Partners For Life [A Bensler FanFic]

Twenty-One

Kathy sat in silence for a while as Elliot and Olivia watched her. They wanted her to just drop this after all that was happening, but they weren't sure she would. Kathy wanted Elliot to suffer, and she knew he'd be suffering without his kids. Olivia would be, too.

"We have ten minutes left before we need to end this meeting. Have you decided what you'd like to do, Kathy?" Elliot's lawyer asked.

"Do you really think they will come to me when they are ready?" Kathy whispered, as she looked at Olivia. Olivia nodded as she gave Kathy a gentle smile.

"They just need time. Their lives changed completely over the last few months. They don't know what is happening, and they need time to figure things out and heal from losing you." Olivia replied.

"I'd like to be able to see them on their birthdays... and maybe-"

"No holidays, Kath. We can ask them about their birthdays, but holidays need to be fun. They are stressed out when you are around." Elliot interrupted. Kathy sniffled as she wiped at her tears.

"I'll stay away for the most part, but I'm not leaving them completely. Okay?" Kathy spoke, and Olivia nodded since she knew Elliot didn't want Kathy around at all.

"Okay, Kathy. We can figure this out more in the future, when the kids decide they are ready. Until then, we have to get home."

///

Olivia made her rounds that night and stopped in Maureen's room last. She smiled softly when she saw Maureen was sleeping. She walked over to her and kissed her hair before turning and heading back to the door. She stopped slowly and turned when Maureen said her name.

"Hey, sweetie. You can back to bed. I was just coming in to check on your and your siblings." Olivia whispered.

"We didn't talk about the meeting today. Is everything okay?" Maureen asked, and Olivia nodded slowly.

"Everything is okay at the moment. We can talk about this more in the morning." Olivia replied.

"Mom, c'mon. Tell me what happened. I'm older than the rest and can actually deal with the truth." Maureen spoke. She sat up and looked at Olivia before reaching her hand out to her.

Olivia sighed softly before moving to Maureen's bed and sitting on the edge of it.

"I gave your mother the letters that you all wrote, and she saw the video of Eli. She cried and said that you all wanted to be with her, but deep down she knew otherwise. So we made a deal, and she will stay away until you are ready to approach her. Dad and I also decided that she won't come around for holidays, but she could be invited to your birthdays if the birthday person agrees." Olivia spoke. 

Maureen looked down at her hands for a moment before sighing.

"I don't want her around at all, Mom. I hate her, especially because she ran away from us. She will never be my mother again."

"That is your decision, babe. Dad, Kathy, nor myself can make that decision for you. So I think that you should get some sleep, and I need some, too. Your little sister loves to kick in the middle of the night and wake me up." Olivia smiled. She kissed Maureen's temple before standing and moving back to the door.

"I want to focus on the good things happening, especially the baby. So can we not talk about Kathy anymore?" Maureen asked, and Olivia nodded.

"Of course, Mo. Anything for you."

///

The summer came to an end with little to no more excitement. Kathy's name wasn't brought up in the house, and the kids all stayed close to home just to be safe. By the time the kids were back in school, Olivia was just a month off from her due date, and everyone was on edge. A lot still had to be done, but Olivia always made sure to calm her family down and tell them that everything would be done before the newest little girl was born.

"I'm glad that the kids had a good day at school." Elliot spoke, as he and his girlfriend ate dinner together. Maureen insisted that her parents have a date night, and she volunteered to babysit while they were out.

"I am too. I was worried that something would happen." Olivia admitted. She reached across the table and grabbed Elliot's hand as they waited for dinner.

"I heard that Eli might already have a girlfriend. The outside aid said that he was following this little girl around and picking her dandelions. He also kissed her hand before she got on her bus." Elliot chuckled, and Olivia smiled.

"He's a charmer, just like you."

Elliot stood up and leaned across the table to kiss Olivia. Then he sat down again just as dinner was brought out. They didn't talk a lot for the first few minutes, but then Elliot started to speak as he heard Olivia's phone ring.

"So before we get called home or into work, I wanted to talk about a few things."

"What things?" Olivia questioned.

"Well, our daughter is going to be here in a month."

"Yes, she will be. I wouldn't be shocked if she came early, especially since my doctor said she was super low." Olivia sighed.

"Okay, well, our baby will be here soon. And I was wondering if you had any idea about what you might want to happen."

"El, is there something wrong? You seem to be tiptoeing around something, and it's making me nervous." Olivia frowned. 

"I'm sorry, babe. I'm just thinking about a lot of things, and I'd like to make this a completely permanent thing-"

"I'm having your kid and the other five kids call me Momma. This is going to last." Olivia interrupted.

"Liv, but I want to make sure you feel confident and safe. I want to make sure that you can kinda make decisions about everything having to do with our family."

"El, just tell me what is happening!" Olivia exclaimed. 

"Do you think you'd like to marry me? I have a ring and everything, but I don't know if you want it."