Can I Say I love You
Summary: After My Two Mommies and Natalia leaving after setting Ms. Jennings straight to go out with Frank. Natalia tries to figure out what she is feeling. Will she continue to run to Frank or will she own up to what she is feeling? Will Olivia? Or will they keep pushing their hearts away?
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and I do not make any profit from this.
Chapter 9
When they arrived home Rafe headed off to bed and the girls sat on the porch to enjoy their cocoa. Natalia leaned into Olivia and sighed. "Thank you for giving him this opportunity."
Olivia just shook her head. "I'm not giving him anything. He earned it and he will continue to earn it. He deserves a chance to make something of himself and working in fast food is not going to get him anywhere. I only want what is best for him."
Natalia snuggled in closer. "I know you do. That's why I was thanking you. It's nice to have someone that shares my love for him and understands that he can be so much more if he could only have the opportunity to prove it. Thank you for loving him."
Olivia shifted and put her arm around Natalia and pulled her face up to meet her eyes. "You never have to thank me for loving our son. You told me the last time I thanked you for loving Emma that you don't need to be thanked. You told me that loving Emma was like breathing, it was just what god intended for you to do. I feel the same about Rafe so please don't thank me. Let's just love our children and leave it at that, ok?"
Natalia smiled through her tears and placed a chaste but lingering kiss on Olivia's cheek then leaned in and snuggled her face into her neck. "Ok."
Olivia tightened her arms and they just held on breathing each other in. Olivia shifted more comfortably on the bench pulling Natalia with her, not wanting to let go. After a few moments she sighed. "Can we talk about earlier now or do you want to wait until later?"
Natalia looked up at her confused. "What about?"
"About what you said at the wedding about not caring what people thought even though you definitely cared after Emma's presentation last week."
Natalia sighed and leaned back so that she could fully look into her eyes while they talked. "I'm sorry about that. I didn't handle that situation well at all and I'm afraid you got the wrong idea about how I felt about everything." She took a deep breath and looked out over the yard before softly saying, "I just was scared."
Olivia looked at her confused. "What were you scared of. You never have to be scared of me? I hope it wasn't me that scared you. If so I am so sorry."
Natalia quickly looked back to her and took her face in her hands. "I was not scared of you. You have nothing to be sorry for, so get that out of your head."
Olivia sighed and leaned in to connect their foreheads together. "Ok, then what was it?"
"You were so worked up over the whole thing. You seemed upset that people were thinking that. I understood before you decided to show me what you were talking about what was going on. I'm not that naive, I just didn't want to get into it all right then. I should have made that clear instead of playing dumb."
She sat back slightly and pulled her face up to look in her eyes better "Then you kissed me and I didn't know what to think. My mind totally blanked for a second then I asked you why and you back pedaled and I just…"
Before she could say more they heard tires on the drive and both turned to look as they heard a car pull in. They looked at each other in question and frustration then back to the car as it pulled to a stop and Frank stepped out.
Olivia cursed under her breath and Natalia just shook her head as they stood. Frank walked up to the porch and gave Natalia his lopsided puppy dog smile. "Hi Natalia, can we talk?"
She sighed heavily. "I don't know Frank, it's late and we were just about to head up to bed."
He moved forward up a step. "I know and I'm sorry for coming out so late but I really needed to talk to you."
"Fine, you have 10 minutes, talk." She crossed her arms over her chest just wanting to get it over with. She wasn't happy about being interrupted when she and Olivia were finally talking.
He gave a sideways glare at Olivia then looked back to Natalia. "Can we talk alone?"
Natalia shook her head. "Anything you have to say you can say in front of Olivia. I'd just tell her later and I'd feel better with her here anyway."
He didn't look happy about it but didn't protest any further. "Ok, I um… I wanted to apologize for the other day and that night. I shouldn't have kissed you like that but then you came to dinner that night and I just thought…"
Natalia held up a hand to stop him. "I'm sorry if I led you on with that. I was having a weird day and I honestly shouldn't have accepted your offer to go to dinner without expressing that it was as friends only but…"
He moved forward and cut her off. "It's ok. I understand that you are just not ready to date right now. Pop talked to me and helped me understand. I just wanted you to know that I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. I'll wait until you are ready to date again. We'll just be friends until then cause honey you are so worth the wait."
Natalia just stared at him stunned for a moment then snapped out of it as she heard a growl coming from next to her. She looked up at Olivia briefly putting a hand on her back to calm her then looked back to Frank. "I think you both totally misunderstood all of that Frank…"
"No I understand baby you just need time." He rushed forward and she and Olivia both shift so that she's slightly behind her and he frowns slightly at them.
The low growl was there again and she soothingly starts rubbing Olivia's back with the hand that is still there. "Stop calling me that Frank. I'm not your baby and I don't need time. I just don't want to date you or any other man. I have my family here with Olivia and the kids and it's all I need."
He started to speak again and she held up a hand to stop him. "And even if I didn't have those things I still wouldn't want to date you Frank. I just don't feel that way about you at all. You are just not my type and never will be. You have been a great friend to me Frank and I want to be able to stay friends but if you don't stop pursuing a romantic relationship with me we won't even be that anymore."
He just looks between them and shakes his head. "You need more than just your friends and son in your life Natalia. You need to take time for yourself. Women have needs just as much as men do, both emotionally and physically…"
"Oh Frankie her needs are taken care of, don't you worry about that. She has all she needs right here in our home." At this point Olivia has had enough. Natalia has told the man she doesn't want him and he just won't quit so she cut him off.
Frank starts turning red and shaking as she feels Natalia tense up beside her. Afraid she's gone too far she turns to look pleadingly into Natalia's eyes begging her to understand that she just trying to get him to back off. Natalia just smiles with a slight nod and they turn back to Frank as he explodes.
"What the hell Olivia. You can't just say stuff like that and give people the wrong idea. She's a god fearing woman for heaven sakes. You need to leave your innuendos for your own bedroom and your many, many men."
Natalia steps in front of Olivia and pushes Frank back a step. "You don't get to come to our home and talk to her that way. She's only telling you the truth. I just told you that all I need is my family. Olivia and our kids are my family and they are all I need physically and emotionally. You just need to back off and not talk to her like that ever again. I won't have it."
"You can't be serious. You're telling me you two are together? I don't believe it. You are not this way Natalia, neither is Olivia. She likes men way too much." He's exasperated and pacing now.
"Oh for heaven sake," They are both just done with dealing with him and Olivia spins Natalia around to face her. She quickly looks at her lips and Natalia gives a slight nod before they both move forward and their lips meet.
The idea was to just give him a big ass clue but the moment their lips met they both totally forgot he was there. Olivia shifted and pulled Natalia into her closer. Natalia moved her hands from Olivia's shoulders up into her hair and they just lost themselves in each other.
Olivia ran her tongue over her bottom lip begging entrance but before Natalia could comply she was being pulled back.
"Stop this is just wrong!" Frank yells pulling Natalia to him and away from Olivia.
Olivia surged forward to grab her but they all stopped at the voice rushing out of the house. "Get away from my mothers Frank."
He wedged himself between them and pushed Natalia back into Olivia's arms then leveled himself on Frank. "Keep your hands off them you son of a bitch."
Frank looked up at him incredulously. "You don't understand what just happened."
Rafe shook his head angrily. "I know exactly what just happened. I've been standing at the door since right after you got here. I was just letting them take care of it unless they needed help. You've been told that you are not wanted here and you need to leave before you do anything else more stupid then grabbing my ma and I have to keep my mom from killing you again because if I hadn't come out that's what would have happened."
Frank turned his attention back to Natalia only to see her in Olivia's arms with both of them glaring at him and Olivia rubbing Natalia's arm where he grabbed her. He shakes his head and backs up. "This isn't over. I know this is a farce and you'll see in time that Olivia is poison and I'll be right here waiting for you."
Natalia pulled away from Olivia and moved in beside Rafe with Olivia moving so they are flanking her. "I told you not to talk about her that way. I will never want you Frank. LEAVE!"
He huffed and turned away rushing to his car and angrily pealing out of the drive. Natalia deflates the moment he is out of sight and falls into Olivia's arms. "My god why won't he just leave me be?"
Olivia kisses her head and sighs holding her close. "I don't know but I think it's time to talk to Doris about a restraining order or at least having a talk with the ass about staying away."
Rafe turned into them and put his arms around them. "Are you ok Ma? Did he hurt your arm? Do you need anything?"
Natalia turned her head and kissed his cheek. "I'm ok mijo I promise. I think I just need to sleep, I'm exhausted."
He nods and kisses them both on the cheek before releasing his hold. "Ok, I'm going to go back to bed unless you need anything else."
Olivia smiles and cups his cheek. "What made you come down? We thought you were asleep."
He shrugs. "I wasn't asleep yet. I was on the phone talking to Ashley talking about my new job when I heard the car in the drive. I saw that it was Frank and after Company the other day I decided to come down just to make sure you were ok. I wasn't planning on coming out unless I was needed. I knew once he touched you that Liv was going to kill him so I stepped in."
Olivia scoffed. "I could have handled Frank."
Rafe just chuckled. "I know you could mad dog but I kind of like having you here with us and didn't want you to go to jail for murder so I stepped in."
She just shook her head amused. "Fine, I concede your point. Now go on to bed baby, I'll make sure she gets settled in bed." He nods again as he makes his way back inside.
Natalia turns back into Olivia and buries her face in her neck. "I'm so tired of dealing with him. I don't understand why he won't stop."
Olivia pulled her closer and holds tight. "I don't know but I'm serious about talking to Doris. He needs to stop. I was so afraid he was going to hurt you trying to get you away from me."
Natalia sighed into her, gently kissed her cheek then pulled back slightly. "I agree with talking to Doris, we'll call her tomorrow. I'm ok, he didn't hurt me but I really just want to go to bed. Can we finish our talk later? I know we really need to finish it but I'm just…"
Olivia took her face in her hands and stopped her. "Hey, it's fine we can talk anytime. I'm not going anywhere. Let's go up and get you in bed."
Natalia deflated in relief. "Thank you. Can you… would you mind…"
Olivia brushed her thumbs over her cheeks. "Do you want me to stay with you tonight?" Natalia nods and Olivia pulls her back into her arms. "Then I'll stay with you. I'll sleep better myself that way too. Come on let's head up."
They pulled away from each other slightly and went inside. They locked up and went up the stairs going to their separate rooms to change for bed. A few minutes later Olivia called out for Natalia to come in as she knocked on her door. Natalia came in and they got in bed with her quickly finding her way into Olivia's arms resting her head on what was turning into her spot.
Since Rafe had been in the hospital they have spent more night sleeping in each other's bed for one reason or another than separately and this position is usually how they fall asleep. She sighs in contentment and kisses Olivia's jaw. "Thank you Liv, goodnight."
Olivia just smiles and kisses her head. "Anytime Talia, goodnight sweetheart."
Neither wanted to dwell on everything that happened or examine it any of it further that night and they quickly fell asleep in each other's arms content to just be together.
A/N: Hello my lovelies. Frank is an ass, what do you think of how they handled him? Sorry for the delayed update. Things are settling down now so I hope to update more often. Up next: a family Sunday, talking with Doris and more work at the Beacon.
