded by family at the bakery. Sunday would mostly be spent in bed, resting, and catching up around the apartment once Josie got the energy to do so. But come Monday, Josie would stroll back into the office she now called her home-away-from-home with the team's weekly box of specialty donuts, gearing up to face what New York City had in store for them this time around. It was sure to be nothing short of horrific.

In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous.

In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit.

These are their stories.

dun. dun.

published ── 11.07.22