A/N: Written for oz_magi 2013 Gift Exchange on LiveJournal.

Prompt #21: A chance meeting between two women; they strike up a conversation and unexpectedly discover truths about their husbands.

Takes place during the holidays.

Betaed by lovely gusx217.

IT'S CHRISTMAS, AFTER ALL

Genevieve Beecher was sitting at the cafe table staring at her cappuccino. She was so tired of Christmas shopping in crowded stores and still she couldn't give up, not yet. There were too many things on her shopping list and three children at home waiting for the perfect Christmas. She admitted that she could have started the Christmas shopping earlier this year like she usually did, but having an unfinished divorce going on, she really hadn't felt like shopping until she absolutely had to. She sighed and carefully sipped her hot beverage.

"May I sit here? All the other tables and seats seem to be taken."

Genevieve looked up and saw an exhausted looking blonde woman about her own age standing right next to her table.

"Of course", Genevieve said reluctantly, but trying to be polite to the poor woman. It was Christmas, after all. She hoped that the woman would just drink her coffee and move on with her shopping bags. No such luck.

"Sometimes I really hate Christmas," the woman said sighing as she sat down.

Genevieve raised her perfectly groomed eyebrows. "Really?"

"Oh yes. Well, I don't really hate Christmas, I just hate having to do all the preparations all by myself. Kids, even if the oldest are already teenagers, aren't much help." The woman stirred her coffee forcefully, causing some of the liquid to spill over the rim of the cup.

Genevieve responded with a hum, trying to avoid further explanations and possible tirades; she definitely didn't need any of that right now. The woman didn't give up, though. She reached her hand across the table.

"I'm Kathy, by the way. And you are?"

"Annoyed," Genevieve muttered under her breath, but then she forced a small smile on her lips and took the offered hand. "Genevieve. Nice to meet you."

Kathy shot her a bright smile and started her interrogation, just like Genevieve anticipated; almost all the frustrated housewives she knew tended to do that, and she groaned inwardly. There was no way out of it without being rude. She decided to tolerate it for now - it was Christmas, after all, a time for sharing and caring, so why not start caring about someone else for a change, instead of dwelling on her own problems.

"Genevieve, what a lovely name. Do you have children?"

"Yes, three. You?"

"I have four of them. They are good kids, but they are a lot of work. I'm a single mother, you know."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Raising four children alone can't be easy."

"Yes, well, their father is still around - we are divorced - but he doesn't have time for his family, he's never had. Just like he never talks about… well, much anything. That's why I divorced him. And now that he's having that new… new…" Kathy huffed angrily, unable to continue her sentence.

"A new relationship?" Genevieve tried to help.

"I wouldn't call it a relationship, it's a disgrace! A good Catholic man was seduced by another man - that's a grave sin against everything he has believed in all his life. I don't understand why he is doing this? He has to deal with enough pervs as it is at work, so why did he have to do it in his private life too? Because that's what it is, perversion. Now he is so deeply involved with that… that man, that nothing I say or do will make him turn away from him and leave him. That's why I bought him the perfect Christmas gift, to remind him of who he is and why he should act more responsibly, or he will lose them all."

Kathy lifted a gift bag from the floor and pulled a large photo frame out of the bag. She looked at it for a while, a longing expression on her face, and then turned it around for Genevieve to see. Genevieve had to hide her shock as well as stifle her gasp when she saw the picture. It was a family picture of Kathy, her children and her husband. They were a beautiful family, but that's not why Genevieve felt so shocked. The man in the picture was all too familiar to her. Of course she had heard Kathy's name before, but never in her wildest dreams would she had believed that she'd stumble upon her like this.

Genevieve had to hide her trembling hands under the table and calm down a bit, until she felt it was safe to speak.

"You have a beautiful family, Kathy. And this is your ex-husband, I take it?"

"Thank you, and yes, that's him, Elliot. The kids are Maureen, Kathleen, Richard and Elizabeth; Dickie and Elizabeth are twins. This is a perfect reminder to Elliot of what he will lose if he doesn't leave that disgusting man he's living with. I swear, I will never let him see the kids again, if he keeps going on like this. And here I thought he was sleeping with his female partners when I divorced him."

Kathy turned her attention back on the picture in front of her, staring at it with a deep frown on her face. Genevieve appreciated the break from having to listen to Kathy's rant, and was glad to be able to clear her own thoughts.

The revelation that Kathy was Elliot's ex-wife was stunning. Of course Genevieve knew Elliot, he was the main reason for her to divorce Toby, after all. She could understand why Kathy was so bitter and hurt; Genevieve had gone through all the same feelings with Toby even if she had seen it coming. Maybe she wasn't so vengeful towards Toby and Elliot and it was easier to forgive them because her and Toby's marriage had been based mostly on their friendship. Toby was still one of her best friends and a good man, a good father, and he had always been honest with her, even if the truth hurt. Now she could accept that Toby had fallen in love with Elliot. She had seen both men fighting against it, feeling guilty about it, but in the end the feeling had been too deep, too strong to ignore. Now they lived together in a nice flat in Manhattan and they were happy. From what little information Genevieve had gathered from Toby, the only problem they were having was that Elliot was having a tough time with his ex-wife, and that was wearing them out.

Genevieve was so deep in thought that she had started tapping her perfect fingernails against the table, not noticing it until Kathy cleared her throat across the table, looking at her curiously. Genevieve flashed her an apologizing smile and finished her cappuccino. Then she made the decision, not knowing if she would regret it later, but she could take the risk. It was Christmas, after all.

She cleared her throat and looked at Kathy with serious eyes.

"Kathy, listen, I think you need to know my whole name. I'm Genevieve Beecher."

Kathy just stared at her confused.

"Soon to be former Mrs Tobias Beecher," Genevieve elaborated.

Kathy's eyes widened. "What? You are that pervert's wife? How could you just stand and watch what he was doing to my Elliot?"

Genevieve turned from apologetic to apoplectic in less than a second.

"Now you listen to me and listen good, Kathy Stabler! Your Elliot and my Toby are both good men. They didn't do it intentionally just to hurt us. If you'd just once really looked at your husband, listened to him, you'd know that it wasn't easy for him, for either of them. They are both feeling guilty enough as it is, there's no need to add to it with that family picture. It is a lovely picture and a lovely gift, but if you are going to use it only to make him feel even more guilty, think again. So you are feeling hurt and angry? So what, so am I. It's normal to feel that way, to feel like you were abandoned and betrayed. That doesn't mean that they didn't love us. They still do, but they love each other more, but in different way. And they will always love their kids more than anything. If you love your kids half as much as their father loves them, you won't use them as revenge. That way you're punishing them all by not letting them see each other, you're punishing not only Elliot but also your children. If you do that, your kids will hate you later for that. Believe me, it will happen. Just, please, don't make your kids pay for your own mistakes."

Genevieve gathered her things with trembling hands, this time trembling from anger. She stood up and looked at Kathy, who was gaping at her in shock. Genevieve felt a twinge of guilt in her gut and she spoke with a softer voice this time.

"Just give them a chance, Kathy. Your family loves you. Just love them back, without conditions. You will be happier that way. Have a happy Christmas, Kathy."

Genevieve turned and walked away, wondering how she had never believed that she could lose her temper like that in front of a total stranger. She was always so collected and even reserved in every situation. Well, she chalked it up to her protectiveness of her family, including her husband.

Two days later, when Toby returned the kids from their own Christmas party at their father's place, Toby surprised Genevieve by kissing her cheek as he greeted her.

"Happy Christmas, Gen," Toby said smiling. "Thanks for letting me have the kids with me today."

"Happy Christmas, Toby. Where's Elliot? I thought you'd return the kids together," Genevieve asked.

"Elliot went to see his kids. Kathy finally gave in and let him meet them for a couple of hours today. Sort of a Christmas miracle, huh?"

"Indeed. I'm glad she finally came to her senses, especially today. It's Christmas, after all, time for family," Genevieve smiled and ushered her family inside from the cold.

The End