Three hours later Amanda stood outside the door to the apartment annoyed that she'd forgotten to ask for a key before she left. The thought never occurred to her as she hurried out earlier. Now she had to ring Olivia to wake her and it was the last thing she wanted to do. But if she wanted to eat the piazza while it was hot then it was the only way.
Olivia opened the door slightly bleary eyed her hair mussed. Amanda smiled and resisted the urge to reach out and fix her hair.
"Sorry I had to ring you"
"No, I'm sorry I didn't give you a key. I just never thought"
Taking the bag and box from Amanda she walked into the apartment so Amanda could manoeuvre the stroller through the door.
"I could eat this through the bag I'm so hungry"
"Sorry what?"
Olivia laughed as she looked into the living room where Amanda was trying to extricate Noah from his pushchair. The hood of her jacket had fallen over her ears and little hands were pulling on it effectively pulling her into the stroller.
Olivia decided help was required. Reaching in to the side she managed to get one of Noah's hands removed so Amanda had some leverage to pull herself back and free of the other little hand.
Pushing her hood off Amanda removed her jacket so Noah couldn't have another go at smothering her. Olivia had managed to extricate him in the meantime.
"How did we manage to live so long without all those safety straps and contraptions those things have now?" she said, gesturing to the stroller.
"We learned quicker what hurt I guess"
"Yeah now you mention it I remember falling out a stroller Kim was pushing me around in when I was about 6. It was an old thing lying around the house. There was nothing to strap you in, either it'd broken off or there never was anything there. I fell out of it when she hit a curb. Never got back in it again"
"I suppose when they're a little bit smaller we want to look after them too"
Amanda nodded towards the kitchen "I'll sort the food, you have some quality time with him. It's been a whole 5 hours; you probably have a lot to talk about.
They both laughed as Olivia sat on the couch and began to talk to her son hoping the grown up would fill in the gaps.
"So where did you and Aunty Amanda go today buddy?"
"We made it as far as Central Park" Amanda answered from the kitchen.
"And did you feed the ducks?"
"Yes Mommy we did"
"Noah you learned to talk"
Olivia heard Amanda walking into the living room laughing pizza in hand.
"I couldn't find glasses, you ok to drink from the bottle?"
"Yeah of course. Sit down you must be wrecked"
Amanda put the pizza on the table and placed two slices on each plate.
"Em…" she turned to look at Olivia who had a small human attached to her chest "Why do I have a vision of me needing to feed this to you?"
Olivia looked at the pizza longingly and then down at her son.
He was starting to doze even though he'd slept for a bit when he was with Amanda.
"If I do this very slowly," she said quietly as she began to stand up "he might, just might stay dozy". When she was upright Noah shifted slightly in her arms but only to resettle his head. Letting out a relieved sigh Olivia walked towards the bedroom and placed him in his crib standing there for a minute to make sure he was settled before returning to the living room.
Grabbing the plate she collapsed on the sofa beside Amanda and sighed "There's usually an international incident when I try that move. You must have worn him out"
"Fresh air is good for that alright. God I sound like my mother"
"They say we turn into them eventually"
"God I hope not. I'd be an obedient, ultra-conservative member of the local church baking cakes for the cake sale while secretly bitching about people behind their back, in a loveless marriage with no hope"
She turned to look at Olivia "Sorry, I'm doing a lot of over sharing today"
"Can you do me a favour Rollins?"
Amanda nodded. "Don't apologise for talking to me. I'd prefer you over share than not share at all ok?"
Amanda took a bite of her pizza and her shoulders relaxed as she rested her head against the back of the sofa
"Thanks Liv"
"I'm always here"
"Eat up while it's hot. I could have given it to you cold and not woke you up".
"Thanks for waking me up, I hate cold pizza"
"Duly noted"
They ate for a while in silence enjoying the company but also the silence. Olivia hadn't had pizza in months. The thought of waiting for someone to deliver food when she could be sleeping was more effort than it was worth.
Amanda gathered up the plates once they'd finished and put them in the sink.
Returning to the sofa she noticed Olivia was starting to doze off. She didn't want to disturb her so she moved to the armchair. She remembered the few months she'd had with Louis, there was a day when she actually fell asleep standing up. The thought made her smile.
Her baby boy would pop into her mind almost every day; it was rare a day went by that she didn't think of him. The day they'd found Noah Amanda was going to reach out and take him from Olivia's arms. Instead she saw in that moment real love and care. She saw what she felt for Louis when he was born. And she knew no matter what Noah would be ok.
Olivia woke with a start and jolted forward. Realising she'd fallen asleep she looked apologetically at Amanda.
"Sorry I'm awful company"
"It's lucky I came here to hang with Noah then isn't it"
Olivia smiled and rested her head back again looking at the ceiling. Sighing she began to fiddle with the hem of her t-shirt.
"I didn't think it was going to be this hard"
Amanda heard a note of desperation in Olivia's voice and it worried her.
"I know Liv, I get it"
Olivia shook her head "Sorry what am I doing, I've nothing to be…" Amanda spotted the tear rolling down Olivia's sallow skin.
"Oh Liv, no, come on" Amanda stood and moved back to her place on the sofa beside the other woman. She put her arm around the taller woman and pulled her against her.
Speaking quietly through the tears falling Olivia tried to apologise "I'm sorry, I just… I can't actually remember…"
"Sshh, come 'ere". Olivia leaned against the blonde's strong body and relaxed, letting the tears pass.
When they finally stopped she lifted her head and rubbed the last of the wetness from her face.
"I don't know what is wrong with me, I'm so sorry"
"You're tired, your emotions are heightened, you've suddenly realised your whole life has changed and you're scared as hell"
"Wow you read minds as well as being a baby whisperer?"
Amanda smiled as she squeezed Olivia's hand that was resting on her knee.
"Not quite, I just get it hon'. This isn't my first rodeo"
Olivia moved her hand so it was now on top squeezing the smaller hand.
"I wish you didn't get it, I really do" Turning to look at the blonde Olivia noticed that those blue eyes were watching her intently while trying to pretend not to.
"Thanks Liv". Amanda leaned in and placed a kiss on Olivia's cheek, holding her breath as she pulled back.
"Sorry I didn't mean…"
Placing a finger on the blonde's lips Olivia leaned in and kissed her gently, softly, her hand coming up to cradle the side of her face as she did.
The kiss lasted twenty seconds but it seemed much longer as both women pulled away, taking a moment to catch their breath.
Neither said anything as Amanda stood and took Olivia's hand. Walking towards the bedroom Olivia was apprehensive but the tingle on her lips made her go with her instincts.
Pulling back the comforter on the bed Amanda turned and pulled Olivia into her arms hugging her tightly.
Turning so that Olivia's body was against the bed she bent forward slowly laying Olivia onto the bed. Pulling back she pulled the comforter up around her body and kissed her forehead. She whispered to ensure that Noah wouldn't stir; "Get some sleep. I'll be here in case he wakes you don't need to get up"
Olivia was going to object but as the weight of tiredness fell on her the idea of sleep won out and she closed her eyes.
Amanda shut the door quietly and returned to take a seat on the sofa flicking on the TV and muting it, hoping to God there was something on with subtitles so she could distract herself from the feeling of those lips on hers.
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A/N My instinct with these two is to always try and get them together asap but I think this one is going to be a little bit more complicated. So please join me for the ride and hopefully you'll enjoy. This is the first story I've written with kids in it and I don't have any of my own so if anyone with any experience wants to throw some in please feel free!