What if Tim had a daughter?

Part 24

Tim glanced at Olivia in the rearview mirror, a fond smile tugging at his lips. Of course, he'd get her food. He'd get her anything she wanted, and she knew it.
Tim- (smiling) Alright, kiddo. What are you in the mood for?
Olivia perked up, clearly thrilled at the promise of dinner out.
Olivia- Hmm... tacos. Definitely tacos.
Tim chuckled, glancing at Lucy as he pulled onto the main road. His gaze softened, a warmth there that spoke to how much her support had meant to him (or how much he ha's fallen for her, but still wont admit his feelings). He hesitated for a brief second, and then, almost shyly, turned his full attention to her.
Tim- Do you want to join us? It's a little early for dinner, but... I think we could make it work.
Lucy's smile widened at the invitation, a warmth spreading through her at the thought of spending more time with both of them. But she hesitated, glancing between Tim and Olivia, feeling that familiar flicker of uncertainty. She'd love to, really, but she wasn't sure.
Lucy- Are you sure? Maybe it should be more of a father-daughter thing.
Before Tim could respond, Olivia chimed in, her tone eager and maybe a bit pleading.
Olivia- We already had that at lunch. And anyway... it'd be way more fun if you came too, Lucy.
Lucy looked back at Olivia, whose eyes were practically sparkling with hope, and she felt any lingering uncertainty start to fade. Tim glanced at Lucy, a slight smile playing at the corner of his mouth as he watched her reaction, clearly hoping she'd say yes.
Lucy- Well, if you two insist, I suppose I can't say no.
Tim's face lit up, and he shot her an appreciative look as he turned back to the road.
Tim- Great. Tacos it is, then.
They drove to a vibrant little taco spot on the edge of town, the type of place where the smell of fresh tortillas and grilled meats filled the air. Olivia bounced in her seat as they parked, practically dragging both Tim and Lucy toward the ordering counter.
Once they settled down at one of the outdoor picnic tables and placed their order, Olivia turned to her dad, grinning mischievously as she held out her hand.
Olivia- Pay up, Dad.
Tim rolled his eyes, but he was clearly amused. He pulled out his wallet, peeled off a fifty-dollar bill, and handed it to her.
Lucy raised an eyebrow, trying to hold back a laugh.
Lucy- What's this all about?
Olivia took the bill proudly, giving Lucy a triumphant look.
Olivia- Oh, this? Dad thought he was such a hotshot at mini golf. He kept saying there was no way I'd win, so we made a bet.
Lucy smirked, watching Tim with playful curiosity.
Lucy- (to Tim) You really underestimated her, huh?
Tim shrugged, feigning nonchalance, but his smirk betrayed him.
Tim- I was confident! Thought I had my strategy down. Turns out, I underestimated just how competitive she really is.
Olivia held up the fifty with a huge grin, clearly pleased with herself.
Olivia- Let's just say it's a great day when you're the mini golf champion, beat your dad at his own game and make fifty bucks out of it.
Lucy chuckled, leaning back in her seat as she looked at Tim.
Lucy- Well, I'd say you definitely earned it, Liv. And Tim, sounds like you learned a valuable lesson.
Tim shook his head with a smile, glancing fondly between his daughter and Lucy.
Tim- Yeah, lesson learned: never underestimate this one.
Lucy leaned forward, eyes twinkling with mischief as she looked at Tim.
Lucy- You know, Tim, I wasn't going to say anything, but maybe you're just bad at mini golf.
Tim raised an eyebrow, turning to look at her, amused.
Tim- Really? If I remember correctly, we were in a tie. So, either I'm good... or we're both terrible.
Lucy smirked, shaking her head.
Lucy- Nope, I'm definitely good. You're just... not.
Tim laughed, feigning offense.
Tim- Oh really? And what makes you so sure?
Lucy shrugged, giving him a playful look.
Lucy- Just because.
Tim shook his head with a grin, muttering under his breath.
Tim- Convenient.
Olivia rolled her eyes but grinned along, looking between the two of them with a hint of amusement.
Tim leaned back, still chuckling from their "tie" and Lucy's teasing. He raised his drink, gesturing to her with a smirk.
Tim- Alright, I'll give it to you—you've got a better mini-golf game than I expected. I guess I underestimated you.
Lucy's eyes sparkled with a playful glint.
Lucy- That's probably your biggest mistake, Tim. I tend to surprise people.
Tim looked at her, raising an eyebrow.
Tim- (with a slight grin) Noted. I'll have to keep an eye out next time, then.
Lucy shrugged, holding his gaze a little longer than she intended.
Lucy- You'd better. Or I might just beat you again without even trying.
Tim's smirk softened into something warmer, almost as if he was studying her, caught up in the easy banter they seemed to slip into without a second thought.
Tim- (lightly) Something tells me you're full of surprises, Lucy.
Lucy felt a slight blush creeping up, but she played it off, raising her chin a little.
Lucy- (smirking) And something tells me you're just scared to lose to me.
Tim chuckled, looking a bit taken aback, but clearly amused.
Tim- Scared? Me? Just because I didn't win once? You're giving yourself too much credit.
Olivia, watching this back-and-forth, rolled her eyes and let out a groan.
Olivia- You both lost, remember? The only one with bragging rights here is me.
Lucy glanced at Olivia, chuckling.
Lucy- Fair enough, Liv. Guess I'll let you enjoy your victory... this time.
Tim's gaze lingered on Lucy a moment longer, his smile softening, as if he was in on some unspoken joke between them.
Tim- And as much as I'd like to challenge you to a rematch, I think I'll take my defeat gracefully... for now.
Lucy laughed, leaning back, clearly enjoying herself.
Lucy- (grinning) Smart move. I'd hate to see you lose twice in one day.
They both fell silent for a moment, their playful banter lingering in the air between them, comfortable and warm. Neither of them seemed to notice how they leaned just slightly toward each other, caught in a moment that felt strangely intimate without either of them quite understanding why.
Olivia cleared her throat, breaking the spell.
Olivia- Can we stop talking about mini-golf now? I won. Case closed.
Tim snapped out of it, laughing as he turned to Olivia.
Tim- Alright, alright. We won't mention mini-golf for the rest of the night.
Lucy shot Olivia a playful wink.
Lucy- You heard him. The mini-golf champ...not, has spoken.
They settled into easy conversation, and eventually, Olivia excused herself to get a refill on her soda. As she walked away, Tim glanced over at Lucy, his expression softening once again.
Tim- (quietly) Really... thank you, Lucy. For earlier. You've done more for Olivia than you know. And for me.
Lucy looked at him, her expression turning sincere as she shook her head gently.
Lucy- You don't have to thank me, Tim. I care about her. She deserves to feel safe, and to know that there are people who'll stand up for her.
Tim's gaze held hers, something warm flickering there as he seemed to take in her words. He looked like he was about to say something more, but then Olivia returned, holding her soda like a prize.
As Olivia slid back into her seat, blissfully unaware of the quiet moment that had just passed between Tim and Lucy, she grinned at them both, clearly pleased with her drink in hand.
Olivia- So...what were you two talking about while I was gone?
Tim shifted slightly, scratching the back of his neck with a bit of a sheepish smile.
Tim- Oh, you know...just how I'll be a little more careful before making bets with you next time.
Olivia snickered, taking a sip of her drink.
Olivia- Smart. But I think Lucy would agree that you're probably doomed to lose again.
Lucy laughed, nodding in agreement as she looked at Tim.
Lucy- (playfully) She's right, you know. Some people just can't win against true talent.
Tim put a hand to his chest, feigning offense.
Tim- Oh, is that what this is? Ganging up on me now?
Olivia shrugged, clearly delighted by the chance to tease her dad with Lucy.
Olivia- Pretty much.
Tim shook his head with a chuckle, turning to Lucy.
Tim- Guess I walked right into that one, didn't I?
Lucy nodded, her eyes glinting with humor.
Lucy- You did. But you make it so easy, Tim.
They all laughed, falling into a natural rhythm, and the conversation shifted to lighthearted topics, from funny stories Olivia recounted from school to their mutual love of spicy tacos. As the sun began to set, casting a warm golden light over the city, Tim couldn't help but notice how relaxed and happy Lucy seemed. And though he'd never admit it, he realized just how natural it felt to have her with them, as though she belonged there.
After they finished their tacos, Tim stood up, brushing off his hands.
Tim- I'm going to hit the restroom real quick. Don't get into too much trouble while I'm gone.
He gave Lucy and Olivia a playful look before heading to the restrooms. As he disappeared, Lucy turned to Olivia, her expression softening.
Lucy- Hey, Liv... I wanted to check in with you. I know that mom-trio was a bit much earlier today. They didn't treat you—or your dad—fairly.
Olivia sighed, swirling her straw in her drink.
Olivia- Yeah. They're always like that. They act all friendly with me, but only because they're trying to get to him. Today was, I don't know...she hinted that it must be hard for him to take care of me on his own, like I'm some kind of... burden or something.
Lucy's expression darkened slightly with sympathy and a hint of protectiveness. But Olivia continued, her voice steady, her words wise beyond her years.
Olivia- The thing is, I know they don't really care about who he is. They just see "single dad" and think he needs someone to fix things or whatever. But he doesn't. He's not just some single dad who needs rescuing. He's my dad.
Olivia took a deep breath, her gaze drifting toward the ground as she gathered her thoughts.
Olivia- The thing is, I try to ignore it. I really do. But it's getting harder, you know? Every time we go to something, there they are, looking at me like I'm just... an accessory. And they act like he's this... thing, something everybody wants. It's like they can't just see him as my dad, a normal human being, the annoying dad he sometimes is or me as... me.
Lucy nodded, listening closely, and Olivia continued, her voice dropping lower.
Olivia- And I think,—sometimes, I want to say something, but then... I can already hear what they'd say back. Like, "Oh, no wonder you don't have a mom," or something like that. And then they'd say I'm just a bratty kid who's making things harder for dad.
Lucy's heart clenched as she looked at Olivia, seeing the mixture of frustration and hurt on her face.
Lucy- Liv, you don't deserve any of that. None of it. And if they can't see what an incredible, strong person you are... that's their loss. Because, trust me, people who know you know just how amazing you are.
Olivia managed a small smile, but her eyes were still clouded with emotion.
Olivia- Thanks, Lucy. I just... I wish they'd stop. I mean, I know they're pretending to care about me just to get to him. And I don't want anyone like that to be around him... or me.
Lucy reached out, resting a gentle hand on Olivia's shoulder.
Lucy- I get it, Liv. And you're right to feel like that. I think he's done such an amazing job raising you that they just can't understand how someone could do it all on their own. But your dad's one of the strongest people I know. And he's got you—his best team member.
Olivia grinned a little, her spirits lifting as she looked back at Lucy.
Olivia- Thank you. I guess I needed to hear that.
Lucy smiled, giving Olivia a playful nudge on the shoulder.
Lucy- You know, Liv, you're pretty amazing. And if they don't get that, that's their problem. And if you ever need backup, you've got me, anytime. They won't know what hit 'em.
Olivia laughed, a genuine sparkle returning to her eyes. Just then, Tim returned from the restroom, catching sight of their smiles and raising an eyebrow, trying to look suspicious.
Tim- Alright, what did I miss? You two didn't get into any trouble, did you?
Olivia smirked, playing along with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Olivia- Well... actually, I might have gotten into a bit of trouble. But only a little. I mean, nothing too bad... just robbed a bank while you were gone.
Tim blinked in mock horror, then crossed his arms with a dramatic sigh.
Tim- Robbed a bank, huh? You know, admitting that in front of not one, but two cops probably wasn't the smartest move, kid.
Olivia grinned, not missing a beat.
Olivia- Oh, please, like either of you would arrest me. I know all your weaknesses.
Lucy laughed, giving Tim a conspiratorial look.
Lucy- She's got a point there, Tim. I'm starting to think she's the one you should be worried about.
They all chuckled together, the earlier tension fully lifted as they made their way back to the car. Tim unlocked it, holding the door open for Olivia with a playful flourish as they all piled in. The drive back was filled with light conversation and laughter, Olivia still teasing her dad about his "terrible golf skills," while he rolled his eyes in defeat. Before long, they pulled up outside Lucy's place.
Tim put the car in park, turning to her with a grateful smile.
Tim- Thanks for joining us today. And for, you know... everything.
Lucy met his gaze, her smile warm.
Lucy- Anytime. It was fun to hang with you—and of course to mess with them.
Olivia leaned forward between the seats.
Olivia- Yeah, Lucy... thanks for coming. Next time, maybe I'll let you beat me.
They all laughed as Lucy opened her door, giving Olivia a playful wink.
Lucy- Oh, I'm holding you to that, Liv. See you on Monday.
Lucy gave them a final wave before turning to walk up the steps to her apartment complex, glancing back to see Tim and Olivia watching from the car. She chuckled to herself, feeling a sense of contentment as she stepped inside.
Meanwhile, Olivia slipped into the passenger seat, adjusting the seatbelt with a grin still lingering from their laughter-filled day.
Tim glanced over, giving her a raised eyebrow.
Tim- So... letting Lucy beat you next time, huh? That's big talk, Liv.
Olivia shrugged, leaning back with a smirk.
Olivia- Well, I'm a gracious winner.
Tim smiled, shifting the car into drive. The drive home was peaceful, the sky outside turning dusky as they made their way through the familiar streets. Tim kept glancing over, catching Olivia's content expression out of the corner of his eye. It was moments like these, he realized, that made all the craziness worthwhile.
When they arrived home, Olivia was quick to kick off her shoes and head to her room, tossing a casual, "See you in a bit, Dad," over her shoulder.
Tim smiled, shaking his head as he watched her disappear down the hallway. He took his time tidying up the entryway, putting away a few things in the kitchen, and finally settling down with a book in the living room. He could hear faint music drifting from Olivia's room as she unwound in her own way.