Part 13
Olivia almost burst through the door when she returned home, desperate to check on the twins. She didn't think Kathleen would actually hurt them, but it didn't stop her from being anxious.
"Mommy!" came Caroline's cry, as she raced out to see her.
"Hey," Olivia smiled, hugging her daughter tight. "You look a lot better."
"Andy too," Caroline told her.
"He's feeling better, too? That's good." She lifted her daughter up in her arms.
"Hey, Olivia," Maureen smiled, coming into the room.
"Hi," Olivia smiled. "Everything go okay?"
Maureen nodded. "Yep. Kathleen and Andy are watching another Muppets movie. They've been having a marathon."
Olivia's eyes widened for a moment, but she tried to mask it. "Um, that's great."
"Where's Dad?"
Olivia paused. "He's at his apartment." She bit her lip and tried to change the subject. "Have these little guys had dinner?"
Maureen was confused but nodded again. "Yep."
She watched her friend for a moment. "Did you and Dad have a fight?"
"What? No, no, nothing like that," Olivia assured her.
Maureen looked at her curiously. "Why then?"
"Just because." Olivia pressed a kiss to Caroline's cheek then set her down. "I'll get you and Kathleen some money."
Maureen followed her into the bedroom. "Olivia…"
"Mhm?"
It suddenly dawned on her. "You didn't bring dad home because it would upset Kathleen."
Olivia sighed. "It's not important, Maureen."
"You guys can't keep doing this to yourselves."
Olivia looked up, surprised. "Doing what?"
"Torturing yourselves because you're afraid of hurting people."
Olivia rifled around in her bag. "We're just trying to do what's best."
"Maybe you should do what's best for you and dad."
"It can't just be about your dad and me, Maureen. There are too many people involved."
"We can handle ourselves."
"I don't doubt it," Olivia replied. "But that's not your job."
"What's the job you and dad are working at? Making yourselves miserable?"
"We're not miserable."
"I'm not a kid, Olivia. And I'm not stupid."
"It's complicated," Olivia offered.
"That's not going to work either. I know you and Dad love each other and you want to be together. Trying to please everyone is never going to work."
"You don't think we're doing a good job of it so far?" Olivia said, trying to sound teasing, but failing.
"Not really," Maureen replied. She sat on the bed. "Wanna talk about it?"
Olivia glanced out to where the twins were with Kathleen. "I…"
"They're watching the Muppets."
Olivia sat down beside her. "I've put you in a hard position before by talking to you. I won't do that to you again."
"I could have gotten myself out of it. I'm a big girl, Olivia."
"Elliot's your father."
"And you're my potential stepmother and the mother of my half-brother and sister." Maureen sent her a look. "I'm also a cop's daughter. You're not going to get out of this that easy."
"I can't talk to you about this."
"What? You guys are having problems in the bedroom?"
"Maureen!"
"What?"
Olivia sent her a look.
"Olivia, I am over eighteen you know. It's not exactly taboo talk," Maureen reminded her.
Olivia arched an eyebrow. "Is there something going on in your life you want to tell me?"
Maureen grinned back. "Don't try and change the subject."
Olivia stared at her hands. "It's just something that your dad and I are taking slowly."
"Are you scared?"
"Of your father? God, Maureen, no. Not at all." Olivia smiled reassuringly at her. "Your dad has been spending a lot of time here lately, and I thought he should spend some time at home with your brother
and sisters."
Maureen folded her arms. "What did Kathleen say?"
"It's not Kathleen," Olivia said firmly.
"Then what is it? I know you and dad have been getting even closer. Call me crazy, but it was weird not having him come home with you."
"It's a lot of things. A lot of things that make this situation complicated. A lot of reasons why your father can't be here."
Maureen stood up. "You two need to start thinking of yourselves instead of other people all the time. Other people can tell you're unhappy."
Olivia looked up, startled. "What are you talking about?"
Maureen rolled her eyes. "You'll figure it out."
Elliot started cooking the pasta, keeping an ear out for any other children that came in through the door.
Lizzie and Dickie were in the living room watching TV. He knew that Maureen was probably at Olivia's, and he suspected Kathleen was there as well.
"We're here, Dad!" Maureen called, closing the door behind her.
"In the kitchen," Elliot replied.
Maureen came into the kitchen, her sister behind her.
"How did everything go with the twins?" Elliot asked them.
"They're feeling a lot better now," Maureen replied. "Right, Kathleen?"
Kathleen nodded. "Sure."
Elliot smiled. "Thanks for helping out Olivia, Kathleen. I know how much she appreciated it."
Kathleen shrugged. "No problem."
After Kathleen left the room, Maureen turned to her father.
"Can we talk a minute?"
Elliot nodded. "Sure. What's the matter?"
"Nothing with me," Maureen replied, sitting on a chair. "But you and Olivia are pretty miserable."
Elliot blinked. "Huh?"
"Oh come on, Dad. You two have been dancing around each other ever since you came home. And now that you've finally said something to each other, you're doing everything you can to stay away from each other."
"That's not the situation," Elliot replied.
"Then what is?"
"Maureen…"
"Come on, Dad. Is it Kathleen? Is it the twins? What?" She folded her arms. "Tonight was one of the first nights you haven't gone home to Olivia's apartment."
"Olivia and I thought…"
Maureen sent him a look. "You sound just like Olivia."
Elliot arched an eyebrow. "You talked to Liv about this?"
"Someone had to." Maureen frowned. "If I baby-sit the twins for a night here, like a sleepover, will you spend a night with Olivia? An entire night?"
Elliot folded his arms. "What are you suggesting?"
Maureen grinned. "Come on dad, I've had the birds and the bees talk."
Elliot's eyes widened. "Are you…?"
"This isn't about me dad. This is about you and Olivia. So what do you say?"
The next morning, Maureen sat with Olivia as they had a milkshake each.
"Dad thinks I'm having sex."
Olivia almost choked on her milkshake. "What?"
Maureen glanced at her in amusement. "Dad thinks I'm having sex."
"How on earth did that come up?"
"I was talking about you and dad."
Olivia almost choked again. "What?"
"I know you and dad have been waiting for the right time. So I decided to bug him a bit about it." Maureen shrugged. "Now he thinks I'm doing it."
Olivia groaned. "I'm living in a nightmare."
Maureen chuckled. "If I tell you something, do you promise not to tell dad?"
"I remember what happened last time we did something like this."
"Yeah, and it was you asking me."
Olivia paused. "I shouldn't have made you do that."
"It happened. Things are different."
Olivia narrowed her eyes. "Why do you want this so bad?"
Maureen looked her in the eyes. "Because you and dad do." When she saw Olivia's confused look, she smiled. "You and dad are really important to me. I know that being together makes you happy, and by extension, it makes me happy."
Olivia smiled slightly staring at her milkshake. "When did you take pysch classes?"
Maureen chuckled. "I'm serious, Olivia."
Olivia nodded. "I know." She took another sip of her milkshake. "I love your dad. But I also love you guys. And you guys have to come first."
Maureen rolled her eyes. "If you guys worry about us all the time, you're never going to be happy."
"What do you want me to say, Maureen?"
"That if I baby-sit the twins at Dad's place, you two will have a night to yourselves."
Olivia paused.
"Is it just us kids? Or is it something else?"
"It's a lot of things."
Maureen toyed with her milkshake. "It's safe."
Olivia blinked. "What?"
Maureen sent her a look over their drinks which Olivia quickly interpreted.
"Ah. Gotcha." She sat back for a moment, thinking. "If he hurts you, remind him you have a family of cops."
Maureen smirked. "Will do."
"And please stay safe."
Maureen looked at her for a moment and finally smiled. "I will."
Olivia nodded. "Good."
Maureen toyed with her drink. "I'll baby-sit the twins tomorrow night." She grinned at Olivia. "No arguments."
TBC