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Colin turned his attention back to Olivia.
“So, I refuse to fuck this one out of you love. We can’t get out of this, the agreement is airtight. And I want some answers. I promised to take care of you, and shoulder your burdens, and not just financially. I’m not watching the guilt eat you up anymore. I already know the truth; I just want the why. You deserve peace, let this go. I’m warning you you’re going to let this shit go one way or another,” Colin said, not having any shame over what was in the contract or having Vanessa or Jonathan to see him talk to Olivia like this.
Olivia’s eyes widened slightly, her tears subsiding. He looked over at Vanessa, who had leaned forward suddenly. Her head dropped into her hands as she cried anew, looking so tired. “And you deserve peace too, Nessie,” he added, addressing Vanessa now, who looked up and shared a look with him.
“Olivia,” she whispered. “It’s time. It’s really time, sis.”
“Can someone fill me in on what the hell you three are talking about?” Jonathan said suddenly, leaning forward as well. Placing his hand on Vanessa’s knee in support.
Vanessa looked at Jonathan. “Olivia is Allison's mother, not me,” she said softly. She turned her gaze back to Olivia who suddenly began to gasp heaving breaths.
Colin winced as unimaginable pain filled her eyes. Colin leaned forward and placed his hand on her breastbone over her heart. It took her a bit, but she stilled. He swallowed, his heart pounding painfully in his own chest, feeling his own heart break for her.
“I know it’s painful, but we’re done. We’re done ignoring this,” Colin said. “Olivia, I love you,” he said, letting the pain in his eyes show. She now gasped in surprise, not pain.
Jonathan let out another low “wow,” at Colin’s fresh admission.
Colin leaned forward and grasped both of her thighs, firmly rubbing all the way up to her hip and back, trying to comfort her through what he knew was an impossible situation she was in.
“She was seventeen,” Vanessa said softly. Ignoring Olivia’s pained whimper. She’d closed her eyes and leaned her head back, placing her hands on her face. Vanessa slid to her knees on the floor and inched closer, placing her arm around Olivia’s hips. Leaning in for a quick hug.
Olivia made a mournful keening sound. Emotions she’d spent years keeping locked away suddenly flooded forward, making their way out.
“I’ll help shoulder the burden,” Vanessa said softly, “you know that we’ll figure this out Ollie…I’ll tell him okay, I’ll help,” she glanced up at Colin as Jonathan slid over into her abandoned seat, getting closer and lending his support.
Vanessa began to speak, and Colin was elated to see that Olivia was finally letting her.
“Olivia was seventeen when she got pregnant as a senior in high school. We’d been living with Grandpa Stephen for four years at that time and I’d just gotten my CNA certificate and married my husband. We’d just bought our house,” she started, taking Olivia’s hand who was now hiccupping and staring off to the side.
“Then, she was awarded a full ride scholarship to the university through their architectural program. We knew she was talented but damn! And we were so proud because our parent’s death hit her the hardest as she was youngest,” Vanessa stopped, swallowing past the pain that quickly passed over her face.
“The father of the baby suddenly dropped out of school and disappeared, like literally dropped off the face of the earth. The timing was horrible, we didn’t want Olivia to give up her full ride scholarship, so Grandpa and I planned for me to take the baby for just a while until she finished school,” Vanessa paused and took a deep breath, tears slipping from her eyes.
“We just wanted to give her a chance, you know?” Vanessa’s voice cracked and her breath hitched on a pained sob as she glanced down to the floor sniffling. “We’d already suffered so much. Dead parents, moving in with an elderly man who didn’t know how to raise us, then the pregnancy, and then Allison’s father disappearing,” Vanessa smiled wistfully before continuing.
“It took so much convincing. Olivia didn’t want to do it, but the school was across the country and we couldn’t uproot ourselves to move. Grandpa wouldn’t allow her to give up the scholarship program. So, we went through the courts for me to get temporary guardianship of Allison. My husband Nathan was supportive in the beginning. But then it quickly became clear that Allison had medical problems. He became short-tempered, not wanting to help me with doctor appointments, or with anything at home in any capacity. Soon he just stopped coming home altogether. He moved to a hotel and I was summoned with divorce papers. Then Grandpa’s medical diagnosis…and I couldn’t keep up by myself here. She had to drop out and she was so close to being done. It was like one fuck up after the other. Neither of us could catch a Goddamn break,” Vanessa stopped momentarily to place her hand against her forehead, squeezing her eyes shut at the onslaught of memories.
Colin reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder, giving her a nod and encouraging squeeze.
“Oh Nessie, I’m so sorry. I took so much from you,” Olivia said hoarsely, looking at her sister, misery pulling her face tight. Vanessa leaned forward and wiped her tears away.
“I would do it a million times over Olivia, you’re my little sis, I love you so much,” She said, before sitting back on her heels. “I don’t regret anything; I really hope you know that. Like really know it deep down inside.”
Olivia sniffled, wiping her sleeve across her eyes.
“Thank you,” she said, looking at her sister. “I really needed to hear that,” she leaned forward and hugged her, running her fingers down her sister’s hair before sitting back again.
Colin watched silently as she turned and drank the rest of her drink. She turned her eyes to Colin once more, taking a deep breath. Then another.
She stared at him forever, her eyes going through a myriad of emotions before speaking.
“I love you too,” Olivia admitted hesitantly.
Colin’s eyes crinkled as he felt his face break out in a tentative smile. His heart soared.
“I was just so embarrassed and lost. I’ve been in survival mode for so long I didn’t know what to say or do. I just worked. And dealt with the guilt of ruining my sister’s life, and not being able to be a mother to a sick child. I had to drop out of school because of Grandpa Stephen’s cancer, I had to take care of him because Vanessa had her hands full. And then we had Allison’s growing medical bills, and Vanessa almost lost her house. By the time I was able to be present, Allison was already calling her ‘mommy’ and I knew I’d lost my chance,” Olivia closed her eyes on a pained sob.
“I didn’t want to confuse her. I’d been working a grueling schedule to help supplement Allison’s medical bills. I’d already given my share of Grandpa Stephen’s life insurance money I’d inherited to save Vanessa’s house, so they’d have a place to live and not on the streets. But the medical bills quickly took over again as the money dwindled,” she paused, flicking her gaze slightly between Vanessa and Jonathan.
