Carl didn't bother corralling the boys as they bounded into his father-in-law's building. Maureen would probably scold him for allowing them to run feral through the hallway, but he wasn't about to squash their excitement.
Laden with two duffles and one backpack, he lumbered down the hallway after his twin whirlwinds. The boys were only staying for two nights, assuming Elliot didn't get called in on some sort of work emergency. They may only be staying two nights, but Maureen packed like they were headed for some outdoor survivalist mission.
"Remind Dad that we are taking a break from gluten. No pasta. No pizza." It was one of the last warnings she shouted as he slammed the car door shut. Maureen gave birth to their baby girl only two weeks previous, and the recovery had been rough. She needed a full night's rest, an impossibility with two rowdy boys climbing the counters before the crack of dawn. He'd take the baby so Maureen could sleep for a couple nights solid.
What Maureen didn't understand was that he wasn't going to dictate a long list of instructions to his father-in- law. First of all, he'd do whatever the hell he wanted despite Maureen's long list of instructions. He didn't blame him really, the whole gluten thing was a huge maybe, and he didn't want to hinder the boys' excitement by dictating a long list of yeses and nos. He wanted them to enjoy their time with their only surviving grandparent. He trusted him implicitly. The man would die before he let anything happen to his kids. They were safe and adored whether he stuffed them full of gluten or not.
The boys already pounded furiously on the door before he caught up. Their bouncing and giggling warmed his heart. They adored their grandpa. When work took him under again, Carl had to field nonstop questions about what Grandpa was doing and when he would be back. Their pestering questions always reduced pregnant Maureen into a puddle of tears so Carl usually diverted their questioning in his direction.
Maureen had just barely found out she was pregnant a week before Elliot went deep under again, and the hormones amplified her natural tendency to worry. Needless to say, the entire pregnancy had been physically and emotionally taxing. Carl couldn't resent his father-in-law for his sense of duty, and dedication to public service. It was admirable. It was a part of him. He couldn't fault him for that. He respected the hell out of him, but he hated what his absence did to Maureen.
Carl attended a few therapy sessions with Maureen in the years since her mother's death, and at that time he began to understand how deeply complex Maureen's feelings about her father were.
The basic problems revolved around chronic feelings of abandonment, amplified by a paralyzing fear of his death. Maureen was the oldest, born from a teen pregnancy, and her entire childhood was spent with her dad either deployed or working days on end in a police precinct. The abandonment intensified when he and Kathy abruptly left the country, taking her baby brother with them.
It was a tangled emotional mess, but he wanted his boys to engage in a healthier relationship with their grandfather. He was a man worth admiring, even with his faults, and the boys adored him.
Carl's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the door being flung open, and his boys easily being swept into their grandpa's arms. They both hit a mini growth spurt, but Elliot lifted them with ease. Seriously, the man was a tank. Carl felt lucky if he squeezed in an hour in at the gym a couple times a week.
Elliot swung the giggling boys around before depositing roughly onto the couch cushions. "You two stay there," he pointed a warning finger in their direction. "Let me talk to your dad for a minute."
Carl managed to kick the door shut behind him before Elliot reached for the boy's duffle bags. "Hit me with the list of instructions," Elliot asked, anteinkling in his eye. He knew his daughter well.
Carl chuckled, "well she gave me a backpack full of snacks and told me to tell you not to feed them gluten. Bedtime is 9."
Elliot nodded seriously, "Okay."
Carl shook his head. "Look, I'm just grateful you are taking them and giving Maureen this time to have a break. Feed them whatever the hell you want, and let them crash whenever. They don't do this often, and I want them to have fun."
Elliot raised an eyebrow, probably wondering how much heat Carl would receive for ignoring Maureen's instructions. "I'll get them to bed on schedule, but no promises on the gluten."
"Fair," Carl agreed.
"I don't even know what the hell foods have gluten in them anyway…" he grumbled.
Carl laughed, "me neither. They'll be fine for a couple nights."
It wasn't until he swung the backpack full of snacks into the counter that he noticed the woman sitting at one of the barstools, watching the entire interaction. Her brown eyes danced with amusement at the entire interaction. "I'm not sure you two should risk the wrath of Maureen…" She took a sip of her tea. "Carl might end up on the couch for a month." A smile teased at the edges of her mouth.
He knew who she was before Elliot made the introduction. "I forgot you two haven't met." Elliot shifted his weight nervously. Carl had never seen the man nervous. "This is Olivia Benson."
Carl stuck out his hand, "I'm Carl, but you already knew that."
"It's good to finally meet you," she said, returning the handshake.
Carl wondered when he would finally meet the Olivia Benson. He'd been intrigued at the possibility of meeting her at their family Christmas party more than a year ago, but that fell through, and the subject was dropped for a long time.
The woman was stunning, and not at all what he expected. Kathy had been all blonde hair and blue eyes, but Olivia's tan skin, chocolate colored eyes and caramel streaked hair couldn't be more different. He expected her to exhibit a cool exterior, reasoning her work in sex crimes would have made her jaded. That couldn't be further from the truth, this woman was warm and welcoming.
"It's nice to meet you too," she responded kindly. Her brow knit with concern, "How is Maureen doing?" Elliot must have relayed some of the information Carl explained on the phone when asking if the boys could visit.
"Ah, well," his hand rubbed at the back of his head. "This one's been tough on her. Doc thinks it's postpartum depression. She had a little after the twins, but this has been worse."
He watched genuine concern cloud her features. "That's tough." Her eyes drifted to Elliot who stood with his arms folded, leaning against the counter. His face mirrored hers, equally concerned. "I should have checked in on her sooner. I meant to…" she shook her head sadly.
Carl felt touched by her obvious concern for his wife. She clearly cared about her. Before Carl could respond, Elliot moved around the counter to stand behind her. He let his hands rub up and down her upper arms reassuringly. He bent down a little closer before reassuring her. "Don't do that," his voice remained low, but Carl could hear every word. "You can't beat yourself up. Not about this. Not about Maddie." There was something intimate about the moment that made Carl want to look away, but he felt like it would make things more awkward.
Olivia laid her hand on his cheek before turning her face towards him, mouthing a quick thank you. There was something about the way she said it, the way he watched her. Adoration was the only word to explain it. Whatever was going on with the pair was deep, and had a strange sort of turbulence rushing beneath the surface.
With one more look, Olivia dropped her hand and returned her attention to Carl. "I'll call her soon." She gripped the counter, beginning to push her tool back. Her eyes drifted between Elliot and Carl before saying, "I uh, I should leave you guys to it."
Elliot's eyes begged her to stay, and the whole thing felt strangely foreign to him. Carl and Maureen were married for seven years before Kathy was killed. He knew Elliot loved his wife, but he never looked at her like he looked at Olivia. It was a strange combination of unnerving and awe inspiring. It also explained Maureen's reticence when talking about her father's partnership with Liv.
She had been an important part of Maureen's life, and while her feelings about Olivia were deeply tangled within the complicated relationship with her father, he knew Maureen loved and respected the woman.
She seemed strong and fierce, yet soft and warm in the same breath. If she was important to Elliot, then she was someone their boys should get to know.
"No," Carl lifted his hand. "Stay. I'm going to head back home and let Maureen sleep. You should stay." He smirked. "Grandpa here needs all the help he can get."
Elliot held back a smile at the jab. "Yeah yeah." He turned his attention back to Olivia, "What do you say? Wanna hang out with this old grandpa for a little longer?"
An amused smile teased at the corners of her mouth. "Yeah, I think I'd like that."
Elliot rubbed his hands together like a conniving villain as he turned his attention to the boys engaged in a brawl over the remote. "Hey! Who wants pizza!" He called out.
The boys cheered, and Carl shook his head with a smile. Those boys really did have the best grandpa ever.
Mo might get a companion piece with this one.
I have a list of people I'm working though, but who are you dying to see??