The Unknown: Book 3 {A Bensler Fan Fic}

Chapter 17

Elliot was surprised when we walked into the kitchen, and Kora and I were laughing together.

"Kora?" Elliot asked, and Kora smiled.

"Hey, Dad. Noah's held back by Charlie."

"What are you doing here?" Elliot asked, as I handed him a bag from his favorite restaurant by the river.

"I came home to spend some time with Mom. Noah said that I could be angry at Mom till he got back from basic, and now he's back, and we're good." She grinned, and Elliot would've responded, but Charlie and Noah came in.

"Daddy, look! It's Noah!"

"Hey, son." Elliot smiled, as he walked over to our son and hugged him warmly.

"Dad, it's nice to see you. I really enjoyed basic, if it matters to you." Noah laughed, and I smiled.

"Well, I'm gonna go beat your-" Elliot was going to start, but I looked at him with wide eyes and he proceeded with caution, "I'll beat you at a race around the block." Elliot spoke, and Noah laughed.

"I doubt it. I'll even carry my bag. It's heavier than Charlie."

"Charlie, go get a jacket on." Elliot spoke, and our daughter ran off to help her father compete in a race against her brother. Kora looked over at me.

"They are really bad." She spoke, and I nodded.

"Yeah, but your father and brother have always been trouble."

~*~

The next night we drove out to my parents' house, and Kora, Aubrie, Greg, and the kids were already there. Charlie ran in and right to her nephew and niece, while I carried in the two pies I bought.

"So now all I have to do is get Aubrie to forgive me." I spoke, as Elliot picked up the beer he insisted on bringing.

"I'm sure it will be easy. You are hard to stay angry against." Elliot spoke, keeping a straight face. I turned to my husband, and we both laughed.

I was so easy to stay angry at. Like maybe if I was more like Charlie that would be different, but I was nothing like her so every person had an easy time hating me.

"Grandma!" Ollie called, and I turned around and smiled at my grandson.

"Hey love! How are you?" I questioned, as he ran to me.

"I'm good! Do you need some help?" He asked, and I nodded.

"I'd love some. Grab a  pie." I smiled, and he laughed.

We walked in together, and I saw Meredith sitting in the corner of the room playing with her blocks, and all I wanted to do was go over and hold her, but then Aubrie spoke.

"Mom, can we talk real quick?" She asked, and I nodded slowly.

"Of course. Ollie, wanna take these in to Grandma Rena, and tell her that I made them this morning." I smiled, as I winked at him, and he giggled.

Aubrie took my arm and led me to the stairs, and then up the stairs and into one of the spare bedrooms. She sat on the bed, and crossed her legs before looking at me.

"So, I heard that you and Kora made up?"

"I guess we did. Uh, so what else did you want to talk about?" I replied.

"Us." She stated, and I sighed softly before sitting down.

"So wanna make me feel like a bad mother? I know that my kids always know how to make me feel even worse than I can make myself feel all by myself." I replied, and she frowned.

"We've been little shits over the years." She spoke, and I laughed softly.

"Yeah, but I blame that on your father." She smiled softly as I spoke, before patting the bed beside her. I walked over to her, and sat next to her. She ran her finger underneath her eye, and sighed quietly.

"So, I was wondering if you hate me?" She asked.

"No, I do not."

"How can you not hate me? I literally took your daughter from your home and had her live with me... I've been the one she turns to, and not you." She replied, and I shrugged.

"So? I'm not the one you guys talk to, I rarely am. You prefer not having your mother to know what is going on in your lives, and I understand. I went to Sharon when my mother and I got in a fight over you, instead of talking to her about what my feelings were."

"See, I feel like I'm always making you upset." She breathed, and I nodded slowly.

"You may feel like that, but it isn't true. I'm just a shit mother, and I know it. I get upset all the time over stupid things that I shouldn't be upset over."

"When we started to fight about Greg and my pregnancy, you were angry for a good reason. I was just moving so quickly, just because I wanted Ollie to have a father, and to make sure my child had a father too."

"Is there something wrong?" I questioned.

"No, not at all. I love Greg, he's the only one I want to be with. But that was one of the times you were upset for the right reason."

"Okay. Where are you going with this, Aubrie?"

"I want to apologize for everything. And I talked to Kora about her moving back home."

"She likes living with you. I can pay you some money each week for what she may be costing you..." I trailed off, and she shook her head.

"She is moving back home with you because I'm pregnant again, and we need the space." She smiled, and my eyes went wide.

"Aubrie!" I exclaimed, and she smiled.

"You're happy, right?" She asked, and I quickly hugged her.

"I'm so happy for you, Brie! This is amazing, yet unexpected." I spoke, and she laughed.

"I know, we weren't expecting it either. But we got the all clear from my doctor, so we are telling everyone else tonight." She beamed, before hugging me again.

"I don't even know why you asked me if I was happy! I love being a grandmother. Please don't worry about me being angry anymore. Just tell me what I can do for you."

"Just be there for me, and I'll be perfectly fine." She smiled.

Finally, all my girls are back.

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