I Need Saving [A Bensler FanFic- Editing]

Chapter 23 [Edited]

The kids and I sat quietly in my doctor's office after I signed in. Noah was standing beside Emily as he drew on her bright pink cast.

"Momma, why isn't Daddy here?" Emily asked, looking up from my phone. She had scrolled through my photos and landed on a picture of Elliot and me. It was shortly after Faith was born, and we looked so exhausted, but happy.

"Daddy is with Bernie right now, Em. I know he wished he could be here, but she needs him. It doesn't matter though, since I have you and Noah to attend with me. We get to see Serena today," I said, smiling as Noah carefully passed me the pen I had allowed him to use.

"I can't wait to see her," Emily smiled, as she reached a hand out to her baby brother and helped him onto the seat beside her.

I watched closely, before turning back to the wall I had been staring at. It has been almost six years since Elliot and I got married, but I didn't feel married to him right now. He was blocking me out and ignoring our three-year-old and almost seven-year-old. It was like we didn't exist, and our unborn child didn't either.

"Olivia?" A nurse spoke as she held a clipboard. I stood and handed my daughter her crutches before grabbing Noah's hand and following the nurse.

///

"Did you like seeing Serena?" I asked as we rode the elevator to Bernie's floor.

"Why does she look weird?" Emily asked, and I laughed softly.

"It's because she's still in my belly. She'll look like a normal baby when she's finally here," I replied, as the elevator slowed and dinged. 

We walked for a few minutes before Bernie's room came into view. Elliot was sitting on the floor outside her room, his head hung, and his hands covering his face. I felt ill at the view, and Emily stopped walking as she looked up at me.

"What's wrong, Momma?" Emily asked, her eyes moving back to her father.

"I don't know, Em. Can you and Noah go to that waiting room? Please don't move until I get you," I replied.

"C'mon, Noah. Momma needs to talk to Daddy," Emily spoke, as she led her little brother in the other direction.

I took a shaky breath as I approached my husband. Squatting down slowly, I placed a hand on his arm and whispered his name.

"El, what happened?"

"She's gone," He whispered, tears streaming down his cheeks.

///

Bernie had died the night before after having a stroke. She was extremely weak and didn't have much of a chance to survive the stroke and the cancer. It wasn't until after the autopsy did we know her cancer had spread and most of her body was consumed with it. After she died, it was like my husband died as well.

He grew quiet, and most of his time was spent at the gym or getting drunk. He would come home with bloody, swollen knuckles or in a cab completely wasted. I didn't feel safe around my husband anymore, but I couldn't leave him in his time of need. I moved into our guest room because the connection between us had snapped, and I needed to sleep without fear of what might stumble into my room.

"Olivia," Elliot mumbled as he wandered into our house. I was trying to sleep on the couch, but I was uncomfortable.

"El?" I asked, slowly pushing myself up. Elliot kicked his shoes off as he tried to keep his beer bottle from dumping its contents.

"W-Where are you?" Elliot slurred as I stood up and walked to his side.

"I'm right here, El. Where have you been?"

"I was out with my buddies, whiskey and beer," Elliot laughed loudly. I frowned deeply as I heard Emily cough in her sleep.

"Please be quiet, El. The kids are sleeping..." I trailed off with a shake. Elliot had thrown his beer, and the amber colored glass was scattered on the floor by the wall.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Elliot yelled, stumbling towards me. He tripped over the table and caused me to fall onto the floor. Pain filled my body as I made contact, my hands cradling my stomach.

Elliot looked at me, but it was like he was blind to what he did. He burped loudly before tripping over my foot and walking to the stairs.

"I'm going to bed."

///

The next morning, I was incredibly sore. My back was aching, and I had a pounding headache. I was so angry at Elliot for what he did, but I didn't know how to tell him. I was thankful that Emily was going to school for the day so Noah and I could get out of the house while Elliot slept off the fun from the night before.

Noah and I met Casey at the mall, and the moment she came into view, Noah was sprinting to her. He wrapped his arms around her legs, and Casey laughed as she looked down at my son.

"Woah there, Noah!" Casey smiled, swinging my son into her arms.

"Hi, Auntie! Momma said we get to see you today!" Noah exclaimed.

"We are gonna have lunch together! I wanted to spend time with my favorite nephew and his momma," Casey smiled, placing a kiss to Noah's cheek. 

"How are you?" I asked as we walked together towards the food court.

"Liv, are you okay? You are moving pretty slow," Casey spoke, knowing instantly something was off.

"Can we take Noah to the play area for a bit? I think he needs to work up an appetite," I said softly, wanting to avoid this conversation for longer.

"Uh, sure."

Once Noah was in the play area, Casey and I sat together as we watched my son play with the other kids.

"Elliot got violent last night," I breathed, my hand rubbing my bruised lower back.

"What?" She whispered, her eyes wide in shock.

"Yeah," I replied softly, my hand moving to where Serena was squirming. I was so thankful she was still moving after last night.

"What did he do, Olivia?" Casey asked, her voice shaking.

"He threw a bottle at me and then tripped on the table and knocked me down."

"Why didn't you call me? I would've kicked his ass!" Casey exclaimed.

"I took vows, Casey. I promised to be with him for better or worse, and right now it's bad but won't be forever..." I trailed off slowly.