Camo and Navy Blue [Book Two]

Sixteen

Olivia

I froze in my spot as I listened to Jasper yell at Elliot. Even if my sons were fighting with each other, they rarely spoke poorly to me or their father. Now, Jasper was being plain mean and I couldn't allow it. I slammed the gate shut and stomped up to where my son stood. Elliot was trying to calm him down, but it wasn't working.

"Jasper Stabler!" I yelled as I ran up the stairs. My son turned to me, his little face red with rage.

"No-"

"Listen up, little boy. I am your mother and that is your father. We deserve respect, even if you hate us. Yelling at your father and treating him like this is unacceptable. If you do not stop right this minute, I will ground you for longer than you can count. Do you understand me?" I asked, my voice loud and sharp. 

Elliot was in shock and stared at me with wide eyes, as Jasper's cheeks grew wet with hot, angry tears.

"I hate-"

"Oh, I know you freaking hate me, Jasper. I have been told that a thousand times by you and your brother. I'm a terrible mom, I know that. But that doesn't mean you get to treat me like crap! So stop acting like this and go to your room. Once you calm down, we will discuss this. Do you understand me?" I spoke, my arms crossed over my chest.

"I. Hate. You." Jasper spat.

"Yeah, well, not as much as I hate myself. Get," I huffed. My son stomped into the house, slamming the sliding glass door behind him. It bounced back open, so I could hear him using what we had deemed as bad words for him and his brother to use. I waited for his bedroom door to be slammed before turning to Elliot.

My husband was still in shock, and he looked at me in confusion.

"Elliot?" I asked. Elliot blinked a few times before closing his mouth.

"You just... that was the loudest I have heard you talk in a while," Elliot admitted, as he ran a hand over the back of his neck.

"He never should have spoken to you in that way, El. I couldn't stand it, so I did something about it... now I feel like I could take a nap, but I won't because I'm sure I'll have to say a few more select things to both boys," I breathed.

My husband stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me tightly. He hugged me tightly, and I melted into his embrace. Being angry at my husband took so much out of me, so being held by him made my body lose all of its tension. I tucked my head into the crook of my husband's neck as he rubbed my back.

"I've missed you so much, Olivia," Elliot mumbled into my hair.

"I've missed you too... I'm sorry that I was a jer-"

"Jerk or not, I never should have let you live with Serena. Your home is here, no matter what. Please don't leave again," He whispered.

"You'll have to pry my body from this house. Trust me," I said with a weak laugh. I kissed his neck before closing my eyes tightly and clinging to him.

///

Tobias and Jasper came down an hour after they woke up. Both boys had been crying, but the tears had dried by the time they came down. I made them each bagels with cream cheese and chocolate spread, before handing them glasses of milk.

They sat and ate in silence as Elliot and I watched them closely. 

"Should we discuss things with them?" Elliot whispered.

"Like them running away?" I replied, my hand resting against my belly.

"Well, that and... that," Elliot breathed, as he pointed at where my hand rested. I sighed softly before nodding.

"Probably," I admitted.

"Can I have more milk?" Jasper asked, without looking at me or his father.

"What do you say?" I asked as I moved to the fridge. I grabbed the gallon of milk before turning to my sons.

"You-"

"If that statement doesn't end with 'Thank you for the milk, Mama.' then change your mind," Elliot smiled, as he approached the table. 

Jasper rolled his eyes and crossed his arms across his tiny chest. I sighed and poured milk into both of their cups before stepping back.

"We need to talk about what happened," I spoke, as Elliot took the milk from me and put it back in the fridge.

"Nothing happened," Tobias said with a huff.

"So you two didn't run away from school because we punished you for beating up your brother?" I asked, which made their faces grow red.

"I wish I had hit you!" Jasper yelled. He lunged from his seat, and Elliot turned just in time to stop him from hitting me. Elliot lifted him up and then grabbed Tobias when he lunged himself.

Elliot carried them from the room as tears sprung to my eyes. I took slow breaths as my sons yelled about how much they hated us, but mostly me. 

I don't know what made them despise me, I just know that I wish it never happened.

I miss the two little boys who used to be incredibly sweet. The ones that would climb into bed with me and Elliot, their little feet so cold against my legs when they snuggled up against me. I missed how happy our family was, but now things had changed so drastically that I think nothing will be normal again.

This was probably the new normal, and it was too hard to adapt too.

///

Elliot found me on the front porch, my hands shoved into the pockets of my jeans. I was just waiting for him to send me on my way, since the boys got worse when they saw me.

"They are both napping."

"Are they okay?" I asked softly.

"Yeah, I think so... Liv-"

"I want to stay, but I can't help but scared that the next time they come after me... You won't be able to grab them. I could lose the baby if they hit me in the stomach, and even if we weren't expecting to have another baby... I do love it," I whispered.

"I love it too, Liv. But I think it would be better if you stayed with your mother again. I'm going to contact some people and see about therapy for the boys, because this has gone on long enough. I want to see you every day, instead of the next time being when your water breaks and we are at the hospital," Elliot sighed. He kissed my temple softly before walking back into the house.