Strong [A Barson Fan Fic]

- 5 -

It was a few weeks before Olivia had to contact Rafael again for help. She was shaking as she stood outside of his building as she waited for him to come down and talk to her. He had given her his address and insisted that if she was out and about to come over and ask in person. He had different motives though, because he hadn't seen Olivia since early February and missed her.

"Hey, come in." Rafael smiled softly as he opened the front door.

"Rafael, we don't need to go inside. I just need to ask some questions real quick. I don't want to waste your time." Olivia sniffled as she brushed tears from her flushed cheeks.

"Olivia, what's wrong?" Rafael asked, and Olivia swallowed hard as she closed her eyes tightly.

"I'm pregnant and the baby's paternal grandparents want him or her... the grandmother even offered me money for the baby." Olivia whimpered. Rafael watched as tears still managed to slip down Olivia's cheeks, even if her eyes were closed as tightly as she could close them.

"Come inside, Olivia."

Olivia was led into the building, and she held on tightly to Rafael's arm as they walked up the stairs and to an apartment that had the door partially open.

"Do you have guests? I'm so sorry to be imposing..." Olivia trailed off as her chest started to rise and fall quickly as she grew anxious.

"Don't think less of me, Olivia... but I live with my mother and grandmother. They are in there making dinner. Sunday night dinner is the best here, so you are just in time." Rafael smiled. Olivia bit her lip before turning and looking at him.

"Do you think that my baby's grandparents are going to steal them away from me?" Olivia whispered.

"I do a lot of research, and I've seen cases where it's happened. But the mother couldn't support the child. In other cases, the mother had the baby taken away because she was into bad things. Like drugs and alcohol. Gambling..." Rafael trailed off.

"I'm eighteen, Rafael. I can't drink legally. I don't gamble and I haven't even smoked before. I have a job and I'm up for manager soon. I'll make more money and will be able to save up money and hopefully get a bigger apartment... I'm doing everything for my child, and I haven't even met it yet." Olivia breathed as tears slipped down her cheeks.

"Rafa?" A voice came from inside the apartment. The door opened and an older woman peeked out and smiled when she saw Rafael with Olivia.

"Abuela, this is Olivia. She's just asking me a few questions and then I'll be back in." Rafael smiled softly, as he looked at his grandmother.

"Will you be joining us, Olivia?"

"Uh, I'm-"

"If you say no, you'll be breaking my heart." The older woman smiled softly.

"I'll join you then... I wouldn't want to hurt you."

///

Rafael and Olivia moved inside to finish their conversation in the livingroom. Rafael told her that he'd talk to his boss about giving her some help. Olivia felt like sobbing as she told him that she couldn't afford a fancy lawyer. But just like when they first met, Rafael managed to make Olivia feel like everything would be okay in the end. And the warmth of the apartment and Rafael's mother and grandmother certainly helped.

"So, how old are you, Olivia?" Lucia asked.

"Eighteen, ma'am." Olivia replied politely.

"Not too much younger than our Rafa." Catalina grinned, as she elbowed her grandson. Rafael's cheeks grew red as he tried to keep his eyes away from Olivia.

But she knew that the way his cheeks grew red, that either he was incredibly embarrassed since he had no feelings towards her whatsoever, or because he had a crush on her and didn't feel like sharing it yet.

"How old are you anyway, Rafael?" Olivia questioned softly, as she grabbed her mug of tea before sipping on it as she watched Rafael recover from his grandmother's not so subtle hints.

"Twenty."

"How are you in law school then?" Olivia mused.

"Our Rafa finished four years of college while he was still in high school. He's very smart. We are very proud of him." Catalina smiled, as she patted her beloved grandson's arm.

"Being smart is good. Clearly I wasn't that smart." Olivia sighed.

"How far along are you, honey?" Lucia asked, and Olivia frowned deeply as she looked down at her hands.

"Fifteen weeks... it's really scary. I'm doing this all on my own and it terrifies me."

"Strong women always manage. Lucia managed with Rafa after her husband passed, and I managed with her when mine did the same."

"I'm so sorry to hear that... but I'm not strong. I wasn't raised by a strong woman and I've been learning how to do things by myself for so very long..."

"Where's your mother?"

"Oh, she's alive and kicking as far as I know. I left home in November and lived in my car for awhile because she... she just wasn't nice." Olivia breathed. She didn't want Lucia and Catalina to think that she was disrespectful.

"What did she do to you, Olivia?" Rafael breathed. Olivia sighed before tucking a stray curl behind her ear.

"I shouldn't talk badly about her... I swear that I respect my elders... it's just sometimes it is hard to respect her. Can I help with the clean up?" Olivia breathed quickly.

"Did she abuse you?" Lucia asked, and Olivia frowned deeply.

"She didn't hit me. Well, once or twice she did but it wasn't a big deal. I could protect myself. But she was one of those people that always tears you down. She always told me how no one would ever want me. That no one would ever want to start a family with me, and so I left. I was sick and tired of her treating me like she had, and all I wanted was to prove her wrong. But she was right. No one wants me, not even the baby's father."

///

Once Olivia left, Lucia and Catalina both made a lot of noise as they cleaned up the kitchen and Rafael put away all the clean and dry dishes.

"Mama, please stop slamming cabinets." Rafael sighed, as he placed his hand against his mother's shoulder.

"Women like that shouldn't be allowed to be mothers." Lucia spat.

"Olivia is going to be a-"

"Not Olivia. I don't doubt that she'll be a good mother. It's the woman that raised her. How can someone be such a horrible person and make their own child feel worthless?!" Lucia cried. Rafael wrapped his arms around his mother and held her close before sighing softly.

"Olivia needs help, and I think that we can do that for her." Rafael breathed.

"We will help her until she gets tired of us. Trust me, Rafa."