Chapter 42: not so happy holidays

(Narrator POV)

"Dianne, they're here!" Ulrich shouted. Olivia and the family had just arrived for thanksgiving. When Dianne did hear him, he ran up the stairs himself to the main level to open them.

"Papa!" Noah hugged Ulrich.

"Hey Noah!" Everyone started greeting each other while Davion felt awkward and left out. He didn't know any of his new family. And the first time he had met Dianne she was angry. So as everyone greeted he stood back with Karter in his car seat.

"Dad, this is Davion." He froze, he didn't like to be put in the spot like that. "He our latest addition to our family. Davion this is my dad."

"Nice to meet you sir." He held his hand out to shake Ulrich's hand.

"You too! But you don't have to call me sir, Rick or papa is fine. Whatever you're comfortable with." Dianne came down the stairs from setting up the guest bedrooms for all the Garland, Goodwin family. "Honey this is Davion, Davion this is Dianne my wife."

"Nice to see you again ma'am." He waived at her. Olivia could sense how uncomfortable he was, she gave him a little nudge and a nod assuring him that he was okay. They moved to the couch but Edgar paced around with West trying to get his nap in.

"Hello, you're one of Edgar's players right?"

"Yes ma'am." Edgar knew where this line of question was going. Not that she meant it in that way. She didn't even know he was apart of the family until just now. Edgar made this elaborate motion that caught her attention and shook his head.

"Well I'm happy you're here. Dinner should be ready in just an hour. Hopefully the rest of our party will be here by then." Edgar followed his mother to the kitchen. "So once again you have a child and I'm the last to know about it again."

"It's not like that mom and you know it. It slipped my mind."

"I know I'm just teasing. But you're really making a pattern." They laughed. But West started to cry, Liv hurried in the kitchen after he didn't stop after Edgar's attempts to calm him down. "Can I take him?" Dianne asked.

"Yeah go ahead." Just seconds after Dianne having him, West had stopped crying. "Maybe you should keep them."

"Oh No, I raised you and that was enough. I'm past that stage in my life. Well your sister should be here any minute now, I don't know what the hold is." They all moved to the couch waiting for the other family to arrive. Kevin and the kids walked but no morgan or Garlands.

Soon the only person missing was Morgan. Everyone was waiting to start dinner Kevin called many time and got nothing.

Coming out of the bathroom she saw morgan walking up to the door. She immediately knew something was off. Her dress... torn at the top, bleeding from a cuts on her knees, and was previously crying. "Morgan!" Everyone was excited to see her, but she jump at the loud noise.

Olivia was about to say something but morgan held up her hand. "I'm fine I just need to shower." She ran upstairs. Olivia and Edgar shared a look. Olivia followed Morgan upstairs, with Karter in hand.

"Morgan what happened?"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Morgan if somebody did something to you. I can help you, you know that."

"Olivia can you just me and it alone!" She was becoming combative and agitated.

"So something did happen..."

"Olivia- go!" She screamed. Karter started wailing. "Please just go. I didn't mean to make him cry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She kept repeating while rummaging through he overnight bag.

"Hey it's okay, he's cranky." She saw Morgan crying and needed some help. It's almost as if Edgar read her mind. He took the baby and Kevin came to check on his wife. He started throwing questions at her but Morgan couldn't handle all that right now. She hid behind Olivia as Kevin got closer. "Kevin I understand your concern right now more than anybody but right now she is obviously not okay. I need you to leave."

"I'm sorry." She collapsed into Olivia's arms.

"Stop apologizing. Nothing is your fault, do you understand me."

"I'm so- I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Nothing with us wrong with you. But can you tell me what happened."

I went to pick up the dessert and as I was getting into the car- I can't talking about this. I don't want to relive it."

"I understand that, but I'm just gonna ask this one question and be done with it I promise. Did he rape you?"

"No I stabbed him or cut him really bad in the leg then I got away before he could do that. But he put his... his hand up my dress and- and started— oh my God!" she cried even more.

"Okay, okay. That's good you got away. Hopefully you cut him deep enough he had to go to a clinic or hospital. Hey, look at me. You didn't what you had to do to stop him from completely overpowering you."

"But he did over power me. Who knows what would've happened if that bottle wasn't within arms reach. You could never understand." That made Olivia think back to Lewis. What would've happened is the bed post wasn't loose? There's no telling what he could've done.

"I actual do understand."

"Oh just because you've had a million other women tell you the exact same thing Olivia. You could never know! Being told something is not the same as experiencing it!"

"I know Morgan-"

"No you don't Olivia!"

"Yes I do because it happened to me." Morgan instantly regretted everything she said.

"Olivia I'm so sorry."

Olivia shook her head. "You couldn't have known."

"What happened?"

" I was kidnapped for days by a serial rapist and killer. He held me hostage and tortured me for days. I got away because of a loose bed post. I ask myself the same question whenever I think about it. Which I try not to do a lot. And way back when I went undercover at a prison where one of the people who worked there was taking advantage of the women. And Fin saved me just in the nick of time. As you know last January I Uhh."

"You don't have to say it."

"Well..." She whispered and gave a slight smile at the end. "So you see I understand more than the average person."

"I don't know how you keep moving forward. Right now I feel like I am useless."

"You are not useless. But it is perfectly okay to not be okay. Given what you've been through all you need is time." Olivia wiped away some tears baying in her eyes. After talking about her near- rape experiences she always was overcome by emotion. Time heals but you never forget. She also knew she'd have nightmares alongside Morgan if she even slept. "Morgan, as much as you want to shower we need you to go to the hospital see if you got any DNA on you."

"I don't need a rape kit. I wasn't raped I told you that."

"I know but the can do other DNA kits so we can catch him. I can fast pass you so you can get it over with then we can go to the station and your local department and I will work to catch him. Just tell them everything you know."

"What about dinner?"

"I'm sure they'll understand and if this doesn't take long then we can have it tonight. But you matter most."

"Can you tell them? I don't think I can."

"Yes but I think you should be the one to talk to Kevin." She nodded her head. "You're gonna get through this." She walked down stairs and was instantly met by Kevin. "She is ready to talk to you. Kids can you go play outside for a while. Thank you." When she heard the back door close she let out a deep breath. "Morgan asked me to tell you all that she was sexually assaulted." Ulrich and Edgar were fuming. They didn't say anything but you definitely could tell from a mile away. Dianne whispered 'oh my God.' "I don't know if she'll be up to dinner tonight, after we go to the hospital, and the police station. The rest of whatever happened she'll tell you when and if she's ready. She's already a little jumpy so be gentle with her."

"Thank you, Olivia. You got through to her, in a way we probably never could. I don't how or what you did but it helped her." Dianne said only going based off of whenever they heard Morgan yelling at Olivia.

"I did what I could. You okay, honey?" Edgar just got up and walked to the front yard pulling Olivia with you. "Edgar, what's wrong?"

"I know you're just gonna say it's not your fault but we all need someone to blame and it can be me. She ask be to pick up the dessert and I explained that I could I would just have to drop all you off first because of Karter and West. But she said she would pick it up, with no problem at all. Had I gone and gotten the cake my sister would okay."

"And now all you can do is be there for her. And ask for her forgiveness. If that's what you want. That will put you mind at ease." He nodded.

"Thank you, baby." He engulfed her in a hug the both really needed right now. Olivia let out a deep sigh. "How bout you? You doing alright?"

"I'll be okay. I just hate seeing her like this."

"I know my sister. She is not easy to break. How did you get her to talk to you? That's a skill I haven't even mastered yet and I've known her my whole life."

"Uhh- I don't know. I guess she just felt comfortable with talking to me." She didn't want to talk about Lewis or Harris anymore today.

"Okay." He knew something was up but he let it go. After helping morgan they didn't get home until after 9 o'clock and all Morgan wanted to do was sleep. While they were gone their parents, Edgar, and the kids clean up. "How's Morgan?" He asked Kevin.

"Shes tired and she wants you to know that she doesn't blame you. She reiterated that many times. She figured you would feel that way. She will talk to you tomorrow but just so you can sleep to tonight she doesn't blame you."

"That's good to hear. I still should've gotten the cake though."

"Don't beat yourself up, man. She is upstairs asleep, she is safe, that's all that matters."

An hour after that conversation the only people up were Edgar, Olivia, Davion, Karter and West. In separate rooms from the kids though. Davion was up playing with West in the living room, while Edgar, Karter, and Olivia were up talking and cuddling in the main level guest room.

"Why don't you go to sleep if you are so tired?" Olivia said.

"Because you can't sleep. I'm not gonna make you suffer by yourself."

"I'll go to sleep." She really was tired. She just didn't want to have any nightmares. "I'm gonna go get some water first. Want some?"

"Yeah I'm just gonna come with you, I left my phone charger out there." Walking to the kitchen they poked and joked laughing the whole time, mostly about Edgar's hair. He hadn't had a hair cut in almost a year. Their first date would mark the last time he got one. But he was enjoying his man bun.

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Davion exclaimed. He definitely caught this parents off guard. "We are trying to watch a movie in peace."

"What are you still doing up?" Edgar asked.

"I'm a 14 year old boy, It's 10 o'clock, on a school break... I'm up watching tv. What else would I be doing." His sarcasm was out of this world. "But honestly I can't sleep."

"Join the club." Olivia added. "What's on your mind kiddo?"

"Been thinking about my mom since everything happened." They both looked at him, because he wasn't supposed to know what happened. "I'm not dumb I saw your sister when she opened the door. I'm not like the other kids, I can put two and two together. You guys wanted us out to talk, that's when I knew. I'm sorry about that too. At least she's still alive and seems to be alright."

"If it has been bothering you, why didn't you saying anything?"

"Because I had to keep the kids entertained so that they couldn't recognize what was happen. I'll be fine though, just something that's been heavy on my mind for a minute."

"I totally understand, I feel the same way too. Not just your mom, but my Uhh- never mind but other things too. I come in contact with people like that all the time and to see family hurt, hurts the most." This is when Edgar realized what was bothering her. He wouldn't bring it up but if the conversation presented itself he'd question. "Anyways do you need us to take him or are you good?"

He looked down at his baby brother engulfed in the movie that he didn't even understand. Just starting at it so intently. "I think we're good." He laughed. "But I'll make sure he's asleep before 10:30."

"And you before 11:30."

"Yes ma'am."

Around 2:30 morgan woke up in a panic screaming at someone to get off of her. Everyone on the second floor heard her On the main level it was a distant scream, and the kids in the basement didn't hear a thing. Olivia, who was having a nightmare of her own wasn't verbally lashing out but physically. She hit Edgar square in the face which abruptly woke him up. He stood up with Karter, shaken up by her hit. She eventually stopped swing and that's when Edgar woke her up. She woke up out of breath, gasping for air. Trying to keep Karter from waking up he helped Olivia regulate her breathing.

Meanwhile

Upstairs morgan got up and locked herself in the bathroom. The two downstairs heard the commotion, Olivia's first instinct was to run up the stairs. "Olivia you can't help her, when your like this. You're dealing with things of your own."

"Not in recent time."

"Last time was earlier this year. We both know especially you are not over what happened. And that's okay, there are times when you can let it out, throw things, cry whatever you need to do when you feel that way. If you seriously think you can... go. But if not I want you to stay down here." Olivia thought long and hard, took a deep breath, and went upstairs.

"Kevin?" Dianne and Ulrich were sitting on the edge of the bed.

"She locked herself in there she's still talking to me though. She thinks that given what happened I no longer find her attractive and thinks she's disgusting. How does she even think that I show her and tell her how much I love her all the time."

"Is that Olivia?" He heard Morgan ask.

"Yes."

"I wanna talk to her." Kevin was upset that his wife wouldn't open up to him but to Olivia.

"No, I'm tired of being the only one shut out. You'll talk to her but not me. Im your husband!"

"Kevin I think you need to calm down. I'm not about to let you talk to my wife or my sister that way. Olivia knows what she's talking about and if Morgan is asking to talk to her then you should."

"Oh yeah right, you know what... you're right I should let the woman who has been sexually assaulted four times, twice by the same man. Help my wife?"

"Kevin!" Dianne gasped.

"She might as well just start asking for it at this point. Morgan is not like her, she didn't ask for this to happen to her!"

"But I did?" Olivia questioned. "Honey I think this was a mistake. I think it's time we go." Olivia pushed Edgar towards the stairs.

"You have some kind of nerve saying that. You're an awful person. I want you to know that." Edgar said as Olivia pushed him away. "You have excuse for what you just said."

"You're mad cause you know I'm right."

"If I didn't have this baby in my hands I'd kill you with my bare hands." Christian Garland helped Olivia direct Edgar backwards.

"Edgar, baby just go." Edgar and Olivia grabbed their belongings and the twins, leaving the other two at their grandparents house. No reason to wake them up. As soon as both car doors were closed, Olivia cried hard silently not trying to wake her babies. Neither one of them said anything they just held hands the whole way home.