"Dinner was great, Liv," Elliot said, carrying the plates to the kitchen. He hoped she wouldn't mind him calling her his pet nickname.
"I'm glad you liked it," she said, inwardly pleased at his use of her nickname.
"You're a fantastic mother, Liv," he murmured.
She smiled at him. "Thanks, but they're fantastic kids."
Andrew ran into the kitchen with his sister and the grabbed a leg of Olivia's each.
"Mommy!"
Olivia narrowed her eyes. "Yes?"
"Muppets!"
Olivia groaned.
"Pwease?" Caroline asked, smiling sweetly.
"Ewiot wanna see Muppets!" Andrew stated.
Elliot's eyes widened. "I swear, I said…"
"How about we have our baths and brush our teeth, and then we can watch the Muppets till bedtime?" Olivia suggested.
"Ewiot too?" Andrew asked.
Olivia and Elliot stared at each other for a moment.
"I wouldn't want to intrude," he told her.
"Pwease Mommy?" Andrew begged.
"Of course he can stay," Olivia finally answered. She picked up Caroline. "But baths and teeth first, okay?"
Nervous that he might be pushing too far, Elliot looked at her. "Can I help at all?"
"I'll do the kitchen," Maureen said, popping her head in and then out again.
Olivia frowned slightly at the place where Maureen had been. She had a feeling Maureen was up to something, and might have even guessed that the twins were Elliot's children. But it was getting easier to do, because Andrew looked more like his father every day.
"That'd be nice," she murmured.
########################################
Andrew handed Elliot a boat as he sat in the bath. "Wanna play?"
Elliot grinned. "Sure."
As the two splashed around, Olivia lifted Caroline out of the bath and rubbed her down with the fluffy towel. Caroline giggled as her mother tickled her.
Olivia finally got her into a pair of pink pajamas. "Okay Andrew, your turn."
"Want Ewiot!" Andrew stated firmly.
Olivia didn't say anything, but handed Elliot the towel.
########################################
When the twins were settled watching the Muppets, Olivia went into the kitchen.
"I'm just finished," Maureen said, hanging up the dish towel. "I better go, because I have to do some more study." She turned to her father. "See you soon?"
Elliot nodded. "Absolutely."
They hugged and she turned to Olivia.
"Thanks for watching them today," Olivia said. "I really appreciate it."
Maureen accepted the money Olivia handed over. "I don't mind. I really enjoy doing it." She said goodbye to the twins and then left.
"You pay her to watch them?"
Olivia frowned. "Of course I do. She gives up her time to watch the twins. She's a baby-sitter."
"You're paying her to watch her own siblings!"
"Keep your voice down," Olivia hissed.
"Have they asked about their dad? What did you tell them? That he's dead?"
"Of course not!" Olivia replied. "I told them that their daddy had something very important he had to do and he went away."
"Nice," Elliot said bitterly.
"What did you want me to tell them? Should I have explained that their parents had an affair and that their father crawled out of the bed and left the next morning before their mommy woke up?"
"That's not fair Olivia," Elliot told her.
"Not fair!? Not fair is just sneaking out the door after sleeping with me? Do you have any idea what that felt like?" she cried.
"GO AWAY!!!" Caroline yelled, racing in and clutching to her mother.
"No like Ewiot no more," Andrew frowned. He walked up to Elliot and pushed at his leg. "Go 'way."
"You make Mommy sad," Caroline accused, burrowing her face into Olivia's shoulders.
Olivia put her hands on Andrew's shoulders. "Sweetheart, it's okay. Elliot and I were just having a discussion."
"I'm sorry," Elliot said to Olivia.
Andrew grinned. "'Kay. Me like Ewiot 'gain."
"I think it's bedtime," Olivia suggested.
"Ewiot, tuck me in?" Andrew asked, pleading with Elliot.
Elliot glanced at Olivia.
"Sure. But don't you want a story first?" Olivia replied.
"Ewiot can read!" Andrew said, jumping up and down. "Want Pooh!"
Olivia cleared her throat. Andrew glanced at her then back at Elliot.
"Pwease want Pooh?"
"I'll get the book," Olivia murmured. "Whose room is it tonight?"
"Mine! Mine!" Andrew cried out, racing into his bedroom.
Caroline raised her arms and Olivia picked her up, settling her on her hip. She turned to Elliot. "I'll meet you in Andrew's room, I guess."
#################################
Elliot walked into the little boy's room and found him in his bed, waiting eagerly. "Is Mommy coming?"
"Yeah, she and your sister are just getting the book."
"Cool."
"So, who else reads your stories?"
"Mauween, Unca Don, Unca Munch and Unca Fin."
"No one else?"
"'ike who?"
"We're here," Olivia murmured, depositing Caroline on the bed. She handed the book to Elliot. "Here you go."
Elliot took the book and smiled at the twins. "Okay guys, get comfortable."
Andrew snuggled under the covers and Caroline snuggled into Olivia's lap, sticking her thumb in her mouth.
As Elliot began to read, Olivia watched him carefully. She knew she was still in love with him, but there was no way anything was going to happen about it. He had left. Left in the worst way possible. And she wasn't sure if she was ever going to forgive him for that.
Olivia tucked Caroline in, brushing some hair from her face. "Night, baby," she whispered, kissing her cheek. She pulled the door closed, and went to see how Elliot was doing with Andrew. Olivia hung back in the doorway, watching Elliot.
He just sat on the bed, stroking his son's hair. Her heart ached. When he turned and saw her standing there, she quickly moved away and went out into the living room.
After a few minutes, Elliot joined her.
"Thank you."
"For what?" Olivia asked, picking up some toys.
"Letting me be here. Letting me spend time with them."
"It wasn't my decision to make. Andrew likes you."
"That hurt."
"That your son liked you?"
"No, that you don't want me here."
Olivia turned to him. "I didn't say that."
Elliot reached out and gently caressed the side of her face. "I missed you, Liv. I missed you so much."
"I haven't been anywhere but here, Elliot," she replied. Olivia tried not to let his touch affect her.
"I know. And I'm sorry that I didn't come back earlier. And I'm sorry for not calling. But you didn't call me either."
She frowned at him. "Gee, Elliot, I wasn't really inclined to call you after what happened. It's not really encouraging when a guy sneaks out in the morning…know what I mean?"
Elliot sighed. "I know I shouldn't have done it. I was afraid. It was an awkward situation."
"Well you sure as hell made it a lot more awkward," Olivia replied.
"I know, and I'm sorry. We all make mistakes, Olivia."
"I know. It's just…this one was a hard mistake."
"I missed you all the time I was gone."
She nodded. She wasn't game to say anything. And she sure as hell wasn't ready to.
"Say something, Liv."
"Like what? Like how hard it was not telling you I was pregnant? How hard labor was? How hard it is raising two kids on my own?" She sighed. "What do you want from me?"
Elliot bent down and gently brushed his lips over hers. When he pulled back, she was looking at him, her eyes wide.
Olivia took a deep breath. "You better go. I don't want to wake the twins up."
He nodded and squeezed her hand. "I'm not going to let this go, Olivia."