chapter three
what is so bad about that?
Wednesday 24th January 2018 

"What would you guys say if I went on a date?" Olivia wasn't entirely sure how to break the news to her children so decided that bribing them with their treats from HMV would soften the blow. Asher, who was intently reading the Marvel comic book with a goofy grin in the backseat looked up to his mother with wide eyes. Lyra, who was singing her heart out let her voice die in her throat, although Olivia wasn't sure if that was because she had turned the new One Direction CD down.

"You mean, go out with another man? Like boyfriend and girlfriend?" Lyra questioned but Olivia chuckled slightly.

"No, no. Not like boyfriend and girlfriend. I'd just go out to dinner with a nice man and get to know him. And if it goes well, maybe we'd be boyfriend and girlfriend." Olivia explained to her daughter, although the thought of dating Tom hadn't even crossed her mind.

"Oh. So will he be our daddy?" The girl asked so that a small frown slipped onto Olivia's face.

"No, sweetheart. I hardly know him. Besides, I'd never ask for anyone to be your daddy unless you wanted them to be." Lyra looked content with this reply so smiled at her mother with a quick nod of her head. The young girl then turned her gaze back out of the window and to the passing trees. Asher, however, had remained unusually quiet. "Asher, darling?"

"Hm?" He hummed and turned to look at his mother. The young boy had been staring intently out of the window as Olivia drove the pair of kids to school.

"What do you think?"

"I don't want you to go on a date." The boy grumbled, crossing his small arms over his chest and glaring at his mum through the rear-view mirror. Olivia's heart dropped as she heard the words and hesitantly glanced at her son.

"Why not?" She asked.

"Because then you won't see us as much. George told me that his dad is always away now that he has a new girlfriend. You might replace us with this guy." The words of Asher were quiet and scared that his mother may be stolen from him by someone else. At this, Lyra looked to Asher with a fearfully sad look.

"Oh, Asher," Olivia said quietly as she didn't realise how deeply the boy had thought about the topic. "I would never, ever, replace you. I love you both with all of my heart and I would never be able to love someone as much as I love you guys. Asher, all families are different, and George's dad is nothing like me." Asher looked at the floor with a sad sort of smile.

"You promise?"

"I promise." Olivia smiled at the boy who seemed to be more at ease at the idea of his mother dating.

"Is he a nice man?" Asher inquired and the mum found herself blushing slightly as she thought of Tom.

"He is a very lovely man." Olivia answered and the boy gave a small sigh of relief. "He even," The woman continued to say with amused eyebrows. "picked out that comic for you. He's a big marvel nerd." And all of a sudden, Asher's eyes were alight with adoration.

"He is? Oh that's awesome! He is definitely the man for you, mummy. Will I ever meet him? If I do we can talk about marvel for hours!" Asher started to babble and Olivia laughed at her son's sudden change of heart.

"Me too! I want to talk about Marvel with him!" Lyra whined with a pout from her spot in the car. She had been listening to the whole conversation quietly and only now wanted to join in.

"But you don't know anything about marvel." Asher grumbled. Unfortunately, this comment didn't settle well with Lyra as tears began to cloud her eyes. The brother noticed his mistake immediately and guilt swelled in his throat. "I mean, you do. But not as much as me, so I can teach you about it all."

Lyra smiled back as a response and continued by wiping her eyes with her school jumper. The family pulled into the primary school just on time and Olivia drove to the drop off section.

"Have you got everything?" The worried mother said for probably the one thousandth time since they left the apartment that morning. Asher gave a robotic nod and so did Lyra.

"Thank you for the comic, mummy." Asher said quickly and leaned forward to place his lips quickly on his mum's. Olivia kissed him quickly but motioned for him to stay a bit.

"You're welcome, Ash. Now guys, as you have agreed, I will be going out this evening for dinner and Aunt Lizzy will be coming to look after you two." At this Lyra squealed and bounced on her seat quickly. "Okay, you're free to go now." The mum mumbled and Asher said a quick goodbye before heading out of the car. He was in a race to see his friends, like usual.

"Bye, mummy. I really hope you get on well with this man." Lyra whispered quickly. Olivia smiled softly and leaned back to kiss Lyra quickly. Then, Olivia Jones was left on her own in the car and she was driving back home.

***

It was at 1.34pm that Olivia got the first text from Tom. She was absorbed in her ironing, trying to get through the unfortunate mountain that had developed in the past week. She wasn't sure how the three of them got through so many clothes but she didn't mind the chore as much as she used to.

Olivia picked up her phone and, upon glance at the name, collapsed on the sofa with a small smile. She unlocked her phone quickly and read the text.

Tom The Marvel Nerd:

Good morning, Olivia. I have made reservations at this restaurant for seven o'clock, I hope that's a good time for you. I can collect you, as well, if it's too far for you to travel.

Tom x

Olivia The Directioner:

Hey Tom, that's a perfect time. It's actually just around the corner from here so I'll walk there, thanks. How has your day been? X

Tom The Marvel Nerd:

Well, let me know if you do need a lift. It's been extremely busy as I've been in and out of meeting's all day. Looking forward to seeing you and relaxing tonight. How about yours? x

Olivia The Directioner:

I've just been at home today, making sure the apartment is clean. And me too, Tom, let's just hope we can pull off a date together haha x

Tom The Marvel Nerd:

I'm pretty sure any date with you will go well, don't worry x

Olivia The Directioner:

No pressure then x

Tom The Marvel Nerd:

None at all. I'm really sorry but I've got to go, I'll see you later Olivia x

Olivia The Directioner:

Okay, see you later x

Oh! Is there any sort of dress code? X

Tom The Marvel Nerd:

It says 'fancy' but whatever you wear will look stunning anyway x

Olivia The Directioner:

You're too amazing, thank you Tom x

Tom The Marvel Nerd:

My pleasure x

When half six came, Olivia was beyond nervous and her children nor her sister were being at all helpful. Asher, set on winding his mum up, was frantically running around the apartment. He had his iron man suit on and was pretending to be flying through the air, so loud noises were protruding from his mouth faster than his legs were moving. Lyra, too, was joining in with the marvel play as she pretended to be black widow and frantically kicked around. The young girl, however, was insistent on blasting One Direction through the apartment as the siblings fought each other with their make-believe powers.

Olivia wanted to scream as she couldn't hear herself think over Asher's yells, Lyra's loud singing and Lizzy's obsessive chatting about her date. Lizzy hadn't even flicked one eye over to the children since they started playing as she found it 'bloody hilarious' and let them be.

"Tell, me, how attractive is he?" Lizzy asked for nearly the tenth time that minute.

"For goodness sake, Elizabeth!" The older sister groaned. Lizzy, unaware of her repetitive annoyance, rose her eyebrows with amusement at the agitated woman. "Can you stop asking the same questions over and over. I am about to go on my first date after fifteen years which is already enough to stress over. I'm already getting a headache. Maybe I just shouldn't go." Olivia sighed as she rubbed her forehead begrudgingly. The kids had been jittery ever since she collected them from school so she honestly felt deflated.

"Don't be ridiculous, Olivia!" Lizzy rolled her eyes and turned the loud music off. Asher and Lyra paused their fighting but quickly resumed, running off to Asher's bedroom. "You're going on this date, okay? There's no way I'm letting you dress up to look this hot for dinner and then see you trade it in for sweats and ice-cream."

"What's the point?" The stressed woman argued as she slouched on one of the breakfast bar stalls. "All this is gonna do, is make me like him even more."

"And what is so bad about that?"

"You know what, Lizzy." Olivia sighed as she glanced to Asher's bedroom, where screaming could still be heard from.

"Olivia, if you like him then you've got to tell him. Like Eric said, if he doesn't like everything about you, then he's not worth it." A warm and comforting hand was placed on Olivia's shoulder so that she smiled slightly.

Quietly, Olivia mumbled: "Thank you, Lizzy." The young sister wrapped her arms around her sibling from behind. Olivia bought her arms up and squeezed Lizzy's hands.

"Now, you better go before you're late." Lizzy said quickly and hurried over to Asher's bedroom. She wrapped on the door quickly and the two kids tumbled out with goofy smiles on their faces. "Asher, Lyra, mummy is going to leave now so go say goodbye."

"Yes sir!" Asher saluted at his aunt, making her giggle at her cute nephew. Lyra copied her older brother and then, together, they ran up to their mum who was straightening out her red dress.

"Now, you guys promise that you'll be on you best behaviour for Aunt Lizzy?" Olivia leaned down so that she was level with her children.

"I promise." Lyra said and she quickly motioned for Asher to say the same by nudging him with her small elbow. Asher said it too and smiled lovingly at his mother.

"Good." Olivia whispered before leaning forward and kissing both of their noses quickly. Lyra giggled quietly so the mum grabbed her tummy and tickled it quickly so that more of her innocent laughs erupted round the apartment. "Remember to call me if anything happens." The nervous woman directed this at Lizzy who nodded quickly at her.

"Of course, of course, now go have fun!" She instructed, making her sister laugh heartily and move towards the door. "And then we can have fun when Eric comes round with the ice-cream!" Olivia heard her sister cheekily whisper to her niece and nephew.

"Oh, Lizzy," Olivia said quickly just as she was about to walk out the door. "Please, not too late, I have to have them at school tomorrow." The mother pleaded but Elizabeth Jones just winked cheekily at her, which the children found highly amusing.

"Go, Liv!"

"Okay, okay, I'm going!" Olivia rolled her eyes before pushing the apartment door open. "I love you all!" She sung and in return was met with a unison of 'I love you too's. Olivia shut the door and couldn't help but sigh in relief as this was the first time in what felt like forever that she was to have time for herself.

All she hoped was that she liked Tom as much as she liked him the first time they met.

word count: 2009