Live As We Know It

{Olivia's POV}

I just laid on the couch the rest of that night. I didn't sleep. I had cried all my tears. I was just laying there. The baby started fussing and I slowly sat up from the couch, looking toward her room. I bit down on my lip, seeing our bedroom door slightly opened and Marcel's sleeping form laying there. I held back tears I didn't want to cry and stood up, walking into the nursery, looking in at Kellyn.

"Do you need a diaper change, my love?" I whispered. She looked up at me, her eyes just like her father's. I had to chomp down hard on my lip, resisting the urge to burst into tears and scream. I scooped her into my arms, walking over to the diaper bag and laying her on the changing table. I undid the buttons that held her little jumper together and pulled it up over her stomach, undoing the diaper. I noticed that her diaper was dry and there was nothing in it. I raised an eyebrow and changed the diaper anyway. Kellyn continued to sob. I lifted her up, pressing my lips to her forehead and feeling that it was unusually warm.

"My poor baby girl has a fever," I pouted, holding Kellyn close to my chest and looking across the hall into our room. I had no desire to go in there. But that was where Kellyn's thermometer was, so I had to. I kept her close to me, slowly entering the room, careful not wake Marcel. The room was dark and the only noise was the low hum of the fan and Marcel's light snoring. I tried to maneuver my way around soundlessly, but to no avail. I bumped into the corner of the bed, cussing under my breath as I heard Marcel jump.

"Olivia?" he asked tiredly.

I pretended not to care, "I'm getting the baby's thermometer."

"Why?" he groggily sat up and asked, "is she sick?"

"Why should you care?" I simply asked, grabbing the thermometer and walking out of the room. Kellyn's cries were now soothed as she rested against my chest. I heard Marcel sigh and the bed creak, then footsteps as he walked into the living room.

"Why wouldn't I care?" he said, looking at me through his tired, sad eyes.

I shook my head, "just nothing, Marcel."

"Can we not do this now, please, Olivia?" he sighed, walking over and sitting at the counter. I took Kellyn's temperature. It came out slightly high so I walked her over to the couch, laying her on it and piling pillows around her while I got some medicine.

"I know what I said was wrong and it hurt you," Marcel mumbled into his hands, dropping them so they laid out on the table, "and you don't understand how sorry I am for it,"

"No, I'm sorry." I said, not even looking at him.

He sighed, "for what?"

"For dragging you into this marriage," I said, grabbing the medicine from the shelf and a tiny spoon to give it to her on.

"You didn't drag me in, Olivia." Marcel said, "I wanted this marriage."

"Not what you said at dinner," I chuckled humorlessly, fixing the baby's medicine and walking into the living room, picking her up. She woke up and made a small moan-ish sound. I pressed the spoon to her lips and she took the medicine in, making a disgusted look at the taste. I gave a half smile and laid her back down between her fluffy barrier, walking back into the kitchen, where Marcel still sat at the table, staring at me.

"I love you and Kellyn more than anything, Olivia," Marcel whispered, "you know that, and so do I."

"No, I thought I knew that, Marcel," I said, shooting around to look at him, "and tonight, you proved that I shouldn't think like that,"

"Olivia, please!" Marcel screeched, tears falling down his face.

"Do you understand how hard this is for me!" I exclaimed, tears falling down my own face, "I saved you, became your best friend, fell in love with you, helped you change yourself, I was abandoned and then all of a sudden, we fall in love and now we're married!"

"Do you not want that?" Marcel yelled, crying harder now.

"Of course I do!" I screamed, "it's everything I've ever wanted with someone, and now that I got it, he wants out!"

Marcel stayed quiet, his sniffs the only sound in the now silent house. I shook my head, turning back to the sink, where I had prepared Kellyn's medicine.

"If you want out," I sniffed, "say the word, because I don't want to hold you back from happiness," I turned to walk out, feeling myself about to cry again. I shot around, only to be pushed against the wall by Marcel. His large hands held my shoulders against the wall, his face inches from mine, his breath hot and minty against my lips.

"I don't know how many times I have to tell you this, Olivia." Marcel whispered, "but you are my happiness, you are my life. This marriage means the absolute world to me, and I'd do anything to make sure you know that,"

"Marcel, I-" I was cut off by Marcel shaking his head.

"No, none of that 'Marcel' crap," Marcel whispered-yelled, looking me dead in the eyes as tears filled mine, "I love you more than life itself and nothing could ever tear me away from you, you and Kellyn are my world and you can't take my world away, not for any price, not for anything."

"I love you so much," I whispered, tears slipping down my face as I hugged him close. Marcel hugged back and I felt warm, wet spots on the top of my head and I heard small sniffs again.

"I love you more, baby," he whispered into my hair, kissing my neck and cheek, all leading to my lips.


And that kiss, was like the first time all over again.

Notes