Part 4
"HAPPY 'OTHER'S DAY MOMMY!" came the cry of two excited toddlers, bursting their way into Olivia's room. Andrew and Caroline climbed up onto the bed, both shaking and poking at their mother. "Wake up, Mommy!" Olivia opened her eyes and smiled at the two children grinning widely at her."Hey, you two."
"It's 'Other's Day Mommy!" Caroline said excitedly. "Card!" Andrew cried, thrusting some paper in her face. "You guys made me a card?" Olivia sat up a little and pulled them both into a big hug. "You two are such great kids." She opened the card, covered with the twins scribble. Inside it said "We Love You, Mommy" in Maureen's neat handwriting, and Caroline and Andrew had made some scribbles beneath it. "You signed it, too!" she said. "And picta!" Caroline said, thrusting another piece of paper at her. "And a picture as well? I feel spoiled!" Olivia's eyes roamed the picture. She presumed it was set outside, because there was blue scribble at the top and green at the bottom. She'd become accustomed to their drawings and could interpret them pretty well. "So that's you guys and me at the park," she smiled. When she noticed the figure standing next to her, she looked up at the twins. "Who's this?" "Ewiot," Andrew said proudly. Olivia froze. "Why's Elliot in the picture?""Cause we dunno what Daddy looks 'ike," Caroline answered. "Wan' brekkie?"
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Olivia had always thanked God for the double jogging stroller she had. It was good for taking the twins to the park when she knew they would run around and get tired. When they were smaller, it had been good for her to go jogging with them when Maureen couldn't sit. And she always thanked God for the different parks in Central Park. Something different did them all good sometimes. Today it was the Bernard Family Park's turn. "'Ook Mommy! Ewiot!" came Andrew's excited voice from the stroller and Olivia felt the tell-tale tugging off the stroller as the twins tried to get out. "Hey, guys," Elliot said, coming up to them. "Out!" Andrew demanded. When he saw Elliot's look he grinned. "Pease." With Olivia's nod of approval, Elliot unbuckled the guy from the stroller and picked him up. "Did you give your mom a good mother's day present this morning?" Andrew nodded. "Uh-huh." "What did you give her?" "A picta!" "A picture. How cool! Did Mommy like the picture?"Olivia put the brakes on the stroller when they got to the playground and unbuckled Caroline. "Mommy did."
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Elliot glanced over to where Olivia was pushing Caroline on the toddler swing. The little girl was squealing with delight and Olivia was laughing. God, he hated this situation. "Weady, Ewiot?" Andrew asked, sitting at the top of the slide. "Sure am. Come on down!" Andrew slid down the slide and into Elliot's arms. "Fun! Do over!" Elliot nodded and watched Andrew climb back up again. His gaze strayed over to Olivia again, who was bending down and chatting with her daughter, as she gently pushed the swing. "Ewiot!" Andrew cried impatiently, demanding attention. "Right, sorry about that," Elliot said, turning his attention back to the little boy. "Let's go."Andrew slid down again and into Elliot's arms. "Do over!"
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Olivia tucked the covers around her daughter. There had been no protests against naptime today. Thank god for that, because Mommy needed a naptime too. "Andrew's out like a light," Elliot said, as she came out into the living room. "They'll both sleep for a while," Olivia replied. She looked up at him. "How did you know where we were?" "I asked Maureen. She said you took the twins to the park most Sundays." Olivia nodded as she picked up some stray toys lying around the room. "Is it okay that I was there?" "It's fine." "Are you okay about the other night?" "It's fine." "Olivia…" "Elliot, I need to sleep. I haven't slept well for a while. Perhaps we could talk another day, okay?" She tried to ignore the hurt look on his face. "Sure, no problem. To tell the truth, I'm a bit tired, too. I haven't played with toddlers like that for a while." Olivia nodded and walked him to the door. Elliot turned. "Guess I'll see you at work tomorrow?"Olivia nodded. "See you tomorrow."
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Olivia stood silently in the autopsy room. Usually she had no problem with autopsies. Even with kids. But this kid. This kid struck her heart. She was two years old. She was olive-skinned. She was a brunette. She could have been Caroline.Olivia knew it was going to be a long night.
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Maureen Stabler watched Olivia enter the apartment. She watched her kick off her shoes and take off her coat. Then she watched her go into Caroline's bedroom. She put the kettle on. It was going to be a long night.
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"Mommy?" Caroline rolled over when she felt her mother hug her tightly. "Hey, honey." Olivia kissed her daughter on the temple. "Mommy needed a hug. Is that okay?" Caroline nodded and wrapped her arms around her mother. "Need Andy too?" Olivia smiled. "No, a girl's hug will be okay." "'Kay. 'ove you, Mommy." The little girl pressed a kiss to her mother's cheek. "Can I go to sweep now?" Olivia nodded. "Sure, honey. Is it okay if Mommy stays here for a while?" "'Song you don't hog bed." The little girl yawned and, resting her head against her mother, fell back to sleep.Olivia watched her for a few minutes. Her children were so precious to her. She'd make sure they were protected. From anything.
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Maureen knew Olivia would have fallen asleep in Caroline's room. She knew when these cases happened that Olivia didn't sleep for weeks. Maureen just made up the pullout sofa on the couch and stayed the night. It didn't bother her. In fact, she was in the middle of doing that when the doorbell rang. She opened it, revealing her father, looking more haggard than she had seen him in a while. "Hey, dad." Elliot stepped inside the house. "How's Liv?" "She went into Caroline's room." Maureen tucked her sheets in. "She'll sleep there tonight. Usually does." "And you stay here?" Maureen nods. "Yep. It doesn't bother me. It's kind of nice to be woken up by your two-year-old brother blowing kisses in your ear." Elliot froze. "You know?" "I'm not stupid, Dad. Have you LOOKED at Andrew lately?" "Does Olivia know you know?" Maureen shook her head. "Nope. And that's okay. I'm fine with it." "You are?" "Dad, I don't know what went on between you and Olivia, but I was there when she was pregnant. I was there in labor and I've watched my little brother and sister grow up. They think of me as one. I think of them as mine. I don't need any more." Elliot sighed and sat down. "I do." Maureen looked at him for a second and then opened the cupboard above the TV set. "Enjoy." Elliot stood up and looked. Video tapes. Hundreds of videotapes. "What are these?" "I asked Olivia when she found out she was pregnant if I could follow her pregnancy as a report." Maureen smiled. "It took a bit of coaxing before she agreed. Now she's glad I did it. And as the kids grew up, we just filmed them more and more. First steps and first words. I always did it in case Olivia wasn't there." "What were their first words?" Maureen smirked. "Find out for yourself." She grabbed her bag. "You can have the pullout sofa. I'll bunk on the floor in Andy's room." "I can't make you sleep on the floor." Maureen rolled her eyes. "There's a mattress. And I've done it before. When the kids had the flu. It's hard to run between two rooms when they're both vomiting at the same time." Elliot wrinkled his nose. "Ah, gotcha." He looked up at the tapes. "Maureen?" "Yeah dad?" "Thanks." Maureen grinned. "No problem."