"I'm going to grab some breakfast before we get started on the decorations. Jerry and Verna will be here soon. Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself today?"
"I'll be fine, Liv. You have several more things to be concerned with than me exploring the city."
The adjoining door between Olivia and Tyler's rooms was open while they both prepared for their days. She had stayed up late the night before having conversations with Cyrus and making her list to do for preparation for today. Cyrus told her his concerns about Fitz. He did his best to convince her to talk to Fitz before the wedding, but he didn't seem to have much luck.
"Lucas will take you wherever you want to go. I'll meet up with you for dinner though. So, don't eat lunch too late."
"I'll tell Lucas to pick me up and we'll come back here to get you then we can go." Stepping into the bathroom behind her, Tyler gave her a hug from behind. "You sure you'll be alright? I can help if you need me to."
Liv shook her head and put the brush down. "We've got this handled. Go have fun. Explore D.C."
Leaving the rooms, Liv wandered down to the ballroom after getting a muffin from the café. Seeing people bringing in boxes from other rooms to set up, Liv looked around for anyone she knew. Grabbing some of the chairs, setting them how she and Verna discussed, voices from down the hallway echoed into the empty room.
"She'll be here, Javi, I promise. I don't know when she's getting in though," Huck told him. "It might not be until tomorrow."
"It could have been last night," Liv laughed seeing them come in.
"You're back!" Javi screamed and ran to her. Bending down, Liv captured him in her arms and hugged him tightly. "I missed you, Aunt Livia. We ALL did. Where'd you go? Did you see anything cool? Did you bring me anything? Was it fun? But really, did you bring me something?"
"Javier, she doesn't need to buy you things because she left town," Huck scolded him. "However, she does need to explain where the hell she's been."
Coming towards her, Huck lightly kissed her cheek as she stood up holding Javi. "I've been everywhere. I drove around half the country for a while before I stopped," Liv told them. "And of course, I did bring you presents. I would never come home without something for my favorite guy." Kissing Javi, she squeezed him tight to her. "But I missed you way more than you missed me."
"Nope, I missed you more. Like way, way more!" Javi stretched his arms wide as he could. "Like infinity times that much."
"That's a lot. But I missed you to infinity and beyond," Liv laughed. "Where's mommy?"
"Her and Nana went to get the dresses. Daddy brought me and Papa. Uncle Cy is going to come down too with Uncle Michael. Are you going to stay and help us? Papa says we have to decorate and set up chairs."
"I am. How about you start pushing those chairs into a line while me and daddy talk?"
"Okay, but don't leave. I gotta keep an eye on you."
Jumping down from her arms, Javi ran off to match the chairs on the other side of the room.
"So, you got in last night and never bothered to call?" Huck questioned her, folding his arms.
"I did. I thought about calling but I was tired and didn't feel like having this conversation last night. And by the time that I got in, Javi would have already been in bed. I didn't want to wake him up and him be excited to see me that you'd bring him over."
"That's not an excuse, Liv. You could have texted me and let me know you're here. Did you tell Jerry you're here?"
"Only Cyrus and Michael knew."
"Figures. You'd tell the two people who don't take care of you like we do."
Crossing her arms, Liv rolled her eyes at him. "I don't get why you're so upset. I gave you three months away from me. I gave you a break from me. I can take care of myself. Why is this such a problem for you?"
"You left your godson without a word that you were leaving. Kim, Verna, Jerry, Fitz, and I had to come up with reasons to tell him that you were gone. You should have been the one to tell him you were going on vacation. And not through FaceTime. Then you went M.I.A. for a week and freaked him out. Are you aware that you could have been abducted by Zurg's army and Buzz Lightyear can't save you?"
"I thought Buzz could do anything."
"Yeah, well, apparently not."
"Good to know. Well, I'm not planning on disappearing like that again. But if I do need to, I'll be sure to let him know that I was not captured by the dark side."
Hearing more voices come from down the hall, Michael appeared with Cyrus and Jerry trailing behind him. Giving her a wave, Michael smiled at her and went to start his first task. Cyrus followed him over leaving Jerry confused why they both ran off so fast. Looking around, Jerry watched Javi move the chairs to the tables for a moment before searching for Kim or Huck. Searching the room, he found Huck with his back turned while talking to someone. Taking a few steps towards him, Jerry recognized Olivia and stormed towards her.
"Terrace. Now," Jerry barked at her.
"Jerry…"
"Now, Livia."
Seeing his face turn a tint red, Liv turned towards the doorway to the terrace.
"Don't let her out of your sight, Papa!"
"Don't worry, Javi, she's not going anywhere."
Closing the doors behind him, Jerry marched further away from the doorways and waited for her to follow. Standing at the end of the aisle, he tucked his hands in his pockets clenching his fists. Olivia waited a few more seconds and trailed after him.
"This will look beautiful when the flowers are placed," she said looking around the area.
"Where've you been?"
"I went to a few places. Traveled. Do you think the lilies would look okay here at the center or…"
"I don't give a damn where you put the lilies. Where have you been?"
"Jerry, it doesn't matter where. I'm here now, aren't I?"
"You're here until after the wedding. Planning to disappear again?"
Liv could hear the pure anger in his voice. No matter what she could say, Jerry would still be angry with her. "I haven't decided yet. Not for sure anyway."
"I understand that you want to be away from Fitz. I get that. He said some things that hurt you and you can be hurt. But what you don't get to do is run away and not tell anyone where you are. You were angry with me when you left. I thought I was the cause of you leaving. That Verna and I were. But then I find out it's not us. It's Fitz. It's Fitz and his big mouth. We told you that your relationship with Fitz wasn't healthy. I never expected you to drop him and us. To leave without warning or a hint of where you were going."
"Well, I didn't even know where I was going until I actually got there. Then I just, sort of, stayed there. I liked it and enjoyed it, so I stayed."
"Where is there? You've been gone for three months. And you were answering calls and texts every day until a few weeks ago. Then some guy is answering your phone. Who the hell is Tyler? How did you meet him? Where did you meet him? And why is he the one telling me you were in the hos… why's he answering your phone, Livia?"
"Tyler is a friend. He was helping me when I lost feeling in my legs. But I'm fine now. I can dance the night away tomorrow if I choose to."
"You put me in charge of your medical decisions, did you forget that? I can't make those decisions for you, for one, if I don't know where you are, and for two, if I don't know what happened to cause them. You can't run off like that."
"And now you're back to telling me what is good for me and what isn't. Did you forget that's why I was pissed at you to begin with? I put you in charge of medical, not of my whole life, Jerry. I still have some say in it."
Sitting down in the front row, Jerry pushed his hand through his hair and sighed. "I'm not trying to tell you how to run your life, Livia. I'm trying to be the person you asked me to be years ago. To help you and be your friend. And as your friend, it was my responsibility to tell you when it looks like you're drowning. And from where I could see, you were. You loved Fitz. Every one of us saw that. But what we weren't okay seeing was when he was gone, you'd avoid us. If he was off on a business trip, you didn't want us around to help you sleep. You pushed me and Huck away to be sure that Fitz was comfortable with it. That's what we had the problem with."
"Help me sleep? What are you talking about? I sleep fine. A few nightmares but everyone has nightmares sometimes."
Realizing what he said, Jerry started mentally kicking himself. "Aside from that. We just want to help take care of you, Livia. We're your friends and we're trying to look out for you."
"I appreciate that, and that's what friends do." Moving over to the chair beside him, Liv put a hand on his shoulder and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "We're friends. We have been for years, and we always will be. I'm sorry I didn't tell you where I was or where I was going. I didn't want you to try to stop me. And we both know that you would have. At least, tried."
"Of course, I would have. So, are we good now? No more you being mad at me or at Verna?"
"We're good."
Hearing the doors of the ballroom open, Verna stepped out to the landing and smiled at them. "There you are! Jerry, I need you for a moment, please."
Leaving Liv in the chair, he went to her side and could hear the commotion from inside.
"What the hell?" He heard Cyrus shout.
"Is this some kind of sick joke?" Michael growled.
"We have a slight issue, honey. There's a man looking for Olivia that is… um… familiar?" Verna tried to explain.
"Who the hell are you?" Huck questioned.
Turning to go inside, Jerry caught sight of the 'issue' they were referring to. "I don't know who you are, but I suggest you leave right now," he yelled.
Listening for a moment of the yelling that was happening, Liv rushed over to the ballroom. "I thought you were going to explore," she called out as she headed over to him.
"I was, but Lucas forgot we needed to pick up your shoes. He thought you would need them."
Everyone turned to see her take the box from him. "Liv, you know this guy?" Huck asked.
"Of course, I do." Looking at everyone's faces, Liv was confused why they didn't know him before it clicked in her mind. "Oh my gosh, none of you have ever met. Guys, this is Tyler. Stephen's identical twin brother."
"His brother?"
"Twin brother?"
"Stephen has a twin?"
Taking the box, Liv sat down at a table. "I'm sorry, I thought you all knew Stephen was a twin. Tyler's been with me for the last few months."
"This is who's been answering your phone?" Jerry asked, looking at him.
"Nice to meet you, Jerry," Tyler put his hand out to shake his. "Congrats on the wedding."
Shaking his hand, Jerry stared at him. "My apologies, we didn't know anything about you."
"That's why he sounded familiar over the phone," Cyrus told him. "He's identical in every way."
"Tyler and I have been in Montana at Elizabeth's house."
