Second Generation

Make up your Mind

Olivia's POV

I woke up at 6:30 and looked around the room. It was so quiet without Ashley there. I missed her. I got up and called Ashley on my phone. Voicemail. Great. I rolled my eyes and went to the kitchen. I made a pot of coffee and sat on the couch. I picked up Taylor's tennis ball and felt even more guilty. I tried to call Ashley again, but got no answer.
"What are you doing?" Elliot said.
"I'm trying to call Ashley, but she's not answering." I replied.
"Don't call her! We need her to need us. We don't want her to think that we need her."
"Elliot, that is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. I'm calling my daughter until she answers me," I said dialing her number.
"Stop!" Elliot said. He ran over to me and threw my phone across the room.
"What the hell is wrong with you! Did you lose your mind?" I screamed.
"This isn't my fault! You've got to listen to me!" He yelled.
"I can't deal with this! I'm getting Ashley!" I grabbed my keys and walked out.
"It's me or Ashley!" He yelled.
"Are you serious!" I walked towards him. "You can't just disown Ashley whenever you want! It doesn't work like that! What's wrong with you?"
"Me or Ashley. If you leave to get her, I'm gone. You'll never see me again!" He said, centimeters away from my face.
"My daughter is the best thing that ever happened to me," I walked to my car.
"You're not the same person you used to be." I yelled. I slammed my car door and drove to Amanda's apartment.

Amanda's POV

I rolled out of bed and went to the bathroom. I came back in my room and went to my phone. I had 3 missed phone calls from Olivia. I listened to her voicemails and ran in Ashley's room.
"Ashley, wake up. Your mom is coming!" I shook her awake.
"She's coming to get me?" She yawned.
"Yeah, get dressed." I said. I went in my room and woke Nick up.
"Hey, get up!" I said.
"I'm up, what's up?" He asked.
"Olivia's coming over to get Ashley," I said. "Oh, and do us a favor Nick, put some clothes on," I smirked. I remembered last night so clearly. I walked to Ashley's room.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"What if they don't listen to me again? What if they shut me out?" She cried.
"We'll talk about it when she gets here, okay?" I said. She nodded.

Olivia knocked on my door 20 minutes later.
"Hey," I said opening the door.
"I need to talk to someone, and not in front of Ashley. Can we go somewhere?" She asked.
"Um, yeah. I'll tell Nick to watch Ashley." I walked in my room.
"Nick, you need to watch Ashley. I'm going to the coffee shop next door to talk to Liv."
"Everything okay?" He asked sitting up.
"I don't know," I said.

We walked across the street to a Starbucks that just opened. Liv looked scared.
"Hey Liv, what's going on?" I asked.
"I think Elliot's leaving us," she whispered, tears were rolling down her cheeks.
"Why? What happened?"
"He wanted me to choose him or Ashley. He doesn't want Ashley anymore! How could he do this? How could he leave the 2 people that need him the most?" She asked, crying harder. I've never seen Liv cry.
"If he really loved you, then he wouldn't have made you choose between him or Ashley."
"How am I going to tell Ashley? She's going to want to see her father, I'll have to say something! I can't lie to her."
"Why don't we go back to my apartment for a while? You can get some rest and when your ready to tell Ashley, I'll be there for you both." I suggested. She nodded. I bought a coffee to give to Ashley, and we made our way back to my apartment.

We walked in the apartment and Taylor ran over to Olivia.
"Where's Ashley?" I asked to Nick.
"In her room, do you want me to get her?"
"No!" Liv and I both said.
"Liv, you can sleep on my bed. I have a tv in there too."
"Thanks Amanda," she said walking to my room.
"So what happened?" Nick asked.
"Elliot left," I whispered.
"What do you mean he left?"
"Shhh, don't be so loud. Ashley doesn't know yet."
"Why?"
"He made Liv choose between him or Ashley, Liv chose Ashley. Why would he do that? Now Ashley has no father to look up to and we have no idea where Elliot could have went," I said. "Oh yeah, I need to give this to Ashley," I got up and carried the coffee to Ashley's room.
"Hey, I brought coffee!" I said.
"When did you go to Starbucks?" She asked looking at the cup. Can't get anything past her, I thought.
"Um, I didn't feel like making coffee so I just bought some at Starbucks."
"Mhmm," she said, not buying my story.
"So, when am I going home?" She asked.
"Uhh, that is yet to be determined. Your mom has to talk to you later about some stuff...."
"What stuff?" She asked.
"It would be better if your mom told you," I said getting up.
"Is it serious?"
"Uhhh, it's important. I'll be in the living room if you need me," I said closing her door. I walked over to the couch and sat down beside Nick.
"How'd it go?" He asked.
"I didn't tell her, but she knows that something's wrong," I said.
"She has that detective instinct in her," Nick smirked.
"Oh please," I laughed.

I went in my room at 1:30 to check on Olivia. She was laying in my bed, watching tv.
"Hey, do you want some lunch? I can make pizza rolls or-"
"Amanda, you don't have to treat me like a child. I'm not helpless."
"Well I know, but I just thought that I could help."
"Thanks, but if I can make Ashley food, then I can make myself food too."
"Okay, well do you want me to get Ashley or..."
"Yeah, thanks Amanda."

Olivia's POV

I went to the kitchen and opened the freezer door. I got out the pizza rolls and put them in the microwave.
"Hey, I heard what happened and I'm sorry." Nick said.
"Thanks, but it's no big deal," I lied.
"Liv, you don't have to act brave. We all know your hurting right now, it's okay to be hurting."
"Nick, please. Not now," I whispered.
"Liv-"
"Mom!" Ashley ran into my arms.
"Hi sweetie. Did you have a good time?"
"Yeah, it was okay."
"Just okay? After all I've done for you," Amanda said sarcastically.
"Oh Amanda, don't act so heartbroken," Ashley laughed. The microwave beeped and I took the pizza rolls out.
"So Ashley, why don't you sit down," I said. She looked at me funny and sat at the table. I brought over the tray of pizza rolls and sat down across from her. Amanda and Nick left the room.
"Okay, I know that this is going to be hard on you, well us, but um-"
"Mom just say it, it'll be okay," she said.
"Your dad and I got in a fight and um, he left."
"W-what? Why? What were you fighting about?"
"Um, I don't want to lie to you. We got in a fight about you and-"
"So it's MY fault that he left!?" She yelled standing up.
"No, no it's not your fault..." I was at a loss of words. She looked at me like it was my fault that Elliot left. She ran in her room and slammed her door.
"So, how'd it go?" Amanda asked.
"It could've been better," I said eating a pizza roll.
"Well at least you told her the truth," Nick said.
"Yeah, I think we're going to go home." I got up and went to Ashley's room.
"Are you ready to go home?"
"I guess," she said. Nick and Amanda helped Ashley with her bags and I took Taylor.
"We'll meet you at your house," Amanda said.
"You don't have to do that," I said.
"We are." Nick said. I nodded and drove home.

I walked inside and put Taylor on the floor. I looked around and gasped.
"Oh my God," Ashley said. Amanda and Nick walked in.
"Woah," Nick said. Everything was gone. The couch, the TV, the kitchen table, everything. I walked in my room. My bed was replaced by an air mattress.
"Uhh, this isn't good." I said.
"What kind of man takes the bed? Did he pay for all of this?" Nick said.
"We share a bank account, I'm going to have to buy everything again." I put my hands on my head and screamed.
"You can sleep on my bed Mom, he didn't touch my stuff," Ashley said walking in.
"Thanks baby," I kissed her head.
"Well, do you want to go furniture shopping tomorrow?" I asked.
"Well what else is there to do?" She laughed.
"We're going to be okay, thanks for coming over." I said to Nick and Amanda.
"Call me if you need anything," Amanda said. I nodded and closed the door. I went in Ashley's room and fell asleep holding my daughter. I wouldn't trade her for anything.