The evening and those that followed had passed by uneventfully. Things remained awkward and tense while Maya was there. When she wasn't Fitz was enamored with the change he saw and olivia. With cammie and Claudia she was carefree, younger, a bit wilder. She smiled more broadly and more freely. The three of them were an unbreakable team.
The night before huck, Harrison, and Michael would arrive, Cammie, olivia and Fitz were watching tv after Maya and Claudia had gone back to the hotel.
"I'm going to tell you guys something, but I haven't told anyone else and I'm not ready to yet, but I want you to know." Cammie broke into the silence and Olivia's stomach immediately dropped fearing the worst.
"Go on." Fitz told her carefully.
"I got into RISD. And I'm going." Olivia jumped up and hugged her and Fitz fell right in after her, clutching them both.
"Oh my god that's great news! You'll be here with us! Wait why don't you want to tell anyone?"
"Huck is already over protective of me, I don't want him to try and talk me out of leaving town."
"Cammie, Huck, uhm he doesn't want you to leave, but he wants to safe. For him that means being far away from him and Michael and the business. You getting into school up here will be the best news he's gotten in a long time." Cammie looked a little shocked, maybe even a little hurt, but she quickly felt relief.
"So you're living in the guest house right?" Fitz asked.
"Wait what?" Cammie said confused as Fitz said it more like a fact than a suggestion.
"Well I know that dorms can be hell so I thought you'd like your own space. For weekends and things." Olivia didn't want to take away from her college experience, but she wanted her to have a place to go.
"You don't want to live in a dorm. They're disgusting." Fitz informed her.
"You never lived in a dorm." Olivia reminded him laughing.
"I've heard things!" He said defensively.
"I actually have no interest in a dorm experience. I was just going to get an apartment near campus."
"The house is near campus, and it's huge. You'll never see us! Please Cam?" Fitz begged.
"You're worse than me, Fitz give her a break!" Olivia said when she saw him pouting at Cammie and her immediately caving. If it was up to Fitz her whole family would move in and they would live together like one giant odd couple, the way he saw it getting cammie in on it would be his first step.
"You can do whatever you want and no feel pressure from either of us to stay, but I would love it if you did."
"I think I can make the guest house work." Cammie conceded with a smile. She missed olivia more than she could admit, and Fitz was quickly becoming another brother to her.
By time Michael Harrison and Huck made it into town, they had managed to get into a nice routine, one that even had a civil tone with Maya. Fitz was still wary of her and olivia snapped at every real and perceived slight, but it was still less tense than it had been. Most of their time was spent hanging out in Olivia and Fitz's living room. It was strange for Olivia to see Claudia with a man as care free as she was with Harrison, and it was even stranger to watch the glares that he was getting from the other three men in the room anytime he came within two feet of her. The days before Thanksgiving were spent cooking and planning Christmas, and to everyone's surprise, Maya and Olivia began to get more comfortable around each other the more time they spent cooking in the kitchen.
Thanksgiving morning was spent sitting in the living room watching the Macy's day parade. Olivia was sandwiched between Fitz and Maya and for the first time she didn't feel uncomfortable. She didn't have the same ease as she did with her other relatives, but it was no longer awkward. It just was. Olivia figured she would never have those maternal feelings towards her mother, but most of her anger was gone, replaced by pity and friendliness.
As soon as the parade ended and they all saw Santa Claus waving to the crowd Cammie put on Christmas music and the turkey went into the oven. Soon after that Abby came by to help cook. Even stranger than seeing Harrison and Claudia interact was seeing Abby and Michael discussing guns and different caliber. Olivia was taking a break from cooking and went to watch some football with Fitz when she overheard Abby ask Michael if he liked camping, when he said no her face lit up and Olivia groaned. It was like she had turned into a dating service for her friends and siblings.
Quickly enough the game caught her attention and she was sitting on Fitz's lap yelling at the referee's with her brother and things felt normal. After the game Olivia got up and set the table around the same time James and Cyrus arrived. She and Maya brought all the food to the table, but before they were allowed to dig in Fitz made everyone say what they were thankful for.
"I'm thankful that I met Livvie, and because of her I get to have a family and traditions." Fitz said looking around at all the people at the table. A year ago he would have had a turkey sandwich and watched tv alone. Claudia went next,
"I'm thankful Liv found Fitz." Claudia said, she couldn't believe the change in Olivia, it was beautiful to see how happy she was around him. When Fitz looked at Olivia indicating it was her turn she gave Claudia a dirty look and said,
"She took mine, come back to me." Everyone laughed and Huck went.
"I'm thankful that people still celebrate this politically incorrect holiday because I love football and turkey." Everyone groaned knowing it was no secret Huck disapproved of Thanksgiving.
"I'm thankful that I got into my dream college and that Olivia is letting me decorate the guest house do I don't have to live in a cream room." Cammie said cheekily. Olivia gave her mother a wary look, she had never directly told her that they were moving, but both knew that the other knew at this point.
"I'm thankful I get to spend this day with my family. Thank you Olivia." Maya said, letting her know that it was okay and that she knew had hard it was for Olivia to have her there.
They continued around the table until they got back to Olivia.
"I'm thankful that I have so many people here that love me unconditionally." She finally said first looking at Fitz, than her family than she made eye contact with her mother. It took her a long time to realize that her mother loved her, and even longer to accept that there are just some people that shouldn't have kids, but eventually she did and it was a relief.