"So, she remembers everything but how Stephen really died? She knows everything about the rest of what happened after but not how Edison slit his throat? I'm finding that hard to believe."
Cyrus and Michael sat on a video chat with Huck, Verna, and Jerry discussing the new arrangement about Olivia. Though they were all for her being able to sleep alone again, it seemed as if it was too good to be true. Everyone seemed to have a concern about the therapy she had and wondered how much help it was going to be, and for how long it would last.
"Tyler says that it's helping her. Olivia's been sleeping through the night," Verna told them. "She's doing better. When she comes next week for the wedding, we'll be able to assess how good it's been for her in person. Until then, we keep in contact with Tyler."
"Do we know this guy? Have you been able to find anything about him?" Michael asked the group. "What is she doing with him? Is it her new boyfriend?"
"I wasn't getting that impression when we spoke on the phone," Jerry answered. "Only that she was a good friend. I don't know how they know each other."
"But no one has actually talked to Liv?" Cyrus asked. "Not even Javi?"
"Nope. Javi keeps asking for her, but he knows she'll be at the wedding. Fitz has been keeping him occupied for a while," Huck said. "Kim's parents haven't been doing too well after that last Covid hit. She's been taking care of them, and Fitz has been helping watch him. They're together now. I know Javi's getting worried though. Liv's never been out of touch longer than a day or two."
Verna looked at her cell phone and brought up the messages she had. "She's texted me a couple of times the last couple days. Just checking on wedding arrangements."
"But that could be Tyler texting as her," Huck added.
"Okay, let's not all go freaking out to that kind of mindset," Michael warned. "That's not going to help. She's fine. Liv's going to be back in D.C. in a week and we will be able to corner her there. Then you can make her tell you everything you want to know. But in the meantime, we need to just keep texting and calling her."
While the group worked on the Olivia coming back front, Fitz had taken the day off of work to spend it with Javier. Lately, his work schedule has not been even half as busy as he used to be. Abby had gone back to her travel job full time and stopped checking in on his work agenda. Fitz was sure things were slipping through the cracks that needed his attention but whenever he would think of what needed to be done, somehow it was already finished.
Picking up the tray of food, Fitz headed over to the picnic table with Javi and passed out the hotdogs and chips with his slushie.
"Are you excited for the wedding, bud?"
"Yeah, Papa made me practice what to do at his house. I didn't think carrying a pillow was so hard," Javi laughed and started to eat. "Nana says everyone will be watching me. Because I got a big job to do and because I'm super cute."
"Nana's right on both sides. You'll be an adorable ring bearer. And mom and dad are going to be right at the front if you need them. You can just keep walking right up to them."
"Where are you going to be?"
"I'll be up front too. Right up with Papa."
Holding his forehead after his drink, Javi groaned and smiled. "Brainfreeeeeezzzzzzeeeeee." Shaking his head to get rid of it.
"Don't drink it so fast, Javi. It's not good for you."
"Aunt Livia races with me to see who can finish the slushie first," he laughed and took a little sip. "I miss her. Are you sure she's coming to the wedding?"
"I'm positive. She promised she'd be there, right?" Fitz watched him nod and take another bite. "Then she's going to be there. Aunt Liv doesn't break promises. You know that." Seeing him slow his eating, Fitz watched his face turn a bit on the sadder side. "You want to talk about it?" Javi shook his head no. "What's with the sad eyes?"
"What's dead mean?"
Fitz stopped mid bite hearing the question. This isn't going to be good. "Why do you ask?"
"What's it mean, Uncle Fitz?"
"Well… um… it means gone. They aren't coming back."
"Aunt Livia's dead?"
Seeing Javi start to tear up, Fitz stopped himself and rushed around the table to him. "Why would you think that? Aunt Liv's not dead. Not at all. Who told you that?" He gave Javi a tight hug and lightly rubbed his back like he'd seen Liv do times before. "She's coming back."
"I heard Daddy tell mommy that Aunt Livia's probably dead. I don't want her to be dead. I want her to come back!" Javi hugged him tight as he tried to stop crying.
"Did you hear him say why he thinks that?"
"Because she doesn't sleep. Aunt Livia always needs someone to sleep with her. But she's been gone forever. Mommy says something bad happened to her because she's not talking to Daddy or Mommy. Not even Papa or Nana. And she's not talking to you. Do you think Aunt Livia's dead?"
Fitz shook his head about pulled Javi back from him to sit down. "I know Aunt Liv's not dead."
"You do? You talked to her?"
"Well, not exactly. But I know she's been texting Nana. Aunt Liv's getting ready for the wedding. She's going to be here before you know it. And I'm sure she's got a lot of fun things to tell you about. Maybe she'll even have a few presents for you. She'll tell you all about where she's been and the fun things she's been doing."
"So, Aunt Livia's for sure coming back? No tricks. She's coming home before Papa's wedding?"
"I don't know when she's coming home but I know she's going to be here for the wedding."
"Is she going to stay home? She's not going to leave again."
"That I don't know, bud. I think if you and me team up though, we could probably make her stay. I miss her too. I want her to come home and stay for good."
"Aunt Livia said you broke up with her. She said you aren't her boyfriend."
Fitz ran his hand through his hair and sighed before nodding his head. "Yeah, me and Aunt Liv need to talk."
"She said you don't love her no more. How can you miss her but don't love her?"
"I love Liv, Javi. And I miss her very much. I call her several times a day. She just… she's really, really mad at me. But you can love somebody even when you're mad at them."
"Like when I'm mad at mommy for taking my dessert away because I didn't finish my carrots?"
"Something like that, but more grown-up stuff. Maybe you can help me? If you talk to Aunt Liv before I do, will you tell her how much I love and miss her?"
Thinking about it for a second, Javi nodded. "But how much do you love her? Do you love her more than chicken nuggets? Or more than broccoli?"
"Wanna know something?" Seeing his eyes light up, Fitz leaned in closer as if he was telling him the biggest secret ever. "I love Liv more than chicken nuggets that I would never eat them again if she came back and stayed here."
Javi's eyes turned into wide saucers. "Woah! You REALLY love Aunt Livia."
After lunch, Fitz took Javi to see a movie then home and tucked him in bed. Reading him a story, Fitz flipped his night light on and joined Huck in the kitchen.
"If you're going to talk about Liv being dead, you should really keep your voice down. Or make sure your son is actually asleep."
"Shit. He heard that?"
"You had him crying. He asked what dead is. He got that out of me before telling me why he was really asking. I didn't think he'd be asking about Liv."
"I'll talk to him. Thanks for watching him."
"No problem. I like spending time with him. You've got a good kid, Huck."
"Yeah, he's pretty good. Hey, you need to get your suit and you should really check in with Jerry. He's got some things he needs to tell you."
Leaving Huck for the night, Fitz headed to Jerry's house. Pulling in the drive, the living room lights were on, and he went in.
"Hey Dad," shrugging off his jacket, Fitz put it aside and took a seat on the chair looking over at the football game he was watching. "Huck said you've got something to say. What's up?"
"We need to talk about Livia."