I DO NOT OWN ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN THIS STORY BESIDES THE OC'S.
Leslie's Point of View-
I didn't wake up until I heard my daughters voice and her shaking me which caused me to finally open my eyes.
"Mommy?" Olivia asked looking up seeing my daughter on the edge of the bed on all fours looking at me.
"Morning Olivia." I said.
"I overslept mommy, it's 7:30." Olivia said.
"You want to stay home today, you haven't missed a day yet this year..." I said.
"Do I have to mommy?" Olivia asked.
"Mommy isn't feeling well today Olivia..." I lied not wanting her to know I was emotionally drained.
"Were you crying mommy?" Olivia asked sitting down beside me.
"Yeah, I'm in pain and when your in pain you cry."
"You want me to go call Neal?" Olivia asked climbing on top of me.
"No Olivia, he's probably heading to work...you want to go get breakfast?" I asked running my hand through her hair.
"Okay mommy, anything to make you feel better." Olivia said.
"Alright, let's go get some breakfast." I said as I stood up helping her up and we headed out of the apartment complex to get some breakfast at Olivia's favorite restaurant, McDonalds. I wanted to spend the day with my daughter and try to get my mind off of Neal, it was hard but I put a smile on and enjoyed talking with my daughter, I could learn so much from her and after she ate she wanted to play in the kids area so I cleaned up going into the kids area watching her play in the jungle gym smiling remembering last night and chuckling about the whole thing, it was truly one of the best dates or Valentines Days I have had.
"Mommy, you feeling better?" Olivia asked leaning against the rope on the bridge.
"Yes I am..." I said smiling.
"Good...watch me go down the slide..." Olivia said as she went to the slide sliding down into the ball pen, she ran through the jungle more and finding new things each time she did so. After she got tired out, we went back to our apartment where we lounged on the bed watching television, and I was trying so hard not to fall asleep as well and I was tempted not to go into work but I had to. I begun to get ready for work, I sat down pulling my shoes one when Olivia sat up sitting beside me, "Do you have to go to work?" Olivia asked.
"Yes Olivia, we need the money."
"No we don't..." Olivia said.
"Yes we do, as you get older you will understand and I need to be responsible." I said.
"Missing one day isn't bad, you always told me that." Olivia said.
"That I did, but mommy hasn't missed a day yet and don't want to start." I said kissing the top of her head.
"Okay, I'll go get ready." Olivia said as she went into the bathroom knowing that she was going to use the bathroom before we left and I tied my shoes and pulled my hair back into a ponytail putting a tie in it. "I'm ready." Olivia said as she walked out buckling her pants.
"Alright..." I said as I turned off the television grabbing my keys and wallett before I opened the door letting Olivia walk out before I walked out shutting the door behind me locking it as I caught up with my daughter that was heading down the stairs. We walked to my work, I honestly didn't want to be there but I had to work for this money.
"Leslie, there you are." Melanie said.
"Am I late?" I asked concerned.
"No, I wanted to tell you the good news." Melanie said.
"I got more shifts?" I asked.
"No, you got the waitress gig, you are training tonight with me." Melanie said.
"Oh my god, are you serious?" I asked excitedly.
"Is that good?" Olivia asked.
"Yes Olivia." I said smiling.
"Go get your apron, it's already set up with your name tag." Melanie said pointing to the pink apron that was hanging next to my old white one, I pulled it off the hook as Olivia was pulling herself up onto one of the chairs at the bar. I pulled on the pink apron tying it and it felt good.
"You get a new apron?" Olivia asked.
"Yep, I'm not a dishwasher anymore. I am a waitress." I said.
"I like the pink." Olivia said.
"Me too." I said smiling before I went to the window talking to the cook ordering Olivia dinner since we hadn't ate lunch besides just a few snacks. I then followed Melanie for the first few hours of my shift before I begun to do tables by myself. Towards end of my shift, Olivia was passed out on the counter again and I smiled before I turned around with the cup in hand to stir the milkshake I was making for a customer when I heard someone sitting in a chair at the bar and they cleared their throat. "Be with you in a moment sir." I said before I turned around to hand them a menu when I saw Neal sitting there holding the plush flower smiling. "Neal, what are you doing here?" I asked.
"This is a public place, I'm allowed here..." Neal said smiling.
"I'll be right back..." I said as I went and dropped the shake off before I slowly walked back to the bar not knowing what to say to Neal now that he was there. I walked back over standing in front of where he was sitting leaning against the counter.
"She's out like a light..." Neal said looking to my daughter.
"She usually is by this time." I said smiling a tad.
"You got the job?" Neal asked twirling the plush flower.
"Yeah...pink isn't really my color." I said.
"It's cute...but not as cute as the girl wearing it." Neal said.
"Leslie, table 3 needs refills." Melanie said.
"She's taking her lunch break." Neal said, Melanie turned around looking at Neal who smiled his bright smile and she looked to me.
"Lunch break, first time in years...it's past deserved." Melanie said smiling.
"Thanks, you want some coffee? It'll be on the house..." I said.
"Sure." Neal said smiling as he stood up picking Olivia up into his embrace heading to a booth as I poured both of our coffees making them to the way we like it and headed to where he was sitting laying Olivia down to where she rested her head on his lap. I set down the two cups of coffee before sliding in across from him. "You forgot your flower." He said handing it over to me.
"Thanks..." I said as I grabbed the flower holding it in my lap.
"What happened last night?" Neal asked, the one question that I have been regretting to hear.
"I freaked..."
"I figured that...why?" Neal asked.
"I haven't felt like this since Olivia's dad...I haven't been in a relationship nor been involved with a man since she was born...I guess I'm afraid..."
"Afraid of what?" Neal asked I looked from his blue eyes to my cup of coffee.
"Afraid that you'll leave me like he did, afraid that I will get my feelings hurt...it's not only me this time, I have Olivia and I don't want her feelings hurt especially with the attachment issues she has...afraid that we'll get hurt in the end and I won't ever be able to find someone again due to amount of hurt it had caused not only on me but on my daughter."
"Have I given you any reason that I would leave?" Neal asked.
"No..."
"Then why are you afraid that I'll leave?" Neal asked.
"Because my ex-boyfriend did..." I said.
"Am I your ex-boyfriend?"
"No..."
"You don't need to worry nor be afraid about me leaving...if I was going to leave, I would of left by now don't you think?" Neal asked.
"Your right..."
"I'm always right..." Neal said smiling.
"Not always...so, where does this put our relationship?" I asked nervoulsy wishing I had a spoon or straw to twirl in a nervous type way.
"That depends...are we still up for Tuesday?" Neal asked.
"That depends on my new work schedule."
"Well...do you still feel the same for me?" Neal asked.
"Yeah..." I said sheepishly.
"I guess we aren't friends..." Neal said smirking.
"If we're not friends, what would that make us?" I asked smirking a tad myself finally making eye contact.
"That will make us boyfriend and girlfriend..." Neal said.
"I haven't heard nor stuttered those words since before Olivia." I said taking a sip of my coffee.
"Get used to it..." Neal said smiling.
"I know your still on break, but a couple more families came in and I kind of need help." Melanie said.
"No problem." I said smiling as I stood up.
"I'll stay here with Olivia, you finish your shift girlfriend." Neal said smiling.
"I will..." I said smiling as I finished my shift while I kept on making glances with Neal who was content watching me do my shift and I kept refilling his coffee until I finally finished my shift. "I'm done..." I said walking up to Neal picking up my flower.
"Congrats on the new gig." Neal said standing up and pulling Olivia up from where she was laying and into his embrace where she rested her head against Neal's shoulder.
"Thanks...you sure you got her?" I asked.
"Yeah..." Neal said smiling as he followed me out of the restaurant. "I gave Elizabeth that listing you gave me...I saw the invitations and a few of the things she is planning, Olivia will love it."
"Will she?"
"Yeah..." Neal said as he reached out with his free hand grabbing my hand interlacing his fingers with mine. We walked home quietly, but it wasn't that eerie and creepy quiet, it was the type that you can deal with and yet be happy with the situation your in. He walked me all the way home and up to my apartment where I let him in again where he laid Olivia down on that Hannah Montana pillow she had fallen in love with. He stood up and we went back out into the hallway where I shut the door to where there was only a crack and I felt Neal's hands resting on my hips. "Your not going to run again?" Neal asked.
"I really can't if your holding onto me." I said smiling.
"That you can't..." Neal said smiling back as he leant forward, I started to freak and leaning back afraid to kiss him again. "Do I have bad breath or something?" Neal asked.
"No..." I said chuckling.
"Then why don't you want to kiss me?" Neal asked.
"I do...just I'm holding myself back..." I said.
"Don't...you can't live your life if you keep holding yourself back..."
"I know..."
"Why don't you and Olivia come over and spend rest of the weekend with me at my place?" Neal asked.
"Why?"
"Why not? I would like to spend time with my girlfriend and her daughter."
"Well, I guess one weekend won't hurt anyone..." I said smiling.
"No...night Leslie..." Neal said as he leant forward and kissed my cheek.
"Night Neal." I said feeling regret for not kissing him like I knew he wanted, I leant against the door frame watching Neal walk down the hallway with his hands in his pocket knowing that he was smiling even though I couldn't see his face. Neal turned and looked back at me when he got to the stairs smirking when we made eye contact, I smiled before I opened my door walking into my apartment locking it behind me. I couldn't describe the way Neal made me feel, he made me feel like a teenager in puppy love, he gives me reasons to live, but yet he makes me want to forget everything in the world and run off. I looked over to the bed seeing Olivia knowing that I just can't be like a teenager that may be experiencing love, I have a life that needs to be lived and I can't just forget everything and run off, it's not only my life. I think I am more afraid of getting hurt from Neal, it's not only my heart he will break it's Olivia but I know how much he cares for Olivia and myself, this birthday party alone proves how much he cares. I climbed onto the bed behind Olivia wrapping my arm around her holding her in my embrace as I fought not to sleep, which was hard due to being up for more than 24 hours. I woke up the next morning hearing Looney Tunes playing, I opened my eyes seeing my daughter sitting up staring at the television laughing at the cartoon that was playing. I sat up running a hand through my hair and checked the time on the clock I had hanging up seeing that it was 10 AM.
"Morning mommy, I made myself breakfast..." Olivia said.
"Did you? What did you make?" I asked.
"Bowl of cereal...I even cleaned up the mess I made." Olivia said, I ran my hand through my hair again knowing that I must mop the floor and wipe down the counters.
"Good job...come on, Neal invited us over..." I said.
"When?" Olivia asked.
"He came by last night after you were asleep." I said as I climbed off going into Olivia's drawer grabbing her a new outfit for tomorrow, I allowed her wear the outfit she was wearing because I didn't want to bother with her having to change.
"I missed him?" Olivia asked upset.
"Yeah, but we are spending tonight and maybe tomorrow night at his house." I said as Olivia excitedly started putting her shoes on and she did her own hair letting me get ready as well before we walked out of our apartment and walked the distance to Neal's place. I more comfortably walked up to the door, and the door opened right when I went to knock on it.
"I was wondering when you were going to get here." Neal said smiling as he stepped aside letting us walk in, I stopped in front of him momentarily before I bit the bullet leaning in pressing my lips to his for a soft lips. I broke the kiss feeling my cheeks lightly burning from blushing and begun to feel awkward.
"Ew mom, boys have cooties." Olivia stated.
"Yeah mom, boys have cooties..." Neal said smiling as he slid out of the way from the door shutting it, after he shut the door he reached out grasping my hand before we headed up the stairs, "What was the kiss for?" Neal asked.
"It was a thank you for making me realize that I was stupid and you were right...I shouldn't hold myself back and your not my ex-boyfriend, how am I supposed to know what is going to happen between us if I don't give it a try..." I said.
"You thought this in one night?" Neal asked.
"Yeah...thinking is done best at night before I fall asleep." I said.
"I'm glad..." Neal said as he leant over pressing his lips to mine for another kiss, "I just gave you more cooties..."
"You are a big cootie..." I said chuckling as I went into his loft seeing Olivia was at the book case trying to find a book.