Chapter 9

MEANWHILE

The twins were excited to be going to Olivia's and as they were getting closer to an ice cream shop Olivia pulled the car over with a smile.

"How would you guys like some ice cream?" Olivia waggled her eyebrows. The twins looked at each other solemnly.

"What's wrong?" Olivia frowned.

"Mommy doesn't let us get ice cream. She's says were up too late and then make her late for work the next day" Lizzie looked down at her hands.

"Well, I don't have to go to work tomorrow, and I'm not mommy" she smiled as she put her hand softly on Lizzie's knee. Both the twins looked up smiling.

"Come on!" Olivia scrunched her nose as they all got out of the car. They all chose their ice cream then headed over to Olivia's. They arrived there soon and she sat on her small coffee table, as the twins sat on the couch.

"So, you two tired?" Olivia asked. Both of them shook their heads no. She smiled.

"Ok, well… you want to play a game?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah! Let's play agents!" Lizzie got excited, and Dickie told her to be quiet.

"It's ok, 'Livia won't tell" Lizzie told Dickie.

"Won't tell what?" Olivia was now interested.

"You see, me and Dickie play a game called agents. Go get the book" Lizzie told her brother excited and he ran off to his bag.

"What is 'agents'"? Olivia asked.

"Me and my brother act like agents and spy." She told Olivia.

"Spy on what?" Olivia asked.

"On our neighbors, and friends, and mommy and daddy." Lizzie told her and Olivia's eyebrows went up.

"How do you play?" Olivia asked wondering.

"One time Dickie looks and tells me what to write, and then the next time I watch and I tell him what to write! Want to see what we have found out!" Lizzie asked excited.

"Um, no. I don't know if your parents like that much, you two" Olivia told them.

"It's ok Olivia, we know about you and daddy" Lizzie told her nodding.

"What about me and your dad?" Olivia frowned.

"That you slept with him" Dickie whispered. Olivia's mouth dropped the way Kathy's did to Elliot's comment.

"What?" Olivia asked shocked.

"We heard mommy say it" Lizzie told her. Olivia took in a deep breath- understanding Kathy's hostility better.

"Ok guys, listen up. Your mommy and daddy are fighting" Olivia started.

"We know" Lizzie told her.

"Of course, because of your game. But when adults argue, they say things they don't mean. Like your mommy saying that me and your daddy slept together. She didn't mean it, she was just mad" Olivia tried to explain but got two confused looks.

"Ok… has your mommy ever said you can never play with your toys again because you did something bad, but then later on she lets you play with them again?" Olivia asked. The twins nodded understanding now.

"Ok, well see your mommy didn't mean that about me and your dad. She was just mad." Olivia told the twins and they nodded.

"Ok, all cleared up?" she asked with a smile. The twins nodded again and she got up.

"I'm going to go get a drink" she said as she started to her kitchen.

"'Livia?" Lizzie called out.

"Yeah hun?' Olivia asked as she turned back around.

"What does 'slept with' mean?"

Back at Elliot's

Elliot and Kathy continued to fight. Thank god the other children weren't home that night. Elliot almost wished they were in a way. So he wouldn't have to deal with this- but he would hate for them to hear what Kathy was accusing him of.

"Oh just come out and say it!" Elliot shouted as they bickered in the living room now.

"I know your sleeping with Olivia!" she shouted as she turned away. He really wasn't as prepared for her comment as he thought he was- but he knew it was coming.

"Kathy… I haven't been sleeping with Olivia. I have never slept with Olivia" Elliot told her truthfully.

"Don't tell me you don't want to" Kathy turned back around facing him. He didn't know what to say- he just kept a straight face.

"Elliot… I think we should split up" she looked away.

"What?" he questioned.

"Just because you think I'm sleeping with Olivia- or because you think I want to sleep with her!" Elliot frowned.

"No" she spoke quietly.

"What then?" he asked frowning.

"It's Jim" she said letting out a deep breath. It was nice to get off her shoulders. She would finally tell him.

"Jim?" he questioned.

Later at Olivia's

The twins were tuckered out and Olivia set up a bed on the floor in her living room for them. Lizzie and Dickie were in the bed and Olivia sat on the floor next to Lizzie.

"Are you sure you two are ok sleeping on the floor?" Olivia asked, not really having another option. Both the kids nodded. Olivia worried the twins were going to have to get use to it, if Elliot and Kathy split. Olivia wasn't sure if she was suppose to stay next to the kids till they fell asleep or just leave.

"'Livia?" called Lizzie.

"Yeah?" Olivia turned her train of thought back to the twins.

"Can you tell us a story?" Lizzie asked a little worried.

"Of course." Olivia agreed- not knowing any stories but the ones she heard at work.

"What kind of story do you want?" Olivia asked.

"About a princess!" Lizzie smiled.

"No. Dragon!" Dickie pouted.

"Ok, ok. I'll tell you a story about a princess and her best friend the dragon…" Olivia actually impressed herself. Considering she had no mom to read her stories, or tuck her in, she was doing well. The twins listened for awhile, as Olivia stroked Lizzie's small head. The twins fell asleep pretty quickly and Olivia watched them for a little, to make sure they were defiantly asleep. She couldn't help but think about if she would ever have kids of her own. If she even wanted kids. She smiled as she got up, watching the twins still. She didn't need kids of her own, she had two sleeping right in front of her who needed her most. She headed to her bedroom, leaving the door a jar, just in case. She changed into a tank top and comfortable pants and climbed into bed. She almost wished she had someone come in and read to her. She couldn't sleep for anything, until she saw Dickie at the foot of her bed. She was so involved with her own thoughts she hadn't seen him come in.

"What are you doing up?" Olivia asked quietly, and concerned.

"I couldn't sleep" He told her. Olivia smiled and patted the side of her bed. Dickie came around and climbed in next to her.

"You stay here tonight" she told him with a smile as Lizzie came in.

"You too huh?" she smiled as she patted the other side of her bed. Lizzie crawled into the warm bed and Olivia spread her arms out around both of them. They cuddled up against her and shut their eyes again.

"'Livia?" Dickie said opening his eyes again.

"What hun?" she turned to him as Lizzie sat up a little.

"If mommy and daddy split, can we live with you?" he asked. She couldn't help but smile.

"If your parents split, you're going to have to live with one of them. But your always welcome here" She told the two children.

"Now get some sleep" she told them and they both got comfortable again.

"'Livia?" Dickie said again, not opening his eyes this time.

"What is it?" she asked- not one bit annoyed.

"I like you as my mommy" He cuddled up closer and she couldn't help but smile again as she blushed a little. She felt Lizzie squeeze around her to tell her the same message as Dickie. None of the three had trouble sleeping the rest of the night.