(See the first chapter for disclaimer, notes, spoiler, etc.)

Chapter Four: "Morning Has Come"

Caitlin

"I feel like I should stay," she said, glancing around. Sean nodded and leaned forward. She knew he felt the same way she did. They couldn't leave Mom. Not now.

"But, Cait," Evy began, "the baby-"

She sighed, rubbing her stomach. "I've got high blood pressure. Mom had the same problem when she was pregnant with Sean. I don't need to be in Sebastapol to keep it under control. I can do that from here."

"Mom was like 24 when she was pregnant with Sean," her younger sister retorted and she couldn't help the flush of irritation which went through her. Evy was just like Dad. They were always convinced they were right. "You're almost 41."

"Oh? Is that how old I am? Thanks for the reminder!"

"Ok," Casey said, interrupting the deep inhale Evy took. "Everyone relax." She sighed deeply and folded her hands on top of her stomach as he continued, "Evy, I get what you're saying. But, Cait, I understand how you feel."

She ignored the way Evy glared at Casey as she said, "Thank you."

"But, I think you should leave with Charlie later this morning as you planned." She frowned and sat up, resting her forearms on the table. "You too, Sean."

"Casey-"

"And, Evy too." She glanced around the kitchen table as her older brother sighed and rubbed his face. "We need…to get back to normal," he said quietly.

"What the hell is normal?" Evy muttered as she sank in her chair and folded her arms against her chest. "Honestly. What does that even mean?"

Her quiet question echoed in the kitchen, the early morning sunshine filtering in through the skylights. She glanced over, watching the hard expression on Sean's face as he wrapped both of his hands around his mug. With a sigh, she reached out and placed her hand on his arm, "So, that's it?"


Evy

She felt her eyebrows bending together as she looked across the table. Casey looked up at Caitlin, his bewildered expression suggesting unending exhaustion. "There's nothing more you can do for Olivia," he said softly. "Sean and I both heard the doctor in Italy. Her ribs will heal on their own. Same with her shoulder. Icing and medication will help with the pain."

She grimaced, listening as Sean cleared his throat and said, "He's right. That's what she said."

Caitlin sighed deeply. "She…she got through yesterday."

"The funeral," she said insistently. She felt their eyes on her and she sat up. "She got through Dad's funeral."

"I know what yesterday was, Evy." She watched her sister brush her long hair back and lean forward, resting her head in her hands.

God.

Slowly, she reached out and nudged her sister's left elbow. "Sorry," she whispered. Her sister looked through her fingers, watching her for a heartbeat before she lowered her hands. Their hands slipped together and she felt Caitlin's gentle squeeze. "I-I just- don't want to leave her," she admitted, a sob rising in her throat. "Mom is-"

Mom is all we have left.

"Evy, she's going to be fine," she heard Sean say as she quickly wiped at her eyes with her right hand. "It'll take a few weeks but-"

"I don't mean her body, Sean!" she said loudly, wincing at the way her voice carried. She sighed and exclaimed, "She's going to be alone!" She felt her sister squeeze her hand again as she repeated, "Alone!"

"DON'T YOU THINK WE KNOW THAT?"


Sean

He exhaled roughly, watching as both his sisters flinched. Casey sat still, his hands folded in front of his mug. "I was there Evy!" he hissed, watching as her brown eyes widened. "I was the one who held her hand when she woke up in the hospital!"

"Sean-"

"I was the one who had to tell her Dad was dead!" He faltered, remembering the way his mother's eyes wrinkled in confusion. The way her face fell as she slowly shook her head. The way her strangled cry filled the room as it rose to a gut-wrenching sob. He breathed hard as he shoved his chair back from the table and turned away. His chest tightened as a high-pitched ringing echoed in his ears, rising with the memory of the way his mother cried. A moment later, the sound of his sister's crying joined the devastating symphony composed in his head.

But, Mom's crying? The way she cried in the hospital was imprinted in his memory. In his soul. He would be tortured with that sound until the day he died.

He leaned over his knees, his head pounding as he heard Evy choke back a sob. "I think you made your point, Sean," he heard Caitlin say.

He closed his eyes as the four of them sat in silence. He didn't have a fucking point to make! Didn't they get that? His only reply was to exhale deeply, feeling the way his shaky breath filled his chest. "Olivia isn't going to be alone," he heard Casey say. "She's got…us."

With another, more steadying sigh, he pressed his fingers into his temples. "Casey…man," he began with a deep inhale, "I- we can't ask you to do that."


Casey

He frowned. He saw Caitlin wore a similar expression as Evy blew her nose into a paper napkin. "Can't ask me to do what?"

Sean sat up, his eyes dull. "Take on our mother."

He exhaled and leaned back, rubbing his chin. He couldn't believe the words coming out of his brother's mouth. They were back to this? "Sean, stop," he heard Caitlin say. "You're upset. You're not thinking-"

"I know exactly what I'm thinking," he retorted. Evy just sat still, gazing forlornly at her half-full mug of coffee. "It isn't fair to Casey to make him take care of Mom and-"

"A year ago," he began quietly, cutting off his brother, "Olivia told me I was a part of this family." Caitlin glanced over. Evy's eyes turned up. Sean sighed deeply and pushed himself up. "I didn't believe her. Didn't believe she could mean it. But, she did and, in time, I came to believe it." Very slowly, he lay his hands down and pressed his palms into the kitchen table. "We're family. And, I don't walk out on my family."

Caitlin's sad smile was a balm to his soul as a heavy silence swirled between the four of them. "Casey," he heard his brother say, "I'm sorry for-"

"I know you are," he said firmly. "I know you didn't mean it. I know none of us have meant any of what we said this morning." Slowly, Evy nodded and sat up straighter. "Olivia won't be alone because I'll be here. So will Harrison and Nicola. So will Bette. We'll take care of her."

"But-" Evy began.

He leaned in, watching her closely as he said, "You – all of you – are just going to be a phone call or FaceTime away." His youngest sister frowned and he said softly, "She's going to be ok, Evy. I promise." He looked up, catching Caitlin and Sean's eyes. "I won't let anything happen to her."


Nicola

She rubbed her eyes as she walked down the back staircase, clutching her book to her chest. Her younger cousins were running up and down the stairs between the second and third floors. She loved them tons, but they were so loud in the morning. Harrison said he'd been sleeping with his earbuds in since they arrived a few days ago. Her stomach grumbled and she stifled a yawn, trying to decide if she wanted waffles or scrambled eggs. Or, maybe both. Rose was a great cook, but she missed the way Mom would make her scrambled eggs with cheese. When Rose did it, it just wasn't the same.

As she neared the kitchen, she heard voices and she stopped, holding onto the bannister. A moment later, she heard Uncle Sean shout, "DON'T YOU THINK WE KNOW THAT?"

She froze, her eyes wide as he continued to yell. She lowered her head, her blonde hair falling around her face like a curtain. Everyone was upset. They had been since Poppop died. She felt her stomach start to hurt as she heard someone crying. That's all it had been the last few days. Crying and shouting. Whispers and hushed conversations. Aunt Evy was the first to come home and she had never seen her so sad before. She went to her bedroom and didn't come out for two days. (Bette said she just needed some alone time.) Mommy came a few days later and that made things feel better. A little.

"Olivia isn't going to be alone," she heard Dad say. Their voices dropped and she crept closer to the bottom step, straining her ears. Nana was so hurt. She frowned, remembering the way she gasped when she saw Dad help her into the house. Mom had tried to warn her what Nana would look like, but it didn't prepare her. Nothing could, she thought as she remembered gently hugging Nana. She had been terrified her hug was going to break Nana..

"How long have you been there?"

She jumped and looked up as Aunt Caitlin's voice echoed in the stairwell. "I-I was hungry," she stuttered. With a sad smile, her aunt took her hand and led her into the kitchen. Aunt Evy looked up as she blew her nose. Dad and Uncle Sean were talking. She sighed, setting her book on the counter as she looked up at Aunt Caitlin. "Is everyone still friends?" she asked.

"Of course, sweetie," she sighed, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. She nodded, leaning against her aunt as she hugged her tightly.


Bette

She hung back, watching the way Olivia and Evy stood together by the front door. The young girl was pressed against her mother, as much as her mother's injuries would allow. "Promise you won't leave your dormitory with wet hair," she heard Olivia say and she bit back a smile as Evy looked up.

"I don't think that's going to stop me from getting sick," she retorted.

Olivia smiled and cupped her face, kissing her forehead. "Perhaps not," she mused and she could see the way she winced. "But, my mother used to say it to me."

The young girl nodded. "Ok," she whispered. With a sigh, she stepped away from her mother and picked up her shoulder bag from the floor. "I'll text you before the plane takes off."

"Chin up, darling," she said softly, chucking her daughter's chin.

With a brave smile, Evy nodded and slowly turned away. Quietly, she moved to stand behind Olivia, watching as the young girl climbed into the back of Sean's rented minivan. They were all leaving for the airport. Sean and his family back to Seattle. Evy back to New York City. Caitlin and her family had left for their home in northern California more than an hour ago. With a gentle touch, she placed her hand on Olivia's left shoulder and leaned closer. "Chin up," she murmured into her ear. "That was a nice touch. Very British."

With a sigh, Olivia's left hand came up to wave as the van slowly backed out of the driveway. "I've never had much of a stiff upper lip," she mused, swallowing back a gasp. She turned back to her, her expression downcast as she stepped back into the house.

"Oh, Livy," she sighed as she closed the front door. When she turned back into the room, she found Olivia standing forlornly at the base of the stairs. She looked confused as she glanced around the living room, her expression growing dimmer by the second. She glanced at her watch. She was overdue for a painkiller. "Livy, why don't you sit-"

"I remember the last time Gregory was in this room." She grimaced, watching as Olivia looked up and pointed to a spot by the sofa. "He stood here. We were saying goodbye to Casey and the children before we left for Florence." With a painstaking slowness, she took a step closer, watching as her friend's alabaster skin grew paler. "Harrison was upset he wouldn't have anyone to golf with for the three weeks we would be away." Their eyes met as she sighed, "Who will golf with him now?"

That's what she was thinking about? "Olivia," she began, moving to stand next to her.

But, Olivia sighed as bewilderment swept across her face. "I can remember that. I can remember the night before the accident. We had dinner at a restaurant on the bank of the Arno. Gregory had osso bucco. I had risotto. We walked back to the hotel and he teased me because I kept stopping to look up at the full moon.

"Olivia," she said again, her voice gentle as she took her hand.

"I-I remember all that," she murmured as a confused expression swept across her face. "Why can't I remember the accident?"

"Livy," she sighed, rubbing her left hand as she held it to her chest, "besides all the other injuries, you had a concussion. You couldn't come home until the CT scans were clear."

"I know that," she sighed, her voice morose and flat. "That doesn't…help." She turned slowly and sighed. "I don't remember the last moments I was with Gregory. I don't remember the last thing I said to him. I-"

She watched her falter, her eyes narrowed as her voice trailed away. "What, sweetie?"

"I-I don't remember," she whispered, her voice shaking, "if I told him I loved him that morning."

With a sigh, she watched Olivia wander to the fireplace and gazed at the framed photos on the mantle. "You know something?" she said softly, watching the way her friend's uninjured shoulder slumped. "You loved that man with everything you had. There wasn't a day that went by when he didn't know how much you loved him." Slowly, Olivia turned back to her. Her expression was blank, as if her words hadn't sunk in. "If he knew nothing else, he knew that."

"But, I don't remember," she murmured sadly. "I don't remember."