Making A Better Future

Chapter 49

It was the day that Laurel and Olivia would be coming home from the hospital. Oliver had brought Conner to the hospital a few times to see his new sister after the night that she was born, but now he was going to get to see her all the time so Laurel and Oliver would be teaching Conner how to take care of Olivia.

"Hey buddy, let's go pick up your mom and sister from the hospital. Are you looking forward to having them both at home?" Oliver asked his son.

"Yeah, I want to learn how to help you and mom with Olivia so that mom can have some rest and I know that you will be out being the Green Arrow, so I think mom can use all the help that she can get." Conner said.

"I will be taking some nights off, but you are right, I can't be here all the time, and if I take too much time off from being Green Arrow people are bound to notice." Oliver said.

"How come people didn't notice that much when mom wasn't out there?" Conner asked.

"Well, we kind of worked around that by letting some of the other women members of the team wear your mom's suit so that they thought she was out there every once in a while." Oliver said and his son nodded.

"That was pretty smart. So, how about we get to the hospital and not keep mom waiting. We all know how she can get when she is impatient." Conner said and Oliver couldn't help but laugh because he knew that Conner could get away with saying something like that when he would never be able to.

. . .

When Oliver and Conner arrived at the hospital and got to Laurel's room they found that she was already dressed and waiting for them. She had a look on her face that said "What took you so long?"

"Told you so." Conner said to his dad and all Oliver could do was shake his head and laugh at his son.

"And what is it that you told your dad?" Laurel asked.

"That..." Conner said before Oliver cut him off.

"That you would be ready for us when we got here." Oliver said.

"If that is what he said, then why did you cut him off?" Laurel asked with a smile. She knew that Oliver was trying to save their son from sticking his foot in his mouth.

"Let's just say that he didn't say it as nicely as I just did." Oliver said.

"Oh, is that right? How did you say it, Conner?" Laurel asked with a smile.

"I said we all know how you can get when you are impatient." Conner said.

"Well, I guess you do have a point. I will let it go this time as long as you come over here and give your mom a big hug." Laurel said as she opened her arms and Conner ran over and hugged her.

"So, when do we get to go home? I can't wait for Olivia to see the place." Conner said.

"We will just be a few more minutes then we will be ready to leave." Laurel said as the nurse came in with all the forms that she needed to sign and then she picked Olivia up and they all left the hospital to head home.

. . .

When they got home Laurel went to unlock the door since Oliver was holding the car seat and Conner was busy trying to play with his sister and causing Oliver to have to walk slowly because of that.

"Hey buddy, can you wait until we get into the apartment so that we don't have an accident here?" Oliver asked.

"Sorry dad, I am just excited." Conner said.

"That's ok. Let me get Olivia into the apartment and then we will let you work on holding her. Ok?" Oliver said.

"Ok, that sounds good to me. Hey mom, are you looking forward to being at home?" Conner asked.

"I am looking forward to being in my bed again. Hospital beds are not good beds for sleeping. It's just too bad that your dad and I won't be sleeping much for the next few months." Laurel said.

'Why would you not be sleeping much?" Conner asked.

"Because babies need a lot of things and they can't get it for themselves like we can, so they will cry at any time which will wake mom and dad up, and then we will either have to change or feed Olivia." Laurel said.

"Did you have to do that with me?" Conner asked.

"I sure did. The only thing that is better this time is that your dad is here to take some of the weight off of me." Laurel said.

"Yeah, I am sorry that you had to do this all yourself the first time Laurel." Oliver said.

"It wasn't your fault Oliver. It was Malcolm's." Laurel said.

"I know. I just wish that I hadn't missed so much of Conner's life is all. I missed all of his firsts. I am just glad that I get to see all of Olivia's." Oliver said.

"You are going to do great Ollie. I feel sorry for all the boys." Laurel said.

"There will be no boys. Ever." Oliver said.

"Yeah, I seem to remember my dad saying the same thing, and look what happened to me. I got pregnant out of wedlock after seeing you for years and he hated every minute of it." Laurel said with a smile.

"Grandpa doesn't like dad?" Conner asked.

"Grandpa likes your dad now, but he didn't like him very much when we were younger." Laurel said.

"What changed?" Conner asked his parents.

"Your dad came back from his time away, a different man. He was very selfish when he left on that boat. When he came back he was not selfish anymore, and your Grandpa saw this and he changed his mind about your dad." Laurel said.

"And I have to say, I like the way that Quentin is with me now more than I did back then." Oliver said.

"I would hope so, because if you had been the guy you were before the island, I think dad would have killed you when you got me pregnant this time." Laurel laughed at her husband.

"You are probably right. So, how about we get you sitting down Conner, then we will let you hold Olivia." Oliver said as he waited for his son to sit down and then he handed his daughter to his son. The family spent the rest of the night relaxing and getting used to the new dynamic around the apartment.