Forgotten Memories [A Bensler Fanfiction]

Three

Olivia and Elliot spent their night in a hotel on the edge of town. Both slept like babies, but the moment Olivia's eyes opened, she wanted to get back to Ava. The idea of being away from her only child, even to sleep, broke Olivia's heart. 

"Olivia." Dana spoke as she opened the door. 

"Hi, Dana. Is Ava up yet? I'd like to take her out for breakfast." Olivia smiled.

"We'd prefer if you didn't go anywhere without one of us. She is-"

"My child, Dana. I understand you are worried about her safety, but I won't hurt her. I know I don't remember a damn thing about my child, but I know that I at least love her." Olivia frowned. 

Dana looked Olivia over for a moment before nodding hesitantly.

"Ava is still sleeping. You can wake her and get her ready. But I want to know exactly where you are taking her."

"The cafe that I guess we used to go to... then the park near that. I want to talk to her."

"Fine, but keep your phone on. I won't be having you taking her from us." Dana grumbled. Olivia took a slow breath before forcing a smile.

"Yes, ma'am."

///

Ava and Olivia sat together at the cafe. Ava had insisted on ordering, and she ordered the same thing that she and her mother used to get before. The little girl couldn't stop smiling as a large doughnut with pink frosting was sat in front of her.

"Baby, that is about the size of your head." Olivia chuckled softly as Ava took a big bite of her doughnut.

"I know, Mama. But it's so good." The girl mumbled, her mouth still full.

Olivia sipped her coffee before playing with the plate her croissant sat on. Even if she was comfortable with her daughter, Olivia was still nervous about the questions she wanted to ask. Elliot was currently with Dana and James, so once they met up at the hotel tonight, they would discuss the facts they had discovered.

"What did your daddy used to do?" Olivia asked, as she locked eyes with Ava.

"Like for a job?" Ava mused. 

"Yeah. And what about me?"

"Daddy used to drive trucks. After I was born, he drove those enormous trucks from different cities."

"Like semi-trucks?" Olivia mused.

"Yeah! Daddy used to take us with him sometimes, but he got angry when you got a job at the post office and you couldn't take time off to go."

"I worked at the post office?" Olivia asked, her eyes wide. She didn't really expect for that to have been her job.

"Yeah, you dropped the mail off at houses. I used to run down the stairs and attack you with the biggest hug when you'd drop letters at Papa and Gran's house." Ava giggled.

Olivia smiled softly as tears welled in her eyes. 

"Is that why he left?" Olivia breathed, and Ava shrugged.

"I don't know, Mama. Gran or Papa would have to tell you that... you tried to keep it away from me so I wouldn't get sad." Ava explained. She grabbed the napkin and wiped her face off before looking at her mother's plate. She hadn't touched her food yet, and that made Ava worried.

"Why do you look sad?" Olivia asked as she stared at her daughter.

"Are you not hungry? You always ate that when we went here."

"Love, talking about this takes away my appetite... but I will bring it back to the hotel and eat it later. But would you like to join me at the park?" Olivia smiled.

"No, Mama. I wanna go home with you."

"Home? I guess we can go back to Gran and-"

"Mama, home to where you and Elliot are. I love Gran and Papa, but I missed you so much. I don't wanna be away from you."

///

Olivia was exhausted by the end of the day, but she knew she wanted to hear what Elliot had to say.

"Dana told me that Kevin drove cross-country for a company here in town. When you were pregnant and after Ava was born, you would go with him. Then as Ava got older, you got a job at the post office, and he didn't like that you wouldn't drop everything to join him. That's why you two broke up." Elliot spoke as he and his girlfriend sat together in their hotel room.

"He left because I didn't want to drag my toddler around the country? God, he is a dick." Olivia huffed. Elliot smiled softly at her before nodding in agreement.

Elliot stood and walked to where Olivia sat on their bed before sinking beside her.

"Kevin cut all ties with everyone here, but Dana remembers that someone saw Kevin in the next town over a few days before you disappeared. I believe he came here, took you, fucked with your memory, and then dumped you in New York."

"Is there anyway you could figure out if Kevin had been in New York around the time you found me?" Olivia asked, her eyes searching Elliot's face.

"I already called Fin and asked him to do some research. Until he gets back to me, you and I just need to enjoy getting to know Ava." Elliot smiled. He leaned in and kissed Olivia softly before standing again. He walked around the bed and crawled in as Olivia spoke.

"Ava asked to go back to Manhattan with us."

"What?" Elliot questioned.

"She wants to come home with us. I'm still her mother, so I have the right to move her with us... right?" Olivia breathed.

Elliot frowned as he laid down before patting Olivia's side of the bed. She climbed in as Elliot spoke.

"I'd have to contact the central office here and see if Dana and James had filed for custody of Ava at all. If they did, we can't take her home without fighting for her. They are going to force her to stay here, since James is still certain you ran off."

"But I didn't."