Saving Ma
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and I do not make any profit from this
Chapter 4
At the jail after Natalia left, Rafe chose to have his weekly phone call and call Ava.
She picked up after two rings and accepted the collect call. "Hello little brother. To what do I owe the pleasure of a call in the middle of the week? You usually call on Saturday."
Rafe chuckled. "Hey sis, I just called to tell you I have a hearing tomorrow and may be getting out and going home."
Ava squealed into the phone. "Oh my god, mom and Natalia must be over the moon. That is so awesome Rafe."
He sighed "Yea, their pretty happy. I just hope everything works out tomorrow."
Ava was just as cheerful as before. "It will, I'm sure of it. This family is due for some good news."
Rafe chuckled. "Yea. I also called to talk to you about Ma and Olivia."
Ava sat back in her chair. "Ok. What's up?"
Rafe sighed. "Everything is not what we thought. They are not actually together yet. I'm sure they love each other, they just haven't admitted it to each other yet. We have to do something. Frank asked Ma to marry him."
She gasped. "Oh my god are you serious. I thought they were just waiting to tell us or something. What is this about Frank? Ew, mom is so much better than that jackass."
Rafe laughed. "I agree whole heartedly. He asked but after I talk to her today she is telling him no, but we need to do something to push them together or they are going to mess this up because they are scared or whatever and we are going to lose our family."
"I agree, but what can we do?" she said her mind running a mile a minute trying to think of something.
He just sighed. "I don't know, that's why I called you."
They were quiet for a few, both deep in thought. Ava perked up, "Ok, I think I have a plan. This is what we're going to do."
They discussed her plan, agreeing that it was a good one and hung up content that they had a starting point. Rafe went back to his cell praying that tomorrow went well and he'd be home to help keep his family together.
Olivia and Natalia were running late getting home so they picked up Emma from school. In the car on the way home Olivia turned to Natalia who was driving. "I called Jane earlier today about tomorrow. She is picking up Emma from school tomorrow and will bring her home to wait for us." Natalia nodded her understanding.
Olivia turned around to look at Emma. "Jellybean, Natalia and I have a late meeting tomorrow and will be done late. When Jane gets you home make sure you get your homework done so when we get home we can eat dinner and have a movie or game night or something."
Emma was bouncing in her seat. "Yay, are you going to be very late?"
Olivia chuckled at her enthusiasm. "No we shouldn't be too late. We will definitely be home for dinner. Maybe we can bring home Buzz burgers?" she said looking back at Natalia.
Natalia nodded. "Sounds good. That way I don't have to cook and we can eat right away and get to our fun night."
Emma was still bouncing and now clapping her hands. "Oh boy it's going to be so much fun. I have the best mommies in the world."
Olivia and Natalia both smiled. Olivia settled back into her seat for the rest of the ride home and talked to Natalia about the proposal they had worked on earlier.
Once they made it home Emma had her snack of fruit salad and a cookie and headed upstairs to do her homework. Natalia got dinner started and was obsessing over cleaning and getting things ready for Rafe in case he got to come home. She was going back and forth between the kitchen, the living room and Rafe's room.
On one of her passes from upstairs back down Olivia stopped her. "Hey calm down Nat. Everything is fine. The house is fine." Natalia huffed and shook her head. Olivia pulled her to the couch. "Come here for a minute."
As they sat Olivia pulled some bags from the floor on the side of the couch and handed them to Natalia. "While you were at the prison today I went out and picked up a few things before and after the staff meeting."
Natalia pulled the things from the bags. There was two pairs of jeans, a pair of slacks, some tee shirts, a button down shirt, socks, underwear, a jogging suit, a pair of sweats and hoody. There was also a new pair of running shoes, a Cubs jacket, boxers and wife beaters for him to sleep in and a robe. In the last bag was shower gel, shampoo, deodorant and cologne. She looked up with tears in her eyes. "Olivia," she said with a sigh.
Olivia took her hand. "I figured this would get him by for a few days until we could take him shopping for more. Just looking at him he has grown out of his old stuff and I didn't want him coming home to high waters and shirts that were way to snug for him. I had Mel get his clothing sized from the prison for me, so they should all fit. I got him the basics in toiletries as well."
Natalia just shook her head and launched herself into Olivia's arms. When she pulled back she just smiled a full on dimpled smile that always melted Olivia's heart. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you. Thank you so much, I hadn't even thought that far ahead yet. But you have to stop spending money on him without discussing it with me."
At the guilty look on Olivia's face she gave a small glare. "Oliviaaaa… What did you do?"
Olivia looked down then grabbed a smaller bag from beside the couch handing it to her. "I got this for him. He loves to run and I thought he could use it for that as well as for keeping in touch with us. It's not activated yet so we can take it back if you want to."
Natalia pulled out a new IPhone complete with headphones, arm band and $50 ITunes card. She gasped. "Olivia this is too much. It's so expensive."
Olivia held up a hand. "I can add him to the account for $10 a month and I got an excellent deal on the phone because it's a business account. It was half the original price making it cheaper than our Blackberries were." She handed her another bag with three more IPhones in it, three sets of headphones and three more ITunes cards. "I also upgraded our plan and got these for free. One for you, me and Emma. The best part is that Emma's has a GPS tracker in it."
Natalia just shook her head chuckling. "This is amazing. Thank you, and you have to show me how that tracker works. That is probably the best thing ever."
Olivia laughed nodding. "Yea, I thought so. I will show you after we get her down for the night. They are already active we just have to put in our SIM cards and contact info and they are ready to go."
She pulled Olivia into another hug. Olivia pulled back a few moments later. "Ok. Now why don't you check on dinner? I'm starving and I will put these bags in Rafe's closet, he can deal with putting them up himself tomorrow and going through his old stuff to see what is still going to work for him if anything. You keep his phone until we decide to activate it."
Natalia leaned forward and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Ok, thank you for everything." She then got up and headed into the kitchen leaving a very stunned and happy Olivia in her wake.
After dinner, Emma's favorite chicken and rice, Emma had had her bath they settled in the living room to watch a movie. At 7:50 Frank came walking in from the kitchen causing both Olivia and Natalia to stand in surprise.
Natalia moved toward him. "Frank what are you doing in here?" She was fuming.
Frank just looked confused. "You asked me to come over at 8:00 baby."
Natalia just shook her head. "I asked you to come over Frank, not come in to our home without knocking or being let it. And stop calling me that." She looked back to the couch. Emma looked confused, Olivia looked ready to pummel him.
She turned back to Frank who looked like a scolded puppy. "I don't understand Natalia. I just figured since we're getting mar…"
She cut him off. "Don't finish that sentence. Go out on the porch and I will be there in a minute."
He looked down looking like a dog that just got his nose smacked with a newspaper and left the room. She turned back to Olivia. "I will just be a little bit. I have to take care of this." Olivia nodded sitting back down and Natalia headed out through the kitchen grabbing the ring on her way out.
Once she was outside she found Frank standing on the porch. She marched over to him and handed him the ring. "I didn't say I would marry you, I didn't give you permission to talk to my son about it, and I certainly did not invite you to barge into our home without being invited in." He started to interrupt, she just held up a hand. "I don't want to marry you Frank. I'm not in love with you."
Frank just shook his head. "No you don't mean that. We are so good together. You just need more time, we can have a long engagement."
Natalia just looked at him dumbfounded. "You see, this is one of the problems. You don't listen to me, you lie to me and talk over me. I DON'T LOVE YOU. I will not marry you."
Frank stepped toward her trying to take her hands causing her to back up. "I've never lied to you. I listen to you."
"No you don't Frank or we wouldn't be having this conversation, and you do lie to me. You lied about all the things you said you did for Rafe. You didn't do those things, but you told me you did."
Frank stepped forward again. "I did too. I stood for hours selling trees for his legal fund."
Natalia stepped back shaking her head. "No you stayed for 45 min then had to leave. You told me you had the idea and that you found an organization to donate the trees, but it was Olivia's idea and Olivia who donated the trees. You just took credit for it all."
She took another step back trying to gain some distance between them. "You also told me that you helped get that other prisoner moved to another cell block to help Rafe but that was Olivia too."
Frank was starting to look angry. "She's lying Natalia. She does that. I did do those things you can't listen to her."
Natalia just shook her head. "That's the thing Frank. She didn't tell me about any of this. She didn't want to take credit for it, she just wanted to help and knew I wouldn't just take money from her. You are the one who's been lying to me."
Frank started turning red in anger walking toward her. "You can't let her come between us. We can be good together, we are good together. You love me, you just need to let yourself."
He kept moving forward and backing her up "I don't love you Frank. I never did. For god sakes we had two dates and I slept with you out of pity when your brother died and I was confused about my feelings for someone else."
Frank was fuming now. "You don't mean that. You don't have feelings for someone else you love me."
When he had backed her into the side of the house she'd had enough and was really getting scared. "OLIVIA!" She screamed hoping Olivia would hear through the closed door and over the TV.
Frank slammed his fist into the house. "Don't call her, this is between us."
Olivia stepped outside seeing that Frank had her backed into the corner. Fury rose up in her. She stepped cautiously toward them. "What's the problem Frankie?"
He swung his head toward her but didn't move away. "Stay out of this Olivia. This is none of your concern, it's between me and Natalia."
Natalia tried to move passed him but her stepped in her way. "Let me go Frank."
He just stood his ground. "No we are going to settle this now."
Olivia shook her head pulling out her phone hitting the speed dial for Doris. "I don't think so Frankie. You need to let her go and step away or I will call the police, the Mayor and your boss and have you taken away in cuffs. Let. Her. GO."
Frank viciously shook his head. "No, that's not necessary. We're getting married, we're just having a disagreement."
Natalia took advantage of Olivia distracting him and duck around him rushing straight to Olivia. "No we're not Frank. I told you I don't love you and I will not marry you, now you need to go."
Olivia was hoping Doris had answered the phone and heard what was going on. "Ok Frankie, it's time to leave. Natalia said no she doesn't want to marry you. Leave before you do or say something you can't take back."
"This is your fault. You screwed everything by telling her about the things you did after letting me take credit for them. Was that all part of your plan to keep us apart?"
Olivia shook her head. "I didn't tell you to take credit for them Frank. You did that on your own. I just didn't want her to get mad at me for spending all that money. I also didn't tell her about my involvement, I didn't even know she knew."
Natalia was standing slightly behind Olivia holding on to her arm. "Rafe told me today. He said Mel told him."
Frank just shook his head. "That's bull shit. She's just trying to keep us apart."
Natalia was getting worried that they couldn't get him to leave. "Frank I don't love you. That's what's keeping us apart. Please, you need to leave."
Before he could say any more the door opened and Emma stuck her head out. "Ma? Mommy? Are you ok? I heard yelling and got scared."
Natalia reacted first Olivia right behind her shielding them with her own body. "Oh god Emma." She rushed to her, picking her up. "We're ok baby. Everything is ok." She turned to peak over Olivia shoulder. "Frank we need to get Emma to bed. It's time for you to go." She held Emma tightly praying for him to go.
Frank looked at Emma and back to Natalia. "Fine but this isn't over." He turned and left getting in his car and pealing out of the drive.
Olivia turned to Natalia once she was sure he was off the property. "Go ahead and take Emma upstairs." she lifted the phone noticing that it was still on and showing it to her. "I need to talk to Doris." She kissed Emma good night and told her she'd be up to tuck her in in a bit.
After Natalia left the Kitchen Olivia put the phone to her ear. "Doris are you there?"
"Yes I'm here. What the hell is going on over there?"
Olivia explained what happened that she saw. "I'm telling you Doris if he comes near my family like that again I cannot be held accountable for my actions."
Doris just sighed. "I just pulled up. Let me in to talk to Natalia and we will figure out what to do."
Olivia was shocked. "You're here?"
Doris scoffed. "Of course I'm here. I left as soon as I figured out something was wrong. I had my work phone next to me the whole time ready to call 911 if needed."
At the knock on the door Olivia let her in and hung up her phone. "Thanks for coming."
Doris nodded coming into the house and sitting on the couch right as Natalia came down the stairs. "Emma's ready to be tucked in." She said to Olivia finally noticing Doris. "That was quick."
Olivia chuckled slightly. "I called her when I came out and he had you cornered and kept the phone on. She headed this way when she realized something was wrong." She walked over and grabbed Natalia's hands. "I'm going to go up and tuck Emma in. Tell her everything that happened and I will be right back down."
Natalia nodded and went to sit down. While Olivia was upstairs she told Doris everything. She started with her going on a few dates with him to what happened tonight. Olivia came back halfway through and sat next to her taking her hands for support.
Doris had pulled out a recorder when Natalia started recording her statement of events. "Ok. After I figured out something was wrong I hit the button on my phone to record the call. I have your statement and Olivia's is on the phone recording. We don't have enough for a restraining order but I'm going to file a formal complaint that will be put in his police jacket. That way if there are any more problems this will add to it. I will also have Chief Wolfe talk to him and warn him off, tell him to keep his distance. I'll sit in on that meeting as well and let you know how it goes."
Natalia sighed. "I don't want to have to do that but he really scared me tonight, and he scared Emma so go ahead and file the complaint for us. I just don't want him near any of us."
Doris nodded putting her recorder away. "Ok. I'm going to leave and I will call you tomorrow once I get this filed. You guys lock up tight when I leave and I will talk to you tomorrow."
They walked Doris out, locked up and headed upstairs. At Olivia's door Natalia grabbed her hand. "Would you please stay with me tonight? I'm scared and I don't want to be alone."
Olivia squeezed her hand. "Of course. I'll go change for bed and meet you back in your room when I'm done."
Natalia nodded and they went their separate ways to change. When Olivia came into her room she was already in bed. Olivia climbed in and laid down beside her. Natalia scooted into her laying her head on Olivia's shoulder. She was shaking and started crying.
Olivia held her close. "Shh… It's ok. I won't let him hurt you. It's ok."
Olivia reassured her and held her close until she calmed and fell asleep. She lay there with Natalia asleep in her arms and vowed that she would do whatever necessary to keep them all safe. She fell asleep content to just hold her and keep her calm through the night.
