Chapter 10--Dinner at Elliot's--The Announcement

Stabler Residence – 6:00pm

"We've got a visitor tonight," said Elliot from the
kitchen as he was putting the spaghetti noodles on to a boil.

"Who is it?" asked Dickie, being curious.

"Tell us, Daddy," said Elizabeth.

"I bet it's Olivia," replied Dickie.

"You guessed right," said a voice behind him coming from the
living room.

"Olivia!" the twins shrieked, running up and giving her a hug.

"Hey, guys, it's good to see you." About that time, Maureen and Kathleen came in and saw Elliot, Olivia, and the twins.

"Hey Olivia," said Maureen, smiling, reaching over to give
her a hug. "How are you?"

"I'm doing good," she said to Maureen. Kathleen then
greeted Olivia and hugged her as well. "Hey Kathleen."

As Elliot was cooking dinner, he watched Olivia chatting with his
kids. They always got along well with each other and when the kids
came to the precinct, they would take the time and visit with Olivia.
She was going to be a good mother to their child and with his kids
and would be a good wife. If only she would marry me, he thought, but
I have to give her time.

"Is there anything that I can do to help?" Olivia asked Elliot.

"You can help me make the salad, Liv," called out Maureen.

"Well, that's what you can do," said Elliot.

Olivia walked over to the counter toward Maureen and helped her with
the salad. Kathleen then came over and washed off the lettuce so
Olivia and Maureen could mix in the chopped carrots, cucumbers, and
tomatoes in the salad. The three of them were chatting girl talk
while Elizabeth and Dickie were setting the table. A little while
later, dinner was ready and everyone sat in their seats at the table.

"You can sit here, Livvie," said Dickie, patting the seat next to Elliot's chair.

"Thank you, Dickie," replied Olivia, as she sat down and he
pushed in
the chair behind her. "You're such a gentleman."

"No problem," he said.

As Dickie went around his father and Olivia to sit in his chair,
Elliot stopped him and whispered, "you're doing great,
buddy," and gave him a wink and Dickie grinned at him.

They all made small talk while they ate and Elliot and Olivia
listened to the kids as they were talking about going back to school,
which was about to start next week. After a little while, everyone
had finished eating and the twins asked if they could be excused and
Maureen and Kathleen cleared the dishes off the table. Then, Elliot
told the four of them that he and Olivia had something to tell them
in a little while so they all retreated to their bedroom so Elliot
and Olivia could have some privacy in the living room.

"That's as much that I could eat in a while," said
Olivia. "Maybe this little one loves spaghetti and meatballs...at least until in
the morning when I'll be throwing up."

"Maybe he does..or she."

"This baby is going to be a girl and SHE will get to eat all of
the spaghetti that she wants when she is older," Olivia said, leaning in
and kissing Elliot.

"Don't forget, the he' part," chimed Elliot, returning her kiss and smiling at her. "Maybe Dickie won't mind having another sister if this baby turns out to be a girl. Speaking of the kids, are you ready to tell them."

"Ready whenever you are."

Elliot smiled at Olivia and this time he gave her a quick kiss, then
got up and called out from the staircase. "OK, you guys can come down now."

"Did you and Olivia get done with your kissing?" asked Dickie
when all of the kids were downstairs. Olivia heard him say that and she
laughed.

"Yes, we did, son," said Elliot, lifting him up and started
tickling him, which made Dickie start to giggle.

"That's what couples do, silly," Maureen told him, giving
him a nudge.

Elliot put Dickie down on the couch where the other three sat next to
him while Elliot and Olivia sat on the other couch across from the
kids. They looked at each other and held each other's hand and
turned to the kids.

"Well, you guys know that Olivia and I have been seeing each
other for a while," said Elliot. They nodded. "Well, we have some
exciting news to tell you."

"What is it?" asked Kathleen.

"Well, you dad and I are, ah, going to have a baby," said
Olivia. "I'm pregnant."

They didn't say anything for a while and Elliot and Olivia
didn't know what the outcome would bring, but a few moments later, the twins
started to jump down with excitement.

"A baby?! You're pregnant!" exclaimed Kathleen.

"Yes," smiled Olivia.

"How far along are you?" asked Maureen.

"Eight weeks," said Olivia, placing her hand on her belly.

"Oh my gosh!" exclaimed Elizabeth. "We're going to have
another baby brother or sister." She ran over to her dad and Olivia and gave
them a hug.

"It's going to be a brother," chimed Dickie.

"It's going to be a sister," argued Elizabeth.

"Don't worry, guys," said Elliot. "We'll find out
in about three more months."

"I can't wait that long," said Kathleen, smiling at her
dad and Olivia and hugging them while Maureen did the same.

"Neither can I," Olivia told her.

Among all of the hugs that were given by the kids, Elliot looked at
Olivia and mouthed I love you to her. After everything was calmed
down, it was starting to get late and Olivia said that she was going
to go. She said goodbye to the kids and Elliot walked her outside to
her car.

"So, you feel better now after telling the kids about the
baby?" Elliot asked her as soon as they got outside.

"Yeah, I do," replied Olivia. "They seem to be really
excited."

"I knew they would be," said Elliot. He then wrapped his arms
around her and kissed her deeply. "I love you."

"I love you more," said Olivia. She kissed him again and went
towards the car and released herself from Elliot when she felt a pair of arms
pulling her back against him.

"Come here, you." Before Olivia could say anything, he
brushed his lips against hers and they both met in another deep kiss.

"I'm never going to leave here if we don't stop doing
this," she said, giggling. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Take care of our little bambino."

"I will." She smiled at him as she got in the car and drove off.

Olivia Benson's Apartment – 10:30pm

Olivia was lying down on her bed and put her hand on her stomach.
Even though she hadn't felt the baby move yet, she was starting
to feel a connection with the baby and like Elliot told her, it was the
motherly instinct that she was experiencing.

"Hey angel. Your sisters and brother know about you now and, you
know what, they're really excited about seeing you come into this
world and your daddy and I can't wait either. We need to get married if
only I will say yes and we'll all be a family.

Marriage, she thought. She had been thinking about saying yes to
Elliot about marrying him, but when would be the perfect time. She
sighed as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.