She huffed.“Fine.But I'm not going to just sit around while everyone else does all the work.”
“How about you set the table?”Ellie suggested, a knowing smile on her face.“That way you're helping, but not on your feet too much.”
Olivia considered for a moment before nodding.“Okay, I can do that.”
As she moved towards the dining room, I caught Ellie's eye.She gave me a grateful nod.It still amazed me how easily Ellie had accepted me into their family.How she'd embraced me as a son.It filled a void I hadn't even realized was there.
My pleasant train of thought was derailed by the doorbell.“I'll get it,” I called out, giving Olivia a pat on the butt as I passed her in the hallway.
I opened the door to find my father standing there, nervously clutching a bottle of wine and wearing an uncertain smile.“Hey, Son.”
“Hey, Dad”.”I stepped back to let him in.“Glad you could make it.”
As I watched him shrug off his coat, I recalled the first time I'd introduced him to Olivia.It had been a couple weeks after we found out about the pregnancy, and I'd been a nervous wreck.
“Dad, this is Olivia,” I said, my arm around her waist.“Olivia, this is my father, Bill.”
I watched as my father's eyes took in Olivia's radiant smile and the warmth in her eyes.She stepped forward, hand outstretched.“It's so nice to finally meet you, Mr.Cassidy.Carter's told me so much about you.”
To my surprise, my father bypassed her hand entirely, pulling her into a bear hug.“Please, call me Bill,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.“Welcome to the family, Olivia.”
When he pulled back, tears glistened in his eyes.He cleared his throat, looking between us.“So, uh, what's the occasion?Not that I'm complaining about meeting this lovely young woman, but it's not like you to arrange family dinners, Carter.”
I exchanged a glance with Olivia, who nodded encouragingly.Taking a deep breath, I turned back to my father.“Well, Dad, we have some news.Olivia and I, we're having a baby.”
A deafening silence followed.For a moment, I feared we'd made a mistake, that this was too much too soon.But then my father's face crumpled, and before I knew it, he was crying—actually crying—and pulling us both into a hug.
“I'm gonna be a grandpa?”he choked out, his voice muffled against my shoulder.
“Yeah, Dad,” I said, my own eyes stinging, “you're gonna be a grandpa.”
The memory faded as Dad stepped into the house, immediately seeking out Olivia.“There's my girl,” he said, his face lighting up as she came to greet him.
“Hi, Bill,” Olivia said warmly, accepting his hug.“I'm so glad you’re here.”
“Nowhere I’d rather be.”He pulled back to look at her, his eyes dropping to her belly.“How's my grandbaby doing?”
Olivia grinned and rested a hand on her stomach.“Growing like a weed according to the doctor.”
“Carter, honey,” Ellie called from the kitchen, “can you come help me with the turkey?”
“Coming.”I squeezed my father's shoulder as I passed.“Make yourself at home, Dad.Drinks are in the living room.”
I entered the kitchen and found Ellie struggling with the massive turkey.“Jesus, did you get the world's biggest bird?”
She laughed, wiping her brow with the back of her hand.“Well, we have a lot of people to feed.Now come on, help me get this monster out of the oven.”
Together, we managed to wrangle the turkey onto the counter.As we stood back to admire our handiwork, I heard voices from the living room.Olivia's laughter rang out, followed by my father's deeper chuckle.
“Sounds like they're getting along well,” Ellie remarked with a smile.
I nodded, feeling a sudden ache in my throat.“Yeah, they are.Dad's been amazing about all this.Better than I ever expected.”
Ellie patted my arm.“He loves you, Carter.And he adores Olivia.Of course he's going to be amazing.”
I was about to reply when the doorbell sounded again.“I got it,” I shouted, hoping to prevent Olivia from getting up unnecessarily.
I opened the door to find Robert, Olivia's father, swaying slightly on the porch.The smell of alcohol wafted off him, and I had to fight back a grimace.
