Everything Changes

A Bend In The Road

Olivia struck out by mid-afternoon, looking for Odis Lee and Kim. It left her feeling disconcerted because she hadn't forgotten what Bedelia had said about her husband being a man of his word.

Even still, around four o'clock, she was admittedly bored and when she got a text from Amanda, she was excited because it a cure for the monotony.

We have a herd of munchkins to take home, but they don't have much to wear.

Really? Even will all that luggage? Olivia sent.

Everyone's things were packed in a hurry, and a lot of the things don't match, or are seasonally appropriate. Not even their shoes.

That's not good.

I became a mama ahead of schedule, but I already feel as though I failed the girls. What do I do?

Olivia was touched that Amanda was turning to her about the topic of motherhood, so she was genuine with her next message.

Don't worry: I'll do some shopping for them so they have some new outfits and shoes.

There was a full five minutes of radio silence before Amanda responded with, You don't have to do that, Liv.

I want to, and I actually a lot of coupons to the place where we shop for Noah, and they're having a sale, too. If Alex was with me, she would be saying the same thing.

What about the precinct?

Fin & Carisi can hold down the fort ;)

Amanda seemed to have caved, because her next text was, I suppose I should send you a list of what sizes the girls wear, huh?

Likes & their dislikes, too. And don't worry about paying me back. Think of me as your kids' fairy godmother.

Though Olivia didn't talk about it, long before Alex 'Trust Fund Ice Queen' Cabot had blown into her life, she had always been relatively well-off because of her mother. But that was another story altogether.

You are the best, Olivia. Thank you for everything.

That text was followed by the lists, and once the massage came through, Olivia put her phone in lock-screen mode and got ready to go.

Fin and Carisi both saw her, and that she was in a hurry. Rather than ask her what was happening, they trusted that she'd tell them when or if it mattered.

Thankful and grateful that they were so understanding, Olivia left the Sixteenth Precinct quickly.

Gymboree

77 Houston Street

4:20 PM

The Gymboree clothing store was Olivia's and Alex's place of choice to buy clothes for Noah, so it made sense that she'd come here. That being said, in spite of the sale and the coupons, Olivia had no idea where to start looking for things that little girls would like to wear because she was very used to shopping for a boy.

"Hi, there. Do you need any help?"

Olivia turned and saw that she'd been joined by one of the store attendants, a young woman in her late twenties.

"Yes, actually." the sergeant said in relief. "My friends have suddenly found themselves parents to three little girls, and I said I'd do some shopping for them so they'd have clothes and shoes to wear, but..."

"You're unsure of how to shop for little girls?"

"Yes again, especially since my fiancée and I only have a little boy to shop for at the moment."