A Preschool Promise [A Bensler FanFic]

Fifty-One

Olivia and Elliot got up every few hours to check on Thomas and Ava Lane. Olivia even got stuck in their room for a while after Ava Lane grabbed her hand and rolled over while holding it tightly to her chest. But at least Olivia knew they felt comfortable enough to sleep as deeply as they were. If they felt unsafe and uncomfortable, they would probably be awake all night. 

At around 6 the next morning, Olivia had a sleepy Noah on her hip as she went in to wake up Ava and Thomas. She opened the door and was shocked when she saw the kids dressed and sitting quietly on their beds.

"Whoa. I didn't expect to see you two awake for some time. How'd you two sleep?" She asked as she shifted Noah a bit as he clung to her and rested his head against her shoulder.

"Good," Thomas replied quietly.

"Are you two hungry? And where did you put your pajamas?" Olivia questioned.

"If you can't feed us-" Thomas started, but Olivia was quick to interrupt him.

"There will always be plenty of food for all of us to eat. You should never have to worry about where your next meal will come. So, if you two are hungry, please follow me and I'll start making it." Olivia replied.

"What are we having?" Ava Lane asked, as she looked up at Olivia and then slowly moved her eyes to the baby in her arms.

"What would you like?" Olivia smiled.

"We don't need anything special. Just whatever you were planning on making." Thomas spoke quietly.

"My kids really like pancakes. Would you guys like pancakes and some fruit?" Olivia asked, and they were both quick to nod. Olivia was surprised that Thomas was so excited about getting breakfast. Then she started to wonder if the kids ever ate breakfast.

///

Josiah and Maureen were chatterboxes during breakfast, but Ava Lane and Thomas didn't say anything other than when Olivia asked if they were still hungry. Which they were.

After breakfast, Elliot headed to work. His first thing was to call and see if he could get Thomas fitted for a new prosthetic. Olivia's first thing to do in the morning was to get the kids outside to play while she set up their first lesson.

"Alright, time to get your shoes on and to play for a bit." Olivia smiled after she laid Noah for his early morning nap. Maureen and Josiah went sprinting to the door to grab their shoes, while Ava Lane and Thomas looked at her with confusion in their eyes.

"Why are we getting our shoes on? Don't we have something else to do?" Thomas asked, and Olivia walked over and grabbed their shoes before sitting the pairs on the floor in front of them.

"I home school my kids, so while I get together what they need to do for their first lesson. I was hoping that you two would want to do some lessons too. Are you both in school?" Olivia questioned.

"Ava and I didn't go to school. We weren't allow too." Thomas breathed.

"Well, then you two can start on the same lessons as Josiah is on. They will start you with the basics, and I'm sure that you'll be climbing to other grades soon." Olivia smiled. She sank down onto the coffee table before hesitantly grabbing their hands.

"You are too nice to us, Mrs. Stabler." Thomas whimpered. Olivia squeezed their hands gently as tears welled in her eyes.

"You two deserve so much more than you received. This is how you deserve to be treated. You deserve to be kids and to be treated with kindness and love. I will make sure that you never feel unwanted at all." Olivia breathed, as a tear ran down her cheek.

"Why are you crying?" Ava Lane asked.

"I was in your position. I was a foster kid for a while before I was adopted. I felt how you felt, and I know how hard it is to be an adult while you are still only a kid. So, I am going to make sure you stop feeling how I felt."

"Do you think we'll get adopted?" Thomas asked, and Olivia wanted to adopt them so badly already, but she didn't want to tell them anything to only get them disappointed.

"There is an extraordinarily high chance. Trust me. You two are amazing. Now, I bet that Josiah and Maureen will let you two play tag with them."

///

The day was decently easy. The kids all liked the day's lesson, while Olivia supervised them and figured out plans for the next week. Thomas and Ava Lane actually talked to Maureen and Josiah, but they were still unsure of Noah. It was a bad day for him because his asthma was acting up so he was incredibly fussy.

By the time Elliot got home, the kids all seemed happy to see him. But Thomas was the most excited when he heard the news about going to get a new prosthetic arm.

"Isn't that a lot of money?" Thomas whimpered, as he ran his hand over his cheek to wipe away a few tears.

"Thomas, it is worth it. You showed me how uncomfortable that one is. And how it rubs wrong." Olivia replied.

"But... but I'm just your foster kid." Thomas frowned, as Elliot ruffled his hair as he walked past and to his spot at the end of the table.

"Let's not use that term anymore, Thomas and Ava Lane. From now on, you are our kids. Then you don't have to feel judged and you don't have to feel like what we are doing for you is less important. We would do this for our kids, and we are doing it for you too." Elliot spoke, and their eyes went wide. 

This was a completely different approach. They had expected to be hated by Thomas and Ava Lane for the first few months, but now they weren't even going to use the term 'foster kids'. It held a kind of negative meaning for them since they have had many foster homes that have had mean foster parents taking care of them.

"Thank you all so much." Thomas whimpered.

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