Confessions and Olivia (Olivia #2) (22 page)

Chapter Twenty*

"I’m so glad you’ve come to
visit Calvin, bringing Olivia here is a charm. Go fix us some

hot coco
a, it’s getting colder by the day out there." Hazel make's a shivering noise as she smiles down at me settling herself next to me on the warm cozy dark green fabric couch, with what looks like hand knitted white throw over the top, making it more cozy in her sitting room.

She has her gray hair up in a neat little bun just as I remembered from before and a pale pink buttoned up dress that goes down to her ankles.

Hazel and Gerald’s home is so warm and comfortable and the living room just the same. A room I didn’t explore the last time I was here. They have a big log burning fire place as there feature. It’s so big. I bet I could crouch inside. Their old corgi dog harry is laying lazily on the rug just in front of the fire like it’s his pride and joy. He doesn’t move, at first I thought he was dead. It looks picture perfect with dark wood flooring and dark blue walls. Yes, it's dark decor but so warm and comforting.

There are pictures of all
Hazel’s family on the walls in frames, and beautiful paintings of meadows and sunsets.

I’ve looked around admiring each and every one of them silently. She has also placed my painting I did for her on the wall, amongst them. I smile to myself when I see this.

Hazel and Gerald have been over the moon with our arrival. They wasn’t expecting us at all but I’ve been looking over my shoulder since I arrived for Ashton but nothing of him yet. I can relax a little.
For now.

"That’s a good boy." Hazel beams at Calvin as he hands us both a mug of hot chocolate.

"Thank you." I smile up at him as he hands me mine. He bends down to kiss me softly on my cheek before taking the rocking chair on the other side of the room.

"You no your granddad will be kicking you out of that chair when he wakes from his nap," Hazel turns to me
after playfully scolding Calvin. "Its Gerald’s chair, no one’s aloud to sit on it but him," she verifies to me on an eye roll. "Silly old fool." She laughs gently tapping my knee.

"Is he Okay?" Calvin asks a little worried, frowning. Does he know something I don’t?

Hazels takes a sip of her hot chocolate before answering.

"Oh, you no your granddad sweet heart, nothing will beat him down."

Calvin nods but not convinced.

"Anyway, I’m so happy you two
are here. Tell me what you’ve been up to Olivia my sweet, how’s life keeping you? And don’t tell me no lies because I can see when someone’s been crying a mile away. And I can also tell when somebody hasn’t had much sleep either. My Calvin hasn’t been upsetting you has he? Because if he have...” I stop her in mid-sentence shaking my head. "No, Hazel Calvin is... Wonderful actually."

"Go on." She urges.

I shrug, taking a long sip of my cocoa, trying to avoid the situation, not really wanting to talk about it. I mean, what do I say? That I found out my step dad is a cruel twisted murderer?

Calvin intervenes noticing how uncomfortable I’m getting. "Its Olivia’s family gran that’s all."

I look over to him softly, appreciating him getting me out of that. But Hazel turns her whole body to face me concerned and places her hand on my knee. She knows better.

"Oh? I hope it’s not too serious sweetheart. You only get one family you know, and sometimes the things that you argue about really isn’t worth it." I look into her kind, wise eyes
and it reminds me of everything. How she’s lost her family, how I’ve left my mom with Mauricio. Knowing things won’t ever be the same from now on. I can’t help but let tears slip, instantly regretting it because I know I will have to explain myself.

The way hazel looks at my emotional outburst is painful.

"Hazel, I’m so sorry, ignore me. I’m being stupid." I wipe my eyes and lean over to place my mug on the coffee table.

"Oh sweet heart, whatever is the matter? You can tell me."

Calvin stands from Gerald’s chair, walking over to me. He pulls up from the chair and into him, holding my head into his chest comforting me. I know he’s worried sick about me.

"Do you mind i
f I take Olivia up to bed gran. She’s had a long day. I think she needs some rest."

Hazel stands placing her mug down before taking me out of Calvin
’s arms to offer me her own hug. "Of course I don’t mind. You go rest sweet heart. It’s obvious you need it. If you want anything, anything at all, you just call me." She insists warmly.

"Thank you." I manage as Calvin leads the way upstairs to his old room.

"I’m going stay in here tonight with you. I don’t want you alone." He tells me as he takes his t-shirt and jeans off, discarding them on the bedroom floor.

I climb into the single bed just wearing my own t-shirt and I’m accompanied by Calvin moments later.

I know this isn’t what Hazel approves of, but Calvin acknowledges that I don’t want to be alone.

“I need to grab a charger for my mobile Calvin.” I need my cell to be switched on for any news.

"I’ll sort that out for you, you don’t have to worry about a thing anymore. You need to sleep baby, come here." Calvin lays down beside me and pulls me into him. I lay facing his chest, with my legs between his as he’s thrown one of his legs over mine. We squeeze into the single bed perfectly. If it was a normal time I would have laughed at how comical it is.

Calvin continues his gentle stroking of my hair not saying anything for a while. We don’t speak, my body and mind is senseless and exhausted.

I fall to sleep wrapped into Calvin like a vine.

***

"Here you go sweet heart a nice cup of coffee to wake you up. Calvin said you like it milky?"

I sit up in bed rubbing my eyes, instantly realizing I’m Calvin-less.

Where is he?
What time is it?

Hazel places the coffee she’s made me on the bedside table, opening the curtains revealing a dull, dark rainy day.

"It makes you feel miserable don’t it?" Hazels sighs looking out of the window then turns straight back to me. I love Hazel to bits but I really can’t have a full blown conversation in the morning. It throws me off a little. But I know she means well all the same.

"Did you get much sleep?"

"Not much, I feel exhausted." I yawn stretching out my arms.

"You look it, my sweet."  Hazel smiles at me from the end of the bed but it doesn’t reach her eyes. She sighs taking a
long look at me, then decides to sit at the end of the bed.

"I don’t mean to pry Olivia, and tell me if I’m crossing the line here, but... Are you sure you’re Okay?"

I want to tell Hazel, I really do. She’s inviting me to tell her and I don’t want to seem like I’m throwing it back in her face. I don’t want her to feel like I don’t feel connected enough to her to open my heart, but that’s not the case. I know I can tell her anything and I’d feel comfortable in doing so. I just can’t tell her this, it would kill her.

"It’s my step dad Hazel, he’s just not the man I thought he was you know? And that’s hard to deal with."

She looks at me with full empathy in her eyes. I know she’s genuinely worried for me and I love her for that.

"Oh, Olivia that’s a shame. Is it not salvageable?"

I shake my head quickly dismissing that idea. "Definitely not." I scoff. “But Calvin, Hazel, he’s been so good to me. I really don’t know what I’d do if it wasn’t for him. He’s my rock and he has been for a long time. I didn’t think love existed until I met him."

Oh no, I’m going all gooey, but it’s more than the truth and I want to share it with her.

Hazel smiles wide, her eyes crinkling. "Do you know how wonderful that is for me to hear that? I could tell from the moment he brought you here, the first time, that you was the one for my grandson. He loves you dearly and I can’t thank you enough for making him happy." She unexpectedly pulls me in to a tight appreciative embrace. After the shock and gratitude I feel for what she’s just said I hug her back.

"Your family now sweet." She adds delighted as she releases me. I nod wiping a stray happy tear away from my eye.

"But he hurts you again and he’ll have me to deal with. He told me about your split, he was beside himself, but I’m glad you’ve both worked it out. You’re good for him. It takes men a while to realize they need us women sometimes." She winks.

Wow, Calvin told Hazel about our
split? Surly he didn’t tell her the real reason why? But the thought of him being beside himself has put me into a contradictory position. I love that he was distraught over me, but I hate it because I hate to think of him being hurt. Having said that, it does confirm to me that he was thinking about me when we were apart. Just like he said he was.

"Now, drink your coffee and come down stairs
when you’re ready. Ashton’s here and I know he’s dying to see you."

My brows crease.
"Really?" Ashton wants to see me? Surly she has that mixed up.

"Why do you seem so shocked?" she laughs, closing the door behind her calling for Gerald. Why does Ashton want to see me? To have a go at me maybe? To tell me how much he hates me, how much
he hates that Calvin is with me? Whatever it is, I’ll just have to grin and bear it.

I climb out of bed feeling like I’ve been run over by a truck. Where the hell has Calvin got to?

I hear, "The sun don’t sun without you" and realize my cell is ringing Tyler’s ring tone.

Calvin has gotten a charger for my cell? Shit.
Tyler!
I find my cell with a charger plunged into a socket and pull it off the wire to answer, but he ends the call before I have chance. I'm about to call him back when my cell bleeps continuously, three missed calls from Madison, eleven from Mayra and one from Macy. I will call them all back after Tyler.

He answers on the first ring.

"Olivia Pearl Fahoney. What the fuck is going on?"

Oh
, I’ve forgot to keep Tyler informed, or anyone informed for that matter. My mind is all over the place. Now I’m going to have the Spanish inquisition.

"Oh hello to you and all Ty." I try to lighten the mood, but he stays flat and angry.

"Shut up. This isn’t time for jokes, what the hell has been happening? I haven’t been in contact with you for a few days and all hells breaking loose back home. As per."

"Who have you spoke
n to Tyler?"

He hesitates before he answers me. "Madison."

I know from the way his voice came out his face looks like he’s just sucked on a sour lemon saying her name.

"What did she say exactly?" I no Tyler doesn’t no anything really, otherwise he’d be appalled and want to phone the police immediately. I’m glad that he doesn’t no. I couldn’t put my mom in jeopardy at the moment and I wouldn’t want anyone else to either.

"She just said that she’s been trying to call you and no answer, she called at your house, no answer. She knew people were inside but they didn’t answer to her either. So I called your mom and got nothing, Sophia, the same thing."

Oh my
god that made my stomach churn. Why aren’t they answering at home? Mauricio wouldn’t stay indoors, so that means he’s keeping my mom inside.

"Tyler, is that a
ll you’ve heard?" I ask quickly. I need to speak to Calvin. I want to know my family are safe.

"Uh, yeah that’s all, but what else is there Olivia? Don’t keep me in the dark anymore, tell me. And I’ve had to come back to New York without saying goodbye to you, again. Why didn’t you come down the weekend you said you would?" Oh
, not that. I do feel bad. I didn’t even explain myself but I wish he wouldn’t make me feel anymore guilty than I already do. Lying to my best friend is torture. I hate doing it but I have to. I need to protect my loved ones.

"Tyler, I’m sorry for not calling down, I...got back with Calvin.”

“You what?” He roars as expected and begins to tell me how stupid I am and what an asshole Calvin is but I cut him off. “Tyler, I will explain everything, but right now I can’t tell you what's been happening, but please listen to me...” The line goes dead before I finish my sentence.

"Tyler?"

He hung up! Oh for fuck sake. My anger gets the better of me and I launch my cell across the bedroom causing it to break into pieces from the impact of the wall.

"NO!" I scream rushing over to it to try and salvage it quickly.

"I’m such a fucking idiot." I curse at myself for my foolish behavior.

I cry in frustration trying to fix the pieces back together and ignore the knock on the bedroom door. My manners fly out of the window as I’m too pissed to think. "What?" I yell.

The door opens and Ashton’s bright blue eyes peer around the door and lock onto mine. I sigh as soon as I see him, closing my eyes getting ready for a row. I leave my cell in pieces on the floor and sit back on to my heels. Can this moment get any worse?

"Ashton, I’m really not in the mood to get an ear full off you, please leave me alone. I really don’t need it." He looks a tiny bit confused and set back at me darting at him already. But then his lips turn into a small smile.