Suds In The Bucket [A Bensler Fan Fic]

16

Olivia sat on the porch with her father and held his hand as they just quietly sat outside. Everyone else was still playing games inside, and Olivia was just sitting beside her father and both were thinking. Thinking about all of the problems that had led to Olivia running away. To Kevin overdosing.

"Daddy?" Olivia asked quietly, as she gently rubbed circles into her father's hand.

"Yeah?" Frank breathed.

"I love you, and I'm sorry that I left... but if I didn't leave you probably wouldn't have any kids. I probably would have gotten into bad stuff just like Kevin did." Olivia spoke. She felt her father looking at her, and she turned and met his eyes.

"I could see that you were depressed when you were at home." Frank sniffled.

"Daddy-"

"No, I saw it but I never did anything about it. I just ignored all the signs. It's exactly what I did with Kevin. I ignored what you saw because I didn't want to admit to myself or anyone else that my son was in such a bad place."

"I saw things that a kid my age shouldn't have had to see. Like I used to wake up screaming because I would have dreams about Kevin dying... then the day I found him dead made all my nightmares come true. I felt like my life was completely destroyed. I felt empty." Olivia sniffled. Frank took a slow breath before leaning close and kissing his daughter's temple. Then he pulled her close as she started to sob.

Inside, Elliot and the rest of the party heard Olivia's sobs. Elliot stood quickly to check in on her, but he didn't go outside because he saw Frank holding Olivia as both of them cried. As they let go of the pain that had kept them apart for so long.

()()()

Elliot laid beside Olivia in bed that night and he kept glancing over at her to make sure she was good. She was quiet, and Elliot didn't know if he should be worried that she was so quiet or if it was actually a good thing. That maybe she was thinking through everything.

"So, my father and I are going to try and have a relationship... I don't know about my mother... but at least my father and I will have one." Olivia spoke quietly.

"Is that a good thing?" Elliot asked quietly.

"It is... I have missed my parents. I missed my family." Olivia sighed. She sat up before running her hands through her hair.

"I know because I could see it in your eyes. I could hear it in your words. In the prayers you said while you thought I was asleep." Elliot spoke. Olivia bit her lip as she looked over her shoulder and saw the bright blue of her husband's eyes.

"You heard that all?" Olivia asked nervously.

"You prayed a lot when you were pregnant with Grant. Then a lot more when you were pregnant with Aaron."

"Those were the times I needed guidance the most. I didn't know how to be a mom... I didn't know how to be pregnant. That's why I was asking people all the time. I was getting advice from your mother a lot too." 

"You knew how to be a mother from the start, Liv. The way you took charge when Grant was sick, or how you softened when Aaron was born. You are an amazing mother, and I couldn't ask for a better partner in my life. A better best friend. A better mother to my children." Elliot spoke. Olivia swallowed hard before sinking back down. She was pulled quickly to her husband's side as they went back to staring at the ceiling.

"I wonder if my parents will be around for the next baby. If they will be there when we tell them about the gender or when we say the name... or will they come up to the hospital and be there after the baby is born?" Olivia asked.

"Next baby? Like a baby now or a baby that we still need to create?" Elliot asked, and Olivia sighed.

"I don't know. I don't know if I'm even ready yet. Not now after my father and I want a relationship."

"But maybe another baby will make everything go so much smoother." Elliot smiled, as he ran his hand over his wife's hip.

"Babe-"

"Okay, if we don't want to try... then let's just let God decide when we are ready. Let's just do what we usually do and if we get pregnant we get pregnant. Okay?" Elliot spoke, and Olivia groaned before nodding.

"Okay, but please just don't ask me to try a little harder than usual... because I need to figure out some stuff."

()()()

Olivia went into town the next morning with all three kids. Val and Elliot were going to work on mending fences and Bernie and Joseph said they needed some time to talk in their hotel room. Olivia took the kids to breakfast before taking them to the grocery store. Olivia was busy putting a few loafs of bread into the cart as she bounced a bit to keep Jane occupied when she heard her name spoken.

"Mom?" Olivia breathed, as she turned and saw her mother standing there with her dominant hand shoved into her pocket.

"Hi... uh, your Daddy said he talked to you last night..."

"Yeah. We talked for a few hours. He wants to remember Kevin." Olivia spoke. 

"Good." Serena breathed. She looked over her grandchildren before smiling at Ben and Aaron.

"Miss Serena?" Aaron asked politely.

"Yeah?"

"You should spend the day with us! Momma could use help with these two." Aaron spoke, before giggling when he pointed at his baby sister and baby brother.

"Would that be okay, Olivia? I don't have to-"

"We are going to finish here and then head to the closest Walmart. The boys need new shoes and Janey needs more clothes. If you'd like, I could really use help there." Olivia spoke, and Serena smiled and nodded.

"I'd love that." 

()()()

Olivia didn't expect to have a good day with her mother, but she did. Serena kept the kids entertained while she got certain things done. They even went out for lunch and Olivia and Serena got to catch up.

"So, I hate to bring this up... but I want to apologize for everything I've done. For how I've treated you. I love you, Olivia and I want to be your mother again. I know you are trying to have a relationship with your father, but can we try to have one too?" Serena asked.

"I'd love that," Olivia spoke gently.

"Really?" Serena asked, and Olivia nodded.

"Let's start with maybe you and Dad coming over for dinner on Sunday night... the kids will be in a completely different type of mood because my boys will be trying to entertain." Olivia chuckled.

"I'd love to see that."

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