Part 4

Olivia drove with out a sense of direction. The twin toddlers howled in displeasure and the older twins were sulking in back over having to miss the end of the cartoon. Brandon stared out the window deep in thought. Where could she go? She had no real friends. All of her friends were business acquaintances of Grants. She didn't run in the same circle as those Moms did. She didn't have a nanny and a housekeeper and a gardener. The one time she had gone to a lunch with them, she felt out of place. Oh she looked the part real well. Luncheon dress, pearls, high heels. She just didn't feel the part. What they did on this trip and that trip didn't interest her. They in turn could have cared less what Abby said the other day or what Tyler batted in T-ball. The Moms that did the t-ball, soccer thing with the kids saw her as the rich lady who they had nothing in common with. They probably thought she was just like the other rich Moms. Nanny and cook and such. So, her world was her children. She spent her life with them. For them. They were the reason she was still with Grant. She had known for some time she would never love him. She stayed for the kids alone. She could never give them anything in life with out Grant. She was a nothing and a nobody. But with Grant he made her one thing. He made her a Mom. The one thing in life she wanted more then anything. So for her kids sake she suffered. Besides the only man she would ever love would never return her love. He left her alone to face her Father against marrying Grant. He knew her Father wanted her to marry Grant. He pushed them together any chance he got. Grant this, Grant that. Adam was the one she wanted. She went against her parents wishes and would have gladly left that all behind for Adam. But he rejected her. After attending yet another function with Grant at the insistence of her Father and spending the night fending off his advances, she had sought out the one thing in life she knew she could count on. Instead he was cold. He told her he never loved her. He pushed her away. She in turn had died inside just a little. He left town and never looked back. She found out she was pregnant. That same night she let Grant have his way with her. In the back seat of her fancy sports car she had gotten for her birthday. Just like now it was fast and over with before she even know what was happening. They had even used protection. Oddly enough, it was the one and only time they used a condom. Thank God Grant believed that it was not always 100% accurate. He was pretty angry when he found out she was pregnant. They had a quick marriage so the public wouldn't know for sure it wasn't just a honeymoon baby or in this case babies.

She drove in random circles. At one point she stopped at a gas station and ushered the kids into the bathroom so she could change poor Lindsey out of her stinky clothes. They all got a snack and she buckled them back into her van. Looking at her babies she knew one thing. She would protect them. They drove back towards the house and went past on a neighboring street. The limo was gone. Much to Olivia's horror though, Grant's car was in the driveway. It was 5 pm. He was never home now. Not ever in the past 7 years had he been home this early. He would be pissed when he saw the mess in the twins room from Lindsey's upset stomach. Instead of sympathy, Lindsey getting sick tended to make him angry. Then to top it off she drove off with the mess still there. How would she expain this?

She unbuckled the kids and let them out. At the sight of Grants car they grew quiet and walked silently into the house. They knew better then to yell or cry when he was home. They didn't even ask why he was here.

She sent the kids in to watch tv and walked the stairs to their bedroom. She walked in to find Grant packing. He was not the Grant she was used to seeing. He was all disheveled. His suit looked wrinkled. His eyes were bloodshot and he had dark circles under them. His hair stood out on end like he had been running his hand through it. Even at his worst drunken moments, she had never seen him look like this. He was mumbling to himself as he threw things into open suitcases on the bed. He looked up as she walked in and she saw hatred in his eyes. Pure and simple hatred. It faded and his usual annoyed look was there.

"What are you doing?" she asked him quietly.

"I have to leave on a trip suddenly." he snapped.

Grant often traveled for work. Often last minute. She had never seen him act like this. Heck, half the time he didn't even bother to tell her until he called from the local he was sent. Germany, France. Heck,half the time he didn't even come home to pack. He just bought new stuff and took it with him. Their closets and 2 spare bedroom closets were stuffed full of his suits and designer clothing.

"Ok," she said.


She knew she had to do it now or it might be too late and he would notice she was showing so she jumped in head first.

"Grant, you should know, we are pregnant again."

He looked up, anger flashing in his eyes.
"Isn't 5 enough?" he snapped. "You never lose all that baby weight afterward. Soon you will be so fat I will have to divorce you!"

She just took this.

"I didn't get this way alone" she reminded him.

He flashed her a nasty look.

"For all the good it does me. You lay there like a limp rag. If you were not so good for my career, I would have turned you in for a newer model. But for some reason, I just can't seem to yet."

"Could it be my parents money?" she snarked.

He looked at her long and hard. She never talked back.

"Well, God knows I didn't marry you for you brains." he slapped with his words. "You should know my dear, Daddy's money bought me a long time ago. A cool million to keep you away from your loser boyfriend. If I married you it would be 2 million. Heck, when he found out you were knocked up with those bastards, it quickly turned to 5 million."

She reacted like he had slapped her. He knew? All along he knew that Tyler and Sophie weren't his?

As if he read her mind he nodded and said, "Hell yeah I knew. They have his eyes you know. Your old man knew too. Thats why he gave me the extra 3 million to shut up and marry you fast. He has given me a million for every couple of months so I stayed with your sorry ass too." he growled.

Tears filled her eyes. No wonder he wasn't proud of Tyler. He was what he wanted. He was what he wanted Brandon to be. Smart, the athlete, popular, handsome. Still he never gave Tyler any time. Didn't care. The girls he never even talked to. He tried with Brandon, but Brandon was a dissappoinment. A book worm. Smart, but not an athelete.

"Are you leaving me?" she asked in a small voice.

He laughed. "No, just leaving for the moment. I have a bit of a problem, but I still need Daddy's money, so no, I am not leaving for good."

Her pride stung her. She knew she should stand up to him. Some part of her screamed to kick his sorry butt out to the curb and be done. Heck, she would get half in a divorce. If what he was saying was true, then she should be able to raise the kids ok if she got a job on her half in a divorce settlement. Should and could were far apart though. What if he didn't save a lot? He had a new car every year. He traveled. He paid all the bills. She had her account, but she never knew how much was in there. Only that she never wanted for anything. She was stupid and blind. She let her husband lead her life just like her Father before him. She went from being a possesion of her Father to being a possession of her husband. Heck, her Father basically sold her. She sobbed openly.

"Oh, shut up!" Grant snapped. "You don't know what real trouble is. All you care about is those stupid brats. It's all you ever talk about or care about.

She sat on the edge of the bed and he threw more things in the suitcases. He slammed them shut and lugged them off the bed. She sullenly followed him down the stairs to the front door.

"When can I expect you back?" she askd meekly?

"I don't know" he said. "This trip might be longer then most. Could be up to a year."

Shock shook her to the core. A year? What was going on. This was not normal. Grant was running scared. What had he gotten himself into. The rat man at the door with the limo suddenly came back to her.

"Does this have to do with Frank Loyd?" She asked him.

He froze at the front door and spun to face her.

"How do you know that name?" he spit.

"He was here a few hours back." she acknowledged.

The look of fear that crossed her husbands features scared her deeply to the core of her being. Something was really not right here. He dropped the bags and went into the family room. For a second she thought he might be saying goodbye to his kids, but he didn't speak a word to them, just grabbed a book from the bookcase and strode back over to the front door.

"I wont' be calling soon." he snarled to her. "Don't go calling Daddy on me. If he asks, I am on a business trip. I expect my allowence as usual. If you screw me over Olivia, I swear I will never let you live it down."

With that he walked out the door. The door slammed loudly and then another pop came. She stood confused. What in the world was that? She saw from the front window, the limo speed away. Hmmm she thought. She opened the door and a scream came flying from her mouth. Grant lay on the front walk. A small bullet hole in the center of his forehead. His eyes were open, but she knew the instant she looked he was dead. The kids were right there beside her. She tried to shut them away from seeing it, but they already had. The look in her eyes told them they had a perfect view of the actual shooting from the window in the family room. They had seen their father shot dead on their front sidewalk.

Across the street, Adam flew into action. It happened so fast. He had checked back to see if Liv and the family had made it home ok and saw that her husbands car was there. He was turning to leave when the front door flew open. He caught a glimpse of Liv's face and he was on alert. She had been crying and she looked stricken. Grant slammed the front door, took 3 steps and a shot rang out. He fell to the sidewalk as the limo from earlier in the day speed away. He watched in horror as Olivia opened the door and 5 kids peeked around her to the mess in front of them. He sprinted across the street. He pushed her back into the house and shut the door as he dialed 911 from his cell phone. He reported the shooting as a bystander walking past and they were sending police. Olivia was in shock. Her face was pale and her eyes haunted. The kids too were quiet and stood not moving. He ushed them all towards the back of the house where he had seen Olivia cleaning up the other night. He assumed that with all the toys he had seen her pick up, it must be a family or play room. It was a big open room with a large screen tv in the center. A large comfy couch and love seat were in front and a large fireplace with the mantle full of the kids pictures. To the right was a small library of sorts. Bookshelves filled the entire right side of the room with a comfy chair in the corner with a stand next to it. The older twins sat on the sofa and Olivia sat on the love seat as the two younger twins joined her. She cuddled them close. The small blond boy stood looking up at him. He didn't move. He looked distraught. Adam dropped to his knees.
"You ok partner?" he asked him.

"He took my book!" the little boy said. Tears welling up in his eyes.

"What book son?" he emplored him. It was obviously important to him.

"My whale book!" the child exclaimed.

Adam looked to Olivia for help. She called him over to her and pulled him onto her lap. He lay his head on her bossom and started to cry.

"What book did he take?" Adam asked again softly.

"Moby Dick!" the child sobbed.

He went to the front door and looked out. Sure enough, next to the dead body lay an older copy of Moby Dick. He frowned. He must have wanted to take a piece of his son with him if that book meant so much to his son. Without thinking it through, he walked out, grabbed up the book and took it in to the traumatized child. Brandon hugged it up and held it to him as if it were a stuffed bear or animal of some sort.

"It's his favorite book." Olivia supplied. "Is that ok you moved evidence?"

He didn't know. His Naval training told him no, his heart told him that as much as that book meant to the tot, it had to have been done.

"Yeah," he said. "We just won't mention it ok."

Olivia nodded.


The shock of Adam walking into her house shook her even more then the fact her husband had just been shot dead. Adam. The man of her dreams. The only man she ever loved. The man who had crushed her heart all those years ago was sitting in her home. Sitting next to his own children he never knew existed. The children he still had no idea were his. He stayed with them through the police and the talking. He told them what he had seen and even had the license plate of the limo. Then at his suggestion, she packed up some things for her kids and they went with him. He drove only a few blocks from the house and pulled into another driveway of a house very similar to hers. Victorian and spacious. Painted a jolly color of pink though.

"Whose house is this?" Olivia asked him.

"My parents." he said as he helped kids out of the car and retreived bags.

She didn't comment. She had heard his Father had done well. She just had no idea they lived so close to her. She loved this neighborhood. Grant had hated it. It wasn't rich enough for him. He wanted a mansion on the hill with a gate and butler. The only thing that kept him agreeing to live there was the fact the Mayor lived just a few houses down.

"What will your Mom think when you bring us all in here at 10 at night?" she asked quietly.

Adam quirked a smile at her. "This is MY Mom we're talking about." he laughed. "First she will feed you. Then she will smother you. She will settle you in and then corner me and interrogate me."

No sooner had they walked in the front door then Adams words became reality. His mother ushed the poor lambs as she called them into her front room and settled them in with a movie. Apparently Adams Mom babysat. She had toys and movies. Then she set to cooking. Adam encouraged her to sit with the kids when she wanted to help his mother in the kitchen. She sat limply in a lazyboy chair. She looked wrung out. Like she was holding it together by a thread. Obviously she was one strong lady. She would not let her kids see her break. The little blond boy, Brandon she had called him,was off in a corner reading the rescued Moby Dick book.

"Does he actually read it?" He asked her.

She looked up as if surprised to hear his voice. Glancing at Brandon and then back at him, she answered. "He reads it. If you don't believe me ask him to tell you what it's about."

"How old is he?" Adam questioned.

"5" she answered.

Adam raised his eyebrows. "Really?" he questioned.

He walked over to where Brandon was sitting and sat down next to him indian style.

"Hey," he started. "So, whats this here book about?"

For the next 15 minutes, the 5 year old told him the entire story of Moby Dick. The kid knew it inside and out. He was shocked and proud. Did Olivia realize how amazing it was that a 5 year old could read like this? He looked over to her and saw a puzzled look on her face. The older twins too had stopped watching to tv to watch him talking to Brandon. How very odd. One would think they had never seen a conversation between an adult and a kid.

His Mom called them out to the kitchen which was homey and warm. Olivia smelled fresh baked bread and there were eggs frying on the stove top. A giant griddle full of scrambled eggs and bacon. Adams Father sat at the end of the table looking grumpy. She supposed it was because of the invasion of the rug rats.

"Mr Farrell." she said sympathetically. "I am so sorry to invade you like this."

She had always liked him when she dated Adam in high school. He was always happy and so nice to her.

"Never mind Mr Grumpy pants" Adams Mom said. "He's just upset he can't have any bacon with the rest of you and none of this Mr and Mrs stuff.It's Carol and Mike."

The old giggle at the names slipped out. Carol and Mike just like the Brady Bunch. It had made her giggle back then, it still did today.

Mr Farrell, er...Mike glowered at his wife. "The old biddy is starving me to death!" he said emphatically.

"Now that is a lie!" Carol snapped. "You know what your Dr said. No fatty foods after that heart attack!"

Olivia hadn't heard Mike had a heart attack.

"I'm so sorry we have invaded you here. I had no idea you had been sick Mr, er Mike." she appologized.

"Please, this is a welcome diversion." Mike stated. He looked around at the small faces around the table. They all sat not moving or speaking as if he would jump up and bite them. This was a tough crowd.

Lindsey climbed down from her chair and went to climb into her Mother's lap. She kept a wary eye on Mike and Adam as she did so as if they might yell or jump up and yank her back into her seat.

Mike and Adam caught each others eyes. What was up with these kids? They were like they were on egg shells. They didn't speak, didn't even move really.

Mike went into action. He grabbed his stomach in agony. "Ohhhhhhh ohhhhhh me oh my. Old Biddy I order you to give me some of that there bacon or I shall eat YOU up!"

He got up to get some bacon and Carol playfully slapped his hand as he tried to steal some bacon. Instead of the giggles he expected, he turned to see 5 very scared faces and one sad Mom. These were not normal kids. The daycare kids would be in fits of giggles by now over his antics. These children looked as if the world might end right there. Carol spanked him with her spatula.
"Sit down you old coot!" She said. "Your scaring the lambs."

He sat down and promptly pouted. "Seeeeee!!!" he said to the kids. "She is starving me."
They all nodded very seriously.

Adam was in shock. This was not how kids behaved. He had friends with kids. They were tired he supposed and in shock at having seen their Father shot in front of them. They needed to eat and rest. His eyes went to Liv's. So did their Mom. She looked half dead. Dark circles under her eyes.

They ate as his Father regaled them with a story of when he was in the Navy and they were in occupied Germany and all they had to eat was bacon for weeks on end. He actually got a smile out of a few of the kids. Carol went up to make up beds for the kids and Olivia. With the big old house she had pleanty of rooms now. Heck, even in the old house with 2 bedrooms on the other side of the tracks, she would have found space for this lovley family. Something had happened to them and it didn't have all to do with today either Carol expected. After watching after kids for years, she knew that all was not good in the Spencer home. The kids were scared to death of Mike and Adam. This Grant Spencer was a dirty low down dog. She had known that for years. He humped anything that came within a few feet of him. He was a well known lush as well. He drank, saw wild woman behind his wifes back who he kept getting pregnant. It was also well known her Father had arranged the marriage. Now it was clear to Carol that he was a bad man to his family as well.

She came back into the kitchen. Mike stood up and growled at Carol. "There is the old Biddy! Quick, hide the bacon I was eating."

Lindsey threw up all over the floor and her mother. Abby burst into tears. The older twins started to wring their hands in fear and Brandon ducked under the table.

Carol went into Mother Hen mode. She scooped Lindsey away from her Mom Olivia and to the sink. She set her on the counter and cooed over her. "Poor lamb. The old coot scared the food right out of ya!" Mike grabbed towels and Adam took them to mop up the mess. Olivia was in shock. So were the other kids. No yelling. No fuss. Only action. Soon everything was right again. Lindsey was clean and had a popcicle to get rid of the yucky taste in her mouth. She had on clean jammys that Carol found in the suitcase and Olivia was wisked to the bathroom and handed a fluffy robe, some towels and the door was shut for her to shower.

The kids were sound asleep in the extra bedrooms when she got out of the shower. Mike was sitting outside the doors as if on guard. He stood up when she came out.

"They all settled right in and went to sleep" he reported. "This here is your room." he indicated pointing to the room across the hall. We put the suitcase with your stuff in there. Do you need anything else honey?" She suddenly felt so safe. She shook her head and smiled at Mike.

"You have no idea how much I appriciate this." she thanked him.

"Not a problem honey." Mike said and gave her shoulders a squeeze. "If you need us we are in the room at the end of the hall. Adam is next door to you."

Adams door opened and Carol popped out. "Oh sweety. How are you now?" she asked. "That must feel better to get cleaned up. I know when I was in your way, the mere thought of throw up made me queesy."

Olivia was in shock. Carol knew she was pregnant. She was bearly showing. Carol was a wonder to behold. How could she have guessed.

Carol read her mind. "I see that glow honey. That glow only an expecting mother can have."

Adam walked out to that statement. "Your pregnant?" he asked her. Olivia nodded in answer. About 2 months I would guess. I am not really sure. I mean, I don't keep track. Well, I mean we don't have it all that often and well, when we do, I, we..... She was babbling and mortified. Why would he care how often they did it. Or how pregnant she was. He was probably disgusted at the thought.

Carol hugged her as well and went off to her bedroom leaving them alone in the hallway. Adam's eyes were on her stomach. She had changed into her pjs which were a oversize shirt and stretch pants. "Is there really a baby in there?" he asked awe creeping into his voice. Olivia was confused. Why was he not disgusted?

"Yeah," she confirmed. "There really is. Actually, with my record, it might even be 2." She expected him to scream and run. Instead he came closer and continued to look at her stomach.

"Two?" he exclaimed."How will you know?" I mean, will two just pop out?"

She giggled. She couldn't help it. "No, the do a sonogram."

Duh, Adam thought. He sounded like an idiot. Of couse he knew they did sonograms and such. He didn't live in a cave. Though he had never been able to experience a pregnancy so close.

"You ok?" he asked her then looking into her eyes.

She nodded and then shook her head. "No" she whispered.

That was all it took. He gathered her into his arms and she couldn't hold back the tears anymore. She cried and cried. She drowned him in her tears. Even after she thought she could find no more tears, they continued. It was over an hour. He scooped her up gently and carried her into his bedroom. There was a sofa and he sat down with her in his lap and let her cry it out. He knew after the first few minutes, this was more then just todays events. She was crying for more. For what they had lost. For what had hurt her. For how HE hurt her.

When she finally took a deep shuddering breath, he pulled her back to look into her face.
"Better" he questioned.
Her lower lip wobbled.
"I guess so" she said.

Her heart raced. She needed to tell him. She needed him to know and know it now. The lie between was huge. Never had she felt bad for hiding the paternety of the older twins from Grant. Now, being here in Adam's arms. She had to let it go.

"Tyler and Sophie are yours!" She spit out fast before she chickened out.

His hand that had been rubbing her back stopped.

"What?" he said his eyes wide with wonder.

"That night we made love. In your bed at your old home. The only night we were together. We conceived Tyler and Sophie."

Adam set Olivia aside and stood up and strode over to the window in his room.

She wasn't sorry. He had to know. With her luck, Carol already suspected. She seemed to be intuitive that way.

He turned back to her and she saw he was crying.

"I didn't know." he said."Why didn't you tell me?"

"I would have she said, "but when I tried to tell you, you broke up with me. You told me to marry Grant, that you never loved me."

It was like a great punch to his stomach. That night he broke up with her, she had been carrying his babies inside her. They had made 2 perfect, beautiful children.

"I came to find you that night" he said, looking deeply into her eyes. I saw you making out with Grant boy. You were on the dance floor looking all lovey dovey. I knew then I didn't stand a chance with you."

He had seen one of Grants many passes at her. He was constantly all over her and kissing her and grabbing her breasts and trying to put his hand up her shirt or down her pants.
"I didn't invite that kiss" she said quietly. I loved you."