They stood like that for a few minutes , her arms around his waist. His arms limply around her. When she drew back she saw the emotion in his expression. He was broken. "Wine, Beer or something stronger?". "Something stronger" he said and she grabbed a bottle of whiskey from Ireland that was old but very good. She poured two on the rocks and took the bottle back to the couch , they would need it. He was unshaven, still handsome but his eyes , well looking at them was soul destroying. He took a slug of his whiskey and she waited. "So why are you here alone?" He asked before she had the chance to speak.. She hadn't expected this , instead thinking they would discuss him. She gulped "I need to think about something else before we get into it. Before I rehash the moment I caught some prick in bed with my wife so let's talk about you first". Olivia couldn't deny him that , knowing his mind had probably been filled with thoughts and images of Galina for the past few days so instead she said "I'm an orphan".
Roman looked at her the way people did whenever she told them this. With pity. It enraged her. People treated you different when you had no family , sympathetic, they smiled and asked lots of questions. When she had left Ireland all those years ago , she wanted a fresh start and so when people asked about her family , she deflected. It was a topic she hated to discuss, it was also probably why she never had a long term relationship she would have to explain it all to them. "Don't give me that look , it's the reason why I don't tell people. They died in a car crash when I was five, I was an only child. So we're my parents. So it was just me". He was looking at her differently already and she knew it. Poor little Olivia they would think. "I was raised in different foster homes and when I was 17 , I got a scholarship from the government and studied medicine. I left Ireland when qualified , and haven't really been back since." She didn't want to tell people that she had nowhere to go for Christmas because they would invite her and there was nothing worse than sitting around a family table but always being the guest or the outsider. She met Romans eyes waiting for the onslaught of questions , but he had read her expression and words correctly "Well I see your orphan status and raise you a cheating wife and my first Christmas morning without seeing my daughter" . She raised a glass back and took a gulp "So come on then , let's hear it. We can vote on who is more depressing then". He gave her a tight lipped smile.
"There was a car parked outside the house when I got there. I didn't take much notice when I went in. I knew JoJo would be asleep so I had gotten some flowers and wine thinking we could have a romantic evening.". His expression was hard and he seemed to be right there in that moment as he told the story. "The living room and kitchen had lights on but no tv or radio so I thought she was maybe taking a shower in our bathroom. I was outside the door when I heard voices hers , and a mans. I had to see it for myself but I already knew before I opened the door. She just looked me in the face and her reaction was one of shock but also relief I think, like it was finally out in the open. The dude jumped out of the bed afraid I was going to beat the shit out of him. But I couldn't. I just turned around and left.". Olivia hasn't expected Galina to be so cold , they had been together for years. "Did she follow you or try to explain , maybe it was just a once off or she was missing you.." "No" he said, a little too loudly. "It's an affair been going on a while and she is in love with him". Olivia was amazed , Roman seemed like such a good guy. How had this happened. "I should have known something was wrong , she was distant , didn't like spending time alone with me. That's why I had to pick up JoJo that night. She didn't want to be with me in case I asked questions". He was devastated she could see it , but he was also very calm, a little too calm.
"Roman, don't get mad but you seem very calm. Like I think I would prefer it if you smashed a glass or had punched that guy . He contemplated what she said "I am beyond sad for my daughter , I wanted us to be a family. But I can't make someone love me, I thought about fighting for her , winning her back. But what's the point? The passion has been gone for some time. It feels more like we are friends now and like I love her , I always have but that spark and connection , it's been dulling and I guess we should have worked harder to keep it alive. She found someone who gives her that again. And it's not me". He sounded so emotionless and accepting , but it had to be affecting him more than he was letting on. This front he was putting on had to be an act , she had seen how he had spoken about His family he loved them dearly. "Well I'm not here to push you but you're not fooling me, it has to hurt , even if you won't admit it". He studied her , his eyes burning into hers "How about you don't push me about this and I won't push you about your family?". "But then won't we just be pretending ? You know running away from our problems ?". He leaned across her to grab the bottle of whiskey and he was so close she could smell him. "You need to shower , as a friend , you stink". He smiled , "Yeah I have been kind of letting things go last few days , have you got a spare room by the way or am I on the couch?". She was startled "What? You can stay of course...". He stood up unfazed and for the first time she noticed a duffle bag he had brought with him. "There is a spare room next to mine but won't your family be expecting you , I mean it's Christmas Eve". He stopped moving at looked at her and she could tell he was deciding on what to say "They know I am here , I told them about you and they thought I should come. Oh and I will see them , because we are driving back to Pensacola in the morning". Olivia's jaw dropped open , it was everything she hated about telling people she had no family, he was doing the one thing that she absolutely loathed. He wanted her to sit around a strange table with a family she didn't know and spend Christmas with them. "That's not happening, if I wanted to do that I would have went with Finn to his family. I hate all that stuff, please don't make me do it". His face visibly softened and he came towards her, "Liv, i will be honest it's purely selfish of me , if you are there then they won't spend every minute grilling me about Galina and what I am going to do next. I can take my mind off things a bit too , show you around Pensacola. It would be a welcome distraction , and yes you may hate people feeling sorry for you , but my family will treat you like one of their own , meaning no feeling sorry for yourself and dwelling on shit, besides it's not healthy to be alone at times like this. So I am asking as a favour for me really?". She didn't know whether to believe him or not but what was she to do. "Ok" she whispered. He nudged her good naturedly "Good now I am going to shower". "Third door on the left , towels are on the shelf by the sink and the spare room is the next door down".
While Roman showered Olivia decided to cook , she was suddenly starving and they would have a long day ahead tomorrow. She decided to use the small turkey and she set some bread and tossed a salad , she had some potatoes that she sliced and fried with some herbs. She put on a Christmas playlist on Spotify as she went about her business and sipped on her whiskey, she had just put the finishing touches on when Roman reappeared, "Wow that smells delicious, I am actually starving". She took in his clean clothes and his hair wet and down like he wore it to the ring. He looked better. "Well no point in letting the turkey go to waste". She watched as he pulled his hair up into a bun and came to the table his stockinged feet heavy on the floor boards. He got their glasses and told her to sit down so he would refill them and they began to eat. Olivia watched him , suddenly ravenous, devouring the food , piling his plate high. "These potatoes are so good, I have never tasted them like this before". . She smiled at him "it's an old recipe from home , one of my foster moms made them like that". She could tell he wanted to ask more but didn't want to push. "I will tell you all of it but not now , is that cool?". He just nodded and she was glad to see he looked a bit more like himself.
Olivia and Roman sat back in their chairs after dinner both full from the food. "Thanks for that, I haven't eaten right in days". "I would imagine it's all a bit surreal right now , but just take it a day at a time". This time Roman didn't object , instead accepting her advice and nodding. It was getting late but neither of them made the move to call it a night . Instead they washed up together in comfortable silence listening to the Christmas music before lighting the Christmas tree and the candles and putting on a classic Christmas movie - Home Alone. Easy to watch but enough to distract them both. As she sat in the candlelight and Christmas lights , Olivia secretly felt that this was the best Christmas Eve she had ever experienced , but immediately felt guilty beside of the circumstances that had brought Roman to her door. When the movie finished she looked across and saw that Roman had fallen into a deep sleep, he looked so peaceful and she decided to leave him be , he hadn't slept well since he found out about the affair . She grabbed a blanket and draped it over him, taking care not to wake him and then she turned the lights off and went to bed. As she settled down herself to sleep, Olivia marvelled at how life could change in the blink of an eye .