One Night Stand

(Chapter Three: Support)

Olivia dragged her fingertip along the rail of a baby bed in a display set up.

"That one is nice," Elliot said as he looked at the matching changing table and rocking chair.

"It's beautiful. But it is quite a bit out of my price range," she replied tilting the price tag so that he could read it. "This one over her is nice, too."

"It is, but it isn't the one you want. Liv, we have been walking around this store for an hour and keep finding our way back to this same exact spot. This is the one you want."

"Obviously what I want and what I should have are two different things," she said looking over her shoulder at him.

Elliot looked into her eyes and knew it was not only the crib she was talking about.

"What do you want?" He asked softly, fidgeting with the tag in his hand. "All of this is going on and you are kind of stuck here in the middle and it seems like all of the decisions have just been made. Made without anyone even asking you….what do you want, Olivia?"

She sighed and resisted his invitation to pour her heart out.

"I just want a healthy baby. And to be the best mother that I can be, better than my mother. I want to provide a happy life for my child….The obvious, same things most pregnant women want."

"But do you really want to do this all alone?"

"This was not initially the way I saw my self bringing a child into this world, no. But I love this baby. I know I can do it, there is no doubt in my mind. So if you are worried about that, you shouldn't. Over the last five months this little being inside here has become my entire world."

"Hypothetically, if things were different….if Kathy and I had not gotten back together and she wasn't pregnant, too….could you see us raising a baby together?"

Olivia stared into his eyes for a moment then shied away from him.

"No," she said softly.

"No? What do you mean, no?"

"I mean, that is not what either of us wants. Hypothetically or realistically. And if your heart isn't in it….we would only make each other miserable. Trust me, it's better this way," she said forcing a smile and lying through her teeth.

"I guess so," Elliot said as they began another lap around the nursery display area. "I just want to do the right thing here. I care about you, Olivia. You are my best friend and I love you. But she is still my wife….this week, anyway. It just feels like no matter what decision I make, it is the wrong one. Like no matter what I do, someone gets hurt, someone gets cheated. And either way, one of those someone's is my unborn child."

"We were irresponsible, Elliot. We acted like children and made a stupid decision when we…." she paused for a moment and looked around the room at the other happy couples. "Well, you know what we did. My point is that if we had been thinking…."

"We would have used a condom and you never would have gotten pregnant," Elliot said placing his hand against her belly.

"I don't regret this. I don't think this baby was a mistake. I don't see how anything so wonderful could ever be a mistake. But I am not proud of the situation I allowed myself to get into. I was irresponsible and I really screwed things up for my child from the start. Where I screwed up was sleeping with a man who was still involved with someone else. Even if it was supposed to be a one night stand. One of those things you have to learn the hard way, I guess."

"But nothing about starting a family should have to be done the hard way."

"Look, none of that even matters now. Nothing matters, but this baby. And all I can give him or her, is my best."

Elliot looked up as they stood in front of the same crib once more. He studied the dark finish for a few moments then looked back at her.

"This is it," he said. "This is the one you want. It is perfect. The entire set is beautiful."

"Elliot, I already told you…"

"Why don't you let me buy it for you? For our baby?"

"Right. Okay. And how are you going to explain to your wife that you bought a seven hundred dollar crib for my baby, when she is using the same crib she has used for all of the other kids?"

"It's a baby gift. Besides, I offered to buy Kathy a new crib and she wants to use the same one we had with the other kids. Let me help, Liv. This is my kid, too. I should at least help you make sure he gets everything he needs."

"Somehow, I don't think he needs a seven hundred dollar crib. I love by the way, how you slip that he in there."

Elliot gave her a smirk.

"You should be able to find out the sex soon. Kathy has known for a while that she is having a boy. You are almost six months, they should be able to tell by now."

"They could…if I wanted them to."

"You don't want to know?"

"Maybe I am a little old fashioned. I just think that waiting to learn the sex of the baby is half the fun. I want it to be a surprise."

"I guess that makes sense."

Olivia laughed.

"Listen El, I have been meaning to ask you…." she drew a deep breath and looked into his eyes as she smoothed her hand over her belly. "My doctor said that now is a good time to work on my birth plan. You know, figure out the details of what I want to go on when it comes time for delivery. That way if something should happen that I deliver before my due date, we already know what we want to go on."

"Yeah."

"I was thinking, I mean if you want to….since you are this baby's father….if you would like to…."

"Liv, spit it out," he said with a smile.

"Would you like to go in with me when the baby is born? I completely understand if you don't, I just wanted to make sure and offer. And since you are my best friend and I don't really have anyone else, I guess I was kind of hoping that….."

"Yes."

"What?" She asked as her eyes locked on his.

"I said yes. I would love to. Infact, I am so happy that you would even ask."

"What about Kathy?"

"Liv, we're friends. Best friends. She understands that."

Olivia nodded her head slowly.

"I know. And You are this baby's father. But Elliot, even if you weren't the father. If this baby belonged to some stranger I picked up in a bar for a one night stand….I would still ask you to be there with me when it was born. I don't have any real family. I have you. You are my family. You and the guys from work. But out of everyone in the entire world, there is only one person I would want right there beside me when I bring my child into this world. My best friend."

Elliot brushed his fingers across her forehead as he kissed it tenderly.

"I would be honored." he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her, holding her for a moment or two before he released her. "And I want to buy this crib. For my best friend and for our baby. This is what you want. And what I want is to help you provide for our child."

"But Ka…."

"I don't care about Kathy," he said cutting her off.

Olivia stared at him wishing so badly the words he spoke were true.

"I don't know what to say."

"Say, thank you."

"Thank you," she said with a soft smile.

"I'm gonna go find the sales guy and arrange for delivery, then we still have some time to grab lunch before we have to get back to work.

"Well, while you are working out the details with the sales guy, I am going to use the ladies room again."

"Okay," Elliot laughed as he kissed her forehead once more. I'll meet you at the register.

A week later Olivia was relaxing on the sofa watching an old movie and crying for no apparent reason when her someone boxed her apartment.

"Who's there?" She asked wiping her eyes with a tissue.

"This is Carl, ma'am. I have a delivery for a Miss Olivia Benson, from Brandyl's Furniture."

"Oh, yes. The crib. Come on up."

A few minutes later the man rang her door bell. Olivia opened the door and greeted him as he and another man carried the large box inside.

"Where would you like it set up, ma'am?"

"Down the hall, second door on the left," she said as she turned to close the door.

It wasn't until then that she noticed two more men with another large box following Carl and his partner down the hall to the nursery.

"How many boxes does this crib come in?" She asked in confusion.

"Oh, just one," Carl replied. "That is the changing table. The dresser and rocking chair are still in the truck."

"Wait, there must be some kind of mistake. I only ordered the crib."

Carl picked up his clip board to double check his shipping receipts.

"Well, ma'am, I show right here an order for the Kennedy collection. Not just the crib. The collection is all four pieces."

"Oh, this is wrong, I'm so sorry. Was his card charged for this?"

"Yes, ma'am. I have the receipts right here. Both signatures match."

"Wait, receipts?"

"Yes. I have them both right here."

"Both? And both are signed?"

"Yes. Would you like to take a look?" Carl tipped the clip board for Olivia to see the signatures.

"Those are both Elliot's signatures."

"I hope so ma'am. Would you like us to call to verify the purchase?"

"No, I'll call him. Can you give me just a minute."

"Sure."

Olivia opened her cell phone and dialed Elliot's phone number.

"El?"

"Hey, what's up?"

"Well, the guys are here to deliver the crib and there seems to be a mistake with the order."

"They didn't bring the crib?"

"Oh, they brought it. And the dresser and the changing table and the rocking chair. Somehow this all got mixed up and you were charged for the entire collection. I'm really sorry about this."

Elliot laughed.

"Olivia don't be sorry. You received the entire collection, because I ordered the entire collection. I went back that afternoon and asked them to add the rest of the furniture to the order. You were supposed to receive all four pieces."

"El…"

"Don't argue. It is a gift. And trust me, I have had enough kids to know you are going to need all of that furniture."

"Elliot, you don't have the money for this either. You are about to have another baby."

"Yes, I am. Two of them. And I intend to provide for them both. Don't worry about the money. I sublet my apartment and the guy gave me the first couple of months rent upfront. I couldn't think of any better purpose for that money than helping to take care of my child."

"This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. Elliot, thank you."

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

She hung up the phone and nodded to Carl.

"Everything alright?" He asked.

"Everything is fine," she replied. "He said he went back in and ordered the rest of the collection.

"So, we're good?"

"Yeah, we're really good."

Olivia couldn't help but smile as the baby kicked around inside her. She leaned against the doorway with her hand on her belly and watched as the men put together the new nursery for her baby.