Hope
Part 2
~oOo~
Columbus Circle Holiday Market
Columbus Cir & Central Park S
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Olivia swayed back and forth as she waited on Bernie and Noah. The irony wasn't lost on her that this time last year, she had stood in the same spot waiting for Bernie to return with her Christmas gift. Unbeknownst to Bernie then, or maybe Bernie had known all along, she had given her the most perfect gift in the way of hope. Hope that filled her heart with possibility, light, and love. A hope that turned a dream into a reality.
She ran her hands along the softness of the rosy-pink crochet blanket as she held her daughter closely to her chest, feeling the warmth of the little body tucked against hers. Emma Hope Benson-Stabler stretched in her sleep and started to whimper as the little pink hat she wore slipped down her head.
"Shh, sweet girl." Olivia adjusted the little hat and began to rock back and forth, soothing her daughter. She smiled as the baby began to settle at the sound of her voice. She kissed the top of her head and whispered, "It shouldn't be long now, my love."
"Mommy!"
Olivia turned to see Noah running toward her at full speed.
"Hey baby," she knelt, careful not to jostle the baby as Noah ran into her arms. "Did you and Grandma have fun?"
He nodded enthusiastically; his crochet doggy stuffed tightly under his arm. "We went on the carrot sale!"
"Carousel, Noah," Bernie corrected gently. Laughing at the young boy's mispronunciation. She turned to Olivia a little sheepishly. "We got a little sidetracked with our shopping. He wanted to go on the carousel and who can say no to those Stabler blues?"
Olivia laughed as Bernie started putting her bags in the basket of the stroller. "Not I!" she responded.
"Mommy?"
"Yes, baby?'
"Is it cookie time?" Noah grinned up at her, his eyes pleading.
Bernie answered before she had a chance. "Of course it is! But only if you share a gingerbread cookie with me?"
Noah nodded enthusiastically. "Emmy too?"
Olivia looked down at the little girl in her arms who was staring up at her with her big brown eyes. The little girl looked at her and then scrunched up her nose before starting to cry.
Noah covered his ears with his hands. "She hungry."
"She is," Bernie readily agreed as she leaned down to Noah, "but you know what?"
"What?"
"She's still too little for gingerbread cookies."
Olivia laughed as Noah bounced up and down. "Not me!"
Bernie tickled his sides. "Definitely not you! You're a big boy." She took his hand into hers. "Ask Mommy and Em if they're ready for a snack?"
Noah turned to her, his big blue eyes reflecting the Christmas lights. "Ready Mommy? Ready Emmy?"
Olivia nodded at her son. "Lead the way!"
Olivia followed close behind as Noah and Bernie walked hand in hand, pointing out the Christmas decorations and the different shops as they walked. She smiled as she thought about the changes that one year could bring, about how happy and content she was, and how full her heart felt as she listened to her son's excitement and laughter and as she felt her daughter's warm weight against her chest. Life was good and full of hope.
"Grandma B!" Noah stopped abruptly and all eyes turned to where he was pointing.
Olivia almost laughed at the irony of it all, as Noah was pointing at the same stall his grandmother had pointed out only one year earlier. Noah tugged on Bernie's shirt sleeve. "Emmy needs a stuffy!" Noah held up his doggy.
Bernie's eyes lit up. "You're right, Noah!" She held the little boy's hand tightly in her own as they made their way through the crowd of people.
Olivia followed close behind, taking her time to weave the stroller through the crowd. By the time she made it to the stall, Bernie and Noah were in a deep discussion about which crochet animal Emma needed.
"The kitty, B!" Noah excitedly exclaimed.
"Or the elephant," Bernie showed the animal to Noah, "it could match your stuffy Eddie."
"No," Noah shook his head, "Emmy needs kitty!"
Olivia watched the two with amusement before turning her attention to her daughter who was kicking her little feet under the blanket
"Your brother and Grandma are silly, Em." Olivia laughed as Emma scrunched up her little nose. "But they love you, and so do I."
"Mommy! Mommy!" She looked down to see Noah running toward her at full speed. When he came to a stop by her leg, he held up the crochet cat with pride, and declared, "for Emmy!"
Olivia smiled at her son. "That's perfect, Noah! I bet Emma will love it!" As she leaned down to kiss Noah on the cheek, she noticed Bernie picking up two blue baby hats before loudly asking the shop owner, "Do you have two matching blankets?"
At the shopkeeper's nod, Bernie turned to smile mischievously at Olivia.
Olivia looked at her mother-in-law with raised eyebrows, experiencing a little too much déjà vu for her liking. If the little girl currently strapped to her chest was any indication, Bernie was very good at her predictions.
"Bernie!" Olivia called out frantically, and she knew her eyes must be as wide as saucers with the bemused expression Bernie was giving her in return.
Bernie laughed as she made her way over to Olivia. "Relax, dear."
"Bernie, I—" Her words were caught in her throat as her brain processed the idea of another baby. It was then she realized Bernie had asked for not one blanket but two, which made her more frantic. As much as she loved being a mom, she knew without a doubt, from the moment the doctor placed Emma on her chest, that they were done, their family was complete, and her heart was full. She took a deep breath, before stumbling over her words anyway, "Em is—"
Bernie cut Olivia off with a gentle hand on the shoulder before confidently saying, with slight amusement, "They're not for you. Relax, Olivia."
"Then," Olivia barely managed to whisper as her mind calmed, "who?"
Bernie simply grinned at her, her words as cryptic as ever. "For hope, dear."
The author of this SVU - Heart for the Holidays story will be revealed in January