Page 177 of Accidental Theirs
She sits down and puts her head in her hands, shoulders shaking with sobs, and I sit next to her, putting an arm around her.
Damien sits on the other side, and Dominic sits behind her, rubbing her back.
She cries for a while, and we all comfort her, and when it’s over, she moves away from us, standing shakily.
“I want to talk to her. I want to know why she did this.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Dominic hedges, but Olivia wipes at her eyes and looks at him seriously.
“I can handle it, Dom. Really. I just... I need to know.”
Maybe it’s the pleading edge to her voice or how wide her eyes are, but Dominic finally nods.
I’m all for it.
She needs to be able to get it out, to understand what’s going on. To learn why her best friend betrayed her like this.
Damien is the voice of reason. “We’ll have to give the police a few hours to process her.”
Olivia trembles, and I want to hold her, but it’s Damien who reaches her first, drawing her into his arms.
I’m not even jealous.
She needs the comfort. Maybe more than I can give her by myself.
“Do you want to go home, or do you want to—” Dominic starts.
She starts shaking her head before he can finish. “I want to be with you. All of you.”
My eyes widen while I look around. “Uh... right here?”
Olivia snorts. “Not sex, dummy. I just... I need you guys. I need some comfort. Cuddles, maybe?”
“How about we go home and put on your favorite movies. That one with the rat,” Dominic suggests.
“He’s a mouse, but that sounds perfect.”
It’s actually a good idea. It means Olivia will have some time to process and the cops will be doing what they need to do, too.
And we can be there for her. I think that’s all any of us want right now, anyway.
Back at Olivia’s place, she plops down on the couch, and we just settle around her, Damien with her legs in his lap, running a thumb along the heel of her foot. Dominic in the recliner, close enough that he can reach over and pet her hair, and me with her head in my lap.
She looks up at me as Dominic brushes her hair back from her face.
“Turn on the mouse movie.”
I have no idea what she’s talking about, but Dominic seems to. He flips on the television and maneuvers it to an animated movie with talking mice and other creatures.
Olivia shifts, turning to the television, seeming delighted.
None of us speaks during the mouse movie. It seems forbidden.
So, I keep quiet, just watching.
It’s a fairly good film, with good character development and a plot twist, and I’m pleasantly surprised.
But as the credits roll, Olivia turns her face into my stomach and suddenly, I realize my shirt is wet.
