Camo and Navy Blue [Book Two]

One

Elliot

"Everyone is settled down for the night," I spoke, stepping into my bedroom and shutting the door behind me.

"Are you certain? Last time you told me that, Jasper and Tobias were running around the house with a can of shaving cream," my wife replied. I looked at her for a moment and smiled. 

"Those two are snoring like crazy. I promise you that no one will distrupt us tonight... we have celebrating to do," I grinned. 

Olivia reached her arms out to me as I sank down onto the bed. Slipping closer to her, I placed gentle kisses on her lips before trailing them down her neck.

"Are we celebrating the fact that I'm a year closer to being forty?" She mused, her voice soft and airy. She was enjoying every single kiss, and I was enjoying covering her in them.

"You get better with age, my love. Nothing could change my mind about that," I growled into her skin before sucking on her neck and leaving hickies in my wake.

We continued to move through the phases that we usually do, but tonight we didn't stop at making out. We made love for the first time in a few months, since every day was so busy. Between two teenagers and four kids in elementary school, we had little time to ourselves. If we did, I'm sure Jasper and Tobias wouldn't be the youngest Stablers anymore.

Olivia rolled over to me, her chest rising and falling quickly as she tried to catch her breath.

"I wish every day was my birthday," Olivia panted, her hand quickly finding mine. We intertwined fingers as I pulled her close.

"We can always-" I started, but stopped when I heard a light knock on our bedroom door. I held my breath as Olivia and I tried to stay quiet. We didn't want to be disrupted, but whoever was on the other side of the door wanted one of us.

"Who is it?" Olivia mused, as she climbed out of bed and quickly tossed some discarded clothes at me. 

"Mama? It's Lilly... I'm having a hard time sleeping and I was wondering if you could come lay with me for a bit?" The girl mused. Olivia looked at me and frowned.

"Go, Liv. When she falls asleep, you can always come back for round two," I said with a lazy grin. Olivia ran over to the bed and kissed me passionately before finishing pulling her shirt on. Olivia opened the door and reached out to smooth our daughter's hair.

"I would love to lie with you for a bit, Lils. Lead the way."

///

Olivia never joined me again in bed, but I found her passed out in Lilly's twin bed with her. If Lilly needed her, I would not deny my daughter some extra time with her mother. These moments become fewer and further between. Especially as our kids get older and more independent.

"I'm sorry that I didn't come back for another round last night. Lilly wanted to talk, and I felt bad about leaving her when she was so anxious."

"Anxious?" I asked, shocked. Lilly was usually so laid back and chill, but now my wife was informing me that our daughter was feeling something she rarely feels.

"Yeah, anxious. I guess I noticed she was biting her nails earlier and also zoning out sometimes. So we talked, and I caressed her hair until she passed out," Olivia sighed, as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

We sat down together at our large kitchen table, and I reached across and grabbed her hand.

"What is she anxious about?"

"El-"

"Baby, I'm her dad. I need to know," I frowned.

Olivia took a few moments to sip her coffee before speaking.

"I guess a mean girl in her class has been picking on her. The mean girl's older brother is in Jacob's grade. They somehow found out that Lilly and Jacob aren't biological siblings and have been picking on her for it. Like, the fact they don't look alike."

I frowned deeply as I leaned back against my old chair, as it let out a noisy creak.

"You don't have to share DNA to be siblings. We have made an amazing blended family, and I wish everyone else noticed that we love this family even if they don't," I grumbled. Olivia nodded slowly, as we heard Maureen's alarm sound from upstairs.

"Maybe you could take her out one night and talk to her? She brought you up, and I'm worried that she thinks you don't love her as much since she's not biologically your daughter... I pray that this is just a phase, but I'd like to nip it in the bud before things get worse," my wife whispered. I nodded slowly before standing to refill our mugs.

"I'd do anything for our kid, Liv. You know that."

Olivia moved behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist. Her fingers ran over my abs as I let out a soft breath.

"Maybe Mo could take the kids out tonight and we could pick up where we left off last night?" Olivia breathed into my ear. I grinned and nodded slowly.

"I would love that, but we can't get our hopes up. Our luck, one or many of our kids will end up in detention."

///

Maureen took Kathleen to school that morning, and I was in charge of dropping the twins, Lilly, and Jacob off in their classes. I dropped Jacob off first, then the twins. Last stop with Lilly's classroom. When I got closer to the door, I stopped her and squatted down to her level.

"Dad, I need to get to class," she whispered.

"I know, and I'll let you go in soon. I just wanted to tell you I love you so much, and I'm incredibly proud to have a daughter like you. Smart, kind, and hilarious," I smiled. Lilly gnawed on the inside of her cheek and nodded slowly.

"Thanks, Dad... but I have to go. Can we talk later?" Lilly asked nervously.

"It's a date, kiddo. Have a good day," I smiled, as Lilly stepped away from me and walked into her classroom.

She didn't say a thing, and that made me more nervous. I knew that I would have to pray extra hard about this, because no matter how hard I thought about this, I was still worried that I wasn't saying the right things to my very anxious little girl.