Beautifully Broken
(Chapter Seven: Family Ties)
Elliot opened the car door for Olivia and walked her around to the alley beside her building. He kissed her goodbye and watched as she climbed up the fire escape and waved to him from her bedroom window when she was safely inside.
Olivia kicked her shoes off. It was just after four o'clock in the morning and she was sure her mother hadn't even realized she hadn't come home the night before. She slipped out of her clothes and tossed them into the hamper. She slipped on a tee shirt and a pair of shorts then made her way into the bathroom to brush her teeth.
She walked back toward her bedroom stopping for a moment to look in on her mother. Olivia looked at her mother sprawled out across the bed. The empty vodka bottle laid in the floor and the rock glass sitting on the night stand. It was obvious, Serena had not even noticed that Olivia had gone out that evening, let alone cared.
Olivia exhaled and closed Serena's bedroom door ad she headed back down the hall and into her room. She climbed into bed and pulled the blankets up around her, smiling as she picked up the teddy bear Elliot had given her months earlier for her birthday and drifted off to sleep.
Around ten o'clock the next morning Olivia was sitting on the sofa watching television and eating a bowl of cereal when she heard the buzz of the door bell. She sat her bowl on the coffee table and went to see who it was.
"El," she said with a big smile as his blue eyes appeared from behind the door.
"I missed you," he said kissing her softly.
"I missed you, too. Come on in," she said pointing to the stairs behind her.
"Actually, I was hoping you could come with me for a little while."
"Umm…" she turned her attention to the staircase behind her. "Okay, just give me a minute to put some actual clothes on and leave my mother a note. Come on in."
Elliot followed her up the stairs and sat down on the sofa. Olivia carried her cereal bowl to the sink and headed for the bedroom.
"I'll just be a minute," she said with a smile waving at him as she closed her bedroom door.
She slipped on a white sundress with little yellow flowers on it. She picked up a notepad from her desk and scribbled a little note for her mother.
'Went with Elliot. Be back in a few hours. - Love, Olivia'
"That will do," she said as she tore the page from the notebook and stuck a piece of tape on it.
Olivia hung the note the inside of Serena's bedroom door.
"I'm ready," she said as she entered the living room and helped him up.
They drove for a while as Olivia stared out into the sunshine and let the warm summer air blow through her fingers and she held her arm out the window.
"So are you gonna tell me where we're going?" She asked with a smile.
"Nope."
"Oh, so it's a surprise?"
"You could say that," he said smiling back at her. "Somewhere special. Somewhere I don't take anyone."
Elliot brushed his thumb across her cheek and stared into her eyes.
"You don't take anyone there?"
"No."
"But you're taking me?"
"You're different."
Olivia smiled. "I'm different?"
"Yes. You are beautiful and you smell good and I love you."
Olivia laughed as he pulled the car into a large parking lot. Elliot walked around to the passenger side of the car and opened the door for her.
"Where are we?" Olivia asked climbing from the car and looking around.
Elliot kissed her tenderly. "There is someone I want you to meet."
Olivia stared at him for a moment. "Who?"
Elliot wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again. "My mother," he said stepping back and leading her by the hand toward the facility.
"Your mother?"
"I was just thinking," he said swinging her hand in his as they walked toward the building, "we have been together just over a year."
"Yeah," she said with a smile.
"I met your mother and I think it's time you meet mine."
"El, I thought your mother gave you the house and got an apartment in the city?"
"Not exactly. I guess I don't exactly have the best family life either."
"What do you mean?"
"My mother has been sick for years. Early onset Alzheimer's. It wasn't that bad for a while she would for get things like where she put the car keys, little stuff like that. Over the years it got worse. Some days she didn't even know who we were. A few years back, my father… I guess he decided he'd had enough. He left for work one day and never came home. I took care of her as long as I could. I thought I had it under control, until I got a call at school two years ago asking me to come pick her up at the police station."
"Was she alright?"
"She had what she used to call an episode. She went for a walk and forgot where she was going. The cops found her jus wandering around in snow and ten degree weather in her night gown with no coat on. She didn't even know her own name."
"Elliot, I am so sorry."
"They didn't leave me much choice. She needed full time care and I wasn't able to provide that for her. They suggested I bring her here."
Olivia wrapped her arms tight around him and hugged him. She laid her head against his chest and just held on to him for a minute. Elliot held her and just breathed in the scent of her hair.
"I guess we really are perfect for each other," she said softly. "We understand each other perfectly." She stared up at him and blinked her big brown eyes.
"I love you so much," Elliot said kissing her softly.
"I love you, too."
"Come on, she's going to love you."
Olivia smiled. "I hope so."
"I know so."
Olivia stopped on the way up the walk to pick a handful of pink and yellow flowers that were growing there. Elliot watched as she pulled the white ribbon from her hair and used it to tie together the little bouquet.
"What do you think?" She asked looking at him with her bright eyes.
"Beautiful."
She smiled a shy smile as Elliot locked his fingers tight in hers and lead her down the hallway.
"442, 444, 446, here," he said tapping lightly on the door to room number 448.
They walked inside. The room was dark, lit only by the sunlight pouring in through the windows from outside. 'General Hospital' was playing on the television in the corner of the room and in a chair in front of it sat a woman in her mid to late forties.
"Mom," Elliot said leaving Olivia's side only long enough to kneel beside the woman's chair.
"Elliot, it's so good to see you. Is it Sunday? I must have forgotten. I'm not dressed for church."
"No, mom. It's Thursday," Elliot said with a smile. "I have someone here I want you to meet."
Elliot looked up at Olivia and reached for her hand. Olivia smiled a warm smile and stepped forward.
"Mom this is Olivia Benson, my girlfriend. Olivia, this is my mother, Bernadette Stabler."
"It is very nice to meet you, Mrs. Stabler." Olivia stepped forward and offered her the small bouquet of flowers.
"What a beautiful girl," she said reaching for the flowers. "And how sweet of you, honey."
"Mom, I was thinking maybe we could go outside in to the garden. The sun is shining and it is a beautiful day. I brought some things for a picnic."
Olivia turned and looked at Elliot as she smiled.
"Elliot, that sounds like a wonderful idea. That will give me a chance to get to know your friend a little better."
"That's what I was thinking, mom."
They spent the afternoon sitting on a blanket under a shade tree sharing a picnic lunch with Elliot's mother. Later as Elliot walked Olivia up the sidewalk to her apartment he held her hand.
"Thank you," she said with a smile.
"You had a good time?"
"I had a wonderful time."
"She adored you. I knew she would."
Olivia smiled as they sat down on the stoop.
"She is a very sweet lady."
"I usually pick her up and take her to church on Sundays. So it threw her off a bit when I showed up on a Thursday."
"Thank you for introducing me to her."
"I figured she should meet the girl I intend to marry."
"I have to go," Olivia motioned for the apartment door behind her. "If I'm too late she'll flip out."
"Can I see you tomorrow?"
"Well, I'm not quite sure about tomorrow. But I was thinking maybe you could pick me up at the café around the corner around ten thirty."
"Really? What about your mother?"
"She'll be asleep. As long as I am back in bed before she wakes up… I only have one two more days with you before you have to leave. I was thinking maybe we could have a little time alone." She leaned forward and placed her forehead against his as she stared into his eyes. "There's something I'd like to show you," she whispered as she winked at him.
Elliot laughed and Olivia smiled.
"Ten thirty?"
"Yes."
"I'll be there."
"I love you," she whispered kissing him passionately.
"I love you."
Elliot watched until she was safe inside the apartment.
