THE RETURN

Chapter 41

Elliot stood outside the door to his apartment in a nicely pressed suit and a bouquet of purple orchids in his hand. He had spent the last four hours preparing for the night ahead. Although he and Olivia had reconnected on a level that he had only ever imagined, he wanted their first official date to be special. Straightening his tie out once more, he knocked on the door. When he was met with the sound of Noah yelling, "I'll get it!", and Eli saying, "I'll help him," he chuckled.

"Dad, why are you knocking when you have a key," Eli asked.

Elliot rolled his eyes. He debated back and forth with himself whether or not he wanted to let himself in or knock but he figured that knocking was more romantic. It would be like actually picking her up for a date, instead of just taking her out. "Just open the door Eli."

The door opened to both boys standing in the doorway, "Hi Elliot! You look nice," Noah explained.

"Thanks buddy." He stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

"I still don't get why you knocked." Eli said.

Elliot was about to explain the fundamentals of a date to the boy, however out of his peripheral vision he caught a glimpse of red. Turning his head towards the color, he almost groaned out loud when he was met with the sight of the woman before him. Olivia was standing in the doorway of their bedroom dressed in a red dress that fit her hourglass figure beautifully. The neckline was a square shape and was low enough to show her cleavage. The sleeves ended just above her elbow and the length was right above her knee. Her hair was in an updo with a few loose curls framing her face and her makeup matched her outfit perfectly, with a smoky eye and dark red lipstick.

"Wow," Eli and Noah said when they made eye contact with her.

As he drug his eyes along her body, Kathleen emerged from behind her. When her eyes landed on her gaping father, she said, "See, told you."

Olivia laughed. Elliot was literally rendered speechless and she was enjoying every second of it. She was grateful that they had chosen a nice dress because the man was dressed like they were going somewhere extremely fancy. "Are those for me?" She asked, pointing to the flowers in his hands. Orchids, the fact that he remembered her favorite flower gave her butterflies.

That was enough to break him from his trance and start walking towards her, "Yeah, they're for you." When he stopped in front of her, he reached the flowers out to her. As she took them, he said, "You look incredible."

"Thank you." She gave him a smile when his eyes dragged along her body once more. Right when she opened her mouth to speak, Hailey ran out of the bedroom and latched on to her Papa's leg.

"Hi Papa!"

He knelt down to lift the young girl in his arms, "Hello my Hailey."

"Doesn't Livia look pretty! Mommy did hair and I buckled shoes." She clapped her hands in excitement.

He smiled, "Yes, Olivia looks really pretty. Thank you for helping her get ready."

"Welcome!"

He kissed the young girl's head before Kathleen said, "Okay, come on Hailey so Papa and Liv can get going." She glanced over at Olivia as she took her daughter and reached for the flowers, "I'll put these in water for you."

The older woman pulled Kathleen in for a hug, "Thank you. For everything."

"Thank you for letting me help."

"So, are you going to tell me where we're going?" Olivia asked. Elliot had held her close the whole way to the car, not letting her go until he was opening the car door for her.