After Liv told the story of the day she was dropped off at my door steps, everyone was dumbfounded. None of them knew what to do or say. It was such a heavy story and such a whirl wind of emotions. I wasn't sure what they thought about the story. But I could see Liv tearing up so I grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. I loved my little girl so such and everything she said whilst telling that story made me emotional.
"Wow." Norman said and I smiled over Liv's shoulder at him.
"You are an extraordinary woman Lauren." Emily told me and I hummed a thank you at her before letting Liv go. I was so lucky to have her and have everyone finally understanding why I kept it from them and who Liv is and how she came to be my daughter.
"My Mom is the best." Liv told them.
"So, you took in a three year old? How did you manage to keep this from us and the press?" Emily asked and I sighed.
"Unfortunately, I had to prevent Liv from being social. I couldn't have people finding out and the adoption agency wanted to keep it that way until she was thirteen. I had a specialist come in to babysit and to home school her while I was on set. She doesn't have any friends because of this and I feel guilty for that every day. But I want her to get out there, go to regular school. Meet people have friends and be a normal teenager." I said and Liv chuckled.
"I've told you more than once Mom, I am happy with the way my life turned out. Even if I don't have any friends, I have you and I have Steven that is all I really needed to be happy. You gave up a lot to be there for me when I needed and even in terms of keeping this a secret, there were so many sacrifices made to make it possible that I could never be unhappy with the decisions because you gave me a better life than I would have had if I still life with my birth parents." She explained to me and I rolled my eyes at her.
"And I've told you that I'm your Mother, its my job to feel guilty even if its not my fault. So let me be guilty," I joked and she giggled.
"Okay Mother." She gave an eye roll like a typical thirteen year old and walked out of the room.
I chuckled to myself. "There is something else that you should probably know too." I looked over at Steven with a smile. We had agreed on no contact whilst telling these stories because it would be obvious and we didn't want that when there were bigger things that needed to be talked about.
"What is it?" Chandler asked with a smirk. I forgot that I had already told him and if his reaction was any inclination, they would be happy about this type of news.
"Steven and I are dating." I blurted. I looked for everyone's reactions but all of a sudden, II was surrounded by hugs and cheers. I smiled.
"It's about time." Emily said and everyone agreed.
"We knew it would happen eventually." Scott replied.
"Are you two boning yet?" Of course that one came from Norman and I smirked with a faint blush on my cheeks. It wasn't that I was embarrassed it was the fact that it wasn't true. I mean, we had only been together a little over two months and I had yet to tell Steven that I had never been with a man intimately. I couldn't tell him that, I was 24 and a virgin. I was afraid he would laugh at me and leave me but I knew it would come up eventually. I would tell him soon but I could think about that tomorrow, today had enough revelations as it was.
Not that it's any of your business but no we haven't and you won't know when we have either." I told him with a glare.
"You might not, but Steven will." He smirked and I scoffed.
"He won't tell you if I tell him not too."
"He doesn't and he won't listen to you." He argued back.
"He will if I use sex against him." I smirked and he shrunk back slightly and thought about it.
"So anyway. What's the rest of the deal with Olivia. There has to be more to the story than the day she arrived here." Andrew asked and I nodded.
"There is. I'll go get Liv and she can explain it to you again." I told them and left the room to find Liv. I found her up in her room sat on her bed with the first stuffed animal that I ever bought her when she arrived at my house.
"Hey. They want another part of the story. Are you okay to come down and tell them a little more and then I promise. They'll all leave and we can have a movie night just me and you." I told her and she nodded.
"Of course I will. I want them to like me and I feel like this is the only way that'll happen. They have to understand it all to understand me." She stood up and grabbed my hand. "Let's go."
