She stands off to the side, hands shoved in her pockets, trying to ignore the cold. People slowly make their way down to the plot—the plot where an old friend was to be lowered six feet into the ground. She squints a little, quickly recognizing once young faces that are now twenty-somethings with deep grief etched into their faces. What she doesn't see worries her. Why isn't their father there? He should have been with them. As a million thoughts and questions run through her head, she feels a tap on her shoulder and is instantly frozen.
"Ya know, even with the social distancing thing...you could come down and sit with everyone. She'd want you with the family."
Ten years, ten years of nothing and this is the first thing he says. All Olivia wants to do is remain calm for the Stabler kids, it's their mother's funeral for crying out loud. It's as if someone held a stick with two hands, slowly bending it, further and further in her mind, then SNAP.
"Really son of bitch, that's all you have to say to me?"
Elliot turns back around to look at her as he is making his way back down, all five children turn around as well. Olivia's face is on fire with anger. Her hands are shaking, she wants to scream. She wants to punch him. All she is doing though is standing there, angry and embarrassed.
Elliot starts to walk back toward her when a young man, almost identical, walks up behind him.
"Hey Liv, It's uh...hi, I don't know if you recognize me.."
Significantly calmer she smiles, despite the mask, her eyes crease and wrinkle.
"Hi Dickie, I'd recognize you anywhere."
Dickie moves past his father and straight towards her, giving her a hug. He holds on for a very long time, eyes welling up.
"The rest of the girls and I want you to sit behind us."
"Of course I will."
Dickie stands back, exhaling with a smile as he holds his arm out for her, she takes it, not looking at Elliot as they walk past him. She wants him to feel shame, the timing is bad, being it's his wife's funeral but all her hurt over the years still pains her.
After Olivia hugs and greets the girls, she is side eyed by a younger teen. Blonde curly hair, blue eyes & a spitting image of Kathy. Eli knows who she is but doesn't remember her but she knows she knows he must have heard stories. Eyes give it away every time. Before she can introduce herself, the priest walks up to the front.
Once the service ended, Elliot got up first, she watched him from behind walk up to the plot, grab a handful of dirt and slowly let it fall into the laying ground of his departed wife. Looking over his shoulder he sticks his opposite hand out.
"Come on Eli" the teen with a permanent frown looks at his hand and gets up, walking to the car.
Olivia doesn't know what to do at this point, she is surrounded by his kids and all she wants to do is hit him.
"We are having a family dinner tonight with drinks if you want to come" Dickie looks almost begging for her to say yes.
"I- of course, that would be nice, I just have to pick my son up from the sitter. Just send me the address." At that point she can feel him looking at her with a million questions but she doesn't look over, she can't.
Once she said her goodbyes to the kids, she finally makes her way to her car. Praying he didn't follow but if she knows him, she knows he did and like that his hands are on the frame of her window.
"What Elliot?"
"A kid?"
Her face starts to get hot. Where does this arrogant man get off asking like that. Why is it a shock?
"His name is Noah, he is 8 and get your damn hands off my car."
As Elliot stands up right , she takes a few breaths and gets out of the car. Guess there is no good time for what this conversation is about to be. After a few uncomfortable silent seconds pass, he breaks it first.
"Congratulations on cap-"
"Fuck you Elliot, fuck you for leaving without a damn word. Fuck whatever bullshit that was about to come out of your mouth. You left me. Whatever happened to us were partners, better or worse, huh?"
"Olivia there is too much to explain and honestly I think at my ex wife's funeral isn't the best place to do it."
"Well then Stabler, we can talk about this later if you choose to but I will see you tonight with Noah."
As she drives away,she looks in her rear view mirror, watching him, watch her pull away. Tears fill up in her eyes as her hands shake. That son of bitch thinks he can crawl back into her life so easy. No, it's not going to be easy, even if she decides to let him in.