You Get It

good in goodbye

writers block and struggling with mental health (during mental health awareness month mind you- love that for me🙃😂) definitely kept this in the drafts and unedited longer than I wanted to.  but for this one, let's just imagine that Spencer and Asher didn't make up two seconds after roasting each other because 4B has me all sorts of messed up.  especially with my jordan and simone. 🙄

but I hope everyone enjoys this short little update and thank you to anyone still reading.💛

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"Alright, Maddy J, are you ready for the best ice cream you have ever had in your entire two years on the planet?" Olivia asked holding on to the tiny hand that was now shaking with excitement.

"ICE CWEAM! ICE CWEAM!" the little one whose parents affectionately called a two-nager shouted back in response. The nickname came from her tantrums and sass being other worldly lately. After a meltdown so bad that they had to assure their neighbors that she was indeed not being tortured and just being asked to brush her teeth, they decided she must've went from loving one year old to constantly pissed off teenager the day she turned two. Also noted as she grew in personality was the toddler's attitude about and love for food. Clearly a shared trait with her mom so when Maddy woke up from her midday nap earlier that day and immediately requested her favorite frozen treat- her mom had no choice but to indulge. Obviously her daughter had great taste.

It also worked in her advantage that Spencer agreed to meet up with them and would be available to help with the sugar high that was sure to follow the outing. He was in the off-season and would be done with training soon so the timing worked well and he'd be there soon enough.

Walking hand-in-hand with the very excited little girl, Olivia was carefully watching her daughter and not paying much attention to her surroundings. Closing in towards the shop and wrapped up in the conversation about which flavor they would get, she didn't notice a pair of familiar eyes setting in on her.

"Chocolate or vanilla, baby girl?" Liv asked the wide eyed little one, picking her up and placing her on her hip so she could get a better look at all the goodies. The way Maddy licked her lips and let out a quiet squeal made her mom tear up from laughing so hard. After a few moments of quiet contemplation, nodding with a tone of finality and with the most stone faced expression, the toddler let out a breathy yet serious "Nilla, mommy. With prinkles." 

"You really are my child." She said with a straight face nodding in approval before chuckling and pecking her cheek. Paying for their treats and going to sit down, she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to a face she hadn't seen in years. The blue eyes unmistakable even after time and distance.

"Liv, hey. Been a long time." Asher said with a hint of nervousness lacing his tone.

"Um, Asher, hey. Yeah, its been a while. H-how are you?" Olivia responded with an awkward energy. Having not really spoken since the chaos that was senior year, she wasn't sure what she should say.

"Pretty good. I wasn't sure if I should say hi or not but I figured that'd be less weird than acting like we don't know each other." he said through a nervous laugh. 

"I guess so." she replied. "How are things? Still coaching?" 

"Yeah, still working the whole coaching thing. I'm assuming this little one is your daughter?" he said, nodding towards a messy Maddy who was absent mindedly eating, blissfully unaware of the currently awkward energy.

"Yes, this is my daughter Maddy. She just turned two."

"She's beautiful, Liv." He said, sincerity showing through his words.

"Thank you. Spencer and I are kind of obsessed with her." Liv offered with a small smile. "How about you? I thought I heard from Jordan that you and Jaymee had a little one yourselves, not too long ago."

"We did. A little boy named Eli. I'm actually bringing these to them, they're waiting for me out in the car." Asher's face lit up as he  moved his cups and pulled out his phone to show a picture. The blue eyes, dark hair and shit-eating grin making up an undeniably Adams child. Seeing the picture and the way Asher was looking at the little boy and Jaymee gave Olivia a little bit of relief. The past was so beyond far removed from her present life and thoughts but the awkwardness was still there. After college graduation, the gang had slowly drifted into their own lives and run-ins always felt a little uneasy.

"Congratulations, Ash. I'm happy things are going well for you. You deserve it." Olivia said, trying to ease the awkward vibes and show some sort of positivity.

"Thank you. I'm glad too. And hey, I know things weren't ever really the same after everything went down, but I am truly happy for you and Spencer. We all may not have had some deep conversation or kumbaya moment but I figured space and time would do its thing to settle the dust on all awkwardness or uncertainty about how to move around each other. I'm happy with how things have worked out. I think it all happened the way it was supposed to."

Figuring that short and sweet was best, Olivia just nodded in agreement. "Definitely. I'm glad for you and Jaymee. She seemed like she was good for you."

"She is. She's the best. But I should get going. It was good to see you, Liv. Truly."

"You too." she waved as he walked out.

Focusing back on her daughter, who was now covered in ice cream, she looked into her eyes and got lost in thought. Choosing herself way back then was messy and difficult in the start but led to the most beautiful ending. Letting go of what she thought she deserved in the ups and downs of her relationship with Asher and following her heart gave her the life she had always truly envisioned and desired with Spencer.

Just as she was ruffling her hands through her daughter's curls and leaning down to kiss her forehead, she felt another hand on her shoulder. Looking up and finding the eyes she fell in love with at 17, she smiled and leaned up to kiss her husband's lips.

"What's up baby?" he smiled, sneaking in another kiss before moving to sit down. "Hi, daddy's big girl!" shifting Maddy onto his lap, he started playing around with her before turning his attention back to Olivia. Noticing she was just staring and smiling at them, he shifted his eyes before meeting hers again.

"What? I got something on my face?"

"No." shaking her head and looking down she took a beat to string her thoughts together. "I'm just really happy. You're the most amazing husband and father. Sometimes, I have to remind myself to really soak it in. Remind myself of how good our life really is and how lucky I feel." Placing her hand on top of his and lacing their fingers together, she looked up and met his eyes again.

"I'm the lucky one." Leaning forward to kiss her, he didn't pull away until Maddy's little hand pushed against his chest.

"My daddy." She said, standing up on his thighs and wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and burying her head into his shoulder as she shot a glare to her now very offended mother.

"And what is mommy? Just chopped liver?" Olivia said, hand on her chest to add to the dramatics and lay on the guilt.

"No, mommy a girl. Duh." The toddler rolled her eyes.

"Duh." Olivia matched the tiny menace's sarcasm and laughed just as Spencer joined in before asking if they were ready to head out.

"Yeah, let's go home." Olivia answered with a smile on her face. Home still being wherever he was even after all this time, their little girl being the most amazing addition to that sentiment.