Olivia walked around Dwyer Mitchell peering at computer screens, she was in a mood and catching an assistant shopping on Amazon might brighten her day.

Graham popped out of the staff room with a cup of coffee. "Olivia, how are you?"

Graham sounded like he cared, but how would he know Max shut her out? No one knew, and it took quick thinking to hide it.

When Zach called excited about Max's news, she had to pretend she knew as she pieced together his third response came through with an offer.

"Come in here. I'll make you a cup of tea."

Maybe she missed her chance. He was a sweet guy. "How's Mandy?"

His face lit up like a man in love. A look she would never see. "She's great, but she's worried about you."

"I'm fine." She hoped the more she said it the more she would convince herself, but it had been a month since her trip to New Haven and it hadn't worked yet. The chances it would soon were bleak.

"Mandy and Lindy have talked."

She put her hands on her hips. "Behind my back?"

His face turned red. "It's. It is just. It's that you've been ignoring them since your trip to Turkey."

"Cyprus isn't Turkey."

She had been ignoring them because they were very happy yings to another's yang.

"Sorry. And now. Well, since your father's passing. They're, um, worried even more."

Her father had died. When her grandmother called her, she hung up and wept. They had dinner the next night and made a toast to Charles. When she told her mother, she said she was sorry. Anita didn't look sad that her first husband was gone. Olivia felt sadness, but the real sting was the phone calls. Zach called and even Ian, who had been treated poorly by the man. The one call she waited for never came.

"I'm fine, mostly. I just have a lot to deal with."

Too much to deal with. More than she planned. She had met with lawyers about her father's will. The sums and figures put pressure on her. She would definitely need some of her inheritance to follow through with her plan. The rest she wanted to use for charity. If she created a foundation, she could create a job for herself. It was all very complicated.

"Do me a favor and answer Mandy's calls. She's been on my back to talk to you."

"I will." But might not tell her anything.

She dragged herself home feeling emotionally spent each day. Most nights she hid in her room. As promised, she placed a FaceTime call to Mandy.

"Livvy, how are you?"

"Fine. So you sent Graham after me."

"I love you and you shouldn't go through this tough time alone."

The one she needed was ignoring her. "I'm fine. Just busy. How are you? Did you finish your semester?"

"Yes, I'm on summer break. I plan to work on my research for my PhD and paint."

"Sounds perfect."

"Are you going back to Cyprus?"

"No, he didn't want me to. They will sell the house." She laughed. "Maybe I'll get the full tour online."

"Send me the link. I want to see it too."

"Hey Mandy, Dad's calling me to eat."

"Ok. Liv, I'm sorry. Maybe we should do a trivia night."

"Maybe. We'll see."

Kurt hadn't been calling her. She needed to eat, but she wasn't hungry. Thankfully, the kitchen was empty as she grabbed some cheese, crackers and grapes. Three food groups.

Zach texted her. She replied the name of the show she was bingeing. That was enough to satisfy him.

She woke up with a start and looked at the clock. After pressing snooze too many times, she jumped out of bed. The minute she was upright a wave of nausea hit her. Olivia couldn't decide if she was happy or sad as she knelt in front of the toilet. She hadn't planned to get pregnant, but didn't take precautions not to. She had stopped taking the pill years before. It was pointless since she only wanted one man who didn't want her. For eleven years, he hadn't except for one amazing night and morning.

When she stepped out of her bathroom, she jumped. Her mother sat on her bed looking sad.

"Shouldn't you be gone?"

"Kurt went without me. I've been worried about you. I guess I have a reason."

"I'm not eighteen."

Anita sighed. "No, you aren't, but you should know better. I thought I taught you."

"You did, but..."

"But is right. Who is the father?"

"I can't tell you until he knows."

"Is he where you've been going every Saturday?"

"No!" She had been taking driving lessons, a necessary skill if she planned to move.

Anita's eyes narrowed. "Please tell me he's not married."

"He's not married." Only to his job.

"Is this some kind of reaction to Charles?"

"No, Mom, I did not get pregnant because Charles died. I got pregnant because I was stupid and had sex without a condom with a guy there is no future with."

"Why not?"

"Because life isn't a fairytale. I'll be fine. I have money. More money than I need. Please don't tell anyone, not even Kurt." Anita started to argue. "You and I both know he's horrible with secrets. He'll tell Lois or Michael and then everyone will know."

"Fine. I'll give you a few weeks. You should come with us to Newport for the long weekend." Olivia shook her head, as Anita doubled down. "It'll be good to get out of the city. Zach won't be there which is good." She frowned. "I'll say this one last time. Let him go. He loves his wife."

Bubbling over, she yelled, "I know that! He lived here for four years and we were never more than friends."

"Good. Don't forget it. Come with us, I just think it'll be good to relax."

Olivia was pretty sure her mother would relax with her daughter close by and not alone for the weekend. She felt guilty, because if she followed through with her plan she wouldn't be close by at all.

Anita stood. "Get dressed. We'll go to work together."

Her day began with her suspicions confirmed. Even as her period grew later and later, she didn't take a test. For a few mornings, she woke feeling off. It figured her mother had to hear the first time she got sick.

Her biggest worry was Max's anger. She didn't calculate her fertility window. She would need to google to get it accurate. He never asked if she was still on the pill, and she never told him she wasn't. He would never shut her out completely. Instead, he would be her Andrew. She wanted him to be her Kurt - partner, spouse, best friend.

Her mother prevented her from skipping dinner. Kurt smiled at her from the stovetop. "A stranger in my own house."

Anita clapped her hands. "Good news. Olivia agreed to come to Newport with us."

Points to Anita for trapping her. She smiled. "Who will be there?"

Kurt rattled off names. "Ken and Alicia. Oliver and Emma. JJ is staying home. Violet is delicate."

"Kurt, she's nine months pregnant." Anita glared at Olivia.

"Fine. You're right dear. I think Josh and Shaun will be there too, so lots of children."

Olivia loved the little kids. Maybe it would be nice since no Steeles were invited. Back in her room, she fell onto her bed and thought about a trip to New Haven to break the news.

She jumped when her phone rang. She sighed as she answered. "Zach. Hi."

"Hey Liv. Lilli went out with Ainsley."

"You should have made plans with Ian."

"Nah. He's climbing. I have work to keep me busy."

She heard dishes clink. "Are you eating cereal in your boxers?" She shut her eyes to ward off the vision of black boxers.

He laughed. "You know me so well. I miss you. It's been so long since we've seen you."

"What are you two up to?"

"We're going to Maine for the long weekend."

"You need to come up and celebrate when Max comes home. We should have a pool party."

"Yeah, that sounds good." But it didn't because she couldn't tell him with people around.

"Hey, Liv, I know losing your father was hard. You can talk to me. You know that right?"

He sounded like his brother's false promises. Tears slicked her eye sockets. "I know. Thanks. I'm glad I forgave him and he did the right thing. I hope he's at peace."

"No regrets about your trip. You know he loved you."

She held that thought close. There was no way Max wouldn't love their child. A glow of hope sprouted. She had Max's baby.

A knock on her bedroom door ended her call with Zach. She wiped her eyes. "Come in."

Her mother looked comfortable in her loungewear. "I wanted to see how you're doing."

"Where's dad?"

"He went to the driving range. He has to be ready to play this weekend." She paused. "Honey, I want you to know I love you and I will support you. I don't want you to feel alone or like a bad person. I felt all those things. As your mother, I just wished you did things differently."

"I know. I didn't plan it, but I'm not sad about it."

"I would hope it wasn't planned. So you'll come to Newport. You can swim. You'll like that."

"Definitely. Mom, did you love my father at all?"

Anita smiled. "I loved him when I married him and you didn't come along magically. I might have stayed married to him if he loved my son. You need to remember if this father is out of the picture, it'll be harder to find a man to love you and your child."

"Dad did."

"Yes, and that's why the feelings I had for Charles could never compare to my love for Kurt."

"Thanks. I'm glad I met him again."

"I forgot to tell you. There is an envelope downstairs from Cyprus. I'm not ashamed to admit that your news has taken me off my game."

"Okay. I'll go get it."

Her mother followed her downstairs and stood beside her. Olivia didn't blame her for being curious. Her hands shook as she broke the seal. The picture slid out with a note from Kyrenia.

'Your father was so happy you visited him. Mr. Charles passed peacefully with a few friends by his side. They sprinkled his ashes on the beach by his home.'

Closure. She looked at the photograph and wished she remembered the day.

"Your grandparents' anniversary party."

"Really? I don't remember."

She turned it over. A message was written in a uniformed script.

Anita smiled. "He always had nice handwriting."

Olivia was too absorbed by his words. 'To Livvy, my girl. Remember, I love you always. Your Daddy'

She let the tears drop down her cheek. "Did I call him Daddy?"

"You did. Livvy, I'm sorry I shut him out of our lives. It seemed easier for me and Ian. He was a fugitive. I thought I was protecting you. You should have been told he loved you and wouldn't have wanted to leave you."

The tears fell in rapid succession. She wiped down her cheeks with her palms. Her father loved her. If only Max could.

No birth control failure or Dollar Discount this time 🤣🤣🤣⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️