Children of a Whiskey Lullaby

Chapter 16

Ryan was up on a small hill sitting against a tree. "Rough day huh?" Olivia said sitting down next to him and started to message his back. She began humming a little tune and continued to rub his back.
"Is that a new song? It doesn't sound like one we wrote or anything else out now." Ryan inquired at the happy little tune.
"Oh it's one I've been working on since we've been forced to stay out here. I call it True Love. I'm still trying to finish the music but I think it's going to be a hit."
"Olivia Cameron you never cease to amaze me." He gently pushed his lips against hers and they stayed out by the tree until the sun began to set.
"We should probably head back inside." Olivia mentioned standing up and motioned for him to follow. They walked hand in hand back inside to a sleeping Rachel, Lea, and Casey on the couch. "Does she ever go to a bed to sleep?" Ryan chuckled at her question.
"You grab Casey and I'll grab Lea. I'll come down afterwards to get Rachel into a bed." Ryan stated and head over to the couch to grab Lea and take her up to bed.
Rachel woke up and noticed Ryan standing over her. "She left Ryan. She left and told me she wanted me to stay here maybe that would make me happy." Ryan looked at her confused and noticed the tear stains on her cheeks.
"Rachel why don't we get you to bed." Ryan helped her stand up and steadied her as they walked upstairs. Olivia picked Casey up and took her to her bedroom. She quietly closed the door and went to find Ryan she found him inside a spare room with Rachel and Lea. He'd laid Lea down next too Rachel and they were cuddled up against each other.
Ryan sat on the edge of the bed stroking Rachel's hair, Olivia could tell he loved her more than he'd admit. He kissed both of them on the forehead and back up to the door and exited the room closing the door. "You really are an emotional man." Olivia said with a bit of sass I'm her voice.
"You saw that huh?" Ryan rubbed the nape of his neck and red crept to his cheeks.
"Can I ask why?" Olivia pushed forward and Ryan looked down at the ground.
"I don't want to talk about it..." He walked past her and went downstairs.
Olivia headed to his room and went inside, she found his phone on the desk and went to open it. She paused at the picture it was a man who looked identical to Ryan, except he had black hair, and a pair of young brown haired twins. She locked his phone and put it back where she found it and headed to her room. She pulled out her phone and dialed and old friends number. "Hey! Buddy do you think you could do me a favor? Yeah I can meet you at Coco's tomorrow. Thanks Buddy! Bye." She hung up and got dressed for bed.
Morning came and Olivia got up and ready to go. She almost made it downstairs and out the door when she heard someone say, "Where you going Liv?" Olivia turned around to see Rachel on the couch.
"Oh hey, Rachel, I'm just heading to meet a friend for breakfast."
Rachel lit up, "Can I come?" Olivia smiled she didn't really want her to but she didn't want to be rude.
"Okay let's go then we gotta be at Coco's Cafe at 8:00." Olivia grabbed the motorcycle keys and they headed out the doors.
They arrived at Coco's and were five minutes early. Bella was looking down but greeted them before looking up, "Welcome to Coco's Cafe, oh hi Olivia your friend's right over here." Bella lead them to a table where Buddy sat drinking an iced tea. "I thought you wanted a private talk with me Liv." He said bluntly looking straight at Rachel.
"She might be able to help us." Olivia sat down in the booth and Rachel slid in next to her.
"So what's this about Liv?" Buddy says, arms crossed.
"Well my fiancé was acting weird last night after a big fight with his mom and then wouldn't talk to me about a silly question. So I did some snooping..." Olivia handed him the picture she printed off of Ryan's phone.
"Were did you get that?" Rachel turned extremely pale.
"It was Ryan's wallpaper when I was on his phone last night. Why is something wrong?" Olivia asked Rachel but she stood up without a word then left.
"Okay can you possibly find this guy last names probably Hart."
"I saw this guy a few weeks ago. That's General Hart, one of the most recognizable war heroes. He went home about 9 years ago. He came back to the office and never went home again." Buddy said handing her back the photo.
"Could you take me there?" Olivia pleaded.
"I guess but what about your friend?"
"I can give her the keys."
Rachel went on home and Olivia hopped in the car with Buddy. They drove in silence to a station a couple cities over. "Here we are, let's hope they didn't transfer him." They walked inside and it was chaotic people rushing here to there, phones ringing.
"Yes thank you, Bye." The lady at the front desk hung up her phone.
"Hey Buddy, whose your friend." She asked.
"Delia, this is Olivia. She needs to find General Hart does he still work here?"
She typed some things on her computer and then replied, "You're in luck he just clocked in a couple hours ago he's in his office, third door down that hallway on your left." Delia replied and answered her phone again.
They followed her directions and showed up at his door. Buddy knocked on the door and you could hear him coming to answer it. "Can I help you detective?" He looked older then the picture on Ryan's phone and his hair was a peppered gray and his face looked tired.
"Yes you can, this is my friend Olivia, she'd like to talk to you." He said pushing Olivia forward slightly.