Chapter Twenty
Promises
May 1st, 2005
"Casey, I really don't understand why we're doing this." Olivia complained as their taxi pulled up outside of the wedding dress shop. "If we're not having the wedding until after the baby is born, isn't it pointless to be trying on dresses now?"
Casey sighed, and rolled her eyes dramatically as they exited the car, as if Olivia had just asked why the sky was blue. "I told you when I called that if we figure out what style you like now, it'll be easier to find a dress when you're dead tired in a few months because of the baby. It's simple, really."
Olivia wanted to laugh at her matter-of-fact tone, but she knew better and just simply nodded her head in agreement as they walked into the store. She'd been doing that a lot in the past three weeks since she and Casey had started planning the wedding. In theory it did make since to start the process now, knowing that Casey's words of being dead tired would probably be true. Even though it did make sense, it didn't make Olivia despise the process any less.
She loved Elliot and she wanted to be his wife more than anything, but she wished she could just skip all the boring stuff that led to getting there. So far they'd only tackled the guest list, bridesmaids, groomsmen, the 'wedding color' (which was the same blue as Elliot's eyes), and the song they were going to have their first dance to at the reception.
As soon as they stepped foot in the store Casey muttered something about a consultant and disappeared, which left Olivia to browse the racks of white satin and tool. She walked down a few aisles, just brushing her hands over the smooth materials, not really looking until she rounded a corner and saw it. It was stuck between two huge ball gowns and she had almost missed it at first, but when she took a few steps closer and pulled it out her heart stopped at how breathtakingly beautiful it was.
The one shoulder, chiffon gown was white as snow. Soft, elegant, flowers trailed up from the empire waistline to the singular strap on the right. She ran her fingers over the dress in awe and she suddenly knew without even having to try it on that this was the one.
"Olivia?" She turned around to find Casey walking towards her, followed closely by a woman whose arms were heavily laden with several other gowns.
"I-" Olivia paused, looking back at the dress and then at them, wondering how crazy she would sound by telling them she'd already found 'the one.'
The blonde woman behind Casey just smiled at her. "I've seen that look before. I'll go put these back and meet you two by the dressing rooms."
Olivia draped the dress carefully over one arm and followed Casey who had already started walking towards the fitting rooms and was shaking her head.
"What's that about?" Olivia asked, scrutinizing the red head.
"Oh nothing." She replied with a smile as they stopped outside of an empty dressing room. "Just leave it to you to find exactly what you're looking for within the first five minutes."
"Hey," she protested as the woman before found them and came over to unlock the door, "I had no idea what I was looking for, this was just pure luck. I haven't even tried it on yet." She added the last sentence as an afterthought even though she was pretty sure she would still have the same feeling about the dress when she put it on.
Casey just rolled her eyes in response and went to find somewhere to sit while Olivia and the consultant, who by now had introduced herself as Emily, walked into the dressing room. Olivia undressed down to her undergarments and with Emily's help slipped the dress over her head and down over her growing belly. Once it was on she carefully removed her bra as there was a built in one in the dress so she wouldn't have to worry about getting a strapless. When she was finally situated she stepped out of the room and walked over to Casey who had conveniently sat down by a large three way mirror with a raised platform in front of it.
As she got closer she could see her friend's eyes growing wider and by the time she had stepped on the platform they were as big as saucers. "Oh, Liv...you look beautiful."
Olivia blushed self-consciously and took a look in the mirror herself. Her breath was taken away as she studied her reflection and the realization that she was really getting married finally hit her. The chiffon flowed down over her chest and although it didn't accentuate her belly it didn't hide it either. She felt beautiful and when she looked back over at Casey they were both blinking back tears.
"It's perfect." Olivia whispered, still trying to hold back her tears and slowly failing.
Casey smiled and stood up, offering her a tissue which she took graciously. "I absolutely agree, you look amazing, Olivia."
She smoothed a hand down over her stomach and gave Casey a nervous look, "I want to say this is 'the one', but it might look completely different after I have the baby."
"About that..." Casey got an odd, almost guilty look on her face as she walked back to the chair where she had left her purse and pulled out a small stack of index cards.
Olivia look at her curiously as she shuffled through them until she evidently found the one she was looking for and brought it over to her. "What is this?"
"Just read it." She said nodding at the card and then walking over to Emily who had been waiting patiently off to the side.
Olivia gave her friend one more curious glance before examining the small card in her hands.
If you're reading this it means that you've found the perfect dress for the wedding and the final step in Casey and I's plan is complete.
You're probably really confused right now, but you don't get the next card until you buy the dress and go get in the car that is waiting for you outside.
Olivia finished reading the card that had been written in her fiancé's familiar scrawl and looked over her shoulder at Casey, who had a broad grin on her face. "What's going on?"
"Did you read the card?" She asked nonchalantly.
Olivia sighed and rolled her eyes, "Duh, but what does it mean?"
"Maybe if you do what the card says you'll find out." She replied, raising an eyebrow at her mischievously.
Olivia held her friends gaze a few moments longer before her resolve finally broke and she headed, defeated, back to the dressing room. Emily followed her and helped her get the dress off and then hung it carefully in a plastic garment bag.
"Did she tell you anything?" Olivia asked the young women quietly as she finished getting dressed.
Emily laughed and shook her head, "I've been sworn to secrecy."
"You know, you'd think they would have figured out by now that with all these extra hormones in my system I've got a lot less patience." She muttered as they left the room, eliciting another laugh from Emily.
They met Casey at the checkout and once she had paid for the dress they were helped by a store clerk who carefully placed the dress in the trunk of the car that was waiting for them outside; just like the card had said.
Olivia slid into the back behind Casey and as soon as the door shut behind her the black town-car pulled out into traffic and set out on what she assumed was a previously decided route.
"Can you please tell me what's going on now?" She asked, handing Casey the card she'd been holding onto.
The red head just smiled and fished through her purse for the next card, however she didn't immediately hand it to her. "We've got a little ways to go before you get the next one."
Olivia fought the urge to argue with her and instead looked out of her window, trying to focus on her surroundings so she could figure out where they were going. They had driven into Manhattan to go dress shopping and now they were heading away from the city towards Long Island. The only place she could think of that they might be going to was Elliot's mother's house, but she still didn't understand why.
When they crossed the bridge onto the island Casey finally gave her the next card and Olivia practically snatched it out of her hand. "Eager are we?"
Olivia ignored her and began reading.
This is a bit longer than the last one so that hopefully by the end of it you will understand what's going on and will also have arrived at your destination.
When I asked you to marry me I told you that I had known there was something special about you from the moment we met. Since we've been together I've still never been able to pinpoint exactly what that something was, but I have discovered a lot of new something's that I love about you. However, because I decided to use notecards I've picked out just five of my favorite something's.
1. Your smile. God, your smile. It lights up a room and makes my heart beat just a little faster every time I see it.
2. The way you dance around the kitchen when you're cooking. It's the cutest thing I've ever seen you do, especially because 99% of the time there isn't any music on.
3. Now, this one I've loved since the day I met you, but I feel like the more I got to know you, the more I treasured these moments. I love that I can look at you from across a crowded room and in one single look we can have an entire conversation. It amazes me to this day.
4. Your eyes. This also relates to the previous 'something'. I can't get enough of them and I hope with all my heart that our daughter inherits them. (Even though I know you're secretly hoping for her to get mine.)
Olivia had to flip the card over to read the fifth 'something' and when she did, the last piece of the puzzle she'd been trying to put together finally clicked into place.
5. The way you're going to look walking down the aisle towards me in just a little bit.
Get it now? Hopefully you're nodding your head yes or something like that. Now it's time for you to go inside and let my mother and Casey help you get ready. Be nice, I talked both of them into helping me pull this off so if there's anyone you need to be mad at its me, but I'm hoping you won't be.
There are two more of these. One you get to read yourself and one I get to read to you.
See you soon.
-E
Olivia looked out her window again as they pulled up outside of his mother's house, parking in a spot that had been deliberately left empty seeing as cars lined both sides of the road in every spot except for the one closest to the house. She turned to Casey and quickly wiped away the tears that had started to fall as soon as she had realized what was happening.
"How long have you been planning this?" She asked, handing the card back to her.
"A few weeks." She answered simply, starting to get out of her side of the car.
Olivia followed suit and when they met on her side of the car, she looked at her friend skeptically. "You say that as if its no big deal. Getting all of this together in a few weeks would take a lot of work."
"I'm not saying it didn't." Casey replied as they walked to the trunk to retrieve her dress. "I'm also not saying that I didn't enjoy doing it."
Casey smiled at her as she gently lifted the plastic bag out of the trunk. "I love you and Elliot to death, so when he asked if I could help, I did. And don't forget you helped too."
"Yes, but I didn't know it was for all of this." She answered, feeling tears brimming up in her eyes again and she had to stop for a second to compose herself. "We're not even inside and I'm already crying again. Aren't weddings supposed to be happy?"
Casey wrapped an arm around her shoulders when they started walking again. "Yeah, but you're pregnant so you can cry as much as you want...and I suspect these are happy tears, right?"
Olivia let out a watery laugh, "I guess so."
"Good, happy tears are good." She answered as they approached the steps leading up to the front door. "Now, I suggest you try to put on a smile though, because from what I've heard, Bernie can get a little overwhelming if she thinks something's wrong."
Olivia laughed again and wiped away the tears, hoping her eyes weren't too red and then turned to Casey, "Better?"
She nodded and opened the front door, calling ahead before she entered, "Is it groom-less in here?"
They heard some shuffling and the sound of a door opening and closing, "Now it is!"
They both laughed and stepped inside. Casey turned into the living room with the dress and gestured for Olivia to continue down the hall into the kitchen. When she entered the kitchen she wasn't surprised to find it bustling with life. A few uniformed men and women she didn't recognize were loading food onto trays to either put in the oven or set out on serving dishes and in the middle of all the flurry was a woman she did recognize.
"If you put those over there than we can move the other ones over here..." Bernie directed and as she turned around to point people in the right directions she saw Olivia. "Well, hello there. It's nice to know I was right when I told Elliot you'd be right on time, if not early."
Olivia smiled widely at her and hugged her tightly when she walked over. "I can't believe he did this."
"He can pull off a pretty good surprise when he wants to." Bernie smiled, winking at her. "I like to think he got that from me."
Olivia laughed and squeezed Bernie's shoulder affectionately. "Thank you."
"For what, dear?" She asked curiously.
Olivia gestured around at the kitchen and towards the large bay window that looked out to the beach where she could see rows of chairs slowly filling up with guests. "For all of this. It's...well it's a lot."
Bernie shook her head dismissively and gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Oh, it's not that much, plus I was more than happy to do it. I've always liked a nice beach wedding."
Olivia wanted to say more but she heard her name being called from down the hall and Bernie gave her a pointed look, "I believe that is your hair and makeup team and if I were you I wouldn't keep them waiting."
"Team?" Olivia repeated shocked.
Bernie just smiled and gently pushed her out of the kitchen and towards the living room down the hall where Casey had disappeared into a few minutes earlier. Olivia rounded the corner into the room apprehensively, but almost as soon as she stepped foot into the room she was swarmed with hugs by three familiar girls all clad in blue.
"You were in on this too?" She asked when Maureen, Kathleen, and Lizzie pulled back.
"Of course they were." Casey answered from where she was bent over the coffee table, organizing a myriad of hair styling tools and make up brushes.
"Do you like the dresses?" Maureen asked nervously, making her sisters step back so she could see their matching knee length, cotton dresses. "They aren't very fancy, but they're the color you picked out and we figured since it was on the beach they shouldn't be too-"
"Hey." Olivia interrupted, giving her a warm smile. "They're perfect."
Maureen let out a sigh of relief and gave her another hug. "Good, I was kind of worried."
Olivia pulled back and was once again interrupted before she could answer, when Casey walked over and practically drug her over to the sofa. "Enough with the hugging, we've got work to do."
Olivia just rolled her eyes, but complied with the bossy red-head and took the seat she was directed to. For the next hour Casey and Maureen set to work on curling and pinning back Olivia's hair while Kathleen and Elizabeth helped Olivia write her vows. She was thankful for the help on the latter as she hadn't even thought about what she was going to say to him, with the wedding being a surprise and all.
By the time they had finished her make-up and were helping her put the dress on, Olivia was confident in what she and the girls had come up with. They were simple, but they also held so much meaning and she hoped they would live up to whatever Elliot had written on his last index card. This thought reminded her about what he had said on the last one she had read and was about to ask when she would get the next card when there was a knock on the wall by the entrance to the room.
"Who is it?" Casey asked, tucking a curl that had fallen loose back into the flowery clip that secured her brown waves into a side pony at the nape of her neck.
"Father of the bride." Olivia snapped her head over to the doorway in confusion, but smiled when Don popped his head in. "Can I come in?"
"Of course." She replied and after a look of approval from Casey she moved away from the floor length mirror that had been set up next to the tv and went over to hug him. "You sure do clean up nice."
"Thank you." He said, running a hand over his nicely pressed shirt and suit jacket. "Although I must look like some regular Joe off the street compared to you."
Olivia blushed and shook her head. "That's not true, you look very handsome."
"Well, regardless you look beautiful, Liv. Elliot's a lucky man." He said, pausing a bit before hesitantly asking, "Are you alright with this? Me walking you down the aisle, I mean."
Olivia took his hand a gave it a gentle squeeze, blinking back a few tears. "I'm more than alright with it, Don, I'm grateful that you even want to."
Casey walked back in the room then, surprising Olivia because she hadn't even realized the woman had left, and announced, "They're ready for us."
Olivia took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she followed Casey and the girls down the hall, through the now empty kitchen, until the stood before a set of French doors that she assumed led out onto a deck. Casey positioned Olivia and Don off to the side of the doors so that when they opened no one would see them until it was their turn to go. She lined the girls up and handed each of them a bouquet and then tapped on the doors which immediately opened.
Elizabeth went first and as she stepped out Casey brought over Olivia's bouquet of white lilies and the final index card she would read. "Read fast, okay?"
Olivia let out a small laugh, but nodded in compliance before starting to read.
So this is it. Once you're done reading this you'll be walking down the aisle towards me to make me the happiest man in the world. However, I did think you deserved an explanation as to why all of this is happening so early.
After you found the letter, I realized that job or not, risk or not, neither of us deserved (or wanted) to wait any longer to get married. To be able to call each other husband and wife and know with certainty that we would be spending the rest of our lives together.
Now, I'm probably fidgeting out here pretty nervously because Casey is starting to walk out which means you're next. So, do me a favor; quit reading this and get out here already.
Olivia looked up from the card to find his words were true; all three of his daughters were gone and Casey had just left. She set the card on the nearest end table and took a deep breath, her nerves finally catching up with her.
"You ready?" Don asked, holding out his arm.
Olivia took it and gave him a small nod. "Just promise me one thing."
"What?"
"Promise you won't let me fall." She said, looking down at the white wedges Casey had talked her into.
He just laughed, "Okay, I promise."
"Okay, let's do this."
They stepped over so they were now visible through the doors and after a short a pause they started walking. Olivia put her full trust in Don as they made their way down the few steps of the deck to the sandy aisle in front of them. She knew there was music playing and it also registered in her mind that several people were whispering about how beautiful she looked in the dress, but her mind barely recognized these things because form the moment they had stepped through the doors all of her attention had been focused on Elliot.
When they had first starting walking towards him he had indeed been fidgeting but as they drew nearer he grew still aside from the one or two times she caught him quickly wipe at his eyes. His attire as well as Fin, Munch, and Dickie's, was casual, but still a bit dressy and it fit him and the scene perfectly.
It seemed like the walk towards him took a lifetime but at the same time was over in a second. Olivia smiled brightly at him and handed her flowers to Casey so she could link both of her hands with his. She heard the minister beside them start the service, but didn't pay much attention to him after that. Her eyes and mind were both focused on Elliot and how handsome he looked and how his gaze never wavered from her own. She couldn't believe that after all this time they were finally doing this and probably would've thought it all a dream unless Elliot hadn't interrupted her thoughts by letting go of one of her hands to retrieve something from inside his suit jacket pocket.
She let out a quiet laugh when she realized it was the last index card. "I thought you were joking."
"You expected me to have all of this memorized?" He questioned, causing their guests to laugh.
"I've got mine memorized." She quipped, winking at him.
"I didn't want to forget anything." He said, giving the hand he still held a squeeze. "You're too important."
Olivia could feel tears brimming at her eyes again and did her best to keep them at bay as he started to recite his vows.
"Since you're standing here in front of me it means that you actually followed all of the instructions I gave you," Olivia couldn't help but laugh at this and she quickly wiped away the few tears that fell when she did so. "Which is especially surprising because if anyone knows you like I do, they know you don't like be ordered around."
The crowd laughed and he waited a moment before continuing, but this time his gaze wavered from the card and held hers when he spoke. "Now that you're here, there are a few things I think you should know. Know that I will love you with every single ounce of my heart until the day it stops beating. Know that I will do anything and everything to make you love me back. Know that no matter how many times we fight or argue and I end up storming off somewhere, I will always come back to you. And most importantly, know that I will cherish each and every day that I get to be known as your husband."
By the time he had finished tears were running down her face and she knew that if she was going to be able to get through her own vows she would need something to wipe her eyes with. Thankfully it appeared that Casey had already anticipated this and stepped forward to hand her a tissue.
"Thanks." She whispered gratefully as she dabbed her eyes and turned towards Elliot. "You really know how to make a girl cry."
He let out a throaty chuckle and reached out to brush away a few of her tears. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
"It's okay." She smiled, giving a final sniff before diving into her own vows. "We've been partners for six years now and for some people that word has only one meaning, but for me it has so many more. Being your partner at work means that I promise to always have your back, to stand beside you and face whatever evils may come our way, and protect you with my life. Now that we are becoming partners in life there are a few more promises I get to tack onto that list. I promise to love you very single minute of every single day even though sometimes I won't like you. I promise to be understanding when you're angry or upset even though I might just want to slap some sense into you. I promise..." She took a shaky breath trying not to cry through the last few words. "...to be the best partner that I can be for the rest of our lives."
Once she finished, the minister asked for the rings and the rest of the ceremony passed by in almost a blur so that before she knew it they had both said I do and Elliot had been given permission to kiss the bride. He smiled widely at her as he leaned in, placing one hand on her cheek while the other snaked around her back, and she barely had time to grin back at him before his lips were pressed against hers in a slow, gentle caress. When they pulled back there was cheering and clapping all around and Olivia laughed happily at the scene before them. She gave him another quick peck on the lips before he led her back down the aisle and into the house.
He closed the doors behind them and once they were inside he picked her up and spun her around happily.
"Someone's excited." She commented after he set her down.
"And you're not?" He asked, pulling her close.
"Oh of course I am." Olivia replied coyly. "I'm just better at hiding it."
"Whatever you say, Mrs. Stabler." Elliot grinned, kissing her again.
"Mmm, I like the sound of that." She murmured against his lips.
When she pulled back she looked around at the empty house, then back at him. "So, what happens now?"
"Well now they're setting up for the reception." He glanced at his watch briefly. "And since we're still on schedule we've got ten minutes before we need to be down the beach a little ways for pictures."
"Thank God." She muttered, moving out of his arms and towards the bathroom. "You're daughter was sitting on my bladder for the whole thing."
Olivia heard him chuckle just as she was shutting the door and wanted to make a remark about being serious, but her need to pee was more important at the moment. She quickly relieved herself and once she was done she flushed and moved over to the sink to wash her hands. As she bent over to turn off the faucet her hand stopped in mid-air when she felt a rush of liquid between her legs that was followed by an excruciating pain in her abdomen.
One hand flew to her stomach and the other gripped the edge of the counter tightly while she did her best to breathe through the contraction. As the pain began to ease she wished desperately that it had just been a false alarm, but when her eyes landed on the puddle of water beneath her feet she knew it was anything but.
She looked down at her stomach and shook her head as frightened tears began to stream down her face. This couldn't be happening. She was only eight months along; she wasn't ready yet, the baby wasn't ready yet, it just wasn't time. Time, she was supposed to have more time to get used to this idea of being a mother, a whole month in fact-
"Is everything okay?" Elliot's worried voice traveled through the door interrupting her thoughts.
"No, actually." She answered shakily. "Would you be upset if I told you we're going to have to take a rain check on the reception? Oh and the pictures too."
"Olivia what're you talking about?" He asked, opening the door.
She watched his face go from confused to understanding when he looked down at the puddle on the floor and then back up at her. "Your water broke?"
Olivia nodded her head and covered her mouth with her hand as she began to cry again. Elliot was at her side in a less than a second, pulling her to his chest and running his hands over her back soothingly.
"Everything is going to be okay, Liv." He whispered. "I promise you, everything is going to be okay."
Olivia could only hope his words proved to be true, because if this turned out to be anything but okay...she didn't know what she would do with herself.
A/N: Good news: I updated early! Bad news: I left you with an evil cliffhanger :(
Hopefully you won't hate me enough to not review ;)
Thanks for reading,
Katie
P.S. The page decided to refresh after I edited and before I saved so I apologize for any grammar/spelling mistakes, I'm too tired to go back and fix anything.