Previous Disclaimers Apply

Chapter 9

Olivia had been pacing the room for a while. Just watching her was making Natalia tired and nervous. Neither woman had any real idea how Emma was going to react. They were hoping for the best but planning for the worst. Then they heard a knock at the door. Olivia was near the door, so she reached over an opened it. There stood Emma and Phillip. Olivia half expected the child to make a bee-line for Natalia; but she didn't she was cautious and apparently scared.

"It's OK Em. You can go over to her and sit on the bed. She won't break; you can hug her." Olivia said.

She walked over to Natalia and climbed onto the bed. Natalia leaned forward and asked, "Can I have a hug from my Jellybean?"

Emma reached out to Natalia and gave her a big hug. Olivia motioned Phillip back into the hallway.

"Something wrong?" He asked.

"No, nothing's wrong. Natalia is being released the day after tomorrow."

"That's great."

"She's asked that Emma and I move back in and I said 'yes'."

"I think that is a great idea, Olivia. She'll need you while she recovers and Emma loves living at the farm."

"That's not all that it's about, Phillip."

Olivia took a deep breath. Phillip saw her hesitation.

"Olivia, have I not done enough to earn your trust? I followed all your rules while taking care of Emma. I hope that you can consider me a friend."

"I need to know that you meant what you said?" Olivia finally responded.

"What I said about what?"

"That you didn't have any issues of Emma living in a house with two women. Two women who are more than friends; two women who are in love with each other and are in a committed loving relationship. Did you mean that Phillip?"

"Yes, I meant it. I still do. Emma is wonderful. In spite of me, she is a beautiful loving child. I know that both you and Natalia are responsible for that.

"That's good, because we are. Natalia and I are in love with each other and when I move back to the farmhouse, I will be moving in as into to Natalia's bedroom. We are planning on telling Emma everything when I go back in there. I wanted you to know, so you can help explain things if for some reason Emma does not understand or has a problem with this."

"OK. I can do that. I think she'll understand and I know she'll be ecstatic to be moving back to the farmhouse."

"Alright. Good. Then let's go back in." Olivia replied.

When they entered the room Natalia and Emma were carrying on as they always did like nothing had happened. Olivia pulled the stool around to the other side of the bed next to Natalia while Phillip took a seat in the chair next to the wall away from the ladies. Olivia picked up Natalia's hand and they instinctively laced their fingers together.

"Emma, Natalia and I want to talk with you about something." Olivia said.

"It's not something bad, is it Mommy? Natalia you are getting better, right?"

"Yes, Em. I am. In fact, I am being released from the hospital the day after tomorrow."

"Yay!!!" The little girl exclaimed. "So that is what you wanted to tell me?" She asked.

"No, it's something else." Natalia said.

"Emma, you know that I love Natalia, right?" Olivia asked.

"Yes, Mommy, we both do."

"Well, the love I feel for Natalia is different than the love you feel for her. I am in love with Natalia and she is in love with me."

The little girl had a slightly confused look on her face. Then a smile appeared.

"Mommy, does Natalia give you butterflies in your stomach?"

"Yes, baby, she does and lots of them."

"Natalia, do you have butterflies for Mommy in your stomach?"

"Oh yes, Em. Big ones."

"So I have my Two Mommies back? We are a family again?"

"Almost, Jellybean, almost. Natalia has asked you and me to move back to the farmhouse." Olivia said.

"Really, we moving back home. We really are?" The little girl said excitedly.

"Yes Em, we are moving home; but it is going to be different."

"Different how?" Asked Emma.

"Remember when Natalia and I were going away on our spa trip and you were helping me pack. You asked if we could move back to the farmhouse. Do you remember that?"

"Yes, you said no, but that we might have something better."

"Right. Well, that something better is what is going to be different when we move back. Do you know what people in love do? How they show the other person that they loved them?"

"Don't be silly Mommy. They kiss."

"Yes, they do. Will you feel weird if you see me and Natalia kissing and we are talking more than a peck on the cheek?"

"No, I don't think so. That's what you are supposed to do, right? Why don't you show me?"

Olivia knew her daughter was wise beyond her years. She had such a warmth in her heart that she felt it was going to burst.

"Oh, OK. What do you say Princess? A kiss for Jellybean?"

"You'll find any excuse to kiss me, won't you?" Natalia asked.

"You bet." Olivia said as she leaned forward to Natalia and they pressed their lips against each others. It was a simple kiss, long. Olivia wanted to make a point to Emma and make sure she understood. She pulled away and then went back for a quick peck.

"So, Emma. How did seeing Natalia and I kiss make you feel?" Olivia asked.

Emma was giggling.

"What's so funny Jellybean?" Natalia asked.

"You kiss like a Mommy and Daddy kiss; but it's a Mommy and a Mommy. I like seeing you happy Mommy and you too Natalia. So if kissing each other makes you happy, then I'm happy. So when are we moving back home?"

"Well, there's one other thing Em. When we do move back home, I'll be moving into Natalia's room; I won't have my own room anymore. How do you feel about that?" Olivia asked.

"Well, Mommies and Daddies share the same room, so that is what you would do, right?"

"That wouldn't seem weird to you, Em?" Natalia asked.

"No, it's fine." The child replied.

"So, I guess it is settled then. Em, I am calling the movers right now. We need to get our stuff moved tomorrow and get settled in before Natalia comes homes."

"Yay!!!"

Emma leaned forward to hug Natalia, she sat up to accept and Olivia joined in from the side. They visited for a while longer; in the mean time, Olivia called the movers.

Olivia knew that she was going to be tied up moving the next day, so since Natalia could have visitors now, she called Buzz and Blake to let them know that they could see Natalia. Natalia was anxious to see Blake. She had accepted her job offer when she decided to resign from the Beacon, but she had not yet had a chance to start. She was hoping that Blake would hold her job for her.

The movers were there first thing and got everything from storage. Olivia and Emma mostly had suitcases in their suite at the Beacon, so that was easy enough for her to manage. Phillip offered to help as did Josh and Rafe for a while before he had to go to work. They were able to get all the boxes unpack and everything put back in its place, with the exception of Olivia's things which were put into Natalia's room.

Olivia and Emma were able to eat supper with Natalia. Lillian came by and watched over Emma for a while to give Olivia and Natalia a few minutes to themselves.

"Everything is ready for you to come home. I even went to the store. Rafe was really living like a bachelor."

"Are you going to be able to do this Olivia, take care of me, the kids and the Beacon?'

"Yes. I've got it all worked out. Greg and Ashlee have been doing well. I plan on going in a few hours each day or so, depending on how you are doing. Rafe will be there to help."

"But you are not going to have the luxury of room service. The kids, you, me, we all are going to need decent home cooked meals to eat. We can't live on take out."

"You won't. Maybe the occasional pizza; but I'll cook."

"Olivia, I know you think you can do anything; but preparing a balanced meal day in and day out is not that easy, especially when you will be cooking for four."

"Do worry, Princess, I've got it covered."

"How? Just how have you got it covered?"

"I never told you how I made my living before I bought the Beacon, did I."

"No, what are you trying to tell me that you are a gourmet chef or something."

A wicked grin came across Olivia's face.

"NO WAY!!! Olivia, you mean that I have been doing all the co-cooking this whole time and I thought you didn't know a spat-spat, a spoon from a measuring cup!? Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"Two reasons. One, I could see how much you enjoyed it, preparing the meal and then watching us eat and revel in the delicious concoctions you made."

"And two?" Natalia queried.

"Two, it was one of the few times I could just sit in the kitchen and watch you without you knowing that I was watching you (or what I was thinking while I was watching you)."

"And just what were you thinking, Ms. Spencer?"

"I realized that there are other uses for the kitchen table, the counter, the floor, the…" She couldn't finish her last sentence as Natalia had captured Olivia's mouth with hers. Tomorrow can't come soon enough Olivia thought to herself, as did Natalia.

TBC