This is me, using Sheila Porter to my advantage. I choose to believe that they will make the relationship with Olivia and Sheila real and believable - not best friends, but not mortal enemies. Two women making the best of a screwed up situation to do what is in Noah's best interest. Plus, she totally ships Barson. Or she will. Plus times getting ready to change and we didn't have new ep this week (thanks baseball) and I needed some Barson in my life.
Just listen to the rhythm of my hart
There's a chance we could make it now
We'll be rocking 'til the sun goes down
-The Darkness (I Believe in a Thing Called Love)
She stood there, watching Olivia and the well-dressed, handsome man interact. The way they smiled at each other and seemed to be able to communicate without any words at all. The way his eyes seemed to soften as he looked at her when she wasn't looking. The way she ran her eyes all over his face when he wasn't looking at her. It warmed her heart, made her happy.
Finally, Olivia seemed to finish up and looked up at her, smiling slightly and giving her a wave over. He was packing up files when he looked at her.
"Sorry you had to come all the way down here. I can't believe I forgot to send that paperwork to school with Noah this morning."
"It's fine Olivia. It really was no problem." They had moved from enemies to being civil to each other. She smiled at the man as Olivia handed her the paperwork she needed for that day.
"Sorry, busy day. Sheila Porter, this is Rafael Barba." She shook his hand but she could tell he was immediately put on guard with her, assessing her. She appreciated that.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Barba." He just nodded, looking at Liv. Without saying anything to her, he bid Olivia goodbye and was gone. Sheila couldn't help but watch him go.
She followed Olivia into her office. "Sorry about him. He can get…"
"Protective. I get it. My husband was the same way. It was one of the things that made me fall in love with him. His want to make just make sure nothing upset me. I can't blame him for being wary of me, Olivia. Really. It's fine. I'm glad you and Noah have someone like that, who wants to protect and care for you all. I'm happy that you have that, given your job and what you do every day." Sheila smiled at her, but the look on her face was one of shock and confusion.
"Wait. I'm sorry. Are you and Mr. Barba not…"
Olivia cleared her throat, looking down at her desk. "He's our ADA. We've worked together for almost 6 years now."
"Oh, gosh, Olivia. I'm sorry. Just the way you two are together and the way he looks at you and you look at him…"
Olivia pressed her lips together. "We get that a lot" she said quietly. "He's been there… for it all. He helped me with Johnny D and Noah. He got justice for Ellie. He's a great man and…" Olivia trailed off.
Sheila smiled. "Well, maybe that's something to consider then. I like to believe in love and I like seeing others happy. You deserve it, Olivia." Olivia just looked at the other woman, smiling at her. Sheila had to suppress the laughter of the flabbergasted woman in front of her at a loss for words.
"Well, I'm going to go. Let you get back to work." She wondered how long Olivia would stand there, frozen, after she left.
The early night was setting in as Olivia finished up her paperwork. A light tap on her doorframe let her know who was there before she even saw him. She looked up at him, standing there, leaning against the door. Sheila's words had been ringing through her head all day. He wanted to protect her. He looked at her in a way that made her feel cared for. Possibly loved. How she deserves happiness.
"So that was Sheila Porter? Did I miss the horns and pitchfork?"
Olivia laughed, pushing herself out the chair. "I may have been slightly dramatic in my initial description of her. We've established a civil existence for the time being. Tonight is the first night her and Noah are spending alone."
His eyebrows raised up. "And that makes you feel…
She leaned against the wall, facing him. Really looking at him. He was asking because he wanted her to be alright. He wanted her safe. He wanted her happy.
She smiled. "A little nervous. But we have rules and she has always respected them. He's been asking to spend some alone time with her. I have to trust that it will all be ok." He just nodded at her.
"Well, good then. I just wanted to check in before I…"
"Have dinner with me." It was more of a demand than a question and it had just fallen out of her mouth before she had a chance to really think about it. He looked at her with wide eyes and open mouth, looking shocked. She liked that she could surprise him but was a little hurt he seemed to taken aback by the request.
She took a step forward, resting her hands lightly on his shoulders. "She said some things to me earlier…" She immediately felt him tense up and she knew, in that moment, that Sheila was right. It gave her the confidence to keep going. "Relax, Rafael. She said that I deserve happiness."
"You do" he whispered.
"She said she could see that you want to protect me and to make that happen for me. That looking at us together, even just working alongside each other, makes her believe in love."
"That was nice of her to say."
"Is it true?" she asked, gripping his shoulders a little tighter. He wasn't looking at her. She had no idea what he was thinking.
"Yes. Every day. It's true every day." And then he finally met her eyes and she saw it all there. Everything that Sheila and Amanda and Melinda and even the couriers who went back and forth from her office to his probably saw on a daily basis.
She kissed him hard and fast. She started to pull back but he held on to her tightly, walking her till her back hit the wall and he trapped her there. Everything about kissing him felt right and true and she wanted to kick herself for waiting for so long to do it. They finally broke when the need to breathe became necessary. And they smiled at each other. Real, true, loving smiles.
He cleared his throat. "So… dinner?" She just nodded, feeling happy and free in that moment, wondering if Sheila's belief in love had finally pushed her here.
