Chapter 25

After returning from their hike. They took a trip to the sauna then made their way back to their room. Clad only in robes. Natalia's face was nothing short of blissful. "That was amazing."

"You relaxed?"

"Uh, finally."

"You know what, I'm starving. So we should order lunch, and then figure out what we're going to do tonight."

"Mmm. Okay."

"Maybe a movie, or…" Grabbing the front of her robe, Olivia pulled Natalia to her. Sliding her hands into the robe and around the bare waist beneath. Kissing her way from Natalia's chest, to her neck, to her lips. "Maybe a midnight hike." She said with mischief in her eyes.

Pulling back slightly Natalia gawked at her. "Are you serious?"

"Oh it's beautiful. Gosh the moon and the stars. You just have to worry about the little bats flying around." She said with a smirk and a wink.

"No, no, I can't do bats."

Laughing Olivia leaned into her. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Okay? Movie night?"

"Mmm yes. Movie night."

Olivia kissed her one more time and then sat next to her, opening the menu. "Look at this, it's very delicious."

"Yummy."

"Really healthy." Olivia looked at Natalia, getting lost in her eyes. She smiled at her. "See, even you can relax."

"I'm a very fun person. You just, you don't know. You don't know the half of it."

Olivia gave a seductive look and her signature eyebrow raise. "You gonna show me?"

"Uh…"

There is a knock at the door. Disrupting their flirting. Olivia handed her the menu while she went to the door. "Why don't you um, decide what we're gonna have for lunch, but hurry. I'm starving."

Answering the door, Olivia was surprised to see Emma standing there. "Emma, what are you doing here?"

Emma ran to Natalia for a hug. Natalia hugged the child and then pulled back. "Emma, did you run away again?"

"No."

"Well then how did you get here?"

"I asked Jane to take me. I missed you guys. Too much. Both of you."

Olivia and Natalia looked at each other. Smiling. As much as they wanted time alone, they both love their little girl so much, they couldn't help but be thrilled to see her. Olivia pulled out a chair and sat in front of Emma. "Where is Jane?"

"Out waiting in the hall, for you guys to say yes." Natalia was fighting back her laughter. "Please don't send me home. I'll be fun." Emma exclaimed with a toothy smile.

Natalia grinned at Olivia. "Well, we do have some extra tickets for the mineral baths."

"We could take a nature walk and feed the ducks." Olivia added. Looking between her two girls.

"But not at night, cause there are bats." Natalia said, leaning into Emma.

"It's way past her bed time for the bat stuff."

"You came just in time."

"You know what, it'll be a dinner and a movie night. And you know what, I hear they have great deserts, if we decide to get crazy."

Emma nodded her head yes.

"Yeah. Okay. I'll go tell Jane you can stay yes. Or you go tell her."

"Okay."

"Now, where's your bag?"

"It's over there." She answered, pointing towards the door.

"Yeah, now go on, you got packed before we even left. "

Once Emma walked off to tell Jane, Natalia and Olivia looked at each other. Natalia couldn't help but be happy. "She is just so adorable."

"I don't know too many people who would like a kid showing up on their spa vacation."

"Oh well, you're very lucky that you know me."

"Yes I am."

Sitting around finishing their meal, Natalia told Emma of their plans for the rest of the visit. "Tomorrow, we're gonna get wrapped up in seaweed like mummy's."

"Cool."

"And you know what, we'll take you up to the thermal springs and get pedicures, and when we're finished, we'll come back and watch all you're favorite movies." Olivia added.

"Yeah."

Olivia threw her head back. "Yes." She stood and walked to stand in front of Natalia. "So, so much for our alone time."

"Well, I'm sure you can find a way to make it up to me. You'll figure it out." Natalia said with a small smirk. Craning her neck up for a kiss. As soon as their lips met, Emma put a quick stop to the mushy stuff.

She waved her hands from the bed. "Mom, Natalia, come on."

Olivia clapped her hands and jumped on the bed, falling to one side of Emma. "Movie time."

Natalia crawled in on the other side of the bed. "Alright, what have we got."

Emma pressed play and they all snuggle in together. Olivia reaching behind Emma's head for Natalia's hand. Taking it, Natalia kissed the back and then rest their hands, intertwined, on the pillow above Emma's head.

Once Emma was sound asleep, as well as Natalia, Oliva gently slid Emma over to her side of the bed. Placing herself in the center, she wrapped her arms and legs around Natalia. Natalia didn't wake, but stirred enough to snuggle deeper into Olivia's body. Dropping sleepy kisses to her neck. Olivia just smiled. Kissed the top of Natalia's head, and let herself fall into a peaceful sleep with the love of her life snug in her arms.

The following morning, Olivia took Emma for manicures and pedicures. Walking back into the room, they were both shaking their hands.

Natalia sat up on the bed. "Hey girls, how were the mani, Pedi's?"

Emma sat down on the bed in front of her. "Good, but my nose itches."

Natalia reached out to scratch Emma's nose. "Ut-oh. Come here. Don't ruin your nails. Better? Good?"

"Yup. We missed you. Right mom?"

"Yeah, we sure did."

"Can I go show my friend Kiera my nails?"

Natalia just shook her head. "I can't believe you made a friend already."

"I have good people skills. That's what Ms. Jennings's says."

"Yeah, well you must have got those from your mommy."

Olivia huffed. "Okay. So yeah. Show Kiera your nails, but come back soon, cause we're going home today. Okay."

Emma ran off and Olivia took her place on the bed by Natalia. Giving her a delicate kiss. "So, did you call Rafe? How's he doing?"

"Yeah, he's doing well. The half way house isn't so bad, you know. Not like prison."

"Did you tell him where you were and who you were with?"

"Yeah. I always tell him where I am and who I'm with. He didn't think much of it. There wasn't really much time to talk, again. But I am gonna tell him."

"I know. I know you said you want to tell him by yourself, but, I really think it could be beneficial, for me to be there."

"I want you there, I really do, it's just, I'm just worried. I don't want him saying anymore awful things to you. I know when I talked to him before we came, that I gave him a lot to think about. I gave him my opinion of you, instead of just Frank's. I told him things he didn't know about you."

"Like what?"

"Just, how great you are. How loving, and kind, and protective."

"You didn't tell him about the transfer and the release did you? I don't want him to know. I didn't want you to know."

"I did." Seeing Olivia facial expression, Natalia was quick to explain. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry…."

"I don't want your kid to like me because of things I've done for him, I want him to like me just because he does." She started pacing.

"I know. I am so sorry honey. I was yelling at him, and then all these things just started to fly out of my mouth. I just wanted him to know how wonderful you are…"

"I want him see that I've changed. That I'm not the monster I used to be."

"Babe, honey, please, calm down. I know you didn't want him to know, but I really think it will be a good thing. He can't see the things you're doing from in prison or a half way house. He can't see all the little things you do for me, and Emma, and Ava, and even him. He's not here. But, Being told them, and things that have effected him, for the better, maybe that's what will change his mind. Knowing that you care about HIM. That you want to be there for HIM. Not just me. Maybe that will help make him understand." She pulled Olivia to her by her hips. "Please baby, please don't be mad. We've had such a good time. Lets just, lets just wait and see what happens. Okay?"

Leaning her forehead against Natalia's, Olivia exhaled a sigh. "Okay. Maybe I shouldn't be so upset. I just don't ever want Rafe, or you, to think I'm trying to buy his affection. I just want to be there for him. Just like you are with Emma."

"I do know that. I would never think you would try to buy him. You are so good to me, and my son. I love you so much. I just want this part to be done already."

"Me too." Closing the distance she brushed their lips together. Before heading out for drinks and to locate Emma. Coming back in the room, she was carrying two cups and a bag. "Looky here."

"Looky, you talk weird sometimes."

"I'm whimsical, it's part of my charm. No looky here, looky here what I got in the gift shop." She handed Natalia the bag and juice.

"Oh, okay." Natalia took the bag she pulled out a book. "Worlds top hotels, resorts, and spas." She turned in her chair to face Olivia who had moved to sit on the bed.

"Mmmhmm. Yeah, I thought we'd just go from place to place and check it all out."

"There are so many of them."

"I know."

"So we'd be gone for like years, and years, and years, and never go back to Springfield."

"Yes, and Emma will be all grown, and she'll be able to understand things a little bit better. And then the people we felt the need to explain ourselves to, would be dead, so, we really wouldn't have to talk to a lot of people."

"Yeah. And plus, we'd be so gorgeous."

"Yes."

"You know our skin would be glowing from all the spa treatments."

"Yes."

"Yeah." Closing the book she joined Olivia on the bed. "But we can't. We have jobs, and I don't think even you have enough money to live in a spa the rest of your life."

"It would be nice to go somewhere where no one knows us though."

"Not really, I mean, I don't think so. I mean, we love each other for who we are in our lives. I love you because of who you are with Emma, who you are at work, your strong, and powerful, and loving."

"And I love you because, you are just the most, nurturing person, I think I've ever met. Little sappy sometimes."

Natalia smiled and laughed. Dimples on full display. "Shut up."

"Okay, alright. So we'll go back but, we have to promise we're not gonna take a step back. We have to tell Rafe and just, just be, us, together. We haven't been hiding, but I think in some ways we have."

Natalia wasn't sure what to say so, she took Olivia's hand in hers. Rubbing her thumb across her knuckles. "Your hands are pretty. Your nail polish is really pretty."

"Beautiful dream."

"What?"

"It's the name of the nail polish."

Natalia caressed her hand before kissing the back, then turning it over to place a soft kiss to the palm.

Olivia leaned over and gave her a passionate kiss. Parting her lips to deepen it. Natalia's hand slid through golden locks. Holding Olivia there. Tongues stroking against each other. Not separating until they were both breathless and panting. Leaning their foreheads together. "I guess, we have to go back huh?"

"Yup. Back to reality. One good thing though."

"What's that?"

"Emma wont be in our bed tonight."

"That is a good thing." Olivia's phone rang breaking their moment. After a quick chat, she hung up. Flipping the phone shut and looking up at Natalia and Emma. "Ava says hello."

"Is everything okay?' Natalia asked concerned.

"She's moving to a bigger place in the city, and she's a little stressed out. So I think I'm gonna have to go to San Francisco for a few days."

Emma walked to stand right in front of her mother. "Can I come?"

She brought Emma into a giant hug, "No, cause you've missed school already, haven't you?"

"Okay." Emma said sadly.

"Yeah." She released her from the hug and tugged on one of her braids.

Natalia gazed at the mother and daughter, her heart breaking for her sad little girl. "You know what, you should really go though. Definitely go. Ava needs you. I know you miss her so much."

"Yeah, do you think you'll be good with Emma by yourself while I'm gone?"

"Of course. And I'll make sure she gets to school. Right before I go to work I'll take her. What kind of question was that?"

"Well, it's usually both of us."

"Oh please."

"Hey Em, why don't you go say bye to your friend Kiera."

Without a word, Emma darted out of the room. Olivia stood from the bed and walked over to Natalia. Taking both her hands in her own and bringing them to her chest. "Well, I was gonna go out there any ways, just not now. But maybe it's good. I can tell her and then it will just be Rafe. So, I guess this is good bye."

"Yeah, and when you get back we'll talk to Rafe. Is there just a little tiny part of you that's relieved that you get to go to San Francisco and not home?'

"No, listen I'm gonna, be out there, and I'm gonna think of you and Emma, baking cookies and sitting by the fire, and I'm just gonna wanna be there with you. I'm gonna miss you."

"I…tell me about it." Closing the small gap between them, Natalia moved her hands to the small of Olivia's back, while Olivia's arms fell across her shoulders. Their lips met in a sad kiss. Having not been apart for more then a day since moving in together, and not slept apart in months, both women had tears streaming down their cheeks. This kiss was another different one. This kiss said hold onto my love while you're gone. It said remember how I feel against you. For the first time in their relationship, this kiss, said goodbye.