#TucksoNoahLie #Always
"There's my Lizzie bug," Olivia gushed as Charlie and Trevor came in the front door later that evening. Lizzie was attached to her mother's neck, still sniffling a little bit, the warm Dora ice pack still on her face.
Ed and Olivia both rushed to the foyer, along with Noah, to try and help the couple get back in and settled.
"Lizzie, I get you new icepack," Noah decidedly said, rushing off to the kitchen to find another one of their character shaped ice packs for his niece. While he was gone, Trevor took the bag from the hospital and Charlie's purse back to their room, while the younger woman moved to the couch and fell against the cushions, making sure Lizzie was still safely secured in her arms.
"Stitches?" Ed asked, perching on the coffee table and rubbing his granddaughter's foot as Olivia went in to check on Noah and fix a pot of coffee.
"Just three," she said, her voice full of exhaustion that matched her blue, Tucker eyes. "But we lost the one baby tooth, so that will stink for a while until it grows back…"
Lizzie, hearing Ed's voice, finally stirred and sat up. She rubbed her little eyes, still red from fighting the tears, and finally looked over to her grandpa.
"Papa," she said, her voice a sad, pathetic little squeak, immediately breaking Ed's heart and causing him to reach for her.
"Hey, Lizzie bug," he cooed as he took the little girl and held her against his chest. Standing up from the coffee table, he walked slowly and swayed with her, much like he would do when she was a baby. Charlie just looked on with a tired smile. "Papa's here, I gotcha. You're okay now, all star."
Olivia came back in, four mugs of coffee prepared the way each adult preferred, and set them down on the coffee table before watching Ed and Lizzie with a smile. Noah breezed past her, his Mater ice pack in hand, and tugged on Ed's shirt to hand it off.
"Thanks, pal," Ed said with a smile, ruffling his hair and placing the pack on Lizzie's lip. "That was a good idea."
"You welcome," he said, pleased with his contribution, once he was assured that Lizzie was okay, he skipped off to where his cars were set up in the corner of the room.
"Where's Trevor?" Olivia asked, finally sitting down and running her fingers through Charlie's tangled locks.
"Probably taking a breather," she said softly, though her tone had a bit of frustration in it. "He was…off…at the hospital. Not sure why. Even excused himself a couple of times, once to take a phone call. So I'm just giving him space. I don't have the energy. I'll get it out of him in the morning."
"You think something's wrong?" Olivia asked, her mind going back to seeing the "Sold" sign on the house next door, and assuming that Trevor was trying to figure out how to break the news.
"No, I don't think so," she said quietly and unconvincingly. "He's just being…distant. But, I get that way myself sometimes. It's fine, just a long evening."
"I know," Olivia responded, her tone full of compassion for the strung out young mother next to her. "It's hard seeing your babies hurting…"
Charlie looked at her and squinted a bit, sensing a hidden meaning behind the words, but too tired to broach the topic. Luckily, Trevor picked that moment to return and plop down on the love seat, rubbing his face.
"Made ya some coffee," Olivia said, sliding the mug over to him and Trevor took it gratefully, sipping slowly.
"You're a god-send, Olivia," he said, eyes closed in relief.
"She is," Charlie responded, leaning her head on the woman's shoulders, her eyes still watching Ed sway with Lizzie in the large window.
Just then, Ed turned around, revealing a somewhat red and swollen smile from the two year old.
"Lizzie wants some ice cream," he announced, marching towards the kitchen. "So grandpa is gonna pig out with her.
The other three adults rolled their eyes and exchanged amused glances. It was no secret that Lizzie had Ed wrapped around her little finger, but in this instance no one was going to stop him from spoiling her. So they remained in the living room, making small talk and sipping on coffee until Ed returned.
Charlie nearly choked on her drink.
"Dad? What are you doing?" she asked, her eyes wide but a smile growing on her face.
Ed plopped down on the floor, placing the gallon sized carton of strawberry ice cream on the coffee table before situating Lizzie on his lap. He handed her a spoon, took his own, opened the lid, and proceeded to show the toddler how to just eat it straight from the carton.
"She's had a rough day," he shrugged. "So we are doing this the right way."
Charlie's smile just grew as she watched her daughter and her father. Lizzie was resting back against Ed's chest, moving her spoon slowly back and forth between the carton and her mouth. Her little eyes had finally cleared of all the tears, and she seemed content. Charlie was not about to put a stop to the spectacle.
"You love your Papa, dontcha baby girl?" Charlie asked softly, watching as Lizzie nodded and nuzzled back further into Ed.
"My Papa," she said, her words slurred a bit from the swelling, but her point was made. "My Mommy. My Ollie. My Daddy. My Unc. My Papa."
"Yep," Ed said, licking his spoon and placing a kiss on her head. "Your family."
Later that night, Ed made his way out of the master bathroom, shedding his undershirt and climbing into bed next to his wife. She was nestled back against the pillows, scrolling through articles on their shared iPad, glasses perched on her nose. Ed scooted as close to her as he could and kissed at her face.
"Whatcha readin'?" he asked, his lips still making a path along her cheek and jawbone.
"I was scrolling the real estate page," she said in a teasing tone, before taking her glasses off and placing the iPad down. "But now I guess I'm talking to you…"
"Sorry," he whispered, his nose now nuzzling her head and breathing in the scent of her coconut shampoo. "You know I can't help myself."
Olivia just laughed.
"I know," she said. "And I love that about you…"
"Oh yeah?" Ed asked, pulling back a bit and watching her as she settled down under the covers and turned on her side to look at him.
"Yeah," she said softly, running her fingertips along his collarbone. "Keeps me from sinking into my own head…"
"You went there earlier," he noted, not afraid to call her out at this point in their relationship.
She just nodded in confirmation, her eyes still watching the trail her fingers made on his bare chest.
"I did," she said. "I just worry about our kids…"
"Our kids," Ed said, shaking his head and kissing her nose. "I still love that we can say that. It never gets old, parenting with you. Parenting both of them with you."
"I just want them to be happy. And safe. And loved," she said, her voice cracking a bit at the end.
Ed pulled her into his arms, tangling his hand in her hair as she settled against his frame.
"They are, baby," he whispered. "They are."
"I can't tell if Charlie's happy," Olivia admitted. "She's been…well…aloof, for a while now."
"She has," Ed admitted. "But she knows we are here. It's gonna be okay."
"How can you be so sure?" Olivia asked, pulling back just far enough so she could look up into his eyes, her own brown ones swirling with maternal worry and uncertainty.
"Because I said so," Ed responded simply, a smirk growing on his face as he watched his wife let out a laugh. "There it is…that smile…"
Olivia just shook her head at him, and nestled back down on her pillow, their nose still touching as they gazed at each other.
"I love watching you with Lizzie," she said.
"I love our family, Liv," he said with the tone of quiet confession, as if he hadn't made it abundantly clear he loved his family. But there was an urgency to his voice this time and it caused Olivia to scrunch her brow up in concern. A minute ago he was innocently teasing her, and now he was dead serious.
"Of course you do, babe," she said, grasping at the hand he had placed on her cheek. "You show us every single day."
Ed nodded, now feeling an emotion he wasn't quite ready to voice, and leaned in to kiss her kips. It started soft, sweet, almost innocent, but quickly grew into a hungry desire for his wife. Without breaking their lips apart, he shifted them so that he was on top of her, settling between her legs, and rubbing his hardening member against her pajama shorts. Finally pulling back, allowing her to gasp for air, he attached his lips to her neck and bit lightly, making a growling noise.
"What's gotten into you?" Olivia moaned out, not complaining, but a little surprised at the intense need he was showing for her. He had gone from joking with her, to being near tears professing his love for their family, and now it seemed he was getting ready to ravage her. Or at least, she hoped he was.
"I dunno what's gotten into me," he said, his voice low and gravely, making the lower half of Olivia's body begin to burn with desire. "But I'm about to get into you…"
Oblivious to the desperate, almost carnal sex happening across the house, Charlie and Trevor were both lying in bed, facing each other, and watching Lizzie sleep peacefully between them. At first, the parents had tried to put her to bed in her room, but Trevor watched her chin begin to quiver as they backed away and couldn't stand it.
"It's just one night," he said to Charlie, who wasn't putting up an argument. "She's still a little scared…plus I go back into the city tomorrow. I just wanna be near both of you."
Now that they were settled, Charlie let out a little sigh and moved her eyes from Lizzie's snoozing form to her fiancé, who was already looking at her.
"You okay?" she asked, reaching over and running her fingers through his hair.
He just smiled and burrowed further into his pillow.
"That's my line," he quipped back with a smirk that would usually make Charlie weak in the knees. But her mind was so far from that tonight, that she just smiled back.
"I know," she said. "But it's a two-way street here. And you've been off all night…"
Trevor just reached up and grabbed her hand, moving to kiss at it.
"Just…been thinking, I guess," he shrugged, his icy blue eyes now focused on her fingers than her face.
"Talk to me," Charlie implored, but watched him shake his head a bit.
"I wanted to get that house for you so badly," he said, his voice full of regret.
"I know," she responded, swallowing her own disappointment and tears over seeing the "Sold" sign as they pulled in that night. "You tried…you did everything you could…and I couldn't love you more if I tried."
"I just know this is so hard for you," he said, voice shaking a bit. Almost as if he were afraid he was opening the door to let Charlie slip away. "And I see you forcing your emotions down and moving along with all these plans. And I had hoped that house would make it easier. You deserve for things to be easier."
"You make them easier," she assured him, her voice not entirely convincing but Trevor knew that she meant those words as best as she could. He understood no matter how easy life was for them from here on out, her past traumas would forever haunt her. Haunt them. Impact their lives. That sometimes her happiness would be an illusion, her face would be a mask. And he knew that Charlie was resigned to that fact, maybe more so than those who love her. But just knowing that she felt that way, that she was approaching life knowing that it would be harder for her, made him want to try even more so to make it easy. Simple.
Charlie watched the emotions play across his face and downcast eyes, suddenly regretting pushing him to talk when they were so exhausted from the day's drama. Deciding she needed to lighten the mood and knowing this was her last chance to talk about Tessa before he was away for a few days, she waited until he finally looked back up at her.
"I love you, you goofball," she said with a sly grin.
That finally broke the ice. Trevor, understanding her intention, let out a laugh and kissed her hand once more, before letting it go.
"I love you, too."
They stayed that way, looking into each other's eyes in silence, save for the sound of Lizzie's light snores, before Charlie once again took a deep breath.
"Trevor," she began, "I really need to talk to you about Tessa…and the wedding."
Having attempted to have this conversation at the park, Trevor knew something was coming, and his mind had been churning about what it could be. Ha allowed few moments of silence passed before prodding her along a bit.
"Okay," he said softly, his fingers rubbing her hand gently. "What about her?"
"Trev…." she began, just saying what was on her mind. "You know how I asked Amanda to be my Maid of Honor?"
"Yeah," he said with a smile, loving that she was talking to him about their nearing nuptials. It was actually happening. "I loved that idea."
"Well, good," she responded. "Because I think that's all I want. I don't…well…I'm just not comfortable with Tessa being in my bridal party. I don't even want a bridal party."
Trevor released her hand slightly, but didn't lose contact. His face didn't show any outward emotion, but Charlie was nervous so she kept rambling.
"I know it's customary to ask, and I will if you really want me to. I don't ever want to hurt you. I'm just not…there…with her yet. I know it's stupid, and I should just move on, and I'm trying so hard, but every time I see her my emotions get the best of me and I just don't want that on my wedding day…I'm nervous enough…"
Trevor watched her as she poured all her feelings out, finally glad she would do so with him. But he was at a loss of how to respond to her in that moment, because Tessa was his sister. She was the only family he had left, aside from the Tuckers. And while he almost expected this, and completely understood what Charlie was saying and asking, he also knew that Tessa would be hurt. So he rolled onto his back and rubbed his hand across his face, trying to sort out his feelings so he could respond.
His silence must have stretched on longer than he realized, because by the time he looked back over at Charlie, he could tell her entire body was tied up in knots. She was biting her bottom lip, her blue eyes darting across his face, and her hands beginning to lightly shake.
"Say something," she pleaded with him. "If you're not okay with this, then we'll talk it out. We'll figure it out. I'll make this work. But…please…just say something?"
"I…" he began. "I don't really know what to say right now."
Charlie, assuming he was upset and mad, began to backtrack.
"Trevor," she said quickly, sitting up and grabbing his hand as he made a move to get out of the bed. "Look, forget I brought it up okay? It's fine. I'll ask her. And I'll deal with it."
Now standing, Trevor looked down at his frantic fiancé and his heart snapped. He knew that she would do whatever he asked of her right then. That she would ask Tessa to be in the wedding, and once again shove down her feelings. He didn't want to do that to her. But he also didn't want to hurt his sister.
"I'm gonna grab a drink," he said softly, leaning down to kiss her forehead, hoping to calm Charlie down a bit. "I'll be right back."
Watching as he left, Charlie fell back onto her pillow and let out a sigh as a lone tear made its way down her cheek.
"Dammit."
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