Chapter 27

Elliot was waiting for her outside of the bathhouse.

"Hey." she said.

"Hey." he said back. She knew he was upset.

"Okay, I am sorry. I didn't know he owns this place. I didn't even know he was in the country and before you even say anything else. I couldn't say you're my boyfriend in front of Kathy, alright! I just couldn't."
"I.. well it was weird and even more because he acted like the two of you were still a thing."

"That's how he is. I haven't seen him in about 10 years, we both didn't expect that.

Come on. You know I didn't do anything wrong."

"I know it just didn't feel good, being introduced as your partner. It's just..

Well, I was nothing more than your partner for long enough."

She couldn't help but to think that he was cute. She turned her head to look for Kathy but she couldn't see her so she grabbed his face and kissed him.

"I love you. Don't forget that." she said.

He smiled at her and they started to look for the others. He tried to grab her hand but she pulled it away.

"I can't do it when she is around, I'm sorry." She knew he understood although he didn't like it. They continued walking in silence.

"Olivia, come on. We need to try out the slides!" Lola shouted, running towards her.

"Slow down, little one. Give her some time, okay?" Elliot said.

"But dad, there are so many of them and we want to try them all." she said excitedly.

"Well, she is right, El." Liv said laughing. "Let's go, Lola."

Lola, Liv and Sarah walked away, heading towards the slides. Elliot just stood there, staring at Liv's backside.

"Alright! Get it together." Kathy said, annoyedly. "I get it. She looks kinda good in a bikini but…"

"You know what, I am not interested in your shit right now. I am going with them. You can come too if you want to but I won't talk with you about her." With that he put down his towel and followed the others.

After 2 hours of sliding they were all pretty exhausted so they decided to relax a bit. Sarah looked through the pictures she made with her phone which was in the new waterproof phone case she was so excited to try out and Lola told her mom everything about the slides and how much fun it was, which Kathy didn't really like to hear. She looked over to Liv while Lola was telling her how cool Liv was and how much fun it was to ride the slides with her and the look on her face was everything but friendly.

Liv tried to ignore it and lay down on her deckchair. Elliot lay down next to her.

"Lola is right. It really was fun." he said and Olivia smiled.

"Yes, it really was." she didn't want to interact too much with him because of Kathy and he sensed that something wasn't right.

"Liv, I am really sorry for this whole situation. I mean who would do this, taking his girlfriend on a trip to the waterpark with his ex- wife, who matter of fact hates the girlfriend? It's just fucking weird."

She started to laugh.

"I was the one who invited her but I think you could say that it's totally weird, yes!

But it is what it is and I am fine, I just try not to make her even more angry. Although I think it's a losing battle since you asked me to stay this morning." she said with a wink.

"So it's my fault now. Great." he said playfully hurt.

"Depends on who you ask, I would say it's yours but Kathy would surely say it's mine." They both started to laugh.

"Dad, I'm hungry." Lola said.

"Let's grab something to eat." he said. Liv decided to stay here to give the kids some alone time with their dad, it was still their day with him and she wanted them to know that they didn't have to share him with her all the time. But as soon as Kathy realized that Liv was staying, she decided to go with them.

It was more than fine for Liv because she didn't want to be alone with Kathy anyways.

She enjoyed the peace, well it wasn't really peaceful in a waterpark but she enjoyed just lying there without thinking about anyone around her.

But suddenly there was a shadow on her face and she opened her eyes.

"Hey. Sorry, I hope I didn't wake you." a pretty attractive young guy asked timidly.

"No no, I was just relaxing a bit." Liv said, friendly.

His body seemed to relax a bit after her positive reaction.

"I was just, well, umm, okay so just tell me if it isn't okay or if you don't want to answer or anything, okay. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable." Liv looked at him confused and a little bit wary.

"Okay."

"Great, so my friends" he pointed at a group of boys and girls who watched them curiously, "Well, they.. Nevermind, it's dumb."

"Come on. Asking won't hurt anyone." she said curious what this was all about. He smiled at her.

"They said I won't be able to make the hottest woman in here, jump from the highest diving tower with me. It's just one of this dumb dares. We are too old for this game but well, we still play it." he scratched the back of his head sheepishly, which made him look like a 10 year old who did something he shouldn't have done.

"And you couldn't find someone your age?" she asked laughing.

"They said 'the hottest one' so I had to ask you." he said grinning shyly.

Shit, this was uncomfortable but also a bit flattering. He was at least 5 years younger and really good looking.

"Thank you. Well, I can jump with you but I have to tell the people I am with, where I am going."

He looked at her pleasantly surprised.

"Really? That's amazing, thank you." Liv smiled.

"You're welcome. Give me five minutes." And with that she got up and walked away.

She spotted the others almost immediately and walked over to them.

"Hey guys." she said smiling.

"Hey. You wanna join us?" Elliot asked hopefully.

"No, I just wanted to talk to you for a second." He looked at her concerned and got up.

"It's nothing serious. Don't look so concerned. I just wanted to tell you that this guy" she pointed at the guy who just talked to her, "just asked me to jump from the highest diving tower with him." she saw his face and continued immediately, "It's just a dare from his friends, relax. I won't run off with him. At least I don't plan to." she said with a teasing smile.

"At least you seem to have fun." he said smiling too. "Go and have fun with the college kids, old lady."

She looked at him indignantly with her mouth wide open but a provoking sparkle in her eyes.

"For your information, they dared him to ask the HOTTEST woman in here to do it with him and he picked me, so ya the old lady is definitely going to have fun." she said with a mischievous smile, turned around and walked away.

Elliot stood there with his mouth open, unable to say anything.

"What did she want?" Kathy asked when he came back to the table. But Elliot wasn't able to answer her. He wanted to see this guy up close. He looked pretty attractive from the far.

Of course she was the hottest woman in here and he was aware of the fact that others noticed it too but this young guy just said it bluntly to her face.

"Guys, do you mind finishing your food with your mom? I need to check something."

He could see the interested look on Kathy's face.

"Sure, go ahead." Sarah said. "But is Liv okay?"

"She is. Don't worry." he said smiling.

"Elliot, you can't just go. It's your day. Is this how these sundays will be from now on? You run after your girlfriend and leave the kids behind?" Kathy said enraged.

"Mom, relax. We all know that this will never happen. Neither Dad or Liv would let that happen and you spending the whole day with us when we are supposed to be with dad isn't normal either. Let's just enjoy the day and stop putting everything in a balance. We are more than fine."

Kathy looked at her surprised and Elliot smiled.

"Thank you, honey." he said while getting up. "Do you happen to know where the diving towers are?"

"Yes. Just turn left at the pirate ship. Why?" Sarah asked.

But Elliot was already on his way to the pirate ship.

"Ready to go." Liv said to the guy. "I am Olivia by the way."

"I am Liam. Totally forgot to introduce myself. Sorry." Liv smiled and they walked over to his friends.

"Guys, this is Olivia! And these are Debbie, Lou, Michael and Jasper."

"Hi guys."

They stared at her for a few seconds until the girls started to greet her back and they boys followed.

Liv didn't really know why they acted like this but she didn't really care. They started to talk on the way to the diving towers and they told her that they were all students and that they lived together.

"What are you doing for a living?" Lou asked.

"I am a cop." she said knowing that most of the people acted weird after hearing this. And she was right. They exchanged glances and Liv started to smile.

"Like with a gun and stuff?" Jasper asked curiously.

And this was one of the most asked questions after hearing about her job.

"Yes, with a gun and stuff." she said smiling.

"That's hot." Jasper said and Lou hit him in the chest.

"Sorry, but it is. Have you ever shot someone?" he continued.

And here is the next question she was asked most often and she hated it.

"Okay, calm down Jasp. Do you want her whole résumé? Cut it out!" Liam said annoyed and uncomfortably.

"It's fine. Believe me, he isn't the first one who asked me this."

"Well, just ignore him." he said embarrassed.

"May I ask what kind of cop you are?" Mary asked politely.

"Sure, I am a detective at the special victims unit." Liv said, friendly.

"Oh wow. Isn't this sex crimes and crimes where kids are involved?" Liv nodded.

"Wow. This must be hard. I mean, with the kids and living victims and everything."

"Guys, stop it now. She agreed to jump but not to tell us her life story. Slow down, okay."

Liv couldn't help but think it was cute how 'protective' Liam was over her. It was really sweet but only because she couldn't really take him seriously, he was more like a younger brother or something like that.

"It's okay." she said again.

"Ya, relax man. She is a grown up woman, a fucking detective, I think she can handle us." Liv felt so sorry for Liam. His face turned into a deep red and you could see how embarrassed he was.

Lou hit Jasper in the chest again, telling him to stop it.

"Okay. So everyone can ask me one question and then we stop talking about my job and jump from that tower, alright?"

They all nodded smiling and Liam's face color seemed to go back to a normal shade.

"Did you ever kill someone?"

She knew Jasper really wanted to know and wasn't surprised that he asked it again.

"Yes, I had to shoot, it was either him or myself." They looked at her with wide eyes until Jasper said,"Is it weird to say that this makes you even hotter?"

"Oh my god, Jasper! What is wrong with you?" Mary said unnerved. He just shrugged.

"I mean, I kinda think I know the answer but I'll ask anyway." Lou said. "Have you ever seen a corpse?"

"Way too many to be honest." Liv said and Lou looked at her with big eyes.

It was weird for her but she also thought it was kinda cute how fascinated they seemed to be by her job.

"Okay, guys. I think that's enough. Can we just go jump down and let her live her life again?" Liam said. Pretty obvious that he was uncomfortable with his friends interrogating Liv like this.

"No, she said we all can ask a question, Liam. Relax." Mary said. He looked at her desperately but she turned to Liv and asked, "What was your toughest case? I know it's pretty personal and you don't have to answer."

"It's hard to say. Every case is difficult in a way but the ones with kids are pretty tough. But you wanted an example, so there was one case with this little girl on the phone. We didn't know where she was and all she could see was the room she was locked in. I was on the phone with her for hours and.. Well it was pretty intense to say the least."

"Oh my god. What happened? Did you find her?" Mary asked all agog with curiosity.

"Well, we lost connection and couldn't reach her anymore, the man who had captivated her knew she had been talking to us, so time was running out. But long story short, we found her and arrested the guy." Everyone was standing there with their mouths open and stared at Liv like she was some sort of superhero.

"This is incredible." Mary said admiringly. Liv just smiled. It was kinda strange for her that they all stared at her like this.

"Wow, I don't even know what to ask now." Michael said. "May I ask you something about this case?"

"Sure, as long as it doesn't involve any details about names or anything."

"No, of course not. I just wondered how you found her and well just everything." Liv smiled.

"Alright. The guy who took her had hacked into the phone system, so we knew he was technically versed and the place where he got her food from, well she told us what was written on the cup she got from him, had burned down so we thought it was a dead end but then we saw that across the street from it was an electronics store. We found the guy and the room he held her in.

I interrogated him but he didn't want to tell me what he did with her or where she was.

Then I saw that his shoes were full of dirt and most of it was ash, so we ran over to the burned down restaurant and found her, buried alive but still breathing."
"Oh my god. He buried her alive? That's horrible." , Lou said. And the others nodded but weren't really able to say much. They were so shocked.

"You saved her life. I mean what if you wouldn't have recognized the ash on his shoes and oh my god.. This is just crazy. You saved this girl's life." Mary said admiringly.

Liv just smiled a bit uncomfortably, not knowing what else to say or do. It was such a weird situation.

"Okay, so let's go. We still need to jump."

"Yeah, right." Liam said looking at Liv like she had just saved his sister's life. It was more than uncomfortable.

This was the strangest day ever, Liv thought to herself.