A/N: I apologize for my absence. My family was hit with Covid. Luckily it was a "mild" case with only fevers, couch, headaches, and fatigue but we are still recovering so updates may be slower. I hope this finds everyone well and in good health. Enjoy your days.

Chapter 55

It had been two days since Natalia had kissed her at Towers, and Olivia found herself annoyed that she hadn't heard from her since. Natalia was all she could think about and it had started effecting her at work. She kept making stupid mistakes. Like this morning. Going over budget forms, she kept making errors with her accounting. "Great. I did it again." She circled her mistakes to fix before she entered it into the computer.

Natalia stood silently in the doorway for a moment. Just watch her love work. After a few minutes, she knocked on the open door to make her presence known. When Olivia looked up, Natalia smiled sweetly. "Hey."

Olivia blinked a few times. As much as she had been missing Natalia, it was still hard when she popped up. Her heart always beat faster and her thoughts raced from one extreme to another. "Hi."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you while you're working. Um.."

"It's okay."

"I just wanted to let you know that um, tomorrow I'm going to have a little get together, farewell dinner for Rafe. I know he doesn't leave for another week, but um, I just, there's a lot going on around town and I want to do this for him, and I know you'll want to be there, help me support our son."

"I can't go to YOUR son's diner. I don't understand why you won't leave this alone."

"Cause we're meant to be together."

"It's not happening."

"You're really gonna have to just get over this fear."

"Do I look frightened to you?" Olivia's spat.

"You're worried."

"I'm busy."

"I don't want you to miss out on these really important family moments. Once they happen, I can't make them happen again." The two had a bit of a stare off at that moment. Natalia finally breaking the silence. "Please come."

"Thanks, but no." Olivia turned her head back to her paperwork, ignoring the fact that Natalia was still there. Natalia was saddened but not discouraged. She walked around the desk and kissed Olivia's temple before spinning on her heel and walking out.

Frank was walking out of Company when he noticed Olivia across the street. He decided it was time to live up to his 'good guy' reputation where Olivia and Natalia were concerned. He could see they were both hurting. He Had been witness to Olivia's total breakdown. With that in mind he strolled across the street and up to her. "So, I guess I'll see you at Rafe's dinner tomorrow."

"No. I'm not going."

"You're not going?"

"No. It's not my place."

"You know what Olivia, who knows what anyone's place is any more. You know. I mean I really don't even know the difference between right and wrong anymore. I thought I did last week but…anyway uh, with Mallet and Marina splitting up, and finding out that Shane is Henry's dad, uh the restaurant's failing, it's failing miserably right now, and Cyrus, I mean Cyrus is Jenna's son. Did you know that?" Olivia said nothing and kept her back to him. "I know Natalia loves you. And the whole world is just upside down right now. Who knows what's going on anymore? You know what, but, the big picture, the grand scheme of things, things really aren't so bad. So, don't just beat yourself up anymore. Don't over think things. Just uh, just do what you need to do." She still hadn't turned around, but he hoped she heard what he was trying to say. "I'll see ya later." He turned and left, leaving her to her thoughts.

Natalia was at the hospital picking up some vitamins when Alan noticed her. "Natalia."

She faced him at the sound of her name. "Hey."

"What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I'm just picking up some vitamins."

"Oh. Picking up your vitamins, well I'm here, I'm here for a routine checkup. So, tell me, how are you liking your job at Spaulding?"

"Oh, I love it."

"Good."

"Really, really love it. Thank you so much."

"Good. Um, I uh was here for my routine checkup and I got pulled into a very serious family meeting. Some very sad news. Phillip announced to the family that he is dying. And I think that you should know that because Rafael is a member of our family and he should know too."

"Alan. I, are you okay?"

"Oh no I'm fine."

"Your family?"

"They're fine. It will take us a little time, but we're okay. Speaking of Rafael, how is he?"

"He enlisted."

"Enlisted?"

"Army. He's gonna call you and tell you of course, but since we're talking right now…"

"He enlisted in the army. Wow. What a brave young man he is. You must tell him to call me before he goes. Will you?"

"Of course."

Phillip had asked Olivia to meet him at the park to talk. She agreed and told him she would have Jane bring Emma. He asked if she could come a few minutes before Emma so he could talk to her alone. He wanted to tell her the news of his condition before he told Emma. She was fighting back tears when she finally found her voice after hearing the news. "How long have you known?"

"Couple of months."

"Well, how long do you have?"

"Not long."

Emma came running up and jumped into her daddy's arms. "Daddy, daddy, I'm so glad to see you. I knew you'd come today."

"You did."

Emma noticed the tears running down her mother's face. "Mommy, you're crying, what's wrong."

Olivia wiped the tears from her face. Phillip spoke up before Olivia had a chance to say anything. "Hey sweetie, why don't you and daddy take a little walk, okay?"

Emma nodded. He set her down and the two walked off hand in hand. Olivia stood and watched as her baby girl was told the news about her father. She watched as he knelt beside her and sobs escaped from her daughter as she hugged her daddy as tight as she could. She couldn't stop herself from crying. Not only was Phillip the man that gave her the greatest gift she had ever received, but she was also beginning to see him as a friend again. And Emma, her poor little girl would be without a father, just like Ava. That alone broke her heart.

Natalia was getting a snack at the mini mart when Doris walked in. At first she didn't notice her and Doris just walked by her. She was angry with her on Olivia's behave, and decided it was time for her to say something. "Natalia, hi."

"Hi Doris."

"How are you?"

"I'm good. Working on getting my family back, starting a life with Olivia."

"Wow. I thought Olivia was having a hard time with that. I thought she said no."

"Well, she did, but she means too much to me."

"Wow. And you're just gonna hang on like that huh?"

"She's the love of my life."

"Are you sure?"

"More than anything."

"I hope so."

"Do you have something to say Doris?"

"You know, as a matter of fact I do. I've been trying not to since you got back, but Olivia is my friend."

"And?"

"And I had to watch as the strongest woman I have ever met break. You know, I always thought it was just an expression, a broken heart, but no. I witnessed it. I watched the moment Olivia's heart actually broke as she shouted to the heavens for you outside one of many church retreats. I had to stand by and watch my friend crumble to the ground as a piece of her literally died. I don't know if you know what all Olivia went through while you were gone, and I'm not gonna be the one to tell you, but what I will say, is if, and that's a big if, if you are lucky enough for another chance with Olivia, and you break her heart again, I will come at you every which way possible. I will make your life a living hell. And that's not a threat, it's a guarantee Ms. Rivera." Before Natalia could say anything, Doris stormed out of the store, tossing money on the counter as she went.

After Phillip left, Emma ran off to the small bridge crossing the creek. Olivia followed after her. She leaned down close to her daughter, tucking hair behind her ear.

Emma looked up at her. "Is daddy gonna come back?'

"No baby he won't."

"Can we say goodbye to him again?"

"Sure. You wanna do that right now?"

"Mmm mmm."

"Okay. Well do you wanna do something else? Something that will make you feel better?"

"Can we go to Natalia's and make cookies for daddy? Maybe that will make him feel better."

"I don't even know that Natalia's available right now."

"Can we call her?"

"Yeah." Olivia did not want to ask Natalia for anything, but seeing the hurt in her daughters eyes, she tucked away her own pain and called Natalia, who of course, said yes. She would do anything for the child she thought of as her own.

Hanging up, Olivia got Emma in the car and drove out to the farmhouse. Walking up the path, she tried to keep her emotions in check. Walking up to that door, the door that held her home that was no longer hers and the woman she no longer had behind it, was one of the hardest things she ever had to do, but like Natalia, she would do anything for her little girl.

As they reached the door, Natalia opened it with a smile and held the screen door for Emma to go in. "Hi. Make some cookies?"

Emma nodded and walked into the house. Natalia turned to Olivia. "Come in?"

"No."

Natalia watched her walk out into the yard and then went into the house to bake with Emma.

Emma was enjoying baking with Natalia. It was one of her favorite things to do. She cracked eggs into the bowl while Natalia supervised. Natalia helped her put all the ingredients into a large bowl, while Emma mixed them, she walked to the doorway and watched Olivia pacing in the yard for a moment. Wishing she would come inside. Her heart was breaking for their daughter, and she just wanted to help both Emma and Olivia get through this. She watched until Olivia got in her car and then went back to Emma.

As they wiped down the table after setting the cookies in the oven, Emma looked up at her. "Natalia, are we ever gonna be living here again?"

"I don't know baby. I hope so."

"Me too. We're supposed to be a family."

"Emma, you do know that my leaving had nothing to do with you, or your mommy. I love you both very much."

"I know. Mommy said that."

"She did?"

"Mmmhmm. That's why I don't understand why we can't live here again."

"Yeah. It's confusing isn't it? But no matter what, we are still a family, and your mommy and I, we both love you so much, and we will do anything we can for you. Okay?"

"Okay."

Olivia stopped and walked through the park for a bit before heading back to the office. She had texted Natalia when she left and asked her to drop Emma off with Jane. Doris saw her walking and rushed to catch up to her. "Olivia, hey. I just saw Natalia, she looks beautiful."

"Yeah, she does."

"I'm sorry Olivia. I heard about Phillip."

"Yeah. I guess life is full of choices, and what happens after you make them."

"What choice do you mean?"

"I don't know. I guess choosing between what you want and what's realistic."

"Oh. I have had to make that one more than once."

"I mean Phillip didn't choose to get sick. I get that. But I'm worried about Emma. I mean, she's gonna grow up without her father."

"And you know Ashley, she's grown up without knowing who her mother truly is so. You know I really wish I made more risk in my life."

"Risk well, I've taken a few of those. Haven't always liked the way it's turned out."

"Well, I haven't taken many risk, but maybe now, it's, maybe now it's the time to risk everything to reach out for what's really important." She left Olivia to think on that. Knowing her friend knew exactly what she was talking about.

Olivia reached her office after receiving a call from one of her contacts about Rafe. She was still worried about getting involved, but she didn't really have a choice. She had told him she cared about him and wanted to help him. Maybe this was how she could do that. Steeling her nerves, she reached for the phone and called Rafe. All but begging him to come to her office. After a bit of a fight, he agreed.

Within ten minutes of her call, Rafe sauntered into her office. "You said it was important, so I'm here. What do you want Olivia?"

"I want to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Why did you enlist?"

"Why do you care?"

"Rafe, come on, humor me. Why did you enlist?

"Because it's something I can do. I don't want to work in the back of a hardware store for the rest of my life."

"What if you could have better than that, right here in Springfield? Would you stay?"

"I can't Olivia. With my record I can't have a career. That's why I enlisted. I need to do something with my life."

"Answer the question Rafe. If you could do something more, would you stay?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Well, I'm willing to offer you more, a job?"

"As what? A bus boy? That's no better than where I'm at."

"No, I'm offering you a shot, at a career. Yes you will have to start at the bottom, but, like your mother, you can work your way up. Prove to me you're worth it, like your mother did."

"Really Olivia? Why in the hell would I ever come work for you? And even if I was willing to, it's too late. I already signed."

"Maybe it's too late, maybe it's not."

"What are you talking about?"

"I have a friend, someone I knew a long time ago, someone with the ability to make it as if you never signed, never enlisted."

"Olivia, I don't want any favors from you. Owing you, is worse than owing Alan."

"You won't owe me Rafe. Come in, do your job, and earn what I'm offering you. That's all I ask."

"Why are you doing this Olivia?"

"Well for one thing, you're hurting your mother. She just got you back, now you're leaving, again."

"Really Olivia, I'm hurting her? What about what you're doing to her?"

"What about me?"

"You're hurting my mother, a hell of a lot more than I am."

"That is completely different."

"Why? Because she made a mistake? Like you haven't made plenty. She told you why she was leaving."

"No. She didn't say a word to me. She just left." She countered, raising her voice a little.

"No, she didn't. She wrote to you, she told you why she was leaving, she wrote you every fricking week while she was gone. She didn't even write me once. But you, you she did. Did you even read them?"

"I didn't get the chance, some 'man' acting like a child stole them before I even saw them."

"Yeah I did. And that's on me. But you have them now if you just read them you might see things differently. Look, I don't want you with my mother, but I don't like to see her hurting like this, so please, just read them and talk to her."

"Okay Rafe, you really want me to forgive your mother, give her another chance?"

"To make her happy, yeah."

"Then stay, stay for a year, six months even. If you still wanna go, re-enlist. You agree to stay, and I'll read the letters, and I'll think about talking to your mom, really talking to her. Deal?"

"Fine. So uh, what kind of job would you give me?"

"Let's take this one step at a time. You take the weekend. Have some fun. Think about what you really want. Come in on Monday and we'll look at your options. I'll take the weekend and read your mother's letters. If I decided I'm willing to talk to her, I'll meet with her. Then on Monday, we'll get you set up here. Does that work for you?"

"Yeah, I guess. Just for the record, I'm still not okay with you and my mother, but I'll try, if you will."

Olivia got up and walked around the desk, she leaned forward placing a kiss to his cheek. "I'll try Rafe." She kissed his cheek once more and strolled out of her office. This kiss was for possibility. Maybe she could forgive Natalia, and, if she and Rafe worked together, maybe it was possible for them all to be happy.