Chapter 13

Amanda blinked her eyes, hearing the machines beeping. She saw Olivia's head in her lap. She didn't speak, but she remembered seeing Fin and Nick covered in blood. She didn't let them finish. "Liv?"

Olivia looked up, grateful she was finally awake and she kissed her lips. Amanda blinked again, "I thought you were dead." Olivia's eyes were bloodshot red. "Liv, who's blood? What's wrong?"

Olivia cradled her face, "David's dead." Olivia went over the whole story. They knew David turned in evidence against Johnny D. He promised them he was safe and it's what was right. He lied, he wasn't safe. He had been getting numerous threats and when they went to take him down. David being head ADA was there.

Johnny D grabbed a gun and an officer. He shot David point blank in the chest, causing Olivia to shoot Johnny D dead. "I wasn't with them because I was in the ambulance. He wanted to be here, but he said he loved us and to take care of the kids." They cried together for an hour.

Amanda was fine, but they wanted to monitor her. Quinn was dying to see her, so they pulled it together. "Mama! Are you ok? Are the babies ok?" Kyle knew what happened and held Lucy's hand, they decided to hold off telling Quinn.

Olivia picked her up, "Hey, mama's fine. Shh and listen." Quinn listened hard and they told her those thumps were the babies heart beats. She smiled and hopped down to kiss everyone.

As they prepared to lay his body to rest, everyone was informed. David didn't come from a big family. He was an only child and his parents were gone. Everything fell on Olivia and Amanda. Amanda saw Olivia holding Quinn and Noah in their bed. Kyle and Lucy were asleep on the couch. "Full house tonight huh?"

Olivia was awake, but everyone else was out cold. "Tomorrow will be a sad day. These kids have seen so much death. I'm worried about them.

Amanda fell into bed and held Quinn. "We'll be ok. We'll make it through, we always do." Amanda was right as family they stuck together and they made the sadness go away. "Everything will be ok in the end. If it is not ok, it's not the end."

Olivia smiled, "When did you grow up on me? Gosh I love you." Amanda laughed wondering if she liked the quote and gave credit to John Lennon. Olivia laughed so hard she woke up Quinn. "You know who John Lennon is?"

They gathered as a family after the funeral. Kyle handed Olivia a folder. "Kyle, what's this?" Simon walked over and looked as she opened it and saw homes. He explained that David called him a month ago. He made him the executor of his will. He picked out some homes that were big enough for the big family, including Simon's.

Kyle turned a packet of home around, "He really liked this one, because it has a basketball court for Quinn. Everyone sat and looked at it. It was amazing. "He knew what family meant to you. He was so happy that you were happy. He made me promise to follow through. He knew you shouldn't know the truth."

All the adults talked. "Tracy, could you stand living in one home?" Tracy laughed, she was like a sister to Olivia and Amanda. They grew closer over the months. The building was built in the 1920's but it had been totally revamped. It had an elevator that led to 6 floors, including a bottom floor with an open basketball court that could be seen from the first floor. It had so much space and enough bedrooms for everyone and guests. The whole building was theirs.

Simon smiled, "What do you say? You definitely need more space. Liv, I would love it. We missed so much time. This would be awesome." They agreed, Ty and Quinn were especially happy. They were both playing basketball on the same youth sports team, Prince Miller's baby ballers. Quinn played up and was the only girl. Kyle reminded them that he better have a room somewhere.

Quinn and Ty's team won the championship right as Kyle's baseball season was starting. They were definitely a sports family. They squeezed in time and moved to the new place. It was nice, they could be a family and have their own separate living space. It was cooler than a duplex. The multiple elevators allowed access to the floors without being seen.

They sat at the sushi restaurant at Kyle's request. They were waiting on Simon, Lucy, and Kyle to get in from the airport. His team just won the National Championship. He hit the grand slam in the last inning and brought them from behind. "Why do we have to eat sushi anyway? I want a burger."

Olivia smiled as Quinn complained and twirled her chopsticks. Quinn just liked complaining, she loved sushi. "Well that's funny, because when you finished school last week and we celebrated your straight A's, you picked sushi."

Quinn shrugged, "I know, that's my point mommy, we just had it. We should go somewhere new." Quinn stood up and Olivia pointed for her to sit down. Noah and Livi who were now 1 giggled along with Ty.

Amanda frowned almost ready to pop, she agreed, but only because she couldn't have raw fish. "Quinn, if I'm here, you're fine." Quinn shrugged and hugged her belly to feel the babies. She was totally ready to be a big sister again.

Months had passed since that terrible day when they lost David, but they were healing and doing well. Everyone clapped as Kyle walked in. He hugged everyone and sat down smiling. He was so excited. After dinner he had some news. It was exciting, but he was terrified at what his parents would say. "They think I could be drafted." He looked at both of his moms. "They don't just think, they know and it's pretty high."

Olivia looked at Simon, "You know about this?" Simon nodded, the coach pulled him to the side. Kyle was a great player and he didn't want to lose him, but he couldn't rob him of this big chance. "I don't know Kyle. You want to leave school? What about your degree?" Olivia listened to him tell about his dream. She knew one thing that put her mind at ease, this wasn't for the money. "I followed my dreams, we'll support you to follow yours." Kyle hugged them.

Through the hugging and tears they heard Quinn, "Yeah whatever! Waitress, get me a steam bun!" Olivia popped her. "Oww mommy. I'm hungry."

Amanda hugged her, "You're an attention seeker and that's not the way you ask. Congratulate your brother."

Quinn smiled and walked toward Kyle, but zipped to Noah, "Good job Noah!" Quinn giggled at herself and Kyle tickled her from behind.

Simon put his arm around Olivia, "She's a comedian. What are we going to do with her?" Olivia looked at Quinn. She was different from that scared little girl she first met. She was always strong willed, but she was happy.

Olivia turned to see Simon smiling at them. She was glad their relationship changed and he was back in her life. She couldn't do this without him. Quinn sat with her steam bun and they watched her order. "Yes ma'am, I want a triple crab roll please. My mama wants a roll, but the babies won't let her. So, she'll take the beef ramen." She winked at Olivia, "And mommy wants the King Kong roll. Everyone else is on their own." The waitress laughed and promised to bring Quinn dessert on the house.

By the Fourth of July, they had lots to celebrate. Kyle was drafted to the Yankees. They were happy to have a home town guy. The family was beyond happy to have him still close to home except for travel.

Simon and Tracy were expecting again. Olivia never dreamed her family would grow so fast in such a short amount of time. They were really a big happy family. It was a blessing. No one in the family ever really had a family. They all fit together like a puzzle. It was Olivia's favorite saying.

The biggest celebration was that Amanda went into labor the night they went to the sushi restaurant. Amanda didn't say anything when she felt the cramps start. She thought the Ramen upset her stomach. By the time she did say something she was almost ready.

Quinn had been Amanda and the twins' bodyguard. She had a boy and a girl. They named the boy David Rollins Benson and the girl Jesse Harper Benson. Quinn watched David cry first and Amanda picked him up. When Jesse cried, Quinn's hands twisted, "Mama, can I hold her and feed her?"

Olivia heard it and helped out. "Sit all the way back baby." Quinn liked holding her, she liked holding both of them, but it was something about Jesse having her first mom's name. Quinn kissed her and gave her the bottle.

Kyle walked over. He gave Olivia a look. They still had a strong connection. Olivia saved him. In his words, she saved them all. "I'm ready, after the fireworks."

Olivia hugged him and they all went to the top of the building. They put the babies down and shut the door, so they would sleep through the noise. Amanda was a good mom, she had practice with Kyle, Quinn, and Noah. She checked the camera app on her phone while waiting for the light show. "He's ready huh. He's a man." Amanda saw tears in Olivia's eyes and she wrapped her arm around her waist. "Don't cry, Lucy fits in our puzzle."

After the last fireworks exploded into the air for a grand finale, the lights on the rooftop were on and Kyle dropped to one knee in front of Lucy. "I've loved you since I was 17. I got my first black eye over you. Lucy, you are my forever. Will you marry me?" Tears fell and she yelled yes as she hugged him tight.

Amanda winked, "A permanent piece to the puzzle." Olivia said it so much that everyone always repeated it and believed it. After that everyone sat in the family room to enjoy the rest of the night.

After the twins were born Olivia got a little sad. Amanda noticed it even though she went about her daily life. The twins reminded her David was gone. The last family photo hung on the wall like a mural. When Amanda saw Olivia staring at the photo she asked her what was bothering her. "Amanda, I love you. I love you more than anyone I ever have. I didn't love David, but he deserves to be here. He's missing from the puzzle. It's sad and makes me sad."

Amanda understood, she missed him too. She tried not to think about the kids getting older and asking about their dad. "Liv, he's not missing. He's here with us and I know he's watching over us. He's our angel, I feel it."

She talked Olivia into taking a new family photo with the twins. The photos were amazing. She wanted a huge one on the other wall to match the first one. Amanda had a better idea and promised to handle it.

She handed Olivia a huge gift. It took Kyle and Simon to bring it in. Olivia smiled, "What's this? It's not my birthday or Christmas. That's really big." Amanda didn't speak, she smiled and nodded to the framed picture on the wall. Olivia opened it while everyone smiled.

It was the new family photo, but not just a regular photo. They took it on the beach. It was a puzzle, a huge puzzle. But even more Amanda had David over the ocean in the clouds looking down and smiling. Amanda sat beside her, "Liv, we don't have to have a reason to celebrate you. You are the biggest piece to our puzzle. You put this family together piece by piece and you make this family work. We should celebrate you every day. We love you."

Olivia looked at her family. She loved them all. "Family is what holds all the pieces together. Thank you all for being my pieces. I love all of you too."