The Dream Is Not Over

World Turning

"River..." I whisper into the air. It's silent, and it feels like the world has suddenly stopped turning. I grip Lindsey's hand a little harder and he winces.

"Jeez, Steph, those daggers." he whispers and I look down, noticing my nails are digging into his palm.

"Sorry." We watch from a safe distance, not wanting to get involved.

—-

Olivia's POV

'Hey...what are you doing here?'

"I could ask you the same thing" I thought I would feel relief when I saw him but the first thing I feel is a foreign emotion. I could bubble over with rage. I shove him, and his eyes go wide. He looks like a deer in the headlights.

"Livvy, baby..."

"Don't 'Livvy-baby' me! I was scared to death! You left me!"

"Olivia, I'm sorry, but if I could just explain."

"I've cried every single day over this. I can't think about you without feeling at fault...I missed you so much that I physically ached for you and now you show up, all handsome and rugged with a beard like nothing happened? I don't think so!"

I try to shut the door but he stops me, putting the toe of his boot in the gap.

"Leave me alone!"

"No, Liv. Just let me explain."

"Why? Why should I?" He's got to have a pretty good story for me to not want to rip his head off right now.

"Because I love you and I'm sorry. This didn't turn out like I hoped." He shuffles a little, jamming his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"Us or your little escape from me?"

"I wasn't trying to escape. I left you a note in the drawer of our bedside table."

His gaze fixes on my fiery one, desperation in his eyes and immediately my anger melts. "You...you did?"

"Yes, baby. You didn't see it?" I shake my head, and he wipes the tears I didn't know I had shed. "I said I was going to go to my parents' house to work on a project."

"Project...what project?"

"I can't talk about it right now. Um, can I come in?" he asks and I move aside in a daze. Just moments before I was angry;  I was ready to yell at him and now I'm intrigued, I'm nervous and...god, he's so good looking. His jeans are tight in all the right places, his tee shirt is tucked in haphazardly and he's wearing that denim jacket we found at a thrift store by school. It's rough, and faded in spots...perfection. I smell his cologne as he passes and I realize all the little things I missed. I can't let us end this way, bitter and unresolved on my end and feeling like I've hanged an innocent man on his. We walk past his parents and they move out of the way. River flashes them a smile and a quick wave.

"Mom, Dad...hey."

"Hey, son," Lindsey says, clapping a hand on River's shoulder.

"Hi, baby." Stevie hugs her son and he closes his eyes in her arms. He missed her, he's truly appreciating the affection.

"How's my baby sister doing?" He smiles down at her and my heart swells with love for him again.

"She's great, sweetheart." I can tell by her voice that she is in tears. My hand ghosts over my middle and he looks back to smile at me.

"Can I say?" I shrug, biting my lip. "This little girl is going to be an auntie. Isn't that insane?" He seems genuinely happy, placing a hand over this mother's stomach to feel the baby move. "I can't wait to do this with Liv. From what I can tell, it's going to be a good looking kid." I giggle, watching him talk so animatedly. He doesn't really say much normally, he internalizes a lot but now, it's like he wants to share rather than me having to nudge him to speak. "Come here, baby." He motions me over, holding out his hand for me to take.