Chapter 16: Family is Everything

(Narrator POV)

Everything had settled down from the past few days. Everyone has a taste of normalcy and they all could relax. Noah, Olivia, and Edgar had, had sometime together and the cherished every moment. But Olivia's relaxation was cut short by news she had just received. She tried not to let it bother her, but it did.

But Edgar was released today and the family wanted to go out and celebrate, and of course he saw nothing wrong with it. But Olivia overthought all of it. Him being on crutches with broken ribs she didn't want him to be in constant pain. He reassured her that he would be fine and he would tell her if something was bothering him.

They all got ready in nice clothing. Dianne, Ulrich, Morgan, Kevin, AJ, and Sasha were all at Edgar's house getting ready. Olivia and Noah were at their apartment. They decided to where Navy. Olivia went with the same dress she wore to the policeman event last earlier this year. She even threw on some of Edgar favorite perfume of hers. Noah went with a simple navy button up with khakis and his white shoes. He and Olivia love to match.

Ulrich drove everyone to the restaurant; Fogo De Chao, very nice restaurant and Edgar's favorite for a night out. The group of seven pulled up to the restaurant in an all black Cadillac truck. Dianne help Edgar out of the car. And Ulrich gave keys to the vallet and they went in the restaurant. "Reservation of Goodwin."

"Ah yes, follow me right this way. You all know how this works right? Well for those of you who don't the green side of your card bring more food to you and the red avoids your table. You tell them what slice of meat you want. We also have a menu you can order extra if you want. What can I get you all to drink?"

They all looked around and everyone wanted water. "Water and three bottles of your best red wine is fine ma'am thank you." Edgar replied.

"There are two more seat open expect more or was this just the table you requested?"

"Yes." He briefly described what Olivia and Noah look like and aka to send the over right over if she saw them.

"Okay enjoy!"

"So Edgar how are you feeling now that you are out?" Kevin started light conversation.

"Well I have to tell you my ribs are kicking my ass. My leg is fine I just hate these things. But other than that I'm just glad you all are all here." He smiled.

"Well we're all happy your here to honey." Dianne replied.

"Do you want anything from the buffet Edgar? Edgar? Hello earth to Edgar." Morgan repeatedly tried to get his attention but he was starring at the door. Every turned and looked as well. Olivia and Noah had just walked. Edgar was stuck on Olivia. They way her dress complimented her curves in all of the right places, all Edgar could do was stare. "Hello guys!" Olivia said cheerfully.

Everyone greeted Olivia and Noah. Edgar pushed her chair out for her while he was sitting. They sat side by side while Noah went to sit with AJ and Sasha. "Hey baby!"

"Hey honey." They pecked each other quickly. "Did you all order drinks yet?"

"Yeah we did I got water an wine."

"Mhmm yeah I think I'll stick with water." Thinking about how drunk she was two days ago.

"One glass won't do anything, but if you insist."

"I want a salad you wanna come with me to the buffet?" Edgar perked up "yes!" He wanted to see some more booty action. Olivia ask Noah if he wanted anything he was too involved in whatever game he was playing with AJ and Sasha. "So he can hear her when she ask but when I do. I get nothing?" Morgan playful joked. Edgar didn't even hear her he was focused on Liv.

"He trying to get some booty action, classic male trait. I've done it to you Ulrich has done it you mom, and he's doing it to Olivia.

She help Edgar up and they walked away together her walked slightly behind her though. "Stop starring at my ass." How did she know that he was doing that?

"I'm sorry you just look so sexy in that dress. I mean you do all the time to me but, damn the dress I think is my favorite and you wore my favorite perfume." He whispered in her ear while they stood in the buffet line.

"Keep it in your pants. We're out with your family tonight. And you be getting of this action while they are here because they are all at your house."

"No one is at your house..."

"Noah!"

"Yes but he loves spending time with AJ and Sasha they could hang out and I could get some of that action." He winked at her and she rolled her eyes. "I could get some action this line if I wanted to."

"No you can't."

"Oh really so if I went like this," he grazed his hand from her butt to her hip. "You would deny me?" She laughed. "Yes."

"Wow you would deny you hurting boyfriend some action, just a little bit. I see how it is." They laughed loudly and the table caught it.

"They are amazing together. They compliment each other very well. I really hope they work out. Edgar tells me all the time how crazy he is about her it'd be a shame if the broke up." Kevin stated.

"Yeah and Olivia is a pretty girl and she gives me more grandchildren, Noah and hopefully some babies." Dianne spoke.

"At this moment in their relationship it will test if the can truly make it. Edgar's gonna need a lot of help and it's gonna get stressful but something tells me that everything is gonna work out perfect for them." Ulrich added and the couple walked back to the table smiling ear to ear. Liv sat their plates down and two men came over and ask of them wanted lamb and the other asked if they wanted Parmesan chicken the adults got both the kids go the chicken.

"Ms. Olivia can you cut my chicken for me?" Sasha asked sweetly.

"Of course sweetheart." She smiled at the small child and cut her chicken into eighths.

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome, Sweetie!" She ran her hand across the little girls hair. Everyone watched the little interaction between Olivia and Sasha.

"So Olivia tell us about yourself we haven't had much time to talk to each other personally." Dianne asked.

"I'm really not that exciting. I'm a Captain of the Special Victims Unit of the NYPD. Nothing too special." She chuckled.

"What about you family? If we are gonna be family I think I would like to me your parents one day, seeing that they made a beautiful young lady." This was a touchy subject for Olivia. And Edgar knew it he could sense her tension he laid his hand on her thigh.

"Uhh... Noah. Yeah he's all I got." She weakly smiled. And looked down at her lap. Dianne was just about to ask deeper into the topic. But Edgar got her attention and shook his head. She understood him. "Uhh Noah, honey can you come with mommy? Excuse us." Noah and his mother walked away from the table shuffle towards the door

Dianne asked Edgar, "did I say something wrong? I surely didn't mean to upset her."

"Umm it's not exactly my business to tell Olivia will eventually tell it's just a really touchy subject for her she never really had any real familial relationships." He tried to give his mother his best answer possible without saying too much.

"Oh okay I didn't mean to make her uncomfortable-"

"I know and Olivia knows. There's no way you could have predicted that. It's okay. She just needs a little time to get herself together. She reacted in sort of the same way when we discussed it. It's just a little hard that's it."

"Uncle E why did Noah and Ms. Olivia leave?" AJ was enjoying spending time with Noah and they just left.

"They didn't leave they took a break. That's it."

"Then why did they just walk out the door?"

Everyone turned and looked at Noah and Olivia walking outside. Neither one of them had a coat. And without thinking he stood up on both feet and instantly regretted it. "Damn it, fu-" he stopped himself because his niece and nephew were around. He grabbed his crutches and went to find Olivia. Even if he was in an extreme amount of pain.

He made it to the door and saw Olivia sitting on a bench with Noah in her lap. He got outside and he heard "it's okay mommy! I love you and we are the perfect team. I wouldn't have it any other way. Mommy it's getting cold can we go back inside?" They stood up and Edgar was standing in their way.

"Hey what happened?"

"I needed some fresh air." She went to move past him but he shifted that way.

"Talk to me."

"I will later. Noah is cold. Let's head back in."

"You promise?"

"Yes."

"Okay let's go." They made it back to the table and sat down and acted like nothing happened. Everyone talked and got to know each other better and more food came around until everyone was stuffed. The check came and the waiter set the bill on the table and Ulrich, Edgar, and Olivia all reaches for it but Olivia grabbed it first.

"Olivia give me the check." Edgar said. He tried to reach for it.

"No let me. I will pay for it son. Olivia please." Ulrich added.

"No let me," she opened the checked and "wow..."

"Exactly let me..." Ulrich said.

"Nope it's mine." She got up and left paid at the front desk.

"She is a special lady isn't she?" Ulrich said.

"Yeah she is something else. I love her." She came back about five minutes later and said. "We are all paid for."

"Uhh dad can you guys take Noah for a little while?" Olivia looked at him awkwardly.

"Sure..." he said unsure because of Olivia's face but he was sure that they would take them if she allowed.

"Thanks." The children screamed "yes!"

"They're excited." Olivia stated the obvious.

"Let's go." After a 20 minute car ride Olivia and Edgar. The ride was unusually quiet. Something was definitely up with Olivia. She didn't want to listen to music, she didn't want to talk, and she didn't want any bodily connection between the two of them. Which was really weird, even when she was mad she pushed him away like that.

Up in the apartment Olivia kicked off her shoes and still hadn't said a word to Edgar. "Olivia!" She whipped around and looked at him. "What's wrong?" He asked in a caring tone.

"Nothing, I'm fine. I just wanna lay down."

"No, Olivia, stop. Talk to me. You haven't been the same since my mom asked you that question."

"It doesn't matter." She coldly stated.

"It does matter! Something is obvious causing you to be upset! So... Olivia what is wrong!"

"Don't you dare... raise your voice like that, at me ever again!"

"I'm not trying to yell, I just want you to talk to me. But you won't! I'm trying to do my best Olivia but you're making this so difficult, when it doesn't have to be!"

"You don't know how difficult it is! All your life you have had a family! A great family, you probably have had nothing go wrong in your life! Well newsflash Edgar, not everyone's family is like that! You could never understand!"

"Then help me understand, Olivia! You can't keep shutting down and pushing me away! You're not acting like yourself."

"Oh since I'm so good at shutting down and pushing away... I think I will go with that instead! I rather do that than have you here yelling at me about MY LIFE!" Olivia stormed into her room, closed and locked the door. Edgar couldn't get to the door fast enough.

"Olivia-"

"Go away"

"Please just talk to me."

"Bring me my son! I want him here." Edgar continued his whole statement despite the interruptions.

"You promised me that you would talk to me when something was wrong. I'm no detective but I know when something is wrong so please talk to me."

"No get out of my house! Leave, call a cab... somebody. But you got to get the hell up out of here."

"Olivia... I don't know what's wrong with you, but my mom asked a simple question that she didn't know what the answer is and you completely change and start scream, acting crazy. I'm not the one who asked so what are you so damn mad at me!"

She opened the door aggressively and screamed at Edgar, "Get out! Why are you still here! You know what if you don't leave I will. I'm done with you! I can't, I just can't." She raged.

"Wait what do you mean you're done with me?"

"We're DONE!" She ran out of the apartment with her gun, phone and purse. And went straight to Edgar's house. Edgar was stunned and didn't know what to do or what to say. The woman of his dreams just broke his heart. And he didn't even know why.

At Edgar's house Olivia is banging on the door. Morgan opened the door. "Hey! Olivia?" Olivia didn't say a word she stormed in. "Where Noah? Noah let's go!"

"Olivia what's going on? Where's Edgar?" Olivia whipped her hair around and walked up to Morgan. "I don't know. He might be at my apartment he might not."

"Wait what do you mean?" Noah came down the stairs. "Let's go Noah. Tell everyone it was nice meeting them." She finished in an angry tone. And before Morgan could say anymore Olivia slammed the door. Everyone came out their rooms. "What was that?" Dianne asked.

"It was Olivia. She was mad about something. Someone call Edgar make sure he's alright."

"Why wouldn't be be?" Ulrich asked.

"I don't know Olivia wouldn't tell me where he was and he can't drive I don't want him out in this horrible weather."

"I'll call him baby." Kevin replied to Morgan. "It went straight to voice mail." Everyone was worried now.

Back to Olivia and Noah, "Noah I'm gonna drop you off with Amanda okay?"

"But why mommy? I was fine where I was!"

"Hey don't ever speak to me like that again, do you here me?" Noah was quiet. Olivia was a wildfire that was rapidly growing. They made it to Amanda's house she dropped Noah off and she went back to her apartment. She was going to go to the station and just stay there all night. But Edgar better be gone. She opened her apartment door and he was their and she went off.

"Why the hell are you still here! I told you to leave before I left which was almost an hour ago! I don't understand I told you I'm done with you and you're still here... WHY!"

"Because I love you." He said calmly.

"Oh whatever I'm not about to get into this soppy love with you." She rolled her eyes.

"But it's true. If I want to be with you we can't fuss and fight and that be the end. I won't let that happen." He's still calm.

"What's their to fuss or fight about! I'm done with you... End of story!"

"But there has to be more to it. I know you Olivia. Something is wrong and it's not because me mom asked that question."

"You don't know that."

"I do now. You just answered me. So talk to me sit down. Relax." He moved so she could sit, but she didn't move. "Olivia please..." she sat down next to him on her sofa. "Baby, what is it?"

"My life is so fucked up!" She screamed. "Today was the day that my mom was raped. And before we went out to dinner I got some news... my brother committed suicide. I guess your mom asked my emotion were building. I tried to suppress them all day so that I could just handle it alone. Now I see that it was a bad idea."

"I'm sorry. But you have to tell me these things because what just happened between us... I don't ever want to go through that again. I thought you really didn't want to be with me anymore. But I'm sorry about your brother and what happened to your mom, but you... you amazing women wouldn't be here. I'm glad your here, maybe not the way it went down. But there's not a more perfect person for me."

"I'm sorry I snapped on you. I really do wanna be with you and I love you too. Because I don't think there's another man on this earth who would put up with what I just did and stay like you did." She cuddled up under him.

"I never thought about leaving... even after you screamed at me to leave a million times, I was never gonna leave."

"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry. I don't know why I snapped like that."

"It's okay. We can fuss and we can fight as long as everything's alright between us by the end of the night because I can't take you being mad at me. It's honestly; please don't scream at me, scary." She laughed and he did as well.

"Hey, at least I have more family to add. You are the man for me. You, me, and Noah. Perfect. Thank you for staying."

They kissed. Everything was gonna be alright. The duo now turned trio, mean't everything to Olivia. Her own little family in the making.