THE RETURN

Chapter 61

Olivia and Elliot woke up the next morning to the sound of Hailey screaming, "I want Papa and Livia!"

"Please Hailey, Papa and Olivia are sleeping." Kathleen tried to explain to the young girl.

When she glanced at the clock and saw that it read 4:30am, Olivia groaned lowly and lightly elbowed Elliot in the chest.

"Hmm?"

"Go get her."

Elliot, who was still half asleep, mumbled, "What?"

"Go get Hailey."

He grunted lightly and lifted his lips off her shoulder enough to yell, "Kathleen!"

"Really? I could have done that."

He groaned and dug his face back into her neck, "Then why did you tell me to do it?"

"PAPA!"

Much like their father, Eli and Noah both groaned. "Hailey... too early Hailey," Eli mumbled.

"LIVIA!"

"Elliot!" Olivia said.

Despite Olivia's growing agitation with him, Elliot tried once more without getting up, "HAILEY!"

They both heard the little girl's running footsteps as she approached their door and when the door swung open, she didn't waste any time jumping on the bed with them. Olivia and Elliot detangled themselves from one another, so Hailey could lay in between them.

"Hi Papa! Hi Livia!"

"Hey sweetie," Olivia whispered. "Let's try to fall back asleep for a little while longer, okay?"

Hailey nodded her head enthusiastically and scooted her body towards Elliot, so that he could wrap his arms around her. Before settling completely, she took hold of Olivia's hand and drew her arm around her as well, effectively getting herself squeezed in the middle of them.

"Everyone go back to sleep." Elliot mumbled, already half back asleep himself.

When they awoke the next time, it was by the same sweet voice that had awoken them the first time. However, instead of yelling this time, she was whispering, "Papa? Livia? We made breakfast."

Elliot smiled. Although he had not woken when Hailey got out of bed, he had still managed to scoot his body back towards Olivia's to wrap his arms around her once again. "Breakfast sounds amazing, honey."

Olivia moaned lightly, "I love breakfast."

"Come on! Come on!" She screeched.

Kathleen laughed from the doorway, "Come on, baby. Give Papa and Olivia a minute to wake up, okay?"

"Okay, mommy."

Once the door closed behind them, Olivia smiled widely and stretched her arms above her head, causing her body to separate slightly from his.

Elliot's eyes made contact with her to watch the look of small pleasure cross her face that accompanied the stretch. As her eyes made contact with his, he saw something in them that he had never seen before. A light that had never existed in them. A light that expanded from her eyes to her entire face. She looked different. She looked breathtaking. She looked... pregnant.

"Why are you looking at me like that, El?" The man's eyes had been glued on her face for at least a minute and his mouth wore something between a grin and admiration.

If only she could see herself at the moment, he was guaranteed that she wouldn't have asked that question. He leaned his lips forward to kiss her softly and whispered, "You're glowing, Liv." As he said the words, his hand came up to rest on her lower abdomen gently.