Camo and Navy Blue [A Bensler Fan Fic]

Thirty-Five

Bernie looked at Olivia and the kids for a long moment before speaking.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, as she pretended to be completely uninterested in those that stood in front of her. However, Bernie missed her granddaughters, and she hated the fact she had never met her grandson.

"I think we need to talk, Mrs. Stabler. I also thought you might want to see your grandchildren." Olivia said with a nervous smile. Elliot meant the world to Olivia, and she didn't enjoy seeing him so bummed out about his mother. About this current situation.

"I'm kinda busy." Bernie spoke as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"C'mon, Nana. Do it for us." Maureen breathed, as she batted her eyelashes and tried to look sad.

Bernie looked at Maureen for a moment before sighing.

"Okay, come in. But you can't stay for long. The Wheel of Fortune is on soon."

///

Bernie got the kids drinks and snacks before she forced Olivia onto the back porch to talk. Olivia kept glancing through the closed sliding door to ensure that her kids were doing good and not getting into their usual trouble.

"Speak, Olivia." Bernie said sharply.

"Mrs. Stabler, I get you don't like that Elliot is moving on. That this will be his third marriage... but this time it's going to last. We are in love and I don't see that changing." Olivia spoke, her voice shaking slightly. Olivia had never had an excellent track record with mothers, so sitting here and talking to Bernie was making her hands sweaty and her body shake.

"You never should have dated him after Kathy passed. He wasn't ready, and you used him for his body." Bernie snapped.

"I didn't have sex with your son until this year, Bernie. Do you even realize that I was Kathy's friend? She welcomed me into her family and helped me through so many hard things that when I spent time with Elliot, it was just to help. To help us both process the sudden loss of Kathy."

"Your mother killed our sweet Kathy. You killed her." Bernie hissed.

Olivia's eyes went wide as she jumped to her feet.

"Sure, I killed Kathy. My mother was raped by my father, and she was drinking because of the trauma that she had experienced. My mother is a monster, and I admit that... but I didn't kill Kathy!" Olivia yelled. 

Bernie leaned back in her chair as her blue eyes grew wide.

There may have been a time when Bernie found out about how Olivia came to be and what had happened to Serena, but she didn't remember. It was like finding out all over again, because this time she was paying attention.

Olivia paced the deck as Bernie tried to process everything.

"If you wanna throw away your relationship with your son and grandchildren, that's fine. If you wanna hate me for your entire life, then do that. I don't give a flying fuck. But you need to figure it out and get it through your thick skull that I didn't kill Kathy, nor did I have an affair with Elliot while Kathy was alive or shortly after she passed. I am not the whore that you believe I am." Olivia spat, before turning to grab the door. She was just about the pull it open when Bernie spoke.

"Do you know Jacob's mother?"

"You really wanna talk about Ashley? What, do you want Elliot to marry her again?" Olivia snapped.

"Are you better for Elliot than she is?" Bernie whispered.

Olivia was a little shocked, so she stepped back slowly and turned to look at Bernie.

"Ashley has been arrested several times for assault and breaking and entering. She abused the girls."

"She abused the girls? Elliot-"

"Bernie, I'm not only madly in love with your son, but also your grandchildren. They call me Mama and I am the only mother figure they have. Lilly just loves her siblings, and she loves Elliot so much, too."

Bernie stood slowly before moving to the door and looking in. She watched as Maureen snuggled Lilly in her arms while they watched cartoons.

"Elliot doesn't want me at the wedding, Olivia. Especially after all the shit I have pulled." Bernie said with a nervous laugh as she turned back to look at Olivia.

"He came out here to tell you about our engagement because he wants you there. His last marriage was a mess because Ashley was knocked up and it was a shotgun wedding, but this is different. This wedding and marriage he is so excited about."

Bernie nodded slowly before sighing.

"I'll call him and talk to him about it. Until then, would you and the kids like to spend the night? I have two grandbabies that I don't even know... I met Lilly, but I know barely anything about her." 

"We are staying at a hotel, but I am more than willing to bring them out here to see you." Olivia smiled weakly, her mind barely being able to comprehend what had just happened.

"Good, then I'll see you tomorrow morning. I'll make breakfast... maybe I could dig out pictures of Elliot from when he was a baby."

"I'd really like that."

///

Olivia laid in bed that night and was still completely shocked about what happened. She had actually convinced Bernie to come to the wedding, and hopefully to repair her relationship with Elliot.

"Hey." Olivia whispered as she answered her phone. She quickly climbed out of bed and walked to the bathroom to talk to her fiance.

"Hey, baby. I miss you." Elliot spoke loudly into the phone, as laughter and screaming filled his end of the call.

"I miss you too, El. Are you having fun?"

"Yes, I am. Ryan is currently getting a lap dance." Elliot laughed.

Olivia sat for a moment before speaking.

"I went against your wishes and went to see your mother."

"What?" Elliot asked loudly.

"I took the kids to see her, and we talked. Elliot-"

"How dare you go against what I said? Olivia-"

"She doesn't hate me anymore, El! She is going to call you and discuss things! She wants to come to our wedding!"