Partners For Life [A Bensler FanFic]

Three

Elliot finished his cigarette before he and Olivia went back into the house. The kids had finished their breakfast and then ended up just sitting quietly at the kitchen table. Eli held on tightly to his teddy bear, while Kathleen and Maureen tried to get ahold of their mother.

"Hey." Olivia spoke as she walked into the kitchen while Elliot followed her slowly.

"Thanks for the breakfast, but our Mama will be back tonight so we don't need your help anymore." Maureen spoke as she finally looked up from her phone.

"Huh? Did you get a hold of her?" Elliot asked rapidly.

"No, but she wouldn't leave us. I bet you did something to-" Maureen didn't get to finish attacking her father, because Olivia jumped in. She wasn't going to let the kids attack Elliot, especially since he was the one sticking around.

"Okay, I'm only going to say this once. So listen up." Olivia huffed.

"Olivia-" Elliot started, but Olivia interrupted him too.

"Your mother left, and I know that you all miss her. But she needs her space. And just because she is gone, it doesn't give you an excuse to attack your father. He's a good father to you all, and you all will have to work through this together. Now, no more accusing your father of chasing your mother away. Do you hear me?" Olivia spoke loudly.

The kids all stared at Olivia with wide eyes, and when Olivia turned to Elliot, she saw that his eyes were wide too. She hasn't spoken to them like this before, but she had too. She needed to make sure they could all be on the same page before moving forward. Before allowing them to figure out how life would be without Kathy.

"I take that as a yes, so clean up this mess and go work on your homework until your father calls you down. He needs time to figure things out. Move it."

///

The first week was the hardest. Even after Olivia talked to them, they kept throwing fits and getting into trouble. Eli got send home twice for hitting other kids, Dickie and Lizzie had to be picked up for crying and fighting each other, Kathleen got suspended for yelling at some kids for making fun of her, and Maureen decided to take off. She didn't come home Friday night after school, so Olivia went out to search for her as Elliot waited at home in hopes of his eldest coming home.

"Where do you plan on going?" Olivia asked softly as she sat beside Maureen at the bus station. 

"How'd you find me?" Maureen whispered, as she quickly brushed tears off her cheeks with the sleeves of her sweatshirt.

"When I was younger and tried to run away, this was the station I came to as well." Olivia breathed as she looked at Maureen.

"I'm not running away... I'm just trying to find my Mama." Maureen sniffled.

"Honey, I know that you miss her... but she needs her space. She needs to have some time for herself."

"Why does she need space? Because I thought she loved us!" Maureen sobbed, before turning into Olivia and clinging to her. Olivia held Maureen close before sighing softly as she smoothed her blonde curls.

"She does love you all... so very much. Just like your Daddy and just like me. We all love you, but your mother hasn't had a day to herself in forever. I bet she was just overwhelmed. She will probably be back by the end of the year." Olivia smiled as she held Maureen back before gently brushing tears from her cheeks.

"Was it my fault?" Maureen sniffled.

"Your fault? Why would it be your fault?"

"She left the day after my birthday... and I was the one that started everything."

"Start everything? Mo-"

"If I hadn't been conceived, then she wouldn't have needed to run away! She wouldn't have been seventeen, married, and a mother! This is all my fault, and I just need to get away too! Maybe I will find a place where I won't mess up a marriage and a family!" Maureen sobbed as she stood and pulled her backpack on. Olivia frowned as she watched as the bus pulled up and Maureen shook as she sobbed.

"If you get on that bus, you will be breaking your father's heart... let alone the hearts of all your siblings. They all love you, and they all need you now more than ever." Olivia spoke gently as she stood and pulled her keys from her pocket. 

"I-i can't." Maureen whimpered.

Olivia nodded slowly, before watching as Maureen got onto the bus. Olivia stood there, and right before the bus pulled out of the station, it stopped and Maureen climbed off. She went running to Olivia and clung to her tightly.

"I knew that you wouldn't leave, Mo. And I know that you didn't cause anything that happened. A marriage is a lot more complex than either of us can understand, and you might not ever find out what caused your mother to leave." Olivia spoke softly.

"I just want my Mama to come home." 

///

Olivia took Maureen home, and she stood back when she watched Elliot hug his daughter. Maureen apologized several times, then eventually she went upstairs to pass out.

"Where did you find her?" Elliot asked, as he motioned for Olivia to follow him into the kitchen.

"At the bus station near Jamaica Estates." Olivia sighed.

"She didn't make it far." Elliot yawned as he poured Olivia a cup of coffee before passing it to her.

"She got onto a bus to Chicago, though. She would have been hours away, just because she thought she was the reason Kathy left." Olivia frowned as she leaned against the counter before starting to sip her coffee.

"She wasn't the reason, but I'm sure that I was."

"El, we may never know why Kathy left. And it's going to hurt you all so much if you keep wondering and keep beating yourself up over it."

"This just really fucking sucks." Elliot sighed.

"Yeah, I know..." Olivia replied softly. She sat her mug down before moving to Elliot and hugging him tightly. They stayed like that for several long moments until Elliot leaned back.

"Thanks for everything, Livvie." He breathed, before leaning close and trying to kiss Olivia's cheek, but she turned her head and their lips touched instead.