Lauriver Chronicles

Chapter 4

The next time Oliver heard the door to his hospital room open, he'd already put a plain white shirt on and he turned to see that Laurel had returned with both his mother and someone even more important.

The cutest blonde haired little girl Oliver had ever seen was currently hiding behind her mother's legs and Oliver knew that this had to be Jasmine.

"Hi Jasmine." Oliver said, kneeling down but not approaching her, since he wanted to do this at her pace, since he'd been gone her entire life and he wasn't just going to barge into her life. He wanted to be sure that she wanted him in it, though he wouldn't deny that having her in his life would make his plans for when he got home a bit more complicated, but he didn't care, since looking at that little girl both reaffirmed his commitment to his mission and more importantly, made him determined to find a way to make it work, though that would likely involve telling Laurel the truth about his plans a lot sooner than he'd planned on.

Jasmine looked up at her mother, as if asking for permission and Laurel smiled at her and nodded and it was at that point that she actually started to walk up to her dad.

"You're my daddy?" she asked cautiously.

"Yeah, I am Jasmine, I'm sorry I missed so much of your life, but I'm here now and I'd like to be a part of it." Oliver said and Jasmine seemed to look him over with her green eyes and then smiled before she hugged him tightly.

"I'm happy you're here now, but I don't know if I can call you daddy yet." Jasmine said, since she was very smart for a four year old.

"I know and I'm not asking you too. I just want a chance to be in your life and maybe one, you'll be able to call me daddy. But for now, you can just call me Oliver or Ollie." Oliver said, slightly disappointed that his daughter wouldn't call him dad yet, but he understood why, he hadn't earned that right yet. But hopefully one day he would.

"Okay." Jasmine said, feeling better, but she could tell that her dad was still sad about her decision.

"It's okay. I know it won't be easy, but we'll get there." Oliver said as he let the little girl go and was quick to assure her that she didn't have to call him dad or daddy anytime soon, but he did hope that she'd want to call him that soon.

Jasmine nodded before rushing back to her mommy.

"Can we go home now?" Jasmine asked and Laurel smiled.

"That depends on what your father's doctors say, since we are not leaving until the doctor gives him the all clear. Besides, this way you don't have to go to school." Laurel said.

"Excuse me, I think I've been denied a reunion with my son long enough." Moira said and Oliver smiled at his mom.

"Hi mom." Oliver said as Moira finally gave in and rushed forward and hugged her son as she let the tears of joy she'd been holding in since she first saw her son alive fall freely.

"Oh my sweet boy." Moira cried.

After visiting hours ended, Moira, Laurel and Jasmine returned to the hotel room and Laurel quickly put Jasmine to bed before going to speak to Moira about Oliver.

"I have to admit, Ollie's doing better than I thought he'd be." Laurel said.

"I don't think we're out of the woods yet. I spoke to one of the doctors while you were seeing him and I think that he was just putting on a show. The doctors told me that he hadn't said a word before we got there and that there was a good chance that the man they found on that island might not be the same one we lost five years ago." Moira said.

"I know he's probably a lot more damaged than he was before he left on that boat, but he went through the same thing when he first got back from Afghanistan and we got through that. I know that the man I love is still there and I'm going to be there for him every step of the way, no matter what it takes." Laurel said, not knowing at the time just how much of a commitment she was making by saying those words.