Her Fight Song: An Army of Lies

Best Mistake

Elliot stood in the hallway entrance to the kitchen, as that repetitive feeling of guilt began to wash over him. He watched his now 6 month pregnant wife try to carry on with her duties as a mother, and prepare lunch for the children. She looked different, exhausted even, as if the glow of her pregnancy had faded away.

It was him, he was the reason for that.

He tried his best to balance out his time. He even went into work an hour earlier now, so that he could come home sooner to help tend to the children, but had still failed. With everything going on with Kathy and Kenna, it left him hardly any time to focus on his marriage. Everyday it pained him to see Olivia swollen with his children, and to see her practically going through this pregnancy on her own. Sure, he was there for her. He shows up for every appointment, and gets whatever she needs. But he wasn't around for the emotional and physical aspect.

He smiled at the memories that surpassed through his mind, while he thought about the past times Olivia had been pregnant. How insecure she would get, and he would always be there to remind her of her beauty. Or how emotional she'd get when she realized they'd be adding yet another child to their family.

Elliot wanted to be there for all of that, even the late night runs to the market just to satisfy his wife's sudden craving for sweets or even a burger. But she just wouldn't let him in. Not now, not while their marriage is being rocked. Not while she still has feelings of anger and mistrust in him.

She continued to slice fruit for the children, aware that he was standing there watching her. He frowned when he noticed the small breaks she would take to stretch out her back, in an attempt to relieve the stiffness she'd been feeling. He knew she must have been uncomfortable, everything was so new with this pregnancy. Twins proved to be difficult already, and he knew the challenge would only exceed from here.

He wished he could make her go upstairs and rest until he finished lunch, and could come massage her back, but he knew right now that was just not realistic. Elliot knew he could offer as much as he wanted to, but that she'd do her normal routine of "I'm okay" in order to keep a distance away from him.

"Well, I'm off to have lunch with Kenna," he stood before her in his dress pants and polo he wore. She pursed her lips as if she wore about to speak, but continued to cut. "I guess I'll see you later?" He went to grab his keys and head out the door when she caught him by surprise.

"She loves you already.."

He turned around, not sure if what he heard was in his head, or that she really spoke to him.

"Kenna..she loves you already," she finished cutting and dried her hands on a towel before turning to face him. "She came to talk to me last week. Initially I told her it wasn't right for her to be there, but El she was a worried mess. She loves you so much already, and she was so afraid that you hated and I hated her...just be yourself," she managed to give him a smile. An actual genuine smile.

He stood for a moment to take in every word Olivia had just said to him. This is how he knew he had struck gold with Olivia. Through his infidelity and even producing a child outside of their marriage, she still remained the glue that held this family together. She was the one giving his child encouragement on meeting her husband.

"Thank you," he grinned and used every muscle in his body to restrain from taking her in his arms right then and there, and kissing her. He loved her more than life itself and couldn't hardly bare this distance between them.

**********
Lunch had gone a lot smoother than Elliot or Kenna had anticipated. Even Kathy had managed to stay on her best behavior, for the sake of Kenna. With a clearer mind from with staining from getting high, she had transformed into a person she knew well. One she knew her daughter missed terribly.