Hey all...thanks so much for the amazing reviews. I am glad so many are reading and liking this. To the "guest" who said this was unrealistic and needed more of a storyline...well I hate to break it to you, but this chapter is probably even less realistic, but it does add to the storyline. :) I decided to just be creative and go with something I'd been considering doing and steer away from the roadmap I originally had for this, because this idea came to me...and then was mentioned in the reviews a couple of times...so I thought what the hell? Just go with it. So I did. I never do that...seriously never...but I figured it was time I let a story just go wherever the heck it wants to go and just stick around for the crazy ride. Enjoy!
February 13, 2015 2:45 PM
Olivia opened her eyes, the room was dark because the blinds were pulled, but she could see the sun seeping through. She squinted her eyes, trying to make out the time on the old analog clock on the wall, but without her glasses she couldn't figure it out. Elliot should have been back by now, she was sure of it. She started to worry, but then she heard him, his voice echoing from near the hall and she turned her head slightly, trying to see him, but all she could see was Noah, sitting in his bouncy walker seat near Elliot's legs and chewing on a graham cracker. Seeing her son was enough to bring tears to her eyes. She wanted to sit up, grab their attention, but she was in too much pain and Elliot was on the phone, so she stayed still and stared at her baby son.
"No…" she heard him say. "I need to stay in New York. It's an emergency." She assumed he was calling to try to get out of his assignment, but she knew in her heart it wouldn't work. "You don't understand…" he said again. "No, we're not married…but the babies are mine…" he sighed, "I don't have proof…I just know. No…" he argued. "This is already a high risk pregnancy…we are not doing that…No…" he insisted again. "Please…" he pleaded, his voice shaking in a way she'd rarely heard and she hated hearing him beg someone for the chance to stay with her. She'd be okay on her own…of course she would. She was used to it. She could do it. "Yes…I understand…" his voice was defeated. "Monday…I know…goodbye…" he clicked off the phone and knelt down to pick up Noah. "Hey little one," he sighed. "Let's see if Mommy wakes up if you give her a kiss."
"I'm awake…" Olivia said gently, and he walked over to her bed and smiled.
"You feeling okay?" he asked. "Do you need anything?"
"My baby…" she said tearfully, reaching out and stroking Noah's chubby little fist.
"Mama…" he said in his chipper little voice and she smiled at him.
"I missed you…" she cried. She looked at Elliot, "Can you raise my bed? I want to hold him…"
"Liv…I'll raise the bed, but you can't hold him," he shifted the baby in his arms and reached down to push the button and she noticed the bandage around his hand for the first time.
"El…what happened?" she asked. "To your hand? Was it like that earlier?"
He nodded, "You were too out of it to notice, plus I kind of tried to hide it. I had a fistfight with a soda machine earlier…I'm fine…"
"What?" she asked, relieved to be sitting but feeling dizzy. "El…why the hell…"
"I was mad…I was worried…" he admitted. "I was stupid. It was just a few stitches and some bruising. I'm fine. I promise." He sat in the chair, Noah in his lap.
"Let me hold him," Olivia pleaded as the baby reached for her, his face red with angry tears that were about to form. "Please, El…I just need him close."
"Liv..." he was going to argue, but he knew he'd never win. "Let me sit him by you. We can't have him near your right arm or shoulder." He carefully situated Noah on the bed, resting in the crook of her left arm and the baby babbled and giggled, happily. "God…he loves his mommy." He couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face watching Olivia, who was obviously in agony, taking the time to care for and love on her child. "I can't wait…" he whispered, without even realizing it.
"For what?" she asked, and the confusion on his face made her laugh, "You can't wait for what?"
He shook his head, "For our babies…seeing you hold them…" he smiled. "I keep thinking about what they might look like. All my kids look like Kathy…I must not have very strong genes…"
She laughed and shook her head, "I think Dickie looks like you." She tried to move a little to relieve the kink in her back, and cringed at the pain in her shoulder.
"Do you need me to take him?" Elliot asked quickly, but she refused to hand her son over to him. He nodded, "Liv…the twins…I hope they look like you. I can just picture how adorable they are going to be."
"You're being too sweet to me," she teased. "Besides…maybe I want them to look like you." Then she looked seriously at him, "Who were you talking to on the phone?"
He sighed, "My boss…I tried Liv…I have to go…"
She nodded solemnly, "I know…"
"He said I've never mentioned you…or said anything about being in a relationship…I have no proof the babies are mine," he said. "I'm sorry. He said if we did a DNA test, I could stay, but I don't want to put you or the babies through that. It could trigger a miscarriage with everything else going on."
"It's okay Elliot," she assured him. "You go…and we'll be fine. These are your babies…no matter what the federal government thinks. We'll be waiting for you when you get back."
"If we were married…" he said gently. "Then I could stay."
She laughed, "Well…then I guess you're going." Noah had fallen asleep next to her and as much as she wanted to hold him, the pain was becoming unbearable. "Can you take him now?" she asked, exhaling slowly.
"Yeah, I got him," he leaned over, carefully picking up the sleeping child and cradling him in his arms. He sat back in the chair, gently swaying the baby back and forth, "Do you need me to get the nurse?" he asked.
She shook her head, "No…" she watched him hold her son, rocking him gently and she realized how much love she had for both of them. Elliot stoked Noah's cheek and kissed him softly, and Olivia felt her heart skip a beat. All of the sudden, something was different, something she never expected. She felt dizzy and weak and it wasn't because of her bullet wound or the pregnancy…it was because her heart was bursting with a love she hadn't felt since before Elliot left her, a love that she possibly hadn't even felt then.
"He's a good baby," Elliot looked up and smiled at her. "We can only hope the twins are as good. It's gonna be chaos when they arrive," he laughed, but then he saw the seriousness on her face and he was worried, "Olivia…are you okay?" she didn't answer him, and he stood up, "I'm gonna get the nurse," he said.
"No…El…I'm okay," she forced herself to speak.
"You don't look okay," he said with concern. "If you don't feel right…we need to have it checked out. Maybe your blood pressure is too low or you're losing blood again…you look so pale…"
"I feel fine," she promised. "I just…" she felt the tears slide down her cheeks and she couldn't stop them. "I don't want you to go…on the assignment…I don't want you to leave me…I need you…Noah loves you…"
"Oh, Liv," he put the baby down on the end of her bed, making sure he was safe from falling and then he stroked her cheek, wiping away her tears. "I want to be here…I wish I could…"
"I know you do," she sobbed. "I just…I'm scared…and I don't want you to go…"
"I have to go," he told her. "I…I don't know what you want me to do…do you want me to quit my job? I don't know if I can do that…"
She cried, and he held her as well as he could without hurting her. "I don't want you to quit…" she insisted. "I know you need the job…I just want to be with you…"
"There's nothing I can do," he said, his heart breaking. He knew she was in pain, sick, and on top of that her hormones were out of whack. He hoped this would pass, but he had the awful feeling it wouldn't. In all the years he'd known her, he had never seen her like this.
"El…" she cried. "I need you…please don't go…I'm scared…"
"Liv, honey…oh God…" he shook his head in defeat. There was no way to make this better. "Liv, I don't want to, but they won't let me stay…there's no way…"
"I want to get married," she blurted out and he looked at her in disbelief.
"What?" he asked. "Liv…you've got to be kidding me…"
"You don't want to?" she asked sadly. "I thought…you said if we were married you could stay…I thought you wanted to…"
"No…it's not that…" he assured her, "But I don't think you want to. Liv, a couple of weeks ago, you weren't even sure you wanted me to be the father of these babies. Now you want to be my wife?"
"I love you," she cried. "And I can't lose you…"
"You are not going to lose me," he promised her.
"You don't know that," she sobbed. "I almost died…on a routine night. You are going on some crazy case I don't even know anything about…for months…you might not come back…and you already left me once…"
"Oh God, Olivia," he cried. "I'm coming back. I swear…don't be scared for me. I'm not leaving for good."
"I need you," she admitted. "I can't do this by myself…I thought I could, and I can't…you can't go…"
"Liv…I don't think getting married is the answer," he said, and the words broke his heart. He wanted to marry her more than anything, but he didn't want to jump into something she'd regret.
"I thought you loved me," she said sadly.
"I do," he insisted. "I love you more than I've ever loved anyone. And I love Noah…and I love our baby boy…and our baby surprise…" he forced a smile. "And I want to get married…when the time is right. When you aren't saying you want it because you're afraid."
"I'm saying it because I didn't realize I wanted it before now," she sputtered. "I want to do this. I want to get married. I need to…"
"Liv…" he was running out of arguments and he knew it.
"Just listen," she sighed. "We can do it so you don't have to leave Monday…and we can take things slow after that. We don't have to rush the marriage…just have it on paper…and then let things progress from there. Please…will you marry me?"
"I never thought I'd hear those words come out of your mouth," he sighed. "Me…getting a proposal from Olivia Benson? Liv…are you sure?" She nodded, and he exhaled slowly. "Okay…let's do this. We'll get married." He looked at the clock and clicked his tongue thinking. "I don't know how we'll get the license in time, we both have to sign for it…and we have to find someone to marry us here at the hospital."
"I know some people," she said honestly. "I can get someone from the city clerk's office to come here to issue the license…and the law says we can't get married for 24 hours after…"
"So, Sunday?" he asked. "For the wedding?"
"I want to do it tomorrow…" she said quickly, "If we get someone here to issue the license by five, we can do it tomorrow night…I can get a judge to come here and marry us…"
"Tomorrow night?" he asked. "Why not just wait until Sunday?"
"Because," she smiled a truly genuine smile. "Tomorrow is Valentine's Day."
He laughed, leaning forward and kissing her softly on the lips, but she pulled away and he looked confused, "What? Don't tell me you're gonna be sick, because the last time I kissed you, you barfed."
She smiled and shook her head, "I won't puke…I promise…Its just…we haven't really done this before. The kissing…"
"We're getting married," he reminded her. "I have the right to kiss my fiancée, don't I?"
"Yeah…" she smiled. "Of course you do…I'm just nervous…God…why the hell am I nervous? It's not like…"
"Shhhh…." He put his finger to his lips as he interrupted her. "I think we need to practice…so you'll be more comfortable…less nervous…" He pressed his lips against hers and let the kiss linger as long as he could. When he pulled away from the kiss, he brushed his finger along her cheek and stared into her eyes, "I guess if we're gonna get this wedding planned, we better start making some phone calls…"
February 13, 2015 4:50PM
"What the hell do you mean she's getting married?" Amanda Rollins asked as the walked down the long corridor toward Olivia's hospital room. "Married…like man and wife, here comes the bride…all that shit?"
"I don't know," Nick admitted, looking at her and shaking his head. "She called, asked me to bring her glasses up here because she can't see to read her marriage license, and told me she's marrying Stabler…that's all I know…"
"She won't marry that asshole," Amanda insisted. "She has to be doped up on painkillers or have ahead injury or something. Liv wouldn't just decide on the spur of the moment to marry the man that hurt her so much."
"I don't like it anymore than you do," Nick admitted, "But she sounded completely serious and in her right mind on the phone. I think she wants this…" They reached the door, just as a man in a suit pushed it open and walked quickly past them, and Nick peeked around the door, seeing Olivia propped up in bed and Elliot sitting next to her with Noah in his arms. "This a bad time?" he asked.
Olivia shook her head slowly, "No…come on in," and Nick and Amanda walked over to her bedside.
Nick handed her glasses to her and put a stack of magazine on her nightstand, "Here you go…" he laughed, "So you can see again…"
"They won't let me wear my contacts up here," she said, putting on her glasses and looking up at him. "That was the guy with the marriage license who just left. I couldn't even read the paper…Elliot had to read it to me, and I signed it with my left hand so it's pretty much illegible…I'll be lucky if it's even legal at this point," she teased and Nick laughed.
"So…you're getting married?" he asked, looking from her to Elliot and back to her. "This seemed to come out of nowhere."
"I know," Olivia said gently. She knew Nick didn't like Elliot much and the feeling was mutual, but she hoped the two would at least try to get along. "But we want to…it's the right thing…for all of us."
"Are you sure?" Amanda asked, her face shadowed with confusion. "It seems so rushed. You could wait."
"No…we can't…and we want to do this now," she looked at Elliot and forced a smile, "Right? We want this?"
"Of course we do," he stood up, leaning forward and kissing her, trying to prove to himself that he was right. He hated to agree with Nick and Amanda that they were rushing into something they might not be ready for. He did want to marry her…he just didn't want her to wake up a week or a month or a year from now a regret the decision and he wasn't sure she was thinking clearly about things now.
"El…" she reached her good hand up and touched his cheek, "Your face? What the hell happened?"
He was taken back by her shock. "Liv…what are you taking about?"
"You're all black and blue…" she whispered. "I guess I couldn't see it before, without my glasses…but you're all bruised up. Your nose…it's so swollen…did you get hurt?"
"Liv, I told you when you asked about my hand…I had a little scuffle and I'm fine," Elliot sighed. He wasn't sure himself how bad his face looked because he hadn't looked in a mirror in hours.
"You said you punched a soda machine," she reminded him. "You trying to tell me the machine punched you back? What the hell happened?"
"Liv…don't worry about it," he sighed, knowing she'd be mad if she knew the truth.
"He got into it with Fin," Nick said seriously. He wasn't going to let Elliot lie to her, brush his violent outburst under the rug, and marry her like nothing had happened. "Walked in and tried to punch me, but I pushed his ass back down and then he went after Fin…"
"What?" Olivia's eyes widened. "El…no…"
Elliot scowled at Nick….the little weasel was trying to tear them apart and he knew it. "Liv…I'm sorry. I was upset…I was scared you might not make it…they didn't protect you…"
"So you decided to handle it with your fists instead of finding out what was actually happening," she shook her head in anger. "Typical…damn you Elliot…"
"Fin's fine," he told her. "And he got some good shots in too…you can see that by looking at my face…" he forced a smile, trying to calm her down and was relieved that it seemed to work. "I'm sorry…I really am…"
"I know you are," she sighed, closing her eyes and resting her hand on her stomach. "But you can't keep doing these things…you have to get your temper under control Elliot. I can't go through life afraid of what you're going to do to some perp or apparently one of our friends…just because you don't like something that happened…we have children to think about…"
"I know that," he insisted. "And I would never hurt our kids…"
"I never thought you would," she said, taking his hand and holding it tight. "But I want them to learn to be strong and kind and loving from their daddy…not how to be a hothead with a temper…"
He smiled, "Okay," leaning forward and kissing her softly on the lips.
Nick and Amanda watched in disbelief. They'd never seen Olivia give in to someone so easily, let someone convince her with so little conflict or fight. She loved him…she was in love with him…in a way they'd not seen before and it was uncomfortable to watch, yet felt right. "Liv…we're gonna go…" Nick said, and she looked up at him. "Do you need me to watch Noah tonight?" he asked.
"Uhm…" she looked at her son, his head resting on Elliot's shoulder, and she knew he'd be hungry soon. It was almost his dinner time. "Do you mind?" she asked. "I don't want to impose on you if you have other things to do…"
"Nah…I love spending time with the little guy," he reached out and Elliot handed the baby over reluctantly. Noah smiled and giggled, "You love Uncle Nick…don't you little man?" He glanced back at Olivia, "You rest up tonight…"
"I will," she whispered, staring at her son while tears filled her eyes. She missed him already.
Elliot ran his fingers through Noah's unruly hair and grinned at the little boy, "You be good tonight," he said. "I'll come get you in the morning…" he looked at Nick and tried to give a serious smile, "Thanks…for helping…I know we have our issues, but it means a lot…"
"I'm not doing it for you…" Nick sputtered, grabbing Noah's diaper bag and handing it to Amanda as they walked toward the door. He turned, "Liv…you can call me if you need anything. You know that…"
"I know Nick," she sighed, "Thanks. I'll call tonight to say goodnight to Noah." She watched them leave, waving weakly at her son as he stared back at her, and them brushed away the tears sliding down her cheeks while Elliot perched himself on the side of her bed.
"He hates me," he said knowingly.
"Can you blame him?" she asked seriously, looking at him with a look of both anger and sadness. "Elliot…you're not even trying to get along with them. I know you have this ridiculous belief that you were put on this earth to protect me…but you've always taken that macho, self-righteous, overprotective attitude of yours too far. Fin…Nick…God, even Amanda…they were here for me, when you weren't. They would never let something happen to me on purpose…and you need to accept that and respect that…because I won't let you treat my friends that way anymore…"
"Liv, I didn't mean…" he began but she interrupted him.
"I don't want to hear it," she said seriously. "If this is going to work…me and you…you can't expect to be the only person who means anything to me anymore. It's always been that way…and no matter how much I love you…I have the right to care about other people too. You can't be the only person in my life anymore, because I let that happen before, and when you left, I wanted to die. I don't ever want to feel like that again…"
"I'm sorry…" he whispered, her words cutting like a knife. "I never meant to make you feel like that. Really…I never did."
She nodded knowingly, "Okay…" she whispered sadly, and then changed the subject. "Can you find out when my dinner will be here?" she asked.
He smiled, "Yeah, are you finally hungry?" he put his hand on the swell of her stomach and rubbed gently.
"No…" she admitted. "But I think they are. I feel lightheaded…like I need to eat something or I might pass out."
"Lay back and close your eyes," he insisted, helping her lower the bed a little and putting a damp cloth on her forehead. "You rest, and I'll check on your dinner."
"And can you ask the nurse for my painkillers?" she said, her voice shaking and weak. "I don't think I can put it off anymore. I hurt so much…"
"Oh Liv, you should've said something," he brushed back her hair and watched her bite her lip in pain.
"I'm trying to go as long as possible," she said, exhaling slowly. "But I need them now, so ask..please?"
"I will…right now," he stood up and watched her face contort in pain and he wondered why he hadn't noticed how miserable she was before she took the step to tell him. He should have known. He should have done something.
"And El…" she whispered. "After that…go home for a while. Just go see Eli or something. I need some time alone…"
"Are you sure?" he asked, but he knew what her answer would be. She nodded, too tired and pained to speak and he sighed, "Okay…" he agreed. "I'll give you some time…"
February 13, 2015 7:00 PM
Elliot pulled up in front of the house in Queens, but he didn't get out of the car. He just sat there, thinking. He'd left Olivia sleeping soundly at the hospital, but he hadn't wanted to. No matter how many doctors and nurses were there to treat her, he couldn't shake the feeling that none of them could care for her the way he could, and in his heart he knew this was the mentality that Olivia wanted him to give up…to let her depend on others sometimes…to give her the freedom to accept help without feeling weak, and yet he couldn't break free from the overpowering desire to be the only one to be there for her. It was wrong, especially after all he'd put her through over the last four years, and yet it was still a hold over him and he couldn't break it.
She'd been given pain meds and dinner at the same time, in an attempt to control the usual nausea that accompanied both, but it had been a failed attempt. She picked at her chicken and pasta, finally giving in and forcing down the jello, and then promptly throwing it all up. "It's okay…" he'd tried to assure her as he cleaned up the mess and washed her face gently, but all she did was cry that she was embarrassed and tired and scared she wasn't giving the babies what they needed to thrive, and he was afraid too. It wasn't her fault of course, but that didn't mean there wasn't something to be concerned about. Her OBGYN had suggested she gain one to two pounds a week, and at this rate she'd be losing weight in no time. He made a mental note to talk to her doctor at the hospital about it in the morning, just before she'd insisted he leave and let her get some rest on her own. So he kissed her goodnight and told her he couldn't wait for their wedding day, the glimmer in her eyes when he said it not going unnoticed, and then she drove to Queens…where he sat in his care…not wanting to move.
He decided to call his boss, tell him the news that he was getting married and not leaving for his assignment on Monday. He knew it wouldn't go well…and he was right. He'd heard everything short of "you're fired" and he knew going back to work after the wedding would be no easy task. They'd give him all the jobs no one wanted, the things that left your soul aching for relief from reality, the things that were worse than anything he'd seen at SVU…and he'd have to go home at night and pretend like things were fine because he couldn't bring Olivia or the kids into the darkness of that world. He'd endure it for them…to keep his job and be able to provide the things they needed…and he'd get through it. The FBI wasn't all bad anyway, and he'd had a good run as an undercover agent, and maybe he'd end up back there in time, but for now he'd force himself to be happy with the everyday scum of the earth he'd be assigned to because he would have a beautiful wife and children to come home to at night, and that was the more important thing of the two.
"Daddy…" there was a tap on the window that startled him out of this thoughts and he put down his cell phone and looked at his son's smiling face peering through the window. He laughed, unable to resist Eli's grin and opened the car door, embracing the boy with a tight hug. "What're you doing here, Daddy?" Eli asked and Elliot walked with him to the house.
"Elliot…" Kathy looked surprised when he walked through the door. "I didn't think you were coming. How's Olivia doing?"
Elliot shrugged, "Okay…considering…" he sat down and Eli jumped in his lap and Elliot held the boy close.
"What happened to Olivia?" Eli asked and Elliot looked to Kathy who signaled she hadn't told the boy.
"She got hurt…" Elliot said and Eli looked frightened at him. "She was shot…but she's okay. She's going to get better."
"Are you sure?" Eli asked nervously.
"Yeah," Elliot nodded. "I'm sure." He hugged his son close and then sighed, "I have some other news…" Eli looked up at him and Kathy stared on with confusion. "Olivia and I…we're going to get married…"
"What?" Kathy asked. "You can't be serious."
"I thought she was just your friend, Daddy?" Eli asked. "You don't marry your friends…"
"She's not just a friend, Eli," Elliot said, more for Kathy's benefit than for his son's. "I love her…very much…and she's going to have the twins…and I love them…"
"And she's going to help me get better," Eli smiled.
"I hope so," Elliot's voice deflated as he let himself think for the first time in a long time about all the risk this shooting had put the pregnancy under and the very real chance that cord blood donation would be out of the picture for them. He couldn't tell Eli that though.
"Elliot…when do you plan to do this?" Kathy asked. "You're leaving in two days…"
"I'm not leaving," Elliot said. "I'm staying…we're getting married tomorrow…we already have the license…"
"Tomorrow?" Kathy sputtered. "Elliot…what the hell are you thinking? What is she thinking? You two barely know each other anymore…and now you want to force her into this family…"
"This…is not my family," Elliot sputtered, his voice shaking. "The kids are my family…Olivia is my family…you are not so you have no say in this…"
"Eli…go in the other room and watch TV," Kathy said, but the little boy stayed on his father's lap.
"Go on, Eli…" Elliot insisted. "I'll be in there in a minute." The boy reluctantly agreed, walking off and Elliot looked at Kathy, "Do not do this," he argued. "I don't care what you think. I can't leave her…"
"So you'll just marry her?" Kathy sighed. "That's your answer? I can't even believe she said yes when you asked her. Is she out of her fucking mind?"
"She asked me," he admitted and he saw Kathy's eyes widen. "She wants to get married…she needs me right now…it isn't right for me to leave her."
"She asked you?" Kathy asked in disbelief. "Wow…I just…you do realize she's not thinking clearly don't you? She's hurt…she's scared…"
"She loves me," Elliot insisted. "In spite of all of that…"
"Elliot…you are a sperm donor," Kathy reminded him. "You were never supposed to be the father of those babies. I think you and Olivia have both forgotten that. Those children were not conceived in love…they were created in some lab and now you think you have some obligation to them, but you don't."
"I don't care how they were conceived," Elliot argued. "They are my children and I love them…and I love their mother…and she's hurting…and I have to put her first…"
"You wouldn't be getting married if the shooting had never happened," Kathy reminded him. "You should think about that. Doing something stupid isn't going to change a tragedy into something better…" she sighed, "Is she really doing okay? Are you doing this because you think she won't make it?" she asked tearfully. "Or that she'll lose the babies…"
"She's doing fine," Elliot sighed. "I don't know…there's still a risk to the babies…a chance she could take a turn for the worse…but that's not why I'm marrying her. I love her…" he looked sadly at his ex-wife, knowing his words would hurt and wishing he could take away the sting, "I have always loved her…"
Kathy's face drained of color and even though she knew Elliot's partner had always been the love of his life, he'd never had the nerve to say it to her before. It hurt more than she expected it to. "You have to call the other kids…tell them…"
"I know…I will in a while," Elliot said, standing to his feet. "I'm gonna watch TV with Eli first."
"They won't want to come," Kathy said. "To your shotgun wedding…your family won't be there. You do realize that don't you?"
"I know," Elliot said tearfully. He wanted his kids there more than anything, but he knew he had to get married regardless of whether or not they supported it. It would hurt, but hopefully in time they'd learn to accept it. Babies had a way of bringing everyone closer together, so maybe the twins would melt their hearts and they'd give up being so angry. He walked in and picked Eli up, sitting him on his lap while his little boy giggled at the cartoon on TV. "Hey…you wanna come to Daddy's wedding tomorrow…don't you?" he asked.
Eli looked at him, "Will there be cake there?" he asked with a grin.
Elliot laughed, "I don't know…we don't have time to plan anything fancy…but I'll buy you a cupcake from the hospital cafeteria, okay?"
"Okay, as long as it's chocolate…" Eli smiled and turned back to cartoon. Elliot stared at him, wishing a chocolate cupcake would be incentive enough to get his other kids on board. He kissed his son and tickled him, leaning back and closing his eyes while the cartoon blared in the background.
More to come...