Chapter 7
Olivia opened the door, "Grammy! PopPop! Come on in! They looked around thinking they were glad their granddaughter had a nice safe home. Olivia laughed, "Yeah dad has already checked out the place." Joseph had enjoyed the new role with a daughter.
Olivia had moved from the dorm and given up her job as RA. She couldn't finish out the semester like she planned. Her teachers did allow her to work online and test. Olivia offered tea.
Grammy stopped everything, "Absolutely not, sit down and rest. Amanda called us and told us your report from the doctor said bed rest. Why are you up, young lady?"
Olivia frowned, this was the first time her grandmother chastised her. "Amanda sent us the code and the key, but you should have called us." Olivia didn't want to bother anyone. She had already asked them to come and stay a whole month. "You aren't bothering anyone. I'm staying until you come back in July with the gang. PopPop will come back and forth." Grammy kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair until she fell asleep.
Amanda came home and saw her asleep on the couch. She waved at Grammy who was in the kitchen making dinner. She hugged them both. Amanda smiled, "Thanks for coming early. Our marriage licenses came last week. Did she fall for it?" Grammy nodded and smiled.
Amanda smiled. She did call and tell Grammy and PopPop what the doctor said, but she also told them it was under control and expected. Olivia's frame and twins just were a lot. The real plan was to surprise Olivia with a wedding. "She's going to be pissed, but it's okay. It'll be worth it.
They heard Olivia moan and saw her stretch. Amanda walked over and Olivia rolled her eyes. Amanda looked at Grammy and winked. She kissed her lips and Olivia didn't kiss back. "Grammy's watching so if I were you, I watch the tantrum. I'm on her good side. Dinner's ready."
Amanda was having fun with her. She really enjoyed dinner. While Amanda did the dishes, Grammy nudged her. "She's all fire. I'm glad you're having fun, but remember you have to go in that room with her tonight."
Grammy rubbed her back. "Come on baby. Let me wash you up and get you in bed. Tomorrow is Saturday and Amanda promised us a trip to Central Park."
Amanda walked in the bedroom and Olivia refused to speak to her. When she came out she was asleep. Amanda kissed her lips. "I love you Liv."
The next morning Amanda still had a pissed off Olivia. "So you're mad at me? So this is how I act, pout and keep it in. Are you going to explode now?" Amanda didn't like it. She promised herself she would learn to communicate better. She handed her a beautiful white dress, "Well, we have pictures today for the baby. I figured Grammy and PopPop would like it."
Amanda laid the dress on the bed and Olivia yelled at her, "You had no right to call them!" Amanda stood there and complained they cared. "I was going to call them and tell them, you're a snitch!" Amanda rolled her eyes. "Don't you dare roll your eyes at me. How about I call your mom!"
Amanda stopped, "What did you say?" Olivia blinked and water filled her eyes. "Oh no you don't get to play that card!"
Their voices got louder and Grammy had to stop the yelling, "Hey, all that yelling is bad for my grandchildren. Cut it out." Grammy sat pulling Amanda to sit with them. "Amanda, tell her the truth."
Amanda wanted it to be a surprise, "We're getting married today in the park. Everyone is going to be there. It was a surprise. I used the doctor stuff as a way to get Grammy and PopPop here." Olivia wiped her tears.
Grammy held Amanda's face, "Baby, I found your mother. When you told me about this, I wanted you to have a happy ending too. Olivia, PopPop, and I have spoken to your mother. She's coming today." Amanda started breathing heavily and shaking her head. She ran to the bathroom.
Grammy looked at Olivia and started to go after her, "No Grammy, let me." She left and gave them a minute. "Amanda, please open the door." It took a few minutes begging, but she did. Amanda held her knees to her chest. "She's different. You have a six year old sister." Amanda rolled her eyes and gripped the sink. "Do you still want to marry me?"
Amanda turned around. She was mad, but she couldn't be mad at them. They loved her when her mother didn't. She had to be honest about who she was mad with. "She left me. She left me to be on my own, to figure it out, but she took care of my sister."
Olivia knew the story. The story that 12 year Amanda couldn't grasp, but it wasn't her place to tell her. Amanda's father raped her mother causing Kim. He beat her daily. Beth tried to take her. She threw some of Amanda's things in a bag and he caught her. He started punching her and she knew then she had to go. She went back for Amanda, but they were gone.
Amanda walked towards her, "Of course I want to marry you. I guess we're even." Olivia smiled and kissed her. "This did ruin my surprise though." They got dressed and made their way to the park. Grammy gave Amanda a huge punch in the gut telling her that her mother and sister would be there.
Olivia and Amanda stood in front of their family and friends and exchanged vows. They took pictures in the park and even incorporated some baby ones.
The reception was nice. Amanda tensed up beside Olivia as her mother approached. "Grammy warned her not to enter your life unless she was serious. You look like her and that little girl is your twin. Maybe this is your happy ending."
Amanda knew she was right. She pushed Olivia about her family, it was her turn. "Olivia, it's so nice to meet you." Beth Rollins turned to her daughter, "Amanda, you're beautiful. This is Kim." Kim smiled and waved.
Amanda bent down and hugged her. Kim started talking a mile a minute. Beth hugged her so she would calm down. Amanda smiled, "Mom, I…"
Beth stopped her, "Nope, this is your day and your moment. We have time to figure ourselves out. I can't wait to be a grandma." Amanda hugged her tight. Olivia had taught her forgiveness was healthy.
They didn't have a honeymoon because of the babies, but they did have an amazing shower two weeks later. Amanda helped Olivia in bed, "A boy and a girl, should we talk about names?" Olivia nodded and Amanda grabbed some paper. They started listing names.
The girl's name was Elizabeth Ann. Ann was Margaret's middle name and Elizabeth was given. They had Noah for the baby boy, Joseph's middle name was Noah. "What about Andrew, it's close to Ann?" They agreed and went to sleep."
Olivia grabbed her belly and sat up. She was wet, "Amanda, my water broke. Ahhhh!" Amanda jumped up and yelled for help. Olivia's water did break but she and the babies were ok. Amanda held her hand with Grammy.
Amanda wiped her head, "Everyone's in the waiting room." The doctor checked on her. Amanda looked worried, "Grammy, she's tired and they aren't even here yet." Grammy encouraged her and promised Olivia was strong.
After hours Olivia was fully dilated. "Okay Olivia, you're going to push and have one of them here." Amanda held one hand and Grammy held the other. Grammy told her to squeeze and not be afraid. Olivia pushed and took small breaks. "I see the head. "Someone has brown hair. Push for me."
Olivia pushed and felt the baby come out. She heard a cry. "It's your baby boy. They watched the nurse take him to the incubator. The doctor prepared them for the steps. "Okay Olivia, your baby girl is coming. You can do this. After Noah came, Elizabeth seemed easier. She didn't cry right away and it worried everyone. Hearing her cry was the best thing in the world.
They went to the NICU and Amanda stayed with Olivia while Grammy delivered the news. They were there for a week before going home. Thank goodness Grammy and PopPop were there because Amanda had finals. To finish up her first year.
She walked in and saw their home filled with everyone they loved. "Manda!" Kim ran and tackled her in a hug. "I'm an Aunt times 2!" She held out her shirt that Olivia purchased for her.
She hugged everyone. "How did your finals go baby?" Amanda told her mother that they were easy. They were working on things.
Joseph was holding Noah while Lucy held Elizabeth. PopPop took photos. Amanda smiled. He winked, "I think I'll take up photography."
Amanda sat next to her wife. Olivia asked how she was doing. The last few weeks had been an adjustment. Olivia had two babies, but Amanda was just as important. They watched the family enjoy the babies. "Liv, I have three more years of school, you, 2 babies, and all of this. It's a little overwhelming. You think we'll be okay?" Amanda squinted and Olivia promised they would figure it out.
Epilogue
Olivia and Amanda watched everyone down below. They sat on the deck right outside the bedroom of Grammy and PopPop's beach house that they now owned. PopPop went first and Grammy hung on long after him and her death was still fresh for the family, but especially Liv. Olivia missed her so much, but they had some great memories together.
She watched her dad and Aunt joking about the ribs he was burning, "Joseph don't burn them up this time. We would like to eat something edible. Dad taught you better."
Sharon told her to stop giving her husband a hard time. "Olivia, come down and help your dad." Olivia held up a finger and promised to be down.
She saw her brother holding a boogie board. Simon worked in the city with their dad and his company. He was married to Tracy now. He had a stepson named Trey and a daughter named Olivia. He blew her a kiss from her float in the pool. "Liv, I'm taking Noah, Liz, and Kim to the ocean."
Noah and Liz were teenagers now. When they were 5, Johnny came back into their lives. Olivia never said one bad word about him. She forgave and moved on with her life that she built with Amanda.
Johnny wasn't exactly the same. They went to LA a couple of times to visit and stay in the summer. When Noah was 12 he called Amanda and told her to come get them. They both flew out, no questions asked. Noah wouldn't talk about it and they both came home. Liz told them though.
Johnny questioned him about coming to live with him for good and when he said no, he made some derogatory comment about them. He grabbed Noah by his neck and tried to make him say Amanda wasn't his mother, but Noah told him to fuck off. Noah was as calm as a kid could be, he was almost a mini adult.
Olivia pressed charges and he ended up paying a hefty fine and his career was never the same. Noah and Liz never spoke to him again.
Amanda created her own DNA company. Joseph was a smart man and helped it grow. Amanda gave birth to two girls, Jesse, who was 3 years after Noah and Liz. Then there was Billie 2 years after her. Amanda's mom died in a car accident when Kim was 9. She lived with them after that. So they had a full house.
Olivia gave a thumbs up and Amanda told them to be careful. Joseph told them they had 30 minutes. Amanda's phone rang, "Hey Melinda! Are you and Fin on the way?"
Melinda was a medical examiner and her husband Fin was a Sergeant for the NYPD. They had a son named Ken. "Yeah work was crazy for us both. We got hooked in the same case. Alex and Trevor have the kids."
Alex was an ADA but she married a lawyer on the opposite side of the law. They made it work though. They had a daughter named Taylor. Amanda saw them coming and Olivia waved at them. "Yeah they just got here. See y'all soon."
Olivia yelled down that they were coming. She looked at her phone, "Hey, we need a few minutes, this is a call from a patient and Amanda is going to talk with her about looking for her family. We're coming." Lucy fussed at her saying work could wait. Olivia gave a good excuse. She had to move her counseling business since she moved from the city. So several clients still wanted her services online.
They walked into the room and Amanda looked confused asking what patient." Olivia kissed her hard. "We have twenty minutes for you to fuck me."
Amanda shook her head, "Ummm what do we do about me being a screamer?" She smirked and Olivia kissed her again. They were still in love.
Olivia pushed Amanda's hands down her pants, "We'll figure it out."