December 24
"Shhhh," Eli insisted as he led his little sister and carried his little brother to their parents room while Noah got them snacks.
"I'm starving," Benny whined softly and Charlie loudly whispered an agreement.
With a silent groan, Eli ushered them into their parents room, dropping Ben on the bed and boosting Charlie up.
He chuckled as they both scampered to the middle of the bed, curling up with their respective parent and quietly talking to one another while the adults listened on.
"I can't believe we slept so hard," Ben said, rolling to face his sister.
"I know I was so grouchy," Charlie frowned, snuggling backward into Elliot who instinctively played with her hair.
"And hungry," Ben sighed sadly.
"What's the plan for today?"
"Yeah what time are we getting married?"
"What time should we start getting ready?"
"Whose gonna do my hair?" Ben asked, running a small hand through it.
"I want my brain to work this well when I first wake up," Eli teased, laying on the end of the bed. "I'll do your hair."
"Thanks Eli," Ben grinned, reaching down to fist bump him.
The door opened again, revealing Noah with a tray of coffees and some of the twins breakfast snacks.
Eli stood quickly to help him, and passed off the breakfast stuff to everyone before they all got comfy on the bed together.
"So?" Ben asked between munches on his granola bar.
"Well good morning to all of you, too," Liv finally said, laughing right along with Elliot who'd already started.
"Morning mommy, morning dad," Ben smiled, offering her a bite of his granola which she took.
"Moooorning guys," Charlie smiled, doing the same to her dad who took the whole thing from her and sent her into a fit of hysterical laughter.
On cue, Noah handed her another and Liv laughed. "And you wonder why she's spoiled."
"Not spoiled," Charlie said, seriously, "protected and taken care of."
"Yeah," Ben agreed, looking to his twin with a smile.
"You're my best friend," she sighed happily, inching over to him and laying her head against his shoulder.
"You're my best friend," he countered.
"What are we? Chopped liver?!" Noah exclaimed as Eli nodded and the twins giggled.
"What's chopped liver? I always hear about it," Ben asked.
"Isn't it food?"
"Is it good?"
"Doesn't sound very good."
"It is food and trust me, you're not gonna like it. Sit up for a second me and mommy wanna talk to you guys- nothing bad," he clarified when he saw the look on his daughters face.
The pair sat up and Benny wrapped an arm protectively around his sister while they looked at their parents, concern etched all over their faces.
"Okay, last night we played a trick on everyone cause we want the wedding to be a surprise today," Liv said, brushing her girl's hair behind her ear.
"Because a certain pair of kiddos have let on about our secret," El added, looking to them with a raised brow as they looked up and away from him in sync.
"So… if you can make it through the morning without spilling what's happening today, daddy and I will take you to Disney this summer."
The Disney trip, of course, had been long planned but none of the kids knew.
Ben gasped loudly as Charlie's jaw dropped and the older boys looked over the twins heads as if you ask "uh us too right?"
"The six of us," El added.
Noah leaned in and grabbed the back of his little brother's pajama shirt. "Benjamin Don so help me God if you don't play it cool today."
"I promise," he swore, bouncing up and down.
"You too," Eli said, doing the same to Charlie.
"I PROMISE," she squealed, jumping up to her feet while Eli's hand on her back steadied her.
"Alright," Liv chuckled, leaning over to kiss their heads.
"Photographer will be here at 2:30 cause the sun sets early. So we'll start getting ready at 1 okay?"
"Okay!" Charlie squealed cutely.
"We're gonna get married inside by the fire then run out for a few quick photos on the patio in the snow, and then we'll be inside for more pictures."
"Can you hold it in until 1?" El asked, pulling her to him.
"I think so!!!"
"Okay good," Noah laughed. "Cause I'll be real upset if we don't go to Disney."
The kids barely held it together.
They did, but by the time 1pm rolled around, poor Ben was vibrating out of his body.
The photographer arrived right on time, getting set up for pictures to happen first inside, then outside as the sun set on the snowy back yard, continuing in front of the fire place by the tree.
The whole crew was on time, waiting anxiously and suspiciously in the living room for a late-running Elliot, Olivia, and the kids. Also noticeably late was Carisi.
"Baby you almost ready?" Amanda called from the couch into their downstairs room, tapping her foot impatiently.
The door opened, and Sonny walked out wearing his usual three piece navy suit that matched the burgundy and navy theme Liv and the girls has set.
In his hand was a bible and a folded up piece of paper that made Amanda's eyes go wide in realization.
"Dominick," she whispered, standing slowly as Fin's head whipped towards him, letting out a laugh when he noticed.
"Get out," Dickie laughed, standing up as his sisters gasped with hands flying ti their faces.
A sudden commotion from upstairs drew their attention away from Sonny and to the twins who'd stopped dead in their tracks at the top of the staircase.
Charlie was in a tulle and satin-topped, white dress while Ben wore a navy suit with a black tie and white shirt.
Everyone was dead silent as the twins bounced up and down at the top of the stairs, and after just a moment longer, Elliot appeared behind them wearing a black, three piece suit with a blue pocket square.
He took a moment to observe his kids and friend's faces, before cracking a big smile.
"Someone said me and Liv should get married?"
The room erupted into cheers, the loudest being Ben and Charlie's as they rushed down the stairs to hug their older siblings.
Elliot made his way down slowly, emotion overtaking him as he pulled his loved ones in for big hugs before being placed by the photographer in front of the fire.
"You kept this a secret?" Dickie asked his little brother for the 100th time as they stood beside their father.
"They threatened me," Ben said, looking up backward to his big brother that stood behind him.
The room erupted into laughter as the girls lined up on the side that Liv was to stand, all matching in burgundy dresses.
They'd asked Dickie to wear a navy suit that they matched for the boys, and Elliot quickly adjusted the tie they'd asked Sonny to hand to him.
"Congrats dad," Dickie whispered, grinning with a tear rolling down his cheek.
Elliot clapped his hands gently to the side of his son's head and smiled. "Thanks buddy," he whispered, before stepping into place.
His eyes were on the stair case as soft music started playing and Olivia came into view, flanked by Noah and Eli
The photographer and his assistant clicked away as tear's rushed to the groom's eyes.
She was a vision in white.
Instead of a dress, she wore a smart, all white suit with blue shoes that matched Elliot's pocket square.
It was absolutely and unequivocally her, and it made his heart burst.
The girls were crying (he knew they would) but it wasn't until he heard several sniffles on his left that he himself completely broke down.
Dickie was crouched down when Elliot looked, hugging Ben as both boys cried at the sight of their mama.
He wiped his eyes, laughing when Liv cracked a watery smile of her own, stopping in front of him with her arms still linked in her boys.
"Who gives this woman to this man?"
"We do," Eli said for both of them as Noah's face contorted with more emotion that made everyone cry a little harder.
"Anyone else," Carisi asked with a laugh, looking between the little twins.
"Yes!" Charlie cried with a big smile, wiping her eyes. "Us too!" She answered for her and her brother.
"Good," Carisi said with a grin.
The boys kissed their mom's cheek before handing her off to their dad's side and taking their places beside their brothers.
"These two have written their own vows," Carisi said with a smile, "and I'm going to let them say them after I read this verse about love," he chuckled, making everyone laugh and beginning the reading.
Through the entirety of the reading, the pairs eyes remained locked on one another, speaking silently through looks and gentle touches; stepping closer to one another and resting their heads together.
When Carisi went silent, Elliot chuckled softly and pulled back just slightly.
"I love you, Olivia. You're my everything and have been for so, so long. And I'm thankful every day. For us, for our kids, for the life we've been blessed with. And I'm so happy we are finally doing this," he chuckled as everyone laughed with them.
She giggled softly, too. "I love you, Elliot… I… you've stayed with me and loved me, through it all. I don't know what I'd do without you, and I'm so, so excited for this next step in our lives."
"I had more written," he admitted softly, just inches from her lips, and she laughed, pulling her head back to flash him a massive smile as he continued. "But I uh… I took one look at you and lost it all," he chuckled softly. "Which is basically how I've lived over half my life. Being completely taken with you. Everything you do and how much I love you and how much you love. Olivia, I don't know what I did to deserve you."
Her tears were rolling hard and fast, now, and they both laughed softly as he took hold of her cheeks, wiping away them with his large thumbs.
"Can I kiss him now?" She asked, and everyone laughing through their own tears while Carisi smiled.
"Might wanna do rings first, you two."
"Oh yeah," El said, letting go of his soon to be wife and turning to their little boy who proudly handed over the rings.
"Elliot? Do you take Olivia to be your wife?" Carisi asked.
"I do," he grinned, slipping the ring on her finger.
"Captain? Do you take Elliot to be your husband?"
"I absolutely do," she whispered, voice filled with emotion as she pushed his ring on, the pair staring at their hands in awe.
"By the power vested in me by the State of New York I'm happy to finally pronounce you man and wife. Elliot?" He asked, grinning when Elliot turned to look at him.
"Can I kiss her now?" He asked as everyone laughed.
"You may kiss yo-…" he was cut off as the pair flew together like magnets, crashing their lips together in a heated and passionate kiss that ended in Elliot dipping her lightly.
Their family cheered loudly, whooping and hollering, and the four younger kids broke up their kiss by crashing into them for a big group hug.
It was soon joined by everyone else, and the photographer continued to click away at the small group hug became a total swarm of tears and laughter and happy chatter.
Elliot pulled back, enough only so that he could see his wife's sparkling brown eyes.
"Hi wife," he whispered, just loud enough for her to hear.
"Hi hubs," she whispered back.
TBC
