Chapter 6

"Aw, cool, Dad got in a fight!" Dickie squealed excitedly.

"Dickie," Elliot said sternly, glaring at his son, "Dad did not get into a fight."

Elliot looked at his daughters. Maureen just shook her head and rolled her eyes. Lizzie, on the other hand, had tucked her chin into her chest, her eyes trained on the greasy napkin in her lap. Of all his kids, Elliot knew that his line of work had the biggest effect on Lizzie. He'd overheard her prayers before bed one night, asking God to protect her dad from the mean guys so he could come home every night and protect her.

"Lizzie," he said softly, but she didn't look up. "Elizabeth," he reached his hand out and gently touched her arm. She looked up at him, big blue eyes swimming with tears.

"Oh, sweetheart," he said, as she quietly climbed out of her chair and let her father pull her onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her tightly.

"I promise, I didn't get into a fight," he said, shooting Dickie a look over the top of Lizzie's head. "This," he said holding up his injured hand "is what happens when you eat Uncle Don's last Twizzler."

He lifted Lizzie's chin so her eyes met his. He knew they had reached a silent understanding. She smiled, wiped her tears, and gave her dad a kiss on the nose. She used to tease him, telling him she tried to kiss him on the lips, the forehead, the cheek, but his nose just got in the way. He laughed at her business sense when she said she was just going to cut out the middle man and aim for his big nose every time.

"Mom says Lizzie isn't feeling too hot, how about we just stay in and play Nintendo?" Elliot asked, laughing at twins' reactions. No matter how many new video games came out, they always loved the original Nintendo the best. Super Mario Three, in fact.

"I'll set it up!" Dickie exclaimed as he jumped out of his seat.

Lizzie just stood next to her dad, her arms folded across her chest, her bottom lip stuck out.

"Better stick that lip in or Maureen will step on it with her big feet," Elliot teased, pulling his daughter in close to him.

"Odds are better that dad will knock into with his nose," Maureen replied sarcastically as she began clearing the dinner table.

Elliot turned his eyes back to his youngest daughter. She let out a little sniffle and he smiled at her stubbornness. She was just like him, never backing down from a fight, not even with her dad or her brother.

"I'm not sick," she said matter-of-factly.

"I didn't say you were sick," Elliot said, gently wiping pizza crumbs off her chin. Elliot knew he was not going to win this fight, and he was too tired to argue with the beautiful little girl in front of him.

"Go put your jammies on, you better hurry or else Dickie will get the good controller," he said, turning her around and giving her a push up the stairs.

Elliot watched as Maureen continued to clean up the kitchen.

"Let me help," he said, carrying the nearly empty pizza box to the counter.

"It's fine, I'm almost done," she said, avoiding her dad's gaze. "Go change."

Elliot sighed but did as he was told. He reemerged in a pair of flannel pants and an old Mets shirt. The kitchen was spotless and the twins were planted in front of the TV, Lizzie successfully going into Flower Power mode. Maureen was curled up on the couch, textbook in hand. He smiled when she took off her reading glasses, and setting her book aside, made room for her dad on the couch.

She reminded him so much of her mother. No matter what the job threw at Elliot, Kathy always forgave his bad mood and lame excuses. She welcomed him with open arms, trying to make him forget the horrors he'd seen all day. Maureen was doing the same. She untucked the quilt from beneath her feet and covered Elliot's lap with it. She leaned into him, her head resting against his shoulder. He wrapped his left arm around her, pulling her closer to him. He closed his eyes and listened to the familiar Mario music, smiling at the kids, playfully trash talking to each other. His eyes shot open when he felt something cold on his hand. He looked down, Maureen had placed a bag of frozen green beans on his swollen hand. He smiled at her, gently kissing the top of her head.

"What happened?" she asked quietly, so as not to let her younger brother and sister hear. She carefully, gently, adjusted the vegetables on his splinted fingers.

"I'm fine, promise. Broke a couple fingers," he said, trying to reassure her.

"Look, I told the twins you were remodeling the bathroom and not to go in there, but you better clean it up before one of them forgets and walks in there in the middle of the night," she said, her voice quiet, but her tone almost angry.

"Thanks," he whispered, squeezing his arm tight around her. He'd forgotten how grown up she'd become. He couldn't get anything past her anymore.

"You can tell me if you want, you know," she said, letting her dad hold her tight. She closed her eyes and Elliot smiled at his daughter, shaking his head at her last comment. She might have grown up, but he wasn't ready to share with her his problems, his burdens. But he appreciated the gesture more than she would ever know.

Elliot spent the rest of the weekend doting over his kids. Running Dickie to baseball practice, taking Lizzie for ice cream, getting them dressed for church and Sunday school and helping with homework. He had never truly appreciated the difficulties of being a single parent until he and Kathy split. You literally have to put your life on hold, set aside your own wants and needs. It was all about sacrifice, something he was slowly realizing Kathy was all too familiar with.

Elliot woke up exhausted Monday morning, dreading the day ahead of him. He showered, shaved, and dressed absentmindedly, letting his mind wander to Olivia. As he stood in front of the mirror, his broken fingers prohibiting him from tying his tie, he wondered if she'd be ready to open up. If he'd be ready to apologize. If not, he wondered, how long could their relationship survive? Frustrated, he gave up on his tie and let it hang loose around his neck. He grabbed his jacket and rushed out the door, less than enthusiastic about going into work today.

I know it's short, but the good stuff is on it's way! Please read, review, and enjoy!