I knew that last chapter would leave people with mixed emotions. I am sorry that some were so disappointed with it, but I need you to know that this story is near and dear to my heart, and I really feel like this is the way I want the story to be told. I still promise these characters will be happier than they ever thought they could be, once the story is over. So thanks to those who trust me to get them there.
Elliot was surprised when he woke up and Olivia wasn't in bed next to him. She had been so tired, so overwhelmed by everything, that he had insisted she stay with him for the night and they could go back to her apartment in the morning. He'd called Maureen, who agreed to stay one more night with Noah, and then took Olivia to his bedroom, realizing she had never been there before. He'd lived there over twenty years, and she'd never gotten past his living room and kitchen. But it wasn't the time to think about that. He watched her change into one of his t-shirts and a pair of his boxers, and then he helped her into bed. Working three days straight and then getting disappointing news from the doctor had been too much for her. She needed to rest and had fallen asleep almost immediately. So he was surprised she wasn't in bed now, just a few hours later.
He walked to the bathroom, thinking she might be sick, but the room was empty. So he walked downstairs, stopping when he saw her. She was sitting at the dining table, his laptop in front of her shining a warm glow on her face. She was dipping cookies into milk, eating them one by one while she stared at the screen and he knew she wasn't even paying attention to how much she was eating. She was engrossed by the computer, and he was pretty sure he knew what she was researching. He walked into the room, "Liv…honey…come back to bed."
She looked up at him, "Did you know some kids with Down Syndrome have normal IQs?" she asked. "And the ones who don't are usually only mildly delayed. They can go to school, learn to read, have friends…" she had tears in her eyes and it broke his heart to see her like this.
He walked over and stood behind her, rubbing her shoulders gently and looking at the computer screen. "She's going to be fine, Liv," he promised. "She's going to be the person she was meant to be."
"I wanted her to be perfect," Olivia cried and he put his arms around her. "All these years, I've wanted a baby…and I've always pictured a beautiful little girl with your smart-ass sense of humor and my ambition to succeed. I could picture myself taking her to her first day of school, watching her graduate from college, helping her into her wedding gown…I can't imagine any of that now. I'm a terrible person…" she sobbed.
"You are not a terrible person," he kissed her on the cheek. "You are a wonderful mother, Liv. You had those dreams for her because you wanted the best for her…and it's hard to know she might not have an easy road in life. But I can promise you this…she is going to be our beautiful little girl, and she's going to have my stubbornness and your loving heart. And we are going to be so proud of her for every single accomplishment she makes, and she's going to surprise us with all she can do." He lowered his hands to her stomach, smiling at the slight bulge under his soft t-shirt she was wearing. "And I know she's going to love her mommy. She already does…because she can sense how much you love her. How you would do anything to protect her and keep her safe. How you want the best for her, no matter what." He rubbed her stomach lightly, "She is perfect, Liv."
She stood up, putting her arms around his neck and kissing him, long and hard. She had never loved him more than she did right now. "Thank you…" she sniffled and wiped away her tears. "For not blaming me for this…for not thinking I'm a bad person for feeling all I'm feeling." He kissed her and held her close, and she leaned her head on his chest. "Thank you for loving her. She's a lucky little girl…she has the best daddy."
Elliot smiled. It had been a few years since anyone had called him "daddy" and he realized he kind of missed it. "Let's get you back to bed," he suggested. "You need some sleep."
"I'm still hungry," she laughed a little, picking up the package of cookies from the table.
Elliot rolled his eyes and laughed, "Fine…you can eat the cookies upstairs," he grabbed the package from her and put his hand on her back as they walked toward the stairs. "But then…you are going to sleep."
She nodded and stopped, kissing him once more. "Thanks, El…for everything. For taking care of us. I know I said I didn't need you to, but maybe…maybe I do." she admitted.
"We need to take care of each other," he said gently. "That's what families do."