Roomies - The Baby Years

Chapter 20 - DP

Ben's birthday party was going well. He had decided to only invite Sophie and another friend from preschool named Max. The children were playing with toys Ben had been given as presents earlier, and the adults were sitting around the table, talking about everything.

I on the other hand was standing in the kitchen, putting things into the dishwasher when I suddenly heard Livy behind me.

" You mind if I join you? They're talking sports." I turned around and saw her stand there with Finn on her hip.
"Well I'm finished but sit down, we'll stay here and miss the sport conversation for a while." I said as I dried my hand on a towel then sat down on one of the barstools by the kitchen island.

"So I couldn't help but notice that both Niall and Eli is present." She said, looking down at her son.
"Yup."
"So have they kissed and made up?"
"I don't know about kissed, but they're both grown-ups so them not putting away their issues with each other to celebrate my son's birthday would be silly of them both."
"I'm just saying, I remember how Niall was with Eddie."

I looked up from my hands and over at Livy. Eddie had been a long time ago, but I had really liked him nonetheless. Niall on the other hand, well he had a few nicknames for him that wasn't very kid-friendly.

"That was a long time ago."
"Not that long. What would you do if Eddie walked in through that door right now?" She asked, pointing at the door leading out to the garden.

I shrugged my shoulders.

"I don't know? Say hi, hug him?"
"Hug who?" I heard Niall's voice coming from a few step away and as I looked over, both him and Eli was walking over to myself and Livy.

"Eddie." Livy said and I heard Niall groan,

"Who's Eddie?" Eli asked and Niall laughed,

"He's this cop Stella once... dated? Can you say you dated? I don't know, can hardy remember him."
"You can't remember him? You're the reason I met him!" I laughed and Niall walked over to Finn and kissed him on the cheek,

"How's he the reason?" Eli asked and I looked over at Niall with a questioning look, and he nodded as if to tell me it was OK to tell.

"Niall had a fit, got into some trouble with the police and I tried to help him which ended up with me meeting Eddie, or Officer Carler."
"Then she ended up leaving England for... was it France?" Niall said and I shook my head,

"No it was Italy. And funnily enough, in Italy I ended up meeting-"
"Alfonzo... I hate that guy."
"Oh him you remember?" I laughed and Niall took a strawberry from the fridge,

"Yeah he fucking proposed to you, in front of me, in our livingroom. It was also then that you told us you knew you lo-"
"Okay enough reminissing about the past. Anyone want a glass of wine? I'm not breastfeeding anymore so I'd love a glass." Livy said and looked at me with a stern look, as she slowly motioned her head towards Eli. I looked over at him and realized that maybe now wasn't the best time to bring up my past love life.
"I'll have a glass." I said and took down a few wine glasses from the cabinet, along with a bottle of wine from the fridge.

We all had a glass, but Niall and Livy took their out to the kitchen table whilst Eli and I stayed in the kitchen, him leaning against one of the counters looking down into his glass.

"You reading a fortune in your wine?" I asked and he smiled,

"Not quite. I just realized how much you and Niall has been through together."
"Yeah, we have. Which is also part of why we're not together anymore."

Eli looked up at me and in that second ,I realized that this man who wasn't uncomfortable with visiting my daughter a the cemetery or singing at the top of his lungs so everyone could hear, was insecure. If it was of himself, me or our relationship, I did not know but I hated that he felt that way.