AN: I'm back with another long "Five Tears" update! :) Thanks to xxMissCutiexx, IheartORANGE, XLoendLOLiver4evaX, princess cutie, durangokid03, xXLysXxNoodlesXx, and Spencer-Sweetie for their reviews of the previous chapter. I know I took a little long to get this out to you, but this is the final tear. It had to be near perfect, or I wasn't going to start posting. It looks like this well be a three-parter once more. Check out this first part and let me know what you think by R/R.
Oliver and Lilly were the proudest parents in all of Malibu. Heather Lillian Oken was only six years old, but was definitely the greatest joy in her parent's lives. Oliver already treated her like a princess, even though she took more after Lilly's early childhood tom-boy stage. The three of them together seemed to make up a typical story-book family.
Heather looked a lot like her mom. She had Lilly's long, blondish brown hair. Except for her eye color, which she acquired from Oliver, Heather looked nearly identical to Lilly when she was young. She had that same cute smile that made it hard to yell at her. Of course, Heather hardly misbehaved; a gene that Lilly was thankfully Oliver did not pass along.
After Heather was born, Lilly naturally took some time off of work to stay with her. Eventually, she decided to work from home so that she would always be there for her daughter. Oliver kept working at his same job, and he was moving up the ranks quickly. Because of this, he very rarely had to travel out of town anymore. He wanted to be able to come home to his wife a daughter every night. That was the vision that Oliver had always pictured.
It was autumn in Malibu. Although all the seasons pretty much look and feel the same, there was always a change in the Oken household. Usually, it was for one special reason; Lilly and Oliver's wedding anniversary.
Lilly and Oliver were standing down at the end of their block. Dana Stevens, their neighbor that had came to Lilly's baby shower, was also there. They were waiting for Heather's school bus to bring her and the other kids in the neighborhood home.
"I swear this bus gets later and later every day." Lilly mumbled.
"Wait till your little one hits junior high. It's never on time." Mrs. Stevens said. Her oldest daughter Sarah was only five when Heather was born, but she had twins who were a year younger than Heather.
"Oh, we have a while yet before we have to worry about that." Oliver chimed in. He wrapped his arm around Lilly's shoulder.
"That's what I thought." Mrs. Stevens replied. "They grow up before you know it."
"Time has flown by rather quickly." Lilly said, looking up at Oliver. "The 23rd's Saturday."
"You say that like I didn't know." Oliver replied, giving her a funny look.
"How long?" Dana asked, knowing exactly what the date was about.
"Ten years." Oliver announced proudly as he grabbed Lilly's waist and pulled her closer to him.
"Ah, yes. Ten years married to this donut right here." Lilly said, poking Oliver in the stomach. He fidgeted a little bit and tried not to laugh.
"Congratulations." Dana said. "What do you have up your sleeves this year, Oliver?"
"It's a secret." Oliver said, winking.
"It's true." Lilly told their neighbor. "All I know is we're going to be out all this weekend. That's all that he'll tell me."
"Sounds like a real adventure." Dana replied.
Before any details about the anniversary surprise could be uncovered, the three saw the elementary bus round the corner.
"I wonder what Heather's going to say when she sees you're here." Lilly said to Oliver. "It'll be a first."
The bus pulled up at the stop and opened its door. Kyle and Kylie, the Stevens twins, got off first, followed by Heather.
"Hi mom!" Heather said, cheerfully. It took a second for it to register that Oliver was standing there, too.
"Daddy!" Heather gasped, running over to Oliver and flinging her arms around his mid section. She was tall for a first grader, but that's a high as she could reach.
"Hey sweety." Oliver said, bending down to kiss her on the head. "Surprised to see me?"
"Yeah." Heather replied. She was still hugging her dad. "You're never home. Mommy gets me."
"Well, daddy got out of work early today and thought he'd meet his little girl at the bus stop." Oliver said, smiling.
"C'mon, Heather. Lets start heading home." Lilly said. Heather let go of Oliver and the three started walking back to their house.
"So how was school today?" Lilly asked as they walked.
"Good." Heather answered.
"What did you learn?" Oliver asked. He remembered all the times when his mother would ask that same question and how much he hated it. Now he understood what it was like to be on the other side.
"Stuff." Heather replied with a little giggle.
"That's what your dad always said." Lilly explained. "Only sometimes daddy would fall asleep in class and I'd have to wake him up before the teacher caught him."
"And sometimes you were a little too late!" Oliver added. Lilly just laughed.
"You and mommy went to school together?" By this time, they were walking up the porch stairs and into their house.
"Yep." Oliver answered. "We met in preschool."
"Wow. That's a long time!" Heather replied. "You must really love mommy a lot!"
"I do." Oliver kissed Lilly. "That's why we're going on a trip this weekend."
"A trip? Disney Land!?" Heather asked excitedly.
"Sorry, sweetheart, not this time." Lilly explained.
"It's just your mom and I." Oliver added.
"You're...leaving me?" Heather had the look on her face like she was about to well up. Oliver was quick to explain as best as he could.
"This is a special trip for us. Saturday is mommy and daddy's anniversary."
"What's that?" Heather asked.
"That's a special day each year where two grown ups celebrate the day they got married." Lilly joined in to help Oliver.
"Oh." Heather replied. She was still a little confused.
"It's..it's sort of like...a birthday." Oliver said. "Yeah, that's it. It's like a birthday that me and your mom share."
"But if it's your guys birthday, why are you leaving?" Heather looked up at her parents with that sweet innocent look of hers.
"It's only for a few days." Oliver said, rubbing her head. "Anniversaries are meant to be spent with the one you love...alone." Heather still gave an awkward look.
"It may be confusing now, "Lilly told her daughter " but you'll understand when you're older."
"When are you leaving?" Heather was full of questions.
"Very early tomorrow morning." Oliver replied. "You'll still be sleeping."
"But when you leave, who's gonna watch me?" Heather asked. "Grandma Oken?"
"Oh shoot." Lilly heard Oliver mutter under his breath.
"You didn't call your mother and ask her, did you?" Lilly asked, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at Oliver.
"Uh, haha, funny story about that." Oliver scratched his head, nervously as he tried to hide his mistake. Lilly kept glaring at him until he broke down. "Oh, alright! It completely slipped my mind!" Oliver confessed. "I was...I just had too much on my mind about planning this trip. I wanted to make it really special for our ten years."
"It's ok, Oliver." Lilly said with a sigh. "I'll just check with my mother."
"I don't care who watches me." Heather chimed in. "Just please don't let it be Uncle Jackson."
"Why don't you want Uncle Jackson?" Lilly questioned. Even though the Okens weren't related to the Stewarts, they were definitely like family to each other.
"Last time he drew a smiley face on his stomach and made it talk." Heather's eyes widened as she explained. "It was creepy!"
"He still does that stupid thing!?" Oliver asked Lilly. She shrugged in response. "Oh no, honey." Oliver assured. "It won't be Uncle Jackson. He lives too far away, anyway."
"I know! Get Aunt Miley!" Heather shouted. Oliver and Lilly both looked at each other.
"I don't know, Heather." Lilly said. "Aunt Miley's...pretty busy most of the time."
"She's always busy! I never get to see her!" Heather whined.
"Well that's because she-" Oliver stopped himself before he said anything he would regret. "She travels a lot for her job."
"Last time, she taught me a cool dance!" Heather announced. "Please get Aunt Miley to come! Please!?"
Oliver watched as Heather did her best puppy dog face. She was a good beggar. Lilly, believe it or not, was a little more firm with her response to her daughters' actions. Oliver, on the other hand, was and always had been a sucker for that look. Lilly and Heather could get him to do nearly anything just by showing him that face.
"Oh Lilly, can't you at least call her?" Oliver asked. "It won't hurt."
"Yes, Ollie. I'll save your butt yet again." Lilly replied. Oliver gave her a funny look, but Heather was very happy at her parents were at least going to try to contact Miley.
"You're the best! I love you, daddy!" Heather said, hugging Oliver. He bent down and lifted his little girl in the air.
"I love you, too, little one. Mom and I will try our best to get Aunt Miley to stay with you...but if it doesn't happen, you won't be mad at us, will you?"
"Nope." Heather replied.
"Will I still be the best?" Oliver asked, winking.
"Uh huh!" Heather kissed Oliver on the cheek.
"That's my girl." Oliver replied, setting her back down on the ground. He looked at Lilly. "Although I can't say your mom will feel the same way about me."
"Right now, I think you're the biggest donut ever." Lilly replied, playing slapping him. "But you're my donut." Lilly kissed Oliver to assure him that she wasn't mad. "I'm going to go call Miley and she what she's up to."
"Daddy, can I go practice on my skateboard in the driveway?" Heather tugged on Oliver shirt.
"Why don't your ride your bike instead?" Oliver suggested.
"But I wanna skateboard!" Heather cried.
"Skateboarding is mommy's things." Oliver replied. "I'm not so good at it."
"You don't have to skateboard. Just watch me do it!" Heather explained. Oliver sighed. He was caving. "C'mon, dadddy!" Heather shouted as she ran out to the garage to get her skateboard and helmet.
"I'm sorry this is so last minute," Lilly spoke to Miley on the phone while stirring a pot of sauce for the spaghetti she was making for dinner. "But you know Oliver."
"It's ok, Lilly." Miley replied. "I know exactly how he gets. He forgets everything when he's in a rush."
"He's a dork." Lilly said. "That's why I married him. He's cute, he's funny...and if I wasn't around to keep him in line, who would?"
"I've never seen a more perfect couple." Miley laughed.
"So...can you come stay with Heather this weekend?" Lilly asked. "I'd really appreciate it, and Heather would be so excited to see you again."
"You're lucky. I just got back from a mini tour on Monday." Miley said. "Sure, I'll watch Heather for you!"
"Thanks, Miley! You're a life saver!" Lilly replied.
"Hey, anything for my two best buds and my adorable little niece." Miley said. "The most important thing is that you go off with Oliver on your little trip and have a great time...oh, and to tell me all about it when you get back!"
"Oh, you know I will." Lilly laughed. "Some things never change."
"What time should I be there tomorrow?" Miley asked.
"Well according to Ollie, we're leaving pretty early in the morning...before Heather wakes up." Lilly explained.
"So Eight? Nine?" Miley went through a few different times.
"Uh...more like...six-thirty, sevenish?" Lilly asked, hoping the Miley wouldn't have too big or a reaction.
"Seven AM?" Miley asked. She sighed. "Only for you guys."
"Don't blame me, blame Oliver!" Lilly replied. "Like I said, he's a dork and set this all up on his own."
"I know, I know." Miley said. "I'll be there around seven then...but you owe me for getting up this early, Oken!"
"You sound like you're scolding Oliver back in high school." Lilly said with a laugh.
"But this time, I mean you!" Miley said.
Lilly and Miley shared a laugh and an old high school memory when Lilly heard footsteps coming up the basement stairs.
"Miley, I have to go. Oliver and Heather are coming back from skateboarding and-" Before she could finish, she heard Oliver let out a small yell in pain. "I have to tend to his injuries."
"Alright." Miley laughed. "I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Mom!" Heather called out as her and Oliver made their way up stairs. "Daddy got hurt again!" Lilly had turned around just in time to see Oliver limp up from the last step.
"What did you do this time?" She asked him, trying to hold back a laugh.
"I was just seeing if I remembered how to do that one trick you taught me when we were sixteen." Oliver explained. "But I guess not."
"No surprise there." Lilly replied. "At least Heather came back in one piece."
"I wore my helmet and stuff!" Heather replied proudly.
"There's not a safety device in the whole world that could keep your father from getting hurt." Lilly said. "He's a clumsy one."
"Daddy needs a band aid." Heather said. She pointed to Oliver's right knee where the pants he was wearing had torn open slightly and a small scrape was bleeding.
"Tell you what." Lilly started. "Dinner will be done pretty soon. Why don't you go upstairs and wash your hands, and when you're up there, you can get daddy band aid."
"Ok." Heather replied with a smile. She turned to Oliver. "I'll be right back."
"My boo-boo hurts, mommy." Oliver whined sarcastically.
"Aww, you poor baby." Lilly played along, rubbing the top of his head, then quickly pulling her hand away because it was wet from Oliver's sweat.
"I think it needs a kiss to make it feel better." Oliver said, still playing the helpless young child role.
"Nope, I think it looks just fine." Lilly said. She watched as Oliver stuck his lower lip out as if he were pouting. "But wait. I see another boo-boo." She moved close to Oliver to kiss his lower lip. "Better?" She asked in a sweet voice.
"For now." Oliver answered. "It's going to start hurting again real soon."
"Here's your band aid!" Heather came running into the living room holding a lime green band aid in her hand.
"Thanks sweety." Oliver said as she handed the band aid to him.
"Go sit in your chair at the table." Lilly told her daughter. "I'll be getting your spaghetti in a second."
"Need any help?" Oliver offered.
"You just go tend to your "boo-boo" and sit down." Lilly patted him on the back. "I got this."
"This is really good." Oliver told his wife as they were eating at the kitchen table.
"Of course it is. The sauce is an old Truscott family recipe." Lilly replied proudly.
"Mommy, did you call Aunt Miley yet?" Heather asked out of the blue.
"I did, actually." Lilly replied after taking a sip of her glass of water. "She is home this weekend, and she said she'd be more than happy to come stay with you while we're gone."
"Well that was lucky." Oliver said.
"Yay!" Heather replied. "We're going to have so much fun!"
"I'm sure you will." Lilly said.
"I'm done!" Heather announced. She started to get up to leave the table.
"Woah, woah." Oliver stopped her. "You didn't eat your salad."
"But daddy!" Heather whined. "I have to go get stuff ready for Aunt Miley!"
"She won't be here until you wake up tomorrow morning." Oliver explained.
"That's why I have to get stuff ready now!" Heather replied.
"Finish you salad and then you can do whatever it is you wanted to do." Oliver said. Heather didn't whine or pout for a response. She may have given him a slight glare, but did was she was told.
"You actually made Heather eat her salad tonight." Lilly said to Oliver in slight disbelief after coming back from putting her to bed for the night. "It's odd for you to tell her to do something that I would normally say."
"You're impressed with my parenting skills, huh?" Oliver replied smiling.
"I am." Lilly answered, sitting down next to Oliver on the couch. "You're quite skilled in that, Mr. Oken."
"I only learned from the best." Oliver replied, kissing her cheek.
"So..." Lilly started, looking around the room. "Where're we going tomorrow?" She asked, snapping her head back to face Oliver.
"Oh, I get it now. I see what you're doing." Oliver replied. "You're not going it get it from me just by being sweet and sly, you know."
"Hey, I have my ways." Lilly warned.
"So do I." Oliver poked at Lilly's side and jumped a little. "Don't make me use these." He said, twiddling his fingers.
"You wouldn't." Lilly replied, but it was too late. Oliver was already tickling her side. Lilly fell over down on to her back on the couch, but this didn't stop Oliver.
"Who has better ways now?" Oliver asked, but Lilly was busy laughing. She was begging him to stop and tried to free her self from his reach. Once she saw that there wasn't an escape, she reached up with her hands and pulled Oliver down so that they were laying inches part from each other's face. He stopped what he was doing, because Lilly had grabbed his hands and wasn't letting them go.
"I win." She smiled up at Oliver. "Now where are we going?"
"I don't exactly consider this a loss for me." Oliver replied winking. "But ok. If you really want to know..."
"I do, so spill it." Lilly commanded.
"Ok." Oliver sighed and got up from the previous position. "It's a place you really love and always wanted to stay there."
"Paris!?" Lilly squealed, sitting up as well.
"No, it's not Paris." Oliver replied quietly. "I promise I take you there one day, Lills. I know I've been saying that for years now, but I still have to save quite a lot for that."
"That's ok." Lilly told him. "I don't have to go to Paris. Anywhere you'd take me I'd love."
"Even that cabin in the woods that we visited years back up state?" Oliver asked concerned.
"That really pretty one that I wanted to buy when we first got married and move up there?" Lilly asked.
"That's the one." Oliver replied. "I rented it out for the weekend. The whole place is ours."
"Aww, it's so beautiful there!" Lilly replied.
"It's a whole different side of California." Oliver explained. "Now that it's late September, it's going to be ever better."
"It's so peaceful, too." Lilly added.
"The perfect place for quietly little romantic getaway." Oliver said, wrapping his arms around Lilly and pulling her close.
"You're the sweetest, Ollie." Lilly said, nesting her head on his chest. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Oliver answered. He tilted her head up for a long kiss.
"It's late." Lilly said, once they broke away from their kiss. "I told Miley to be here by seven."
"Well we have to get on the road that early if we plan on making it up state in time for the actual anniversary date." Oliver explained.
"That means I have to be up at five to finish getting ready." Lilly said.
"You're not done packing yet?" Oliver asked.
"Am I ever done packing early?" Lilly replied.
"It's only three days." Oliver said.
"You know how I am." Lilly reminded.
"Hey, whatever floats your boat." Oliver replied. "Just as long as you're happy."
"I'm heading up to bed then." Lilly announced as she got up. "Coming?" Oliver nodded and got headed up stairs.
Lilly climbed in to bed. She had left the small lamp on her nightstand on until Oliver came in.
"Oliver?" Lilly called out quietly. "Where are you?"
Oliver was standing just out side the door way of Heather's room. He watched from a distance as his daughter slept soundly in her bed, cuddling the bear that Miley had bought as a shower gift. She looked so much like Lilly. Oliver hated the thought of leaving her tomorrow, and he knew that she didn't want him and Lilly to leave either.
"Oliver?" Lilly repeated.
"Oh, uh, coming." He answered his wife. "Night, little one. I love you." He spoke softly so Heather wouldn't wake up. Oliver smiled and walked into his and Lilly's bedroom.
"Where were you?" Lilly asked.
"I was watching Heather." Oliver replied, climbing into bed. "She looks so cute and innocent when she's sleeping."
"She does." Lilly agreed.
"She's my little Lilly." Oliver said, rolling over on his side to face his wife. "I thought I lucky to have one. Now I've been blessed with two beautiful girls whom I love more than anything."
"Oh Oliver." Lilly kissed him.
"Lets get some rest for the big day tomorrow." Oliver suggested. Lilly reached over and turned off the lamp. She rolled back and cuddled against Oliver's chest. Oliver held her in that spot, snuggling up close. His face was pressed against Lilly's back.
"This is going to be the best anniversary trip ever." The words vibrated through Lilly's back as he quietly spoke. Lilly felt it, but didn't answer. She was already drifting off to sleep in Oliver's warm, safe arms.
Just some cute Loliver fluffy going on in this chapter, but well worth it I'd say. :) By the way, I hated to named this chapter after that song when it's not a songfic, but I spent a few hours just thinking on a good enough title that fits well, but wouldn't give away to much of the ending. I'm going to be pretty busy these next few days, but I will, try to get part up by mid next week. Thanks for reading!
-drummer8907